The Latest News from Our Field

As headlines about opioids focus on misuse of the drugs, physicians who treat patients with chronic pain are grappling with how to deal with opioid dependence.

A new report from the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime finds that the abuse of prescription opioids and synthetic drugs are on the rise globally, while worldwide markets for cocaine, heroin and marijuana have declined or remained stable. The report found the U.S. market for cocaine has experienced massive declines in recent years.

A new study finds that one-quarter of drivers who died in single-vehicle crashes between 1999 and 2009 tested positive for drugs, and 37 percent had blood alcohol levels above the legal limit of .08.

Cocaine that is diluted with a commonly used veterinary drug can cause serious skin reactions, according to a new report.

Men with prostate cancer who smoke are more likely than nonsmokers with prostate cancer to die from their disease, a new study finds. The longer the men smoke, the greater their risk of dying from prostate cancer.

Nike is refusing Boston Mayor Thomas M. Menino’s request that the company remove a window display with t-shirts that say ‘Dope’ and ‘Get High’ in one of their stores.

The U.S. House Committee on Appropriations says in a report that it is concerned about the growing use of prescription pain medications in the military, which is leading to dependency among service members. Prescriptions of pain management drugs are handled inconsistently at military medical treatment facilities, according to the report.

A study that examined the hearts of heavy cocaine users found that 83 percent had structural damage in their heart, even though they didn’t have any symptoms.

Obese teenage girls are more than twice as likely to have high-level nicotine addiction, compared with their non-obese peers when they reach young adulthood, a new study suggests.

A group of U.S. senators is asking the Food and Drug Administration’s Center for Tobacco Products to regulate a new form of dissolvable tobacco products that they say poses health risks, especially for children.

The Chief Executive of Scotts Miracle-Gro is hoping that the medical marijuana market will boost his company’s sales.

Tobacco control policies, such as clean indoor air laws and increased cigarette prices, can also lower the rate of teen smoking, a new study suggests.

The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) has found that the number of college athletes who test positive for marijuana at postseason events has almost tripled, USA Today reports.

Some young adults who receive prescription painkillers for acute pain, such as that from a dental procedure or a broken bone, might have enough medication to both overuse it and divert to others, a new study suggests.

People who misuse prescription painkillers are much more likely to get the drugs from family and friends than from a doctor, a new study suggests.

Several states are taking action to reduce the number of fatalities and injuries from alcohol-related boating accidents. Alcohol is the leading contributing factor in deadly boating accidents.

A program that aims to promote a culture of recovery at several U.S. universities is showing promise, a new study suggests.

Drinking even a little bit of alcohol increases the risk of driving accidents, a new study finds. The study shows that the severity of life-threatening motor vehicle accidents increases significantly at blood alcohol levels far lower than the current U.S. limit of 0.08 percent.

A major reduction in federal funds to clean up meth labs is having a negative impact in Tennessee, where methamphetamine use has been spiking. From 2007 to 2010, the state saw a 250 percent rise in meth lab incidents, busts and explosions.

The growing popularity of synthetic drugs known as "bath salts" has contributed to the rise in the number of arrests related to drugged driving in Pennsylvania, according to a state DUI expert.

The planned merger of the National Institute on Drug Abuse and the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism is likely to be delayed until October 2013, the Los Angeles Times reports. The merger originally was scheduled for October 2012.

New cigarette labels mandated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration will carry graphic images of the consequences of smoking, including diseased lungs and rotting teeth.

Following a 2010 report on health promotion, risk reduction and suicide prevention in the Army that cites prescription drug abuse as a growing issue, the Army is making changes to reduce the misuse of prescription pain medications.

A new national study found a 55 percent jump in emergency room visits for drug-related suicide attempts in men ages 21 to 34 between 2005 and 2009.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) said on Thursday that the smoking-cessation drug Chantix (vareniclene) may be associated with a small, increased risk of certain heart problems in patients with heart disease.