The intersection of substance use with broader public health concerns.
Public Health
Does Plain Packaging Cause a Reduction in the Prevalence of Smoking?
Tobacco is the number one cause of preventable death worldwide. A recently published Cochraine Review has found that standardised, or plain, tobacco packaging could make tobacco products less appealing and, in turn, lead to a reduction in...
'Virado': A New Method of Crack Consumption in Brazil
Crack emerged in the late 1980s in Brazil. This emergence was a critical moment for public health; the growing AIDS epidemic led intravenous cocaine users to migrate toward crack use to avoid the use of injection drugs. At the same time...
Higher Taxes Needed to Lower Smoking Rates in South Asia
New research published in The British Medical Journal supports the need to increase taxes on tobacco products in South Asia, suggesting that doing so could reduce consumption by at least 1/3 and, in turn, avoid around 35 - 45 million...
Global Smoking Rates on Decline Thanks to Demand-Reduction Measures
New research published in The Lancet Public Health suggests that global smoking rates have decreased by 2.5% following the introduction of the global tobacco control treaty. The treaty obligates the 180 countries committed to it to...
New Resources from the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA)
The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) has released a number of new resources. These are aimed at those working within the criminal justice system and other environments where people in recovery from drug addiction are ready to return...
Marijuana Linked to Cardiovascular Problems
Marijuana use may increase the risk of stroke and heart failure. This was concluded to be the case even after accounting for demographic and lifestyle risk factors, as well as other health conditions. The new findings on the potential...
Alcohol Consumption as a Cause of Cancer
Background and aims: There is increasing research evidence about the causal role of alcohol in cancer, accompanied by unclear and conflicting messages in the media. This paper aimed to clarify the strength of the evidence for alcohol as a...
5th International Conference on Novel Psychoactive Substances (NPS)
The 5th International Conference on Novel Psychoactive Substances will be held from 23 to 24 October 2017 at the United Nations in Vienna, Austria.
10th International Conference on Nightlife, Substance Use and Related Health Issues
This event will bring together experts from a wide range of fields to exchange information on the latest research, policy and practice on protecting and promoting health in nightlife settings.