We open with a topic that is near and dear to my heart: I often get asked about e-cigarettes as tobacco cessation aids, and now we have a JAMA Special Communication summarizing expert recommendations.

Next, we move to opioids and increasing access/adherence, for example via hospital discharge treatment initiation for alcohol/opioid withdrawal, through post-carceral support groups, and through state laws requiring addiction programs to offer FDA-approved MOUD. (The Orange County Register has a fascinating new four-part series on methadone, starting with this first issue.) On the other hand, medications not approved for OUD like gabapentin are common in our patients, especially for nonmedical use. In addition to treatment, we also feature results from an international survey on treatment and harm reduction services for opioid use disorder as well as post-carceral access to vending machine naloxone. Speaking of harm reduction, we feature a pilot trial of contingency management for stimulant use in a low-barrier syringe service program.

To close, we highlight another important emerging question: how addictive is social media? Meta reaches $18 billion settlements in social media addiction cases.

From hospital discharge protocols to legal reckonings, this week highlights how addiction medicine touches every corner of modern health. The landmark $18 billion settlement reminds us that the mechanisms of compulsion, whether pharmacological or behavioral, require our clinical vigilance, ethical grounding, and advocacy. As our field continuously refines its approach to tobacco cessation, MOUD access, and nonmedical prescription drug use, we hope these updates strengthen your daily practice. Thank you for your continued leadership and compassionate, evidence-based care on the frontlines.

Smita Das, MD, PhD, MPH
Editor in Chief

with Co-Editors: Brandon Aden, MD, MPH, FASAM; John A. Fromson, MD; Sarah Messmer, MD, FASAM; Jack Woodside, MD; and Contributing Editor: Jessica Gregg, MD, PhD, FASAM