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.
Women who smoke during pregnancy raise the risk their baby will develop a severe, potentially life-threatening illness of the bowel if the infant is born prematurely, a new study suggests.
A New York judge said this week that police should be required to prove beverages cited in public drinking cases are alcoholic, through laboratory testing.
New York Senator Charles Schumer has proposed steps the federal government should take to tackle the increasing problem of opioid exposure in newborns.
Smoking and excessive drinking are unlikely to harm a man’s sperm, a new study suggests.
The prescription drug monitoring database in Massachusetts, which has been in operation for two years, appears to have helped stem “doctor shopping,” according to state health officials.
A bill that would make New York the first state to ban the sale of e-cigarettes appears unlikely to pass, the Associated Press reports.
A new study finds college students who use prescription drugs for non-medical purposes are at increased risk of depression and thoughts of suicide.
The Justice Department is using a civil statute, aimed at seizing the assets of drug trafficking organizations, against medical marijuana dispensaries in California, Reuters reports. By using the law, the department is avoiding expensive and potentially embarrassing criminal prosecutions.
Increasing consumption of fruits and vegetables may help smokers quit, a new study suggests.
A landlord in California has announced that residents of almost 2,000 rented apartments will no longer be allowed to smoke in their homes. Until now, few property owners have employed the state’s new law, allowing landlords to ban smoking in rented apartments.
Many people struggling with alcohol dependence who could benefit from medication are not receiving it, according to an expert who spoke at the recent American Psychiatric Association Annual Meeting.
Quitting smoking is beneficial, even for smokers ages 60 and older, a new study suggests.
A new study concludes teenagers and young adults with mental health disorders are more likely to be prescribed opioids for chronic pain, and more likely to become long-term opioid users, compared with their peers who don’t have a mental health disorder.
Police in rural and suburban areas around the country are reporting finding drugs, money and guns linked to Mexican drug cartels, CNN reports.
The Defense Department’s new drug testing policy is raising questions about what a valid prescription is, according to the Navy Times.
A growing number of high school students are using attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) drugs, such as Adderall and Ritalin, to help them get better grades, The New York Times reports. Teens get them from friends, buy them from student dealers, or pretend to have ADHD in order to get prescriptions.
Addiction is a disease, not a moral failure, according to Gil Kerlikowske, Director of the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy. He is scheduled to speak about addiction and drug control policy Monday at the Betty Ford Center in California.
A growing number of state legislatures are debating marijuana policy, according to the Associated Press. The discussions are being fueled by an increasingly open-minded public, as well as an enthusiastic base of voters who support legalization.
The fate of California’s $1-per-pack cigarette tax is still in limbo, despite headlines last week declaring that the tax was defeated by a slim margin, CNN reports.
Congressman Hal Rogers (KY) shares what he, his home state and the Congressional Caucus on Prescription Drug Abuse are doing to combat this national epidemic.
Advisers to the Food and Drug Administration will meet this fall to discuss whether prescription painkillers containing hydrocodone should be more tightly regulated, Bloomberg reports.
Arizona, which has one of the country’s strictest rules regarding medical marijuana sales, is beginning the complicated process of regulating medical marijuana dispensaries, according to The New York Times.
New York Governor Andrew Cuomo is looking to compromise with state senators who oppose his plan to decriminalize open possession of small amounts of marijuana, The Wall Street Journal reports.
Voters in California narrowly rejected a measure that would have added a $1-per-pack tax on cigarettes. Reuters reports 50.8 percent of voters were against the measure, while 49.2 percent were in favor of it.
Regulations designed to make it more difficult to abuse prescription painkillers are leading to an increase in heroin addiction, MSNBC reports.
Get Support
