Addiction Blog

CASA or The National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University, has sent out a little teaser of the survey results they will fully explain on August 16, 2007. According to the report, Chairman Joseph A. Califano, Jr will explain the in-depth survey of over 1,000 teens and over 500 parents nationwide that…

Finland has had the reputation of host a large percentage of binge drinkers as part of it Scandinavian culture. A recent study of a new drug has set out to curb the cravings in that country, however. Finnish researchers have found that the drug nalmefene caused a definite reduction in drinking among those who took…

Just out of drug and alcohol rehab, Lindsay Lohan was arrested early this morning for DUI and possession of cocaine. Lohan was booked for driving with a suspended license as well as driving under the influence with a blood-alcohol level measuring .12 and .08 as the legal limit for intoxication. Lohan was also booked on…

Over the past couple of years, the link between childhood ADD and ADHD and addiction later in life has been well documented. But, the research has also caused some confusion among parents who have resisted medicating their children for these disorders for fear that this will lead to a chemical dependency problem later. What some…

As if the allure for cocaine isn’t bad enough, now illicit drug makers have taken the phrase “nose candy” literally and flavored cocaine like real candy. According to the Sacramento Bee in Northern California, six people were recently arrested with three pounds of cocaine flavored to taste like strawberries and coconuts. According to DEA officials,…

TBS TV show Tyler Perry’s House of Payne first aired a couple of weeks ago to record ratings for the network. But, what has gotten some people riled up is that the main characters have made some cracks about crack cocaine, accompanied by laugh track that many have found offensive. With over 5 million viewers…

An article on the Health24 site talks about parenting tips to help prevent drug addiction in their children as they grow older. Many drug addicts have been predestined to drug abuse since childhood, so there are techniques parents can use to help prevent problems later. Label behavior instead of the identity of children is one tip.…

Lindsay Lohan, 20-year-old actress and star of “Georgia Rule,” “Bobby” and “Mean Girls” has reported checked into the Malibu Promises Rehab Center for treatment of drug and alcohol related issues. Lohan was arrested this past Saturday in Beverly Hills, California for driving under the influence. The police report also specified that a drug believed to…

Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada hosts North America’s only safe injection site and research about its InSite facility has show positive results. According to researchers, the InSite facility has reduced the spread of HIV and crime in the area. Not only that ,but the safe injection site has also shown a 30-percent increase in drug addicts…

What if fictive thoughts were to play a role in addiction asks researchers at Baylor College of Medicine. Fictive thoughts, or fictive learning uses “what if” scenarios on subjects to see “what might have been” and their emotional responses to these questions and fictional situations. The study used MRI technology to detect changes in the…

As if traditional meth labs aren’t bad enough, where criminals cook a combination of over-the-counter and acquired hazardous materials to feed the addicts’ need, now these same criminals are evading police in mobile meth labs. When meth labs are housed in a home or apartment, there is the inherent danger of explosion from chemical reactions…

Last week the American Society for Addiction Medicine (ASAM) held their 38h Annual Medical-Scientific Conference in Miami, Florida. The focus on the conference was to present the most current research, development and treatment available in the field of addiction. The conference was open to physicians, nurses, counselors, psychologists and students in the field of addiction.…

Home Box Office (HBO) has teamed up with the Open Student Television Network (OSTN) to bring the documentary Addiction to students on their TV’s and computers. The public service initiative will be free to students nationwide on over 4,500 campuses. HBO’s Addiction features a 90-minute full-length documentary featuring industry experts, case studies and the real…

California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger is threatening to cut $25 million from drug rehab programs sponsored by Proposition 36, which was approved by voters in 2000. Supporters of Proposition 36 have filed a lawsuit against Schwarzenegger’s attempt to enact tougher penalties for those who do not complete rehab, including more jail time. Governor Schwarzenegger has threatened…

Utah’s Governor Jon Huntsman Jr. has proposed increased funding for drug courts and rehabilitation services for those addicted to methamphetamines. Acknowledging the state’s growing meth addiction problem the governor has particularly noted women as the key at-risk group. Because methamphetamines are “uppers” they deliver increased energy and weight loss, which is appealing to some women…

Remember the public service announcement from 1987, where the TV guy would show an egg and say “This is your brain” and then crack the egg into the frying pan and say “This is your brain on drugs. Any questions?” This is one of many slogans against drugs that have been played before the public…

The American Association for the Treatment of Opioid Dependence, Inc. (AATOD) has generated a five-year plan to treat those addicted to opioids. The major components to the five-year plan include supporting the treatment system, improving financial support, supporting patient advocacy, working with the criminal justice system, workforce development and organizing opioid treatment programs (OTPs) within…

A recent UK study has concluded that addictions to alcohol or tobacco are just as dangerous to a person’s health as addictions to illegal substances including heroine, cocaine, marijuana and ecstasy. The study does not advocate for any kinds of legal or illegal drugs, but rather puts alcohol and tobacco on par with other drugs…

Illegal drug use in both Germany and Russia have hit new heights according to different reporting agencies. In Germany, according to the National Treatment Agency, people receiving treatment for cannabis abuse has risen to 22,500 in the current year. In the prior year, 13,400 sought treatment, indicating an increase of 60-percent from last year to…

Representative Patrick Kennedy (D – Rhode Island) has admitted to an Oxycontin addiction, which he sought treatment for after an auto accident outside the U. S. Capitol building last year that made national headlines. Kennedy checked himself into the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota in May 2006 after the crash for “addiction to painkillers”. At that…