The Latest News from Our Field

A new government report finds a link between prescription drug abuse and an increased risk of heroin use. Americans ages 12 to 49 who illegally use prescription drugs are 19 times more likely than others in their age group to begin using heroin, the report found.

“Molly,” the club drug suspected of causing two deaths this weekend at a New York City music festival, can be dangerous for casual users, experts say. They note it is hard for a person using the drug to detect when they are about to overdose.

A new study finds Hispanic teenagers are more likely than African-American or Caucasian teens to use drugs. The study by The Partnership at Drugfree.org found 54 percent of Hispanic adolescents said they had used an illegal drug, compared with 45 percent of African-American teens and 43 percent of Caucasian teens.

Watching the Country Music Awards Music Festival broadcast this week from Nashville reminded me that no matter how far we’ve come in changing social norms around tobacco – it remains a marathon, not a sprint, explains Julia Cartwright of Legacy.

Smoking cessation programs can be successful in patients hospitalized for mental illness, a new study concludes. Researchers at Stanford University found psychiatric patients in a quit-smoking program were more likely to stop using cigarettes, and were less likely to be re-hospitalized for mental illness, compared with patients not in the program.

A study of risk factors for early-onset dementia finds alcohol abuse tops the list, HealthDay reports.

“Hempfest,” Washington state’s annual marijuana festival, will be making some changes this year, now that recreational use of the drug is legal there, according to the Associated Press.

As the federal government takes steps to reduce mandatory minimum sentences for minor drug offenses, California legislators are considering making similar changes.

Law enforcement officials and prosecutors are finding it difficult to win convictions against makers of synthetic drugs, who are constantly changing the chemistry of the products to stay one step ahead of the law.

A new poll finds 10 percent of Americans admit they have taken someone else’s prescription drugs. One-quarter of those people used the drugs to get high.

Higher cigarette taxes are associated with reduced drinking in men and young adult smokers, a new study suggests.

Having half-siblings increases the chance that a teenager will use drugs and have sex by age 15, according to a study presented at the American Sociological Association annual meeting.

Excessive alcohol use costs the United States $223.5 billion annually, according to a new study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Binge drinking accounts for more than 70 percent of these costs.

Women do not experience alcohol problems or alcoholism earlier than men, but seek treatment four to five years sooner, a new study concludes. Women with alcohol problems request help after an average of 10 years, compared with 15 years for men.

New drugs being tested as treatments for muscle-wasting diseases such as muscular dystrophy could be abused by athletes if they reach the market, experts tell NPR.

After hearing comments from hundreds of people about proposed new rules for marijuana sales, officials in Washington state said they want to delay implementing the regulations for a few months.

In response to the recent CNN expose, The California Association of Alcohol & Drug Abuse Counselors (CAADAC) is supporting actions to investigate and hold accountable businesses and individuals involved in fraud in the drug Medi-Cal program, explains Andrew D. Kessler of IC&RC.

Authorities charged with reigning in the international drug trade are having a difficult time, as it spreads to new markets and quickly evolves, an expert tells CNBC.

Purdue Pharma, which makes the opioid painkiller OxyContin, has compiled a database of about 1,800 doctors it suspects may have recklessly prescribed the drug to people addicted to it, as well as to drug dealers, the Los Angeles Times reports. The company has kept most of the list private.

Many marijuana growers are trying to increase the content of the drug’s active ingredient, THC, as high as it will go, CNN reports. High-potency marijuana can lead to dangerous behavior, such as intoxicated driving, several experts say.

Recent research suggests people who drink moderately—about two glasses a day for men, and one for women—may gain less weight than those who drink heavily or don’t drink at all, according to The Wall Street Journal.

A growing number of law enforcement officials around the country are prosecuting drug dealers for causing heroin overdose deaths, the Associated Press reports.

Attorney General Eric Holder will announce today a Justice Department plan to change how some non-violent drug offenders are prosecuted, according to The Washington Post. Low-level, nonviolent drug offenders who are not tied to large-scale drug organizations or gangs will not face mandatory minimum sentences.

CNN Chief Medical Correspondent Sanjay Gupta’s announcement last week that he now supports medical marijuana has sparked a debate among drug policy experts. He wrote an online piece, “Why I Changed My Mind on Weed,” which promoted his documentary, “Weed,” that ran on CNN Sunday night.

Federal officials are investigating the use of antipsychotic drugs in children enrolled in Medicaid. The Wall Street Journal reports the probe was sparked by concerns the drugs are being prescribed too often to treat behavior problems in very young children.