Articles Index
Drugs and Alcohol in the News
The latest headlines on drug- and- alcohol-related news, updated by your About.com alcoholism guide.
Is Rehab a Publicity Tool for Public Figures?
It has become a popular trend for those in the public spotlight, who find themselves in trouble, to check themselves into rehab. Although some of these efforts may be sincere attempts to get treatment for actual drug and alcohol problems, one has to wonder if some might be designed to manipulate the justice system and public opinion.
CDT Testing Detects Patients' Drinking Levels
An alcohol-screening test that measures carbohydrate deficient transferrin in the blood can detect patients' drinking habits and potentially could lower the cost of care for those with chronic diseases such as diabetes and high blood pressure.
Drug Use Surveys May Underestimate Actual Usage
Surveys that estimate illegal drug use may underestimate actual drug use because they do not take into account the lack of willingness of survey respondents to disclose their illegal use, according to new scientific research.
Cocaine, Heroin Can 'Hijack' Mothers' Value System
Because drug abuse is believed to affect pathways in the brain involved in an adult's capacity to invest in the care of their children, a pilot program aimed at mothers and toddlers hopes to put mothers with substance abuse problems more in sync emotionally with the needs of their children.
Healthcare System Can Catch Alcohol Problems Earlier
In order to curtail the enormous cost to society for alcohol abuse and related problems, workers in the regular healthcare system need to screen for alcohol problems in their patients before it takes a severe toll.
Alcoholism Remains Under-Diagnosed, AMA Says
Less than one percent of the nation's health plan members are diagnosed with alcoholism or related disorders and the American Medical Association says that number should be four or five times higher except for a systemic failure to identify people with alcohol problems.
Desire to Stop Drinking More Important Than Therapy
Treatment outcomes for alcoholism may have less to do with which kind of therapy is used and more to do with the participant's determination to quit drinking, according to an analysis of Project MATCH data.
Emergency Room Ideal for Alcohol Intervention
Emergency room practitioners can be successfully trained in two hours to counsel problem drinkers in a 10-minute intervention, according to a study by Yale researchers.
Poor Results Shown for California's Proposition 36
A UCLA study reports higher arrest rates among drug offenders diverted to treatment during the first six months of California's Substance Abuse and Crime Prevention Act, commonly known as Proposition 36.