The Latest News from Our Field

Using marijuana at least once a week can lead to cognitive decline, poor attention and memory and decreased IQ in teens and young adults, according to researchers at the American Psychological Association annual meeting.

A survey of the U.S. homeless population indicates 26.6 percent of people living on the street report chronic substance abuse, according to The Washington Post.

Tobacco companies are trying to improve their image in a number of ways, NBC News reports. The effort includes promoting “smokeless” e-cigarettes, and the announcement that a subsidiary of Reynolds American is developing emergency Ebola treatments from tobacco plants.

The number of emergency department visits involving the sleep drug zolpidem (the active ingredient in Ambien) almost doubled over four years, according to a new government report.

A new ad campaign warns teenagers in Colorado about the long-term effects of marijuana use. The “Don’t Be a Lab Rat” campaign targets 12- to 15-year-olds, Reuters reports.

A group of 29 state attorneys general urged the Food and Drug Administration to impose restrictions on e-cigarettes, according to The Wall Street Journal. They are asking for a ban on television ads and on candy and fruit flavors.

U.S. Senator Charles Schumer of New York says he will introduce a bill that would ban powdered alcohol. He is also urging retailers to boycott the product’s sale, which he says could hit store shelves as early as September.

Two new studies published in the Journal of the American Medical Association suggest that brief counseling may not be effective in counteracting drug use. Previous research has shown brief interventions can help some problem drinkers, NPR reports.

Two males, ages 20 and 17, died after attending an all-day electronic dance music festival last weekend in Columbia, Maryland. Nineteen other people were hospitalized. Investigators said they suspected MDMA, or Molly, was the most commonly used drug at the festival.

New federal tobacco regulations contain a cost-benefit calculation known as the “happiness quotient,” which weighs the health benefits of reduced smoking against the loss in pleasure that smokers suffer when they quit. This calculation could make it harder for the Food and Drug Administration to take strong action against tobacco companies, critics say.

Illegal marijuana operations are diverting precious water in California, The New York Times reports. The state announced a drought emergency in January.

People in recovery from substance use disorders who have had repeated relapses can benefit from being monitored for at least five years after treatment, according to a former head of the National Institute on Drug Abuse.

A bill introduced this week in the U.S. House would establish a federal grant program to fund inpatient treatment for heroin abuse, the Hartford Courant reports.

More prescription drugs have received black-box safety warnings since a law designed to speed the drug approval process was passed in 1992, according to a new study.

Drinking problems in returning U.S. National Guard soldiers are more likely to be caused by civilian life, rather than wartime experiences, according to new research.

Under a new law in Tennessee, welfare applicants must declare any prior history of drug use, NPR reports.

Millions more young adults are receiving treatment for mental health problems because their parents can keep them on the family health insurance plan under the Affordable Care Act, a new study concludes.

Colorado officials are considering stricter rules for marijuana edible products such as candies, cookies and brownies, USA Today reports.

A growing number of teen athletes are abusing prescription painkillers, according to a new study. Football players are more likely than other athletes to abuse prescription painkillers, HealthDay reports.

California voters will decide this November whether doctors in their state will have to submit to random drug and alcohol tests.

A Senate bill sponsored by a Democrat and Republican who are normally on opposite ends of the political spectrum aims to help low-level drug offenders re-enter society. New Jersey Senator Cory Booker, a Democrat, and Kentucky Senator Rand Paul, a Republican, are co-sponsors of The REDEEM Act.

Many homeowners’ associations are dealing with conflicts among neighbors about marijuana use, in states where the drug is legal for medical or recreational use, the Associated Press reports.

Allowing e-cigarettes to compete with regular cigarettes might reduce deaths and illness caused by tobacco, a new study concludes. The researchers reviewed 81 previous studies on the use and safety of e-cigarettes.

A company in Toronto is developing a new electronic device and mobile app to detect ‘date rape’ drugs in drinks, according to CNN Money.