NIDA to Launch National Drug Facts Week
August 27, 2010
From:
National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA)
Expanding on the success of its online Drug Facts Chat Day, the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) announced it is launching National Drug Facts Week, a new national awareness week designed to bring together teens and scientific experts to discuss the facts about drug abuse. NIDA is a component of the National Institutes of Health in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
Fewer Magazines Exposing Youth to Alcohol
August 20, 2010
Exposure to alcohol ads in magazines among 12-20 year olds fell 48 percent between 2001 and 2008, according to a new report from the Center on Alcohol Marketing and Youth (CAMY) at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. Exposure to adults (over 21) fell 29 percent during the same span.
SAMHSA Report Pinpoints Local Substance Use Problems Throughout U.S.
August 19, 2010
From:
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)
A new report shows that behavioral health problems affect every community throughout America - but in unique, and sometimes surprising ways. The report, based on a nationwide survey commissioned by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), offers detailed analyses of the substance use problems occurring within these smaller geographical areas
Gene May Influence Drinking in Social Settings
July 30, 2010
Do you find yourself drinking more heavily when you are out with friends? There may be a gene for that.
ScienceNews reported July 16 that Dutch researchers found that adults who had the long form of the dopamine D4 receptor gene (DRD4) drank substantially more in social settings than those who had the regular version of the gene. "Carriers of the long gene may be more attuned to, and influenced by, another person's heavy drinking than noncarriers are," said Helle Larsen of Radboud University Nijmegen.
Few Colleges Follow NIAAA Advice to Prevent Student Drinking
July 26, 2010
The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) gave colleges detailed advice on how to prevent student drinking in 2002, but the recommendations have not been widely adopted, according to a new study from the University of Minnesota
Stroke Risk Jumps in Hour After Drinking Alcohol
July 22, 2010
Risk of stroke more than doubles in the hour immediately after consuming alcohol, ABC News reported July 15.
Binge Drinking May Be a Bone Breaker for Teens
July 22, 2010
Teenagers who engage in binge drinking could be upping their risk of developing osteoporosis later in life, a new animal study suggests.
Kansas Volume Pricing Law on Alcohol Delayed
July 22, 2010
Kansas Gov. Mark Parkinson ordered the state's alcohol regulation agency to delay enforcing a decades old -- but largely ignored -- law that requires bars to price drinks according to alcohol content, the Associated Press reported July 16.
Public Smoking Ban Linked to Lower Arizona Hospital Admissions
May 28, 2010
One year out from a statewide public-smoking ban, hospital admissions for asthma, stroke, heart attacks, and angina fell sharply in Arizona, the Arizona Daily Star reported May 20.
Juarez Murders Tied to Success of Border Drug Enforcement
May 28, 2010
Success at inhibiting the flow of drugs from Ciudad Juarez, Mexico to El Paso, Texas, and other U.S. border towns may be fueling turf wars within the Mexican city, the Wall Street Journal reported May 22.
18,000 Fewer Heart Attacks Expected If All States Banned Indoor Smoking
May 26, 2010
Literally thousands of lives could be saved within one year if all states adopted bans on indoor public smoking -- laws still lacking in about a dozen states -- according to
Genes Help Determine Brain Response to Alcohol, Medication, NIAAA Says
May 20, 2010
Alcohol consumption prompts the brain to release the pleasure chemical dopamine, but genes may influence the degree to which the brain responds to drinking and -- by extension -- how effective medications like naltrexone are in treating alcoholism
All Kids Should Be Screened for Alcohol, Pediatricians Say
May 19, 2010
The American Academy of Pediatricians (AAP) has recommended that doctors screen all of their young patients for alcohol use starting in middle school, the Wausau Daily Herald reported May 15.
Kids Don't Recognize Signs of Nicotine Addiction
May 6, 2010
Young, non-daily smokers experience symptoms of nicotine addiction but often fail to make the connection between cigarettes and the signs of growing dependence, a new study finds
Why Do People Become Alcohol-Dependent? Researchers to Probe Brain Receptors
April 23, 2010
A research team at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine is targeting the brain's opiate receptor system in trying to answer the age-old question of why some people can remain social drinkers while others who drink develop serious alcohol problems, the Johns Hopkins University Gazette reported April 19.
Researchers Warn of Candy-Like Tobacco Products' Appeal to Kids
April 23, 2010
A group of public health researchers is urging health authorities to examine whether certain new smokeless tobacco products should be regulated further in order to keep them out of children's hands, Dow Jones Newswires reported April 19
Research Uncovers Link Between Substance Use, Frequent Indoor Tanning
April 22, 2010
New research shows that high levels of substance use among young adults are linked to problematic levels of indoor tanning, perhaps because of a similar addictive process for the two behaviors.
Tobacco Tax Money Not Funding Prevention
April 12, 2010
None of the 14 states (plus the District of Columbia) that raised their tobacco taxes last year dedicated a dime of the resulting revenues to tobacco-prevention programs, Reuters reported April 8.
Submarine Smoking Ban Planned
April 9, 2010
Citing the hazards of secondhand smoke, the U.S. Navy plans to prohibit smoking aboard submarines, AFP reported April 6.
Camel Ads Affect Teen Girls' Cigarette Preferences: Study
March 17, 2010
A new study finds that a marketing campaign for Camel No. 9 cigarettes has a major impact on the brand preference expressed by girls ages 12-16, USA Today reported March 15.
Arterial Damage Reversed When Smokers Quit
March 17, 2010
Smokers get a variety of benefits when they quit, including improved arterial health and better levels of good cholesterol, even though they tend to gain some weight, researchers say.
Australian State Considers Lowering BAC to .02 Percent
March 17, 2010
Drivers in Norway and Sweden caught behind the wheel with a blood-alcohol content (BAC) higher than .02 percent can face drunk-driving charges, and now the Australian state of Queensland is considering a similar standard, the Sunday Mail reported March 14.
Senate Unanimously Approves Bill Banning Cigarette Shipments by Mail
March 16, 2010
The U.S. Postal Service will no longer deliver cigarettes to consumers under a bill approved unanimously by the U.S. Senate last week, the Buffalo News reported March 12.
Indoor Smoking Ban Signed into Law in Kansas
March 15, 2010
A bill banning smoking in indoor public spaces in Kansas has been signed into law by Gov. Mark Parkinson, the Associated Press reported March 12.
Inhalants are Drug of Choice in Early Adolescence, Report Says
March 15, 2010
A new report from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) says that inhalants trail only alcohol among the substances used by 12-year-olds to get high, Reuters reported March 11.
TOPEKA | In a landmark move, the Kansas House passed a statewide public smoking ban Thursday and sent it to Gov. Mark Parkinson.
Psychosis More Common Among Teen Marijuana Users: Study
March 3, 2010
Smoking marijuana as a teenager could raise the risk of developing schizophrenia and psychotic symptoms as a young adult, according to a new study that compared the prevalence of mental illness among marijuana users and non-users.
Colleges Step Up Parental Notification of Alcohol Incidents
February 26, 2010
A growing number of colleges are alerting parents whenever their children under age 21 are involved in alcohol-related incidents at school
DEA Raids Colo. Medical Marijuana Operation Shown on TV
February 17, 2010
A day after a Colorado resident appeared on local TV to talk about his medical-marijuana operation, his home was raided by federal Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) agents, the Denver Post reported Feb. 13.
Ban on 'Synthetic Marijuana' Approved in Kansas
February 4, 2010
The Kansas state House and Senate have voted in favor of a measure that would criminalize possession of a product called K2 or Spice, which some have characterized as a form of synthetic marijuana.
Ecstasy Especially Deadly for Young Users, Study Finds
February 3, 2010
Ecstasy is a stimulant like various classes of amphetamines, but the popular club drug is more likely to kill young and otherwise healthy users, Reuters reported Jan. 29.
Smoking Laws Credited as NYC Life Expectancy Hits Historic High
February 3, 2010
New York City residents now live longer than ever, and experts say that the city's tough laws on smoking deserve some of the credit, the New York Daily News reported Jan. 26.
