New Virus Relief Proposal Includes Less Aid for States and Localities


Brian Skinner COVID-19, Local Government, State Fiscal & Economic Policy

  Route Fifty — By Bill Lucia — September 29, 2020  State and local governments would see a combined $417 billion in direct federal aid under an updated coronavirus relief proposal that House Democrats revealed on Monday, a sum that is well short of the amount included in an earlier version of the plan, but that also …Read More

Ohio lawsuit: Regulators ‘punting’ on medical marijuana program expansion


Brian Skinner Medical Cannabis

Marijuana Business Daily – September 28, 2020 An Ohio medical marijuana grower filed a lawsuit against state regulators alleging that government overseers have been hamstringing the MMJ program’s growth, despite clear demand for more business services.According to Law360com, Fire Rock sued the state Department of Commerce over its failure to either grant or deny an application filed …Read More

Health on Wheels: Tricked-Out RVs Deliver Addiction Treatment to Rural Communities


Brian Skinner Opioid Drug Crisis, Rural America

Route Fifty – – By Markian Hawryluk – – September 28, 2020   STERLING, Colo. — Tonja Jimenez is far from the only person driving an RV down Colorado’s rural highways. But unlike the other rigs, her 34-foot-long motor home is equipped as an addiction treatment clinic on wheels, bringing lifesaving treatment to the northeastern corner of the state, …Read More

Should West Virginia Employ an Antigen Testing Strategy that Prioritizes Infectiousness Over Infections?


Brian Skinner COVID-19, Economy

  By Brian Skinner, Esq. Earlier this week, global airlines called for pre-departure Covid-19 testing for all international passengers to replace the quarantines that they blame for exacerbating the decline in air travel. International Air Transport Association (IATA) Director General Alexandre de Juniac said during an online media briefing, rapid and affordable antigen tests that …Read More

It’s Time for WV to Eliminate Prior Authorization for Substance Use Disorder Services and Medications


Brian Skinner Government & Policy, Medication-Assisted Treatment, Opioid Drug Crisis

  By Brian Skinner, Esq. As the opioid-related overdose epidemic continues to escalate in West Virginia and the nation, timely access to Food & Drug Administration (FDA)-approved medications for the treatment for opioid use disorder (OUD) is more important than ever. Evidence shows that medication-assisted treatment (MAT) for OUD saves lives and helps people maintain …Read More