The Latest News from Our Field

A growing body of research is showing that when it comes to treatments for alcohol use disorders, women’s needs are different from men’s. Scientists who recently presented studies at the Research Society on Alcoholism are exploring gender differences in alcohol treatment and moving beyond a one-size-fits-all strategy.

Researchers are asking the federal government for approval to study the effects of marijuana on veterans with chronic post-traumatic stress disorder who have not responded to other treatment.

The blood pressure drug propranolol may help treat cocaine addiction, a new animal study suggests.

Women who are suffering from a major depressive episode when they enter drug court are at substantially greater risk of using crack cocaine within four months, compared with women who are not currently depressed, according to a new study.

A new Gallup poll finds that 59 percent of Americans support a public ban on smoking. Only 19 percent say that cigarette smoking should be illegal in the United States.

Emergency rooms are seeing a growing number of people high on “bath salts,” new stimulant drugs that can cause long-lasting and dangerous effects. The New York Times reports that doctors are trying to determine the best way to treat people high on these synthetic drugs.

The Food and Drug Administration is considering banning menthol cigarettes following a recent report, from its Tobacco Products Scientific Advisory Committee, that the cigarettes are extremely popular among African Americans, the poor and young.

Girls appear to be especially vulnerable to the effects of binge drinking on the brain, a new study suggests.

A year-and-a-half after New Jersey legalized medical marijuana, patients authorized to receive the drug have not yet been able to get it.

Dr. Carol Boyd, nationally recognized scholar on prescription drug abuse and adolescents, speaks with Join Together about why prescription drug abuse has become such a major problem among teens, why it is different from other adolescent substance abuse issues, and what parents and others can do to help prevent it.

Injection drug users have higher rates of abuse and dependence and have a greater need for substance abuse treatment compared with non-injecting drug users, a new study suggests.

Using the club drug ketamine three times a week for two years can impair bladder function, Hong Kong researchers report.

A growing number of smokers are rolling their own cigarettes using pipe tobacco in order to avoid paying high excise taxes.

Children and young teens are being exposed to less smoking in movies than they were five years ago, an analysis by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) shows. The CDC has found that the number of youth-targeted films that include smoking has decreased for the fifth consecutive year.

A bill co-sponsored by Senator Chuck Schumer (NY) and Jay Rockefeller (WV) would require doctors to receive training for prescribing opiate-based narcotics. The training would include information about guidelines for safe pain management, and the early warning signs of addiction.

Missouri Governor Jay Nixon has signed into law a bill that requires drug screening for people applying for or receiving welfare benefits.

The rate of smoking among adults in California has dropped to 11.9 percent, a record low. Smoking rates have decreased among all age groups and ethnic groups, and among both men and women.

The use, manufacture and sale of “bath salts,” synthetic drugs that mimic the effects of cocaine, have been outlawed under a bill signed by Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal. A number of other states have recently banned bath salts, including New York and North Carolina.

Current guidelines for sensible drinking are not adequate for preventing cancer, according to a new report. The authors say many countries’ recommendations for moderate drinking don’t take into account the long-term risks of alcohol use.

Children who breathe in secondhand smoke at home are more likely to develop attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, learning disorders and other behavior problems, compared with children who grow up in smoke-free homes, a new study suggests.

The California Assembly this week voted to ban the production and sale of beer with added caffeine.

A review of 101 studies concludes that smoking during pregnancy increases the risk of certain types of severe birth defects, including defects of the heart, face, limbs, feet and eyes.

Each September, as part of National Recovery Month, Faces & Voices of Recovery works with local recovery community organizations and national planning partners to host Rally for Recovery! events that combine the celebration and honor of recovery with advocacy and education.

The Drug Enforcement Administration said Friday that medical marijuana has no accepted medical use, and should still be classified as a highly dangerous drug.

Indiana is the first state to require drug tests for unemployed people enrolled in job training in a state-funded program, the Associated Press reports. At least 30 states have considered making drug tests mandatory for people on government assistance.