Leo Beletsky Professor of Law and Health Sciences; Faculty Director, Health in Justice Action Lab l.beletsky@neu.edu 617.373.5540 Expertise COVID-19, criminal justice policy, drug policy, health and human rights, opioid crisis, role of law as a structural determinant of health, social epidemiology of HIV-AIDS and drug addiction Leo Beletsky in the Press Who killed Tyler Skaggs? Leo Beletsky, a professor of law and health sciences at Northeastern University who has studied the prosecution of overdoses as homicides, said the purpose of such cases is “performative. … They help policymakers, prosecutors, other folks, to signal to their constituents that they’re doing something about the crisis while actually likely making it worse.” Mass. sees largest decline in opioid-related deaths in more than a decade Leo Beletsky, professor of law and health sciences at Northeastern University and an addiction expert, said higher incarceration rates among Black men are a significant driver of overdoses. People who had been in prison are much more likely to overdose and die after their release, Beletsky said. Access to substance abuse treatment, including medication, also […] ‘I literally cried:’ Annual overdoses in Mass. fell for first time in four years, CDC says Leo Beletsky, director of Northeastern University’s Action Lab at the Center for Health Policy and Law, said the apparent decrease is “unequivocally good news” after watching overdoses climb for years. U.S. News & World Report Left Turn: Liberal Bastions Pivot to Tougher Stances on Drugs, Crime “I would probably characterize it as a backlash,” Leo Beletsky, a professor of law and health sciences at Northeastern University, says of the apparent trend, “against some pretty modest reforms that have been promulgated recently.” ‘Game changer’: Mass. doctors hail new federal rule expanding access to methadone “These [methadone] regulations were never built on a scientific foundation,” said Leo Beletsky, a professor of law and health sciences at Northeastern University. Narcan saves lives — but finding it can be onerous in Massachusetts “Frankly, this level of inconsistency and confusion will cost lives,” said Leo Beletsky, a professor of law and health sciences at Northeastern University in Boston. “The risk of overdosing is burden enough. People looking for [Narcan] shouldn’t face the additional burden of having to ask five people to find a life-saving product.” Christian Science Monitor Will ‘Texas tough’ work in fighting fentanyl fatalities? “The emergence of fentanyl … is the result of missteps in how this crisis was addressed in previous years,” says Leo Beletsky, a professor at Northeastern University School of Law who researches homicide laws tied to drug overdoses. Axios Blue cities rethink their embrace of progressive drug policies And that’s definitely visible,” said Leo Beletsky, a professor at Northeastern University who studies the public health impact of laws. Dog owner disputes Irvine police claim that puppy overdosed on fentanyl “Law enforcement has been spreading misinformation about fentanyl for several years,” said Leo Beletsky, a professor of law and health sciences at Northeastern University. “That same situation is being repeated now with animals.” Police give overdose-reversing drug to puppy after possible fentanyl exposure “It is not possible to overdose by touching or accidentally inhaling fentanyl, and the same would apply to non-human animals as well,” Leo Beletsky, a professor of law and health sciences at Northeastern University, told The Times on Saturday. Leo Beletsky for Northeastern Global News Drug overdose deaths are down for the first time in 30 years giving cautious hope for the future of the opioid crisis Drug overdose deaths are down for the first time in 30 years giving cautious hope for the future of the opioid crisis The decrease, however small, is cause for celebration, even though there’s still a lot of work to be done, according to Northeastern law and health sciences professor Leo Beletsky. Northeastern University researchers’ style guide helps journalists and policymakers avoid harmful language when discussing the opioid crisis Northeastern University researchers’ style guide helps journalists and policymakers avoid harmful language when discussing the opioid crisis Stigmatizing language about addiction only exacerbates the problem. An important step towards solving this crisis is changing how we talk. Opioid addiction is a public health crisis. The way we’re talking about it isn’t helping. Opioid addiction is a public health crisis. The way we’re talking about it isn’t helping. Part of solving the opioid addiction crisis, say two Northeastern researchers, is changing how we talk about addiction. Social justice baked into the laws regulating Massachusetts’s budding marijuana industry Social justice baked into the laws regulating Massachusetts’s budding marijuana industry As Massachusetts prepares the legal framework for marijuana businesses, the state is trying to address a disparity in the way authorities applied anti-drug laws. In some cases, these initiatives were built by students in Northeastern School of Law. How opioid lawsuit money could help solve the epidemic How opioid lawsuit money could help solve the epidemic One judge has the daunting task of resolving more than 400 lawsuits against opioid manufacturers, distributors, and pharmacies. Assigning blame for this complex epidemic won't be easy, but it's the first of many steps to solving the epidemic. To address opioid crisis, researchers call for focus on root causes of suffering To address opioid crisis, researchers call for focus on root causes of suffering There is no easy fix to the opioid crisis. But one thing is certain—traditional approaches have been failing, according to Northeastern professor and drug policy expert Leo Beletsky. In a new paper published Thursday, he and his colleagues offer a new perspective on tackling the opioid epidemic. Marijuana in Massachusetts, what happens now that it’s legal? Marijuana in Massachusetts, what happens now that it’s legal? Massachusetts voters earlier this month overwhelmingly approved the legalization of recreational marijuana. We asked drug policy expert Leo Beletsky what happens next and how the Trump administration could impact the rollout of this new law, which takes effect Dec. 15. 3Qs: How to overcome the global drug problem 3Qs: How to overcome the global drug problem The United Nations General Assembly recently convened a special session on drugs, marking its first meeting on the topic since 1998. We asked Northeastern drug policy expert Leo Beletsky, who spoke at one of the session’s side events, to reflect on the historic meeting and the future of drug policy reform. Are safe injection facilities for heroin users a step in the right direction? Are safe injection facilities for heroin users a step in the right direction? The mayor of Ithaca, New York, last week, announced a plan to open sites where heroin users can safely inject the drug under medical supervision. Assistant professor Leo Beletsky thinks the idea isn’t that far-fetched, saying “We need innovative interventions because what we are doing is not working.” New White House drug program to help combat ‘national crisis’ New White House drug program to help combat ‘national crisis’ Northeastern drug policy expert Leo Beletsky described the federal government’s new Heroin Response Strategy, which looks to combat drug abuse through a public health approach, as a positive development, but added that there is still more work to be done.
Who killed Tyler Skaggs? Leo Beletsky, a professor of law and health sciences at Northeastern University who has studied the prosecution of overdoses as homicides, said the purpose of such cases is “performative. … They help policymakers, prosecutors, other folks, to signal to their constituents that they’re doing something about the crisis while actually likely making it worse.”
Mass. sees largest decline in opioid-related deaths in more than a decade Leo Beletsky, professor of law and health sciences at Northeastern University and an addiction expert, said higher incarceration rates among Black men are a significant driver of overdoses. People who had been in prison are much more likely to overdose and die after their release, Beletsky said. Access to substance abuse treatment, including medication, also […]
‘I literally cried:’ Annual overdoses in Mass. fell for first time in four years, CDC says Leo Beletsky, director of Northeastern University’s Action Lab at the Center for Health Policy and Law, said the apparent decrease is “unequivocally good news” after watching overdoses climb for years.
U.S. News & World Report Left Turn: Liberal Bastions Pivot to Tougher Stances on Drugs, Crime “I would probably characterize it as a backlash,” Leo Beletsky, a professor of law and health sciences at Northeastern University, says of the apparent trend, “against some pretty modest reforms that have been promulgated recently.”
‘Game changer’: Mass. doctors hail new federal rule expanding access to methadone “These [methadone] regulations were never built on a scientific foundation,” said Leo Beletsky, a professor of law and health sciences at Northeastern University.
Narcan saves lives — but finding it can be onerous in Massachusetts “Frankly, this level of inconsistency and confusion will cost lives,” said Leo Beletsky, a professor of law and health sciences at Northeastern University in Boston. “The risk of overdosing is burden enough. People looking for [Narcan] shouldn’t face the additional burden of having to ask five people to find a life-saving product.”
Christian Science Monitor Will ‘Texas tough’ work in fighting fentanyl fatalities? “The emergence of fentanyl … is the result of missteps in how this crisis was addressed in previous years,” says Leo Beletsky, a professor at Northeastern University School of Law who researches homicide laws tied to drug overdoses.
Axios Blue cities rethink their embrace of progressive drug policies And that’s definitely visible,” said Leo Beletsky, a professor at Northeastern University who studies the public health impact of laws.
Dog owner disputes Irvine police claim that puppy overdosed on fentanyl “Law enforcement has been spreading misinformation about fentanyl for several years,” said Leo Beletsky, a professor of law and health sciences at Northeastern University. “That same situation is being repeated now with animals.”
Police give overdose-reversing drug to puppy after possible fentanyl exposure “It is not possible to overdose by touching or accidentally inhaling fentanyl, and the same would apply to non-human animals as well,” Leo Beletsky, a professor of law and health sciences at Northeastern University, told The Times on Saturday.