Opiate Addiction & Substance Abuse Articles
Bingeing and Boredom
Western states like Wyoming, Montana and North and South Dakota have binge-drinking levels far higher than the national average, and local experts say that boredom plays a huge role in the problem, the New York Times reported Sept. 2.
Binge Drinking: Too Often a Deadly "Game"
In recent national surveys about a third of high school seniors and 42 percent of college students reported at least one occasion of binge drinking within the previous 2 weeks. Alcohol poisoning – a severe and potentially fatal physical reaction to an alcohol overdose – is the most serious consequence of binge drinking.
One in 400 Students Lose Aid Because of Drugs
A law that strips financial aid from students who admit to past drug offenses resulted in one in 400 applicants being denied federal education assistance, according to data from the U.S. Department of Education.
Methamphetamine Remains Number One Drug Problem
According to a new survey released July 18, 2006 by the National Association of Counties (NACo), county law enforcement officials across 44 states reported that methamphetamine remains the number one drug problem in their county.
Cutting Back Doesn't Help Smokers' Health
Even smokers who cut their cigarette consumption in half in a bid to improve their health tend to die early, according to researchers who say that only quitting completely will help smokers live longer.
Moving Out of Drug-Plagued Neighborhoods Helps Girls, Not Boys
A study of families who fled drug- and crime-infested neighborhoods for more stable shores found that the move tended to help the female children but not the boys, the Wall Street Journal reported Dec. 28.
Study Shows Most Treatment Effective Against Alcoholism
A complex study of alcoholism treatment medications and counseling has found that most stand-alone and combined therapies were effective in promoting short-term abstinence, with only the drug acamprosate (Campral) proving to be disappointing.
S.F. Official Wants Police to Ignore Most Marijuana Offenses
Tom Ammiano, a member of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors, has proposed an ordinance calling on police to scale back almost all law enforcement pertaining to marijuana, focusing only on crimes involving minors, driving under the influence, or public sales of the drug, the San Francisco Chronicle reported Sept. 12.
Underage Drinking--Even Bingeing--Now Beginning at Earlier Age
Alcohol is "the No. 1 drug of choice" for teen-agers in the United States. By their senior year in high school, 80% of the nation's teen-agers have tried alcohol, compared with 47% who have experimented with marijuana and 29% who have tried another illegal drug. Just-released study suggests many adults' ambivalance about the danger of alcohol is a major contributing factor.
Study: Harm Reduction Most Effective in Curbing College Drinking
A study analyzing alcohol interventions for college students finds that harm-reduction strategies such as choosing a designated driver and encouraging students to drink less are more effective than urging total abstinence.
