Limiting the number of liquor stores in neighborhoods could reduce the rate of youth homicides in those areas, a new study suggests. A second study found higher rates of violent crimes in neighborhoods where liquor stores allot more than 10 percent of cooler space to single-serve alcohol containers, Science Daily reports.
Results from the annual National Survey on Drug Use and Health, released today, have found marijuana use is on the rise, while methamphetamine use is on the decline
The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) on Wednesday announced it is temporarily banning three synthetic stimulants that are sold as “bath salts.” The ban makes it illegal to possess and sell these chemicals or the products that contain them. The DEA said the action is necessary to protect the public from the imminent hazard posed by these dangerous chemicals.
A lawsuit filed this week challenges Florida’s new law that requires welfare recipients to pass a drug test. The lawsuit was filed by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Florida and a Navy veteran, the Miami Herald reports. The lawsuit asserts the law’s drug-testing requirement represents an unconstitutional search and seizure.
While many states are being forced to pull back on methamphetamine lab cleanups because of federal funding cuts, Indiana has been able to buck the trend. The state has increased the number of meth labs it has found and destroyed by 33 percent in the first half of this year compared with 2008.
From “pharming” to pill parties, teens are abusing prescription drugs in dangerous ways, and can become addicted quickly, warns an adolescent substance abuse specialist at Children’s Hospital Boston.
By Join Together Staff | April 22, 2011
Calling the new fruity alcoholic drink Blast by Colt 45 “binge-in-a-can,” 17 attorneys general are asking the drink’s maker, Pabst Brewing Co., to stop marketing the beverage to underage drinkers and to significantly reduce the number of servings of alcohol in each can.
By Join Together Staff | April 22, 2011
Every state could have a smoking ban in restaurants, bars and workplaces by 2020, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) predicted this week. According to the CDC, the number of state comprehensive indoor smoking bans rose from none in 2000 to 25 by the end of 2010.
By Join Together Staff | April 21, 2011
The Texas Senate this week passed a bill that would give immunity to underage drinkers who are seeking medical help in an emergency. The bill’s sponsor said it is aimed at minors who are afraid to seek help because they do not want to be charged with underage drinking.
By Join Together Staff | April 19, 2011 |
Rapper Snoop Dogg is promoting the new fruit-flavored alcoholic drink, Blast by Colt 45, The New York Times reports.
By Join Together Staff | April 18, 2011
Colleges can now officially be certified “smoke-free” by a health-education organization, The New York Times reports. The nonprofit organization Bacchus Network is granting the status to campuses that successfully provide documentation about their policies and their connections (or lack thereof) to tobacco companies. They must also submit photos of their smoke-free signs around campus.
By Join Together Staff | April 18, 2011
A new study finds that consuming a caffeine-infused energy drink combined with alcohol is more dangerous than drinking alcohol alone. The researchers say the findings suggest it may be appropriate to put warning labels on energy drinks saying they should not be mixed with alcohol, HealthDay reports.
By Join Together Staff | April 14, 2011
A new study suggests that a variation in a gene called GABRA2 increases the risk for alcoholism. HealthDay reports that people with this genetic variation tend to act impulsively when they are under stress, which can lead to problem drinking
By Join Together Staff | April 12, 2011
With prom and graduation season nearing, Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD), in conjunction with other groups, is proclaiming April 21 “PowerTalk21 Day” to encourage parents and teens to talk about alcohol
By Join Together Staff | April 11, 2011
A young adult’s response to alcohol may predict drinking problems later in life, a new study suggests. Researchers at the University of Chicago studied 200 volunteers ages 21 to 35 who were classified as light or heavy drinkers. HealthDay reports that in heavy drinkers, the researchers observed a greater sensitivity to the rewarding and stimulating effects of alcohol. Light drinkers, in contrast, reported more sluggishness and sedation from drinking.
