Abstinence News and Research

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Abstinence is a voluntary restraint from indulging a desire or appetite for certain bodily activities that are widely experienced as giving pleasure. Most frequently, the term refers to abstention from sexual intercourse, alcohol or food. The practice can arise from religious prohibitions or practical considerations.

Most Americans misunderstand which sexually transmitted infections have preventive vaccines

While data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) show that the total number of U.S. cases of three sexually transmitted infections (STIs) declined from 2022-24, infection rates remain 13% higher than a decade ago. CDC provisional data show more than 2.2 million U.S. cases of chlamydia, gonorrhea, and syphilis were reported in 2024.

21 May 2026

GLP-1 drugs may help curb addiction by targeting reward pathways

GLP-1 receptor agonists, already used for Type 2 diabetes and obesity, show promise in reducing alcohol and drug-seeking behaviors through central reward and dopamine-related pathways. Most evidence remains preclinical, with limited early human data, so larger clinical trials are needed before these drugs can be recommended for addiction treatment.

21 May 2026

New research maps the biological toll of drinking

A new review published in the journal Addiction confirms drinking causes substantial harm to health. Some of those harms may be reversible if the person reduces or stops drinking.

14 May 2026

Short bouts of exercise help smokers manage immediate nicotine cravings

Exercise may offer smokers a simple but effective additional tool when trying to quit, according to a new systematic review led by researchers from the Alliance for Research in Exercise, Nutrition and Activity (ARENA) at Adelaide University.

8 May 2026

Teen cannabis use alters brain development and raises addiction risk

A systematic review reveals adolescent cannabis use alters brain structure, elevates addiction risk, and impacts cognitive outcomes during critical development.

29 Apr 2026

Drinking coffee alters your microbiome, mood, and memory

Coffee consumption influences the microbiota-gut-brain axis, affecting cognitive performance and emotional regulation through complex biological pathways.

24 Apr 2026

Coffee impacts the gut-brain axis to improve mood and stress

New research from APC Microbiome Ireland, a world leading research centre at University College Cork, has comprehensively explored the mechanisms behind coffee's positive effects on the gut-brain axis for the first time.

21 Apr 2026

Prenatal opioid exposure shows minimal effect on later academic performance

Every 25 minutes in the United States, a baby is diagnosed with neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS), a condition that occurs in newborns who have been exposed to opioids in the womb and develop withdrawal after birth, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

13 Apr 2026

Vaping beats traditional tools for quitting smoking

The review indicates nicotine e-cigarettes could surpass traditional quit aids in effectiveness, but lingering safety uncertainties warrant further research.

31 Mar 2026

Maker of device to treat addiction withdrawal seeks counties’ opioid settlement cash

In the early 2000s, Michelle Warfield worked at a factory, hauling heavy seats for Ford trucks on and off an assembly line. To suppress daily aches in her back and hips, her doctor prescribed opioid painkillers.

18 Mar 2026

Alcohol consumption in early adulthood linked to middle age cognitive decline

It's well known that alcohol consumption is an age-old method for coping with stress. But surprising? research led by the University of Massachusetts Amherst found that, when such self-medication begins in early adulthood, negative cognitive effects start to show up in middle-age-even after long periods of total abstinence.

16 Mar 2026

Weekly buprenorphine injections improve opioid abstinence during pregnancy

In a clinical trial supported by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), a research team found that administering weekly injectable extended-release buprenorphine for treatment of opioid use disorder (OUD) during pregnancy led to higher rates of abstinence from illicit opioids than buprenorphine given daily under the tongue (sublingual), one of the standard methods of treatment.

16 Mar 2026

Personalized counseling program helps cervical cancer survivors quit smoking

A new study led by UCLA researchers suggests that a personalized counseling program can significantly help women who have survived cervical precancer or cervical cancer to quit smoking - and does so at a cost that researchers say represents good value for healthcare systems.

12 Mar 2026

Alcohol abstinence can lead to regression of existing liver-related complications

Consistent and permanent abstinence from alcohol can lead to the regression of existing liver-related complications, even in cases of advanced alcohol-related cirrhosis.

4 Mar 2026

Chimpanzee urine confirms widespread alcohol consumption in the wild

Aleksey Maro knows far more than he cares to know about the urination habits of chimpanzees. But if you want to measure the alcohol intake of chimps in a Ugandan rain forest, where a breathalyzer is impractical, collecting urine for analysis is your only choice.

24 Feb 2026

Psychedelic effects of ketamine do not predict sobriety

The psychedelic effects recreational users often seek from taking ketamine do not predict the therapeutic benefits for people being treated for alcohol use disorder.

16 Feb 2026

Parenting style shapes adolescent alcohol and drug use

"Like father, like son? Can parenting styles break the intergenerational pattern of alcohol and drug use?" A group of Brazilian researchers analyzed data on the behavior of 4,280 adolescents and their guardians based on this question, arriving at two important conclusions.

13 Feb 2026

New analysis asks if alcohol guidance needs stronger trials to settle the health debate

The viewpoint reviews conflicting evidence on alcohol consumption, highlighting discrepancies between observational studies, genetic analyses, and public health guidance. It concludes that large randomized trials comparing alcohol moderation versus cessation are needed to clarify long-term health effects.

9 Feb 2026