The Latest News from Our Field

A proposed measure would require universal ID checks for anyone buying alcohol in Anchorage, AK liquor stores and bars. An earlier version of the bill included restaurants, but that provision has been dropped.

It will come as no surprise to anyone reading this that we have a prescription drug problem in the United States. As I see it, however, we are not devoting our attention to the real root of the problem.

Instituting tobacco-free policies at substance abuse treatment centers may discourage participants from completing the program, a study of an Ohio program suggests. The study found that when such a policy was implemented, both smokers and nonsmokers were more likely to stop treatment early.

African American smokers are much more likely than Caucasians to use the counseling services of a California telephone tobacco quitline, according to a study that examined 18 years of calls.

The California Supreme Court has decided that smokers can sue cigarette manufacturers if they develop lung cancer or another smoking-related illness, even if they had a different tobacco-related disease before. The vote was unanimous, The Los Angeles Times reports.

A bill that would have set up a pilot program to legalize medical marijuana failed in the Illinois House this week. Republican critics of the bill said it would have made marijuana more accessible to young people and was not backed by medical groups that advocate for terminally ill patients.

A new study suggests that Ecstasy use may be associated with long-term changes in the brain. The more Ecstasy a person uses, the greater the changes.

An Oklahoma doctor who treats patients with opiate addiction by prescribing buprenorphine says federal restrictions on the number of prescriptions he can write for the drug are hurting patients.

Ohio Senator Sherrod Brown has introduced a bill designed to cut down on the abuse of prescription opioids. The bill would limit the number of doctors from which “high-risk” Medicaid beneficiaries could receive prescriptions, as well as pharmacies from which they could obtain opioids.

The effects of nicotine on the parts of the brain involved with addiction are similar to the effects of cocaine, according to a study using rat brain tissue.

Fourteen colleges and universities announced this week they have banded together to fight binge drinking. The institutions, including Dartmouth, Cornell, Duke, Boston University, Northwestern, Princeton and Stanford, plan to test and measure new strategies and share their results with other colleges.

Warning letters from the federal government about medical marijuana laws have prompted several states to start reevaluating their laws, USA Today reports.

Secondhand smoke appears to raise blood pressure in boys, but not girls, according to a new study. The findings suggest that the effects of tobacco smoke on the cardiovascular system begin at an early age.

A Colorado Senate committee defeated a bill that would have made drugs containing pseudoephedrine available only by prescription. The bill aimed to further restrict the ability of methamphetamine labs to make the illegal drug.

Prom and graduation should be a time of pure joy for high school seniors and the people who love them. But every year, this season can also be a time of sadness for too many families due to increased opportunities for underage drinking and driving.

Scientists are working to develop new vaccines to fight drug addiction that are more effective than current treatments, The Wall Street Journal reports. The vaccines use the body’s own defenses to block addictive substances from getting into the brain and triggering a pleasure response.

Being exposed to secondhand smoke in an enclosed space such as a car has a direct impact on the brain and may increase cravings among smokers, a new study suggests. The authors say that this exposure in children might increase the chance they will become smokers in their teen years.

A new assessment tool may allow doctors to evaluate the impact of methamphetamine on babies exposed in the womb. The tool may help identify which babies will go on to develop problems due to exposure to the drug, according to a new study.

Miami-Dade County, which has started a new court program designed for veterans with drug problems, joins a growing nationwide movement of courts for veterans.

A new survey suggests that almost 25 percent of adults who seek medical treatment for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder are exaggerating or faking symptoms, to get their hands on stimulant medication such as Ritalin or Adderall.

Prescriptions for the painkiller hydrocodone/acetaminophen have increased dramatically, from 121 million doses in 2006 to 131 million today, a new national survey shows.

Living or working with smokers may increase a pregnant woman’s risk of having a stillbirth, a new study suggests. Pregnant women who breathe in secondhand smoke are also more likely to give birth to babies who weigh less, compared to mothers not exposed to the smoke.

China is imposing a new smoking ban on public places including bars, restaurants and hospitals. The Los Angeles Times reports that enforcing the ban will be very difficult.

All of us who are passionate about reducing drug abuse cannot ignore the growing dangers of prescription drug abuse, particularly among teens and young adults. By preventing drug abuse where it starts, we can make a tremendous difference in the life of our nation: one community, one family and one child at a time.

Mad Men, Black Swan, The Fighter and Nurse Jackie were among the films and television shows recognized Thursday night at the 15th Annual PRISM Awards, which honor entertainment that accurately depicts and brings attention to substance abuse and mental health issues.