Substance Use Disorder News and Research

RSS

Where jobs are scarce, over 1 million people could dodge Trump’s Medicaid work rules

Millions of Medicaid enrollees may have a way out of the new federal work requirement — if they live in a county with high unemployment.

29 Sep 2025

Cannabis use may quadruple the risk of developing diabetes

Cannabis use is linked to an almost quadrupling in the risk of developing diabetes, according to an analysis of real-world data from over 4 million adults, being presented at this year's Annual Meeting of The European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD) in Vienna, Austria (15-19 Sept).

15 Sep 2025

Polysubstance-involved opioid overdoses found to be prevalent among youth

Most research suggests that opioid overdoses involving multiple substances in the United States typically occur among people ages 25-54.

26 Aug 2025

New model links striosomal activity to impaired decision making in psychiatric disorders

Scientists from the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, working in collaboration with a team from the University of Texas at El Paso, have developed a novel computational framework for understanding how a region of the brain known as the striatum is involved in the everyday decisions we make and, importantly, how it might factor into impaired decision-making by individuals with psychiatric disorders like post-traumatic stress disorder and substance use disorder.

14 Aug 2025

Quitting smoking linked to better recovery from drug and alcohol addiction

Adults who smoke cigarettes and are addicted to alcohol or other drugs were more likely to achieve sustained remission of their substance use disorder symptoms if they also quit smoking, according to scientists at the National Institutes of Health (NIH). `

13 Aug 2025

Oral cancer risk triples among individuals with cannabis use disorder

A recent study by researchers at the University of California San Diego School of Medicine has found that individuals with cannabis use disorder (CUD) are more than three times more likely to develop oral cancer within five years compared to those without CUD.

29 Jul 2025

Study examines how often adults with opioid use disorder begin and stay on treatment

Opioid use disorder (OUD) medication treatment saves lives, yet fewer than one-third of people with OUD receive evidence-based treatment with medication.

29 Jul 2025

Study reveals stigmatizing responses in LLMs for addiction-related queries

As artificial intelligence is rapidly developing and becoming a growing presence in healthcare communication, a new study addresses a concern that large language models (LLMs) can reinforce harmful stereotypes by using stigmatizing language.

26 Jul 2025

Substance use disorders increase risk of unplanned hospital readmissions

People with any type of substance use disorder (SUD) stand a 24% higher risk of having an unplanned hospital readmission within 30 days of a previous discharge compared with those without the disorder, new UCLA-led research finds.

23 Jul 2025

Autistic adults face high rates of mental health hospitalizations and readmissions

Mental health conditions are common among autistic adults, with 50% of autistic adults having a co-occurring condition, like attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), anxiety or depression.

17 Jul 2025

Brain protein associated with aging not linked to youth contact sports

In recent years, some scientists and advocates have warned that playing contact sports like football and hockey may increase the risk of brain diseases like Alzheimer's disease or chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) due to a buildup of a specific protein in the brain.

11 Jul 2025

In a nation growing hostile toward drugs and homelessness, Los Angeles tries leniency

Inside a bright new building in the heart of Skid Row, homeless people hung out in a canopy-covered courtyard — some waiting to take a shower, do laundry, or get medication for addiction treatment.

8 Jul 2025

Quitting smoking in addiction recovery made easier with tailored support

For people recovering from substance use disorders, quitting smoking remains one of the most difficult-but most crucial-steps toward long-term health.

1 Jul 2025

Telehealth does not increase risk of substance use disorder in ADHD patients

Telehealth can make health care easier to access for patients with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) who need treatment, but experts worry about an increased risk of substance use disorder for patients being prescribed controlled medications such as stimulants for ADHD during these appointments.

12 Jun 2025

New screening tool enhances early detection of pulmonary hypertension

A novel screening approach developed by physicians at the Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University shows significant promise for improving the detection of pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH)-a life-threatening form of heart failure related to high blood pressure in the lung circulation that is often overlooked due to vague symptoms such as fatigue and shortness of breath.

4 Jun 2025

Study highlights the growing toll of parental substance use on American children

A large percentage of American children are growing up in households with at least one parent who uses alcohol or other drugs in problematic ways-raising the risk that those children will go on to do the same, a new study suggests.

13 May 2025

Study reveals low rate of opioid addiction medications after overdose

Medications proven to effectively treat opioid addiction are rarely given after emergency department visits for overdose, and who gets them varies, sometimes greatly, depending on race, ethnicity or geography, University of Michigan researchers say.

12 May 2025

Ultra-processed foods increase risk of anxiety and depression, study shows

A large UK Biobank study linked ultra-processed food (UPF) consumption to increased risks of anxiety, depression, substance use disorder, and other mental health outcomes. A metabolomic signature associated with UPF intake partially mediated these relationships, especially in adults under 60.

5 May 2025

New studies link increased heart disease risk to tobacco and cannabis use

New clinical results from multiple studies show coronary heart disease death associated with tobacco use is anticipated to rise up to 40% in the next five years and people with cannabis use disorder are 50% more likely to experience cardiogenic shock, acute myocardial infarction, and arrhythmias.

2 May 2025

Covered California pushes for better health care as federal spending cuts loom

Faced with potential federal spending cuts that threaten health coverage and falling childhood vaccination rates, Monica Soni, the chief medical officer of Covered California, has a lot on her plate — and on her mind.

2 May 2025