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.
Tobacco companies have made design changes to cigarettes to make them more addictive and more attractive to children, according to a new report by the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids.
Smokers who use a texting service to help them quit are twice as likely to be smoke free after six months, compared with those who just receive smoking-cessation reading material, a new study finds.
U.S. emergency departments reported a sharp increase in methamphetamine-related visits between 2007 and 2011, according to a new government report.
A new poll finds 78 percent of Americans say they believe there is a link between drug addiction and narcotic painkillers, NPR reports.
A growing number of drugged drivers are testing positive for prescription drugs, a new study suggests. More drivers involved in fatal crashes tested positive for prescription medications than for any other drug type.
Pope Francis told participants at an international drug enforcement conference he is opposed to legalizing marijuana and other drugs for recreational use.
Two U.S. senators this week urged federal officials to expand access to buprenorphine to treat heroin and painkiller addiction.
A number of challenges stand in the way of successful treatment for heroin addiction, experts tell The Courier-Journal. The public must demand a better system for addiction treatment, they say.
After health officials warned antidepressant use could lead to an increased risk of suicidal thoughts among young people, there was a rise in suicide attempts in this age group, according to a new study.
The Food and Drug Administration has proposed social media guidelines that would require drug companies using Twitter to include the risks of their products along with benefits.
Top headlines of the week from Friday, June 13- Thursday, June 19, 2014.
As an effort to raise national awareness, an initiative of the National Association of School Nurses has been informing parents, teens, and educators about teen prescription drug abuse and its serious risks.
The governors of five New England states announced Tuesday they are working together to tackle heroin and prescription painkiller abuse, The New York Times reports.
The manufacturer of the attention deficit hyperactivity disorder drug Vyvanse has agreed to study the drug in preschool children, at the request of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
Big tobacco companies are moving into the e-cigarette market, concerning public health groups that say they are concerned the companies will market the products to youth.
A North Carolina opioid overdose prevention program has succeeded in dramatically cutting overdose deaths in one county, according to Medscape. The program is now being rolled out statewide.
State governors, legislatures and law enforcement across the country are scrambling to respond to the resurgence of heroin, USA Today reports.
A small but growing number of police officers are using the opioid overdose antidote naloxone, as they respond to more cases of heroin and opioid pill overdoses, according to The New York Times.
Some people struggling to overcome an addiction to heroin are getting help from recovery coaches. The use of coaches is based on the idea that addiction is a lifetime disease.
Organizers of summer music festivals are increasing drug screening, after four people died at festivals last year. The deaths were linked to the club drug Molly.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) will develop e-cigarette policies that will protect public health, the head of the agency’s Center for Tobacco Products said Wednesday. The FDA is considering product standards in the areas of addiction, toxicity and product appeal.
Not all parts of the federal government agree on how to approach the issue of prescription painkiller abuse, according to the Associated Press.
New York Governor Andrew Cuomo announced Wednesday the state will add 100 State Police investigators to drug units in order to fight the growing heroin problem. “In the ’70s we had a heroin epidemic. This is worse than what we went through before,” he said.
Researchers at Columbia University and the New York State Psychiatric Institute are looking for participants for a new study on alcoholism and text messaging.
Top headlines of the week from Friday, June 6- Thursday, June 12, 2014.
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