The Latest News from Our Field

College freshmen’s drinking habits are often formed during the first six weeks of school, according to an expert from the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism.

A newly released survey indicates far fewer Kentucky teens abused prescription drugs last year, compared with four years ago.

According to a recent report, Hispanic teens are more likely to abuse illegal and legal drugs than their black or white peers. ¡Celebrando Familias! was developed specifically for Spanish-speaking families affected by substance use disorders, say experts from the National Association for Children of Alcoholics.

Other illegal websites remain in business, after the Federal Bureau of Investigation earlier this week shut down Silk Road, an online marketplace that sold illegal drugs including heroin, cocaine, opioid pills, Ecstasy and LSD.

The death rate from opiate overdoses among Veterans Affairs patients is almost double the national average, according to a report by the Center for Investigative Reporting. Prescriptions for hydrocodone, oxycodone, methadone and morphine have jumped 270 percent in the past 12 years among VA patients, the report found.

People who use cocaine may be more vulnerable to HIV, a new study suggests. Cocaine may inactivate immune cells called CD4 T-cells, which normally fight off HIV, according to CBS News.

More cocaine is being smuggled through the Caribbean in 2013 compared with last year, according to the Drug Enforcement Administration.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation has shut down Silk Road, an online marketplace that sold illegal drugs including heroin, cocaine, opioid pills, Ecstasy and LSD. They arrested the operator in San Francisco, according to The New York Times.

Administrators at some colleges are debating the usefulness of drug testing, according to USA Today. Last month, a federal judge ruled a Missouri technical college’s mandatory drug testing policy is unconstitutional when it is applied to most students.

Public health officials are trying to figure out how to target their anti-smoking ads to young and old people alike, as some cities experience a rise in the number of children and senior citizens, The Atlantic reports.

Officials in New York City are considering whether to allow the Electric Zoo electronic dance music festival to return to a city park next year, after two festival attendees died this August from drug overdoses.

The newest users of Molly are middle-aged professionals, according to a Drug Enforcement Administration agent.

A new study suggests people undergoing weight-loss surgery who were chronic users of opioid painkillers before the procedure increase their drug intake afterwards. The findings surprised the researchers, who said they thought the dramatic weight loss that generally follows the surgery would alleviate patients’ pain.

The amount of wine you drink is influenced by the shape of the glass, and whether you are holding the glass when you pour it, a new study suggests.

Dartmouth College is starting the school year with a new president, as the Ivy League school faces troublesome questions about binge drinking and other issues, The New York Times reports.

For some people in recovery, SMART Recovery groups are a valuable alternative or addition to traditional 12-step groups, according to a researcher at Penn State University.

Efforts to control the global illegal drug market through law enforcement are failing, a new study concludes. The price of marijuana, heroin and cocaine is dropping, while the drugs’ purity has increased, a team of U.S. and Canadian researchers found.

The number of prescriptions for psychotropic drugs written for very young children appears to have leveled off, according to a new study. These drugs are prescribed to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, mood disorders, anxiety and other mental health conditions.

People who are trying to quit smoking may find help from online support groups, a new study suggests. These groups can provide a strong sense of community, without requiring people to attend on-site meetings.

California Governor Jerry Brown signed two bills designed to fight prescription drug abuse. He vetoed a third bill that could have assisted the state’s medical board in identifying doctors whose patients died after taking drugs they prescribed, the Los Angeles Times reports.

Drivers who test positive for drugs are three times more likely than those who test negative to be involved in a deadly car accident, a new study finds. Using drugs and alcohol together dramatically increases the risk of a fatal crash, according to researchers at Columbia University.

The role of police officers in responding to overdoses is often unclear, according to a new study. Researchers say training officers in administering the overdose antidote naloxone could have a significant impact on the death rate from drug-related fatalities.

Five years after the Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act of 2008 was signed by President George W. Bush, experts say the law has not created parity for mental health coverage.

As makers of electronic cigarettes invest in multimillion-dollar marketing campaigns, a backlash against the devices is brewing, according to The Kansas City Star. Last week, 40 attorneys general sent a letter to the Food and Drug Administration asking the agency to regulate e-cigarettes like tobacco products.

Because treatment for adolescent substance use disorder is most effective when it is of high quality and when evidence-based treatments and practices are delivered well, the Treatment Research Institute is contributing to promoting such practices by employing a consumer guide approach to measuring an reporting on the quality of adolescent substance abuse treatment.