The Latest News from Our Field

California rehab clinics continued to receive federal funds after the state government cancelled contracts with the facilities, following investigations into possible fraud, according to The Center for Investigative Reporting.

People who live in counties with higher concentrations of dentists and pharmacists are at increased risk of abusing prescription opioids, a new study suggests.

Negative emotions play an important role in cocaine abuse, a new animal study suggests. Researchers at Rutgers University say initial positive feelings of intoxication are quickly followed by negative emotional responses when drug levels start to fall.

Nonsmoking employees in trade positions, such as maintenance and repair workers, are significantly less likely than nonsmokers in professional fields to be protected against secondhand smoke, a new study finds.

Portland, Maine and three Michigan cities have approved measures that legalize the possession of marijuana, the Seattle Post Intelligencer reports.

In an effort to eliminate or reduce opioid abuse, Dr. Timothy Deer, President and CEO of The Center for Pain Relief, explains various pain treatment options physicians and patients should consider.

The drug gabapentin, used to treat epilepsy and some types of pain, can help people with alcoholism quit drinking, a new study concludes.

Teenage boys concerned with their body image are at increased risk of using drugs and alcohol, according to researchers at the Harvard School of Public Health.

The synthetic drug known as “N-Bomb” is being seen on the streets of St. Louis, KMOX reports. The drug is also known as “Smiles,” according to Dan Duncan, with the local office of the National Council of Alcoholism and Drug Abuse.

Less than a week after the New York City Council voted to raise the legal age for purchasing tobacco to 21, Washington, D.C. will consider a similar measure.

The Food and Drug Administration’s approval of the first pure hydrocodone drug concerns law enforcement agencies and addiction experts, who predict overdose deaths will increase, Newsday reports.

Use of marijuana and inhalants is more common in teens in the child welfare system compared with other teens, a new study finds.

Combining acetaminophen and even a small amount of alcohol can more than double a person’s risk of developing kidney disease, according to a study presented at the American Public Health Association annual meeting.

The National Institutes of Health announced the appointment of George Koob of the Scripps Research Institute in San Diego as the new director of the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. The agency has operated under an acting director for several years.

The Recovery Research Institute, a new initiative at the Massachusetts General Hospital Center for Addiction Medicine and Harvard Medical School, seeks to disentangle the myths from the facts, conduct needed research and serve as a resource to locate the evidence-based truths about recovery.

A team of six runners from an Italian drug rehabilitation center will participate in the New York City Marathon on Sunday, The New York Times reports.

The Defense Department’s healthcare plan will cover the opioid addiction medications buprenorphine and methadone starting next month, according to the Air Force Times.

A new study finds 30 percent of U.S. veterans prescribed psychiatric medications do not have a diagnosed mental health problem.

Other cities and states are closely watching New York City’s vote this week to raise the legal age for buying tobacco from 18 to 21, according to U.S. News & World Report.

Ten percent of 14- to 20-year-olds treated in the emergency room for any reason say they have misused prescription drugs at least once in the last year, a new study finds.

Employers are conflicted about whether to ban e-cigarettes at work, according to Workforce. As more workplaces become smoke-free, many employers are hesitant to endorse anything associated with cigarettes.

Michigan Governor Rick Snyder this week signed a law that denies unemployment benefits to some people seeking jobs who fail drug tests.

New York City lawmakers passed a measure Wednesday that raises the legal age for purchasing tobacco to 21, from 18. The law covers cigarettes, e-cigarettes, cigars and cigarillos, The New York Times reports.

A number of states are making their own decisions about regulating e-cigarettes, as they await the Food and Drug Administration’s rules about the devices. Four states have included e-cigarettes in indoor smoking bans, and more are considering following suit.

The drug topiramate, used to treat epilepsy and migraine headaches, may be an effective treatment for cocaine dependence, a new study suggests.