Joshua Rivera

Yes. Ketamine is being studied for several substance use disorders, including alcohol, cocaine, and opioid use disorders, but evidence remains preliminary and ketamine is not FDA-approved for addiction treatment.

Psychedelic-assisted therapy combines a psychedelic drug with structured psychological support. It is being studied for substance use disorders, but remains experimental and is not an established FDA-approved addiction treatment.

Yes. Psilocybin-assisted therapy is being studied for alcohol use disorder, but it remains investigational and is not FDA-approved for AUD.

Early randomized trials suggest semaglutide may reduce some alcohol-craving and drinking outcomes, but findings are mixed and semaglutide is not FDA-approved for alcohol use disorder.

Yes. GLP-1 receptor agonists such as semaglutide are being studied for alcohol use disorder, but they are not FDA-approved for AUD and the evidence is still emerging.

California’s 911 Good Samaritan overdose law provides limited protection from certain possession-related criminal liability when someone seeks medical help in good faith for a drug-related overdose.

In California, naloxone can be obtained through pharmacies, over-the-counter nasal products, community organizations, syringe-service and harm-reduction programs, and other distribution channels supported by state public-health programs.

Xylazine test strips are drug-checking tools designed to detect xylazine in a drug sample. They can indicate the presence of xylazine but do not measure dose, purity, or every possible contaminant.

Drug checking uses test strips, spectroscopy, or laboratory analysis to identify some substances in an unregulated drug sample so people can make safer decisions and connect with harm-reduction or treatment services.

EtG and PEth are both direct alcohol biomarkers, but EtG is commonly used to detect more recent alcohol exposure while PEth is a blood-based marker that can reflect alcohol use over a longer period.