Alcohol Addiction News and Research

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Vaccines for alcoholism and cocaine addiction coming soon

In a latest development, researchers from Chile have come up with a vaccine to cure alcoholics. It will help them kick the habit by creating a sensation of a terrible hangover after just a few drinks. The mechanism by which this vaccine acts is by neutralizing a group of enzymes that help the body to break down alcohol. When the enzymes aldehyde dehydrogenase is disabled the body accumulates the alcohol to create the hangovers after just a few drinks.

9 Jan 2011

Alcohol worries

Festival season usually means excessive and binge drinking leading to accidents and other health concerns say experts. With the outrage of anti-alcohol groups laws may be tightened but many experts feel that it is not the alcohol that needs to be focused on but the people who over-indulge.

28 Dec 2010

Lightlake acquires US Patent for method of terminating methadone maintenance

Lightlake Therapeutics Inc has acquired US Patent 5,587,381, entitled: 'Method for terminating methadone maintenance through extinction of the opiate-taking responses', using an opioid antagonist as treatment. The Patent also covers treatment for addiction to other legally available opioids and to stimulant drugs such as Cocaine and Amphetamines.

17 Dec 2010

Gene variant linked to liver cirrhosis in Caucasians

A new study by German researchers found that a variation in the PNPLA3 (adiponutrin) gene was associated with cirrhosis of the liver and elevated transaminase (liver enzyme) levels in alcoholic Caucasians. The risk of cirrhosis in alcoholics in the genetic high risk group might be as high as 25 to 50%. Full findings are published in the January 2011 issue of Hepatology, a journal of the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases.

16 Dec 2010

CADCA applauds Senators for introducing STOP Act

Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America (CADCA) applauds Senators Chris Dodd (D-CT), Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ), Bob Casey (D-PA), and Jeff Merkley (D-OR), for today introducing the Sober Truth on Preventing (STOP) Underage Drinking Act Reauthorization, legislation designed to prevent underage drinking.

15 Dec 2010

Health plans tackle cheap alcohol, teen smoking and other problems in UK

The British Government in a bid to stop common health problems is planning on banning teenage smoking and cheap alcohol and also wants to encourage mothers to breastfeed at work said Health Secretary Andrew Lansley. They are due to publish a public health white paper this week and Mr. Lansley confirmed that the Government had some plans up their sleeve to curb common health problems and health related inequalities. The ‘Tory’ right did not appreciate the move saying it amounted to “micromanaging” people’s lives.

28 Nov 2010

Raising legal drinking age: Debate continues

NSW Premier Kristina Keneally confirmed a proposal to raise the legal drinking age to 21 in her state that will be considered in Cabinet this week. The bill is proposed by the Christian Democrats MP Fred Nile.

28 Nov 2010

Northern Territory Law Society calls for ban on alcohol sponsorship of sports

According to the Northern Territory Law Society, pubs, bars and breweries should be stopped from sponsoring sport. The Society reports that alcohol abuse in the Territory has reached crisis point and is putting an enormous strain on the justice system.

23 Nov 2010

Adolescent drinking: Laws tighten

Latest study findings show that adolescents offered alcohol by someone other than their parents are six times more likely to drink to excess. The research comes from Deakin University and has made the Australian Drug Foundation tighten laws across Australia, making it illegal to give children alcohol without their parents' permission.

7 Nov 2010

Alcohol - the worst drug!

A new study shows that alcohol abuse is by far the worst habit to have when compared to other recreational drugs like crack or heroin. Neuropharmacologist David Nutt, of Imperial College London who is also a former British government drug advisor and his team rated 20 different drugs on a scale that takes into account the various harms caused by a drug. Drugs are rated on the nine harms a drug causes to an individual and seven harms a drug causes to the society. The scale was developed by a panel of experts called the Independent Scientific Committee on Drugs (ICSD), ranges from 0 (no harm) to 100 (greatest possible harm). It is weighted so that a drug that scores 50 is half as harmful as a drug that scores 100.

1 Nov 2010

Victoria crime rates report encouraging but battle far from won

Alcohol related crimes may have reduced but have not totally gone say Victorian Police. Reports released this September showed that while CBD assaults dropped 14 per cent overall crime across the state is down 3.8 per cent compared to the same period last year.

28 Oct 2010

Plant-derived compound for treatment of nicotine addiction also effective against alcoholism

South Dakota State University researchers have demonstrated for the first time that a plant-derived compound used to treat nicotine addiction also has significant effects against alcohol addiction.

21 Oct 2010

Study on health effects of alcohol consumption with HIV

Living with HIV is difficult under the best of circumstances, but for people carrying the virus, alcohol consumption can become particularly perilous in intricate ways that are only beginning to be understood. At the Brown Alcohol Research Center on HIV (ARCH) funded by a new $7.5-million, five-year grant from the National Institutes of Health, Brown University scientists will study the health effects of drinking with HIV and provide doctors and patients with the latest guidance their results suggest.

21 Oct 2010

Genes and alcoholism link explored: Study

According to the latest research in the U.S., a genetic variation may protect against alcoholism, and this could lead to a novel preventative treatment. The researchers say that a gene variant known as CYP2EI is linked to people's response to alcohol.

19 Oct 2010

Federal health care reform legislation can help removing financial barriers to treat Americans

New government data released today demonstrate the continued, urgent need for more Americans to have access to drug and alcohol addiction treatment, according to an analysis by the Closing the Addiction Treatment Gap (CATG) initiative. If implemented properly, federal health care reform legislation could help remove financial barriers to treatment for millions of Americans.

17 Sep 2010

Alcohol addiction drug may help opioid addicts: FDA panel considers reports

A U.S. Food and Drugs Administration (FDA) panel, this Thursday agreed that a new drug Vivitrol helps alcoholics and opioid addicts kick the habit. The panel voted 11 to 2 that there was sufficient evidence from a single clinical trial that Vivitrol is effective when it comes to helping people addicted to painkillers.

17 Sep 2010

Researchers develop GAL4/UAS system to study human neurological diseases

A team of University of Oklahoma researchers studying neurobiology in fruit flies (Drosophila) has developed a new method for understanding brain function with potential applications in studies of human neurological diseases.

13 Sep 2010

UCLA psychologist explains measure to overcome drug addiction

Millions of Americans suffer from severe addictions that can ruin lives and are extremely difficult to control. Nearly 2 million enter roughly 12,000 addiction treatment programs in the U.S. each year.

9 Sep 2010

Australia ranks near top when it comes to alcohol abuse: Study

In a new study researchers have found that Australia ranks near the top when it comes to alcohol abuse. The study was conducted by the National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre (NDARC) and it found that one in five Australians has a drinking problem and four in five go untreated for these problems. Professor Maree Teesson and her team analyzed data collected from almost 9,000 Australians aged 16 to 85 years for the National Survey of Mental Health and Wellbeing in 2007.

9 Aug 2010

Hangovers cost Australia an estimated $453 million: Study

Australia is spending an estimated $453 million every year while paying for overtime when someone replaces his/her colleague for a hangover says a new study.

1 Aug 2010