The latest report on the global tobacco epidemic from the World Health Organization (WHO) is now available to download.
Among its key findings is that around 4.7 billion people (63% of the world’s population) are now covered by at least...
Drug-related deaths are rising and are a major concern to councils and our health partners. Deaths have increased sharply over the past five years and are now at their highest levels since records began.
Any death related to the misuse...
Studies on contraceptive use by patients with substance use disorders (SUD) show a concerning low use of contraception. Mainly conducted in USA, they could be irrelevant to patients attending European SUD treatment...
This Health Research Board document reviews evidence on the effectiveness of interventions in the areas of prevention, harm reduction and long-term recovery from addiction to illegal drugs.
It asks which interventions are effective for:
...
New psychoactive substances (NPS), sometimes referred to as ‘legal highs’, are new drugs that have received much media attention of late.
A new study published in Public Health Research reviewed existing research into NPS with the view...
Latest research suggests that the impairment of the lateral habenula (LB) – the region of the brain known to register negative experiences – can contribute to the development of drug addiction.
The study, conducted on laboratory rats by...
Much the result of a poor understanding of how to treat chronic pain, the United States has in recent years been rocked by an unprecedented drug crisis: The opioid epidemic.
Opioids include drugs derived from opium, such as heroin, as...
A new report on alcohol-related deaths amongst heavy drinkers in Edinburgh and Glasgow has been released by SHAAP based on research funded by Alcohol Research UK and the Chief Scientist Office (Scotland). The project explored the effects of...
There is no more important document for doctors treating problem drug use in the UK than the so-called ‘Orange guidelines’. This major update will substantially inform judgements of what constitutes acceptable medical practice - should...
A new study recently published in the academic journal Addiction suggests that substance use treatment programmes that incorporate 12-step practices, such as that used by Alcoholics Anonymous (AA), are more effective for combatting...
Illegal drug use trends among 16- to 59-year-olds in England and Wales are examined in a new UK Home Office release based on the findings from the 2016 – 2017 Crime Survey for England and Wales (CSEW).
The survey used a representative...
A new study published in the Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (JAACAP) suggests there to be a correlation between childhood psychiatric disorders and an increased risk of developing addiction in adulthood.
...Multidimensional family therapy addresses:
A new Consensus Document from the American Society of Addiction Medicine (ASAM) appears in the new edition of the Journal of Addiction Medicine.
The document provides practical, evidence-based recommendations regarding the use of drug...
The developmental stage from adolescence to adult is often associated with a greater vulnerability to addictions than at any other point during the human life cycle.
Suggested reasons for this include:
Objectives: Smoking is associated with adverse health outcomes among drug users, including those in treatment. To date, however, there has been little evidence about smoking patterns among people receiving opioid-dependence...
E-cigarettes are less addictive than traditional cigarettes, according to a new study published in the journal Preventative Medicine.
That said, around 75% of e-cigarette smokers still consider themselves to be dependent on their use.
...Over the last few decades, the United States has entered a new phase in its cannabis control policies.
As of November 2016, 28 US states and Washington, D.C. had legalised cannabis use for medicinal purposes.
Eight of these and...
OBJECTIVES: Previous research has found that adolescent athletes may be at increased risk of non-medical prescription opioid use (NPOU) due to injuries. Although adolescent athletes are at an increased risk of engaging in NPOU...
