The Latest News from Our Field

A report released by the Organization of American States calls for a discussion on legalizing or decriminalizing marijuana, the Associated Press reports.

Health experts gathered this week in Kentucky to discuss how to deal with the problem of babies born to drug-dependent mothers, according to The Courier-Journal. Hospitalizations for newborns in the state with neonatal abstinence syndrome climbed from 29 in 2000, to 730 in 2011.

Lawmakers in Washington state, where recreational marijuana use is now legal, are trying to determine how police officers can identify drivers impaired by marijuana use, The Wall Street Journal reports.

Female college students are more likely than their male peers to drink more alcohol than is recommended by government guidelines, Harvard University researchers have found.

People who drink heavily and smoke may have more signs of early aging of the brain, including problems with memory, quick thinking and problem solving, compared with heavy drinkers who are nonsmokers.

Schools, parents and civic organizations around the country are trying to attract high school students to alcohol-free supervised events after their prom, Reuters reports. Some are offering expensive door prizes including iPads and even cars.

Drug courts represent a criminal justice approach that takes into account the need to ensure public safety through close supervision, and public health through the delivery of community-based treatment, say scientists from the Treatment Research Institute.

Eighty-one percent of American adults have smoke-free rules in their homes, and 74 percent ban smoking in their cars, according to a new report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Addiction to drugs, alcohol and tobacco are the most common mental health problems in teenagers, a new government report concludes. Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder is the most commonly diagnosed problem overall in youth ages 3 to 17.

Law enforcement officials in West Virginia say they have seized 200 methamphetamine labs so far in 2013, and are on track to shatter last year’s record of 288 meth lab seizures.

Georgia launched a campaign this week, “Generation Rx,” aimed at preventing prescription drug abuse in teens and young adults.

Mothers Against Drunk Driving says the new recommendation from the National Transportation Safety Board that states lower allowable blood-alcohol levels for drivers is not the most effective way to eliminate drunk driving, The Christian Science Monitor reports.

Gun control advocacy groups are urging the daily deal website LivingSocial to stop promoting events that mix guns and alcohol, The Hill reports.

The number of babies born to mothers addicted to opioids or anti-anxiety medication in Tennessee is soaring, according to the Associated Press.

Felons, including sex offenders, are allowed to work as substance abuse counselors in California because of lax rules, according to a new report.

The National Transportation Safety Board on Tuesday recommended states lower allowable blood-alcohol levels for drivers, from 0.08 percent to 0.05 percent.

Teens’ use of smokeless tobacco products has held steady since 2000, at about 5 percent, a new study finds.

A new study finds a connection between post-traumatic stress disorder and the number of cannabinoid receptors in the brain. These receptors are activated when a person uses marijuana.

Florida officials say heroin is making a comeback, now that the state has had success in shutting down “pill mills” selling prescription painkillers.

When Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi took office in 2011, Florida was in the midst of a public safety crisis of epic proportions – prescription drug abuse. This epidemic wasn't just affecting adults. It was affecting increasing numbers of pregnant women throughout the state, which fueled an explosion in cases of neonatal abstinence syndrome, babies being born exposed to prescription drugs.

Primary care physicians should ask their adult patients about their drinking habits, and counsel those whose alcohol use is risky, according to a new report.

Parents should start talking with their children about the dangers of drinking as early as age 9, according to a new government campaign.

In hotels that allow smoking in some rooms, nicotine residue ends up in all rooms, even those labeled “non-smoking,” a new study finds.

The first medical marijuana dispensaries in Washington, D.C., are expected to open later this month, ABC News reports. One will be located eight blocks from the U.S. Capitol.

The Food and Drug Administration on Friday denied a request from the maker of the painkiller Opana ER to block generic forms of the drug. The decision came as a surprise, Reuters reports.