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State-level tobacco control policies likely influence e-cigarette use

States with robust tobacco control policies and regulations, such as smoke free air laws and taxes on cigarettes, not only have fewer cigarette users but also fewer e-cigarette users, according to research from NYU School of Medicine and the NYU College of Global Public Health.

28 Feb 2018

Failed osteoarthritis drug may help lessen opioid dependence

A new study from Indiana University suggests that a drug proven safe for use in people may prevent opioid tolerance and physical dependence when used in combination with opioid-based pain medications.

27 Feb 2018

Public perception of health risks posed by smoking may be declining, study says

About 3 out of 4 Americans agree that smoking cigarettes causes health problems, but public perception of the risks posed by smoking may be declining, according to a Duke Health study published in the journal Drug and Alcohol Dependence.

27 Feb 2018

Study finds tobacco smoke exposure among most adolescents in economically disadvantaged population

Ninety-four percent of adolescents ages 13 to 19 in an economically disadvantaged, largely minority population in San Francisco had measurable levels of a biomarker specific for exposure to tobacco smoke.

23 Feb 2018

Scientists find significant amounts of toxic metals in e-cigarette vapors

Significant amounts of toxic metals, including lead, leak from some e-cigarette heating coils and are present in the aerosols inhaled by users, according to a study from scientists at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.

22 Feb 2018

MS patients who feel stigmatized more likely to suffer from depression

People with Multiple Sclerosis -- MS -- who feel stigmatized are more likely to suffer from depression, according to researchers, who add that having a support system of friends and family and a sense of autonomy may help reduce the harmful effects of stigma.

20 Feb 2018

NIH releases unparalleled dataset from Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development study

The National Institutes of Health today released to the scientific community an unparalleled dataset from the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development study. To date, more than 7,500 youth and their families have been recruited for the study, well over half the participant goal.

13 Feb 2018

Expert lists 5 common indications that a co-worker could be suffering from addiction

Alcohol and drug-related deaths continue to be a problem in the UK, with the Office for National Statistics reporting that the number of people dying from alcohol and drug abuse has continued to increase over the last decade.

12 Feb 2018

Early substance use found to be highly prevalent among children with ADHD

A new study published online in the Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry found that children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder engaged in substance use at a younger age than those without ADHD and had a significantly higher prevalence of regular marijuana and cigarette use into adulthood.

23 Jan 2018

New study to use social media for exploring blunt use among African-American young adults

The use of blunts--tobacco cigar shells filled with marijuana--has increased steadily since they first became popular in the 1990s, especially among young adults.

23 Jan 2018

States face costly conundrum: How to treat inmates with hepatitis C

In a corner of Jymie Jimerson’s house in the town of Sparta, in southwestern Missouri, she has set up a kind of shrine. It has Native American art representing her Cherokee heritage alongside Willie Nelson albums, books and photos in remembrance of her late husband.

23 Jan 2018

Tracing social and risk networks can help identify undiagnosed cases of HIV

Conducting HIV testing among the social and risk networks of those recently diagnosed with HIV helps identify undiagnosed cases of HIV at significantly higher rates and at a lower cost than other testing approaches, finds a new study conducted in Ukraine by an international research team.

23 Jan 2018

Expert discusses how to identify, support individuals with drug or alcohol addiction in workplace

As businesses in the UK become more aware of the impact that alcohol and drugs have on safety and productivity in the workplace, many have implemented professional procedures for testing employees for both substances.

16 Jan 2018

Grateful disposition linked to lesser drug use, study finds

People who feel a sense of gratitude tend to be happier, healthier and better in dealing with stress. Two psychologists from the National University of Singapore conducted a study on male drug abusers and they discovered that having a grateful disposition was associated with lesser drug use.

9 Jan 2018

Drug overdose deaths soar nationally but plateau in some Western states

The opioid crisis on the East Coast and in the Midwest has fueled a national surge in drug deaths, even as fatal overdoses have decreased or remained stable in parts of the West, new federal data show.

8 Jan 2018

'Thunder' protein activity may be associated with behavioral disorders like schizophrenia

Researchers at Johns Hopkins Medicine report they have identified rare genetic variations in a protein called Thorase, which is responsible for breaking down receptors at the connections between neurons in the brain.

3 Jan 2018

Pharmacists slow to dispense lifesaving overdose drug

Gale Dunham, a pharmacist in Calistoga, Calif., knows the devastation the opioid epidemic has wrought, and she is glad the anti-overdose drug naloxone is becoming more accessible.

3 Jan 2018

Medicare fails to recover hundreds of millions of dollars in lab overcharges

Five years ago, Companion DX Reference Lab hoped to cash in on cutting-edge genetic tests paid for by Medicare.

15 Dec 2017

Autism treatment: Social impairments can be corrected by brain stimulation

Scientists are examining the feasibility of treating autistic children with neuromodulation after a new study showed social impairments can be corrected by brain stimulation.

13 Dec 2017

Parental attention can be protective factor to lower risk of drug abuse among adolescents

Parents who require children to follow rules and keep a constant eye on their activities, endeavoring to know where they are, who they are with and what they are doing, run less risk of facing problems when their children enter adolescence, such as abuse of alcohol and other drugs.

4 Dec 2017