The Latest News from Our Field

Researchers at the University of Texas at Dallas have found no increase in crime in states that legalized medical marijuana. They analyzed rates of murder, rape, assault, robbery, burglary, larceny and auto theft.

Top headlines of the week from Friday, March 21- Thursday, March 27, 2014.

Unfortunately, too often, smokers are thought of as people who simply can't kick their "nasty habit." That's dead wrong -- smokers are not the enemy. Rather, they are the individuals that we need to help now, more than ever to quit because for most smokers, tobacco is an addiction that they desperately want to overcome, says David Dobbins of Legacy.

The maker of the flavored malt beverage Four Loko agreed this week to sharply limit its marketing to young people, Reuters reports.

A new study concludes the role of alcohol in traffic deaths in the United States may be significantly underreported on death certificates.

Young adults who occasionally use stimulants including cocaine, amphetamines or prescription drugs such as Adderall show brain changes on scans, according to researchers at the University of California, San Diego.

A relatively small number of counties, most of them with big populations or near larger cities, account for much of the declining smoking rates in the United States, according to new research.

Emergency departments are prescribing more opioid painkillers than in previous years for problems such as headaches or low back pain, a new study concludes. Many of these patients could be treated with over-the-counter painkillers, experts say.

An approach to meditation called “mindfulness,” which teaches self-awareness, can be effective in preventing relapses of drug and alcohol abuse, a new study suggests.

Liquid nicotine used in e-cigarettes can be poisonous, but is not regulated by federal authorities, The New York Times reports.

A study of smokers finds those who also use e-cigarettes are no more likely to quit smoking after a year, compared with smokers who don’t use the devices.

Fewer American teens are abusing inhalants, such as spray paint, glue and gasoline, according to a new government report.

Starbucks announced this week it will add alcohol to its evening menu in thousands of stores around the country. The coffee chain has been testing alcohol sales in Chicago, Atlanta and Southern California.

Republicans, who have traditionally taken a tough approach on crime, are increasingly opposing mandatory minimum sentences, The New York Times reports. They see the sentences as ineffective, as well as too costly and punitive.

Medical marijuana researchers are a step closer to being able to start a study on whether the drug helps treat post-traumatic stress disorder, after the Public Health Service gave its approval to the study. The Drug Enforcement Administration must still approve the research.

Top headlines of the week from Friday, March 14- Thursday, March 20, 2014.

A number of state legislatures are considering bills banning synthetic drugs, requiring education for doctors who prescribe opioids, and expanding the use of the drug overdose antidote naloxone this session, explains Sherry Green, CEO of the National Alliance for Model State Drug Laws.

Teens’ definition of a “designated driver” can be loose, according to a new survey. About one in five teens say their designated person is allowed to have “a little” alcohol or other drugs, as long as they aren’t too impaired to drive.

Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Margaret Hamburg defended the agency’s decision to approve the pure hydrocodone drug Zohydro ER (extended release). At a Senate hearing, Hamburg said, “If appropriately used, it serves an important and unique niche with respect to pain medication and it meets the standards for safety and efficacy.”

Soon after Attorney General Eric Holder began making changes to drug laws, the number of drug defendants charged by the federal government dropped in January to its lowest monthly level in almost 14 years, according to a new report.

The National Association of Convenience Stores is urging its members not to sell e-cigarettes to minors, the Associated Press reports. The group represents more than 151,280 convenience stores.

The maker of OxyContin announced promising results from a study of a tamper-resistant form of hydrocodone, The Washington Post reports. The Food and Drug Administration has been criticized for approving Zohydro ER (extended release), a pure form of hydrocodone that is not tamper-resistant.

A growing number of marijuana smokers are choosing to use vaporizers, which are similar to e-cigarettes, according to USA Today. The popularity of the devices is changing the way marijuana is packaged and sold in states where it is legal.

The majority of alcohol-related deaths in the United States occur among working-age adults, a new government study concludes. Adults ages 20 to 64 account for more than two-thirds of these deaths.

The attorneys general of 28 states and territories are urging major retailers to follow the lead of CVS Caremark and stop selling tobacco products. They sent letters to Rite Aid, Walgreens, Kroger, Safeway and Walmart.