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.
The government shutdown in late September and early October likely delayed the Food and Drug Administration’s ruling on e-cigarette regulation, according to Consumer Reports.
A scientist at the University of New Haven is developing a new test to detect contaminants such as mold and mildew in marijuana, CBS News reports.
A government survey finds 17 percent of unemployed workers have a substance use disorder, compared with 9 percent of full-time workers, CNNMoney reports.
Cancer groups from around the world say millions of cancer patients are not able to obtain painkillers because of laws designed to fight drug abuse.
A report by U.S. and Canadian officials concludes only about half of prescription drugs and other “chemicals of emerging concern” are removed from sewage by treatment plants.
The number of Major League Baseball players authorized to use drugs to treat attention deficit disorder is increasing, the Los Angeles Times reports.
In recent years, there has been an increase in hookah use around the world, most notably among youth and university students. While many waterpipe tobacco smokers often think that this method of tobacco use is safe, all available scientific data demonstrate that it is in fact dangerous and addictive, explains health expert Dr. Thomas Eissenberg.
More than half of teens in the United States who have mental health disorders do not receive treatment, according to a new study. The findings come from an analysis of more than 10,000 teens.
Efforts to educate members of the U.S. military about the dangers of synthetic drugs, coupled with improved drug testing, are starting to have an effect, the Navy Times reports. The Navy and Marine Corps report a drop in members using Spice and bath salts.
Anti-inflammatory drugs such as ibuprofen can reduce the high created by marijuana, a new study in mice suggests. The research could have implications for studying marijuana as a treatment for people with Alzheimer’s disease, the Los Angeles Times reports.
A new health campaign in Los Angeles aims to reduce smoking among gays, lesbians and bisexuals. Smoking rates are 50 percent higher in this community, compared with heterosexuals.
Scientists at the Food and Drug Administration have found an amphetamine-like compound in nine dietary supplements, USA Today reports. The compound, beta-methylphenethylamine, appears to have never been tested for safety on humans.
Teens who participate in sports are more likely than their non-athlete peers to abuse alcohol, but less likely to use illicit drugs other than marijuana, according to an analysis of studies.
The American Medical Association’s House of Delegates voted this week to reaffirm its opposition to marijuana legalization, according to U.S. News & World Report.
Quitting smoking may yield health benefits for some people sooner than previously thought, according to new research presented this week at the American Heart Association scientific meeting.
People who lost their job or home in the recession of 2008-2009 had higher rates of problem drinking, a new study concludes. Those at highest risk were in their 30s and 40s. Men were more likely than women to be affected.
The U.S. Senate this week passed a measure that will establish a system to track prescription drugs from the time they are manufactured until they are sold at a drugstore, The News & Observer reports. The bill awaits President Obama’s signature.
Poison control experts are warning parents about single-dose detergent capsules that look like candy. These products were involved in about 10,000 cases of exposure involving young children, The Wall Street Journal reports.
New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg signed a bill this week that raises the minimum age to buy tobacco products from 18 to 21. The law will take effect in May 2014.
People who are trying to fight the abuse of synthetic drugs need a centralized, national source that collects information about the latest substances, analyzes it and quickly disseminates early alerts, according to a group of experts trying to stay one step ahead of these ever-changing products.
Buprenorphine, a drug used to treat opioid addiction, is increasingly being abused, The New York Times reports. Some for-profit buprenorphine clinics are run by doctors with troubled records, according to the newspaper.
Prescription drug abuse continues to be the nation’s fastest growing drug problem, according to a new report by the Drug Enforcement Administration. Americans are abusing prescription drugs at a higher prevalence rate than any illicit drug except marijuana.
Alcohol affects people more in middle age due to physical and lifestyle changes, according to The Wall Street Journal. As people start to take more medication in their 40s and 50s, the risk of alcohol and drug interactions also increases.
The attorneys general of 24 states are urging the Food and Drug Administration to ban the sale of menthol cigarettes, CSPnet.com reports.
Positive workplace tests for marijuana and cocaine have dropped sharply since 1988, while tests revealing prescription drug abuse are increasing, according to a study by the medical-testing company Quest Diagnostics Inc.
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