The Latest News from Our Field

Among Republicans ages 18 to 34, almost two-thirds say they support marijuana legalization, according to a survey by the Pew Research Center. Among Republicans ages 35 to 50, almost half approve legalization, NPR reports.

Only 53 percent of primary care physicians use their state prescription drug monitoring program, according to a new survey. The national survey found 72 percent of doctors were aware of their state’s program.

Two legislators are calling on the company that makes the opioid overdose antidote naloxone to lower the price of the drug nationwide. Last month, the company, Amphastar Pharmaceuticals, agreed to offer a $6 rebate per dose to agencies in New York state.

There is evidence of widespread overuse of antipsychotic drugs by the elderly with dementia, a new government report concludes. The report calls on Medicare to take immediate steps to reduce unnecessary prescriptions, according to The New York Times.

Forty percent of tobacco consumers use more than one product, according to a new study. Half of all combinations include e-cigarettes, Reuters reports.

From powdered alcohol to abuse-deterrent opioids, our Join Together News Service covers the top drug and alcohol news of the day making an impact in your community, work and life.

Teens who drink supersized flavored alcoholic drinks known as “alcopops” are at greatly increased risk of injury, according to a new study.

A large government study on tobacco use, scheduled to be released Thursday, is unlikely to provide many details about e-cigarette use, experts say. The lack of data will make it more difficult to set policies about e-cigarettes, they note.

Health officials in Indiana say a fast-spreading outbreak of HIV in Indiana is largely due to injection drug abuse of the prescription painkiller Opana. The powerful drug is more potent, per milligram, than OxyContin.

Residents of the District of Columbia will be able to legally possess small amounts of marijuana starting Thursday, Reuters reports. District of Columbia voters approved an initiative in November to legalize possession of marijuana. Republicans on the U.S. House of Representatives Oversight Committee say the measure is illegal.

Top headlines of the week from Friday, February 20, 2015- Thursday, February 26, 2015.

Although alcohol in powdered form has been around for decades – long before a 1976 patent for it was issued to the General Foods Corporation – the announcement of a new product tabbed for the market has pushed the topic back to the forefront.

The percentage of Americans who take painkillers stronger than morphine is on the rise, according to a new report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. These drugs include oxycodone, hydromorphone, fentanyl and methadone.

The drug Vyvanse, which is being aggressively marketed as a treatment for binge eating, is classified by the federal government as having a high potential for abuse, The New York Times reports.

Schools in Colorado are grappling with how to educate students about the health consequences of marijuana, now that recreational use of the drug is legal for adults.

The number of deaths from heroin is rising in Vermont, even though about 40 percent more people in the state are seeking treatment for addiction compared with a year ago.

Veterans who take narcotic painkillers are struggling to get monthly appointments at Veterans Affairs health facilities to renew their prescriptions, as required by new federal rules.

People who use higher doses of narcotic painkillers to manage pain are at increased risk of depression, a new study suggests.

Many YouTube videos that show drunkenness portray excessive alcohol consumption in a positive light, a new study finds. The videos with the most “likes” were funny, Time reports.

Recreational marijuana becomes legal in Alaska on Tuesday. The state is the third to legalize recreational marijuana, following the lead of Washington and Colorado.

Colorado middle schools reported a 24 percent increase in drug-related incidents last year, according to USA Today. School-based experts tell the newspaper they believe the jump is directly related to marijuana legalization.

Long-term use of methamphetamine is more damaging to teen brains than to adult brains, according to a new study. The drug does its greatest damage in the area of the brain involved in a person’s ability to organize, reason and remember.

The Food and Drug Administration will consider this spring whether the smokeless tobacco known as snus is less harmful than cigarettes.

Five people involved in a medical marijuana case in Washington state, where recreational use of the drug is legal, must stand trial, a judge has ruled.

Top headlines of the week from Friday, February 13, 2015- Thursday, February 19, 2015.