Drug Abuse News and Research

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Australia's fight against drug abuse recognised by the Indonesian Government

Australia is pleased that its work in Indonesia fighting drug abuse has been recognised by the Indonesian Government, the Foreign Affairs Parliamentary Secretary, Mrs Chris Gallus, said today.

12 Jul 2004

Heavy drinking during teenage years begins taking a serious health toll by the time people are 24 years old

A University of Washington study has found that people who began binge drinking at age 13 and continued throughout adolescence were nearly four times as likely to be overweight or obese and almost 3½ times as likely to have high blood pressure when they were 24 years old

9 Jul 2004

Brain enzyme known to affect mood may be decreased in teens who commit suicide

The activity of a brain enzyme known to affect mood may be decreased in teens who commit suicide, according to an article in the July issue of The Archives of General Psychiatry.

6 Jul 2004

Computer learning better than traditional counseling when educating injection drug users about HIV/AIDS

Injection drug users who studied HIV/AIDS causes and prevention via computer learned more about the disease than users who attended traditional counseling sessions, according to new research.

1 Jul 2004

From potent painkillers to humble cough syrups, the same medicines that help patients misused by teens

From potent painkillers to humble cough syrups, the same medicines that can help patients can also be misused to produce a high feeling. And they can hurt teens or hook them into addiction just as easily as other illicit drugs.

1 Jul 2004

The medical use of marijuana

The medical use of marijuana enjoys wide public support. More than 70% of respondents to recent surveys agree that marijuana should be available medically. Sources: Pew Research Center for the People & the Press conducted by Princeton Survey Research Associates. Feb. 14-19, 2001 and The Gallup Poll. March 19-21, 1999.

30 Jun 2004

Nighttime surge of ghrelin may point to new targets for treating obesity

UCLA scientists have discovered that lean people experience a huge nighttime surge of ghrelin — the hormone that stimulates hunger — but obese people do not.

29 Jun 2004

Treating cocaine addiction with a virus

Scientists at The Scripps Research Institute have designed a potentially valuable tool for treating cocaine addiction by creating a modified "phage" virus that soaks up the drug inside the brain.

24 Jun 2004

Doctors failing to identify smoking in adolescents

Doctors are failing to identify smoking status in about half of the adolescent patients seen, according to a University of Wisconsin-Madison study.

24 Jun 2004

Cutting down on cigarettes may actually increase consumption of smoke, carbon monoxide and nicotine

Smokers who pride themselves on successfully cutting back as a step toward quitting tobacco altogether may be caught in a haze of self-deception.

21 Jun 2004

Drug combination reduces cocaine use

Researchers at the Yerkes National Primate Research Center are the first to demonstrate that a combination of drug therapies targeting the region of the brain that controls drug abuse and addiction significantly reduces cocaine use in nonhuman primates.

15 Jun 2004

New vaccine to stop cocaine addiction

Xenova Group plc has announced the presentation of results of two dose escalation Phase II studies of TA-CD, a vaccine being developed for the treatment of cocaine addiction, at the College on Problems of Drug Dependence 66th Annual Scientific Meeting in Puerto Rico, June 12-17.

14 Jun 2004

Strong evidence treatment for drug abuse can work says Kofi Annan

One of the most damaging misconceptions about drug use is that it is a permanent problem. The truth is that treatment for drug abuse can work, and can restore value and dignity to a person’s life.

11 Jun 2004

AMA urges government to scrap Parental Access To Information Bill

The Bill would allow parents and guardians access to HIC information about children under 16 years of age [currently access is allowed for children under 14] – even if the children have their own Medicare cards.

10 Jun 2004

One small glass of wine may be enough to harm fetal brain

Just one small glass of wine. It may not seem like much alcohol, but expectant moms should beware. Research done in Alberta points to new dangers from drinking while pregnant.

3 Jun 2004

Marijuana use does not appear to be associated with an increased risk of developing oral cancer

Contrary to previous research findings that have suggested a link, marijuana use does not appear to be associated with an increased risk of developing oral cancer, according to a large, population-based study led by researchers at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center.

1 Jun 2004

Women exposed to noise stress ate more cheese, chocolate, potato chips and popcorn after stress was over

In laboratory experiments, women - but not men - who had been exposed to frustrating noise stress ate more cheese, chocolate, potato chips and popcorn after the stressful session was over.

24 May 2004

Combination drug therapies targeting brain region that controls addiction significantly reduces cocaine use in primates

Researchers at the Yerkes National Primate Research Center of Emory University are the first to demonstrate a combination of drug therapies targeting the region of the brain that controls drug abuse and addiction significantly reduces cocaine use in nonhuman primates.

24 May 2004

Teenagers most vulnerable to the addictive lure of cigarettes

Teenagers have long been regarded as the age group most vulnerable to the addictive lure of cigarettes, and a new report compiling five years of studies from a UC Irvine tobacco research program provides details why this is very likely true.

21 May 2004

A new synthetic chemical may provide framework for future drugs to treat brain-based ailments

A new synthetic chemical may provide the framework for future drugs that can treat a variety of brain-based ailments, ranging from overeating and drug dependency to neuropathic pain.

19 May 2004