The Latest News from Our Field

We curate a digest of the latest news in our field for advocates, policymakers, community coalitions and all who work toward shaping policies and practices to effectively prevent substance use and treat addiction. Sign up here to receive weekly updates straight to your inbox.

FDA Approves Sales of Zyn Nicotine Pouches to Help Adult Smokers Quit

The Food and Drug Administration approved the sale of Zyn nicotine pouches to help adult smokers quit or cut back on the number of cigarettes they smoke, AP reports.

Study Finds Ketamine Use Rose 40% in One Year in U.S.

A new study finds ketamine use increased 40% in the United States between 2021 and 2022.

Menthol Cigarette Bans are Undermined by “Menthol Mimics”

“Menthol mimics,” cigarettes that imitate the cooling effect of menthol, are increasingly popular and are undermining menthol cigarette bans, a new study concludes.

Policy News Roundup: January 23, 2025

Find more of our must-reads in policy news, including new rules proposed by the DEA on prescribing controlled substances via telehealth.

Research News Roundup: January 23, 2025

View our curated digest of the latest research news, including cannabis use characteristics and associations with problematic use outcomes, quitting-related factors, and mental health among young adults in the United States.

New Federal Report Finds Even Moderate Drinking Can Carry Health Risks

A new federal report has found that even moderate drinking can carry health risks, including cancer, liver disease and injuries, STAT reports.

Biden Administration Formally Proposes Plan to Reduce Nicotine in Cigarettes

The Biden administration on Wednesday officially proposed a limit on nicotine in cigarettes, CBS News reports.

Texas Consumable Hemp Market is Booming

Sales of consumable hemp in Texas are booming, with more than 7,000 registered consumable hemp retail spots, NPR reports.

Policy News Roundup: January 16, 2025

Find more of our must-reads in policy news, including the Biden administration's removal of a major barrier to contingency management.

Research News Roundup: January 16, 2025

View our curated digest of the latest research news, including a review assessing the delivery of interventions to improve substance use disorder treatment, as measured by the Healthcare Effectiveness Data and Information Set.

Surgeon General Calls for Updating Alcohol Labels to Include Risk of Cancer

U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy is calling for alcoholic beverages to include a warning about an increased risk of cancer, The New York Times reports.

FDA to Consider Approving Novel Nonaddictive Alternative to Opioids for Acute Pain

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration will consider a novel drug for acute pain that could be a nonaddictive alternative to opioids, Politico reports.

Researchers Examine How Cannabis Use Affects Road Safety

As legal cannabis use grows, scientists are trying to better understand how it affects road safety, The New York Times reports.

Policy News Roundup: January 9, 2025

Find more of our must-reads in policy news, including a ProPublica investigation's discovery that insurers frequently deny mental health care using illegal guidelines.

Research News Roundup: January 9, 2025

View our curated digest of the latest research news, including the outcomes of smoking prevention or smoking cessation interventions for children and adolescents involving parents.

Teen Substance Use Continued to Drop in 2024: Study

Teen substance use continued to decline in 2024, building on and extending the historically large drops that occurred during the beginning of the pandemic, according to the annual Monitoring the Future survey.

McKinsey Agrees to Pay $650 Million to Settle Inquiry Into Work With Purdue Pharma

Consulting firm McKinsey & Company has agreed to pay $650 million to resolve Department of Justice charges over advice it provided to pharmaceutical company Purdue Pharma on how to “turbocharge” sales of OxyContin, Reuters reports.

New Database Catalogs More than 7,000 Ways Opioid Settlement Cash is Being Used

A first-of-its-kind database is tracking how state and local governments are using opioid settlement funds, NPR reports.

Policy News Roundup: December 19, 2024

Find more of our must-reads in policy news, including data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) showing a record decline in overdose deaths.

Research News Roundup: December 19, 2024

View our curated digest of the latest research news, including the association between state cannabis policies and use among adults and youth in the United States from 2002 to 2019.

More Potent Form of Fentanyl Contributing to Overdose Deaths: CDC

Carfentanil, a more potent form of fentanyl, is contributing to overdose deaths in the U.S., the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says in a new report.

People with Substance Use Disorder Don’t Have Input in How Opioid Settlement Funds are Spent

People with substance use disorder don’t have input into how most of the $50 billion in opioid settlement funds are being spent, AP reports.

Largest U.S. Chain of Methadone Clinics Falsifies Records, New York Times Investigation Finds

The largest chain of methadone clinics in the United States, Acadia Healthcare, falsifies records at its clinics and enrolls patients who do not have opioid use disorder, according to an investigation by The New York Times.

Policy News Roundup: December 12, 2024

Find more of our must-reads in policy news, including the Supreme Court appearing unsympathetic to vaping companies' argument against the FDA.

Research News Roundup: December 12, 2024

View our curated digest of the latest research news, including the identification of brain alterations associated with opioid use disorder.

1 2 3 … 365 next