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.
Teens are easily able to purchase e-cigarettes online because websites that sell the devices do not verify the age of purchasers, a new study concludes.
A large national survey finds 52 percent of Americans favor marijuana legalization. The General Social Survey, conducted every two years, is widely considered to be the gold standard for public opinion research, according to The Washington Post.
Sheriffs from Colorado, Nebraska and Kansas are asking a federal court in Denver to strike down Colorado’s amendment that legalizes recreational marijuana. They are also asking the court to shut down the state’s licensed marijuana stores, USA Today reports.
Top headlines of the week from Friday, February 27, 2015- Thursday, March 5, 2015.
Doctors and nurses should undergo random drug testing, argues a leading medical ethicist. “I am sorry to say that addiction and the abuse of drugs are not really a part of the discussion about making medicine safer,” says Arthur L. Caplan, PhD.
Heroin-related deaths are now most common among young, white male adults in the Midwest, according to a new report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Fifteen years ago, the death rate was highest among older black males in the West and Northeast.
The more friends a person is with when they are out drinking, the more they will drink themselves, a new study concludes.
Increasing the minimum age to purchase cigarettes to 21 would prevent teens from starting to smoke, and would ultimately save lives, according to a new report. The minimum age to buy cigarettes in most parts of the country is 18.
Among Republicans ages 18 to 34, almost two-thirds say they support marijuana legalization, according to a survey by the Pew Research Center. Among Republicans ages 35 to 50, almost half approve legalization, NPR reports.
Only 53 percent of primary care physicians use their state prescription drug monitoring program, according to a new survey. The national survey found 72 percent of doctors were aware of their state’s program.
Two legislators are calling on the company that makes the opioid overdose antidote naloxone to lower the price of the drug nationwide. Last month, the company, Amphastar Pharmaceuticals, agreed to offer a $6 rebate per dose to agencies in New York state.
There is evidence of widespread overuse of antipsychotic drugs by the elderly with dementia, a new government report concludes. The report calls on Medicare to take immediate steps to reduce unnecessary prescriptions, according to The New York Times.
Forty percent of tobacco consumers use more than one product, according to a new study. Half of all combinations include e-cigarettes, Reuters reports.
From powdered alcohol to abuse-deterrent opioids, our Join Together News Service covers the top drug and alcohol news of the day making an impact in your community, work and life.
Teens who drink supersized flavored alcoholic drinks known as “alcopops” are at greatly increased risk of injury, according to a new study.
A large government study on tobacco use, scheduled to be released Thursday, is unlikely to provide many details about e-cigarette use, experts say. The lack of data will make it more difficult to set policies about e-cigarettes, they note.
Health officials in Indiana say a fast-spreading outbreak of HIV in Indiana is largely due to injection drug abuse of the prescription painkiller Opana. The powerful drug is more potent, per milligram, than OxyContin.
Residents of the District of Columbia will be able to legally possess small amounts of marijuana starting Thursday, Reuters reports. District of Columbia voters approved an initiative in November to legalize possession of marijuana. Republicans on the U.S. House of Representatives Oversight Committee say the measure is illegal.
Top headlines of the week from Friday, February 20, 2015- Thursday, February 26, 2015.
Although alcohol in powdered form has been around for decades – long before a 1976 patent for it was issued to the General Foods Corporation – the announcement of a new product tabbed for the market has pushed the topic back to the forefront.
The percentage of Americans who take painkillers stronger than morphine is on the rise, according to a new report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. These drugs include oxycodone, hydromorphone, fentanyl and methadone.
The drug Vyvanse, which is being aggressively marketed as a treatment for binge eating, is classified by the federal government as having a high potential for abuse, The New York Times reports.
Schools in Colorado are grappling with how to educate students about the health consequences of marijuana, now that recreational use of the drug is legal for adults.
The number of deaths from heroin is rising in Vermont, even though about 40 percent more people in the state are seeking treatment for addiction compared with a year ago.
Veterans who take narcotic painkillers are struggling to get monthly appointments at Veterans Affairs health facilities to renew their prescriptions, as required by new federal rules.
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