The Latest News from Our Field

Cigarette graphic warning labels could reduce the number of smokers in the United States by as much as 8.6 million people, saving millions of lives, according to a new study.

Slightly less than 1 percent of anesthesiology residents in the United States have a substance use disorder, according to a new study. The incidence of substance use has been increasing, and relapse rates are not improving, the researchers said.

Drinking alcohol with an energy drink is more dangerous than drinking alcohol alone, according to a new study.

Emergency room visits related to Molly, or Ecstasy, rose 128 percent among people younger than 21 between 2005 and 2011, according to a new government report.

A new government report finds about 6 percent of U.S. teens say they use a psychiatric medicine as drug therapy, similar to the rate 10 years ago.

A study of opioid-dependent patients entering drug-treatment programs across the country finds oxycodone is the most popular prescription opioid to abuse because of the quality of the high the drug produces.

Employers in Colorado and Washington state, where recreational marijuana is now legal for adults, are wrestling with whether and how to adjust their drug policies to account for the new laws.

Last June, I testified before a Reference Committee at the annual meeting of the American Medical Association, explaining a resolution that American Society of Addiction Medicine had brought forward to encourage the Food and Drug Administration to reschedule hydrocodone combination products from Schedule III to Schedule II. I expected there to be few others testifying. I wasn’t at all ready for the long line of individuals standing at the “con” microphone, ready to speak against the resolution, says Dr. Stuart Gitlow, ASAM President.

The University of Miami is one of a growing number of colleges that have instituted “Good Samaritan” policies to encourage students to call 911 when they are with someone who may be in danger from consuming drugs or alcohol.

Consuming energy drinks high in caffeine and taurine can significantly increase a person’s heart contraction rate, according to a new study that raises concerns about the drinks’ effect on the heart.

The government shutdown in late September and early October likely delayed the Food and Drug Administration’s ruling on e-cigarette regulation, according to Consumer Reports.

A scientist at the University of New Haven is developing a new test to detect contaminants such as mold and mildew in marijuana, CBS News reports.

A government survey finds 17 percent of unemployed workers have a substance use disorder, compared with 9 percent of full-time workers, CNNMoney reports.

Cancer groups from around the world say millions of cancer patients are not able to obtain painkillers because of laws designed to fight drug abuse.

A report by U.S. and Canadian officials concludes only about half of prescription drugs and other “chemicals of emerging concern” are removed from sewage by treatment plants.

The number of Major League Baseball players authorized to use drugs to treat attention deficit disorder is increasing, the Los Angeles Times reports.

In recent years, there has been an increase in hookah use around the world, most notably among youth and university students. While many waterpipe tobacco smokers often think that this method of tobacco use is safe, all available scientific data demonstrate that it is in fact dangerous and addictive, explains health expert Dr. Thomas Eissenberg.

More than half of teens in the United States who have mental health disorders do not receive treatment, according to a new study. The findings come from an analysis of more than 10,000 teens.

Efforts to educate members of the U.S. military about the dangers of synthetic drugs, coupled with improved drug testing, are starting to have an effect, the Navy Times reports. The Navy and Marine Corps report a drop in members using Spice and bath salts.

Anti-inflammatory drugs such as ibuprofen can reduce the high created by marijuana, a new study in mice suggests. The research could have implications for studying marijuana as a treatment for people with Alzheimer’s disease, the Los Angeles Times reports.

A new health campaign in Los Angeles aims to reduce smoking among gays, lesbians and bisexuals. Smoking rates are 50 percent higher in this community, compared with heterosexuals.

Scientists at the Food and Drug Administration have found an amphetamine-like compound in nine dietary supplements, USA Today reports. The compound, beta-methylphenethylamine, appears to have never been tested for safety on humans.

Teens who participate in sports are more likely than their non-athlete peers to abuse alcohol, but less likely to use illicit drugs other than marijuana, according to an analysis of studies.

The American Medical Association’s House of Delegates voted this week to reaffirm its opposition to marijuana legalization, according to U.S. News & World Report.

Quitting smoking may yield health benefits for some people sooner than previously thought, according to new research presented this week at the American Heart Association scientific meeting.