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 drop in alcohol-related car crashes over the past few decades has benefited the U.S. economy, according to a new study in the journal Injury Prevention.
A bill passed by the Colorado legislature this week would allow parents or caregivers, with a doctor’s note, to come into schools to administer marijuana to their children in the form of a patch. The measure awaits the governor’s signature, Fox News reports.
Top headlines of the week from Friday, May 1- Thursday, May 7, 2015.
Pharmacists are an important but underutilized resource in the fight against prescription drug abuse, according to an expert in addiction pharmacy. Merrill Norton of the University of Georgia College of Pharmacy is spearheading a movement to train pharmacists in substance abuse treatment, so they can recognize patients struggling with substance abuse and get them the help they need.
The Police Chief of Gloucester, Massachusetts has announced the town will provide treatment for people who come to the police station with illegal drugs and paraphernalia, instead of arresting them.
A new study finds heroin use among people who abuse prescription opioids has risen, particularly among whites. From 2008 to 2011, the study found a 75 percent increase in heroin use among whites who abuse painkillers such as OxyContin or Vicodin, HealthDay reports.
Using lessons learned from alcohol and tobacco regulation can help keep legalized marijuana out of children’s hands, according to experts at the Bloomberg School of Public Health at Johns Hopkins University.
More than a dozen states are offering incentives to Medicaid beneficiaries to quit smoking, lose weight and make other healthy lifestyle changes, according to USA Today. These state programs are taking a cue from workplace wellness programs in the private sector.
Law enforcement officials in Florida say use of the synthetic drug known as “flakka” is surging there, ABC News reports.
Emergency room doctors are limiting opioid prescriptions and avoiding long-acting opioids, a new study suggests. Most of the prescriptions include a low number of pills, and most are immediate-release versions of the medication, HealthDay reports.
A group of experts convened by the U.S. government concludes there is not enough evidence to support using e-cigarettes to quit smoking. The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force says medicines, including nicotine replacement products, along with behavior modification programs, are more effective.
While millions more Americans now have health insurance that covers addiction treatment, many facilities do not have the capacity to take on new clients, according to a new report.
Parents are more concerned about their teens’ mental health than about their use of drugs or alcohol, a new survey finds.
A Bud Light label that was withdrawn this week after being criticized for encouraging date rape went through at least five layers of approval before being produced, according to The Wall Street Journal.
Repeated exposure to alcohol during the teen years can lead to long-lasting changes in the part of the brain that controls memory and learning, a new study of rats suggests.
The number of babies treated for the drug-withdrawal syndrome known as neonatal abstinence syndrome has almost quadrupled in the last decade, according to a new study.
Top headlines of the week from Friday, April 24 - Thursday, April 30, 2015.
Every day in the United States, 44 people die as a result of prescription opioid overdose. When this many lives are affected by addiction and substance abuse, it’s clear we must take action to improve treatment options and prevent drug overdose, explains United States Senator Sherrod Brown
Giving buprenorphine to patients addicted to opioids who are treated in the emergency room is more effective than simply providing them with a referral, a new study finds. Patients given buprenorphine were less likely to need in-patient treatment at a residential facility.
The Food and Drug Administration has warned the makers of eight dietary supplements that their products contain a potentially dangerous stimulant called BMPEA, The New York Times reports.
Hawaii’s state legislature has passed a bill that raises the minimum legal age to purchase tobacco or e-cigarettes to 21. If Governor David Ige signs the bill, Hawaii would become the first state in the nation to prohibit the sale of cigarettes and other tobacco products to those under 21.
As part of preparation for the United Nations General Assembly’s Special Session on drugs in April 2016, non-governmental organizations are being asked to participate in a survey.
Hospitals across the country have been reporting hundreds of cases of seriously ill people coming to the emergency room after using synthetic marijuana. In New York City, more than 120 cases were reported in a single week, according to NPR.
Overdoses due to opioid drug use could be reduced if more emergency medical service workers were allowed to administer the opioid overdose antidote naloxone, a new government study concludes.
Nationwide levels of heavy drinking and binge drinking are on the rise, but there are large variations in rates of excessive alcohol use across the United States, a new study finds.
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