Opioid Addiction Treatment in Jail Could Change Lives

• Robert Preidt
• January 19, 2022
• Full Page

No magic bullet exists for ending the U.S. opioid crisis, but there's hopeful news for one high-risk population: Providing addiction medication in jails reduces the odds of addicts being re-arrested after their release, new research shows.

"Studies like this provide much...

NYC's Overdose Prevention Centers Already Saving Lives

• Robert Preidt
• December 22, 2021
• Full Page

At least 59 overdoses were prevented in the first three weeks that two overdose prevention centers have been open in New York City, the city's health department said Tuesday.

During that time, there were more than 2,000 visits to the centers that are operated by OnPoint ...

Pandemic Saw Big Declines in Kids' Use of Drugs, Alcohol, Vaping

• Robert Preidt
• December 16, 2021
• Full Page

There may be a silver lining to the COVID-19 pandemic, with U.S. health officials reporting an "unprecedented" decline in teens' use of alcohol, marijuana, other illegal drugs and vaping.

"We have never seen such dramatic decreases in drug use among teens in just a one-y...

Wearable Device Spots, Reverses Opioid Overdoses

• Steven Reinberg HealthDay Reporter
• November 24, 2021
• Full Page

A wearable device that could inject a lifesaving antidote for an opioid overdose might be on the horizon.

A new study shows that the device, worn on the stomach like an insulin pump, can detect when someone stops breathing from an overdose and inject the drug naloxone to...

Number of Teens Who Vape Marijuana Doubled in 7 Years

• Dennis Thompson HealthDay Reporter
• October 26, 2021
• Full Page

Teenagers have followed the vaping trend into marijuana use, with recent studies chronicling a boom in pot vaping among adolescents in the United States and Canada, researchers report.

The percentage of teens who've experimented with vaped pot has more than doubled in re...

Scientists Develop Quick Test for Marijuana Use

• Amy Norton HealthDay Reporter
• October 22, 2021
• Full Page

Researchers may be one step closer to developing the equivalent of a Breathalyzer for detecting marijuana use.

In an early study, scientists found that their rapid test was able to reliably detect THC in people's saliva in under 5 minutes. THC, short for tetrahydrocannab...

CDC Reports Record High 12-Month Drug Overdose Death Toll

• Robert Preidt and Robin Foster
• October 14, 2021
• Full Page

Drug overdose deaths in the United States hit a new record for the 12-month period ending March 2021, new government data shows.

A record high 96,779 drug overdose deaths occurred between March 2020 and March 2021, representing a 29.6% rise, new statistics from the U.S....

Stimulants Like Ritalin May Be Gateway Drugs for College Students

• Cara Murez
• October 8, 2021
• Full Page

Use of stimulants among college students was once thought to be a problem among high achievers seeking energy and focus to study.

Not so, according to new research that links misuse of these so-called "study drugs" to binge drinking and marijuana use. The stereotype of s...

How the COVID Pandemic Made the Opioid Epidemic Worse, Even as Telehealth Helped

• Dennis Thompson HealthDay Reporter
• October 1, 2021
• Full Page

The COVID-19 pandemic has shaken up the U.S. opioid crisis in ways bad and good, increasing the risk of use and overdose but also spurring innovative approaches to treatment.

The pandemic has definitely been linked to an increase in opioid use and overdose deaths, Tufts ...

Smoking, Drinking Gateway to Pot, Study Finds

• Steven Reinberg
• September 30, 2021
• Full Page

For those who smoke or drink, it's only a small step to marijuana, researchers report.

"Legal consumption of alcohol and tobacco may directly increase the level of illicit drug use. However, the relationships are complex," said researcher Dr. Zoe Reed. She is a senior re...

DEA Warns of Fentanyl in Counterfeit Opioid Pills

• Cara Murez
• September 29, 2021
• Full Page

People buying pills that look like prescription opioid painkillers or stimulants who are not buying them from a licensed pharmacy may be buying a lethal drug, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration warned this week.

This was the first public safety alert the DEA has is...

U.S. Meth Overdose Deaths Tripled in Recent Years

• Steven Reinberg
• September 23, 2021
• Full Page

Deaths from methamphetamine overdoses in the United States nearly tripled between 2015 and 2019, health officials report in a new study.

While the number of methamphetamine users did not increase as steeply, researchers said frequent use of methamphetamine, and using oth...

Animal Sedative Is Driving Rise in Fatal Drug ODs

• Steven Reinberg HealthDay Reporter
• September 21, 2021
• Full Page

An animal tranquilizer, xylazine, is increasingly linked to drug overdose deaths across the United States, health officials say.

According to a new report from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, xylazine has turned up in overdose deaths in 25 of 38 stat...

Opioid Use Disorder Is as Deadly as Heart Attack: Study

• Steven Reinberg
• September 20, 2021
• Full Page

Hospitalized opioid addicts die at a rate similar to people who have a heart attack after leaving the hospital.

Nearly 8% of patients addicted to opioids died within 12 months of hospital discharge, according to researchers from Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU)....

Half of Adults With ADHD Have Struggled With Alcohol, Drug Use

• Denise Mann HealthDay Reporter
• August 30, 2021
• Full Page

Fully half of all young adults with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) may also battle alcohol or drug abuse.

And folks with ADHD who have a history of depression or anxiety are particularly vulnerable to substance abuse problems, a new study showed.

...

Fatal ODs From Illicit Tranquilizers Jumped 6-Fold During Pandemic

• Dennis Thompson HealthDay Reporter
• August 26, 2021
• Full Page

Overdose deaths linked to illicit "designer" benzodiazepines have surged in the United States, as underground labs crank out new synthetic variations on prescription tranquilizers like Valium, Xanax and Ativan.

Overdose deaths involving illicit benzos increased more than...

Rising Number of U.S. Cardiac Arrests Tied to Opioid Abuse

• Ernie Mundell and Robert Preidt HealthDay Reporters
• August 23, 2021
• Full Page

There's been a sharp rise in opioid-related cardiac arrests in the United States and they now equal those associated with other prime causes, a new study finds.

Of more than 1.4 million cardiac arrest hospitalizations nationwide between 2012 and 2018, more than 43,000 (3...

Hearts From Drug Abusers Can Be Used for Transplants

• Amy Norton HealthDay Reporter
• July 29, 2021
• Full Page

In a finding that could mean more patients desperate for a heart transplant get a new lease on life, two new studies show that hearts from donors who abused drugs can be safely donated.

In the past two decades, the U.S. opioid crisis has taken the lives of hundreds of th...

U.S. Drug Overdose Deaths Jumped Nearly 30% During Pandemic

• Ernie Mundell and Robert Preidt HealthDay Reporters
• July 14, 2021
• Full Page

As America went into lockdown and treatment centers closed their doors, drug overdose deaths in the United States jumped by nearly a third last year, new data show.

The estimated 93,331 drug overdose deaths recorded during 2020 are a sharp increase -- a 29.4% rise -- ov...

Dr. Rahul Gupta to Be Nominated as Next U.S. Drug Czar

• Robert Preidt and Ernie Mundell and Robin Foster
• July 14, 2021
• Full Page

President Joe Biden plans to nominate Dr. Rahul Gupta as the head of the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy.

Gupta led the Biden transition team for that office, was the former health commissioner of West Virginia, and is chief medical and health officer ...

Meth Abuse Drove Huge Surge in Heart Failure Crises in California

• Denise Mann HealthDay Reporter
• July 14, 2021
• Full Page

In a finding that demonstrates methamphetamine's power to destroy the human heart, new research shows hospitalizations for heart failure related to the illicit drug have soared by 585% in California.

"Our study results should bring urgent attention to this insidious, yet...

Autism & Drinking, Drug Abuse Can Be Dangerous Mix

• Denise Mann HealthDay Reporter
• July 8, 2021
• Full Page

Teens and adults with autism may be less likely than others to use drugs and alcohol, but new research finds those who do are nearly nine times more likely to use these substances to mask symptoms, including those related to autism.

This is known as camouflaging, and it ...

Other Health Woes Common When Meth Addiction Strikes

• Robert Preidt
• June 4, 2021
• Full Page

Methamphetamine users are at increased risk for physical and mental health problems as well as other substance use disorders, new research shows.

Meth is an illegal and highly addictive stimulant drug that can harm organs such as the heart, lungs, liver and neurological ...

Rising U.S. Deaths After Users Mix Coke, Meth With an Opioid

• Alan Mozes HealthDay Reporter
• April 2, 2021
• Full Page

Overdose deaths resulting from a dangerous combination of cocaine and opioids are outpacing fatalities linked to cocaine abuse alone, a new U.S. government report warns.

"Much of the increase in the rate of drug overdose deaths involving cocaine in recent years is due to...

People Are Buying Illegal Opioids on the Dark Web

• Robert Preidt
• April 2, 2021
• Full Page

Illegal drug sales on the dark web are common, hard to detect and are fueling America's opioid epidemic, a University of Texas study reveals.

Opioids include prescription painkillers (such as oxycodone) and illegal drugs (such as heroin and fentanyl).

"People are s...

When Pot Use Starts in Teens, Drug Addiction More Likely: Study

• Robert Preidt
• March 30, 2021
• Full Page

Teens who try marijuana or other drugs are at greater risk of developing a drug addiction than those who wait a few years before experimenting with drugs, a new study finds.

"Though not everyone who uses a drug will develop addiction, adolescents may develop addiction to...

Could Opioid Crisis Mean More Strokes for Americans?

• Amy Norton HealthDay Reporter
• March 11, 2021
• Full Page

One Ohio medical center has seen a sharp rise in heart infections and strokes related to IV drug abuse -- pointing to one more consequence of the U.S. opioid epidemic, researchers say.

In a preliminary study, the researchers found that between 2014 and 2018, their hospit...

Anabolic Steroids Could Do Long-Term Harm to Testicles: Study

• Alan Mozes HealthDay Reporter
• March 10, 2021
• Full Page

Men who use anabolic steroids may be doing serious damage to their testicular function, new research warns.

And the damage may last long after they stop.

Illegal use of the drugs is not uncommon among athletes seeking to increase muscle size and strength and look m...

Drugged Driving a Growing Threat on America's Roads

• Cara Murez
• February 4, 2021
• Full Page

Combining drugs with driving is a potentially deadly but all too common combination in the United States, according to a new report.

University of Cincinnati (UC) researchers found that almost 9% of adults reported driving under the influence of alcohol. Marijuana use ...

In Philadelphia, an Animal Tranquilizer Is Driving Deadly Rise in Opioid ODs

• Alan Mozes HealthDay Reporter
• February 3, 2021
• Full Page

Philadelphia is seeing a surge in overdose fatalities involving heroin and/or fentanyl plus an animal tranquilizer not approved for human use, according to a new study.

The tranquilizer -- called xylazine -- is a non-opioid sedative and painkiller approved by the U.S. Fo...

CBD Won't Help Addicts Kick the Coke Habit: Study

• Robert Preidt
• February 2, 2021
• Full Page

Cannabidiol (CBD) products are seemingly everywhere these days, but they won't help cure a cocaine addiction, a Canadian study finds.

CBD, a chemical in the cannabis plant, has long been touted as a treatment for cocaine addiction. But researchers at the University of Mo...

Meth Overdose Deaths Are Surging in America, With Minorities Most at Risk

• Steven Reinberg
• January 22, 2021
• Full Page

Deaths from overdoses of methamphetamine are rising across the United States, especially among Blacks and American Indians/Alaska Natives, a new study warns.

"While much attention is focused on the opioid crisis, a methamphetamine crisis has been quietly, but actively, g...

U.S. Drug Overdose Deaths Reach Record Highs

• Robin Foster
• December 17, 2020
• Full Page

The number of U.S. drug overdose deaths reached a record high as the coronavirus pandemic held the country in its grip last spring, new government data shows.

For the 12 months ending in May, more than 81,000 people died from an overdose. That is the highest number ever ...

Yes, Pot Is Stronger Now Than in Decades Past, Study Finds

• Robert Preidt
• November 20, 2020
• Full Page

Marijuana packs a lot more punch than it did 50 years ago, making it a greater threat to health, researchers say.

"As the strength of cannabis has increased, so too has the number of people entering treatment for cannabis use problems," said study co-author Tom Freeman, ...

Overdose Deaths From Cocaine Rising Dramatically

• Steven Reinberg
• October 7, 2020
• Full Page

While opioids were grabbing the headlines, cocaine overdose deaths in the United States have marched upward, nearly tripling over five years, a new government report shows.

After a period of stability, cocaine-induced deaths rose by about 27% per year, on averag...

Booze, Drug Use Common at Virtual Parties During Pandemic

• Robert Preidt
• August 31, 2020
• Full Page

Drug use is common among people taking part in virtual raves and happy hours during the coronavirus pandemic, a new study finds.

"We explored whether stay-at-home orders changed how people use drugs -- and it appears that drug use during virtual gatherings is somewha...

Marijuana Withdrawal Is Real, Study Shows

• Dennis Thompson
• April 10, 2020
• Full Page

It's widely believed that marijuana is not addictive, but a major new evidence review suggests that's not true.

Not only can people suffer withdrawal symptoms when they quit pot, but nearly half of those who regularly or heavily use marijuana will go through withdraw...

Meth Use, Addiction on the Rise Among Americans: CDC

• Steven Reinberg
• March 26, 2020
• Full Page

Methamphetamine use is soaring again, with nearly one million Americans hooked on it, according to federal health officials.

Between 2015 and 2018, about 53% of the 1.6 million meth users were addicted to it and slightly more than 22% said they injected the ...

Opioid Withdrawal Raises Health Risks for Injection Drug Users: Study

• Robert Preidt
• March 23, 2020
• Full Page

Having opioid withdrawal symptoms increases the odds that injection drug users will share needles or have a non-fatal overdose, new research suggests.

For the study, the researchers questioned more than 800 injection drug users in San Francisco and Los Angeles. Eight...

Opioid OD Deaths Fall Despite Growing Use of Synthetic Drugs: CDC

• Robert Preidt
• March 19, 2020
• Full Page

Overall, opioid-related deaths in the United States fell 2% between 2017 and 2018, according to newly released data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The CDC said deaths involving prescription opioids were down 13.5%, while heroin-rela...

U.S. Kids Waiting a Little Longer to Try Alcohol, Drugs

• Steven Reinberg
• March 2, 2020
• Full Page

It's never good news that kids are using drugs and alcohol, but fewer U.S. teens are starting before their 16th birthday, a new study finds.

Researchers found that between 2004 and 2017, the age at which teens started drinking alcohol and smoking rose from 16 to 17 ...

Use of Club Drug 'Special K' Could Be Underreported

• Robert Preidt
• February 13, 2020
• Full Page

Ketamine use among electronic dance music party-goers is much higher than previously thought. And unintentional use appears to play a role, a new study finds.

Ketamine is known as Special K on the party scene. The operating room anesthetic was approved by the U.S. Fo...

U.S. Heroin Use Nearly Doubled Over Two Decades

• Serena Gordon
• February 11, 2020
• Full Page

Nearly twice as many people in the United States used heroin in 2018 as did in 2002, a new government study shows.

"I think the rise in heroin use is probably precipitated by prescription opioid abuse. People tend to move from prescription opioids to heroin because ...

What's the Best Way to Administer the Opioid OD Antidote?

• Robert Preidt
• February 10, 2020
• Full Page

In the midst of a U.S. epidemic of opioid abuse, knowing how to quickly administer the anti-overdose drug naloxone could save a life.

Now, research finds that delivering naloxone via nasal spray could be the quickest and easiest of three methods of administration.

Psychedelics May Boost Mood Even After Their High Wears Off

• Steven Reinberg
• January 24, 2020
• Full Page

Psychedelic drugs like LSD and psilocybin -- also known as "magic mushrooms" -- can elevate mood and make one feel close to others, and those feelings may last after the high is gone, new research shows.

The findings, from more than 1,200 art and music festival-goer...

Opioid Addiction Med Under-Used in Younger People, Study Finds

• Robert Preidt
• January 22, 2020
• Full Page

Treatment with the opioid addiction drug buprenorphine is on the rise among most age groups in the United States, but falling among 15- to 24-year-olds, a new study finds.

"While it's encouraging to see an overall increase in prescription rates for buprenorphine, the...

U.S. Drug Deaths Might Be Twice as High as Thought

• Robert Preidt
• January 15, 2020
• Full Page

Drugs may kill twice as many Americans as government records suggest, a new study claims.

In 2016, the reported rate of drug-related deaths among 15- to 64-year-olds was 9% -- compared with about 4% several years earlier -- with 63,000 deaths classified as dr...

Opioid-Meth Habit Particularly Hard to Break

• Robert Preidt
• December 31, 2019
• Full Page

Opioid addiction is tough enough to beat, but new research shows that having an accompanying methamphetamine habit may make quitting far more difficult.

For the study, researchers looked at 799 people receiving opioid addiction treatment at three sites in Washington ...