We curate a digest of the latest news in our field for advocates, policymakers, community coalitions and all who work toward shaping policies and practices to effectively prevent substance use and treat addiction.
The U.S. Postal Service is considering delivering alcoholic beverages as a way to raise revenue, according to Postmaster General Patrick Donahoe. He told the Associated Press alcohol deliveries could raise as much as $50 million annually.
Quitting smoking after undergoing a balloon angioplasty procedure to improve blood flow to the heart could add an average of two years to a person’s life, a new study concludes.
The death of “Glee” star Cory Monteith from an overdose that involved heroin highlights the growing use of the drug, ABC News reports.
People seeking a doctor who will write a recommendation for medical marijuana often have a long wait. MarketWatch reports in Massachusetts, many patients have been waiting since the state’s medical marijuana law took effect in January.
A new Gallup poll finds 22 percent of Americans support a complete ban on smoking, The Huffington Post reports. Only 9 percent of smokers support a complete ban.
Law enforcement officers in one West Virginia county will start using a database this week to track children who may be at risk of drug-related abuse, according to the Associated Press.
An investigation by The Center for Investigative Reporting and CNN has uncovered fraud by California rehab clinics that receive government funds to assist clients who are poor and addicted.
Methamphetamine may raise the risk of dying from a fungal lung infection called cryptococcus, a new study in mice suggests.
Young adults who grew up in poverty are more likely to smoke than their peers who grew up in more economically secure homes, but they are less likely to binge drink, a new study suggests.
Capital City Care, the first medical marijuana dispensary in Washington, D.C., opened this week. It is located about one mile north of the U.S. Capitol, according to The Huffington Post.
The impact of menthol cigarettes on young smokers is alarming, particularly when one considers the health consequences of a lifetime of smoking, says David Dobbins of the American Legacy Foundation.
A video ad promoting the legalization of marijuana was pulled from a screen outside a NASCAR event at the Indiana Motor Speedway Friday, several hours after it began running, USA Today reports.
Medical marijuana trade associations, dispensary owners and advocacy groups are concerned that full legalization of the drug will negatively impact their industry, according to Politico.
A government health panel on Monday recommended heavy smokers ages 55 to 80 receive annual screenings for lung cancer with low-dose CT scans, The New York Times reports.
In recent years, a growing number of states have passed laws protecting retailers from being liable for harms caused by customers served alcohol illegally, according to a new study.
The percentage of pregnant women in substance abuse treatment programs who were being treated for alcohol abuse decreased between 2000 and 2010, according to a new government report. During the same decade, the percentage of pregnant women in these programs being treated for drug abuse rose.
The dramatic decrease in cocaine use in America is due to a number of factors, ranging from changing trends to new drug control strategies implemented by Colombia, according to NPR.
The National Collegiate Athletic Association will implement a new policy on August 1 that lowers the threshold for what determines a positive marijuana test, The Baltimore Sun reports.
Pediatricians can help parents quit smoking, a new study suggests.
Sleep problems and substance use disorders often go together, according to a specialist who says many people continue to have insomnia even after they are able to successfully stop abusing drugs and alcohol.
A group that advocates for the legalization of marijuana will run a video ad outside a NASCAR race in Indianapolis this weekend, USA Today reports. It will be the first time such an ad will appear so close to the entrance of a major sporting event.
Kentucky Governor Steve Beshear announced this week that the number of doses of opioid painkillers that were prescribed in the state have dropped in the last year, since he signed a new law designed to cut down on prescription drug abuse.
Services offered by a quit-smoking hotline will be drastically reduced for uninsured smokers in Washington state starting on August 1.
Illinois Governor Pat Quinn has signed a law aimed at reducing the number of people who operate a boat under the influence of drugs or alcohol.
An analysis of studies suggests children whose mothers smoked during pregnancy are more likely to have conduct problems later in life, such as getting into fights or having attention difficulties, compared with children of nonsmoking mothers.
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