Rural Health
News by Topic: Substance use and misuse
May 8, 2026 - A recent episode of the Iowa Economy Podcast features 3 healthcare and public health experts, who discuss how statewide health challenges are affecting Iowa's economy. They point out that these issues have implications for employers, workforce stability, and long-term economic growth.
Source: Business Record
May 5, 2026 - Notice from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) seeking comments on an information collection request titled "Message Testing for Tobacco Communication Activities (MTTCA)." MTTCA is designed to collect information about adult smokers' and nonsmokers' attitudes and perceptions towards tobacco, and to pretest draft messages and materials for clarity, salience, appeal, and persuasiveness. Comments are due July 6, 2026.
Source: Federal Register
May 5, 2026 - According to research done for the Appalachian Regional Commission, deaths associated with drug overdoses, alcohol, and suicide have been declining, but Appalachian deaths of despair remain 33% higher than those in the rest of the U.S. People born between 1981-1999 are among those most affected by deaths of despair.
Source: The Daily Yonder
FDA: Agency Information Collection Activities; Proposed Collection; Comment Request; National Youth Tobacco Survey
Federal Register
May 4, 2026 - The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is seeking comments on a proposed information collection project titled "National Youth Tobacco Survey (NYTS) 2027-2029." Information collected through the NYTS is used to identify trends in youth tobacco use over time, and to inform the development of public education campaigns, policies and rules, and compliance and enforcement programs for tobacco products. Comments are due by July 6, 2026.
Source: Federal Register
Apr 21, 2026 - The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is seeking comments on an information collection project titled "National Quitline Data Warehouse (NQDW)." NQDW provides information from all U.S. states, the District of Columbia, Guam, Puerto Rico, and the Asian Smoker's Quitline regarding the general smoking population who contact their state quitlines, as well as information on key subgroups of tobacco users who contact state quitlines to better support cessation services. Comments are due by June 22, 2026.
Source: Federal Register
Apr 21, 2026 - The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is seeking comments on an existing information collection project titled "Extended Evaluation of the National Tobacco Prevention and Control Public Education Campaign." The goal of the information collection is to evaluate the reach of the Tips From Former Smokers® (Tips®) campaign among intended audiences and to examine the effectiveness of these efforts in impacting specific outcomes that are targeted by Tips, including quit attempts and intentions to quit among smokers, nonsmokers' communications about the dangers of smoking, and knowledge of smoking-related diseases among both audiences. Comments are due by June 22, 2026.
Source: Federal Register
Apr 7, 2026 - Notice from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) seeking comments on a proposed information collection titled "Public Health/Public Safety Strategies to Reduce Drug Overdose Data Collection." The information collected will be used to improve public health/public safety partnerships and responses to the overdose crisis that involve public safety. Comments are due by June 8, 2026.
Source: Federal Register
Apr 6, 2026 - Profiles a recovery high school in rural Maine in response to substance use among youth. The high school will have a boarding component to better reach the dispersed rural population. Discusses the lack of youth addiction services in the area, maintaining educational achievement while using substances, stigma, and funding.
Source: The Hechinger Report
Mar 30, 2026 - Describes the work of Nebraska researchers who are investigating treatment barriers and facilitators of success for rural people with addiction. Discusses the impact of both stigma and support networks in treatment.
Source: WJAG
Mar 30, 2026 - Announces U.S. Department of Agriculture funding for one hub site and 5 end-user sites in rural Kentucky with distance learning and teleconferencing equipment. The equipment will allow for mental health and substance use telehealth services in addition to college and career readiness.
Source: U.S. Department of Agriculture