Pain Clinics and Painkiller Addiction

With painkiller abuse on the rise across the United States, sources of painkillers are being subjected to increasing scrutiny. Read more

Do Genetics Cause Addiction?

The role of genetics in addiction has been debated for decades. Scientists and other health experts have successfully identified various risk factors for the development of addiction, but concise and objective predictors of addiction have eluded discovery. This year, however, science has made significant strides in discerning how genetics may affect addiction. Read more

Dopamine: The Key to Addiction?

Researchers nationwide have been focusing a lot of attention on dopamine – a chemical produced by the human brain – in an effort to unlock the riddle of addiction. Read more

Alcohol Intolerance and Allergies: When Alcohol Is Toxic to the Body

Although most people can drink a moderate amount of alcohol without suffering serious physical effects, some people’s bodies are intolerant — or, more rarely, allergic — to alcohol. The reactions that can accompany alcohol intolerance and allergy run from fairly mild to life-threatening. Read more

Plants as Recreational Drugs

Recently, stories about young people using exotic plants to get high have been all over the news. The media attention highlights a trend that appears to span the United States. Read more

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and Stimulant Medications

At the same time that teens are bombarded with anti-drug messages, many are also given prescriptions for psychoactive medications, including those that treat Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). Read more

Marijuana Use in the United States Debated

Marijuana has been a topic of great debate for the past several years. The federal government continues to list marijuana as a Schedule I substance under the Controlled Substances Act (CSA). Schedule I drugs are classified as having a high potential for abuse, no currently accepted medical use in treatment in the United States and a lack of accepted safety for use of the drug or other substance under medical supervision. Read more

Recovery Month: Celebrating Those on the Road to Recovery

For the past 20 years, September has been reserved for the observance of National Alcohol and Drug Addiction Recovery Month to educate the nation about the benefits of substance abuse treatment and celebrate people who are on the road to recovery.

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Genetics and Other Physical Risk Factors for Addiction

Scientific and addiction treatment experts continue to struggle with the roots of addiction. What causes addiction? What are the factors that place an individual at higher risk for developing an addiction? Do factors like gender, race, ethnicity, age or genetics play a significant role in the development of addictions? Read more

Substance Abuse – An Occupational Hazard?

The likelihood of a substance abuse problem depends on a person’s type of employment or occupation, according to the federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). Substance abuse among employed individuals varies based on other demographics, such as educational level, age and gender. Read more

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