Drug Abuse News and Research

RSS

UVA Health launches clinical trial to determine if focused ultrasound can help people quit cocaine

Pioneering researchers at UVA Health are testing whether focused sound waves can help people overcome cocaine addiction, a growing problem across the nation.

22 Aug 2023

Marijuana and hallucinogen use, binge drinking reach highest level among adults 35 to 50

Past-year use of marijuana and hallucinogens by adults 35 to 50 years old continued a long-term upward trajectory to reach all-time highs in 2022, according to the Monitoring the Future (MTF) panel study, an annual survey of substance use behaviors and attitudes of adults 19 to 60 years old.

17 Aug 2023

Expert consensus on how to help patients with chronic pain get adequate care and coverage

The pendulum of opioid prescribing for pain has swung sharply in the last decade, as the epidemic of opioid overuse, addiction and overdose led policymakers and health care providers to ratchet back on the prescriptions patients receive.

14 Aug 2023

School-based interventions offer opportunity to promote cardiovascular health in adolescents

Researchers discuss the outcomes of the SI! Program for Secondary Schools trial in adolescence in Spain.

8 Aug 2023

Hepatitis C treatment initiation found to be low among Medicaid recipients

While there are highly effective treatments for the hepatitis C virus (HCV), only 1 in 5 Medicaid enrollees diagnosed with HCV started treatment, according to a retrospective study led by researchers at Weill Cornell Medicine and Cornell University's Ithaca campus.

8 Aug 2023

New antibody shows promise in reversing carfentanil overdoses

An antibody in single-chain fragment variable (scFv) format that binds to the powerful opioid carfentanil was shown to reverse signs of carfentanil overdose in preclinical tests conducted by scientists at Scripps Research.

7 Aug 2023

New gene therapy shows promise in reversing chronic pain

Researchers at NYU College of Dentistry's Pain Research Center have developed a gene therapy that treats chronic pain by indirectly regulating a specific sodium ion channel, according to a new study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

27 Jul 2023

Genes that influence pain perception linked to alcohol use disorders

An estimated 16 million people in the United States have alcohol use disorders (AUDs), according to the National Institutes on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA).

17 Jul 2023

COVID-19 vaccines saved lives of older adults with dementia in long-term care

Deaths among older adults with dementia fell starkly in nursing homes and long-term care centers after COVID-19 vaccinations became available, yet remained high for those living at home, according to a new study led by UC San Francisco.

17 Jul 2023

Prescription stimulants safe for treating ADHD, study finds

Many parents whose kids take prescription stimulants like Ritalin to treat ADHD worry that it could lead to illicit drug use later.

11 Jul 2023

THC use during pregnancy could lead to life-long health impacts for offspring

Oregon Health & Science University researchers showed that consuming THC while pregnant could potentially affect development of the fetus and lead to life-long health impacts for offspring.

6 Jul 2023

New study highlights lack of coverage and access to mental health care

Amid heightened demand for mental health care, a new study finds that nearly two-thirds of Medicare Advantage psychiatrist networks contain less than 25% of all psychiatrists in a given service area.

5 Jul 2023

Regular cannabis users more likely to experience postoperative complications, study finds

People who are regular cannabis users are at an increased risk of experiencing complications before, during, and after surgery, according to a study by researchers with UTHealth Houston published today in JAMA Surgery.

5 Jul 2023

Study reveals how a person remembers experiences of childhood abuse or neglect can impact future emotional disorders

New research from the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience (IoPPN) at King's College London and City University New York, published today (Wednesday 5 July) in JAMA Psychiatry, has found that the way childhood abuse and/or neglect is remembered and processed has a greater impact on later mental health than the experience itself.

5 Jul 2023

Home delivery of alcohol linked to increased alcohol consumption and binge drinking

During the COVID-19 pandemic, many states expanded online alcohol sales and alcohol home delivery laws.

4 Jul 2023

Breaking the myth: opioids provide no advantage for acute back pain, study finds

The first placebo-controlled trial of opioids in acute low back and neck pain.

3 Jul 2023

Race- and gender-specific interventions may be more effective at preventing overdose deaths

Interventions to address stimulant and opioid use that consider race and gender may prove more effective at preventing overdose deaths than current methods, according to a Penn State-led team of researchers who studied how drug treatment admissions and overdose deaths differed among race and gender.

26 Jun 2023

Study reveals wide discrepancies among U.S. states in treating opioid use disorder

Despite a national opioid overdose epidemic supercharged by a surge of illicit fentanyl, new research from Oregon Health & Science University reveals wide discrepancies among U.S. states in effectively treating opioid use disorder among people covered by Medicaid.

23 Jun 2023

Xylazine can exacerbate the life-threatening effects of opioids, rat study shows

A new study in rats suggests that xylazine, the active ingredient in a non-opioid veterinary tranquilizer not approved for human use, can worsen the life-threatening effects of opioids.

21 Jun 2023

Individuals with AUD show psychomotor impairment when challenged with a very high alcohol dose

While heavy drinkers can tolerate a certain amount of alcohol better than light or moderate drinkers, the concept of "holding your liquor" is more nuanced than commonly believed, according to new research from the University of Chicago.

18 Jun 2023

Drug Abuse News and Research

UVA Health launches clinical trial to determine if focused ultrasound can help people quit cocaine

Marijuana and hallucinogen use, binge drinking reach highest level among adults 35 to 50

Expert consensus on how to help patients with chronic pain get adequate care and coverage

School-based interventions offer opportunity to promote cardiovascular health in adolescents

Hepatitis C treatment initiation found to be low among Medicaid recipients

New antibody shows promise in reversing carfentanil overdoses

New gene therapy shows promise in reversing chronic pain

Genes that influence pain perception linked to alcohol use disorders

COVID-19 vaccines saved lives of older adults with dementia in long-term care

Prescription stimulants safe for treating ADHD, study finds

THC use during pregnancy could lead to life-long health impacts for offspring

New study highlights lack of coverage and access to mental health care

Regular cannabis users more likely to experience postoperative complications, study finds

Study reveals how a person remembers experiences of childhood abuse or neglect can impact future emotional disorders

Home delivery of alcohol linked to increased alcohol consumption and binge drinking

Breaking the myth: opioids provide no advantage for acute back pain, study finds

Race- and gender-specific interventions may be more effective at preventing overdose deaths

Study reveals wide discrepancies among U.S. states in treating opioid use disorder

Xylazine can exacerbate the life-threatening effects of opioids, rat study shows

Individuals with AUD show psychomotor impairment when challenged with a very high alcohol dose

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

Latest News