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.
Harmful drinking is increasing among young people in many nations, according to a new report. Alcohol is becoming more available, affordable and more effectively advertised, the report concludes.
A health warning about the painkiller codeine being transmitted to babies through breast milk has led to a decline in the number of new mothers prescribed the drug, HealthDay reports. There is a rare but potential risk that breastfeeding babies can overdose from codeine if their mothers take the drug.
The Food and Drug Administration this week denied a request from two subsidiaries of the tobacco company Reynolds American to change the warning label of smokeless tobacco products to indicate they are less risky than traditional cigarettes.
California emergency rooms have seen a sixfold jump in the number of young adults in their 20s with heroin poisoning over the last decade, according to Reuters.
People who initially use drugs only on the weekend often start using them during the week, a new study suggests.
Prescription painkiller abuse is largely to blame for a big increase in the rate of hepatitis C among young people in rural areas of four states, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The new synthetic drug known as “flakka” appears to be as potent and addictive as bath salts, a new rodent study suggests. Flakka and bath salts are chemically similar.
Legal marijuana businesses face tremendous tax bills because they cannot take deductions on rent, employee salaries or utility bills, The New York Times reports. The ban on marijuana deductions comes from a federal law aimed at drug dealers.
Many teens who use e-cigarettes say they enjoy performing tricks with the vapor, such as blowing smoke rings or creating funnels of smoke that look like tornadoes. Performing tricks is one of the top two reasons teens say they enjoy using e-cigarettes, Reuters reports.
A new analysis of Medicare’s prescription drug program finds generic Vicodin was the most widely prescribed drug in 2013, according to The Wall Street Journal. More than half of the prescriptions came from family practice or internal medicine doctors.
The drop in alcohol-related car crashes over the past few decades has benefited the U.S. economy, according to a new study in the journal Injury Prevention.
A bill passed by the Colorado legislature this week would allow parents or caregivers, with a doctor’s note, to come into schools to administer marijuana to their children in the form of a patch. The measure awaits the governor’s signature, Fox News reports.
Top headlines of the week from Friday, May 1- Thursday, May 7, 2015.
Pharmacists are an important but underutilized resource in the fight against prescription drug abuse, according to an expert in addiction pharmacy. Merrill Norton of the University of Georgia College of Pharmacy is spearheading a movement to train pharmacists in substance abuse treatment, so they can recognize patients struggling with substance abuse and get them the help they need.
The Police Chief of Gloucester, Massachusetts has announced the town will provide treatment for people who come to the police station with illegal drugs and paraphernalia, instead of arresting them.
A new study finds heroin use among people who abuse prescription opioids has risen, particularly among whites. From 2008 to 2011, the study found a 75 percent increase in heroin use among whites who abuse painkillers such as OxyContin or Vicodin, HealthDay reports.
Using lessons learned from alcohol and tobacco regulation can help keep legalized marijuana out of children’s hands, according to experts at the Bloomberg School of Public Health at Johns Hopkins University.
More than a dozen states are offering incentives to Medicaid beneficiaries to quit smoking, lose weight and make other healthy lifestyle changes, according to USA Today. These state programs are taking a cue from workplace wellness programs in the private sector.
Law enforcement officials in Florida say use of the synthetic drug known as “flakka” is surging there, ABC News reports.
Emergency room doctors are limiting opioid prescriptions and avoiding long-acting opioids, a new study suggests. Most of the prescriptions include a low number of pills, and most are immediate-release versions of the medication, HealthDay reports.
A group of experts convened by the U.S. government concludes there is not enough evidence to support using e-cigarettes to quit smoking. The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force says medicines, including nicotine replacement products, along with behavior modification programs, are more effective.
While millions more Americans now have health insurance that covers addiction treatment, many facilities do not have the capacity to take on new clients, according to a new report.
Parents are more concerned about their teens’ mental health than about their use of drugs or alcohol, a new survey finds.
A Bud Light label that was withdrawn this week after being criticized for encouraging date rape went through at least five layers of approval before being produced, according to The Wall Street Journal.
Repeated exposure to alcohol during the teen years can lead to long-lasting changes in the part of the brain that controls memory and learning, a new study of rats suggests.
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