The Latest News from Our Field

The federal government missed several important opportunities to improve access to smoking cessation medications and counseling this year, according to a new American Lung Association report. States’ records were more mixed, but many failed to ensure coverage, the group says.

Thousands of prisoners wait months to enter drug education or rehabilitation programs, according to a report by the Government Accountability Office. The delay is caused by staff shortages and limited resources.

The White House Office of National Drug Control Policy has alerted U.S. law enforcement to prepare for a potential influx of painkillers from Canada, which has given approval to six generic drug companies to manufacture oxycodone products.

A poll released Wednesday finds 51 percent of Americans support legalizing marijuana. Men and younger voters are more likely to support legalization, Reuters reports.

An increase in cigarette taxes may lead heavy smokers to cut back more than people who smoke fewer cigarettes, a new study suggests.

Genes explain about 60 percent of the risk for alcoholism, while the environment accounts for the rest, according to an expert who has developed a pilot program to prevent high-risk drinking in college freshman.

More than 11,000 people ended up in emergency rooms after using synthetic marijuana in 2010, according to a new government report. Most were teenagers and young adults, USA Today reports.

A new study suggests policies that ban tobacco-product displays at the point of sale may help reduce teen smoking.

Scientists in London have found a genetic variation that may play a role in binge drinking in teenagers, Reuters reports. The two-phase study included mice and teenage boys.

Substance dependence or abuse is much more likely to occur in adults with a mental illness, compared with those without mental health problems, according to a new government report.

The American Psychiatric Association has approved a new edition of its Diagnostic and Statistical Manual for Mental Disorders that combines substance abuse and dependence into a single category of “substance use and addictive disorders.”

A new study suggests combining the anti-seizure drug topiramate with amphetamines may help treat cocaine addiction.

Kratom, used as a medicinal plant in some countries in Southeast Asia, is increasingly popular as a drug of abuse in South Florida, the Sun Sentinel reports.

Smokers trying to quit may be helped by receiving supportive text messages, a review of studies suggests.

A scientist at the Walter Reed Army Institute of Research is developing a vaccine designed to treat heroin addiction while at the same time prevent HIV infection.

Drug abuse or heavy drinking can cause long-term changes in the heart, arteries or blood that increase the risk of stroke in young adults, a new study finds.

Across Colorado and Washington state, communities are taking varying approaches to newly approved laws that legalize small amounts of recreational use of marijuana for adults.

Legislators in Washington, D.C., are proposing a ban on synthetic drugs, The Washington Times reports. More than 40 states have banned synthetic marijuana and/or bath salts.

As Kentucky begins to see results from its crackdown on prescription drug abuse, officials report a rise in heroin use.

Laws that mandate smoke-free workplaces are associated with a significantly reduced risk of heart attacks, according to a new study by researchers at the Mayo Clinic.

The number of NFL players who are testing positive for amphetamines such as Adderall has increased, according to the Associated Press.

The Congressional Budget Office estimates a 50-cent hike in the U.S. cigarette tax could result in a decrease of more than three million smokers by 2085. The tax increase would either encourage people to quit, or would keep people from starting to smoke, the researchers say.

The Drug Enforcement Administration announced it is investigating three Walgreens pharmacies in Florida because of concerns over possible prescription drug diversion.

A federal judge has ordered tobacco companies to pay for corrective statements that disclose the dangers of smoking, the Associated Press reports.

The Canadian government has given approval to six generic drug companies to manufacture oxycodone products. The Canadian health minister had been under pressure to forbid the generic version of OxyContin because of concerns about widespread abuse of the painkiller.