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Public Health
The intersection of substance use with broader public health concerns.
Maltreatment and Marijuana Use
Is the maltreatment of children linked with marijuana use later in life? Are behavioural problems and tobacco and alcohol consumption during adolescence associated with smoking marijuana?
These are questions that an Australian study...
Suicide and Substance Abuse
New research has found a significant link between suicide risk and simultaneous cocaine and alcohol consumption.
The study examined the drug-taking habits of 874 participants hospitalised for displaying suicidal tendencies, ranging from...
Are Personality-Targeted Prevention Initiatives Successful?
Research has found that one’s personality is a useful predictor of drug and alcohol abuse. One notable programme that approaches substance prevention by focusing on personal characteristics is PreVenture. PreVenture has already been shown...
Returning from Rehab: What Are The Challenges of Re-Integration?
Residential ‘in-patient’ treatment for substance abuse – more commonly known as ‘rehab’ - is the favoured option among those wanting to recover from addiction.
The rate of relapse within the first year following being discharged, however...
Are People Smoking Less and Less?
According to new findings published in the journal Tobacco Control, more than 53 million people in 88 countries have stopped smoking between 2008 – 2014 because of tobacco control measures.
Statistically, this means that during the 4-year...
EMCDDA Updates on Best Practice
A new European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA) Best Practice report will be published in early 2017. It will take an in-depth look at substance use prevention in Europe.
The report's stated aim is "not to rate...
OxyContin Goes Global — “We’re Only Just Getting Started”
The LA Times investigates the expansion of pharmaceutical companies internationally which are trying to sell highly addictive OxyContin, an opioid medications, and are utilizing entertainers and sports figures to enter markets around the...
New Online Resource on E-Cigarettes
The National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse (CASA) has recently launched an engaging online resource on e-cigarettes. The free resource aims to offer parents and caregivers easily accessible information about e-cigarettes and other...
'Big data' on American Youth
Last week the National Institutes of Health (NIH) released the results of the annual Monitoring the Future Survey.
Which European City Consumes the Most Cocaine?
A new study suggests that Londoners consume the most cocaine during the week. However, it was also found that, when weekends were taken into account, the Belgian city of Antwerp overtook the UK’s capital for cocaine consumption. The results...
Purple Drank: The New Drug of Choice for French Teenagers?
A news item currently trending in the French press concerns the alarming increase in consumption amongst French teenagers of a drink most commonly known as ‘purple drank’, but also referred to as ‘lean’ or ‘sizzurp’. Le Monde first reported...
Opium Addiction Destroying Families
We are in the middle of the first quarter of the 21st century. It is a technologically advanced era, in which people across the world, and within a country are trying to excel in their lives, exploring new opportunities and trying to build...
Smoking in Films: Adolescents and Unregulated Exposure
In its latest Smoke-Free Movies Report, the World Health Organisation (WHO) advised governments that films featuring tobacco use ought to be classified for their adult content. Published in the journal Tobacco Control, a new study supports...
Do Cognitive Processes Influence Nicotine Addiction?
A new study suggests that the way in which the human brain responds to nicotine depends on what a smoker believes about the drug’s content in a cigarette. The investigation found that smoking a cigarette that contains nicotine, but thinking...
Alcohol Use Disorders: Resilience and Risk Behaviour
New research suggests that certain personality traits, such as having a lack of restraint or being impulsive, increase the likelihood of developing alcohol use disorders. On the flip side, the study found that people with high resilience...
Scotland and New Psychoactive Substances
A collaborative research project geared towards understanding the patterns of use, motives and harms of New Psychoactive Substances (NPS) - commonly referred to as ‘Legal Highs’ - in Scotland has recently published its findings. Amongst the...
Social Media, Sport and Alcohol Advertising
A new study published in the Drug and Alcohol Review examines the social media presence of alcohol brands that sponsor spectator sports in Australia. It highlights the way in which these brands use sport and social media in their...
Report: Mixing Alcohol with Energy Drinks
VicHealth has released a report summarising a recent investigation into Australia’s consumption of alcohol mixed with energy drinks and its harmful consequences.
The key findings include:
- Young people in metropolitan areas drink alcohol...
Sweet Flavoured Tobacco Products May Influence Adolescent Smoking Habits
Younger people consider flavoured variations of tobacco products, for example, cigarettes and e-cigarettes less harmful and more appealing, according to a recent study conducted by researchers at the University of North Carolina Lineberger...
Energy Drinks and Alcohol…Cocaine
A new study carried out by researchers at Purdue University, and subsequently published in the journal PLOS ONE, has found that mixing alcohol with energy drinks may affect the adolescent brain in much the same way as does taking cocaine...