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. Sign up here to receive weekly updates straight to your inbox.
A new study suggests boys are more likely than girls to abuse over-the-counter drugs.
Teens who try menthol cigarettes are more likely to become smokers than those who start experimenting with regular cigarettes, a new study finds.
A new report concludes more than 10,000 people are arrested each year in Colorado for possession of marijuana.
Psychologists warn the mental health effects of Hurricane Sandy could be powerful, HealthDay reports.
An analysis of studies that evaluated two medications used to treat alcoholism concludes they are a good first option for people who want treatment but wish to avoid an inpatient program.
Smoking can reduce women’s lifespan by at least 10 years, according to a new study. Quitting smoking can add years back to a woman’s life expectancy.
The U.S. Supreme Court is scheduled this week to hear two cases related to drug-sniffing dogs. Florida is appealing two decisions by the state’s highest court, which ruled the detection of drugs by police dogs violated the constitutional ban on unreasonable searches and seizures.
Male veterans with a history of heavy alcohol use are more likely than civilians to seek treatment. They are also more likely to report better overall health, and to be less depressed, according to a study presented at the American Public Health Association Annual Meeting.
Although the field of addiction treatment is always in need of new ideas and helpful tools, it is critical that the ideas/tools be based upon sound research. The idea that “cash in hand” is a trigger for drug use has long been an area of critical debate, say scientists from the Treatment Research Institute.
Programs designed to treat physicians’ substance use disorders have too little oversight and no clear standards, according to two experts from Harvard Medical School.
Many energy drinks incorrectly list the amount of caffeine in their product, or do not list the amount at all, according to Consumer Reports.
The number of prescription drug-related deaths decreased in Florida in 2011, according to a new report. Deaths related to oxycodone decreased more than 17 percent, according to The Miami Herald.
A new study in rodents suggests that having a few drinks a day can adversely affect the brain.
Doctors’ concerns about receiving negative reviews on consumer ratings websites may influence their decision to write opioid prescriptions for patients who request them, according to an opinion piece in this week’s New England Journal of Medicine.
A web-based survey for people in recovery from an alcohol or drug problem will be available until October 31. The “What is Recovery” study is funded by the National Institutes of Health. The researchers hope the study will help dispel the stigma that those in recovery face.
An online petition demanding the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation test homes for methamphetamine residue before selling them has received more than 200,000 signatures. The petition was started by a family who purchased a home from the agency that turned out to be a former meth lab.
Maine is seeing an increase in the number of children placed in foster care due to their parents’ abuse of bath salts, MPBN reports.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is investigating reports that five people have died since 2009 after they consumed Monster energy drinks, according to the Los Angeles Times.
A study of almost 45,000 men confirms that smoking is a key risk factor for poor circulation in the legs, a condition known as peripheral artery disease. Diabetes, high blood pressure and high cholesterol levels are other risk factors, the study found.
Voters in Missouri will decide on November 6 whether to increase their state tobacco tax, which is currently the lowest in the nation. The measure would raise the tax from 17 cents per pack to 90 cents.
A new poll finds 54 percent of voters in Washington state say they are in favor of a measure that would legalize small amounts of marijuana for recreational use among adults 21 and older.
As leaders in public health, it is our job to protect the consumer. Tobacco has been and remains the number one preventable cause of death for decades and we know this fight to save lives is a marathon, not a sprint, explains Legacy President and CEO Cheryl Healton.
The number of doctor visits for substance use disorders increased 70 percent among American adults between 2001 and 2009, according to a new study. The increase appears to be driven in large part by prescription drug abuse, the researchers said.
“Red Ribbon Week,” a national drug prevention campaign, begins Tuesday with a national contest for families to promote awareness in their neighborhoods, and win a drug prevention grant for their children’s school.
Regular use of natural or synthetic marijuana has been linked with cases of cyclic nausea and vomiting, according to research presented at the American College of Gastroenterology meeting this week.
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