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Busch DWI Puts Spotlight on NASCAR Alcohol Sponsors
NASCAR has tried to balance its decision to accept sponsorships from the liquor industry with "responsible drinking" messages, but still faced questions about the deals after a prominent race-car driver was arrested for an alcohol-related offense.
'Bad Elf' Gets Green Light
Connecticut officials have approved the sale of Seriously Bad Elf beer in the state despite concerns that the name and packaging might appeal to children.
U.K. Emergency Visits Tied to Drugs
Seven percent of the 800 emergency-room visits tracked at a big-city hospital in one week were related to illicit drug use.
S.F. Issues Rules on Medical Marijuana Dispensaries
New medical-marijuana rules approved by the San Francisco Board of Supervisors limits how much marijuana a patient can buy and allows for resident input on the location of drug dispensaries.
Youth Drinking Worse in Europe than U.S., Study Says
European teenagers drink more alcohol more often than their American counterparts, and get drunk more frequently, as well, according to researchers from the PIRE Prevention Research Center.
NYC Begins Distributing Naloxone to Treat Overdoses
The New York City health department has provided about $200,000 to the Harm Reduction Coalition to distribute the opiate antidote naloxone (Narcan) to needle-exchange visitors.
Self-Medication the Norm for Some Young Adults
A growing number of young Americans are self-medicating with various prescription drugs, whether or not the drugs were actually prescribed to them.
Fans See Stadium Alcohol Problems Getting Worse
Some longtime football fans have turned in their season tickets because alcohol-fueled profanity and violence have worsened.
Court Weighs Constitutionality of Tough Marijuana Sentence
A 55-year mandatory sentence imposed on a first-time offender who sold marijuana to undercover officers should be declared unconstitutional, lawyers for 26-year-old Weldon Angelos say.
Study: Methadone Investment Repaid Many Times Over
Every dollar spent on methadone treatment yields $38 in related economic benefits, according to researchers.
Hollywood Asked to Put Smoking Warnings on DVDs
Attorneys general from 38 U.S. states are asking major film studios to place antismoking public-service announcements on movie DVDs.
Mass. Officials Fret About Meth's Arrival
Methamphetamine has not established a major presence in the Massachusetts drug market, but officials worry about meth labs springing up in the northeastern part of the state.
Study Said Marijuana Users Less Depressed
Frequent marijuana smokers tend to be less depressed than nonusers, according to a new study.
House Rejects HHS Funding Bill; Addiction Groups Call for Support
The full House of Representatives this week defeated a spending bill that included FY2006 funding for a majority of the federal government's addiction treatment and prevention programs.
College Alcohol Marketing Under Pressure
Alcohol companies are finding their college marketing practices under increased scrutiny by preventionists, school administrators, and lawmakers.
Campus-Community Intervention Programs Effective in Reducing Drinking and Driving Among Students
A new report by Harvard School of Public Health finds significant reductions in driving after drinking and riding with an intoxicated driver on campuses where there are strong campus-community initiatives to prevent binge drinking.
Even Brief Exposure to Secondhand Smoke Causes Harm, Study Says
Nonsmokers can experience hardening of the arteries when exposed to secondhand smoke for as little as 30 minutes.
Marijuana-Based Drug Approved as MS Treatment in U.K.
Great Britain's Home Office has given the go-ahead to GW Pharmaceuticals to market Sativex, a drug based on marijuana, for treatment of pain among multiple-sclerosis patients.
Cocaine Quality Down, Prices Up, ONDCP Says
U.S. street prices of cocaine have risen 19 percent this year, while average drug purity has declined 15 percent, according to a new report from the Office of National Drug Control Policy.
Elders with Alcohol Dependence Receive Less Aftercare
This study found that older patients with alcohol dependence are almost half as likely as middle-aged patients to receive formal or informal aftercare.
NIH Grants to Explore Addiction, Crime Among African-Americans
New grants announced by the National Institutes on Health will support epidemiological, prevention, treatment and services research on the relationship between crime, addiction, and healthcare disparities in African-American populations.
N.Y. Groups Can Tap Professional Support
New York's Taproot Foundation is offering service grants that allow nonprofits to tap into the expertise of business professionals to build capacity.
Grants for Programs That Influence Youth Behaviors
The federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) will award a total of $8 million to build the capacity of groups that wield influence over youth behaviors, including tobacco use.
Grants for Research into Addiction Neurobiology
Programs exploring the neurobiological underpinnings of addiction may apply for funding from the National Institutes on Health.
Charity 'Watch List' Provision Dropped
Nonprofits that want to solicit donations from federal employees will no longer have to check their employees' names against a terrorist "watch list."
Recovery Radio Show Available Nationwide
A nightly addiction-related talk show, "Recovery: Coast to Coast," is now available nationally.
Rise in Oral Cancer Tied to Drinking
Oral-cancer rates in the U.K. have risen 25 percent over the past decade, and the group Cancer Research UK says that rising alcohol consumption is to blame.
QuitNet Celebrates Decade of Helping Smokers Quit
QuitNet, the world's largest community of smokers trying to quit and former smokers, is celebrating its 10th anniversary this month.
Casino Workers Seek Inclusion in N.J. Smoking Ban
Any workplace smoking ban passed by lawmakers in New Jersey should include the state's casinos, a pair of Atlantic City casino workers said.
'Light' Cigarettes Ruling Not Expected This Year
The judge in a closely watched class-action lawsuit revolving around marketing of "light" cigarettes probably won't decide if the case will go forward until 2006.
Many Kids Taking Sleeping Pills
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has not approved any sleeping pills for use by children, but an estimated 180,000 Americans under age 20 take prescription sleep aids, anyway.
Decline in Heart Attacks Linked to Smoke-free Law
A decline in the number of people suffering heart attacks in the city of Pueblo, Colo., has been linked to the city's law banning smoking in public spaces.
Study: Smokers Would Switch to 'Less Hazardous' Smokeless Product
Researchers estimate that about four million U.S. smokers would be willing to quit smoking in favor of using a low-carcinogen smokeless tobacco.
Text Messages Support Quitters
People in the U.K. who are trying to quit smoking can receive text messages of support and encouragement on their cell phones or other mobile devices.
ONDCP Launches Meth PSAs
A series of new public-service announcements targeting methamphetamine use will be run in 22 cities seen as particularly affected by use of the drug.
Ill. Meth Bill Moves to Governor
Illinois is poised to adopt new legislation that would tighten sales of medications that can be used to manufacture illicit methamphetamine.
Alcohol Screening Cuts Health Costs, Study Says
An alcohol screening program that combines a blood test and patient interviews saved more than $200 per patient in other healthcare and legal costs.
Take Action on Federal Funding for Alcohol and Drug Prevention and Treatment Programs
The Legal Action Center urges you to fax and call your Senators and House Representatives and ask them to support funding for alcohol and drug programs.
U.S. Fails to Meet Treaty Deadline
The United States failed to ratify the World Health Organization's Framework Convention on Tobacco Control by last week's deadline.
Flavored Cigarettes Draw State Scrutiny
A handful of U.S. states are considering lawsuits against the tobacco industry for their marketing of sweet, flavored cigarettes, which many experts believe are targeted at young smokers.
Calif. Agents Seize $4.5 Billion Worth of Marijuana
State narcotics agents in California doubled their seizures of marijuana compared to last year, gathering up more than a million plants worth an estimated $4.5 billion on the street.
Success Predicted in Hawaii's War on Meth
By the time he leaves office in three years, U.S. Attorney Ed Kubo expects to have contained Hawaii's crystal methamphetamine problem.
CDC Reports Decline in U.S. Smoking Rate
The U.S. smoking rate declined from 21.6 percent of adults in 2003 to 20.9 percent in 2004, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Snowman Shirts Seen as Drug Symbolism
Popular t-shirts featuring a stern-looking snowman are being marketed by rapper Young Jeezy, but critics see more than seasonal whimsy in the image.
'Abuse-Resistant' OxyContin Under Development
A pharmaceutical company has purchased the rights to Remoxy, a version of the controversial painkiller OxyContin designed to thwart abuse of the drug.
Pfizer Set to Unveil Stop-Smoking Drug
Pharmaceutical company Pfizer Inc. plans to release details next week on a highly anticipated new drug that blocks nicotine and, thus, the reward of smoking.
Cold Pills Could Vanish from Smaller Stores
Owners of small stores in states that crack down on cold pills that can be used to make methamphetamine may simply decide not to sell the drugs.
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