The Latest News from Our Field

Teens who complete a five-minute computer screening program that includes six questions about alcohol and drug use, and who talk with their pediatrician briefly about the results, reduce their risk of drinking up to one year later, according to a new study.

A new study finds an extract of the Chinese herb kudzu may help curb binge drinking. The study found components found in the kudzu root can reduce alcohol consumption, without side effects.

A study of more than six thousand twins finds a link between substance abuse early in life, and a decreased likelihood of finishing college.

Tennessee’s new law requiring drug testing for welfare recipients, which Governor Bill Haslam said he will sign, faces constitutional questions, according to The Tennessean.

Intoxication is a key factor in many boating accidents, experts say, as boating season gets underway. In Texas, almost 100 people died in boating accidents over the last three years, and alcohol use was the leading contributor, the Houston Chronicle reports.

A new government report suggests that treating drug use as a public health issue could lead to reduced crime rates. The annual report by the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy finds illegal drugs play a central role in criminal acts.

Medical marijuana was a key issue in this week’s Democratic primary race for Oregon Attorney General. A retired state judge who was supported by advocates of the issue defeated a former federal prosecutor who oversaw raids on medical marijuana growers.

Fewer teenagers and young adults in the United States are smoking, a new government report finds. The drop can be attributed to several causes, including an increase in cigarette taxes, Bloomberg reports.

Four activists and a grassroots community organization will be recognized for their work as recovery advocates by Faces & Voices of Recovery. The addiction recovery advocacy organization will present the awards Wednesday, June 27 in Washington, D.C.

Drug wholesale company Cardinal Health said Tuesday it will suspend shipments of controlled substances from a warehouse in Florida for two years, under an agreement with the Drug Enforcement Administration.

Colorado lawmakers on Tuesday rejected a bill that would have set a legal blood-level limit for the active ingredient in marijuana, THC. Currently convictions for drugged driving in the state depend on an officer’s observations, according to the Associated Press.

The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) will create a 12-member investigative unit, based in Cleveland, which will focus on prescription drug cases. The unit will include agents from the DEA, FBI, and local law enforcement agencies.

Substance abuse is one of the top non-combat medical conditions that result in hospitalization for U.S. troops, according to a new Pentagon report.

Children raised in a household with one or more parents struggling with a substance use disorder often use compliance as a coping mechanism—a skill that often no longer serves them well in adulthood, according to an expert who spoke recently at the National Council Mental Health and Addictions Conference. He says teaching new skills to substitute for learned patterns can help break the intergenerational cycle of substance abuse.

The Medicaid contractor in Kentucky that announced last week it would stop paying for the opioid addiction medication buprenorphine has reversed its decision, according to The Courier-Journal.

New Jersey Governor Chris Christie’s plan for mandatory treatment for all low-level drug offenders could reduce treatment slots for people who seek treatment voluntarily, but don’t have the money to pay for it, critics say.

New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg will donate up to $500,000 of his own money to support California’s tobacco tax measure, known as Proposition 29. He challenged supporters to match that amount.

The U.S. military is limiting the use of certain antipsychotic drugs such as Seroquel for treatment of post-traumatic stress syndrome (PTSD). These drugs, used to treat severe mental illness, are sometimes prescribed in lower doses to relieve symptoms of PTSD and anxiety. When they are mixed with other prescriptions, however, they can be dangerous and even deadly.

A proposed revision to the definition of addiction by mental health specialists could lead to millions of additional people receiving an addiction diagnosis, The New York Times reports. The changes could lead to big consequences for both health insurers and taxpayers, according to the newspaper.

The tobacco industry is funding ads opposing California’s proposed tax on cigarettes to raise money for cancer research.

Stolen or fabricated prescription pads are contributing to the surge in prescription drug abuse, experts say. There is a growing call for computer systems that directly link doctors to pharmacies, to avoid this problem.

Three U.S. senators have introduced legislation that would close loopholes in the tax code that allow tobacco manufacturers to avoid the federal cigarette tax and the roll-your-own tobacco tax.

Doctors caring for pregnant women addicted to opioids may face a difficult choice—should they treat with methadone or buprenorphine? Physicians must consider the individual circumstances of the mother, says Karol Kaltenbach, PhD, Director of Maternal Addiction Treatment Education and Research at Jefferson Medical College in Philadelphia.

A new government study finds 22 percent of white women have smoked cigarettes during their pregnancy, ABC News reports. In contrast, 14 percent of black women, and 6.5 percent of Hispanic women, have done so.

Attorneys general from 37 states have sent letters to 10 movie studio executives, asking them to stop showing smoking and tobacco in movies that are aimed at young audiences. They say these scenes encourage young people to smoke.