The Latest News from Our Field

Addiction to heroin and morphine can be blocked, suggests a new study conducted in rodents. The study revealed a key mechanism in the immune system that amplifies addiction to opioids.

While many people blame spicy or acidic foods for their heartburn, alcohol is a major culprit, a gastroenterologist at the University of California, Los Angeles, tells NPR.

Teenagers who receive substance abuse treatment at facilities with comprehensive mental health services fare better one year later, compared with those treated at facilities with fewer such services, or none at all, a new study finds.

Therapists who treat adolescents for drug and alcohol abuse deliver more complete treatment when they are offered monetary rewards based on the quality and quantity of care they deliver, suggests a new study.

The Affordable Care Act will not reduce Medicaid or Medicare benefits for people with mental illness, according to The Health Foundation of Greater Cincinnati.

A report by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration finds 37.2 percent of treatment admissions for substance abuse involve both drugs and alcohol.

Nonsmokers who breathe in secondhand smoke outdoors have elevated levels of tobacco-related chemicals in their body, according to a new study. The researchers say their findings suggest this smoke exposure may increase risks of health effects associated with cancer-causing agents in tobacco.

More than 20,000 U.S. veterans have left military service during the past four years with an other-than-honorable discharge, which can restrict their disability and veterans health care benefits, The Seattle Times reports. Many of these men and women are struggling with drug abuse and/or post-traumatic stress disorder.

A “wellness court” in Minnesota uses Native American ceremonies and other cultural activities to help people in recovery from drug and alcohol addiction.

New Mexico is facing a widespread drug problem that includes prescription drug abuse, as well as heroin, methamphetamine and cocaine, according to the Associated Press.

Washington state’s initiative to legalize marijuana, which will be on the November ballot, could raise up to $1.9 billion in new tax revenue over five years, if the federal government allows it.

Naloxone, the drug carried by ambulances to reverse overdoses, is also available in some states to be administered by trained members of the general public who might be present when an overdose occurs. Many lives have been saved by bystanders, and increasingly, notice is being taken of community-based naloxone distribution, says Dr. Sharon Stancliff of the Harm Reduction Coalition.

Almost 30 percent of boys and 18 percent of girls in middle and high school used some type of tobacco last year, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced Thursday. The rate of teen tobacco use has been slowly declining over the past decade.

A combination of the drugs naltrexone and buprenorphine might be an effective treatment for cocaine addiction, a study in rats suggests.

Amerisource Bergen, the third-largest drug wholesaler in the United States, received subpoenas from the Drug Enforcement Administration and federal prosecutors seeking information on how the company monitors for possible diversions of opioids and other drugs with high potential for abuse.

The drought that has hit much of the country has also affected Ohio’s marijuana crop, The Plain Dealer reports.

Alcohol ads that violate industry guidelines are more likely to appear in magazines popular with teen readers, a new study finds.

The Affordable Care Act makes changes to the health insurance system and health insurance benefits that may affect the cost of insurance and healthcare for people with mental illnesses, according to The Health Foundation of Greater Cincinnati.

E-cigarettes, currently a small but growing part of the tobacco market, eventually could surpass traditional cigarettes to become a leading tobacco product, one industry expert says.

Patients in New Jersey with a doctor’s recommendation to use marijuana to treat certain health problems will be allowed to register for identification cards starting Thursday. The state plans to open its first medical marijuana dispensary in September.

Antipsychotic treatment has increased rapidly among young people in the United States, with much of the increase coming from prescriptions for disruptive behavior disorders such as attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder, Reuters reports.

A new government study finds one-third of doctors do not accept new Medicaid patients. Most of the doctors cited low reimbursement as the reason, according to The Wall Street Journal.

New York Governor Andrew Cuomo on Tuesday announced new regulations to expand the existing list of prohibited drugs and chemicals used to make synthetic drugs.

Texas has launched an online prescription monitoring database, building on a long-standing program that was criticized for being slow and requiring paperwork.

Building on successful efforts in 2008, Recovery/Wellness rooms will offer peer-support meetings, an alcohol-free environment and recovery support to people attending the Democratic and Republican National Conventions, says Pat Taylor of Faces & Voices of Recovery.