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