The Latest News from Our Field

Several medical groups are calling for verbal drug screening for pregnant women, followed by a urine test if necessary, USA Today reports. The recommendation is meant to reduce the growing number of babies born with neonatal abstinence syndrome.

Employers in areas with high rates of opioid abuse say employees’ use of prescription painkillers and heroin is taking a financial toll on their companies. Problems range from lower productivity to higher turnover, according to The Wall Street Journal.

The national trend toward legalizing marijuana is impeding the fight against prescription drug abuse, according to the Acting Director of the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy.

U.S. adults have had about 14 million major medical conditions caused by smoking, a new government study concludes. This includes about 7.5 million adults who suffer from smoking-related chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Marijuana retailers in Colorado are responding to reports of tourists who have had bad experiences after consuming large amounts of THC by offering products with lower amounts, the Associated Press reports.

Schools should play a larger role in helping children with mental health problems, according to a new report. In wealthy nations including the United States, only one-fourth of children with mental health problems are diagnosed and treated, HealthDay reports.

A campaign to warn young people about the dangers of marijuana, which likens those who use the drug to laboratory animals, is getting mixed reviews, according to The Wall Street Journal.

A new task force based in Los Angeles will fight the spread of methamphetamine, California Attorney General Kamala D. Harris announced this week. Authorities say 70 percent of meth enters the United States through San Diego.

Top headlines of the week from Friday, October 3 to Thursday, October 9.

Joseph Califano, author of the new book, "How to Raise a Drug Free Kid: The Straight Dope for Parents," gives advice on parenting and technology.

Treating substance abuse issues in a person with severe mental illness will reduce the risk they will commit violent acts, a new study suggests. Health professionals have disagreed about whether to treat substance abuse or mental illness first in people who are dealing with both.

A review of 20 years of marijuana research concludes there are real risks to using the drug, according to U.S. News & World Report. These include increased risk of car crashes, dropping out of high school and cognitive impairment.

After a group of activists called on the head of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to quit over the approval of the painkiller Zohydro, three FDA officials say the drug’s approval was warranted.

Banning smoking in government-subsidized housing could save almost $500 million a year in costs related to health care, renovations and smoking-related fire losses, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The death rate from heroin overdoses doubled from 2010 to 2012, according to a new study from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Years of over-prescribing of painkillers led to the increase in heroin deaths, the CDC said.

Many young adults who abuse prescription opioids are not prepared to deal with an overdose, a new study finds. They tend to think prescription medications are less dangerous than heroin, the researchers say.

A growing number of older adults are struggling with drug and alcohol abuse, experts tell The New York Times. Alcohol abuse is the biggest problem among older adults, but the rate of illicit drug use among adults ages 50 to 64 is also on the rise.

A year after the black market website Silk Road was shuttered by the FBI, many new sites selling illegal drugs have appeared. Ecstasy (MDMA) is the most widely sold illicit drug on these sites, according to a survey.

The maker of the pure hydrocodone drug Zohydro ER has submitted an application to the Food and Drug Administration for a more tamper-resistant version of the drug, The Wall Street Journal reports.

Drug manufacturers must pay to dispose of unused and unexpired medications in Alameda County, California, a federal appeals court ruled this week. The decision upheld a lower-court ruling.

A national survey finds Americans are significantly more likely to have a negative attitude about drug addiction than mental illness.

The number of American adults who are trying e-cigarettes for the first time appears to be stabilizing, a new government study finds.

Parents who provide their teens with alcohol and a place to consume it may think they are teaching their children “responsible drinking.” A new review of studies concludes this view is misguided. Researchers found parental provision of alcohol is associated with increased teen alcohol use.

Teenagers who experience a traumatic brain injury are at increased risk of using marijuana, drinking alcohol and smoking, a new study finds. They are also at risk of getting poor grades, HealthDay reports.