The Latest News from Our Field

Ambulance calls from casinos dropped significantly in Colorado after the state extended its smoke-free law to casino floors, a new study concludes.

Officials in Baton Rouge, Louisiana say a growing number of packages containing illegal drugs are being sent through the U.S. mail and private delivery services, the Associated Press reports.

Join Together speaks with Greg Williams, producer of "The Anonymous People," an independent documentary about the over 23 million Americans living in long-term recovery from addiction.

A new study of high school seniors finds 20 percent say they have engaged in binge drinking in the last two weeks. Ten percent say they have had 10 or more drinks on one occasion, known as extreme binge drinking.

Police made more than 1.5 million arrests last year for drug abuse violations, according to data released Monday by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Marijuana offenses accounted for 48.3 percent of drug arrests, according to U.S. News & World Report.

A new app that measures a person’s blood alcohol level will be released in October, Reuters reports. The app works through a device that plugs into the headphone jack of a smartphone.

Naloxone, a drug that blocks the effects of opioids including heroin and oxycodone, has stopped 2,000 overdoses in Massachusetts in the last six years, state officials announced.

The number of people suspected of being sickened by synthetic marijuana in Colorado has risen to 150, NPR reports. Last week, the Colorado Department of Public Health and the Centers for Disease Control said they were investigating three deaths and 75 hospitalizations potentially caused by the drug.

Children who develop language earlier may be at increased risk of alcohol problems later in life, a new study suggests.

Cigarette smoking may be particularly dangerous for obese people, a new animal study suggests. Researchers found cigarette smoke may affect metabolism, and could increase the risk of cancer in obese people more than in their thinner counterparts.

A number of colleges in Pennsylvania are taking steps to reduce alcohol use among students, according to the Associated Press.

In the second of a two-part series, Join Together speaks with Barry Meier, New York Times reporter and author of the new e-book, “A World of Hurt: Fixing Pain Medicine's Biggest Mistake,” about the alternatives to long-term opioid use for treating pain.

A new study finds a higher percentage of high school seniors say they have driven after using marijuana than after having five or more alcoholic drinks.

Drinking can change a person’s view of intoxicated driving, according to a new study. A person who normally disapproves of drunk driving may change their view once they have had a few drinks.

Much of the research that concludes energy drinks are not harmful has been funded by Red Bull, says an expert who warns the findings of these studies may downplay the drinks’ dangers.

The California Senate passed two bills designed to fight prescription drug abuse and overdose deaths, the Los Angeles Times reports. The bills, which were passed unanimously, now await Governor Jerry Brown’s signature.

The number of people seeking addiction treatment could double under the Affordable Care Act, the Associated Press reports. Under the new law, four million people with drug and alcohol problems will become eligible for insurance coverage.

The Drug Enforcement Administration said this week that a new cold medicine must be kept behind pharmacy counters because it can be used to make methamphetamine. The medicine, Zephrex-D, contains a new form of pseudoephedrine that the drug’s maker says is difficult to use to make meth.

Smokers in some states will pay more than non-smokers for insurance premiums if they obtain their coverage through new state health exchanges being established as part of the Affordable Care Act. In some cases, smokers’ premiums will be as much as 50 percent higher.

New Jersey Governor Chris Christie signed into law a measure that allows sick children to more easily access edible medical marijuana, CNN reports.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has announced safety labeling changes for extended-release and long-acting opioid painkillers. The new labels will call attention to the dangers of abuse and possible death, Reuters reports.

Taking certain prescription painkillers early in pregnancy may increase the risk of birth defects such as spina bifida, a new study suggests. The overall risk of these birth defects is low, the researchers note.

The federal government is looking for a way for financial institutions to conduct transactions with legitimate marijuana businesses, according to the Associated Press.

The number of college campuses with 100 percent smoke-free policies has doubled since 2011, to 1,182, USA Today reports.

In the first of a two-part series, Join Together speaks with Barry Meier, New York Times reporter and author of the new e-book, “A World of Hurt: Fixing Pain Medicine's Biggest Mistake,” about the problems with long-term opioid use for treating pain and how it became so widespread.