The Latest News from Our Field

A new government report shows prescription drug abuse decreased in 10 states from 2010 to 2011, and did not increase in any state.

Employers in the oil and gas industry are having a difficult time finding enough workers who can pass drug tests, The Wall Street Journal reports. Prescription drug abuse is largely to blame.

The U.S. Supreme Court will hear a case Wednesday on the question of whether police must obtain a warrant before forcing suspected drunk drivers to submit to a blood alcohol test.

A recent article drew attention to the fact that some substance abuse counselors believe moderate drinking is an option for individuals with substance use disorders. Phyllis Abel Gardner, PhD, President of IC&RC reacts to this news.

Smokers can lower their anxiety levels by quitting, a new study suggests. The decrease is particularly noticeable among people who used smoking to cope, instead of for pleasure.

Black and Hispanic patients who enter publicly funded alcohol and drug treatment programs are less likely to complete treatment, compared with white patients, a new study finds.

Vermont Governor Peter Shumlin announced Monday the state will set up DUI courts to reduce the number of repeat drunk drivers. The courts will operate much like the three drug courts in the state, according to the Associated Press.

A federal judge has ruled that a medical marijuana dispensary in northern California can remain open, despite efforts by federal prosecutors to close it.

Tobacco manufacturers are moving into the manufacture and sale of electronic cigarettes, according to CNBC. The business, which brought in $400 million to $500 million in sales in 2012, is expected to at least double this year, one expert predicts.

Advocates for two competing medical marijuana measures in Los Angeles have gathered enough signatures to have the initiatives appear on the May ballot. Both measures aim to manage growth of medical marijuana shops, according to NBC News.

New Mexico’s largest jail will no longer use methadone to treat inmates who are addicted to drugs, The New York Times reports. The jail’s warden cited cost concerns. He also questioned the program’s effectiveness.

Drug use among Ohio inmates is the highest it has been in more than a decade, according to The Columbus Dispatch. Most of the inmates who tested positive for drugs in 2012 used marijuana.

As smoke-free housing policies gain momentum, we should ensure populations that are disproportionately impacted by tobacco use are considered, says David Dobbins of Legacy.

Smoking cessation product sales reached $1 billion last year in the United States, according to the market research firm Mintel. Sales are expected to reach $1.2 billion by 2017, according to CSPnet.com.

People who are dependent on opioids and are being treated with buprenorphine do not receive additional benefit from cognitive behavioral therapy, a new study finds.

A California-based company hopes to sell marijuana in vending machines in Colorado and Washington, which have legalized recreational use of the drug, NBC News reports.

Middle and high school students are invited to participate in Drug Free Action Alliance’s “Big Bowl Vote 2013,” a student questionnaire about alcohol advertising given the morning after the Super Bowl.

The Drug Enforcement Administration has proposed new regulations to give the public more options for disposing of unwanted prescription drugs, such as painkillers and sedatives.

The U.S. Navy has released a video that demonstrates the disturbing effects of bath salts, ABC News reports. The video is the latest weapon in the Navy’s effort to combat synthetic drug use.

Registration is open for Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America (CADCA)’s 23rd annual National Leadership Forum, to be held February 4-7 in National Harbor, Maryland. The CADCA Forum is the nation’s largest training conference for community prevention and treatment professionals and researchers.

As opioids become more difficult and expensive to abuse, heroin use is on the rise in Florida, according to law enforcement officials.

The opioid-overdose antidote naloxone can save lives and money when distributed to heroin users, a new study finds.

Drug companies that manufacture the painkillers OxyContin and Opana are trying to block generic drug makers’ efforts to produce cheaper versions of the drugs. They argue these newer drugs will not have the tamper-resistant designs used in making the brand-name pills, according to The New York Times.

Some people in Colorado celebrated New Year’s Eve in private marijuana clubs, which were allowed for the first time under the state’s new recreational marijuana law.

Energy drinks, under investigation by the Food and Drug Administration after reports of deaths and serious injuries, offer little or no benefit to consumers, experts say.