The Latest News from Our Field

President Obama is commuting the sentences of 46 non-violent drug offenders, the White House announced Monday. Most of the offenders had been sentenced to at least 20 years, and 14 were given life sentences for nonviolent drug offenses.

Some people who use psychedelic drugs such as LSD or magic mushrooms are routinely taking “microdoses” of the drugs, LiveScience reports.

A study of why teens use marijuana finds almost one-third say they use the drug to alleviate boredom, HealthDay reports. Teens who use marijuana because they are bored are more likely to also use cocaine, the study found.

Addiction specialists and legislators are calling for expanding access to medication-assisted treatment for addiction, USA Today reports. Only 40 percent of the 2.5 million Americans who could benefit from medication-assisted treatment are receiving it.

A new study links “pharmacy shopping” with many painkiller overdose deaths among patients on Medicaid. The study found patients who used four pharmacies within 90 days had the highest odds of overdosing, HealthDay reports.

The shortage of drug treatment for pregnant women can endanger fetuses, experts tell USA Today. Fewer than 2,000 of the 11,000 treatment facilities listed by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration include services for pregnant women.

Giving college students personalized feedback on their drinking habits through text messages and websites can help them cut back, a growing body of research suggests.

Top headlines of the week from Friday, July 3- Thursday, July 9, 2015.

Join Together spoke with Marvin D. Seppala, MD, Chief Medical Officer of the Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation, about how some treatment programs are starting to change their view of medication-assisted treatment for opioid dependence.

Heroin abuse is rising across the United States, according to a new government report that finds the strongest risk factor for a heroin use disorder is a prescription opioid use disorder. People addicted to opioid painkillers are 40 times more likely to abuse or be dependent on heroin, NPR reports.

The CVS Health Corporation has announced it is resigning from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce in protest over the group’s efforts to lobby against antismoking laws worldwide.

Viewing ads for medical marijuana may influence middle school students to use the drug, a new study suggests.

Three-quarters of U.S. adults favor raising the minimum tobacco age of sale to 21 years, including seven in 10 smokers, according to a new government study.

New regulations for e-cigarettes are likely to have a large impact on the industry, experts say. The rules could force many small e-cigarette businesses to close, while benefitting large tobacco companies.

Many children and teens who take antipsychotic drugs do not have a mental disorder diagnosis, according to a new study. Use of the drugs has been increasing among teens, the researchers found.

European Americans with blue eyes have an increased rate of alcohol dependence, compared with those with dark brown eyes, a new study suggests.

Recreational marijuana became legal in Oregon on July 1. People 21 and older can possess up to eight ounces of marijuana at home and an ounce of marijuana when away from home, NPR reports.

Many primary care physicians have misconceptions about opioid abuse, a new survey finds. Almost half of internists, family physicians and general practitioners incorrectly believe that abuse-deterrent pills are less addictive than standard opioid painkillers, according to the survey.

Counselors at substance use disorder treatment programs say violence against them is common, a new study finds. More than half said they personally experienced violence, 44 percent witnessed violence, and 61 percent had knowledge of violence directed at a colleague.

A small study suggests using a form of virtual reality therapy may be useful in treating alcohol dependence. The treatment puts patients in situations similar to real life, and requires them to actively participate, Reuters reports.

A medication used to treat high blood pressure might be useful in addiction treatment, a study of rats suggests. The drug, called isradipine, erased memories that led the rats to associate a certain room with cocaine or alcohol.

Top headlines of the week from Friday, June 19- Thursday, June 25, 2015.

Increasingly, state lawmakers are recognizing the important role that naloxone, an opioid antagonist that blocks the effects of opioids in one’s body, can play in quelling the opioid crisis in the United States, and legislatures are enacting naloxone access laws at breakneck speed.

A review of 80 studies of medical marijuana concludes it may be useful for treating certain conditions, but the evidence is weak in supporting the drug’s use for many others. The researchers said any benefits of medical marijuana must be weighed against side effects.

Most edible marijuana products incorrectly list their levels of THC, the main psychoactive ingredient, a new study finds.