Stimulants and Synthetic Drugs

Stimulants and Synthetic Drugs

Recorded: Thursday, September 29, 2022 - Saturday, October 1, 2022
On-Demand Session

Overview

This 1-hour, 45-minute, on-demand session from the 2022 ASAM State of the Art Course highlights the latest research and emerging topics on stimulants and synthetic drugs, including the stimulant and fentanyl overdose mortality epidemic, synthetic stimulants and opioids, psychophysiological phenotyping of reward processing, and promising treatment approaches for Methamphetamine Use Disorder.
According to the CDC, from 2012 through 2020 in the United States, the number of deaths involving methamphetamine increased more than 6-fold while the number of deaths involving cocaine more than tripled. These numbers have continued to rise since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. Presentations in This 1-hour, 45-minute, on-demand session from the 2022 ASAM State of the Art Course highlights the latest research and emerging topics on stimulants and synthetic drugs, including the stimulant and fentanyl overdose mortality epidemic, synthetic stimulants and opioids, psychophysiological phenotyping of reward processing, and promising treatment approaches for Methamphetamine Use Disorder. Following each presentation, presenters answer audience questions.

This session is comprised of 4 presentations that deep dive into different aspects of the overall topic.

• Colluding Crises: Understanding Stimulant and Fentanyl Overdose Mortality
  As fentanyl overdose mortality has climbed precipitously across the United States, rising deaths due to stimulant (cocaine or methamphetamine) toxicity have followed. The interaction between these two crises runs deep and is poorly understood, with a very limited understanding of the causes of death from acute stimulant toxicity, an unclear relationship between stimulant and fentanyl use, and uncertain interactions resulting in overdose death. We will review the trends in overdose death due to stimulants, fentanyl, and the two in combination; the clinical presentation of acute toxicity from stimulants and fentanyl; and existing data elucidating the co-use and toxicity from these drugs. Finally, we will address potential interventions to address the related overdose crisis.
• Psychophysioloigcal phenotyping of reward processing and its modulation with abstinence in cocaine addiction
  The goal of the presentation is to discuss motivational dysregulation, or deficits in reward processing, in substance use disorders and to discuss how these processes change during abstinence. Different aspects of reward processing (e.g., drug-related and non-drug-related) will be defined. Electroencephalography (EEG) technique will be introduced that can be used to objectively assess motivational dysregulation in substance use disorder. To make the case for clinical relevance and significance of this topic, several studies from the presenter's and other research groups on this topic will be presented. The presentation will conclude with a discussion on other brain imaging techniques for studying motivational dysregulation and how such work provides bases for the development of treatments and interventions for substance use disorders.
• Pharmacology of New Synthetic Stimulants and Opioids Appearing in Clandestine Drug Markets
  New psychoactive substances (NPS) are synthetic drugs specifically engineered to bypass current drug control laws. This presentation will provide up-to-date information about the stimulant and opioid NPS that are emerging in clandestine drug markets in the US and elsewhere. The chemical structures, molecular mechanisms of drug action, and preclinical pharmacology for representative stimulant (e.g., eutylone) and opioid (e.g., isotonitazene) NPS will be presented. Clinical symptomatology produced by the drugs will be described. The information provided will be utilized to assess harms, and guide strategies for management and treatment.
• Treatment of Methamphetamine Use Disorder Using Injectable Naltrexone and Oral Bupropion
  Methamphetamine use continues to increase and has now been characterized as the ?fourth wave? of the opioid epidemic. Furthermore, the majority of overdose deaths now involve stimulants. Despite the acknowledgement of this public health crisis, there are no FDA approved treatments for methamphetamine use disorder. This presentation will address this urgency by reviewing outcomes from a recent novel clinical trial which evaluates the efficacy and safety of the combination of extended-release oral bupropion and extended-release injectable naltrexone for the treatment of methamphetamine use disorder.

These sessions are intended for experienced learners and are taught an intermediate or advanced level. The target audience includes:

• Addiction medicine specialists who are interested in the latest research in the field and its translation to clinical practice
• Physicians and other healthcare professionals who treat patients with addiction and seek an advanced level of knowledge
• Scientists, researchers, public health officials and advocates dedicated to the field of addiction medicine

This conference addresses all 6 ACGME Competencies.

Learning Objectives

At the end of the course, learners should be able to:

1. Discuss the important, new, scientific breakthroughs in the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of addiction.
2. Critically evaluate new science and describe how it changes the current understanding of addiction and co-occurring medical or psychiatric disorders.
3. Develop practical applications for integrating new and emerging science into practice.
4. Identify gaps in the field of addiction medicine that future research can address.
5. Create a network of colleagues and resources to support the learner's practice or form future research collaborations.

Registration Rates

*Residents, Fellows-in-training, Interns, and Students must join ASAM to receive a discounted registration rate. Click here to become an ASAM member. National and Chapter membership dues apply. There is no charge for Students to become a Member, but verification of student status is required.

Membership Question?  Call ASAM at 1.301.656.3920, email us, or view the ASAM website for more information.

Refunds & Cancellations

All ASAM eLearning Center refund requests must be made in writing to Education@ASAM.org within 90 days of purchase. Those requesting refunds for courses that are in progress will receive partial refunds or eLearning Center credit. Automatic full refunds will be made for any course with a live-course component that has been cancelled.

Registration Deadline: 10/1/2025

Instructions

1. Click on the Contents tab to begin this activity.
2. Click Complete Post Test to answer multiple choice questions. Participants will have 10 attempts to pass and must answer 4 out of 5 questions correctly.
3. Click Complete Evaluation to provide valuable activity feedback. Scroll down on all questions as there may be answer options that expand past the size of the window.
4. Click the button Claim Medical Credits in the box titled Claim Credits & Certificate. Choose the type of credit and click submit. Click the button View/Print Certificate to save or print your certificate. You can view/print your certificate at any time by visiting the ASAM eLearning Center, clicking Dashboard, and clicking Transcript/Achievements.

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CME, CE, CEU and Other Credit Types

ACCME Accreditation Statement
The American Society of Addiction Medicine is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) to provide continuing medical education for physicians.

AMA Credit Designation Statement
The American Society of Addiction Medicine designates this live activity for a maximum of 1.75 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s)™. Physicians should only claim credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

NAADAC, the Association for Addiction Professionals
This activity has been approved by the American Society of Addiction Medicine, as a NAADAC Approved Education Provider, for educational credits. NAADAC Provider #295, ASAM is responsible for all aspects of the programming.

California Association for Drug/Alcohol Educators (CAADE)
This educational program is approved by CAADE: #CP40 999 1222

California Association of DUI Treatment Centers (CADTP)
This educational program is approved by CADTP: #205

California Consortium of Addiction Programs and Professionals (CCAPP)
This educational program is approved by CCAPP: #OS-20-330-1222

Continuing Education Credits (CEUs)
Non-physician participants will receive a certificate of attendance upon completion of the activity and an online evaluation confirming their participation. Participants should submit his/her certificate of attendance to their professional organization/institute.

Maintenance of Certification (MOC) / Continuing Certification Program (CCP)

The ASAM State of the Art Course  meets the CME requirements for the following primary boards:
• American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS)
• American Board of Preventive Medicine (ABPM)
• American Board of Anesthesiology (ABA)
• American Board of Pediatrics (ABP)
• American Board of Internal Medicine (ABIM)
• American Board of Surgery (ABS)
• American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology (ABPN)
• American Board of Addiction Medicine (ABAM)
• Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada (RCPSC

Disclosure Information

In accordance with disclosure policies of ASAM and the ACCME, the effort is made to ensure balance, independence, objectivity, and scientific rigor in all CME activities. These policies include mitigating all possible relevant financial relationships with ineligible companies for the Planning Committees and Presenters. All activity Planning Committee member and Presenters have disclosed relevant financial relationship information. The ASAM CME Committee has reviewed these disclosures and determined that the relationships are not inappropriate in the context of their respective presentations and are not inconsistent with the educational goals and integrity of the activity.