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.
Children of smokers face an array of health problems, a study finds ... Some smokers may benefit from starting nictoine-replacement therapy before they stop smoking ... Mexican drug smugglers are hiring U.S. teens to move drugs across the border ... Smoking kills, Russia is warning smokers on cigarette packs ...
The USDA has proposed new Dietary Guidelines for Americans that include substantial changes about alcohol. The deadline for public comments on the guidelines is Thursday, July 15.
Every five years, the Departments of Agriculture (USDA) and Health and Human Services (HHS) revisit the dietary guidelines "to promote health and reduce risk for major chronic diseases."
The Advisory Committee is recommending an average (weekly) rather than daily consumption guideline. Tim Naimi’s accompanying commentary and Marin Institute’s talking points outline the issues.
Treatment programs need to meet the unique needs of methamphetamine users, researchers say ... Pennsylvania is experimenting with high-tech alcohol vending machines ... California’s NAACP chapter has endorsed a marijuana-legalization ballot initiative ... Youthful marijuana use may or may not cause depression, but there seems to be an association between the two, a new study finds ...
Missouri has become the fifth U.S. state to ban K2, an herbal blend that mimics the effects of marijuana when smoked ... Price controls on potent alcoholic drinks have helped cut binge drinking, a Canadian province reports ... Healthcare providers need to pay more attention to smoking among gay and lesbian populations, says the American Lung Association ... The long-running legal battle over funding of an Ohio tobacco prevention foundation has reached the state Supreme Court ...
Talk about return on investment: A new report from the Marin Institute says that the alcohol industry parlayed $3 million in California political donations into the defeat of $2 billion in proposed alcohol taxes and mitigation fees. The industry watchdog drew a direct connection between industry donations to Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger’s Budget Reform Now poliical-action committee and the withdrawal of the governor’s $751-million alcohol tax proposal.
"We found Big Alcohol standing over the smoldering ruins of a failed state budget," said Bruce Lee Livingston, executive director of the Marin Institute.
The full report is available on the Marin website.
The ACLU has sued Wal-Mart over its firing of an employee who legally used medical marijuana under Michigan state law ... A proposed San Francisco alcohol tax would be used to pay for addiction treatment and other services ... Arizona’s governor claims that most illegal immigrants from Mexico are involved in drug smuggling ... The FDA’s tobacco center had a busy first year and has a full plate for year two, as well ...
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