Addiction

Many people might be aware of an ongoing opioid epidemic, with thousands of people dying every year from overdoses. But many who are misusing opioids are also using—and dying from—stimulant drugs as well, according to a study published in the open-access journal PLOS Mental Health by Yutong Li from the University of Alberta, Canada, and colleagues.

New research has revealed a substantial increase in GHB-related ambulance attendances across Australia, with Victoria recording the highest rate and Greater Geelong emerging as a regional hotspot.

Certain behavioral effects of not getting enough sleep may explain why people who have insomnia are at risk for problems with alcohol. A study of college students, published in Alcohol: Clinical and Experimental Research, found that sleep problems may increase negative mood and worsen impulse control, factors which, in turn, lead to more problems with alcohol. The findings may inform treatment for college students, a group particularly at risk for drinking and sleep problems.

Prior studies have shown veterans are particularly at risk of dying by opioid overdose and the possibility of that occurring has been rising steadily over the past two decades. From 2010–2019, there was a 61.2% increase in risk of overdose death among male veterans.

Older couples may want to take a closer look at their drinking habits together.

As the opioid epidemic persists across the United States, a team of researchers from Brown University has developed new diagnostic techniques for detecting opioid compounds in adults with opioid use disorder and infants with neonatal abstinence syndrome.

Alcohol advertising is everywhere—on TV, bus shelters, and social media. As a parent, keeping track of what your child sees can seem impossible. So, should we be concerned about children being exposed to alcohol ads?

Alcohol-related liver disease deaths are increasing—and they’re rising faster in some groups, including women, young adults and Indigenous people, new research shows.

While the U.S. has recently seen a welcome downturn in drug overdose deaths, a new study from Northwestern Medicine is the first to pinpoint when the tide began to turn—identifying August 2023 as the national inflection point in the crisis.

Reports of synthetic opioids contaminating Australia’s drug supply highlight the concerning pace at which they are entering the country. The Australian Federal Police recently raised concerns after detecting nitazenes in counterfeit pharmaceutical products seized at Australian borders.