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.
In the four states where recreational marijuana is legal, local and state governments are figuring out how to divide the tax revenue, NPR reports.
CVS Health reported Tuesday that its fourth quarter, the first full three-month period without tobacco sales, was the company’s best ever, according to Forbes.
Fewer Americans are driving drunk, but a growing number are driving under the influence of marijuana and other illegal drugs, according to a new government report.
Schools in two states are starting to use new programs designed to fight prescription painkiller abuse, Reuters reports. The programs, being rolled out in Illinois and Pennsylvania, are designed for middle school and high school students.
Michael Botticelli received unanimous Senate approval on Monday to head the Office of National Drug Control Policy. Botticelli has served as acting head of the agency since March.
Public health groups say they are concerned that some state measures that appear to keep e-cigarettes out of the hands of young people may do more harm than good, according to USA Today.
Ross W. Ulbricht, the man who founded Silk Road, was convicted this week on seven federal charges. Silk Road sold illegal drugs including heroin, cocaine and LSD, The New York Times reports.
U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy said in an interview this week that medical marijuana may help some patients.
A new study of how cocaine affects the brain may help explain why people who use the drug make many destructive decisions, according to the Los Angeles Times.
Lung cancer, long the leading cause of cancer deaths among men in developed nations, is now also the top cause of cancer deaths in developed countries among women, according to a new report.
Top headlines of the week from Friday, January 30, 2015- Thursday, February 5, 2015.
Policymakers believe abuse-deterrent formulations of medications are so important, that they are considering legislation that requires they be used for all extended-release/long-acting opioid prescriptions. However, many of those policymakers haven’t considered how much this is going to cost, and who is going to bear that cost.
The share of American nonsmokers who are exposed to secondhand smoke fell by half since 2000, from 53 percent to 25 percent, according to a new government report.
Makers of beer, wine and spirits reported a growth in sales last year, USA Today reports. Overall sales of liquor increased 4 percent, to $23.1 billion.
Dartmouth College has announced it will ban hard liquor on campus in an effort to reduce alcohol-related incidents.
Police in rural Nebraska counties bordering Colorado report a large increase in illegal marijuana trafficking, according to NPR.
From e-cigarette vapor to new strains of synthetic marijuana, our Join Together News Service covers the top drug and alcohol news of the day making an impact in your community, work and life.
Mexican drug cartels are increasing their profits by exporting more heroin to the United States, the Associated Press reports. They are refining opium paste into high-grade white heroin, and using distribution routes they built for cocaine and marijuana.
The Obama Administration’s 2016 budget proposal includes increased funding for programs designed to fight prescription drug abuse, according to The Hill.
A new study finds some children and teens are using more than one type of tobacco product, including cigarettes, e-cigarettes, cigars, hookahs, smokeless tobacco and pipes.
The New York State Attorney General on Monday accused four major retailers of selling adulterated and/or mislabeled dietary supplements. GNC, Target, Walgreens and Walmart were told to stop selling the products in the state, The New York Times reports.
Loretta Lynch, the nominee for U.S. Attorney General, said in her first day of confirmation hearings that she does not support the legalization of marijuana.
A drug dealer testifying at the trial of Silk Road founder Ross William Ulbricht says he sold up to 600 small bags of heroin a day on the site. Michael Duch says he used most of the money to support his $2,000-to-$3,000-a-week heroin addiction.
Sales of nicotine patches and gums are slowing as more smokers are turning to e-cigarettes to help them quit smoking regular cigarettes, Reuters reports.
The American Board of Addiction Medicine announced this week that 651 physicians have passed its most recent exam for addiction medicine certification. The total number of physicians certified by the board is now 3,363.
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