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.
While many addiction medicine experts say they are concerned the new long-acting painkiller Zohydro will worsen the prescription drug abuse epidemic, some doctors say the drug has benefits, The Wall Street Journal reports.
Health insurance companies are not covering medical marijuana, which can cost up to $1,000 monthly, according to the Los Angeles Times.
Under a new policy of the National Football League (NFL), players would face a one-game suspension and a fine of one game check after their first DUI offense, CBS Sports reports.
U.S. Senator Chuck Schumer of New York is asking the federal government to allocate $100 million to curb the heroin trade in his state. Seizures of heroin in New York this year have already surpassed those of any previous year since 1991.
More than 123,000 people ended up in hospital emergency rooms in 2011 after misusing the sedative alprazolam, sold under brand names including Xanax. The findings come from a new government report.
Two California counties have sued five drug manufacturers, accusing them of causing the country’s prescription drug abuse epidemic. The suit alleges the companies waged a “campaign of deception” in order to increase painkiller sales.
Now that recreational marijuana is legal in Colorado, the state has increased education about the dangers of drugged driving and stepped up enforcement, according to NPR. The problem, experts say, is that there is no widespread agreement about how much marijuana impairs a person’s ability to drive.
A new study finds smokers are 60 percent more likely to be successful in quitting smoking if they switch to e-cigarettes, instead of using nicotine products such as gum or patches.
Top headlines of the week from Friday, May 16- Thursday, May 22, 2014.
Overdose deaths from prescription narcotics tripled from 2009-2010, compared with a decade earlier, according to a new government report.
An extended-release drug to treat alcohol and opioid dependence can lead to savings in healthcare costs, even though the drug itself is expensive, a new study concludes.
E-cigarette use is not leading many people who smoke regular cigarettes to quit, a new study concludes. Researchers at the University of California, San Francisco also found e-cigarettes are being heavily marketed to young people.
Prisons in Ohio have a large population of people addicted to heroin and painkillers, an official told the state Senate Finance Committee this week.
Top headlines of the week from Friday, May 9- Thursday, May 15, 2014.
Miami University is using an innovative approach to preventing prescription drug abuse among its students. Before prescribing medications for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), the university student counseling service requires students to participate in a workshop about time management, and another session about taking medication safely.
A new study finds two medications that can help people quit drinking are rarely used. The drugs, naltrexone and acamprosate, could be helping many thousands of people, the researchers say.
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