Substance Abuse News and Research

RSS

Synar program made remarkable strides in lowering levels of illegal tobacco sales to minors

A new report on the Synar Amendment program - a federal and state partnership aimed at ending illegal tobacco sales to minors - shows that all the states and the District of Columbia have continued to meet their goals of curtailing sales of tobacco to underage youth (those under 18).

29 Aug 2013

Reformulated OxyContin®: an interview with Dr. Paul Coplan, Executive Director, Risk Management and Epidemiology, Purdue Pharma

OxyContin contains oxycodone, which is an opioid agonist. It is used for the management of moderate to severe pain when a constant opioid analgesic is needed for a prolonged period of time.

29 Aug 2013

Cannabis affects addiction processes in adolescent brain

The nature of the teenage brain makes users of cannabis amongst this population particularly at risk of developing addictive behaviors and suffering other long-term negative effects, according to researchers at the University of Montreal and New York's Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai.

27 Aug 2013

Report shows nonmedical use of pain relievers may increase risk of using heroin later

A new report by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) shows that people aged 12 to 49 who had used prescription pain relievers nonmedically were 19 times more likely to have initiated heroin use recently (within the past 12 months of being interviewed) than others in that age group (0.39 percent versus 0.02 percent).

23 Aug 2013

Viewpoints: George will assails 'illegal' delay of employer mandate; Cohn reminds conservatives that subsidies will be important

Barack Obama's increasingly grandiose claims for presidential power are inversely proportional to his shriveling presidency. Desperation fuels arrogance as, barely 200 days into the 1,462 days of his second term, his pantry of excuses for failure is bare, his domestic agenda is nonexistent and his foreign policy of empty rhetorical deadlines and redlines is floundering. And at last week's news conference he offered inconvenience as a justification for illegality.

16 Aug 2013

Few physicians receive adequate training to help patients with chronic pain

Pain is the most common reason a patient sees a physician but few physicians have received adequate training to help their patients, according to a Henry Ford Hospital article published in the Journal of American Osteopathic Association.

13 Aug 2013

State highlights: Accusations of fraud or abuse in disabled, rehabilitation clinics in N.Y., Mich. and Calif.

Two and a half years ago, The New York Times published an article about abusive employees who worked for the state, detailing how few employees were fired, even after the state recommended that they lose their jobs, because of weaknesses in the arbitration process, the permissive attitude of state officials and the aggressive stance of public sector labor unions -- particularly the Civil Service Employees Association. Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo promised to change all this.

12 Aug 2013

Drug-related emergency department visits increase among younger adults

A new report by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration shows that some drug-related emergency department visits increased by 300 percent -- from 5,605 visits in 2005 to 22,949 visits in 2011. These visits, made by adults aged 18 to 34, were related to the nonmedical use of central nervous system stimulants. On average, about 30 percent of these visits also involved alcohol.

9 Aug 2013

Study: Mental health services should be included into disaster response plans

Mental health services should be integrated into disaster response as part of emergency services planning, according to a new study by UT Southwestern Medical Center psychiatrists who completed an exhaustive review of articles on the aftereffects of disasters on mental health.

8 Aug 2013

New clinical protocols, guidelines for mental health care after trauma and loss

The World Health Organization is releasing new clinical protocols and guidelines to health care workers for treating the mental health consequences of trauma and loss.

7 Aug 2013

New guidelines for treating mental health consequences of trauma and loss

WHO is releasing new clinical protocols and guidelines to health-care workers for treating the mental health consequences of trauma and loss.

7 Aug 2013

Prolonged exposure therapy does not increase drinking in PTSD and alcohol dependent patients

Contrary to past concerns, using prolonged exposure therapy to treat patients with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and comorbid alcohol dependence does not increase drinking or cravings, Penn Medicine psychiatrists report in the August 7 issue of JAMA, a theme issue on violence/human rights.

7 Aug 2013

Disruption to TOP3B gene increases susceptibility to schizophrenia and a learning disorder

A team of researchers have shown that schizophrenia and a disorder associated with autism and learning difficulties share a common biological pathway. This is one of the first times that researchers have uncovered genetic evidence for the underlying causes of schizophrenia.

5 Aug 2013

Young Swiss men understand risks of cannabis consumption

91 percent of on average 20-year-old Swiss men drink alcohol, almost half of whom drink six beverages or more in a row and are thus at-risk consumers. 44 percent of Swiss men smoke tobacco, the majority of whom are at-risk consumers - they smoke at least once a day. 36 percent of young adults smoke cannabis, whereby over half are at-risk consumers, using the drug at least twice a week.

29 Jul 2013

Study: Bipolar disorder evolves differently in patients who binge eat

Bipolar disorder evolves differently in patients who also binge eat, a study by Mayo Clinic, the Lindner Center of HOPE and the University of Minnesota found. Binge eating and obesity often are present among bipolar patients, but the mood disorder appears to take a different path in those who binge eat than it does in obese bipolar patients who do not, the researchers discovered.

26 Jul 2013

Psychiatry professor selected for Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Health Policy Fellow 2013-2014

For millions of people across the United States, health and well-being depends on policy decisions made at the federal level. With mental health at the center of today's health policy discussion, Amir Afkhami, M.D., Ph.D., assistant professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences and global health at the George Washington University (GW) School of Medicine and Health Sciences (SMHS), will bring his "boots on the ground" experience in mental health policy to the government as a 2013-2014 Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Health Policy Fellow.

25 Jul 2013

Exposure to excessive heat can lead to heatstroke

The Substance and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) is issuing a heat advisory to alert the nation to the increased risk of heat-related illnesses for individuals with mental and substance use disorders. Children and older adults with these conditions are particularly vulnerable to elevated temperatures.

23 Jul 2013

Substance Abuse News and Research

Synar program made remarkable strides in lowering levels of illegal tobacco sales to minors

Reformulated OxyContin®: an interview with Dr. Paul Coplan, Executive Director, Risk Management and Epidemiology, Purdue Pharma

Cannabis affects addiction processes in adolescent brain

Report shows nonmedical use of pain relievers may increase risk of using heroin later

Viewpoints: George will assails 'illegal' delay of employer mandate; Cohn reminds conservatives that subsidies will be important

Few physicians receive adequate training to help patients with chronic pain

State highlights: Accusations of fraud or abuse in disabled, rehabilitation clinics in N.Y., Mich. and Calif.

Drug-related emergency department visits increase among younger adults

Study: Mental health services should be included into disaster response plans

New clinical protocols, guidelines for mental health care after trauma and loss

New guidelines for treating mental health consequences of trauma and loss

Prolonged exposure therapy does not increase drinking in PTSD and alcohol dependent patients

Disruption to TOP3B gene increases susceptibility to schizophrenia and a learning disorder

Young Swiss men understand risks of cannabis consumption

Study: Bipolar disorder evolves differently in patients who binge eat

Psychiatry professor selected for Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Health Policy Fellow 2013-2014

Exposure to excessive heat can lead to heatstroke

First Edition: July 22, 2013

African-Americans, Latinos receive less adequate mental health care than Whites

Study reveals correlation between premature death and mental illness in people with epilepsy

Advancing Neuroscience Research Through Collaboration and Patient-Centered Innovation

The impact of vibration on microscopy

How Omics Technologies Are Transforming Biological Research and Drug Discovery

Latest News