One in Ten Teens Using “Study Drugs,” but Parents Aren't Paying Attention

Just one in 100 parents believe their kids have used prescription stimulants to boost grades, according to new U-M National Poll on Children’s Health.

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Lowering DWI Limit Could Save Lives, Says UB Research Professor

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Report Reveals Special Challenges of Pregnant Teens in Substance Abuse Treatment

A new report shows that among the approximately 57,000 teenage female (ages 12 to 19) substance abuse treatment admissions each year, about 2,000 (4 percent) involve pregnant teens. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s (SAMHSA) report finds that these pregnant teen admissions tend to face greater challenges than other female teen admissions in a number of key areas such as financial and educational status.

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Preclinical Study Shows Heroin Vaccine Blocks Relapse

Scientists at The Scripps Research Institute (TSRI) have reported successful preclinical tests of a new vaccine against heroin. The vaccine targets heroin and its psychoactive breakdown products in the bloodstream, preventing them from reaching the brain.

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Sharp Rise in Emergency Department Visits Involving the Sleep Medication Zolpidem

A new report shows that the number of emergency department visits involving adverse reactions to the sleep medication zolpidem rose nearly 220 percent from 6,111 visits in 2005 to 19,487 visits in 2010. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) report also finds that in 2010 patients aged 45 or older represented about three-quarters (74 percent) of all emergency department visits involving adverse reactions to zolpidem.

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Women Who Drink Before Pregnancy Less Likely To Take Multivitamins

Researchers from the University of California, San Diego Department of Pediatrics and Rady Children's Hospital-San Diego, a research affiliate of UC San Diego School of Medicine, have found a link between multivitamin use and alcohol consumption before pregnancy, uncovering a need for education about the importance of vitamin supplementation, particularly among women who drink alcohol during their childbearing years.

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PROSPER Prevention Programs Dramatically Cut Substance Abuse Among Teens

Young adults reduce their overall prescription drug misuse up to 65 percent if they are part of a community-based prevention effort while still in middle school, according to researchers at Iowa State University.

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After 40 Years of Failed Rockefeller Drug Laws, New Report Identifies Comprehensive, Evidence -Based Solutions to New York State's Drug Problem

On Tuesday, April 23, 2013, The New York Academy of Medicine and the Drug Policy Institute will host a teleconference to release a comprehensive new report, Blueprint for a Public Health and Safety Approach to Drug Policy. The report coincides with the 40th anniversary of New York’s harsh Rockefeller Drug Laws, which became the national model for the war on drugs. The report includes numerous recommendations that outline how New York can lead the nation out of the failed drug war by implementing a public and safety approach to drug policy.

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Beer's Taste Without Alcohol Effect Releases Dopamine

The taste of beer, without any effect from alcohol itself, can trigger dopamine release in the brain, which is associated with drinking and other drugs of abuse, Indiana University School of Medicine researchers reported.

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Alcohol and Mental Health Problems a Costly Combo for ICU Patients

People admitted to a hospital ICU with alcohol withdrawal were more likely to be readmitted or die within a year if they had a co-existing mental health condition, finds a recent study in Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research.

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