The Latest News from Our Field

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is investigating reports that five people have died since 2009 after they consumed Monster energy drinks, according to the Los Angeles Times.

A study of almost 45,000 men confirms that smoking is a key risk factor for poor circulation in the legs, a condition known as peripheral artery disease. Diabetes, high blood pressure and high cholesterol levels are other risk factors, the study found.

Voters in Missouri will decide on November 6 whether to increase their state tobacco tax, which is currently the lowest in the nation. The measure would raise the tax from 17 cents per pack to 90 cents.

A new poll finds 54 percent of voters in Washington state say they are in favor of a measure that would legalize small amounts of marijuana for recreational use among adults 21 and older.

As leaders in public health, it is our job to protect the consumer. Tobacco has been and remains the number one preventable cause of death for decades and we know this fight to save lives is a marathon, not a sprint, explains Legacy President and CEO Cheryl Healton.

The number of doctor visits for substance use disorders increased 70 percent among American adults between 2001 and 2009, according to a new study. The increase appears to be driven in large part by prescription drug abuse, the researchers said.

“Red Ribbon Week,” a national drug prevention campaign, begins Tuesday with a national contest for families to promote awareness in their neighborhoods, and win a drug prevention grant for their children’s school.

Regular use of natural or synthetic marijuana has been linked with cases of cyclic nausea and vomiting, according to research presented at the American College of Gastroenterology meeting this week.

Many smartphone applications promote a pro-smoking message, a new study concludes. Some programs allow the user to simulate smoking or collect points for buying cigarettes.

A Justice Department official says the federal government will not change its position on the legalization of marijuana, even if voters in Colorado, Washington state or Oregon approve measures to legalize recreational use of the drug.

Many people fail to quit smoking because they do not use existing treatments, or don’t use them in the most effective way, according to a report published in the Journal of the American Medical Association. Combining behavioral support with medication improves the chances of success, the report notes.

Doctors and pharmacies in Colorado check the state’s prescription drug monitoring database only 10 to 15 percent of the time before dispensing opioids, according to a local Drug Enforcement Administration official.

The role of police and prosecutors is in question in the case of a Massachusetts crime lab chemist who faces criminal charges in mishandling thousands of drug test results. Annie Dookhan was arrested last month for allegedly faking drug results, forging paperwork and mixing drug samples.

As this country moves into a new era of how we approach the treatment, prevention and administration of illness, we must keep the rubric of co-occurring disorders at the forefront, says Andrew Kessler of IC&RC.

The hormone oxytoxin, known as the “love hormone” because of its role in social bonding, may help block symptoms of alcohol withdrawal, a new small study suggests.

A new study on rats suggests the experience of becoming a mother may change a female’s response to cocaine, dampening the drug’s effects.

A new study adds to evidence about the detrimental effects of secondhand smoke on children’s health. The study suggests exposure to cigarette smoke increases babies’ risk of developing asthma and other respiratory diseases.

Both critics and supporters of a measure on the November ballot that would legalize small amounts of marijuana possession for those over age 21 in Colorado say the state could see an influx of “marijuana tourists” if the initiative passes.

The Drug Enforcement Administration is focusing on drug distributors in an effort to fight prescription painkiller abuse, The New York Times reports. In the past, the agency has tried tactics including arresting doctors and closing pharmacies.

Teenagers and young adults are abusing prescription painkillers at a rate 40 percent higher than what would be expected for their age group, a new study finds.

Officials at Chicago O’Hare’s international mail facility report an increase in shipments of synthetic drugs from China and Europe. Some of these drugs are extremely potent, according to the New York Daily News.

Alcohol’s damaging effect on the brain can begin to subside two weeks after a person stops drinking, a new study suggests. Recovery may vary among different areas of the brain, the researchers say.

Alcohol dependence is more likely than smoking to increase death rates among women, a new study finds.

A new study in Kentucky links sales of cold medicine products containing pseudoephedrine, a key ingredient in methamphetamine, with meth lab busts. The study found each 13 grams of the decongestant sold per 100 residents was associated with one additional meth lab.

The marijuana advocacy group Americans for Safe Access asked a federal appeals court this week to force the Drug Enforcement Administration to hold a hearing to consider research on the drug’s benefits. The group wants marijuana reclassified so it is no longer considered a dangerous drug with no medical value.