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Hunger may drive the propensity to develop alcohol addiction

Researchers at Brown University have discovered a molecular link between hunger and the formation of "reward" memories that play a role in alcohol addiction.

20 Oct 2026

MUSC study reveals gender shift in adolescent vaping trends

For decades, boys and men were more likely than their female peers to use nicotine. But a new study from MUSC shows that among U.S. adolescents, that pattern has reversed for vaping.

19 Oct 2026

Light-activated experimental opioid eliminates dangerous side effects

Opioid painkillers are some of the strongest analgesic medicines, but they are also the riskiest owing to a range of side effects, including addiction.

15 Oct 2026

Major trial seeks to test semaglutide on adults with alcohol and opioid use disorder

The Center for Addiction Science, Policy and Research (CASPR) and the Allegheny County Department of Human Services are preparing to launch a major $13.3 million randomized controlled trial to test whether weekly semaglutide, as an additional support to existing care, can reduce alcohol and opioid use and reduce criminal-justice involvement while improving employment, health, and housing outcomes among people at elevated risk of criminal-justice involvement.

13 Oct 2026

Conventional diagnostic tools overlook gaming disorder in female players

Playing more and more, struggling to cut back, or continuing to game despite its negative impact on everyday life can all be signs of gaming disorder.

12 Oct 2026

Global experts call for coordinated action on digital health risks

The way digital technologies are currently built and governed creates real risks to health worldwide, alongside genuine benefits, according to a new three paper Series authored by 13 global experts, published in The Lancet.

5 Oct 2026

Many youth with opioid use disorder miss out on treatment

One in 100 adolescents and young adults in the United States has an opioid use disorder (OUD) and, with the rise of fentanyl in the drug supply, overdoses in this age group have risen sharply since 2019.

5 Oct 2026

NIH-funded trials will test pregnenolone for addiction and depression

Center for BrainHealth investigator Francesca Filbey, PhD, and UTSW investigator Sherwood Brown, MD, PhD, have secured two awards from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to fund two major collaborative studies investigating whether the naturally occurring neurosteroid pregnenolone can help treat substance use disorders and co-occurring depression.

1 Oct 2026

UC San Diego receives funding to establish the Polysubstance Addiction Research Center

Researchers from University of California San Diego have received a $12.6 million award from the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) to establish the Polysubstance Addiction Research Center (PARC), a multidisciplinary center designed to uncover the biological factors that contribute to addiction across multiple substances.

30 Sep 2026

Veterinary sedative in fentanyl supply spikes severe withdrawal cases

A powerful veterinary sedative, medetomidine, is increasingly infiltrating the street supplies of the already deadly opioid fentanyl, with patients suffering from its withdrawal quadrupling in recent years, according to a new analysis by researchers at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania.

29 Sep 2026

Can’t stop thinking about food? You’re far from alone

Investigating 'food noise', this study reveals its association with diet quality and mental health, emphasizing demographic influences and eating behaviors.

29 Sep 2026

Study finds rising cannabis use disorder among older adults

Cannabis use is becoming increasingly common among older adults in the United States, but less is known about how often cannabis use may become problematic in this population.

28 Sep 2026

Smart vapes with financial rewards may raise addiction risks

Vaping products are becoming smarter – and potentially more addictive. Some new devices now reward users with cryptocurrency and other incentives tied to vaping behavior.

28 Sep 2026

High cognitive impairment rates among homeless people demand radical policy change

Cognitive impairment is a prevalent but often unaddressed factor in chronic homelessness, and it must be addressed to help reduce homelessness, argues the author of a commentary published in CMAJ

21 Sep 2026

Gambling disorder emergency visits increase following sports betting legalization

Emergency department (ED) visits for gambling disorders doubled following the legalization of single-event sports betting and expansion of Ontario's online gambling market, according to a new study from ICES. The increase was observed predominantly among young men.

16 Sep 2026

Scientists discover brain spot that drives risk-taking decisions

Every day, your brain runs the same calculation: take a risk or play it safe? Your gas tank might be low, but there's just enough to make it to work on time.

15 Sep 2026

Adolescent cannabis use disorder diagnoses rise after legalization

New diagnoses of cannabis use disorder (CUD) among adolescents in Northern California began climbing after recreational cannabis was legalized in California in 2016, reversing a steady decline in the three years prior, according to a new study published in the journal Addiction.

15 Sep 2026

Vaping rises among youth despite declining smoking rates

Three large studies together show that, although the number of people who smoke is declining, people are taking up smoking at a younger age and vaping has increased, particularly among children and younger people.

7 Sep 2026

Alcohol-free beer looks cheaper on the shelf, but the checkout tells a different story

A Great Britain analysis found that no/low-alcohol drinks were generally cheaper than regular-strength products on supermarket shelves and when equivalent products were compared directly. However, consumers paid more per serving for no/lo beer and about the same for cider, partly because these products were often sold in smaller, less cost-efficient packs.

6 Sep 2026

Psilocybin study explores new treatment for cocaine use disorder

Albert Arias, MD, chief of addiction psychiatry at Carilion Clinic, has received an award from the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) to research how psilocybin, a psychedelic compound being studied for several psychiatric and substance use disorders, can offer a new approach for people with cocaine use disorder.

4 Sep 2026