Addiction

An artificial intelligence (AI)-driven screening tool successfully identified hospitalized adults at risk for opioid use disorder and recommended referral to inpatient addiction specialists.

Researchers at the University of California San Diego School of Medicine, in collaboration with the Prevencasa free clinic in Tijuana, Mexico, have confirmed the presence of xylazine in the illicit drug supply at the U.S.–Mexico border. While xylazine remains less common in the Western U.S., border cities serve as key trafficking hubs and may have higher rates of emerging substances.

A paper in Nicotine & Tobacco Research indicates that different nicotine pouches, which have become very popular in recent years, particularly among young people, may influence user preferences very differently. An investigation using rats finds some flavors lead to much more nicotine consumption than others.

As health complications and deaths from alcohol use disorder (AUD) increase in the United States, it is critical that people who could benefit from medications have access to the drugs that the US Food and Drug Administration has approved to treat AUD. Yet, for individuals who have alcohol use disorder and are covered by Medicaid, accessing these medications is difficult; past research indicates that only about 1 in 20 Medicaid enrollees with alcohol use disorder receive these drugs.

Thousands of injured Victorian employees are receiving high-risk opioid prescriptions, Monash University-led research has found.

A recent study has found that an Oakland, Calif. law requiring cigarette prices to increase to a minimum of $8 per pack led to a decline in sales, suggesting that these minimum floor price laws could complement tobacco taxation to reduce smoking rates.

New Zealand’s smokefree law was hailed around the world for creating a smokefree generation that would have lifelong protection from smoking’s harms.

While fear-based messaging around alcohol aimed towards teens is common practice, new research suggests a key to curbing adolescents’ risky drinking behavior is through authentic and open communication that acknowledges some of the positive aspects while warning of the negative consequences of drinking.

A new study, published in JAMA Internal Medicine, led by researchers from the University of California San Diego Qualcomm Institute and School of Medicine, reveals a dramatic increase in sports betting and gambling addiction help-seeking since the landmark Murphy v. NCAA Supreme Court decision in 2018 paved the way for states to legalize sports betting.

Non-fatal overdoses (NFODs) remain a critical public health concern in Ireland. Opioids are the leading cause of overdose globally requiring a comprehensive and multi-faceted response to address the complexities of the opioid crisis.