Informing drinkers: Can current UK alcohol labels be improved?
Alcoholic drinks differ widely in their strength and size, and consumers often underestimate their alcohol intake (Kerr and Stockwell, 2012). More than 10 million adults in England drink more than the current UK low-risk guidelines (Health and Social Care Information Centre, 2015) and poor communication of alcohol strength and alcohol-related harm means that people may not be aware of the risks. (Source: Drug and Alcohol Dependence)
Source: Drug and Alcohol Dependence - September 12, 2018 Category: Addiction Authors: Anna K.M. Blackwell, Katie Drax, Angela S. Attwood, Marcus R. Munaf ò, Olivia M. Maynard Tags: Full length article Source Type: research
A multi-level analysis of emergency department data on drinking patterns, alcohol policy and cause of injury in 28 countries
Prior research on alcohol and injury, based on studies of patients admitted to the emergency department (ED), has found that while drinking prior to the injury event is an important risk factor for injury, the individual-level pattern of drinking and societal-level drinking pattern are also important. (Source: Drug and Alcohol Dependence)
Source: Drug and Alcohol Dependence - September 12, 2018 Category: Addiction Authors: Cheryl J. Cherpitel, Jane Witbrodt, Yu Ye, Rachael Korcha Tags: Full length article Source Type: research
Hepatitis C virus prevalence and estimated incidence among new injectors during the opioid epidemic in New York City, 2000 to 2017: Protective effects of non-injecting drug use
The US is currently experiencing an opioid epidemic that has officially been declared a “public health emergency” (Gostin et al., 2017). There are multiple components to this epidemic, including excessive marketing, over-prescription and diversion of opioid analgesics, transitions from opioid analgesic use to heroin use, and transitions from oral and intranasal drug use to injectin g drug use. The increase in overdose deaths, from 17,415 in 2000 to 63,632 in 2016 (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2018; Hedegaard et al., 2017) may be the most dramatic indicator of the seriousness of this epidemic. (Source: Dr...
Source: Drug and Alcohol Dependence - September 12, 2018 Category: Addiction Authors: Don C. Des Jarlais, K. Arasteh, J. Feelemyer, C. McKnight, David M. Barnes, David C. Perlman, A. Uuskula, H.L.F. Cooper, Susan Tross Tags: Full length article Source Type: research
Regular MDMA use is associated with decreased risk of drug injection among street-involved youth who use illicit drugs
The illicit use of 3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA), a component of the drug frequently referred to as “ecstasy” or “molly”, is commonly associated with illicit polysubstance use (Schifano et al., 1998). However, evidence also shows that MDMA has potential therapeutic effects and is thought to promote behaviours that are useful in a therapeutic setting. These include authenticity, defined as an awareness of and congruence between an individual’s thought process and actions, in addition to prosociality and autobiographical disclosure (Baggott et al., 2016; Carhart-Harris et al., 2014; Wardle et al., 2014)....
Source: Drug and Alcohol Dependence - September 12, 2018 Category: Addiction Authors: Andrew Gaddis, Stephanie Lake, Kenneth Tupper, Ekaterina Nosova, Katrina Blommaert, Evan Wood, Kora DeBeck Tags: Full length article Source Type: research
Marijuana use by middle-aged and older adults in the United States, 2015 –2016
Attitudes towards marijuana use are changing considerably in the United States (U.S.) with a growing number of states legalizing medical and/or recreational marijuana (Gallup, 2018). Although current users are more likely to be young adults, the Baby Boomer generation is unique as it has had more experience with marijuana compared to any generation preceding them (Han and Moore, 2018). Prevalence of current marijuana use decreases with age (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration [SAMHSA], 2016), but the Baby Boomer generation —which is now comprised of middle-aged and older adults often with prior expe...
Source: Drug and Alcohol Dependence - September 6, 2018 Category: Addiction Authors: Benjamin H. Han, Joseph J. Palamar Tags: Full length article Source Type: research
Differential relationships between cannabis consumption and sleep health as a function of HIV status
The National Academy of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM) recently identified major gaps in the cannabis literature, including the behavioral effects of regular cannabis use among clinical populations, such as those infected with Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV+) (NASEM, 2017). This need for clinical research in this area is timely as HIV + individuals report greater cannabis use relative to individuals not infected with HIV (HIV-; Bonn-Miller et al., 2014; Prentiss et al., 2004). Further, in multisite cohort studies recruiting from community samples in the United States, the number of HIV + daily cann...
Source: Drug and Alcohol Dependence - September 4, 2018 Category: Addiction Authors: Aaron C. Lim, April D. Thames Tags: Short communication Source Type: research
Initiation and engagement as mechanisms for change caused by collaborative care in opioid and alcohol use disorders
Opioid and alcohol use disorders (OAUDs) contribute to high rates of morbidity and mortality in the US (Degenhardt et al., 2011; Roerecke and Rehm, 2013; Ronan and Herzig, 2016; Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, 2018). Alcohol use disorders affect an estimated 15.8 million people, an estimated 1.9 million people abuse or are dependent on prescription opioids and 323,000 are dependent on heroin (Center for Behavioral Health Statistics and Quality, 2015; Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, 2014). (Source: Drug and Alcohol Dependence)
Source: Drug and Alcohol Dependence - September 4, 2018 Category: Addiction Authors: Claude M. Setodji, Katherine E. Watkins, Sarah B. Hunter, Colleen McCullough, Bradley D. Stein, Karen Chan Osilla, Allison J. Ober Tags: Full length article Source Type: research
Changes in supervised drug-injecting practices following a community-based educational intervention: a longitudinal analysis
People who inject drugs (PWID) are vulnerable to an array of health issues. Alongside the risk of overdoses and blood-borne viral infections such as HIV and Hepatitis C virus (HCV), PWID are subject to bacterial and fungal infections. These infections include skin and soft tissue infections (SSTI) (e.g. abscesses or cellulitis) that can occur at injection sites (Ebright and Pieper, 2002; Gordon and Lowy, 2005). One study reviewing abscess prevalence in PWID during the previous month showed it ranged from 6% to 32%, while lifetime abscess prevalence reached 68% (Larney et al., 2017). (Source: Drug and Alcohol Dependence)
Source: Drug and Alcohol Dependence - September 4, 2018 Category: Addiction Authors: Mezaache Salim, Protopopescu Cam élia, Debrus Marie, Morel Stéphane, Mora Marion, Suzan-Monti Marie, Rojas Castro Daniela, Carrieri Patrizia, Roux Perrine Tags: Full length article Source Type: research
Randomized controlled trial of a positive affect intervention for methamphetamine users
Amphetamine-type stimulants such as methamphetamine are the second most commonly used illicit substances with an estimated 19.3 – 54.8 million users worldwide (United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, 2017). Agonist therapies and mirtazapine have shown some promise (Coffin et al., 2013; Coffin et al., 2018; Colfax et al., 2011; Karila et al., 2010), but there is currently no widely approved pharmacotherapy for the treatme nt of stimulant use disorders. Although behavioral interventions have demonstrated modest effectiveness (Carrico et al., 2016b; Colfax et al., 2010), novel approaches are needed to achieve greater redu...
Source: Drug and Alcohol Dependence - September 4, 2018 Category: Addiction Authors: Adam W. Carrico, Walter G όmez, Jennifer Jain, Steven Shoptaw, Michael V. Discepola, David Olem, Justin Lagana-Jackson, Rick Andrews, Torsten B. Neilands, Samantha E. Dilworth, Jennifer L. Evans, William J. Woods, Judith T. Moskowitz Tags: Full length article Source Type: research
Risk of polysubstance use among sexual minority and heterosexual youth
Alcohol, marijuana, and cigarettes are three of the most commonly used drugs among youth, with estimated usage rates in the past 30-days of 32.8%, 21.7%, and 10.8%, respectively (Kann, 2016). A subgroup of youth that appears to be at an increased risk of using alcohol, marijuana, and cigarettes is sexual minority youth (SMY) (Marshal et al., 2008). Youth who use these substances are at risk of several negative health and social outcomes, such as addiction, and poorer cognitive, social, and academic functioning (Hingson and Kenkel, 2004; Mathers et al., 2006; Volkow et al., 2014). (Source: Drug and Alcohol Dependence)
Source: Drug and Alcohol Dependence - September 4, 2018 Category: Addiction Authors: Sarah S. Dermody Tags: Full length article Source Type: research
Association of exercise with smoking-related symptomatology, smoking behavior and impulsivity in men and women
Cigarette smoking remains the single largest preventable cause of death and disease in the United States (USDHHS, 2014). In 2015, an estimated 15.1% (36.5 million) of U.S. adults were current cigarette smokers (Jamal et al., 2016). The public health implications of this are substantial. Smoking-related illness in the United States costs more than $300 billion a year, including nearly $170 billion in direct medical care for adults and $156 billion in lost productivity (USDHHS, 2014; Xu et al., 2015). (Source: Drug and Alcohol Dependence)
Source: Drug and Alcohol Dependence - September 1, 2018 Category: Addiction Authors: Nicole L. Tosun, Sharon S. Allen, Lynn E. Eberly, Meng Yao, William W. Stoops, Justin C. Strickland, Katherine A. Harrison, Mustafa al Absi, Marilyn E. Carroll Tags: Full length article Source Type: research
Positivity rates of drugs in patients treated for opioid dependence with buprenorphine: A comparison of oral fluid and urine using paired collections and LC-MS/MS
Opioid use disorder (previously called opioid dependence) is defined by the American Society of Addiction Medicine as “a chronic, relapsing disease, which has significant economic, personal and public health consequences” (ASAM, 2015). The treatment of opioid use disorder often requires a multi-modal approach and may include medication-assisted treatment (MAT). MAT has been shown to improve treatment retention and reduce morbidity and mortality. Buprenorphine and buprenorphine combination products such as buprenorphine/naloxone are commonly used in MAT (ASAM, 2015; SAMHSA, 2016). (Source: Drug and Alcohol Dependence)
Source: Drug and Alcohol Dependence - September 1, 2018 Category: Addiction Authors: Robert West, Charles Mikel, Doriane Hofilena, Maria Guevara Source Type: research
Impact of psychiatric medication co-exposure on neonatal abstinence syndrome severity
The rate of pregnant women with opioid use disorder (OUD) continues to rise nationally (Smith and Lipari, 2017). The standard of care for pregnant women with opioid use disorders (OUD) is to receive pharmacotherapy with either methadone or buprenorphine (Saia et al., 2016). Infants exposed in-utero to opioids are at risk of Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome (NAS), otherwise known as Neonatal Opioid Withdrawal Syndrome (NOWS), an opioid withdrawal syndrome characterized by alterations in the central nervous, gastrointestinal, and respiratory systems after the cessation of the chronic in-utero exposure (Finnegan and Kaltenbach, 1...
Source: Drug and Alcohol Dependence - September 1, 2018 Category: Addiction Authors: Elisha M. Wachman, A. Hutchinson Warden, Zoe Thomas, Jo Ann Thomas-Lewis, Hira Shrestha, F.N.U. Nikita, Daniel Shaw, Kelley Saia, Davida M. Schiff Tags: Full length article Source Type: research
The importance of considering polysubstance use: lessons from cocaine research
Polysubstance use (PSU; the ingestion of more than one drug of abuse within a defined period) is the norm rather than the exception for individuals with substance use disorders. Such behavior no doubt reflects a variety of causes, including the desire for enhanced psychoactive effects, alleviation of negative side-effects of one substance with another, and substance accessibility. Most substance use research, however, (including the vast majority of preclinical research) has focused on individual substances in isolation or treated PSU as a “nuisance” variable. (Source: Drug and Alcohol Dependence)
Source: Drug and Alcohol Dependence - September 1, 2018 Category: Addiction Authors: Yiyang Liu, Victoria Williamson, Barry Setlow, Linda B. Cottler, Lori A. Knackstedt Tags: Review Source Type: research
The changing landscape of naloxone availability in the United States, 2011 – 2017
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC, 2017a), opioid overdose deaths have been on a steady incline since 1999. In fact, nationwide age-adjusted rates of opioid overdose deaths increased more than five-fold between 1999 and 2016. Naloxone, first approved by the Food and Drug Administration in 1971, is a competitive opioid antagonist that can rapidly reverse opioid overdose. Evidence suggests that communities with naloxone access have lower rates of opioid overdose deaths (Walley et al., 2013). (Source: Drug and Alcohol Dependence)
Source: Drug and Alcohol Dependence - August 30, 2018 Category: Addiction Authors: Patricia R. Freeman, Emily R. Hankosky, Michelle R. Lofwall, Jeffery C. Talbert Tags: Short communication Source Type: research
