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U.N. Paints Bleak Picture of Indigent Addicts' Life Poor drug addicts around the world face a host of problems from stigma and imprisonment to lack of treatment, according to the head of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC). Colleges Confront Misuse of Prescription Drugs Misuse of prescription drugs is a growing problem on college campuses, where the drugs are used recreationally as well as to aid in studying. Charlie Sheen's Latest Treatment Stay Termed 'Prehab' Many people with addictions can't access rehabilitation services, but if you're a celebrity like Charlie Sheen you can get treatment even if you don't currently have a drinking or drug problem. Lawsuit Filed Over L.A. Medical Marijuana Ordinance A new law regulating medical-marijuana dispensaries in Los Angeles is being challenged by activists who say the rules are too onerous. Washington Bill Makes Medical Marijuana More Available Physicians' assistants, nurse practitioners and naturopathic physicians would join doctors in being able to prescribe marijuana for medical use under a bill that's close to becoming law in Washington state. Impairment in 'Cocaine Babies' More Likely Driven by Environment, Study Says Children exposed in-utero to cocaine often have lower IQs and do poorly in school and with language, but a new research review concludes that these impairments can usually be traced to the troubled environment the children of cocaine users live in and not directly to the effects of the drug itself. Father Joseph C. Martin Award for Professional Excellence Nominations are now being accepted for the Father Joseph C. Martin Award for Professional Excellence, which honors professionals in the addiction treatment field who embody Father Martin's philosophy and life's work. Few Drug Users Get AIDS Prevention Help, Global Report Says Only a fraction of the world's injection-drug users receive education or other assistance in preventing contraction or spreading of the AIDS virus, according to a new study that says government health officials often overlook a key vector for the disease. Marijuana Cases Continue in Denver Despite Voter Directive Marijuana arrests and prosecutions continued virtually unabated in Denver despite passage of a voter initiative calling for police to make such cases their lowest priority. Psychosis More Common Among Teen Marijuana Users: Study Smoking marijuana as a teenager could raise the risk of developing schizophrenia and psychotic symptoms as a young adult, according to a new study that compared the prevalence of mental illness among marijuana users and non-users. Updates from ACTION Campaign II NIATx announces opportunities to learn about treatment improvement strategies, participate in free webinars, and share your story for a chance to win a free trip to their upcoming conference. New Survey Again Raises Alarm About Teen Drug Use, Attitudes A new report finds that more kids say they are using alcohol and other drugs, but many parents are unable or unwilling to deal with the issue -- a bad combination when declining support for prevention and cultural apathy about the issue leave parents as the last and sometimes only line of defense against adolescent drug use. U.S. and Mexico Pledge to Cut Drug Demand The governments of Mexico and the United States have signed a pledge to cut demand for illicit drugs by stepped up treatment and prevention efforts. Moral Judgment Still Plays a Role in Prescribing Pain Meds Few doctors still believe that pain is God's will and that treating it could be a sin, but morality and legality still play a major role in prescribing pain medication. U.N. Report Slams Drug Decriminalization in Latin America Recent moves to decriminalize possession of small amounts of marijuana and other drugs in Latin American nations could "undermine national and international efforts to combat the abuse of and illicit trafficking in narcotic drugs," according to the annual report of the International Narcotics Control Board (INCB). Study: Friends, Relatives Biggest Source of Opiate Painkillers A startling 97 percent of individuals who misused painkillers like Vicodin and OxyContin said that they got the drug from a friend or relative with a prescription. Study: Blacks Drink Less, But More Likely to Use Illicit Drugs African-Americans are less likely to drink alcohol than other adults -- and have lower rates of binge drinking -- but their rate of illicit-drug use is higher, according to a new report. Drug Reformers Look to Baby Boomers for Support Growing numbers of older Americans are using illicit drugs, and groups seeking to reform U.S. drug policies see aging Baby Boomers as potent allies. N.M. House Votes to Allow Judges to Send Offenders to Treatment, Not Jail A sentencing-reform bill aimed at drug offenders has passed the New Mexico House of Representatives after initially being rejected. Colo. Sentencing Reform Bill Has Bipartisan Support A bill that would cut sentences for drug offenses and put more money into addiction treatment programs has support from both sides of the aisle in the Colorado statehouse. Brief Intervention for Hospitalized Patients with Problematic Prescription Drug Use: No Long-Lasting Effects This randomized controlled trial tested whether a brief intervention (BI) involving two sessions of motivational interviewing could reduce problematic prescription drug (PD) misuse among inpatients at a university hospital. Welfare Applicants, Lawmakers Face Drug Tests Under Mo. Bill Individuals seeking public assistance or seeking to serve the public would be required to submit to drug tests under a measure approved by the Missouri House of Representatives. Marijuana School Attracts Thousands of Students California-based Oaksterdam University's classes on growing and marketing marijuana have attracted nearly 7,000 students and have a waiting list with hundreds of more potential enrollees. Olympics Puts Spotlight on Vancouver's Liberal Drug Policies The Olympic host city of Vancouver has adopted a series of liberal drug policies that are on full display to any visitors who venture into the Downtown Eastside neighborhood, less than a mile from the waterfront epicenter of the 2010 Winter Olympics. Panel Recommends Amending Federal Privacy Law to Help Integrate Addiction Treatment Records A new proposal to amend a landmark federal privacy law is butting up against resistance from recovery advocates and others, as the addiction treatment and recovery community struggles to strike a balance between the need for integration with mainstream medicine and privacy concerns about the use of electronic medical records.

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Medical News Today

U.N. Official Addresses Increasing Drug Addiction In Developing Countries
Wed, 10 Mar 2010 03:00:00 PST

The U.N. Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) on Monday warned of an impending "health disaster facing developing countries if wealthy nations fail to control drugs," Agence France-Presse reports...
Violent Crime 'Race Gap' Narrows, But Persists In U.S.
Tue, 09 Mar 2010 05:00:00 PST

The U.S. 'race gap' in the commission of violent crime has narrowed substantially, yet persists - with murder arrest rates for African Americans still out-distancing those for whites - concludes a new 80-city study by the University of Maryland, Florida State University and the University of Oregon...
The Speed At Which Nicotine Peaks In The Brain
Tue, 09 Mar 2010 03:00:00 PST

Nicotine takes much longer than previously thought to reach peak levels in the brains of cigarette smokers, according to new research conducted at Duke University Medical Center. Traditionally, scientists thought nicotine inhaled in a puff of cigarette smoke took a mere seven seconds to be taken up by the brain, and that each puff produced a spike of nicotine...
Acura Pharmaceuticals And King Pharmaceuticals Announce Positive Top Line Results Of A Clinical Study Assessing Relative Abuse Potential
Tue, 09 Mar 2010 03:00:00 PST

Acura Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ: ACUR) and King Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NYSE: KG) today announced top-line results from Study AP-ADF-114 ("Study 114") titled "A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo- and Active-Controlled Study to Assess the Relative Abuse Potential of Acurox® (oxycodone HCl and niacin) Tablets in Non-Dependent Recreational Opioid Users...
Light To Moderate Drinking Linked To Less Weight Gain In Middle Aged Women
Tue, 09 Mar 2010 02:00:00 PST

A new study from the US found that normal weight women in their 40s and older who drank a light to moderate amount of alcohol gained less weight and had a lower risk of becoming obese and overweight compared to their non-drinking counterparts...