Heroin News and Research

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Heroin is a very addictive chemical called diacetylmorphine. Heroin is a modified form of morphine, a highly abundant opium derived from the seedpods of the poppy plant.

L'Albufera Natural Park's irrigation channels contain cocaine, ecstasy

The water in the canals and irrigation channels in the L'Albufera Natural Park in Valencia contain cocaine, ecstasy and a further six drugs. This has been confirmed by a study carried out by researchers from the University of Valencia (UV), who have issued a warning about the continued presence of these substances on wildlife and human health.

24 Sep 2010

LSUHSC hosts international scientific conference on drug abuse research and politics

Topics ranging from the future of addiction research and treatment to the binational implications of Mexico's decriminalization of drugs will be presented at the 10th Annual International Conference of the National Hispanic Science Network (NHSN) on Drug Abuse September 30 - October 2, 2010 at The Westin New Orleans Canal Place.

23 Sep 2010

Titan completes enrollment in Probuphine Phase 3 study for opioid addiction

Titan Pharmaceuticals, Inc. today announced that patient enrollment is now complete in the confirmatory, Phase 3 clinical study of Probuphine for the treatment of opioid addiction. This placebo and active controlled Phase 3 study is being conducted at 20 sites in the United States and the results are expected in the second quarter of 2011, about three months ahead of the original schedule.

22 Sep 2010

PNNL, 59th Medical Wing collaborate to improve drug tests for illicit usage

A new collaboration between the Department of Energy's Pacific Northwest National Laboratory and the Air Force's 59th Medical Wing hopes to improve on drug tests for illicit drug use and abuse. Not only are the researchers looking for a better indicator of current or past use, but they'd like to be able to identify people prone to abusing drugs in the first place.

18 Sep 2010

FDA Advisory Committee recommends approval of Alkermes' VIVITROL for opioid dependence

Alkermes, Inc. today announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Psychopharmacologic Drugs Advisory Committee voted 12 to 1 that VIVITROL® (naltrexone for extended-release injectable suspension) should be approved for the treatment of opioid dependence.

17 Sep 2010

Kings Cross drug injection center to become permanent fixture

After running for quite some time amidst intense debates, the New South Wales Government has announced plans to make the medically-supervised drug injecting centre at Kings Cross a permanent fixture. This unit has been functioning since 2001 and was still looking for permanency. A latest review of this trial center showed that it has successfully managed more than 3,000 overdoses and helped 12,000 drug users.

15 Sep 2010

Alice Cepeda receives National Award of Excellence in Research for Hispanic drug abuse research

The National Hispanic Science Network on Drug Abuse awarded the National Award of Excellence in Research by a New Investigator to Alice Cepeda, sociology professor and associate director of the Center for Drug and Social Policy Research, Graduate College of Social Work, University of Houston. Cepeda will be honored Sept. 30 at the organization's annual conference in New Orleans.

14 Sep 2010

Illegal drug usage in older people reduces quality of life: Research

Health and social services are facing a new challenge, as many illicit drug users get older and face chronic health problems and a reduced quality of life. That is one of the key findings of research published in the September issue of the Journal of Advanced Nursing.

9 Sep 2010

UCLA psychologist explains measure to overcome drug addiction

Millions of Americans suffer from severe addictions that can ruin lives and are extremely difficult to control. Nearly 2 million enter roughly 12,000 addiction treatment programs in the U.S. each year.

9 Sep 2010

Methylphenidate facilitates recovery from drug addiction

A brain-scanning study at the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Brookhaven National Laboratory, conducted with collaborators from Stony Brook University, reveals that an oral dose of methylphenidate, commonly known as Ritalin, improves impaired brain function and enhances cognitive performance in people who are addicted to cocaine.

7 Sep 2010

World becoming numb to HIV/AIDS: UNAIDS executive director

HIV infection is on the rise but there is potential to control the upsurge of infections with effective measures only if there are adequate funds. According to UNAIDS executive director Michel Sidibe the world has become numb to the fact that 7,400 people are being infected with AIDS every day and funds to combat it are not pouring in as they should. Since 2001, the number of newly infected people has fallen by 17 per cent a year - but there are still 2.7 million new cases each year.

1 Sep 2010

Obama administration touts federal efforts to combat health care fraud

The Los Angeles Times: Obama administration officials at a meeting in Los Angeles Thursday touted their efforts to crack down on health care fraud, "saying quickly expanding criminal enterprises are costing taxpayers billions of dollars each year. ... Atty. Gen. Eric H. Holder Jr. and Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius said their agencies were jointly targeting fraud in the federal Medicare and Medicaid programs.

27 Aug 2010

Prescription opioids can be gate way to illicit drug addiction: Study

Thirty-one of 75 patients hospitalized for opioid detoxification told University at Buffalo physicians they first got hooked on drugs legitimately prescribed for pain. Another 24 began with a friend's left-over prescription pills or pilfered from a parent's medicine cabinet. The remaining 20 patients said they got hooked on street drugs.

21 Aug 2010

‘Decriminalize’ but not ‘Legalize’ drug abuse says Australian Sex party

Professor Paul Wilson, an Australian criminologist revealed that illegal drug use in Australia costs the nation $3.8 billion every year. Australian Sex Party however claims personal drug use should be decriminalized and drug abusers sent for rehabilitation instead of imprisonment.

10 Aug 2010

Study: Drug control efforts have caused a drop in methamphetamine treatment admissions in Mexico

A study published today in the scientific journal Addiction shows that the Mexican government's recent efforts to control the manufacture of methamphetamine have caused a drop in methamphetamine treatment admissions in Mexico and in neighbouring Texas.

6 Aug 2010

Titan completes 60% enrollment in confirmatory Phase 3 clinical study of Probuphine for opioid addiction

Titan Pharmaceuticals, Inc. today announced that patient enrollment is more than 60% complete in the confirmatory Phase 3 clinical study of Probuphine for the treatment of opioid addiction, and the study is expected to complete enrollment by early fourth quarter of this year, which is almost three months ahead of schedule.

3 Aug 2010

Study shows cigarette cravings result from habit, not addiction

Nicotine patches and gum are common ― and often ineffective ― ways of fighting cigarette cravings, as most smokers have discovered. Now a new study from Tel Aviv University shows why they're ineffective, and may provide the basis for more successful psychologically-based smoking cessation programs.

14 Jul 2010

U.N. report released ahead of International AIDS Conference: HIV prevalence drops among young Africans

The number of new HIV infections among young people in Africa is falling in most of the "25 countries hardest hit by the virus," according to a report released Tuesday by UNAIDS, the Associated Press reports (Cheng, 7/13).

14 Jul 2010

Deaths from heroin overdoses in Chicago's Cook County fall 16%: Study

A new study by Roosevelt University's Illinois Consortium on Drug Policy shows deaths from heroin overdoses in Chicago's Cook County fell 16 percent during the last decade, but the Chicago metropolitan region still ranks among the worst in the nation for heroin use. Kimberly Dennis, M.D., eating disorder specialist at Chicago's Timberline Knolls Residential Treatment Center, sees the use of heroin regularly from women and girls she treats and knows the importance of awareness and seeking help to overcome this addiction.

12 Jul 2010

Article related to MN-166 mechanism of action included in PNAS USA

MediciNova Inc, a biopharmaceutical company publicly traded on the NASDAQ Global Market and the Hercules Market of the Osaka Securities Exchange (Code Number:4875), today reported that the June 22, 2010 issue of Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences USA included an article related to the mechanism of action of MN-166 (ibudilast), as an emerging therapeutic for neurological disorders.

8 Jul 2010