Drug Abuse News and Research

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MSU scientists map the neural circuitry of drug compulsion

When a cocaine addict relapses, it isn't a matter of personal failure - it's the biological result of their brain's rewiring, new research finds.

5 Mar 2026

Study finds sharp drop in benzodiazepine use among older adults

Benzodiazepine treatment declined among U.S. adults between 2018 and 2022, with the steepest drop among adults ages 56 and older, according to a new study by researchers at the Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health and Columbia University Irving Medical Center.

25 Feb 2026

Cannabis use in adolescence associated with higher rates of psychiatric disorders

Adolescents who use cannabis could face a significantly higher risk of developing serious psychiatric disorders by young adulthood, according to a large new study published today in JAMA Health Forum.

20 Feb 2026

New research initiative examines impact of legal psychedelic services in community settings

A federally funded research initiative will enable researchers at Oregon Health & Science University and other organizations to assess the safety and effectiveness of state-regulated access to psilocybin, also known as magic mushrooms.

12 Feb 2026

Study finds growing long-term antipsychotic prescribing in elderly dementia patients

When agitated dementia patients wander or shout through the night, families and caregivers understandably feel the need to treat this frightening and potentially dangerous behavior. Antipsychotic medications are often resorted to with such patients, contributing to increases in antipsychotic treatment rates among older people.

16 Jan 2026

Study reveals genetic signatures linked to HIV-related cognitive impairment

Using participant skin cells reprogrammed into neurons, Weill Cornell Medicine researchers have identified genetic signatures associated with HIV infection that may contribute to the cognitive impairment that often occurs in people living with HIV, even when the virus is controlled.

14 Jan 2026

Bradycardia emerges as key clinical sign of xylazine-opioid overdose

Researchers have identified bradycardia-an abnormally low heart rate–as a symptom of xylazine-opioid overdose.

14 Jan 2026

Study provides insights into well-visit attendance from mid-adolescence to young adulthood

It's common that as kids get to high school and transition to adulthood, they begin to skip yearly wellness visits with a pediatrician or other primary care provider.

9 Jan 2026

Study: Extended MOUD treatment significantly increases survival probability

A new study of over 32,000 US Veterans has found that the longer people stay on medications for opioid use disorder (buprenorphine, methadone, or extended-release naltrexone), the greater the probability of short- and medium-term survival. This benefit continues to increase at least for four years of ongoing treatment, considerably longer than most patients currently stay in treatment.

8 Jan 2026

Varenicline helps young people quit nicotine vaping regardless of cannabis use

Adolescent and young adult nicotine vaping has become an urgent public health concern, as 2024 marked the first year that nicotine vaping was the most initiated drug.

12 Dec 2025

Study reveals how brain protein KCC2 influences reward learning

A new finding from researchers at Georgetown University Medical Center shows that the learning process of associating cues with rewards can be altered by increased or decreased activity of a specific protein in the brain.

9 Dec 2025

Medical cannabis evidence falls short for most conditions

Medical cannabis lacks adequate scientific backing for most of the conditions it is commonly used to treat, including chronic pain, anxiety and insomnia, according to a comprehensive review led by UCLA Health.

3 Dec 2025

New neuron signaling mechanism reveals safer pathway for pain treatment

Researchers at Tulane University, with a team of colleagues from eight other universities, have discovered a new nerve cell signaling mechanism that could transform our understanding of pain and lead to safer, more effective treatments.

20 Nov 2025

Year-long adherence to buprenorphine sharply reduces overdose risk in young people

New research from Mass General Brigham finds that adolescents and young adults who stayed on the medication buprenorphine for at least a year had markedly lower risks of opioid overdose and hospitalization compared with peers who discontinued medication early or took it inconsistently.

18 Nov 2025

New project aims to reduce addiction through prevention infrastructure development

Researchers at Wayne State University will work with Michigan agencies and education partners to improve access to school-based substance use prevention and treatment programs for adolescents who are at risk of substance misuse and substance use disorders (SUDs).

7 Nov 2025

Living near cannabis stores linked to more frequent use and less heavy drinking

A statewide study of more than 60,000 adult Oregonians shows that living near cannabis retail stores is associated with a greater tendency toward frequent cannabis use but a lower likelihood of heavy alcohol consumption.

4 Nov 2025

Daily vaping and failed quit attempts rise sharply among U.S. youth

Since 2019, overall rates of nicotine vaping have declined among U.S. youth, but those who continue to vape are showing signs of worsening addiction, according to new USC research.

3 Nov 2025

Molecular bumpers and glues rewire GPCR signaling for next-generation medicines

New research led by the University of Minnesota Medical School demonstrates that molecules acting as "molecular bumpers" and "molecular glues" can rewire G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) signaling, turning the cell's busiest receptors into precision tools - opening the door to a new generation of safer, smarter medicines.

31 Oct 2025

Researchers to study the economics of substance use disorder treatments with $4 million NIDA grant

A team led by Weill Cornell Medicine and University of Miami's Miller School of Medicine investigators has been awarded a five-year, $4 million grant from the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) for health economics research.

30 Oct 2025

Machine learning advances drug discovery through generalizable models

The drug development pipeline is a costly and lengthy process. Identifying high-quality "hit" compounds-those with high potency, selectivity, and favorable metabolic properties-at the earliest stages is important for reducing cost and accelerating the path to clinical trials.

16 Oct 2025