The Latest News from Our Field

Eight states raised cigarette taxes between 2010 and 2011, compared with 15 states in 2009, according to a new report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). As cigarette prices go up, smoking rates decline, according to the CDC.

New York state has banned the sale of synthetic marijuana, which is sold under brand names such as “Spice,” “K2” and “Mr. Nice Guy,” the Associated Press reports.

A new thrill-seeking activity popular among teenagers called the “cinnamon challenge” can be risky, warns the American Association of Poison Control Centers. In the cinnamon challenge, teens are dared to swallow a spoonful of ground or powdered cinnamon, without drinking any water.

People who engage in Internet gambling, such as online poker, are more likely to use alcohol and marijuana than those who gamble offline, a new study suggests.

Nations negotiating a treaty to stamp out tobacco smuggling are making significant progress, the World Health Organization announced this week.

Hospitals on the west coast of Florida are reporting a rise in the number of newborns exposed to opioids. Health care providers say prescription drug abuse is to blame.

New Jersey legislators are considering a number of measures that would relax laws governing alcohol sales, The Wall Street Journal reports.

Whip-Its—small canisters filled with nitrous oxide—are once again becoming popular among teens and young adults as a recreational drug, ABC News reports.

Workers report drinking less on the job when they think their supervisor can detect substance abuse problems and are willing to take corrective action, suggests a new study. Supervisor enforcement also leads to less illicit drug use both on and off the job, the study found.

Heroin use has increased so much in Ohio that users say it is “falling out of the sky,” according to a new report by state health officials. Children as young as 13 are starting to use the drug, they said.

Kentucky Governor Steve Beshear announced this week the state will sign an agreement to share and receive prescription drug dispensing data with at least 20 other states. The move is designed to help the state monitor prescription drug abuse.

A recent study that found soaring hospitalization rates for combined drug and alcohol overdoses among young adults suggests doctors could play a pivotal role in educating the public about the dangers of combining these substances, says the study’s author.

Opana, a powerful opioid, is increasingly being abused in rural America, Reuters reports.

The U.S. Supreme Court will not hear an appeal by tobacco maker R.J. Reynolds, in a Florida case in which the company was ordered to pay $28.3 million to a woman whose husband smoked cigarettes for decades and died of lung cancer.

Exposure to smoking before and after birth is a risk factor for Sudden Infant Death Syndrome, according to a new study. The number-one risk factor is still tummy sleeping, the study concluded.

“K2” and other synthetic drugs are still available in some gas stations and convenience stores in Missouri even after the state banned the substances, according to The Kansas City Star.

The owners of 25 medical marijuana dispensaries located within 1,000 feet of a school have received letters from Colorado U.S. Attorney John Walsh telling them that they must close, or potentially face criminal prosecution.

Emotional support from middle school teachers may reduce the risk their students will engage in early use of alcohol and other illicit substances, a new study suggests.

Providing extra support for smokers who call a hotline to help them quit does not appear to improve cessation rates.

British Prime Minister David Cameron has proposed that the United Kingdom set a minimum price for alcohol, in an effort to reduce problem drinking.

Research has contributed much knowledge over the decades to smarter prevention of addiction, more efficient early interventions, better and more sustained treatment outcomes, and wiser policies. Now it’s time for research to transform all this knowledge into solutions, says A. Thomas McLellan, PhD, CEO of the Treatment Research Institute.

Cocaine use and heart disease contributed to Whitney Houston’s death from an accidental drowning in a hotel bathtub, according to the initial autopsy report by the Los Angeles County Coroner.

A Food and Drug Administration advisory panel has said it cannot reach a conclusion about the potential risks and benefits of dissolvable tobacco on public health. The panel said that while using the products instead of cigarettes could reduce health risks, they have the potential to increase the number of people who use tobacco products, the Associated Press reports.

The growing popularity of home brewing is forcing legislators across the nation to review old alcohol laws. Home brewers are concerned these laws could criminalize the hobby and lead to the cancellation of annual tasting events.

A federal appeals court ruled Thursday that the Drug Enforcement Administration can suspend the sale of controlled substances at two Florida CVS pharmacies. The decision lifts a temporary order earlier this month that allowed the pharmacies to continue dispensing controlled medications.