Drug Rehab Blog

Lack of Sleep Linked to Teen Drug Use

2010-03-12T05:43:00.000-08:00

A new study has established a link between sleep deprivation and teen drug use. According to researchers at the University of San Diego and Harvard University, teens who sleep less than seven hours per night are more likely to use illegal drugs.

For the study, the researchers tracked the drug use and sleep patterns of more than 8,000 teens.
The researchers found that social networks significantly influenced both sleep patterns and drug use among study participants.
For example, teens with a friend who sleeps less than seven hours per night are 11 percent more likely to sleep less than seven hours per night.
In addition, teens with a friend who sleeps less than seven hours per night are 19 percent more likely to use marijuana.

Researchers found that teens with a friend who uses marijuana are almost twice as likely to use marijuana themselves. Study results also indicated that lack of sleep might be linked to increased alcohol use by teens.

The study authors commented: "Adolescents are embedded in complex social networks and are especially vulnerable to peer effects -- possibly not only with respect to drugs, but also with respect to sleep."

(Source: news.yahoo.com)

New Hope for Addiction Treatment: Growing New Nerve Cells in the Brain

2010-03-10T23:19:00.000-08:00

Marijuana Use Increases Among Older Adults

2010-03-08T23:14:00.000-08:00

According to data from the federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), marijuana use among older adults is increasing as baby boomers age.

The number of older adults reporting marijuana use in the prior year increased from 1.9 percent to 2.9 percent between 2002 and 2008.
The most significant increase occurred among 55- to 59-year-olds; in 2002, approximately 1.6 percent of respondents reported prior-year use of marijuana, compared with 5.1 percent in 2008.

Approximately 78 million American adults are included in the baby boomer generation. The group is comprised of adults who came of age in the 1960s and 1970s, when recreational drug use first became widespread in American culture.

"When you think about people who are 50 and older, you don't generally think of them as using illicit drugs," Pete Delany, SAMHSA's director of applied studies, said in a Feb. 22 Associated Press article. "As a nation, it's important to us to say, 'It's not just young people using drugs, it's older people using drugs.'"

Growing New Nerve Cells in the Brain -- A New Hope for Addiction Treatment

2010-03-05T08:21:00.000-08:00

In a recent study, researchers at the UT Southwestern Medical Center found that blocking neurogenesis -- the normal growth of new nerve cells in the brain -- made rodents more vulnerable to addiction and relapse. Researchers are hoping that the opposite effect -- facilitating neurogenesis -- may help treat addiction and relapse in humans.

Dr. Amelia Eisch, associate professor of psychiatry at UT Southwestern and senior author of the study, commented on the findings: "More research will be needed to test this hypothesis, but treatments that increase adult neurogenesis may prevent addiction before it starts, which would be especially important for patients treated with potentially addictive medications."

She continued, "Additionally, treatments that increase adult neurogenesis during abstinence might prevent relapse. If we can create and implement therapies that prevent addiction from happening in the first place, we can improve the length and quality of life for millions of drug abusers, and all those affected by an abuser's behavior."

The study, which is the first to link addiction with neurogenesis in a specific part of the brain, appears in the current issue of the Journal of Neuroscience.

(Source: www.sciencedaily.com)

Marijuana Ineffective in Treating Alzheimer Patients, Study Finds

2010-03-03T08:17:00.000-08:00

The reputed benefits of marijuana in assuaging or reversing symptoms of Alzheimer's disease are being questioned by a new study. The study, published earlier this month in the journal Current Alzheimer Research, was conducted by scientists at the University of British Columbia and Vancouver Coastal Health Research Institute.

Scientists started the study hoping to support recent research indicating that marijuana might be an effective ally in battling Alzheimer's. Not only were researchers unable to confirm earlier indications that marijuana might aid in the treatment of Alzheimer's disease, but they also discovered some detrimental effects connected with using the drug as a treatment.

Lead researcher Dr. Weihong Song, Canada Research Chair in Alzheimer's disease and a professor of psychiatry in the UBC Faculty of Medicine, commented on the findings: "As scientists, we begin every study hoping to be able to confirm beneficial effects of potential therapies, and we hoped to confirm this for the use of medical marijuana in treating Alzheimer's disease. But we didn't see any benefit at all.

"Instead, our study pointed to some detrimental effects. Our study shows that [cannabinoids have] no biological or behavioural effect on the established Alzheimer's disease model. More studies should be done before we place much hope in marijuana's benefits for Alzheimer's patients."

(Source: sciencedaily.com)

Marijuana Use Increases Among Older Adults

2010-03-01T08:15:00.000-08:00

According to data from the federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), marijuana use among older adults is increasing as baby boomers age.

The number of older adults reporting marijuana use in the prior year increased from 1.9 percent to 2.9 percent between 2002 and 2008. The most significant increase occurred among 55- to 59-year-olds; in 2002, approximately 1.6 percent of respondents reported prior-year use of marijuana, compared with 5.1 percent in 2008.

Approximately 78 million American adults are included in the baby boomer generation. The group is comprised of adults who came of age in the 1960s and 1970s, when recreational drug use first became widespread in American culture. For many boomers, marijuana never carried the stigma that it did for other generations.

Pete Delany, director of applied studies at the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, commented on drug use by older generations: "When you think about people who are 50 and older, you don't generally think of them as using illicit drugs -- the occasional Hunter Thompson or the kind of hippie-dippie guy that gets a lot of press maybe. As a nation, it's important to us to say, 'It's not just young people using drugs, it's older people using drugs.'"

(Source: nctimes.com)

Stress Hormone May Be Key to Alcoholism

2010-02-26T08:33:00.000-08:00

Scientists at the Scripps Research Institute have announced new research findings that link a particular stress hormone to alcoholism. The institute has so far conducted research using animal models only (rats), but the scientists are optimistic that the findings will translate to human behavior as well.

Lead researcher Marisa Roberto, an associate professor at the Institute, commented on the implications of the findings, saying the research "represents an important step in understanding how the brain changes when it moves from a normal to an alcohol-dependent state. Our study explored what we call in the field 'the dark side' of alcohol addiction. That's the compulsion to drink, not because it is pleasurable -- which has been the focus of much previous research -- but because it relieves the anxiety generated by abstinence and the stressful effects of withdrawal."

The hormone, which is known as corticotropin-releasing factor, is found in the brain and plays an important role in the body's response to stress. Roberto believes that blocking this hormone may prevent excessive consumption of alcohol under a number of psychological and behavioral conditions. The researchers also found that rats exposed to a hormone-suppressing chemical numerous times did not appear to develop an immunity to its effects; this supports the chemical's viability as a long-term treatment for alcoholism.

(Source: businessweek.com)

New Vaccine May Cure Smoking Addiction

2010-02-24T08:31:00.000-08:00

A new vaccine, which is in phase three trials at over 20 scientific facilities across the nation, may help smokers beat smoking addiction once and for all. Each year, around 40 percent of smokers try to quit, and only about five percent succeed in giving up the habit for three months or more.

Most quitting aids, such as gum and the nicotine patch, work on the premise that delivering a small amount of nicotine via a different delivery system will help the smoker to battle nicotine cravings and dissociate from the physical act of smoking. The smoking vaccine actually prevents nicotine from reaching the brain, which keeps the smoker from experiencing any pleasure from smoking, and stops the "reinforcement" of continuing to smoke.

The University of Minnesota's Masonic Cancer Center is one of 20 research facilities participating in the phase three trial of the vaccine, which is the final step before FDA approval. Doctor Dorothy Hatsukami, head of the tobacco use research center at the University of Minnesota, commented on the vaccine's value to smokers who are trying to kick the habit:

"Will power is not sufficient. You need some tools to help you get over the highly addictive nature of nicotine. The way the nicotine vaccine works is, you can have a cigarette and it's just no longer reinforcing."

(Source: myfoxphoenix.com)

Even Occasional Binge-Drinking May Undermine Heart Health Benefits of Alcohol

2010-02-22T08:29:00.000-08:00

A review of data from 14 separate studies indicates that even occasional binge-drinking at irregular intervals may undo any heart health benefits associated with alcohol consumption. According to lead researcher Michael Roerecke of the Center for Addiction and Mental Health in Toronto, Canada, the study reinforces the fact that "not all alcohol consumption is good for health."

Light and moderate drinking, which means consuming one or two drinks per day or less, has long been considered a potential boon for heart health. Upon review of over a dozen studies on moderate drinkers, however, researchers found that individuals who drink heavily every so often were up to 45 percent more likely than light or moderate drinkers to develop coronary heart disease.

Coronary heart disease occurs when plaque buildup in the heart arteries impedes the flow of blood and oxygen. For the purposes of the review, occasional heavy drinking was defined as consuming five or more drinks in a day at least a dozen times per year. Regular heavy drinkers (those who consume an average of five or more drinks per day) were excluded from the study.

To arrive at these findings, Roerecke and colleague Jurgen Rehm combined 14 international studies conducted between 1982 and 2006, including data from more than 50,000 drinkers.

(Source: reuters.com)

Increased Body Temperature Linked to Ecstasy Fatalities

2010-02-19T08:00:00.000-08:00

Research by the University of Adelaide in Australia indicates that effects of ecstasy may be compounded when the drug is taken in warm environments, and that this may increase the risk of death.

Ecstasy deaths are known to be primarily related to elevated body temperature. This new research, conducted by University of Adelaide Pharmacology doctoral student Emily Jaehne, shows that drug users' failure to recognize their elevated body temperatures may also contribute to the fatalities.

Jaehne commented: "The fact that these drugs are often taken in warm nightclubs and at rave parties increases the risk of long-term changes in brain function, or even death. Our bodies usually maintain a constant temperature of 37 degrees Celsius, but in some cases ecstasy can elevate this by up to five degrees, leading to severe brain damage."

Jaehne has spent the last three years investigating the effect of ecstasy on body temperature and how drug users respond when their body temperatures increase. Ecstasy is one of the most popular illicit drugs in Australia. According to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, almost 24 percent of Australians ages 20 to 29 have used Ecstasy at least once.

Jaehne commented: "Ecstasy is more readily available here than in the U.S. and Europe and more widely used than heroin or cocaine in Australia. It is crucial, therefore, that we make people more aware of the dangers associated with this drug. When ecstasy users are taking the drug in nightclubs they tend to blame the surroundings for their elevated body temperature and just ignore the warning signs. That can be fatal."

(Source: sciencedaily.com)

Scientists Find Key to Anxiety Drug Addiction

2010-02-17T10:58:00.000-08:00

According to new research, anxiety drugs utilize the same pathways in the brain as drugs such as heroin and cannabis, and this fact may explain why anxiety drugs are addictive.

A team of Swiss and American researchers has discovered that benzodiazepine-based drugs for anxiety, such as Valium and Xanax, produce a calming effect by enhancing the action of a neurotransmitter known as gamma-aminobutryic acid (GABA) in the same way as drugs such as opioids (heroin, oxycontin) and cannabinoids (marijuana, hashish). With the use of benzodiazepines, opioids and cannabinoids, the enhancement of GABA functioning activates dopamine production in the brain, which produces sensations of pleasure.

The researchers hope that this discovery will aid in the development of a new generation of non-addictive benzodiazepines. The study found that benzodiazepines work by attaching to a specific part of the GABA, known as the alpa1 subunit of the type A receptor. By developing diazepines that bind to a different part of the GABA, the researchers believe it may be possible to create the same calming effect without the addictive side effects.

(Source: www.reuters.com)

U.S. Army Struggles with Alcohol Abuse

2010-02-15T10:52:00.000-08:00

The U.S. Army's second in command, general Peter Chiarelli, stated this week that the Army needs to double its substance abuse treatment staff in order to handle increased troop demand for alcohol abuse treatment. The statement came during an interview with USA Today.

According to Army data, last year 9,199 solders enrolled in substance abuse treatment after being diagnosed with alcohol problems. This represents a 56 percent increase over 2003, when the war in Iraq started. Overall, 16,388 soldiers requested some type of counseling last year. In 2003, 5,783 enrolled in substance abuse treatment and 11,309 soldiers sought counseling.

General Chiarelli commented: "There's no doubt in my mind that since 2001 and being involved in two wars ... that we probably have a higher incidence of alcohol abuse."

According to Les McFarling, director of the Army's Substance Abuse Program, the Army treatment program is down 20 percent from its authorized staffing level of 290. McFarling says that most soldiers seek treatment for alcohol problems after an incident, such as being cited for drunk driving. In addition, alcoholism is a much larger problem than drug abuse, with approximately 85 percent of the Army treatment program's caseload being alcohol-related.

(Source: USAToday.com)

Social Factors Predict and Sustain Alcohol Abuse Among Older Drinkers

2010-02-12T08:44:00.000-08:00

Older adults who have more money, engage in more social activities and whose friends approve more of drinking are more likely to drink excessively or engage in other high-risk drinking behaviors, according to a new study appearing in the April 2010 issue of Alcoholism: Clinical & Experimental Research.

Rudolf H. Moos, senior research career scientist for the Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care System in Palo Alto, Calif., and corresponding author for the study, commented on the significance of the study's focus: "Ours is one of the first studies to focus longitudinally on high-risk drinking among older adults ... and the first to have 10-year and 20-year follow-ups addressing this issue."

For the study, Moos and his team collected data from 719 adults (399 men, 320 women), aged 55 to 65 at baseline; then they collected data again 10 years and 20 years later. The researchers found that older adults with greater financial resources, more social activities and friends who approved of drinking were more likely to engage in high-risk drinking. For the purposes of the study, high-risk drinking was defined as more than three drinks per day or more than 14 drinks per week.

Moos commented on the findings: "Our findings show that, one, certain social factors may enhance the chances of an individual engaging in high-risk drinking and, two, once high-risk drinking has developed, social choices may be made to facilitate continuing this behavior. Older adults who engage in high-risk alcohol consumption tend to select friends who are more likely to drink and to approve of drinking.

"They may also experience a decline in the quality of relationships with extended family members, that is, high-risk drinking may impair some family relationships. Compared to older women, older men may be more vulnerable or susceptible to some social influences on drinking. Specifically, having more money, and friends who approve more of drinking, seem to be more closely related to high-risk drinking among older men than among older women."

(Source: sciencedaily.com)

Alcohol Use Linked to Cognitive Decline in the Elderly

2010-02-10T08:41:00.000-08:00

A new study out of Brazil indicates that heavy alcohol use is associated with greater risk for memory and cognitive problems among the elderly than mild or moderate alcohol use. This correlation seems especially strong among older women.

Marcos Antonio Lopes, corresponding author for the study, commented on the findings: "We found that heavy alcohol use among the elderly people we investigated was high at 8.2 percent and affected principally men from low socioeconomic levels. However, the effects of heavy alcohol use on memory and other cognitive functions were more evident in women."

The study authors cite a crucial lack of research on the effects of drinking among the elderly. This results largely from the fact that most studies of cognitive decline in elderly individuals exclude participants who drink heavily.

Jerson Laks, associate professor at the State University of Rio de Janeiro and a researcher with the Brazilian National Committee for Research, explained, "Alcohol use is frequently an exclusion criterion for any study of cognition and dementia in the elderly, as well as in studies aimed at depression. Therefore, by simply excluding alcohol use and abuse, most studies cannot reveal the interaction between drinking behaviors and cognition in this age range.

"This study shows that older people keep drinking along the life span. Taking into consideration that drinking may lead to falls and to cognitive impairment when heavy use is the case, this study creates important awareness about this issue."

(Source: sciencedaily.com)

Genetics Protects Some Sexual Abuse Survivors from Alcoholism

2010-02-08T08:39:00.000-08:00

Although severe stress, such as sexual abuse, early in life has been shown to increase the risk of alcohol and drug addiction later on, scientists have found that some abuse survivors carry a genetic variation that protects them from the increased risk of alcohol abuse and its effects.

Researchers at the Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis identified the key set of genetic variations, called the H2 haplotype, in a recent study. They believe that the finding could support the development of targeted treatments for alcohol dependence that are based on both genetic traits and history of exposure to severe stress. Scientists estimate that genetics account for about half the risk of developing alcoholism, while the other half comes from environmental factors.

Elliot C. Nelson, M.D., lead author of the study, commented: "We looked at how genes and environment interact. Our analysis included both sexual abuse and information about the DNA region that carries the H2 haplotype. People who carry that genetic pattern were protected against the risks for alcohol consumption and alcohol dependence typically associated with sexual abuse."

The researchers found that sexual abuse survivors with the alternate genetic pattern, known as the H1 haplotype, were three times more likely than study participants who had not been abused to be heavy drinkers and alcohol dependent. By contrast, participants with the H2 haplotype appeared to be completely protected from this increased risk.

(Source: sciencedaily.com)

Stress Hormone Key to Alcohol Dependence, New Research Shows

2010-02-04T09:19:00.000-08:00

According to new research by a team of scientists at The Scripps Research Institute, a specific stress hormone is key to the development and maintenance of alcohol dependence. The researchers found that by blocking the stress hormone corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF), they could also block the symptoms of addiction. This correlation suggests a promising concept for developing a drug to treat alcohol dependence.

The research, which occurred over the six-year period, will appear in an article in an upcoming print edition of the journal Biological Psychiatry.

Associate Professor Marisa Roberta, lead researcher, commented on the findings: "I'm excited about this study. It represents an important step in understanding how the brain changes when it moves from a normal to an alcohol-dependent state."

The study not only confirms the central role of CRF in alcohol dependence, but it also shows that CRF can be successfully blocked on a long-term basis (at least in rats) to alleviate the symptoms of alcohol dependence. This is the first study to do so.

Roberta further commented: "Research to understand alcoholism is important for society. Our study explored what we call in the field 'the dark side' of alcohol addiction. That's the compulsion to drink, not because it is pleasurable -- which has been the focus of much previous research -- but because it relieves the anxiety generated by abstinence and the stressful effects of withdrawal."

(Source: www.sciencedaily.com)

Returning Troops Need Substance Abuse Treatment, North Carolina Report Says

2010-02-02T09:15:00.000-08:00

North Carolina is home to more than 120,000 active-duty military personnel, the fourth largest concentration in the nation. According to a new report by The Coalition, a group of 40 statewide organizations that advocates for North Carolina veterans, returning troops require greater access to substance abuse treatment.

Researchers have found evidence of alcohol and substance use problems among military personnel during pre- and post-deployment. Research has also found that those military personnel who were deployed and exposed to combat were significantly more likely to experience new-onset heavy drinking, binge drinking and alcohol related problems (Jacobson et al., 2008).

Of 350,000 OEF-OIF (Operation Enduring Freedom, Operation Iraqi Freedom) veterans, 16 percent were diagnosed with alcohol or other substance abuse; 4 percent with alcohol dependence; and 2 percent with other substance dependence (Eggleston et al., 2009). Research also shows that when substance abuse or dependence is combined with post-traumatic stress disorder (prevalence rates of 13-22 percent), clinical problems such as psychosocial impairment, aggression and suicide increase.

(Source: www.carolinanewswire.com)

West Virginia Lawmakers Tackle Prescription Drug Abuse

2010-01-29T09:12:00.000-08:00

This week, the West Virginia Senate introduced legislation designed to address the state's problem with prescription drug abuse. On Wednesday, lawmakers introduced five bills, bringing the total number of new bills under consideration to seven.

West Virginia currently has the highest overdose rate of any state in the nation, and lawmakers are making an effort turn the tide of drug abuse in the state and bring this rate down. A December 2008 study in the Journal of the American Medical Association indicated that West Virginia's rate of accidental fatal overdoses was almost twice the national average.

The bills introduced this week focus on curbing "drug diversion" -- the illegal procurement of prescription medications by lying to doctors, buying on the black market or theft.

Democratic senator Ron Stollings, a physician who is leading the charge, commented: "I am out there every day, seeing patients and trying to do good, empathetic, appropriate care, and at the same time not allowing this fraud and abuse to continue."

The new legislation would require, among other things, that prescriptions be written on tamper-proof forms, the penalties be stiffened for using false information to obtain medication, and that all pharmacies in the state give pharmacists access to a controlled substances database.

(Source: www.businessweek.com)

Afghan Province to Evict Addicts

2010-01-22T08:17:00.000-08:00

Soaring rates of drug addiction in Afghanistan have led one province to adopt an extreme policy: Kick the habit or get kicked out of the region.

Leaders of the area, which is located in the remote eastern region of Ghazni, are taking desperate action to battle the overwhelming increase in young addicts over the past several years. Heroin addicts are being given quitting deadlines after tribal elders decided that the only way to fight the tide of addiction was to begin threatening, punishing and ultimately evicting drug users.

Users receive a warning, followed by a fine. If they ignore these measures, they may have their houses burned down, and they will eventually be evicted from their communities. The measures will also be used against drug dealers and suppliers.

Elder Mohammad Razaq commented: "Heroin addiction among our young people was destroying us. This destruction was getting worse and worse every day and we felt that we had no choice but to deal with it in this way.

"Since the elders made the decision, we have evicted more than 200 addicts from villages in this district. They have all been told that until they give up their addiction, they are not welcome back."

Opium exports currently represent about 25 percent of Afghanistan's annual gross domestic product, or $2.8 billion. Opium is a widely grown crop, which contributes to its easy availability.

In addition, according to a United Nations report, "Conflict, displacement, economic hardship and overflowing opium production have generated widespread drug abuse in Afghanistan."

(Source: www.google.com/hostednews)

Massachusetts Plans to Tackle Prescription Drug Abuse with Revamped Monitoring System

2010-01-20T08:15:00.000-08:00

This week, in a letter to the editor of the Boston Globe, Massachusetts Lieutenant Governor Timothy P. Murray acknowledged the seriousness of prescription drug abuse in Massachusetts and highlighted the administration's current efforts to tackle the issue. Lt. Governor Murray admitted that the state's current Prescription Monitoring Program is ineffective.

According to a statement by the Public Health Council: "The Prescription Monitoring Program was established in 1992 by joint regulation between the Board of Pharmacy and the Department of Public Health. The Program collects prescription records for Schedule II drugs, dispensed at community, clinic and outpatient pharmacies and hospitals. The data is reviewed by the Department and a Medical Review Group, which is comprised of physicians, dentists, other practitioners and pharmacists."

Lt. Governor Murray stated that the administration has been working to overhaul this program, in collaboration with the Department of Public Health and the Governor's Interagency Council on Substance Abuse and Prevention. Murray also indicated that recommendations from the OxyContin and Heroin Commission, as well as input from legislators, public safety officials, providers, and community representatives will be incorporated into improvements to the monitoring system.

(Sources: www.boston.com; www.mass.gov)

Gambling Addiction on the Rise as Gambling Opportunities Multiply

2010-01-18T08:12:00.000-08:00

Experts are warning that the increased availability of gambling opportunities may be causing an increase in problem gambling and gambling addiction. According to San Francisco psychotherapist Michael Halyard, addiction treatment providers are receiving more requests to treat gambling behaviors, which are extremely similar to drug and alcohol abuse behaviors.

According to Halyard, "Compulsive gambling is the urge to gamble despite having harmful negative consequences or a desire to stop. It's not how much time or money a gambler gambles, but the harm to the gambler or his or her partner or family that determines whether it is compulsive gambling. Compulsive gambling, like drug and alcohol addiction, is a debilitating condition that wrecks havoc in people's lives."

Halyard says that problem gamblers seeking treatment even include teens who become addicted to Internet gambling. Teen gamblers, like other gamblers, are falling prey to the new proliferation of gambling opportunities, especially on the Internet.

He said, "It used to be that if you wanted to gamble, you had to go to Las Vegas or Atlantic City. Now days, people can gamble in the comfort of their own homes on the computer, or go to nearby card room or Indian Casino. Casinos offer slot machines, sports betting, card games, but there's also the horse racing, greyhound racing, card rooms, bingo parlors, and state lotteries. Gambling is ubiquitous and one of the few booming industries. In 2006, Americans lost nearly 91 billion dollars gambling."

(Source: www.prweb.com)

Chronic Drinking Linked to High-Grade Prostate Cancer

2010-01-15T08:30:00.000-08:00

According to recent research conducted by the University of California, San Francisco, daily, heavy drinking may increase the risk of high-grade prostate cancer. Dr. Zhihong Gong, Ph.D., and researchers used data from more than 10,000 men participating in the Prostate Cancer Prevention Trial (PCPT) to study the effects of alcohol consumption.

The identified participants who reported heavy alcohol consumption (50 grams or more per day) and regular heavy drinking (four or more drinks per day on five or more days per week) and found that these participants were twice as likely to be diagnosed with high-grade prostate cancer.

Moderate alcohol consumption was not found to carry the same risk.

(Source: www.sciencedaily.com)

Drunk Walking -- Deadly for Pedestrians

2010-01-13T08:27:00.000-08:00

According to a 2005 study published in the journal Injury Prevention, New Year's Day is the most deadly day of the year for pedestrians. From 1986 to 2002, 410 pedestrians were killed on New Year's Day, and 58 percent of them had high blood alcohol levels.

Data from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety also show that alcohol has a high rate of involvement in pedestrian deaths throughout the year. In 2007, 37 percent of fatally injured pedestrians aged 16 or older had blood alcohol concentrations above 0.08 percent. Of pedestrians who were killed at night, over half (54 percent) had high blood alcohol levels.

According to Dr. Thomas Esposito, a trauma surgeon at Loyola University Health System in Illinois, alcohol consumption makes people prone to all types of injuries:

"It's not just walking outside. All the time we see people who have been drinking that have fallen down the stairs or tripped at home and injured themselves. Others have decided to pick a fight using a knife or with someone holding a gun. Alcohol impairs your physical ability to walk and to drive. It impairs your judgment, reflexes and coordination. It's nothing more than a socially acceptable, over-the-counter stimulant/depressant."

According to Esposito, from July 2008 to June 2009, 86 patients aged 16 or older were treated at Loyola after being struck by cars. Of these, 18 (21 percent) were found to have alcohol in their systems. Of those, 14 (78 percent) had blood alcohol concentrations of 0.08 percent or higher.

(Source: www.sciencedaily.com)

Scientists Discover New Key to Cocaine's Addictiveness

2010-01-11T08:25:00.000-08:00

Scientists have discovered a key mechanism in the brain that helps to explain the addictiveness of cocaine, according to new research funded by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), which is part of the National Institutes of Health.

The study, which is published in the January issue of the journal Science, demonstrates who cocaine affects an epigenetic process call histone methylation. An epigenetic process is a process that is capable of influencing gene expression without changing a gene's sequence. The changes caused to this process by cocaine affect the brain's pleasure circuits and are likely to contribute to an acquired preference for cocaine.

For the study, researchers studied the effects of chronic cocaine exposure in young mice. The researchers gave one group of young mice repeated doses of cocaine, while a control group received repeated doses of saline solution with a final dose of cocaine. The researchers then examined how one-time exposure to the drug differed from chronic exposure. The study confirmed that chronic exposure alters the brain's reward pathway.

NIDA Director Dr. Nora Volkow commented on the findings: "This fundamental discovery advances our understanding of how cocaine addiction works. Although more research will be required, these findings have identified a key new player in the molecular cascade triggered by repeated cocaine exposure, and thus a potential novel target for the development of addiction medications."

Dr. Eric J. Nestler, study investigator and director of the Brain Institute at Mount Sinai School of Medicine, commented: "The more complete picture that we have today of the genetic and epigenetic processes triggered by chronic cocaine give us a better understanding of the broader principles governing biochemical regulation in the brain which will help us identify not only additional pathways involved but potentially new therapeutic approaches."

(Source: www.sciencedaily.com)

'Cocaine Chic' Linked to Increase in Young Addicts

2010-01-07T08:42:00.000-08:00

Britain's National Health Service (NHS) has recorded a near 100 percent increase in youth being treated for cocaine addiction over the past four years, and many experts are blaming the drug's newfound glamorous image for the spike in abuse.

Last year, 753 youth under the age of 18 sought treatment for cocaine addiction, compared with 453 in 2005-2006. Among these, at least 15 children were under the age of 12, 14 children were aged 12 to 14, and 169 children were aged 14 to 16.

Experts believe that young children and teens using "Class A" drugs are most likely to be using them as a coping mechanism or imitating a parent or family member who uses the substance. Harry Shapiro, director of communications at the charity Drugscope, said that in recent years all age groups have been moving away from heroin and crack and more often using cocaine.

He commented: "If young people are in a particularly risky or dysfunctional environment, alcohol or cannabis abuse is going to be more likely, and that makes them more likely to try other drugs. If you are in an environment where the house is used as a dealing hub or there are users regularly coming round to score, or if they come into contact with Class A substances through family members who are using them, then clearly that is an issue.

"Although they are coming forward for treatment, it's likely that their drug use is symptomatic of other problems that are going on at home or school. I don't think it's a question of children and teenagers hanging round street corners, buying off dealers, but that could be their future if they don't get treatment."

(Source: www.timesonline.co.uk)