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Proportion of substance abuse treatment admissions involving older Americans doubles: SAMHSA

A new study reveals that between 1992 and 2008 the proportion of substance abuse treatment admissions involving older Americans (aged 50 and older) nearly doubled -- from 6.6 percent of all admissions in 1992 to 12.2 percent in 2008. The study, sponsored by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, also shows a sharp rise during this period in the proportion of older Americans admissions related to illicit drug abuse -- even though alcohol abuse is still the leading cause for admissions involving this age group.

17 Jun 2010

USPTO issues patent covering Probuphine for opiate addiction

Titan Pharmaceuticals, Inc. today announced that the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) has issued patent number 7,736,665 covering Probuphine for the treatment of opiate addiction.

16 Jun 2010

Robert Zucker to receive RSA Distinguished Researcher Award

Robert Zucker, Ph.D., director of the University of Michigan Addiction Research Center, and the Substance Abuse Section in the Department of Psychiatry, has been named recipient of the 31st annual Research Society on Alcoholism Distinguished Researcher Award. The award is given to an individual whose research has made significant contributions to the understanding of alcohol abuse and alcoholism, and whose body of work demonstrates leadership in the field.

15 Jun 2010

Adolescent boys who attempt suicide more likely to be aggressive toward partners

Young men who attempt suicide before age 18 are much more likely as adults to be aggressive toward their girlfriends or wives, including hitting and injuring their partners, according to a new study.

14 Jun 2010

Consortium formed to improve community disaster readiness and recovery through research programs

Leading Gulf Coast medical centers, universities and public health institutions from Miami to Houston have united to form a consortium to improve community disaster readiness and recovery through research programs targeting health disparities, disaster preparedness and environmental health.

14 Jun 2010

Researchers identify 2,630 proteins that reside in human spinal fluid

A research team has sharply expanded scientific knowledge of the composition of human spinal fluid. The researchers have identified 2,630 proteins that reside in fluid that is considered "normal," a number nearly three times as great as the total number of proteins previously identified. Another striking finding was that more than half (56%) of the proteins were relatively unique to the spinal fluid and not found in blood.

14 Jun 2010

Dim and demented under the influence of cannabis

New research shows what many Cannabis users have suspected or known for a while, continuous use can lead to dimmer brains. Australia ranks among the world's highest cannabis users and this puts the population at a high risk of developing dementia say researchers.

10 Jun 2010

Forensic pathologists chronicle phenomenon of doctors who kill

Most people have heard of the Hippocratic Oath, taken by doctors committed to practicing medicine ethically. What happens though when doctors, those dedicated to healing and preserving life, cross the line and kill?

10 Jun 2010

Updated HIV treatment guidelines may benefit individuals infected with HIV: Researchers

Researchers from the BC Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS and the University of British Columbia today released a comprehensive study revealing that the 2008 IAS-USA therapy guidelines for commencing HIV treatment would create significant benefits for individuals infected with HIV and society as a whole.

8 Jun 2010

Burden of substance abuse casts tragic shadow on the lives of many young people: Report

On an average day, 508,000 adolescents aged 12-17 in the United States drink alcohol; 641,000 use illicit drugs; and more than 1 million smoke cigarettes, according to a national survey sponsored by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.

5 Jun 2010

Amity Foundation awarded $1,000,000 grant to build Dragonfly Village for children and families

The Federal Home Loan Bank of San Francisco, California has awarded Amity Foundation a $1,000,000 grant to help build Dragonfly Village, a state-of-the-art center for children and families at Amity Foundation's Circle Tree Ranch in Tucson, Arizona.

5 Jun 2010

Risky alcohol-related traffic behaviors among college students continue to be major public-health concern

Alcohol-impaired driving and associated motor-vehicle accidents are a major public-health problem. National studies have shown that approximately 25 percent of college students report that they have driven while intoxicated in the past month, and an even greater percentage report having driven after having any amount of alcohol and/or ridden with a driver believed intoxicated.

1 Jun 2010

More insight into key receptor that influences effectiveness of serotonin-related antidepressants

University of Michigan scientists have provided the most detailed picture yet of a key receptor in the brain that influences the effectiveness of serotonin-related antidepressants, such as Prozac.

1 Jun 2010

SAMHSA study reveals daily underage drinking-related visits to hospital emergency departments increase

A new study by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration reveals that daily underage drinking-related visits to hospital emergency departments are 11 percent higher during the Memorial Day weekend than they are on an average day. The latest Drug Abuse Warning Network report estimates that on an average day, there are 519 hospital emergency department visits involving underage alcohol use.

29 May 2010

Patterns consolidate features of older theories, may help diagnosis of psychiatric disorders

In a study appearing in the journal PLoS ONE, Massachusetts General Hospital scientists describe finding mathematical patterns underlying the way individuals unconsciously distribute their preferences regarding approaching or avoiding objects in their environment.

27 May 2010

SAMHSA awards Knowledge Dissemination Conference Grants to four organizations

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration announced the award of four Knowledge Dissemination Conference Grants totaling $100,000 to the organizations below. The grant awards will support conferences that highlight the latest evidence-based prevention strategies, practices, and polices. The conferences are designed to help integrate what is known about prevention into real-world community-based practice.

26 May 2010

Shire announces study results of Vyvanse Capsules CII for treatment of ADHD in adolescents

Shire plc, the global specialty biopharmaceutical company, today announced the results of a study evaluating the safety and efficacy of Vyvanse (lisdexamfetamine dimesylate) Capsules CII for the treatment of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder in adolescents aged 13 to 17 years.

26 May 2010

Experts warn increasing IDUs in eastern, southern Africa could threaten HIV/AIDS fight

An increase in the number of injection drug users (IDUs) in eastern and southern Africa stands to harm efforts to control the spread of HIV/AIDS in the region, warned experts gathered at the World Forum Against Drug conference in Sweden on Monday, Agence France-Presse reports.

26 May 2010

Botvin LST Parent Program now available as e-book

The award-winning Botvin LifeSkills Training Parent Program is now available as an e-book: Princeton Health Press announced today its plan to make parent resources more accessible through the world's most popular eReader, Amazon's Kindle, as well as through the Kindle application for PCs, Mac, Blackberry and the Apple iPhone and iPad.

25 May 2010

New drug testing technique is safe and effective

A new study from the Swedish medical university Karolinska Institutet presents a new technique that makes drug testing possible through exhaled air for the first time.

21 May 2010

Drug Abuse News and Research

Proportion of substance abuse treatment admissions involving older Americans doubles: SAMHSA

USPTO issues patent covering Probuphine for opiate addiction

Robert Zucker to receive RSA Distinguished Researcher Award

Adolescent boys who attempt suicide more likely to be aggressive toward partners

Consortium formed to improve community disaster readiness and recovery through research programs

Researchers identify 2,630 proteins that reside in human spinal fluid

Dim and demented under the influence of cannabis

Forensic pathologists chronicle phenomenon of doctors who kill

Updated HIV treatment guidelines may benefit individuals infected with HIV: Researchers

Burden of substance abuse casts tragic shadow on the lives of many young people: Report

Amity Foundation awarded $1,000,000 grant to build Dragonfly Village for children and families

Risky alcohol-related traffic behaviors among college students continue to be major public-health concern

More insight into key receptor that influences effectiveness of serotonin-related antidepressants

SAMHSA study reveals daily underage drinking-related visits to hospital emergency departments increase

Patterns consolidate features of older theories, may help diagnosis of psychiatric disorders

SAMHSA awards Knowledge Dissemination Conference Grants to four organizations

Shire announces study results of Vyvanse Capsules CII for treatment of ADHD in adolescents

Experts warn increasing IDUs in eastern, southern Africa could threaten HIV/AIDS fight

Botvin LST Parent Program now available as e-book

New drug testing technique is safe and effective

Achieving and maintaining ISO/IEC 27001 and BS 10012 certifications

Expanding research and clinical options for children with cancer

Examining how pain could play a direct protective role in the gut

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