The Latest News from Our Field

Synthetic drugs such as “K2,” “Spice” and “Vanilla Sky” are part of an emerging class of abused drugs causing concern among health professionals, researchers and legislators, according to a doctor studying these drugs.

A new study examining how Alcoholics Anonymous helps its members stay sober finds two crucial factors are needed: spending more time with people who support abstinence, and having greater confidence in one’s ability to maintain sobriety in social situations.

A new national poll finds few parents believe their own teenagers have used alcohol or marijuana in the past year. The findings stand in stark contrast to another national poll that found a much higher percentage of self-reported substance use among teens.

Alcohol has become an important cause of death in people with Type I diabetes, according to a new study.

A technical college in Missouri is requiring all its students to undergo drug testing. KSPR reports the school is the only public college, and perhaps the only college in the nation, with a drug-testing requirement.

Elderly patients, who tend to take many medications prescribed by more than one doctor, are at risk for prescription drug abuse, the Miami Herald reports. Health experts are concerned about the increase in the number of patients over age 50 who require intervention and treatment for addiction to medication and other substances.

Teens whose parents drink are more likely to drive under the influence (DUI) when they are adults compared with children with non-drinking parents, a new study suggests. The study found the risk of DUI was increased even if parents’ drinking was moderate.

An underground website called Silk Road is selling synthetic drugs, thwarting authorities’ attempts to stop the illegal trafficking of these substances.

Rates of obesity are about one-third lower in people who smoke marijuana at least three times a week compared with people who are not marijuana smokers, French researchers have found.

David K. Mineta, ONDCP Deputy Director for Demand Reduction, shares how we can succeed in helping students avoid drugs and social pressures that run counter to their health and safety.

Limiting the number of liquor stores in neighborhoods could reduce the rate of youth homicides in those areas, a new study suggests. A second study found higher rates of violent crimes in neighborhoods where liquor stores allot more than 10 percent of cooler space to single-serve alcohol containers.

In light of findings from a new national survey on drug use released this week, Gil Kerlikowske, Director of National Drug Control Policy, said the days of treating drug use exclusively as a law enforcement issue are long gone. While the rate of overall drug use in America has fallen by roughly one-third since 1979, the survey found 8.7 percent of Americans say they regularly use illegal drugs recreationally.

A bill introduced by a New York state senator would tighten controls on the opioid hydrocodone. The drug, a key ingredient in Vicodin and other painkillers, has been in the spotlight in the state since a Long Island man was accused of killing four people at a pharmacy in June in order to steal thousands of hydrocodone pills.

Machines that allow people to roll their own cigarettes are gaining in popularity as a less expensive alternative to buying cigarette packs, because they can avoid paying tax.

Results from the annual National Survey on Drug Use and Health, released today, have found marijuana use is on the rise, while methamphetamine use is on the decline.

The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) on Wednesday announced it is temporarily banning three synthetic stimulants that are sold as “bath salts.” The DEA said the action is necessary to protect the public from the imminent hazard posed by these dangerous chemicals.

Cutting down on drinking alcohol and smoking, in addition to improving diets and increasing physical activity, could help prevent up to 2.8 million cases of cancer worldwide each year, according to the World Cancer Research Fund.

A lawsuit filed this week challenges Florida’s new law that requires welfare recipients to pass a drug test.

A new report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) shows fewer adults are smoking cigarettes in the United States. An estimated 19.3 percent of adults smoked in 2010, down from 20.9 percent in 2005, according to the CDC.

Drinking less alcohol and quitting smoking, combined with other lifestyle changes, can dramatically reduce the risk of developing diabetes, a new study suggests. Other healthy behaviors that reduce diabetes risk include exercising more, eating high-fiber, low-fat foods, and not becoming obese.

A new study helps explain how alcohol affects self control. The study shows alcohol dulls the brain signal that warns people they are making a mistake. While drinkers are aware of their error, the alcohol causes them to care less about it.

A California bill would require anyone buying alcohol to pay a cashier, instead of going through a self-checkout aisle. The bill’s supporters say it would prevent minors from buying alcohol.

Mitchell S. Rosenthal, MD, Founder of Phoenix House, talks about a new campaign to lower the barriers families face in getting teens the treatment and recovery support they need.

As a new Florida law banning “pill mills” takes effect, the number of applications filed with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration for new pharmacies in the state has jumped, according to the Orlando Sentinel.

More than 500 college campuses around the nation are smoke free or tobacco free as of July 1, CNN reports.