ASDN News & Advocacy

Addiction Science Defense Network
News & Advocacy

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Weekly Update: December 15-19, 2025

Communicating about Public Health with Policymakers - de Beaumont Foundation

In addition to sharing information about the damage being done to addiction science, ASDN is also communicating to policymakers and the general public about the public health benefits that come from addiction research. This toolkit is very helpful for making the most of your time with policymakers and their staff:

Audience insights that explain the current “trust gap”.
A message formula for communicating with policymakers.
Examples of public health initiatives that show the value of the field.
Message “do’s” and “don’ts”.
Recommendations for enlisting credible messengers.
Tips for engaging with policymakers.

Ignorance is Bliss Dept.

The history of cannabis policy has lurched from propaganda portrayals of “Reefer Madness” to legalization at the state level. Despite 50 years of research on cannabis’s harms and hazards, addiction research has not influenced public policy in ways that would protect public health and social justice. A recent systematic review published in JAMA and discussed in this article strongly suggests that the medical marijuana initiative—widely successful as a Trojan horse for legalization—was the wrong policy at the wrong time for public health. Cannabis has minimal medical applications, as this article indicates, but daily cannabis use, now being promoted by cannabis industry entrepreneurs, helps to build markets just like the Big Tobacco and Big Pharma industries did to create epidemics of addiction to nicotine and opioids, respectively. If ignorance of the evidence is bliss for the policymakers, then they are letting their responsibility to protect public health go up in smoke.

Trump NIH cuts threaten America's next generation of scientists | STAT

Over the first several months of the administration, the MOSAIC program was terminated because it was seen as running afoul of President Trump’s executive order to eliminate diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives. It was one of several awards that the NIH had created to diversify its grant recipients, targeting a point in the training pipeline where academia often loses people underrepresented in the field. It was offered to scientists from a broad range of disadvantaged backgrounds, defined more broadly than just race and ethnicity. NIH funded 896 fewer new early-career grants of any type compared to the same period last year for undergraduates, Ph.D. students, and postdocs. Asked about the MOSAIC program’s elimination, the NIH said it is “shifting its portfolio to maximize the impact of federal taxpayer dollars and ensure proper oversight of this funding in support of gold-standard science rather than politicized DEI ideology.” MOSAIC, an abbreviation for Maximizing Opportunities for Scientific and Academic Independent Careers, was created to solve two problems the NIH was grappling with: the lack of diversity among investigators with NIH funding, and the low pay and poor career prospects of postdoctoral researchers. In its broader meaning, the word mosaic describes anything that is made up of many different elements, such as a mosaic of people with backgrounds, ideas and viewpoints working together on a common problem. Isn’t that the epitome of “gold standard science”?

Some humans ain’t Human.Dept.

Fired by email: What it felt like to be targeted by DOGE’s federal purge is a fascinating podcast featuring a long interview with journalist Sasha Abramsky, the author of American Carnage: How Trump, Musk and Doge Butchered the US Government. Abramsky spent six months embedded with 11 fired federal workers from eight different agencies. Although it is not specific about agencies that are charged with addiction science, it does describe the harms also visited on the federal workforce at NIDA, NIAAA and CDC. That workforce includes hundreds of honest, dedicated scientists and bureaucrats who have been the backbone of the field of addiction research. As described in the podcast, these are the people who were fired precipitously, lost their health insurance immediately, were forced from careers they’d dedicated their lives to, denied their pensions, and in some cases ordered to stay home with full pay. This is a story of waste, fraud and abuse created by Elon Musk’s young “foot soldiers” targeting agencies engaged in science, public health, and foreign aid for people with HIV infections. Brings back memories of John Prine’s 2005 song.

Weekly Update: December 8-12, 2025

STAT Series on the Dismantling of US Science Infrastructure.

As our ASDN followers know, we have been documenting how addiction science has been affected by the recent policies of the Trump administration. Our information-sharing capability has monitored the popular press, government sources and the addiction science community itself to understand the impact. Much of what we are learning, which can be reviewed on the ASDN website, has been consistent with the broader issues now being described in American Science, Shattered: Special report on research funding cuts, which provides a detailed analysis of how the Trump administration's policies have affected scientific research and the implications for the future of the field.

And at the CDC and the NIH, the “agony” of working for RFK Jr. is conveyed here: The 'Agony' of Working for RFK Jr.; CDC Telework Drama; NIH Grant Funding Shakeup | MedPage Today The article describes a NYTimes analysis of every competitive NIH and NSF grant awarded since 2015, showing that this year there were fewer grants awarded in every area of science and medicine. In addition, there was more competition for grants, there was a drop in grants mentioning diversity, and fewer fellowships for future scientists.

Cancel Culture Dept.

Although it is not unusual for NIH funding programs to be discontinued, one wonders if there was an ulterior motive behind the cancellation of the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs. Active NIH SBIR and STTR awards can continue, however NIH will not issue noncompeting continuation awards for existing projects until the SBIR/STTR program is reauthorized. (NOT-OD-26-006: Notice of Early Expiration of NIH Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Notices of Funding Opportunity and Guidance for Existing Recipients) As one ASDN Coordinating Committee member observed: “So much for leveraging academic-business science partnerships to bring large-scale deployment of effective interventions.”

Call it the Frequent Departures Administration (FDA).

And in other news, nearly 90% of senior leaders who were at the FDA a year ago are no longer with the agency.

Pardon My Drug Trafficking Dept.

Trump’s pardon of an ex-Honduran president is inexplicable except for its potential for a return on investment. Despite his anti-drug rhetoric, The Washington Post reports that the president has granted clemency to about 100 people accused of drug-related crimes during his time in office.

This article correctly suggests that the War on Drugs mentality focused on aggressive interdiction and other supply control options are unlikely to disrupt supply routes once the demand has been created in the US. Better options include overdose prevention measures, treatment services, and early preventive intervention.

Volunteers Needed!

ASDN is looking for volunteers to become part of an expert working group devoted to the recovery, rehabilitation and reconstruction of the addiction science and practice infrastructure. Given the damage already done during the first year of the new administration, ASDN proposes to evaluate not only the policies and processes that are known to be effective, but also those that are ripe for improvements. ASDN needs addiction scientists, treatment practitioners, former government officials, early career scientists and persons with lived experience to step up and join a collaborative, multidisciplinary working group that will plan the future of addiction science. Contact Tom Babor (Babor@uchc.edu) for more information.

Weekly Update: December 1-5, 2025

Just out now!

The Grayken Center for Addiction at Boston Medical Center’s Behind the Evidence podcast featuring a "Behind the Masthead," series of conversations with addiction journal editors and other scholars on navigating current threats to addiction science and academic freedom. In their second episode, guest host Casy Calver, PhD speaks with Tom Babor, PhD, the former Editor of Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs about the preservation of scientific freedom through the Addiction Science Defense Network. Listen here or search for Behind the Evidence on your preferred podcast platform.

Social Science Advocacy Day brings together social and behavioral scientists, students, and advocates from across the country to engage with policymakers in Congress about issues important to our community, such as federal funding for addiction research. You will be teamed up with a group of advocates from your state and participate in a day of in-person meetings (Tuesday, March 24) with House and Senate offices on Capitol Hill. Through these meetings, you will share reasons why federal government support for social and behavioral science research is so critical and discuss how you and your institution can be helpful to your elected officials. Advocates will be given all the resources they need to have successful meetings, including a preparatory seminar on Monday, March 23.

The U.S. Is Funding Fewer Grants in Every Area of Science and Medicine - The New York Times

This article describes how the Office of Management and Budget is gaming the federal budgeting system to support fewer investigators and less research. NIAAA is among the most affected NIH institutes, with 47% fewer grants being funded in 2025, and the grants provide less time to spend the money they do get.

Drug War Diplomacy Dept.

Lots of media attention this week to the gunboat drug war being waged in the Caribbean. Not enough attention is being paid to the supply side research that shows little benefit from the huge costs of interdiction and source control efforts. And consider these articles indicating rather unusual policies being implemented in the name of illegal drug policy:

Ironically, there are some policy initiatives that may be consistent with the research evidence on effect drug policies, albeit actions taken for a completely different purpose. In this piece in The Guardian, we learn about changes in tax policies on hemp could drive up the price of legal cannabis, and drive down use rates, particularly the rapidly expanding market for THC infused alcohol products.

ASDN conference presentations. ASDN is looking for volunteers to make presentations on ASDN’s work and that of our partners to defend addiction science. Please contact Tom Babor (babor@uchc.edu) for a list of options and guidelines for presentations.