This is Archived Content. This content is available for historical purposes only. It may not reflect the current state of science or language from the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA). View current news releases on nida.nih.gov.
A child’s first eight years critical for substance abuse prevention
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An online guide about interventions in early childhood that can help prevent drug use and other unhealthy behaviors was launched today by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), part of the National Institutes of Health.
NIDA and ARC announce funding opportunity for research projects to address opioid injection use and its consequences in the Appalachian Region
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The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), in partnership with the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC), has announced a NIDA funding opportunity for one-year, services planning research grants to address a dramatic increase in adverse outcomes associated with increased opioid injection drug use in Appalachia.
Marijuana Use Raises SUD Risk
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The health impacts of marijuana are currently the subject of significant public debate. Past data have suggested a link to numerous mental health outcomes including substance use disorders (SUDs), mood disorders, and anxiety, although whether marijuana use actually causes these conditions, or just shares common contributing factors, has been difficult to specify.
Naloxone prescriptions from pharmacies increased ten-fold
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A new scientific analysis shows prescriptions for naloxone, a medication designed to rapidly reverse opioid overdose, has increased ten-fold in the past eighteen months.
Dr. Marilyn Huestis retires
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Dr. Huestis’ research program has sought to discover mechanisms of action of cannabinoid agonists and antagonists, effects of in utero drug exposure, and the neurobiology and pharmacokinetics of novel psychoactive substances, the emerging face of drug abuse.
NIDA issues strategic plan to address current and future public health needs through transformative addiction research
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As the lead federal agency devoted to research on the health effects of drug use, NIDA has developed a plan with four priority areas that present unique opportunities to be leveraged over the next five years.
Factors Predicting the Transition from Prescription Opioids to Heroin
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Prescription opioid misuse remains one of America’s biggest drug problems. In recent years the numbers of people misusing prescription pain relievers has leveled off, however, the number of people dying from overdoses continues to rise, and a new epidemic of heroin use has emerged as many people misusing prescription opioids transition to their cheaper, often easier-to-obtain street relative.
Review article reinforces support for brain disease model of addiction
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The review article summarizes recent scientific advances in the neurobiology of addiction, including prevention and treatment strategies, as well as related developments in public policy.
Research on THC blood levels sheds light on difficulties of testing for impaired driving
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Driving under the influence of drugs is a major public safety issue, and marijuana is the illicit drug most commonly found in the blood of drivers.
New policies to reduce opioid prescribing not likely to have caused increase in heroin use
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A new scientific review suggests that federal and state policies aimed at curbing inappropriate prescribing of opioids have not directly led to the recent increases in heroin use across the nation.
NIDA editorial urges safer opioid prescribing practices for pregnant women
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Recent research sheds light on the risks of prescribing opioids to pregnant women and their exposed infants – underscoring the importance of following good opioid prescription practices, according to an editorial published today in the British Medical Journal by Dr. Nora D. Volkow, Director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA).
Teen Opioid Prescriptions Raise Risk of Later Opioid Misuse
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A new study using data from the NIDA-funded Monitoring the Future survey of adolescent drug use and attitudes conducted annually by the University of Michigan shows that teens who received a prescription for opioid pain medication by Grade 12 were at 33 percent increased risk of misusing an opioid between ages 19 and 25.
Drug use trends remain stable or decline among teens
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The 2015 Monitoring the Future survey (MTF) shows decreasing use of a number of substances, including cigarettes, alcohol, prescription opioid pain relievers, and synthetic cannabinoids (“synthetic marijuana”). Other drug use remains stable, including marijuana, with continued high rates of daily use reported among 12th graders, and ongoing declines in perception of its harms.
Survey Examines Risky Behavior Among Young HIV+ Men
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The survey found that unprotected (condomless) sex was more common among YMSM reporting problematic substance use, among those who were unemployed, and among those with virologically detectable HIV who let their sex partners know their HIV status.
NIDA and NIAAA release new resources for National Drug and Alcohol Facts Week
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The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) and the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) are pleased to unveil new online toolkits designed for National Drug and Alcohol Facts Week SM event holders interested in focusing on specific drugs.
High rates of dental and gum disease occur among methamphetamine users
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A new study funded by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) documents the high rates and unique patterns of dental decay and gum disease in people who use the illicit drug methamphetamine.
FDA approves naloxone nasal spray to reverse opioid overdose
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The new technology has an easy-to-use, needle-free design, providing family members, caregivers and first responders with an alternative to injectable naloxone for use during a suspected opioid overdose.
NIDA Issues Challenge to Create App for Addiction Research
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The goal of the NIDA Challenge is to create an app to be used by addiction researchers in future studies which will help to improve the scientific understanding of drug use and addiction.
NIDA redesigns Easy to Read and Learn the Link websites for mobile devices
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This new responsive design model automatically adjusts each page to fit the viewer’s screen for faster and easier viewing and navigation on a variety of mobile platforms, such as smartphones and tablets.
NIDA announces new awards for the Clinical Trials Network
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The grants will support studies on behavioral and pharmacological therapeutic interventions in rigorous, multi-site clinical trials to determine their effectiveness across a broad range of community-based treatment settings and diversified patient populations.
Nef Protein Helps HIV Virus Overcome Immune Cell Defenses
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A new NIAID- and NIDA-funded study by researchers at the University of Massachusetts Medical School found that Nef enhances the ability of HIV-1 to take over immune cells specifically by reducing the expression of two proteins in the surface of those cells (i.e., transmembrane proteins), SERINC3 and SERINC5.
Reducing nicotine in cigarettes decreases use, dependence and cravings
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New NIDA-funded research shows that cutting the amount of nicotine in cigarettes leads to a reduction in the amount of cigarettes smoked per day, decreased nicotine dependence, and reduced cravings.
Translational research focus of NIDA organizational shift
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The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) has reorganized its divisional structure to integrate its research portfolio, promote translational research and increase efficiencies.
Appetite Hormones Play a Role in Alcohol Dependence and Craving
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Recent research has suggested that appetite-regulating hormones ghrelin and leptin may play a role in alcohol use disorders.
NIH launches landmark study on substance use and adolescent brain development
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The Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) Study will follow approximately 10,000 children beginning at ages 9 to10, before they initiate drug use, through the period of highest risk for substance use and other mental health disorders.
Brain structure and predisposition for cannabis use
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A new study by researchers at Washington University in St. Louis and elsewhere and partly funded by NIDA—the largest study to date examining cannabis exposure in relation to brain volume—used neuroimaging data from a sample of twins and siblings (483 participants total) to examine the extent cannabis use causes structural effects in the brain.
Expanded National Drug and Alcohol Facts Week begins January 25
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An annual, week-long observance that brings together teens and scientific experts to shatter persistent myths about substance use and addiction will feature information about alcohol in addition to drug use.
Teens using e-cigarettes may be more likely to start smoking tobacco
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Students who have used electronic cigarettes by the time they start ninth grade are more likely than others to start smoking traditional cigarettes and other combustible tobacco products within the next year, according to a new study funded by the National Institutes of Health.
NIDA and NIAAA commentary strongly supports brain disease model of addiction
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These findings, along with ongoing research, are helping to explain how drugs and alcohol affect brain processes associated with loss of control, compulsive drug taking, inflexible behavior, and negative emotional states associated with addiction.
NIDA announces two online resources
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The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) is pleased to announce two online resources - Substance Use in Women and Therapeutic Communities Research Report.
Do rats prefer palatable foods over meth?
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Recent research has shown that most rats will choose non-drug rewards (palatable foods) over self-administering cocaine, if given the option. A new study by researchers at NIDA’s Intramural Research Program examined whether such a preference generalizes to rats with a history of limited or extended access to another stimulant drug, methamphetamine.
Biomarkers for Heart Disease Risk in Cocaine Users
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This study examined ET-1 levels and coronary plaques in a group of African American cocaine users participating in an incentive-based program to reduce cocaine use.
NIDA announces new awards for early stage investigators
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The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) today announced the first six recipients of its two newly developed Avenir Award programs for HIV/AIDS and genetics or epigenetics research.
Effects of marijuana – with and without alcohol – on driving performance
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Using the most sophisticated driving simulator of its kind to mirror real-life situations, new research shows that marijuana use impairs one measure of driving performance.
A New Tool for Studying the Opioid System
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Mu opioid receptors (MOR) are responsible for the analgesia-, euphoria- and reward-inducing aspects of opioids, including prescription painkillers and heroin.
Nasal spray naloxone one step closer to public availability
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The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) is pleased to announce that Adapt Pharma Limited, a partner of Lightlake Therapeutics Inc., has commenced a rolling submission of a New Drug Application (NDA) to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for a nasal spray formulation of naloxone, a drug designed to prevent opioid overdose deaths.
Prescribing lifesaving naloxone: Addressing attitudes of primary care clinicians
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NIDA-funded research exploring barriers to prescribing naloxone, a safe, easy-to-use drug that can prevent opioid overdose deaths, suggests that primary healthcare providers have limited knowledge about it, and have concerns about its misuse and safety.
A Role for the Brainstem in Regulating Memory Processing
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A new study investigated populations of neurons in the brainstem area known as the mesopontine median raphe (MnR) to determine the effects of these neurons on hippocampal ripple activity.
Carlos Blanco, M.D., Ph.D. to join NIDA as division director
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Carlos Blanco, M.D., Ph.D., a leading researcher in the interface between epidemiology and the treatment of addictive disorders, will be joining the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) to lead the Division of Epidemiology, Services, and Prevention Research.
Methadone maintenance in prison results in treatment retention, lower drug usage following release
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A new NIDA-funded study shows that, among people incarcerated for six months or less, those who received continued methadone maintenance while imprisoned were more likely to obtain follow up drug treatment than those who underwent detoxification from methadone while in jail.
Interactions of environmental conditions and genetic risk for drug taking
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This study examined gene-by-environment interactions in susceptibility to drug use by raising LEW and F344 rats in varied environmental conditions.
NIDA highlights drug use trends among college-age and young adults in new online resource
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Use of illicit drugs, including marijuana, has been rising steadily among college-aged young adults. In addition, non-medical use of stimulants, including Adderall and Ritalin, has more than doubled in the past few years.
Pain reliever investigation wins top NIH Addiction Science Award
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A project identifying novel compounds that could be used for pain relief was awarded a first place Addiction Science Award at the 2015 Intel International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF)—the world’s largest science competition for high school students.
Importance of controlling for alcohol use when exploring marijuana’s impact on brain structure
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Although some studies indicate that marijuana use is associated with changes in brain structure, other studies have not found such a relationship. Recent research funded by NIDA and NIAAA explores whether alcohol use may play some role in these discrepant results.
Gene variant related to greater difficulty in quitting smoking and earlier lung cancer diagnosis
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People with a specific form of the CHRNA5 gene take an average of four years longer to quit smoking and are at greater risk for developing lung cancer four years earlier, compared to smokers without this gene variant.
Cannabinoid Receptor 2: Pain Treatment Without Tolerance or Withdrawal
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In this study, the authors looked at whether the CB2-selective molecule AM1710 could reduce neuropathic pain caused by the chemotherapy drug paclitaxel, while avoiding unwanted side effects.
Scientists identify cellular basis of methamphetamine-induced aging
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Using cell cultures and an animal model of self-administration, researchers found methamphetamine activated pathways that involve nuclear factor κβ, which triggers an increase in levels of ceramide in various tissues of the brain and body.
Research shows that teens and adults are uncertain about legalities of marijuana law in Washington State
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A NIDA-funded study showed that while parents in the state of Washington are discussing with their children the legalization of recreational marijuana use among adults, they are unsure what is legal and illegal under the new laws.
Study looks at effects of socioeconomic factors on child brain development and achievement
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New research suggests that family income, and to a lesser degree parental education, are associated with brain structure differences in children and young adults.
The Role of the Brain’s Opioid System in Cigarette Addiction
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This study used PET scan (positron emission tomography) brain imaging to assess the binding potential of endogenous opioids to MOR in the brains of smokers and nonsmokers while they smoked regular or placebo (nicotine-free) cigarettes.
Medication finds new use in sustaining opioid quit success
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New research suggests that clonidine, a medication for high blood pressure and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), can enhance buprenorphine’s ability to treat opioid dependence.
Dr. Susan Weiss appointed division director at NIDA
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Susan R.B. Weiss, Ph.D., has been selected to lead the Division of Extramural Research (DER), a newly formed Division at the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), part of the National Institutes of Health.
Recreational marijuana use associated with increased impulsivity and hostility in daily life
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In a recent 14-day study using a smartphone-based EMA, recreational marijuana users (average use of 4.5 days over the past 30 days) who also drank alcohol at least once per week answered questions each day regarding their alcohol consumption, marijuana use, and number of cigarettes or cigars smoked. Participants also answered questions to assess hostility following any interaction with another person that lasted longer than five minutes. In addition, end-of-day surveys were completed to measure impulsivity.
Increasing access to HCV treatment by maximizing benefits of new drug regimens and expansion of the Affordable Care Act
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A recent analysis, co-authored by a NIDA grantee from Rockefeller University, explains how the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and the Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act may help address some of these barriers to impact HCV treatment.
NIDA Director Dr. Nora Volkow to Participate in Facebook Chat about TEDMED Presentation
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NIDA Director Dr. Nora Volkow will participate in a LIVE Facebook chat, hosted by TEDMED, on Thursday, February 12, at 1 p.m. EST to discuss what we can learn about compulsive overeating from studying the brain chemistry of people with drug addictions.
The science behind designer drugs
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“Designer drugs,” such as bath salts (synthetic cathinones) and spice (synthetic cannabinoids) are manufactured to chemically resemble illicit drugs but can often be purchased legally because manufacturers continually modify their chemical structures in order to circumvent drug laws.
NIDA researchers discover further complexity in brain reward circuitry
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NIDA scientists have identified new complexities within the brain’s reward circuitry that involves two major chemicals involved in drug addiction -- dopamine and glutamate. Researchers used rodent models to better understand a specific brain circuit where dopamine and glutamate are both released from the same brain cells.
2015 Avant-Garde Awards offer extraordinary ideas in HIV/AIDS research
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With proposals ranging from innovative therapies to the development of unique organoid models of the brain, five scientists have been selected to receive the 2015 Avant-Garde Award for HIV/AIDS Research from the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), part of the National Institutes of Health.
Genetics influence response to prevention intervention
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A new NIDA-funded study examined whether an individual’s collective gene-based sensitivity to the reinforcing aspects of nicotine (or his/her polygenic score) had an impact on how much he or she benefited from an elementary-school-based prevention intervention, as assessed by age of smoking initiation.
Detecting gene-environment interactions in genome-wide analyses of addiction risk
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Although environment and comorbid mental health disorders can influence genes associated with addiction risk, few genome-wide association studies utilize statistical models that can take these highly variable factors into account.
Mindfulness training may reduce deficits in natural reward processing during chronic pain or drug addiction
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In this study, chronic pain patients at risk for opioid misuse were randomized to either eight weeks of a Mindfulness-Oriented Recovery Enhancement (MORE) intervention or to an eight-week support group (control).
Cannabinoid CB2 Receptors in Brain Reward Systems
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In this study, researchers found that CB 2 receptors and their genes are located in neurons that contain dopamine in the ventral tegmental area, a brain area that is involved in reward and drug addiction.
Nicotine metabolism rates may impact success of smoking cessation treatments
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A randomized clinical trial of smokers trying to quit found that the effectiveness of particular smoking cessation therapies might relate to how quickly their body metabolizes nicotine. The study compared success rates of the nicotine patch versus the prescription medication varenicline.
Effects of cigarette smoking on brain differ between men and women
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Scientists suggest that these findings support previously published data that shows men tend to be reinforced by the nicotine in cigarettes, while women, though no less dependent on nicotine, smoke for reasons that may be related to mood or from habit.
Depressive Symptoms and Drug Abuse in Adolescents
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A recent study by researchers at the University of Southern California examined negative urgency—or acting rashly during periods of extreme negative emotion—as the mechanism linking depressive symptoms and substance abuse initiation.
Women who receive gender-specific substance abuse treatment have greater chance of employment
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Women who receive treatment in gender-sensitive programs are more likely to be employed 12 months after treatment admission than women in more traditional treatment programs, according to research funded by...
Registration open for Drug Facts Chat Day; 2015 Drug IQ Challenge preview available
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Schools can now register for Drug Facts Chat Day, NIDA’s annual Web chat that connects NIH scientists with teens around the country, at http://drugfactsweek. drugabuse.gov/chat /index.php. Drug Facts Chat Day...
Prescriptions for anti-anxiety medications put teens at risk
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Teens prescribed anxiety or sleep medications are more likely to abuse them later (compared to those who had never had a prescription). Teens reported they used these medications to self-treat...
Methamphetamine or amphetamine abuse linked to higher risk of Parkinson’s disease
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People who abuse amphetamine-type drugs such as methamphetamine may be at increased risk for developing dopamine-related disorders such as Parkinson’s disease, according to recent research funded by NIDA and NCI...
Teen prescription opioid abuse, cigarette, and alcohol use trends down
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Dr. Volkow discusses MTF 2014 results Use of cigarettes, alcohol, and abuse of prescription pain relievers among teens has declined since 2013 while marijuana use rates were stable, according to...
Regulating a single gene may alter addiction and stress responses
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Researchers have now used genetically engineered DNA binding proteins to target specific processes within a gene - located within a brain reward center in the mouse. By regulating the activity...
Medication Assisted Treatment Reduces HCV Incidence in Young Adult Injection Drug Users
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Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is primarily transmitted through injection drug use, and prior research has suggested that providing medication-assisted treatment (MAT), using opioid agonists (buprenorphine or methadone), to treat opioid...
Buprenorphine tapering less effective than ongoing maintenance for prescription opioid abuse
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A recent NIDA-funded study concludes that maintenance buprenorphine therapy is more effective than tapering and discontinuation of the medication in treating prescription opioid-dependent patients in primary care settings. In this...
Adolescent Caffeine Use and Cocaine Sensitivity
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Caffeine is the most widely used stimulant in the world and use by adolescents has more than doubled since 1980. Chronic caffeine use produces greater tolerance in adolescents compared with...
Evidence grows that heavy marijuana use may harm the brain
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New NIDA-funded research shows that heavy marijuana use (at least four times per week over the past six months) is linked to adverse changes in the function and structure of...
Policies to Limit Smoking Reduce Alcohol Use Too
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Increasing excise taxes on cigarettes and restricting where they can be smoked in public through smoke-free air (SFA) laws are known to reduce smoking, and some, but not all, research...
NIDA researchers confirm important brain reward pathway
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Details of the role of glutamate, the brain’s excitatory chemical, in a drug reward pathway have been identified for the first time. This discovery in rodents - published today in...
Effect of prenatal cocaine exposure on cries in human infants and rat pups
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Prenatal exposure to cocaine is associated with various neurobehavioral deficits, but there are many confounding factors, including poverty and the mother’s use of other drugs during pregnancy, that make it...
New CME/CE course addresses substance use
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Announcement A new continuing medical education/continuing education course (CME/CE), Talking to Patients About Health Risk Behaviors, adds to a growing body of tools available through the National Institute on Drug...
Engaging High-Risk Youth in Prevention Programs
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Most adults with substance abuse disorders start using drugs during adolescence. Most prevention programs have been designed for younger youth, with programs for older teens—especially those at high risk who...
Impact of Availability on Marijuana Use
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Widening acceptance of and access to medical marijuana in many U.S. states raises questions about how availability of marijuana in communities affects incidence and prevalence of marijuana use. A new...
Using social media to better understand, prevent, and treat substance use
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More than $11 million over three years will be used to support research exploring the use of social media to advance the scientific understanding, prevention, and treatment of substance use...
Impact of Methadone on Brain Cell Development
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Since 1999, there has been a dramatic increase in opioid overdose deaths and addiction to opioid drugs, including both prescription opioid pain relievers and heroin. Increased rates of addiction have...
Role of Brain Nicotinic Receptors in Nicotine and Cocaine Addiction
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Tobacco use remains the leading preventable cause of death worldwide yet current FDA-approved anti-smoking agents have been only moderately effective in maintaining abstinence. In addition, cocaine is a powerfully addictive...
Serotonergic and nonserotonergic participation in reward circuitry
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Defining Reward Circuitry Previous research has shown that the Dorsal Raphe Nucleus (DRN) plays a paradoxical role in reward. Although it contains the brain’s largest group of serotonin-producing neurons and...
Unique interaction discovered between brain regions involved in addiction, depression
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NIDA IRP researchers have discovered a unique interaction between a nerve cell in the brain’s ventral tegmental area and the lateral habenula - a pathway implicated in mental health disorders...
Review summarizes research on health effects of K2/Spice
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K2, a popular brand of “Spice” mixture Image courtesy Coolidge Youth Coalition A new article, authored by scientists from NIDA and the University of Maryland, provides an overview of preclinical...
Short video increases HIV testing in emergency department patients who initially declined
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A NIDA-funded study shows that one-third of emergency department patients who initially declined to be tested for HIV changed their minds after watching a 16-minute video. This video described the...
National Drug Facts Week 2015 to begin January 26
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National Drug Facts Week, which brings together teens and scientific experts to shatter persistent myths about drug use and addiction, will be held Jan. 26 through Feb. 1, 2015. Ideas...
Prenatal Cocaine Exposure Affects Brain Development Through Adolescence
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Prenatal exposure to drugs can have long-term detrimental impact on the developing brain. Cocaine, for example, can readily cross the placenta and directly impact critical neurotransmitter systems in the fetal...
Orbitofrontal Cortex Is Key to Insight Abilities Lost in Addiction
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Ability to anticipate likely outcomes of one’s own actions—or insight—is compromised by drug addiction, and this loss of insight may be an important contributor to relapse. Insight has recently been...
Commentary: More research needed into marijuana’s effects on brain development and function
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A journal commentary by Harvard researcher and NIDA grantee Bertha K. Madras stresses the importance of a large scale longitudinal study to better assess the effects of marijuana use on...
Journal issue explores early interventions to prevent risky sexual behaviors related to HIV/AIDS
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A special issue of the journal Prevention Science spotlights six NIDA-funded early interventions (delivered prior to the onset of adolescence) that successfully reduced later health-risking sexual behaviors related to HIV/AIDS...
Early-life Stress Differentially Impacts Reward Circuitry in Mice
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Stressful early-life experiences can have profound effects on lifelong physical and mental health and well-being. Emotional abuse during childhood increases the risk of developing substance abuse and obesity and may...
Regular marijuana users may have impaired brain reward centers
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New research shows that regular marijuana users show impairments in the brain’s ability to respond to dopamine – a brain chemical that is involved in reward, among other functions. Although...
NIH system to monitor emerging drug trends
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An innovative National Drug Early Warning System (NDEWS) is being developed to monitor emerging trends that will help health experts respond quickly to potential outbreaks of illicit drugs such as...
Passive e-cigarette exposure may urge young adults to smoke
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A new NIDA-funded study shows that being around someone who is using (vaping) an e-cigarette can trigger a desire for tobacco cigarettes in young adults who regularly smoke. This passive...
The Future of Genotyping in Addiction Treatment
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Two recent studies suggest that clinicians may one day be able to use genotyping to personalize treatment for opioid addiction. One study associated a rare variant of the gene for...
New brain imaging dataset now available to enhance reliability and reproducibility
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A new NIDA-supported dataset will now allow researchers to compare their MRI-based scans against more than 10,000 brain images, thereby enhancing reliability and reproducibility. The Consortium for Reproducibility and Reliability...
Social media can influence teens with pro-drug messages
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A new NIDA-funded study analyzed the content and demographic reach of a popular pro-marijuana Twitter handle in 2013 and found that only ten percent of the messages mentioned any risky...