The Latest News from Our Field

Michael Botticelli has been sworn in as Deputy Director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy, according to UPI. Botticelli, who is in long-term recovery from addiction, is a former director of the Massachusetts Substance Abuse Services Bureau.

The Food and Drug Administration said this week it is likely to seek advice about the potential health dangers of energy drinks, in the wake of reports of deaths and injuries possibly related to the products.

Recovery residences, particularly recovery homes, are understudied in scientific literature and are often regarded with skepticism by community members, say researchers at the Treatment Research Institute.

One-quarter of 12-to-20-year-olds say they drank alcohol in the past month, according to a new government report. Almost 9 percent said they purchased their own alcohol the last time they drank.

Although the Affordable Care Act requires new private health plans to cover several methods of tobacco cessation, many insurance plans are not providing mandated coverage to help smokers quit, a new report concludes.

Hospitals in Tennessee will be required to report babies exposed to drugs prenatally, under a measure that takes effect in 2013.

New Jersey has made its temporary ban on synthetic marijuana permanent, state Attorney General Jeffrey S. Chiesa announced Monday.

Some inebriated people picked up by emergency medical service ambulance crews can be treated effectively at a detoxification center, instead of an emergency room, according to a new study. Increasing the use of such centers could reduce costs, and lessen crowding of emergency rooms, the researchers note.

A law signed by New Jersey Governor Chris Christie bans health care facilities from improperly disposing of prescription medications, by discharging them into public sewer or septic systems.

Vermont officials report an increase in heroin use, as OxyContin abuse decreases, according to the Associated Press.

A plan that would require applicants for welfare and unemployment benefits in Texas to be tested for drugs would hurt children, critics argue. The plan is backed by Governor Rick Perry.

Secondhand smoke levels outside designated smoking areas in airports are five times higher than levels in airports that are smoke free, according to a new government report. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says these high levels endanger the health of travelers and airport employees.

A new study suggests a specific genetic variation may increase the risk of developing marijuana-related psychosis.

The presidents of four Latin American countries have called for an international debate on drug legalization, following the passage of laws that legalize recreational marijuana use in Colorado and Washington state.

Many teenage hookah smokers do not recognize that the practice carries serious health risks, suggests a new report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Health behavior change interventions in the future will be inherently social, suggests Dr. Nathan Cobb of Legacy.

Health insurers are unlikely to start covering the cost of medical marijuana, even as more states approve its use, The Washington Post reports. Earlier this month, Massachusetts joined 17 other states and the District of Columbia in allowing the use of marijuana for medical purposes.

A new study suggests Ecstasy may help treat post-traumatic stress disorder, according to The New York Times.

About one in 20 teenagers have used steroids to increase their muscle mass, a new study suggests. In addition, more than one-third of boys and one-fifth of girls said they had used protein shakes or powders to increase their muscles, while between five and 10 percent used non-steroid substances to bulk up.

A survey of California drivers finds they are almost twice as likely to test positive for drugs that may impair driving, compared with alcohol.

The National Institutes of Health has announced it will not pursue the proposed creation of a single institute devoted to substance use, abuse and addictions. The proposal would have dissolved the National Institute on Drug Abuse and the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, and replaced it with a single body.

The Food and Drug Administration on Friday released reports of injuries that cited the possible involvement of the nation’s top-selling energy drink, Red Bull. The reports follow the release of similar reports for other energy drinks, The New York Times reports.

Although voters in Washington have approved a new law allowing the recreational use of marijuana among adults, employers in the state are unlikely to change their drug use policies, according to The Seattle Times.

American teenagers are smoking less, according to a new government report. The report by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration found current cigarette smoking among teenagers declined significantly between 2002 and 2010 in 41 states. Nationwide, teen cigarette use fell from 12.6 percent to 8.7 percent.

Raising alcohol excise taxes can help deter young people from drinking, according to a leading expert on preventing drinking in youth.