E-cigarettes may be better than nicotine patches to help pregnant women stop smoking, reduce the risk of low birthweight

Credit: CC0 Public Domain Smoking in pregnancy can harm developing babies, especially their growth. Current guidelines recommend that pregnant smokers who find quitting difficult should be provided with nicotine replacements…

Oxycodone prescriptions after delivery not linked to longer-term opioid use compared to codeine

Credit: CC0 Public Domain Postpartum prescriptions for oxycodone were not associated with increased risk of longer-term opioid use compared to codeine prescriptions, according to new research published in CMAJ (Canadian…

Glutamate Receptor Activation: A Potential Cure for Opioid Addiction?

Summary: Scientists discovered a potential new weapon in the battle against opioid use disorder (OUD), a condition that affects over two million people in the U.S. alone. The drug, ADX106772,…

Myths about will power and moral weakness keep people with opioid use disorder from receiving effective medications like methadone, buprenorphine and naltrexone

The most effective science-based treatment for opioid use disorder is medication. Methadone and buprenorphine prevent intense cravings and other symptoms of withdrawal, while naltrexone works by blocking the effects of…

Guidelines to help clinicians on safer opioid deprescribing

Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain Australian and international experts have released 11 recommendations on when, how, and in what situation it may be appropriate for clinicians to reduce opioid use, by…

the flesh-rotting drug adding to America’s opioid crisis

Opioid addict Martin has seen the deadly fentanyl replace heroin as the most prevalent drug in New York. Now he’s trying to avoid “tranq,” a flesh-eating drug increasingly causing concern…

Is Cannabis Use Disorder A Stepping Stone to Mental Health Disorders?

Summary: A new study sheds light on the strong link between cannabis use disorder and mental health conditions, indicating a much higher risk than previously thought. The research, based on…

Poll finds Americans rate cigarettes as most unsafe, addictive substance among options surveyed

Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain In a new national poll, Americans widely agreed that cigarettes are unsafe (84%) and addictive (87%), and yet a fifth (21%) reported smoking every day. The…

Alcohol dependency in adolescence, but not consumption, linked with later depression risk

Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain Adolescents who show signs of alcohol dependence are more likely to develop depression by their mid-20s, according to a new study led by UCL (University College…

Unlocking Addiction Risk: Genetic Test Could Shape Future Prevention Strategies

Summary: A new study hints at the potential of utilizing genetic test results to improve addiction prevention and treatment strategies. The study involved 325 college students who were given varying…