In 2014, more teens use e-cigarettes than traditional, tobacco cigarettes or any other tobacco product—the first time a U.S. national study shows that teen use of e-cigarettes surpasses use of tobacco cigarettes.
A new study links ADHD and conduct disorder in young adolescents with increased alcohol and tobacco use. The Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center study is among the first to assess such an association in this age group.
Researchers from the University of Missouri School of Medicine have found that drinking alcohol to fall asleep interferes with sleep homeostasis, the body’s sleep-regulating mechanism.
Nine in 10 primary care physicians say that prescription drug abuse is a moderate or big problem in their communities and nearly half say they are less likely to prescribe opioids to treat pain compared to a year ago, new Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health research suggests.
A new study has shown that smoking can inhibit the success of treatment for alcohol abuse, putting people who are addicted to both tobacco and alcohol in a double bind.
Researchers at the University of Missouri School of Medicine have identified epigenetic protein changes caused by binge drinking, a discovery that could lead to treatments for alcohol-related liver diseases.
Replenishing the supply of a molecule that normally activates cannabinoid receptors in the brain could relieve mood and anxiety disorders and enable some people to quit using marijuana, a Vanderbilt University study suggest
From holiday parties to happy hours, social events with co-workers often revolve around alcohol, which can put non-drinkers in an awkward position. A new study shows that tensions in these environments lead non-drinkers to develop techniques to fit in socially without taking a drink.
When researchers wanted to verify alcohol-use survey results at a senior housing center, they came up with a novel way to measure residents’ drinking: Count the empty bottles in recycling bins.
Smokeless tobacco products are marketed as a way for smokers to cut back on the negative effects of tobacco, while still being able to use it. Is that really the case?
A professor in the Department of Psychology at West Virginia University is investigating whether smokers are using smokeless tobacco products as a replacement, or supplement to cigarettes.
Smokers who drink heavily have a tougher time quitting cigarettes than smokers who drink moderately or not at all. However, a multi-center study led by researchers in Yale Cancer Center and Yale School of Medicine found that modifying tobacco-oriented telephone counseling to help hazardous drinkers can help them quit smoking.
The day before Thanksgiving, nicknamed Blackout Wednesday, is a time when college students are home and reunite with friends over beers or alcoholic beverages in bars and restaurants. But what often starts out as a joyous celebration all too often ends up as a senseless tragedy.
The number of pregnant women who abuse or are dependent on opioids (narcotics) jumped 127 percent in 14 years, leading to an increased risk of maternal death and stillbirth among other serious problems, according to a review of more than 57 million American women admitted for delivery. The results were published in the December issue of Anesthesiology, the official medical journal of the American Society of Anesthesiologists® (ASA®).
In an international study, Mayo Clinic researchers and collaborators have identified genetic markers that may help in identifying individuals who could benefit from the alcoholism treatment drug acamprosate. The findings, published in the journal Translational Psychiatry, show that patients carrying these genetic variants have longer periods of abstinence during the first three months of acamprosate treatment.
Scripps Research Institute scientists have found that even brief workouts can reduce the risk of relapse in rats withdrawing from methamphetamine. Team found exercise affected neurons in a brain region never before associated with meth withdrawal, suggesting a new direction for drug development.
Many mental health disorders first surface during adolescence, and college and youth pastors are in a good position to offer help or steer youths elsewhere to find it. But many of those pastors feel ill-prepared to recognize and treat mental illness, according to a Baylor University study.
Nearly 5 percent of U.S. children may be affected by fetal alcohol spectrum disorders, according to a new study co-authored by Sanford Research’s Gene Hoyme, M.D., and Amy Elliott, Ph.D., and published by Pediatrics.
New research from The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth) School of Public Health, released Tuesday in Alcoholism: Clinical & Experimental Research, shows that higher levels of drinking among United States-Mexico border young adults are closely linked to their patterns of bar attendance, but not to how they think about drinking.
The National Association of State Controlled Substances Authorities (NASCSA) formally endorsed the Federation of State Medical Boards’ (FSMB) Model Policy on the Use of Opioid Analgesics in the Treatment of Chronic Pain by unanimous vote during its annual meeting in Savannah last week. NASCSA provides an educational forum through which state and federal agencies and others work to increase the effectiveness of efforts to prevent and control drug diversion and abuse.
Middle school children learn about illegal substances and may avoid alcohol, tobacco and illegal drugs through a Florida 4-H program, administered by UF/IFAS.
A new study conducted by University of North Carolina School of Medicine researchers provides the first known evidence of how a similar acoustic characteristic in the cry sounds of human infants and rat pups may be used to detect the harmful effects of prenatal cocaine exposure on nervous system development.
A team of UC San Francisco researchers has found that a tiny segment of genetic material known as a microRNA plays a central role in the transition from moderate drinking to binge drinking and other alcohol use disorders.
In advance of the American Epilepsy Society’s (AES) Annual Meeting in December, the organization has offered highlights of groundbreaking research being studied at a number of institutions regarding the effectiveness of cannibidiol (CBD) and its derivatives as a viable treatment for people with epilepsy.
Men who consume more alcohol have a greater risk of human papillomavirus (HPV) infection, according to a recent study by Moffitt Cancer Center researchers.
The study looks at neighborhood factors as a cause to explain illicit drug use, exploring the associations between the perceived frequency of drug sales, drug use, and peer attitudes towards drug use.
Whether states should legalize marijuana for recreational and medical use is a hot topic across the country. As the debates continue a potentially dangerous environment is being created where more preteens, teens and young adults are beginning to use the substance with the feeling that it is safe.
Adolescents around the world are frequently using over-the-counter and prescription medications without a doctor’s order, a risky practice that can lead to overuse and abuse and is often continued into adulthood, reveals a new review in the Journal of Adolescent Health.
The number of teens who abuse tobacco, alcohol, drugs and other substances hasn’t changed much in the past couple of decades – but for those who are prone to addiction for one reason or another, the menu of substances to choose from is larger than ever.
New study finds that individuals with impulsive behaviors have poor timing abilities. Researchers hope this finding will lead to behavioral interventions for clinical disorders like substance abuse and obesity that are linked to impulsive behavior.
During the month of August, two publications delved into the decades-old debate questioning exactly how drastically a mother’s alcohol consumption while pregnant affects her child in the future. We asked Elizabeth Sowell, PhD, director of the Developmental Cognitive Neuroimaging Laboratory to share her thoughts:
Young people who regularly attend religious services and describe themselves as religious are less likely to experiment with drugs and alcohol, according to a new study.
Why do cocaine addicts relapse after months or years of abstinence? The National Institute on Drug Abuse has awarded a University at Buffalo scientist a $2 million grant to conduct research that will provide some answers.
Administering synthetic marijuana (cannabinoids) soon after a traumatic event can prevent PTSD-like (post-traumatic stress disorder) symptoms in rats, caused by the trauma and by trauma reminders
Alcohol industry magazine ads reminding consumers to “drink responsibly” or “enjoy in moderation” fail to convey basic public health information, according to a new study from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
A study in the International Journal of Drug Policy explores for the first time overdose-related knowledge and experiences of young adult nonmedical PO users to better understand how PO use relates to the likelihood and experience of overdose.
The researchers also found that alcohol use was more commonly reported to compromise relationships with friends and significant others (e.g., boyfriends); it was also reported to lead to more regret, particularly among females. Marijuana use on the other hand was more commonly reported to compromise relationships with teachers or supervisors, result in less energy or interest, and result in lower school or job performance.
Scientists at The Scripps Research Institute solved the mystery of why a specific signaling pathway can be associated with alcohol dependence. The new research shows the gene, Nf1, regulates gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), a neurotransmitter that lowers anxiety and increases relaxation feelings.
New research findings from a study of 634 couples found that the more often they smoked marijuana, the less likely they were to engage in domestic violence.
In states where it is legal to use medical marijuana to manage chronic pain and other conditions, the annual number of deaths from prescription drug overdose is 25 percent lower than in states where medical marijuana remains illegal, new research suggests.
On average, states allowing the medical use of marijuana have lower rates of deaths resulting from opioid analgesic overdoses than states without such laws. Opioid analgesics, such as OxyContin, Percocet and Vicodin, are prescribed for moderate to severe pain, and work by suppressing a person’s perception of pain. A new multi-institutional study, published in JAMA Internal Medicine and led by researchers at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, examined the rate of deaths caused by opioid overdoses between 1999 and 2010. Results reveal that on average, the 13 states allowing the use of medical marijuana had a 24.8 percent lower annual opioid overdose mortality rate after the laws were enacted than states without the laws, indicating that the alternative treatment may be safer for patients suffering from chronic pain related to cancer and other conditions.
Sticking to a general rule of pouring just a half glass of wine limits the likelihood of overconsumption. That’s the finding of a new Iowa State and Cornell University study to be published in a forthcoming issue of the International Journal of Drug Policy.
An Indiana U. study on substance abuse found that the interplay of gender, genetics and social integration produced different outcomes for men and women.
A federal law enacted to combat the use of “club drugs” such as Ecstasy — and today’s variation known as Molly — has failed to reduce the drugs’ popularity and, instead, has further endangered users by hampering the use of measures to protect them.
Current efforts to prevent prescription drug misuse among young adults need to consider peers — but not peer pressure — according to a Purdue University study.