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.
The Naval Academy is using Breathalyzer tests to detect alcohol use in its students, known as midshipmen, the Marine Corps Times reports.
A new study shows people who are treated for both post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and substance abuse have improved PTSD symptoms, without an increase in severity of substance dependence.
The Affordable Care Act provides protections that benefit people with mental illness who have private insurance, according to The Health Foundation of Greater Cincinnati.
Prenatal alcohol exposure can affect a child’s growth up until age 9, a new study finds.
Federal officials are using a variety of strategies to try to lower smoking rates, including using social media, banning fruit-flavored cigarettes, and encouraging smoking bans in public housing. Experts are sharing ideas on the best ways to prevent smoking at a national conference this week in Kansas City.
Almost three-quarters of deaths in drunk driving crashes in 2010 involved drivers who had blood alcohol levels that were nearly twice the .08 legal limit, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said Tuesday.
White House Office of National Drug Control Policy Director Gil Kerlikowske is urging Missouri, the only state without a prescription drug monitoring program, to adopt such a program to fight prescription drug abuse.
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.
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