Articles Index
Drugs and Alcohol in the News
The latest headlines on drug- and- alcohol-related news, updated by your About.com alcoholism guide.
An Alcoholic's Final Victim
When we last visited David and Glenda, they had just repeated the cycle of violence again and were in the break-up stage, cancelling a long-planned family vacation.
A Family in Crisis
It is a tragically perfect example of how one alcoholic effects so many other lives -- a story of alcoholism spiraling into a full-fledged family disease.
Guidelines Updated for Treating Drug-Addicted Newborns
Due to a recent explosion in the number of infants born addicted to drugs, because of their mother's use while pregnant, pediatricians and hospitals have been given new guidelines for identifying, monitoring and treating newborns exposed to pain killers and other drugs.
Alcoholics' Suicide Risk Increases With Age
A study has found that middle-aged and older alcoholics are at greater risk for suicide than young alcoholic adults.
Using Drugs Without a Prescription Is Illegal
You may have heard that unlike underage drinking and marijuana use, using and sharing prescription drugs is legal.
The Health Effects of Heroin
As with most illegal drugs, Heroin use has both short-term and long-term effects. Whether injected, snorted or smoked, heroin will begin to affect the body's central nervous system almost immeidately after it is used.
How to Recognize a Meth Lab
The ingredients used to make methamphetamine in clandestine laboratories are generally household products that by themselves present little danger, but when combined can have serious toxic and explosive effects.
Basic Facts About Inhalants
Inhalants are breathable chemical vapors that produce psychoactive, mind-altering effects. Younger children tend to abuse inhalants in part because they are readily available and inexpensive.
Basic Facts About Marijuana
Marijuana is a green or gray mixture of dried, shredded flowers and leaves of the hemp plant Cannabis sativa. There are over 200 slang terms for marijuana.
Basic Facts About Methamphetamine
Methamphetamine is closely related chemically to amphetamine, but the central nervous system effects of methamphetamine are greater.
Basic Facts About Ecstasy (MDMA)
Ecstasy or MDMA is a synthetic, psychoactive (mind-altering) drug with hallucinogenic and amphetamine-like properties. Its chemical structure is similar to two other synthetic drugs, MDA and methamphetamine, which are known to cause brain damage.
Rohypnol and GHB Basic Facts
Rohypnol and GHB emerged in the early 1990s as 'drug-assisted assault' or 'date rape' drugs. They are predominantly central nervous system depressants. They are colorless, tasteless, odorless, and can be slipped into a drink and unknowingly ingested.
Basic Facts About Anabolic Steroids
Anabolic steroids are synthetic derivatives of the male hormone testosterone, which promote the growth of skeletal muscle and increase lean body mass.
New Hampshire A.A. Meetings
Find a meeting near you in New Hampshire
New 'Shake and Bake' Meth Method Explodes
A new method of manufacturing methamphetamine designed to get around laws restricting sale of the ingredients needs to make meth is spreading across the country.
How Long Does Marijuana Stay in the Body?
The effects of smoking marijuana fade very quickly, but the drug can be detected in the body for weeks and sometimes longer.
International Narcotics Anonymous Meetings
Find lists of International face-to-face Narcotics Anonymous meetings on the net.
Texas Al-Anon Meetings
Find an Al-Anon Family Group meeting near you in Texas.
The Fourth Stage of Rehab is Advanced Recovery
The fourth stage of alcohol and drug rehab is reaching a state of advanced recovery in which you continue to lead a lifelong sober lifestyle.
Maintaining Abstinence and Preventing Relapse
Once you have achieved abstinence for a period of time and began living a drug- or alcohol-free lifestyle, it is time to begin to put the tools you learned in early abstinence to work toward maintaining abstinence.
Treatment Initiation - Seeking Help
The first stage of recovery from alcohol or drug abuse is reaching out for help and seeking some kind treatment or rehabilitation - a process known as treatment initiation.
Early Abstinence From Drugs and Alcohol
The toughest part of trying to recover from alcohol and drug problems comes during the early abstinence stage when a number of issues make it difficult to focus on learning to live a sober life.
Can Smokers Develop a Marijuana Addiction?
The vast majority of pot smokers do not develop a marijuana addiction, but some smokers do develop all of the symptoms of an actual addiction after chronic marijuana use.
Hepatitis - FAQs
Frequently asked questions about hepatitis from the National Women's Health Information Center.