The Latest News from Our Field

Scientists at Johns Hopkins University have identified a compound that stopped mice addicted to cocaine from wanting the drug. The compound has been proven safe for humans and is undergoing further animal testing, in preparation for possible clinical trials for people addicted to cocaine.

The newly released update to psychiatry’s diagnostic manual combines problem drinking and alcoholism into a single condition known as “alcohol use disorder,” which some experts say could lead binge drinkers to be mislabeled as alcoholics.

A new report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention finds an increase in the percentage of adults who had five or more drinks in one day at least once in the past year. The prevalence of adult smoking remained unchanged in most age groups, but declined among young adults.

The average marijuana smoker in Colorado will pay about $650 for the drug next year, according to Time.com. The estimate is based on a study by researchers at Colorado State University, who wanted to determine how much the state will collect in marijuana-related tax revenue.

Some Minnesota physicians say they are sometimes unfairly blamed for patients’ prescription drug abuse, the Associated Press reports. At a Minnesota Medical Association forum, doctors said they feel caught between trying to help patients in pain and attempting to curb abuse.

The first nationwide survey of people in recovery from addiction to alcohol and drugs finds their lives steadily improve in areas from employment to family life to community involvement. The online survey, released by the advocacy group Faces & Voices of Recovery, attempts to measure and quantify the effects of recovery over time.

Only 1 percent of parents believe their teens have used attention-deficit hyperactivity drugs to help them study, but 10 percent of high school students have done so, a new nationwide poll suggests.

The earlier a person starts drinking, the greater the chance he or she will consume more alcohol later in life, according to a new study of humans and rats. People who start drinking during puberty consume more alcohol later in life than those who start drinking later.

A report released by the Organization of American States calls for a discussion on legalizing or decriminalizing marijuana, the Associated Press reports.

Health experts gathered this week in Kentucky to discuss how to deal with the problem of babies born to drug-dependent mothers, according to The Courier-Journal. Hospitalizations for newborns in the state with neonatal abstinence syndrome climbed from 29 in 2000, to 730 in 2011.

Lawmakers in Washington state, where recreational marijuana use is now legal, are trying to determine how police officers can identify drivers impaired by marijuana use, The Wall Street Journal reports.

Female college students are more likely than their male peers to drink more alcohol than is recommended by government guidelines, Harvard University researchers have found.

People who drink heavily and smoke may have more signs of early aging of the brain, including problems with memory, quick thinking and problem solving, compared with heavy drinkers who are nonsmokers.

Schools, parents and civic organizations around the country are trying to attract high school students to alcohol-free supervised events after their prom, Reuters reports. Some are offering expensive door prizes including iPads and even cars.

Drug courts represent a criminal justice approach that takes into account the need to ensure public safety through close supervision, and public health through the delivery of community-based treatment, say scientists from the Treatment Research Institute.

Eighty-one percent of American adults have smoke-free rules in their homes, and 74 percent ban smoking in their cars, according to a new report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Addiction to drugs, alcohol and tobacco are the most common mental health problems in teenagers, a new government report concludes. Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder is the most commonly diagnosed problem overall in youth ages 3 to 17.

Law enforcement officials in West Virginia say they have seized 200 methamphetamine labs so far in 2013, and are on track to shatter last year’s record of 288 meth lab seizures.

Georgia launched a campaign this week, “Generation Rx,” aimed at preventing prescription drug abuse in teens and young adults.

Mothers Against Drunk Driving says the new recommendation from the National Transportation Safety Board that states lower allowable blood-alcohol levels for drivers is not the most effective way to eliminate drunk driving, The Christian Science Monitor reports.

Gun control advocacy groups are urging the daily deal website LivingSocial to stop promoting events that mix guns and alcohol, The Hill reports.

The number of babies born to mothers addicted to opioids or anti-anxiety medication in Tennessee is soaring, according to the Associated Press.

Felons, including sex offenders, are allowed to work as substance abuse counselors in California because of lax rules, according to a new report.

The National Transportation Safety Board on Tuesday recommended states lower allowable blood-alcohol levels for drivers, from 0.08 percent to 0.05 percent.

Teens’ use of smokeless tobacco products has held steady since 2000, at about 5 percent, a new study finds.