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Treatment
Applying interventions designed to reduce and manage the symptoms of substance use disorders.
Infographic: Drugged Driving
Driving under the influence of any drug that acts on the brain can impair one's motor skills, reaction time, and judgment, making drugged driving a serious public health and safety concern.
The National Institute on Drug Abuse have...
Field Guide to Drug Demand Reduction Program Development, 3rd ed.
The Field Guide to Drug Demand Reduction (DDR) Program Development is an annual publication by the U.S. Department of State primarily for its Embassy personnel abroad to guide in the development of substance use prevention and treatment...
The Importance of Social Interaction in Preventing Addictive Behaviour
Negative social interactions and isolation have been linked with heightened risk of drug self-administration and relapse, whereas positive social interactions can act as a protective factor against substance abuse.

Recent research...
Effectiveness Bank Analysis: Think More Than Twice Before Detoxifying from Methadone
Think more than twice before detoxifying from methadone was the message of a study based on the unusually detailed records kept by the Canadian province of British Columbia. It established what seemed the best way to taper from methadone...
Smoking Cessation and Weight Concern

The World Health Organisation has estimated that tobacco use (smoking and smokeless) is currently responsible for the death of about six million people globally each year, with many of these deaths occurring prematurely.
Deciding and...
Effectiveness Bank Course on Drug Treatment Research
COURSE ON DRUG TREATMENT RESEARCH REACHES ITS CONCLUSION
This instalment ends the 2018 refresh of the Drug Treatment Matrix, reminding you of the issues addressed in its five rows (listed below) intersected by five columns stepping up in...
Examining the Links between Adolescent Brain Development, Mental Illness and Substance Use Disorder
Adolescence is a time where young people go through dramatic changes in body and behaviour. It is an age where young people are most likely to take risks, partake in reward-seeking activities and experience the first symptoms of mental ill...
Dying for a Drink
Scottish Health Action on Alcohol Problems (SHAAP) has published its latest report, ‘Dying for a drink’.
Scottish people tend to consume more alcohol than people in England and Wales. Alcohol is a harmful substance and, consumed in excess...
Preventing Overdose Deaths in Europe
There were over 9000 fatal overdoses in Europe in 2016. Tackling this concerning issues remains a key priority for public health policy.
The European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drugs Addiction has published their latest perspective...
Inactivation of HCV and HIV by Microwave: A Novel Approach for Prevention of Virus Transmission among People who Inject Drugs
Abstract
Hepatitis C virus (HCV) and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV-1) transmissions among people who inject drugs (PWID) continue to pose a challenging global health problem. Here, we aimed to analyse a universally applicable...
Mindfulness, Cravings and Alcohol Demand

Young adults between the ages of 18 and 24 who are in college are more likely, compared to their non-college peers, to drink to excess. College drinking remains a significant public health concern with consequences including poorer...
Sex Differences in Cannabis Use
Cannabis remains the most commonly used illicit drug worldwide and, with the rise of decriminalisation and legalization of marijuana for medical and recreational use, it is expected this will increase even further. There are, however...
Risk Factors for Discontinuation of Treatment for Opioid Use Disorders
Opioid Use Disorder (OUD), and the associated risk of overdose and death, is becoming one of the most prevalent threats to health and social wellbeing in the United States. Medication, such as buprenorphine, is the gold standard treatment...
Report on the State of Public Health in Canada 2018: Preventing Problematic Substance Use in Youth
The Public Health Agency of Canada has released its latest report on the state of public health, with a spotlight on the prevention of problematic substance use among youth.
Results from the analysis found that almost 80% of Canadians aged...
The Mechanism Behind Alcohol Addiction

Alcohol is known to affect a region in our brain called the Ventral Tegmental Area (VTA), otherwise known as the “pleasure centre”. By activating specific neurones that then go on to release the neurochemical dopamine within this...
Making the Opioid Use Disorder Cascade of Care a Reality, Despite Data Limitations
This blog post by ICUDDR Executive Director, Kim Johnson, discusses a method for measuring national outcomes of efforts to reduce the number of overdose deaths in the United States.
World Health Organization SAFER Alcohol Control Initiative
The WHO Global Status Report on Alcohol and Health claims that alcohol consumption contributes to more than 3 million deaths globally every year and is the seventh leading risk factor for premature death and disability.
The World Health...
Gene Therapy for Cocaine Addiction
Cocaine addiction is linked with uncontrollable drug seeking. Cues within the environment act as a constant reminder of the experience and can lead to relapse. Current medication options are limited when it comes to meeting the needs for...
Substance Use and Adolescent Cognitive Development
Both alcohol and cannabis misuse is linked with impaired mental functioning. Understanding the impact of substance use is particularly important when studying the developing brain.
A recent piece of research, published in the American...
Educational Packages for Opioid Use Disorders
The Addiction Technology Transfer Center Network has released a set of educational packages that can be used by professionals working with individuals with opioid disorders.
Online booklets, which have been specially designed for peer...
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