Cocaine May Play Role in Depression
A study by researchers from the University of Michigan and the Ann Arbor Veterans Affairs Medical Center suggests that chronic cocaine use may cause damage to brain cells that help produce feelings of pleasure, which may contribute, in part, to the high rates of depression. Cocaine Linked to Heart Attack, Stroke
Cocaine use increases the risk of sudden heart attack and may also trigger stroke, even in users who otherwise are not at high risk for these sometimes fatal cardiovascular events. Mice May Be Key to Cocaine Treatment
Among those drugs that are abused, cocaine is considered one of the most powerful. Yet no effective medications exist to treat cocaine abuse, dependence or withdrawal. New Treatment Option for Heroin Addiction
An alternative drug therapy to methadone for the treatment of heroin addiction -- using buprenorphine -- is proposed by Swedish authors of a study published in The Lancet. Brain-Imaging Offers Clues to Inhalant Abuse
Inhalant abuse, also known as huffing, is a rapidly growing health problem, particularly among young people. However, little is known about how inhaled chemicals affect the brain and body. Marijuana Use Leads to Later Drug Abuse
A team of researchers from the United States and Australia has found that the age when a person begins to smoke marijuana has a significant influence on whether they will develop problems with drugs and alcohol later in life. Women at Greater Risk From Ecstacy Use
Authors of a Dutch study conclude that long-term ecstasy use - especially among women - could have serious negative effects on specific cells in the brain. Ecstasy Linked to Long-Term Brain Damage
University of Adelaide researchers have found that ecstasy taken on a few occasions could cause severe damage to brain cells, with the potential to cause future memory loss or psychological problems. Early Drinking a Warning Sign
Children who are drinking alcohol by 7th grade are more likely to suffer employment problems, abuse other drugs, and commit criminal and violent acts once they reach young adulthood. Resource for Teens - CheckYourself.com
The Check Yourself campaign is designed to lead 15- to 18-year-old recreational drug and alcohol users to reconsider their relationships with their substances of choice and ultimately curtail their use. Alcoholism - Risk Factor for Suicide
New research findings linking alcoholism as an established risk factor for suicide demonstrate the need for suicide risk recognition and prevention efforts targeted to middle- and older-adults with alcohol dependence. Dr. Nora D. Volkow Named New Director of NIDA
National Institutes of Health Director Elias A. Zerhouni, M.D., today announced the appointment of Nora D. Volkow, M.D., as the new director of the NIH's National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA). Beverly Watts Davis to Head CSAP
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) Administrator Charles G. Curie announced that Beverly Watts Davis has been appointed director of SAMHSA’s Center for Substance Abuse Prevention (CSAP). Al-Anon Family Groups
The Al-Anon Family Groups are a fellowship of relatives and friends of alcoholics who share their experience, strength, and hope, in order to solve their common problems. | 