The Latest News from Our Field

Many nurses who have used drugs or alcohol at work say they were too embarrassed to seek help, or they were concerned about losing their license, according to a new study.

Calls to poison control centers regarding synthetic marijuana have almost doubled since last year, NPR reports. The drug, which is made of various chemicals sprayed on plant material, is sending thousands of people to emergency rooms.

The Department of Housing and Urban Development is announcing a proposed ban on smoking in public housing nationwide, according to The New York Times. The ban would affect almost one million households.

Marijuana entrepreneurs are using the Internet to allow customers legal online access to the drug, according to The New York Times. One company, HelloMD, connects customers with doctors who provide a “medical recommendation” for medical marijuana. Customers can then find a service that delivers marijuana from a dispensary.

Health insurance companies in Massachusetts are trying new ways to address the opioid crisis. Some are imposing restrictions on prescriptions for OxyContin, Vicodin and other painkillers, while others are calling and visiting members being treated for addiction.

Top headlines of the week from Friday, November 6- Thursday, November 12, 2015.

Parents truly play a vital role in their child’s behavior. Understanding such behavior is as important as learning how to talk to them appropriately about drug or alcohol use, Robert Meyers, PhD, creator of CRAFT, and Kimberly Kirby, PhD, of the Treatment Research Institute explain.

Federal regulators have warned some makers of kombucha tea that their drinks have alcohol levels above one-half of 1 percent, which makes them alcoholic drinks under the law. The fermented tea has become one of the country’s fastest-growing bottled drinks.

Recent data indicate a slight increase in cigarette sales this year, according to Bloomberg Business. Public health officials are concerned about the boost in cigarette sales, along with increases in e-cigarette use and smokeless tobacco.

Consuming just one energy drink can cause blood pressure and stress hormone levels to spike, according to a study of young, healthy adults.

The four medical schools in Massachusetts will incorporate instruction in preventing and treating prescription drug misuse into their curriculum, according to The Boston Globe. The state’s 3,000 medical school students will learn skills designed to prevent painkiller misuse.

States most impacted by tobacco use often do the least to reduce the toll of smoking, according to an analysis by USA Today. Kentucky, Tennessee, Missouri, West Virginia and Mississippi are doing the worst job in terms of tobacco control, the newspaper found.

A number of Republican presidential candidates are talking about substance abuse on the campaign trail, according to The Washington Post. They are telling personal stories that are gaining a lot of media attention.

Hillary Clinton says she now supports reclassifying marijuana to make it easier to conduct research on medical marijuana, according to NPR.

As part of preparation for the United Nations General Assembly’s Special Session (UNGASS) on drugs in April 2016, organizations working on drug-related issues are being asked to participate in a short online survey.

Heroin is the top drug threat in the United States, the Drug Enforcement Administration said Wednesday. Availability of heroin is up across the country, as are abuses, overdoses and overdose deaths, NBC News reports.

A bill filed Wednesday by U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont would allow states to decide whether to legalize recreational marijuana, according to CNN. The bill would also decriminalize marijuana at the federal level.

British health specialists are warning about a trend called “chemsex,” which refers to intentional sex under the influence of psychoactive drugs, mostly among men who have sex with men. Chemsex sessions often last several hours to several days, with multiple sexual partners.

The sixth annual American Medicine Chest Challenge National Day of Awareness and Safe Disposal will take place on Saturday, November 14. Americans are encouraged to safely dispose of unused, unwanted and expired medicine at more than 1,500 Rx permanent collection sites at local police departments and sheriffs’ offices throughout the country.

Top headlines of the week from Friday, October 30- Thursday, November 5, 2015.

The popularity of the “Dark Web” for purchasing illegal drugs is especially worrisome because it is increasing the availability and acceptability of drugs, according to an addiction psychiatry expert.

Tobacco dependence in teens should be treated as seriously as drug or alcohol addiction, according to researchers at the University of Georgia. They found only a small number of counselors in addiction treatment centers for teens implement some sort of tobacco cessation treatment.

Ohio voters rejected a ballot proposal Tuesday to legalize both recreational and medical marijuana, according to the Associated Press. About 65 percent of voters opposed the measure.

Some prosecutors and law enforcement officials oppose changes to mandatory minimum sentences for some drug charges, according to The Washington Post. They say the changes will make it more difficult for them to go after criminal organizations or uncover other crimes.

A new study finds almost 60 percent of American adults are taking at least one prescription drug, up sharply since 2000. Almost every type of medication is being used at a higher rate, the researchers report.