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The Blackfeet nation’s plight underscores the fentanyl crisis on reservations

As the pandemic was setting in during summer 2020, Justin Lee Littledog called his mom to tell her he was moving from Texas back home to the Blackfeet Indian Reservation in Montana with his girlfriend, stepson, and son.

25 May 2022

The new MADD movement: Parents rise up against drug deaths

Life as he knew it ended for Matt Capelouto two days before Christmas in 2019, when he found his 20-year-old daughter, Alexandra, dead in her childhood bedroom in Temecula, California. Rage overtook grief when authorities ruled her death an accident.

23 May 2022

Novel brain-permeable Cdk5 inhibitor alters neurobehavior in mice

James Bibb, Ph.D., and colleagues have described a novel preclinical drug that could have the potential to combat depression, brain injury and diseases that impair cognition. The drug, which notably is brain-permeable, acts to inhibit the kinase enzyme Cdk5.

20 May 2022

Treating pediatric psychiatric disorders with psychotropic drugs reduces later substance use disorder risk

One half of psychiatric and substance use disorders start by the age of 18; three-quarters by age 24. While these are concerning statistics, a new study from Massachusetts General Hospital finds that treating psychiatric disorders with psychotropic medications in children and adolescents does not increase the risk of developing substance use, misuse, or substance use disorder (SUD).

19 May 2022

New app aims to provide vital support to people battling opioid-use disorder

With opioid-overdose deaths reaching an all-time high during the COVID-19 pandemic, a new app developed at UVA Health is helping people struggling with opioids get the care they need.

19 May 2022

New initiative found to be effective in supporting the mental health of young adult esports players

A first-of-its-kind mental health initiative developed by Kaiser Permanente and esports organization Cloud9 has been found to be an effective way of supporting the mental health of young adult esports players and fans, according to a new study published today in NEJM Catalyst.

18 May 2022

Global study analyzes the prevalence of vaping among young people

In a study published in Addiction that analyzed 2015–2018 information from 47 countries, approximately 1 in 12, or 8.6%, of adolescents reported vaping in the past 30 days.

16 May 2022

Repeated DNA sequences in the genome may contribute to schizophrenia risk

Researchers at The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) and Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) have found that repeated DNA sequences in the genome may contribute to an individual's risk of developing schizophrenia.

12 May 2022

Tobacco tax may be associated with higher e-cigarette use among young people

Globally, most adolescents who experiment with vaping don't develop an addiction, but the way tobacco products were taxed may be linked with higher e-cigarette use among young people, according to new University of Queensland research.

12 May 2022

Understanding caregivers' attitudes toward post-operative opioid use in pediatric patients

Routine head and neck procedures, such as removal of tonsils and adenoids and the placement of ear tubes, may cause moderate to severe pain in pediatric patients.

11 May 2022

New online resource helps healthcare professionals to address alcohol-related problems

A new online resource will help healthcare professionals and practices improve care for people whose alcohol consumption may be impacting their health.

11 May 2022

Effective anti-vaping advertisements can have the greatest impact on teens

Effective anti-vaping advertisements geared to teens have the greatest impact when they emphasize the adverse consequences and harms of vaping e-cigarettes, use negative imagery, and avoid memes, hashtags and other "teen-centric" communication styles, according to a first-of-its-kind study by researchers at UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center.

10 May 2022

Lifesaving drug for opioid use disorder underutilized

Researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis and Saint Louis University found that less than half of Americans who received treatment for opioid use disorder over a five-year period were offered a potentially lifesaving medication.

10 May 2022

Rigaku Announces Narcotics Interdiction Partnership Program to Help Reduce Deaths by Overdose

Rigaku Analytical Devices, a U.S.-based pioneer of handheld 1064 nm-Raman based spectrometers, is pleased to announce its new Human Infrastructure Health & Awareness (HIHA) Technology Narcotics Identification Partnership Program.

From Rigaku Analytical Devices 10 May 2022

National addiction treatment locator has outdated data and other critical flaws

At a psychiatric hospital in Michigan, Dr. Cara Poland's patients were handed a sheet of paper to find follow-up care. The hospital had entered local ZIP codes on a website — run by the nation's top substance use and mental health agency — and printed the resulting list of providers for patients to call.

9 May 2022

Discovery could lead to new treatments to minimize cravings in people with addictions

For some people with alcohol use disorder, it might be the sight of a familiar bar or a favorite bottle; for others, it might be the feeling of leaving the office after a stressful day at work or stepping into a crowded party. Most people who struggle with drug or alcohol addiction have particular cues that set off their cravings.

4 May 2022

Study finds brain circuit controlling drug withdrawal-induced anxiety and reinstatement

New research from the University of California, Irvine, finds that drug withdrawal-induced anxiety and reinstatement of drug seeking behaviors are controlled by a single pathway in the brain and centered around dopamine cells.

4 May 2022

University of Arizona, Oklahoma State University join forces to combat opioid crisis and chronic pain

Robert C. Robbins, MD, president of the University of Arizona, and Kayse Shrum, DO, president of Oklahoma State University, today announced the two institutions’ academic medical centers have joined forces to combat the opioid crisis and chronic pain through research, treatment and education.

30 Apr 2022

LA mayoral hopefuls agree addressing homelessness is crucial but disagree on how

As encampments multiply from Echo Park to Venice, homelessness has been the top issue in the L.A. mayoral race. And although Angelenos express broad support for building more housing for the homeless, the contenders say that can be only part of the solution.

29 Apr 2022

Researchers discover molecular mechanisms underlying extreme need for amino acids in neuroblastoma

Certain childhood tumors have an extreme need for amino acids. Scientists at the Hopp Children's Cancer Center Heidelberg (KiTZ), the German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), the University of Heidelberg, and HI-STEM gGmbH have now discovered the molecular mechanisms underlying this and how the cancer cells could be turned off.

28 Apr 2022