Panaptic’s IMPACT program is evolving! Previously focused on cannabis prevention, IMPACT now includes evidence-based education and support for alcohol and opioid use prevention. Our online platform empowers academic communities to foster meaningful connections and open conversations, helping students make informed choices—through education and support, not just discipline.
Panaptic’s Prevention Hero: Allie Behr Joins Team as Manager of Customer Success
This month we are grateful to nominate Allie Behr, our new Manager of Customer Success, as our first Panaptic Prevention Hero. Allie has a deep intelligence and delightful humor, alongside a tireless determination to protect youth from substance use. Allie grew up overseas in many different cultures and developed a unique ability to connect with others quickly and naturally.
In 2021, Allie shifted from her career in marketing and customer success to help co-found the non-profit Marin Residents for Public Health. Allie’s extensive community outreach helped Marin residents vote “no” against cannabis retail stores and also regulate a store that sold intoxicating substances to youth. Allie also works with residents struggling with substance use disorders at the Alta Mira Recovery Center.
Allie and her husband are raising their two daughters in Marin County, California. With years of recovery from her own cannabis use disorder, Allie experienced firsthand the misconception that cannabis is harmless. Now Allie is dedicated to protecting youth from the sense of hopelessness that addiction brings. Welcome to our team, Allie! Thank you for all that you do!
Research Update: People diagnosed with cannabis use disorder may face nearly triple the risk of death over five years compared to those without CUD.
The Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) just published the study “Cannabis Use Disorder Emergency Department Visits and Hospitalizations and 5-Year Mortality.” This study suggests that individuals who require hospital-based care for cannabis use disorder may be at increased risk of premature death. Furthermore, lead author Dr. Daniel Myran estimates that for every person treated in a hospital or emergency room for CUD, there are another three people who didn’t seek care.
We asked Dr. Roneet Lev to share her insights on this study. Dr. Lev is an emergency physician who is board certified in addiction medicine and practices at Scripps Mercy Hospital in San Diego. Dr. Lev states:
“This study of 11 million people is powerful. It showed that people with cannabis addiction have a 5-year risk of death of 3.5% compared to 0.6% of people without such an addiction. Those with cannabis use disorder died of opioids, poisonings, trauma, and suicide. The San Diego Medical Examiner data consistently shows that THC, the psychoactive chemical of cannabis, is the number one drug found in deaths by suicide in people under 25. This association of suicide and THC is real. It is time that people involved in mental health and suicide prevention incorporate this risk factor in their prevention work.”
Opinion: Preventing drug use, addiction, and overdose in 2025
The field of addiction science has progressed at a breathtaking rate. We saw a 17% decrease in overdose deaths from July 2023 to 2024, yet still 94,000 people died of overdose during that period, and the majority were people of color. While drug experimentation in adolescence is associated with a greater risk of developing a substance use disorder, early prevention education can decrease drug experimentation.
Dr. Nora Volkow, Director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), shares her views on the four major areas deserving special focus this year. Read Nora’s Blog
Honoring our Prevention Researchers
In an era when substance use continues to devastate our communities, we owe an immense debt to the scientists and researchers who work tirelessly to develop strategies that save lives. Their work—often funded by institutions like the National Institutes of Health (NIH)—has led to groundbreaking approaches in preventing addiction, reducing overdose deaths, and promoting recovery.
Today, scientists and researchers are joining together to Stand Up for Science by advocating to protect scientific independence and end government censorship of research. Without their dedication to understanding and addressing substance use, we could not do the work that we do.
Their unwavering commitment to evidence-based solutions has transformed prevention, treatment, and recovery efforts, and offered hope to millions. We at Panaptic believe that we must advocate for sustained federal funding and amplify the importance of science-driven programs in our communities. By standing with researchers and championing evidence-based solutions, we can ensure that their lifesaving work continues to shape a healthier, more resilient future for us all.
– Sarah Ferraro Cunningham, PsyD, Panaptic Co-Founder
