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Addiction news

Neuroscience

Disrupted brain balance in alcohol dependence involves two signaling pathways

A new study by Scripps Research reveals that alcohol dependence disrupts two signaling pathways in a stress-related part of the brain—and offers insights on developing drugs to treat this condition.

Diseases, Conditions, Syndromes

How to sip smart this festive season

Almost half of Australian teenagers who drink alcohol say they get it from their parents, prompting fresh warnings from researchers as families prepare for Christmas and New Year celebrations.

Diseases, Conditions, Syndromes

Most Americans still get nicotine wrong

Nicotine is the drug that keeps people coming back to cigarettes, but not the substance that causes serious health effects in people who use tobacco. It is the tar and toxic chemical mix in tobacco and tobacco smoke that ...

Addiction

Reported use of most drugs remains low among US teens

For the fifth year in a row, use of most substances among teenagers in the United States has continued to hover around the low-water mark reached in 2021. The findings come from the latest report of the Monitoring the Future ...

Health

Young adults commonly mix cannabis with nicotine and tobacco

Simultaneous use of cannabis with nicotine and tobacco products is common among cannabis users—particularly those who vape—according to a new study from Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health. The research ...

Health

Trying to quit smoking? A workplace lottery may help

People who want to quit smoking benefit from lotteries as an incentive. This is evident from the Smoke-Free Lottery, a field experiment conducted by the RIVM, Radboud University and various Dutch universities. The findings ...

Medical research

Rats may seek cannabis to cope with stress

It isn't just people—when given the chance, rats may also use cannabis to cope with stress, according to a study by researchers at Washington State University.

Obstetrics & gynaecology

High rates of opioid use found in NZ pregnancies

Aotearoa New Zealand has the third highest prevalence of prescribed opioid use during pregnancy in a new multi-national study of 13 high-income countries.

Addiction

Potent new opioid carries high risk of overdose

A potent opioid detected in Canberra for the first time in September 2024 carries a high risk of overdose, warn chemists from the Australian National University (ANU) and drug checking service CanTEST.