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.
The number of U.S. children diagnosed with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder is on the rise, with the largest increase seen in girls and Hispanic children, according to a new study.
A treatment that uses targeted magnetic pulses to the brain may reduce craving and substance use in people addicted to cocaine, a small study suggests.
Several new studies on children with severe epilepsy who have been treated with the marijuana extract cannabidiol suggest some may be helped by the drug, NPR reports.
The vast majority of overdose deaths in Massachusetts in the first six months of 2014 were caused by heroin or a prescription opioid taken along with some other drug or alcohol, according to NPR.
An approach to dealing with addiction that engages families is gaining ground, The Boston Globe reports. Through Community Reinforcement and Family Training (CRAFT), family members motivate loved ones to seek help for addiction.
A growing number of Americans are seeking treatment for addiction to heroin and prescription painkillers, while alcohol-related treatment admissions are declining, according to a new report.
An analysis of news coverage of opioid abuse finds the media is more likely to focus on criminal justice than on health issues. The study found 64 percent of news stories about opioids mentioned law enforcement, compared with 41 percent that mentioned prevention, and 3 percent that mentioned expanding treatment.
In the last five years there have been 110 cases of babies and toddlers, whose mothers used opioids during pregnancy, and later died preventable deaths, according to Reuters.
A growing number of the elderly are becoming addicted to prescription painkillers, experts tell U.S. News & World Report. Caretakers and doctors often fail to spot the signs of addiction in older patients.
A new study suggests smoking high-potency marijuana may cause damage to nerve fibers responsible for communication between the brain’s two hemispheres.
Women’s drinking habits are starting to catch up to men’s, according to a new study from the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. While men still drink more, a growing number of women are drinking, and drinking more frequently.
China has banned the sale of more than 100 synthetic drugs, the Miami Herald reports. One of the drugs is flakka, a highly addictive synthetic drug that has hit Florida hard and has been spreading to other states.
Top headlines of the week from Friday, November 20- Thursday, December 3, 2015.
Not all Hispanic groups are equal when it comes to drinking and alcohol-related problems, according to an expert who has been studying the issue for many years.
Increasing cigarette taxes may contribute to a drop in the infant death rate, a new study suggests. The higher price of cigarettes may discourage more women from smoking during and after pregnancy, the researchers report in Pediatrics.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) declined to approve a new drug application for a second nasal spray version of the opioid overdose antidote naloxone, Medscape reports. The FDA approved a nasal spray version of naloxone last month.
A new study finds children who take stimulants to treat attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder are more likely to be bullied at school than their peers who do not have attention disorders. Those who have ever shared their prescriptions are at highest risk of bullying, Time reports.
The National Institute on Drug Abuse will award $100,000 to researchers who develop apps for addiction research, according to Fortune. The apps must be built using Apple’s medical research framework.
Youth drug overdose deaths increased sharply in 35 states over the past decade, according to a new report. The overdose death rate more than quadrupled in Kansas, Montana, Ohio, Wisconsin and Wyoming.
A new poll finds that 56 percent of Americans say they or someone they know has abused, been addicted to or died from prescription painkillers. Almost half say they personally know someone who has taken a prescription painkiller that was not prescribed to them.
Adults ages 50 and older are the largest group seeking treatment for addiction to opioid painkillers and heroin in New York City, according to a new study. People ages 50 to 59 accounted for almost 36 percent of opioid treatment patients in 2012.
Mixing alcohol and diet soda can lead to increased breath alcohol concentration, suggests a new study.
An estimated 10 percent of Americans have had a drug use disorder at some time in their lives, but many have gone untreated, according to a new study by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism.
The Food and Drug Administration on Wednesday approved a nasal spray version of the opioid overdose antidote naloxone (Narcan). Until now, the only approved version of naloxone was injectable, The New York Times reports.
The American Medical Association this week called for an end to direct-to-consumer advertising for prescription drugs and implantable medical devices, according to CBS News. The ads contribute to increasing costs, and lead to patient demand for inappropriate treatment, the group says.
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