We curate a digest of the latest news in our field for advocates, policymakers, community coalitions and all who work toward shaping policies and practices to effectively prevent substance use and treat addiction.
The American Academy of Pediatrics announced that no amount of alcohol should be viewed as safe throughout pregnancy and called exposure to prenatal alcohol the leading preventable cause of birth defects and intellectual disabilities in children, Today.com reports.
A new survey has found that it is relatively easy for college students in the U.S. to illegally obtain stimulants and other prescription drugs on college campuses, HealthDay reports.
A new report published online in the American Journal of Drug and Alcohol Abuse shows that overall exposure to brand-specific alcohol advertising is a significant predictor of underage youth alcohol brand consumption, with young people ages 13-20 more likely to consume brands of alcohol that they have seen advertised.
More than 100 people nationwide were arrested by federal drug agents in the latest phase of a crackdown on the manufacturing and distribution of synthetic drugs, the Associated Press reports.
American teens are smoking less, as much as a 64 percent drop in recent years, but a new study by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows that teen use of pot has doubled, according to HealthDay.
A new report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that a small number of doctors were responsible for prescribing the most narcotic painkiller prescriptions in the U.S.
A new bill proposed by Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker would allow doctors to hold patients involuntarily for treatment and limit their supply of opioid painkillers, according the Wall Street Journal.
Parents and drug abuse prevention advocates are protesting the sale of syringe pens being promoted as Halloween novelty items, the Associated Press reports.
An estimated 23,000 emergency department visits in the United States every year are caused by adverse events related to dietary supplements, according to a new government study.
Two studies suggest that targeting the dopamine system in the brain could help treat alcohol dependence by reducing cravings, according to The Wall Street Journal.
One-third of children receiving outpatient care for mental health conditions only received care from their primary care physician, a new study finds. Only 26 percent saw a psychiatrist.
Top headlines of the week from Friday, October 9- Thursday, October 14, 2015.
Students who are emotionally unprepared for college have lower grades, are more likely to use drugs and alcohol and are more likely to consider transferring to a different school, compared with their peers who are more emotionally prepared, a new poll finds.
A new study finds 80 percent of people with an opioid addiction are not receiving treatment. The study examined addiction treatment rates over the past decade, when heroin overdose deaths quadrupled.
Bernie Sanders indicated he would support the legalization of recreational marijuana at Tuesday night’s Democratic presidential debate. His answer marked the first time a 2016 candidate has openly supported legalizing recreational marijuana, according to The Washington Post.
A teen’s family structure influences whether allowing them to drink at home leads to alcohol problems later on, a new study suggests.
The Michigan House of Representatives approved a bill to ban the sale, distribution and possession of powdered alcohol. If the bill is signed by Governor Rick Snyder, Michigan would become the 27th state to ban powdered alcohol, Reuters reports.
A new survey finds 58 percent of Americans say opioid painkiller abuse is either a very serious or extremely serious health issue, on par with public health problems such as gun violence or tobacco use.
Few pharmacies have set up programs to accept and destroy unwanted prescription drugs, despite a push by the Drug Enforcement Administration to encourage drug disposal programs, The New York Times reports.
Critics of the Food and Drug Administration’s decision to approve use of OxyContin in certain children as young as 11 say the move could increase painkiller abuse, The Wall Street Journal reports.
Officials in states hit hard by heroin use, such as Ohio, say the drug is a major reason for the increasing number of children being placed in foster care.
A growing number of colleges are starting to allow alcohol sales at football games, The New York Times reports. West Virginia, Texas, Maryland, Minnesota, Colorado, Wake Forest, Miami, Syracuse and Louisville now sell beer at games.
A new study suggests quitting smoking may help people with a history of alcohol problems to stay sober, HealthDay reports. The study of recovering alcoholics found smokers were two times more likely than nonsmokers to start drinking again three years later.
A syringe-exchange program started in Indiana in response to an HIV outbreak has led to a significant drop in needle sharing among intravenous drug users, a new government study has found.
A year after Tennessee began its welfare drug-testing program, only 55 recipients tested positive for drugs, according to the state’s Department of Human Services. The results are similar to those of other states that have implemented drug-testing programs for people receiving government benefits, according to The Huffington Post.
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