Feature Channels: Drugs and Drug Abuse

Filters close
Released: 20-Aug-2020 11:25 AM EDT
IUPUI study looks at prevention strategy for substance use disorder
Indiana University

A recent study from IUPUI found risk factors for substance use disorder affect age groups differently and proposes a primary prevention strategy for substance use disorder that is individualized for people within defined age groups.

   
11-Aug-2020 8:00 AM EDT
American Chemical Society Fall 2020 Virtual Meeting Press Conference Schedule
American Chemical Society (ACS)

Watch live and recorded press conferences at https://www.acs.org/content/acs/en/pressroom/news-room/press-conferences.html. Press conferences will be held Monday, Aug. 17 through Thursday, Aug. 20, 2020

   
Released: 18-Aug-2020 3:05 PM EDT
COVID poses hardships for people with substance abuse problems
University of Michigan

Both fatal and nonfatal overdoses have increased this year compared to last, according to a recent report by the Overdose Data Mapping Application Program. And, anecdotal information suggests that compared to last year, people in recovery are relapsing at alarming rates. Faculty from the University of Michigan School of Nursing's Center for the Study of Drugs, Alcohol, Smoking and Health discuss why the pandemic has hit people with substance abuse problems especially hard and the expanded role of virtual recovery programs.

16-Aug-2020 8:55 AM EDT
Live Press Conference: Negative side effects of opioids could be coming from users’ own immune systems (video)
American Chemical Society (ACS)

A press conference on this topic will be held Tuesday, Aug. 17, at 9 a.m. Eastern time online at www.acs.org/fall2020pressconferences.

14-Aug-2020 1:35 PM EDT
Patients taking long-term opioids produce antibodies against the drugs
University of Wisconsin–Madison

University of Wisconsin–Madison scientists have discovered that a majority of back-pain patients they tested who were taking opioid painkillers produced anti-opioid antibodies. These antibodies may contribute to some of the negative side effects of long-term opioid use.

11-Aug-2020 8:00 AM EDT
Negative side effects of opioids could be coming from users’ own immune systems (video)
American Chemical Society (ACS)

Opioid users can develop chronic inflammation and heightened pain sensitivity. These side effects might stem from the body’s own immune system, which can make antibodies against the drugs. The researchers will present their results at the American Chemical Society Fall 2020 Virtual Meeting & Expo.

13-Aug-2020 10:25 AM EDT
Patients’ Access to Opioid Treatment Cumbersome
Vanderbilt University Medical Center

The “secret shopper” study used trained actors attempting to get into treatment with an addiction provider in 10 U.S. states. The results, with more than 10,000 unique patients, revealed numerous challenges in scheduling a first-time appointment to receive medications for opioid use disorder, including finding a provider who takes insurance rather than cash.

Released: 11-Aug-2020 12:15 PM EDT
Economists conclude opioid crisis responsible for millions of children living apart from parents
University of Notre Dame

Affiliates with Notre Dame’s Wilson Sheehan Lab for Economic Opportunities found that greater exposure to the opioid crisis increases the chance that a child’s mother or father is absent from the household and increases the likelihood that he or she lives in a household headed by a grandparent.

Released: 10-Aug-2020 4:05 PM EDT
Young adults' risks from first-time opioid prescriptions may not be as high as previously thought
Indiana University

Young adults and adolescents who are prescribed opioids for the first time may be at a slightly greater risk of developing a substance-related problem later in life, according to a new study co-authored by Indiana University researchers. However, the risk may not be as high as previously thought.

4-Aug-2020 5:00 AM EDT
Sanford Burnham Prebys awarded $4.5 million NIH grant for mental illness therapeutics
Sanford Burnham Prebys

Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute has been awarded a $4.5 million grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to identify new therapies for mental health disorders. The research will be headed by Layton Smith, Ph.D., and Michael Jackson, Ph.D., of the Institute’s Conrad Prebys Center for Chemical Genomics. The funding supports the discovery of new classes of drugs that target “orphan” receptors to treat psychological conditions such as schizophrenia, depression, anxiety and substance abuse.

Released: 5-Aug-2020 8:55 AM EDT
Study Suggests Drug Overdose Linked to PTSD
Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health

Drug overdoses are psychologically traumatic events that can lead to symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), according to a study focused on female sex workers in Baltimore City led by researchers at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.

Released: 20-Jul-2020 3:05 PM EDT
Legal marijuana may be slowing reductions in teen marijuana use, study says
University of Washington

A longitudinal study of more than 230 teens and young adults in Washington state finds that teens may be more likely to use marijuana following legalization – with the proliferation of stores and increasing adult use of the drug -- than they otherwise would have been.

Released: 20-Jul-2020 8:45 AM EDT
Traditional PTSD Therapy Doesn't Trigger Drug Relapse
Johns Hopkins Medicine

Johns Hopkins researchers have demonstrated that behavior therapy that exposes people to memories of their trauma doesn’t cause relapses of opioid or other drug use, and that PTSD severity and emotional problems have decreased after the first therapy session.

Released: 16-Jul-2020 9:35 AM EDT
Tufts awards seed funding for work in prevention and treatment of opioid addiction
Tufts University

Tufts awards seed funding to 8 projects that seek to address the complex individual & community challenges wrought by the opioid epidemic. The inaugural awards of the Tufts Initiative on Substance Use and Addiction demonstrate a multidisciplinary drive to address this pressing public health crisis.

Released: 24-Jun-2020 11:25 AM EDT
Linking Hospital and Other Records Can Predict Both Fatal and Nonfatal Opioid Overdoses, Study Suggests
Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health

A new study by researchers at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health found that the odds of a fatal opioid overdose were 1.5 times higher for individuals with one to two visits to the emergency department for any medical issue than for people with no hospital visits.

Released: 18-Jun-2020 11:00 AM EDT
Research News Tip Sheet: Story Ideas from Johns Hopkins Medicine
Johns Hopkins Medicine

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Johns Hopkins Medicine Media Relations is focused on disseminating current, accurate and useful information to the public via the media. As part of that effort, we are distributing our “COVID-19 Tip Sheet: Story Ideas from Johns Hopkins” every Tuesday throughout the duration of the outbreak.

Released: 16-Jun-2020 4:15 PM EDT
Roth Leads $26.9 Million Project to Create Better Psychiatric Medications
University of North Carolina School of Medicine

Funded by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, a team of internationally acclaimed researchers led by UNC School of Medicine’s Bryan L. Roth, MD, PhD, aims to create new medications to effectively and rapidly treat depression, anxiety, and substance abuse without major side effects.

10-Jun-2020 2:30 PM EDT
Delta Opioid Receptor Identified as Promising Therapeutic Target for Inflammatory Pain Relief
New York University

Delta opioid receptors have a built-in mechanism for pain relief and can be precisely targeted with drug-delivering nanoparticles—making them a promising target for treating chronic inflammatory pain with fewer side effects, according to a new study from an international team of researchers. The study, published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), was conducted using cells from humans and mice with inflammatory bowel disease, which can cause chronic pain.

Released: 15-Jun-2020 8:25 AM EDT
Researchers flush out worrying trend of designer drug use
University of South Australia

In a sign that designer drugs are becoming more prevalent in Australia, synthetic cathinones – commonly known as ‘bath salts’ – have been detected in the nation’s wastewater in the largest study of its kind in the country.

11-Jun-2020 7:05 AM EDT
Fentanyl Tops List of Drugs Found in Baltimore Overdose Patients
University of Maryland Medical Center

Fentanyl is not typically part of hospital tests for illicit drug use, however, a new University of Maryland study found after expanding testing that fentanyl, linked to most fatal overdoses in Maryland, tops the list of drugs detected in overdose patients at two Baltimore hospital ERs. The researchers suggest addition of fentanyl to routine drug tests.

Released: 8-Jun-2020 11:00 AM EDT
Study Shows Opioid, Sedative and Antidepressant Use Pre-Surgery Leads to Worse Outcomes
University of Kentucky

A study led by University of Kentucky Markey Cancer Center researchers showed that patients who already used opioids, sedatives or antidepressants prior to colorectal surgery experience significantly more complications post-surgery.

Released: 2-Jun-2020 12:20 PM EDT
Tulane social work professor awarded grant to reduce substance abuse and violence among Native American families
Tulane University

The $2.7 million grant from the National Institutes of Health will enable researchers to identify interventions that will lead to a healthier, more resilient Native American community.

26-May-2020 1:40 PM EDT
Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual Older Adults at Higher Risk for Substance Use
New York University

Middle-aged and older adults who identify as lesbian, gay, or bisexual have higher rates of using certain substances in the past year than those who identify as heterosexual, according to a new study led by researchers at NYU Grossman School of Medicine and the Center for Drug Use and HIV/HCV Research (CDUHR) at NYU School of Global Public Health.

Released: 28-May-2020 3:50 PM EDT
Users of high-potency cannabis four times more likely to report associated problems
University of Bristol

Users of high-potency cannabis are four times more likely to report associated problems, and twice as likely to report anxiety disorder, than users of lower-potency strains, according to new research from the University of Bristol.

22-May-2020 12:05 PM EDT
Follow-up Treatments After Opioid Overdose Rare Among Insured Patients
Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania

Of nearly 6,500 commercially insured patients treated in EDs nationwide for an overdose or other opioid-related medical complications, only 16 percent accessed opioid use disorder (OUD) medications or another form of treatment within three months of the ED visit.

Released: 26-May-2020 4:05 PM EDT
Helping Law Enforcement Solve and Prevent Chemical-Related Violence
Homeland Security's Science And Technology Directorate

S&T-developed Chemical Agents Reactions Database can help federal, state and local agencies check if chemicals found in illegal labs can make illicit drugs, poisons or warfare agents.

Released: 20-May-2020 9:00 AM EDT
Opioid prescribing rates on 14-year decline in pediatric orthopaedic injuries, decreased by more than 50%
American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS)

Prevention efforts to combat the opioid crisis by limiting early exposure are working in the pediatric population, according to a study released as part of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons’ (AAOS) Virtual Education Experience. The study found that between 2004 and 2017 opioid prescription rates decreased from 60% to 27.8%, a 52% drop, in pediatric patients between 10-18 years old who sought care for a minor fracture or dislocation in an acute care setting. However, patients in the South and Midwest were more frequently prescribed opioids, pointing to a need for further preventative measures.

Released: 14-May-2020 10:25 AM EDT
HEALing Communities Strategy Fast-Tracked Due to COVID-19
University of Kentucky

When Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear announced the early release of some Kentucky inmates due to COVID-19 concerns, the team behind the HEALing Communities Study worked quickly to fast-track one of the evidence-based practices for preventing opioid deaths that was due to launch later this year: the distribution of naloxone to individuals at highest risk for overdose, particularly those being released from local jails.

Released: 13-May-2020 1:45 PM EDT
Job skills training leads to long-term reduction in drug abuse
Ohio State University

Job skills training for low-income youth does more than just help them get better jobs – it makes them significantly less likely than others to use some illicit drugs, even 16 years later.

11-May-2020 10:50 AM EDT
Researchers to track impact of lockdown on alcohol, gambling and pornography use
University of Cambridge

Is the lockdown leading us to drink more alcohol or spend more time gambling online or watching pornography? Researchers today launch a survey aimed at tracking how our habits have changed in response to our forced isolation.

   
Released: 11-May-2020 11:35 AM EDT
Planting seeds for a safe and healthy society
West Virginia University - Eberly College of Arts and Sciences

A new West Virginia University research collaborative is working to address the many challenging conditions facing the state and Appalachia.

Released: 6-May-2020 11:55 AM EDT
Grant will fund pilot program to expand opioid use disorder treatment in Alabama
University of Alabama at Birmingham

UAB is launching a pilot program aimed at getting more opioid users into treatment, using telemedicine in three rural counties and emploing the Alabama One Health Record®, a statewide health information exchange, to track outcomes in these patients.

Released: 5-May-2020 2:45 PM EDT
Financial Incentives Boost Doctor Training in Opioid Treatment Medication
Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania

Offering $750 to emergency medicine physicians exponentially increased those trained to prescribe buprenorphine.

30-Apr-2020 4:15 PM EDT
Drug Overdose Epidemic is Transmitted from Old to Young, Study Shows
Health Sciences at the University of Pittsburgh

The generation a person was born into – Silent Generation, Baby Boomer, Generation X or Millennial – strongly predicts how likely they are to die from a drug overdose, and at what age. Within each generation, there was a steady march toward greater overdose risk at younger ages.

Released: 30-Apr-2020 8:00 AM EDT
Research News Tip Sheet: Story Ideas From Johns Hopkins
Johns Hopkins Medicine

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Johns Hopkins Medicine Media Relations is focused on disseminating current, accurate and useful information to the public via the media. As part of that effort, we are distributing our “COVID-19 Tip Sheet: Story Ideas from Johns Hopkins” every Tuesday throughout the duration of the outbreak.

Released: 29-Apr-2020 12:20 PM EDT
Nearly One-Third of Primary Care Providers Do Not View Medication Treatment for Opioid Use Disorder as Effective
Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health

A new survey of U.S. primary care physicians from researchers at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health found that nearly one-third, 32.9 percent, do not think treating opioid use disorder with medication is any more effective than treatment without medication.

Released: 28-Apr-2020 5:35 PM EDT
Researchers launch confidential helpline, 833-EMS-INTX, for Texas first responders to find help for substance use disorder
University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston

First responders in Texas can now call a confidential helpline to seek treatment for substance use and mental health disorders through a new clinical research program at The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth). The Heroes Helpline comes at a time when first responders are serving on the front lines of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Released: 28-Apr-2020 11:20 AM EDT
Study Reveals Pharmacy-level Barriers to Treatment for Opioid Use Disorder in Appalachian Kentucky
University of Kentucky

A new study led by University of Kentucky researcher April Young and Emory University researcher Hannah Cooper shows that a number of pharmacies in the Appalachian region of Kentucky are limiting the dispensing of buprenorphine, a medication used to treat opioid use disorder (OUD).

Released: 27-Apr-2020 9:00 AM EDT
Less Addictive Form of Buprenorphine May Help Curb Cocaine Relapse
Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology (FASEB)

New research performed in mice suggests that chemical modifications to buprenorphine can improve its effectiveness to treat cocaine addiction while minimizing abuse potential.

Released: 22-Apr-2020 3:05 PM EDT
New study could lead to therapeutic interventions to treat cocaine addiction
University of California, Irvine

A new study explains how cocaine modifies functions in the brain revealing a potential target for therapies aimed at treating cocaine addiction. The study was published this week in Cell Reports.

Released: 21-Apr-2020 12:50 PM EDT
COVID-19 Tip Sheet: Story Ideas From Johns Hopkins
Johns Hopkins Medicine

For more information about coronavirus disease (COVID-19) from Johns Hopkins Medicine, visit hopkinsmedicine.org/coronavirus. For information on coronavirus disease (COVID-19) from around the Johns Hopkins enterprise, including from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and The Johns Hopkins University, visit coronavirus.jhu.edu.

Released: 21-Apr-2020 10:15 AM EDT
How Tweets May Influence Substance Abuse in Youth
University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing

Substance use by youth remains a significant public health concern. While social media provides youth the opportunity to discuss and display substance use-related beliefs and behaviors, little is known about how posting drug-related content, or viewing posted content influences the beliefs and behaviors of youth relative to substance use.

Released: 20-Apr-2020 11:45 AM EDT
Rutgers Expert Discusses How to Manage Chronic Pain, Opioid Addiction During COVID-19
Rutgers University-New Brunswick

Many people trying to manage their pain and addiction have lost their support programs due to COVID-19. A Rutgers expert in Emergency Medicine discusses how patients can manage the disease during the coronavirus crisis.

   
Released: 20-Apr-2020 8:00 AM EDT
Extra Payments Motivate Sobriety and Employment among People Recovering from Addiction
Johns Hopkins Medicine

After a yearlong study of people with opioid dependence, Johns Hopkins Medicine researchers report evidence that adding $8 an hour to their paychecks may help those in recovery stay drug free longer, as well as encourage them to get and hold regular jobs.

Released: 16-Apr-2020 12:45 PM EDT
New York Nightlife Venues Recruited in Effort to Prevent Overdoses Due to Fentanyl
Wolters Kluwer Health: Lippincott

Bars and nightclubs are a promising site for efforts to increase awareness of the risk of opioid overdose due to fentanyl-laced cocaine, suggests a study in the Journal of Public Health Management and Practice (JPHMP). The journal is published in the Lippincott portfolio by Wolters Kluwer.

13-Apr-2020 5:20 PM EDT
Prescribing an overdose: A chapter in the opioid epidemic
Mayo Clinic

Research indicates that widespread opioid overprescribing contributed to the opioid epidemic. New research shows that this dangerous trend has apparently been coupled with another: inappropriate use of high-potency opioids.

10-Apr-2020 2:10 PM EDT
Large Study Highlights Impact of Drinking in Pregnancy in Four US Communities
Research Society on Alcoholism

The consequences of prenatal alcohol exposure have been highlighted by three new reports on fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD) in a virtual issue of the journal Alcoholism: Clinical & Experimental Research. FASD is the umbrella term for the continuum of effects caused by prenatal drinking, encompassing the most severe form, fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS), and less severe forms including partial fetal alcohol syndrome (pFAS) and alcohol-related neurodevelopmental disorder (ARND). Children with FAS have poor growth, atypical facial features, and central nervous system problems, and all three conditions require evidence of neurobehavioral impairment for diagnosis.

     


close
1.71754