The Latest News from Our Field

When patients under age 24 are prescribed higher-than-recommended doses of antidepressants, they are more than twice as likely to attempt to hurt themselves, compared with their peers who are treated with the recommended dose, a new study concludes.

A new study finds teenagers who use marijuana and alcohol together are more likely to engage in unsafe driving, compared with those who use one of those substances alone.

Manufacturers of e-cigarettes say they are pleased with the Food and Drug Administration’s proposed regulations of e-cigarettes, The Wall Street Journal reports. Consumer groups said the rules don’t go far enough, according to USA Today.

The Food and Drug Administration announced new rules on Thursday that would allow the agency to regulate e-cigarettes, The New York Times reports. The proposed rules would ban the sale of e-cigarettes, cigars and pipe tobacco to anyone under age 18.

Three teenage girls were hospitalized in Virginia last weekend after taking an LSD-like synthetic drug. The compound is known by names including 25i, N-Bomb or Smiles.

Health officials report legal marijuana edible products have been linked to two recent deaths and an increase in emergency room visits in Colorado, Fox News reports.

Some workers in the marijuana industry in Colorado are wondering whether having a marijuana-related job will hamper future employment prospects, The Wall Street Journal reports.

Top headlines of the week from Friday, April 18- Thursday, April 24, 2014.

As the Drug Enforcement Administration gears up for another National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day on April 26, the National Community Pharmacists Association, the group representing independent pharmacists, says its members are eager to help their communities get rid of unwanted or expired drugs year-round.

An advisory panel of the Food and Drug Administration voted Tuesday against approving a combination morphine-oxycodone painkiller, NPR reports. The drug, Moxduo, would be the first medication to combine both opioids in one capsule.

Health insurers should use state prescription monitoring databases to reduce overdoses from abuse of opioids and other prescription drugs, according to a new report.

People in recovery from substance abuse should speak out and give hope to others in similar situations, according to the Acting Director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy.

Organizers of the Electric Zoo music festival say they are planning tighter security this year, after two drug-related deaths occurred at last summer’s event.

The approval of labels for a powdered alcohol product called “Palcohol” was a mistake, the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau said Monday. Palcohol gained widespread publicity in recent days after it was reported the government agency approved the labels.

Children treated in the emergency room for pain or coughs are often prescribed codeine, a potentially dangerous opioid, a new study finds.

The Justice Department on Monday announced new clemency criteria, aimed at inmates who are serving time for nonviolent drug offenses. The goal is to reduce the nation’s federal prison population, the Associated Press reports.

A new poll finds while a majority of Americans support the legalization of marijuana, most do not favor legalizing other drugs, such as cocaine or heroin.

The surge in the use of heroin and prescription opioids is resulting in more deaths than violent crimes and car crashes in many communities, law enforcement officials said this week. They met in Washington, D.C. to discuss the problem and possible solutions.

The number of injury complaints associated with the use of e-cigarettes has risen in the past year, Reuters reports. E-cigarette users have filed complaints with the Food and Drug Administration about injuries including burns, nicotine toxicity, heart problems and breathing difficulties.

Introverts who tend to have fewer positive feelings, or to not be attracted to rewards in life, are more likely to abuse drugs than more extroverted people with positive emotions, a new study suggests.

The U.S. Sentencing Commission, which advises federal judges, is recommending shorter prison sentences for most federal drug trafficking offenders, according to Reuters.

Top headlines of the week from Friday, April 11- Thursday, April 17, 2014.

By now, almost everyone has heard the big announcement from CVS/pharmacy that their stores will become tobacco-free by October 1. This is a significant milestone, and yet it’s just the latest chapter of a long story explains Bob Gordon, winner of Legacy’s 2013 Community Activist Award.

Occasional marijuana use may change the brain structure in young adults, a new study suggests. Marijuana may cause changes related to motivation, emotion and reward.

The private equity firm Bain Capital recently took over the largest chain of substance treatment facilities in Massachusetts, The Boston Globe reports. Bain, which usually makes investments in brand-name companies such as Dunkin’ Donuts, sees treating addiction as big business.