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.
Scientists Gather in Scottsdale to Discuss Advances in Drug Abuse Research
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More than 1,000 scientists, including several Arizona researchers, are meeting June 16-21 in Scottsdale, Arizona, at the 63rd annual meeting of the College on Problems of Drug Dependence (CPDD) to...
New Research Shows Even a Single Drug Exposure Can Alter Brain Function
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Scientists have found that a single use of cocaine can modify neural connections in the brain, and this may help explain at the cellular level how occasional drug use can...
Study Sheds Light on Role of Gender Differences in the Risk of HIV Infection Among Injection Drug Users
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HIV risk factors among injection drug users (IDUs) differ markedly by gender, according to a 10-year study funded by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA). A recent study by...
Researchers Localize the Brain Circuitry Anticipating Monetary Gains
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Using money as an incentive, researchers from Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) and two other institutions found that human neural responses accompanying the anticipation and experience of winning and losing in...
NewsScan for May 21, 2001 - Research News
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Progress Made in Understanding Neurobiological Basis for Relapse to Cocaine Abuse Researchers from the Albert Einstein College of Medicine and NIDA's Intramural Research Program have made a major advance in...
33-Year Study Emphasizes Lethal Consequences of Heroin Addiction
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After following a cohort of heroin addicts for more than 33 years, researchers from the UCLA Drug Abuse Research Center found that nearly half of the original group of 581...
Hepatitis C Risk Not Limited to Injection Drug Users
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A study in New York City has found a higher than expected prevalence of hepatitis C infection among non-injecting drug users. In this study, as many as 17 percent of...
NewsScan for May 4, 2001 - Research News
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Studies Shed New Light on HIV Risk-Taking Behavior Among Intravenous Drug Users Drug use is now the major risk factor identified in new cases of AIDS in the United States,and...
Quitting Smoking Harder for Women than for Men
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A review of numerous research studies focusing on smoking cessation has concluded that while women may suffer greater relative risks of smoking-related diseases than do men, they tend to have...
Researchers Find Evidence That Prenatal Use of Ecstasy Can Cause Long-Term Memory Loss and Other Impairments in Offspring
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Researchers today reported the first evidence that a mother's use of MDMA (ecstasy) during pregnancy may result in specific types of long-term learning and memory impairments in her offspring. The...
Study Clarifies Brain Mechanisms of Cocaine's High
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A team of researchers led by scientists from the National Institute on Drug Abuse's Intramural Research Program has made a major advance in understanding the molecular basis of how cocaine...
New Brochure Helps Spanish-Speaking Families Discuss Drug Abuse and Related Health Risks
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Juventud Latina - Hable con Sus Hijos Sobre las Drogas y Sus Peligros (Latino Youth - Speak to Your Children About Drugs and Their Dangers) provides a science-based discussion tool...
Potential Medication Can Reduce Effects of Smoked Marijuana in Humans
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Scientists at the National Institute on Drug Abuse's (NIDA) Intramural Research Program in Baltimore, MD, have confirmed for the first time in humans that chemically blocking the body's cannabinoid receptors...
NIDA and Partners Announce National Initiative on Prescription Drug Misuse and Abuse
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The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) and several national organizations today announced a public health initiative to raise awareness about recent trends in the misuse and abuse of prescription...
Erika Christensen, NIDA and In the Mix expose the Dark Side of Ecstasy in a New PBS special - ECSTASY
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE (New York, NY) - No longer confined to clubs, ecstasy and other drugs like K, acid, and GHB have found their way into schools and homes, and...
National Institute on Drug Abuse Celebrates the 5th Annual Prism Awards
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What began, five years ago, as a small breakfast meeting with the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) and the Entertainment Industries Council (EIC) has evolved into a partnership that...
NewsScan for March 19, 2001 - Research News
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Study Finds That Methamphetamine Use Can Increase Stroke-Related Brain Damage Researchers from the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) found that methamphetamine use prior to stroke increases damage to the...
Scientists Identify Process That Plays Key Role in Brain Changes Involved in Cocaine Addiction
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Researchers supported by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) have identified a process in the brain that may underlie addiction to cocaine and other drugs of abuse. Their research...
Study Confirms Gender Differences in Progression from HIV to AIDS
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During the first years of HIV infection, women have significantly lower amounts of the virus in their blood than do men, according to one of the largest studies ever to...
NewsScan for March, 2001- Research News
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Incentive to Work Helps to Keep Addicts Drug Free An experimental program in Baltimore, Maryland, has been successful in helping drug-abusing women stay free of drugs by paying them a...
Methamphetamine Abuse Leads to Long-Lasting Changes in the Human Brain that are Linked to Impaired Coordination and Memory
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Methamphetamine, a highly addictive stimulant drug, whose abuse has reached epidemic proportions in many parts of the United States, causes long-term changes in the human brain that are associated with...
Dopamine Receptors Implicated in Obesity
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A deficiency of dopamine in the brain may explain why some individuals engage in pathological overeating, resulting in severe obesity, according to a study published in this week's Lancet. Dopamine...
Research Shows TV PSAs Effective in Reducing Teen Marijuana Use
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Researchers have demonstrated that television public service announcements (PSAs) designed for and targeted to specific teen personality-types can significantly reduce their marijuana use. In a study published in the February...
African American Teens at Greater Risk of Tobacco Addiction
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For African American teens who smoke, culturally-appropriate evaluation of nicotine dependence is an important part of cessation treatment, according to a study published in the December 2000 issue of the...
New Research Expands Understanding of Treatment for ADHD
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Although methylphenidate (Ritalin) is the most frequently prescribed drug for treating attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), its mechanism of action and its effects on the human brain have been poorly...
NewsScan for January, 2001 - Research News
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Teen Marijuana Use Can Lead to Anxiety, Depression, or Aggression Mount Sinai School of Medicine researchers have found that adolescents who smoke marijuana exhibit a variety of behavior problems, including...
2000 Monitoring the Future Survey Released
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Overall use of illicit drugs among teenagers remained unchanged from last year, according to the 26th annual Monitoring the Future Survey (MTF) released by the Department of Health and Human...
Fact Sheet - Substance Abuse - A National Challenge Prevention, Treatment and Research at HHS
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Overview Each year, drug- and alcohol abuse contributes to the death of more than 120,000 Americans. Drugs and alcohol cost taxpayers nearly $276 billion annually in preventable health care costs...
NewsScan for December, 2000 - Research News
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Gender Differences May Affect Substance Abuse Treatment Retention A team of researchers affiliated with Kaiser Permanente Medical Care Program in Oakland, California, has identified some gender-based differences in retention rates...
Walking A Good Path - 2001 Calendar
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In a unique collaboration to raise awareness about the health risks of drug abuse and addiction, as well as prevention and treatment, American Indian experts and organizations nationwide have collaborated...
Researchers Link Adolescent Cigarette Smoking with Anxiety Disorders during Early Adulthood
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Scientists supported by the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) and the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) have documented that chronic cigarette smoking during adolescence may increase the likelihood...
High Success Rates for Variety of Heroin Addiction Treatment Medications
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A recent study has shown that levomethadyl acetate (LAAM), buprenorphine, and high doses of methadone (60-100 mg.) were much more effective in treating heroin addiction than low-dose methadone maintenance (20...
National Drug Abuse Treatment Clinical Trials Network Expands
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The National Drug Abuse Treatment Clinical Trials Network launched a year ago by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) with grants to six research facilities has been expanded to...
National Meeting in Los Angeles to Focus Attention on Drug Addiction and Treatment
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National and local experts on drug addiction and its treatment will gather in Los Angeles from October 30 through November 2. The meeting is sponsored by the National Institute on...
Access to Substance Abuse Treatment for Medicaid Clients Improves With Oregon Model for Financing Treatment Under Managed Care
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Researchers at the Oregon Health Sciences University found that implementation of a capitated substance abuse benefit appeared to increase access to related services for state Medicaid clients in Oregon. This...
NIDA Researchers Find That Animals Exposed to Marijuana's Active Component Will Self-Administer the Drug
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Scientists at the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) have demonstrated that laboratory animals will self-administer marijuana's psychoactive component, THC (delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol), in doses equivalent to those used by humans who...
Teens, Women, and Whites More Vulnerable Than Others to Becoming Nicotine-Dependent
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An analysis of the data from the National Household Survey on Drug Abuse interviews with 22,292 smokers showed that adolescents, women, and whites are particularly vulnerable to developing nicotine-dependence symptoms...
NIDA Clinical Toolbox Provides the Latest Information about Drug Treatment Strategies
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Nearly 12,000 drug treatment programs around the country will benefit from years of drug abuse and addiction research thanks to the NIDA Clinical Toolbox: Science-Based Materials for Drug Abuse Counselors...
NewsScan for September 15, 2000 - Research Advances
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Genes Play Increasing Role in Risk for Tobacco Use Among Women A generation-spanning study of twins has confirmed that genes and inheritance each play a key role in determining a...
New National Public Service Campaign Highlights How Drugs Damage the Brain
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"Keep Your Brain Healthy. Don't Use Drugs." That's the message of a new, nationwide public service campaign launched today by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA). The campaign, which...
Study Finds Acupuncture Shows Promise for Treating Cocaine Addiction
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In the continuing search for an effective therapy for cocaine addiction, acupuncture, an ancient Chinese therapy, combined with modern Western treatments, may hold promise. In the August 14/28 issue of...
Medication Reduces Metabolism of Nicotine, Decreasing Urge to Smoke
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Researchers at the University of Toronto have found that a medication that partially blocks the body's ability to break down nicotine significantly improves the effectiveness of oral nicotine replacement in...
Conferences in South Africa to Focus On the Role of Drug Use in HIV Transmission
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Prior to the 13th International AIDS Meeting (July 9-14) in Durban, South Africa, researchers will meet in three separate forums to discuss the role of drug use in the transmission...
Cocaine and Alcohol Combined Are More Damaging to Mental Ability Than Either Drug Alone
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Scientists have found that cocaine abuse coupled with use of alcohol leads to more impulsive decision-making and to poorer performance on tests of learning and memory than does use of...
Study Finds Marijuana Ingredient Promotes Tumor Growth, Impairs Anti-Tumor Defenses
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Researchers report in the July 2000 issue of the Journal of Immunology that tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the major psychoactive component of marijuana, can promote tumor growth by impairing the body's anti-tumor...
Researchers Announce Latest Study Results on Drug Dependence and Abuse
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More than 1,000 researchers are meeting this week in Puerto Rico at the annual College on Problems of Drug Dependence (CPDD) to discuss the latest studies on drug dependence and...
Study Shows a Combination of Antabuse and Buprenorphine May Be Effective in Treating Those Addicted to Cocaine
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It is estimated that more than 50 percent of individuals addicted to opiates such as heroin also are addicted to cocaine. A study in the Spring 2000 issue of Biological...
Urban Researchers Who Track Drug Use Will Meet in Baltimore, June 13-16
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Current and emerging patterns and trends in drug abuse will be discussed at the 48th meeting of the Community Epidemiology Work Group (CEWG), June 13-16, at the Hilton Baltimore and...
The Makings of a Public Health Epidemic: Drug Abuse, HIV/AIDS and Hepatitis C
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The confluence of HIV/AIDS, drug abuse, and hepatitis C is becoming a public health nightmare. HIV/AIDS and hepatitis C are moving at an alarming rate into the minority community, where...
NIDA Announces Multimedia Public Education Initiative Aimed at Reversing Rise in Use of Anabolic Steroids by Teens
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Concerns about body image and athletic performance may be leading teens, as well as adult men and women, to use anabolic steroids, despite the serious side effects of these drugs...
Methamphetamine Abuse Linked to Long-Term Damage to Brain Cells
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New research shows that those who use methamphetamine, often called "meth" or "speed," risk long-term damage to their brain cells similar to that caused by strokes or Alzheimer's disease. In...
Students Learn What's Really on Their Minds
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Some local students are going to find out what's really on their minds next week, as they are offered the chance to touch and feel and learn all about the...
New Study Underscores Effectiveness of Methadone Maintenance as Treatment for Heroin Addiction
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New research clearly shows that longer-term methadone maintenance therapy (MMT), combined with some psychosocial counseling, is a far more effective treatment for heroin addiction than is simply the temporary use...
NIDA Survey Finds Practitioners Would Treat Addicted Patients With Office Based Methadone
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A NIDA-supported survey of primary care physicians, physician assistants, and nurse practitioners working in New York City found that two-thirds of the clinicians are willing to provide methadone maintenance treatment...
Nicotine Craving and Heavy Smoking May Contribute to Increased Use of Cocaine and Heroin
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Researchers supported by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) have found that craving for nicotine appears to be linked to increased craving for illicit drugs among drug abusers who...
"Angela's Ashes," "The Insider" & "Man on the Moon" Among Nominees for PRISM Awards 2000
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LOS ANGELES, February 8, 2000 - Nominations for PRISM Awards ™ 2000 were announced today at Le Meridien Hotel in West Hollywood by the Entertainment Industries Council, Inc. (EIC). Fifty-one...
NIDA Announces Second-Round Competition for National Drug Abuse Treatment Clinical Trials Network
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The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), National Institutes of Health, announces the release of the second request for grant applications (RFAs) for participation in the National Drug Abuse Clinical...
Drug Use Among Teenagers Leveling Off
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Overall use of illicit drugs among teenagers generally remained unchanged from last year, according to the 25th annual Monitoring the Future Survey released by the Department of Health and Human...
Nicotine Vaccine Shows Promise for Combating Tobacco Addiction
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A nicotine vaccine may be an effective method for preventing and treating tobacco addiction, according to a new study funded in part by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA)...
Club Drugs Take Center Stage in New National Education and Prevention Initiative by NIDA and National Partners
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As part of a national initiative to combat the increasing use of club drugs, the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) today announced that it will raise its funding for...
Club Drugs: Raves, Risks, and Research
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Early indicators show that teens and young adults across the country are using "club drugs" - Ecstasy, Ketamine, GHB, and Rohypnol - at all night dances or "raves." These drugs...
National, Local Drug Addiction Experts Join Forces at Seattle Town Meeting to Discuss Substance Abuse Science, Prevention, and Treatment
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Club drugs, cocaine, marijuana, methamphetamines and other illicit drugs are widely abused in Seattle and its surrounding areas; there are an estimated 15,000 intravenous drug users in King County, alone...
Federal Institutes and The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Create Tobacco Use Research Centers
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Seven academic institutions have been awarded grants totaling $14.5 million by the National Cancer Institute (NCI) and the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) to create the Transdisciplinary Tobacco Use...
Institute Publishes "Principles of Drug Addiction Treatment"
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The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) today published the first-ever, science-based guide to drug addiction treatment. In its Principles of Drug Addiction Treatment: A Research-Based Guide, the Institute outlines...
NIH Institute Launches National Drug Addiction Treatment Clinical Trials Network
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In an effort to dramatically improve treatment throughout the country, the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) has awarded $55 million in grants over five years to establish a clinical...
Scientists Identify Brain Chemicals Involved in "Switching On" Cocaine Addiction
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Scientists supported by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) have identified two chemicals in the brains of mice that appear to play a major role in the addiction process...
Differences in Human Brain Chemistry May Account for Different Responses to Stimulants
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Scientists have discovered a mechanism that appears to account for the different levels of euphoria people experience when taking a stimulant drug, according to a new study funded by the...
Response to Cocaine Linked to Biological Clock Genes
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A new study shows that a surprising phenomenon--sensitivity to repeated cocaine exposure--can now be added to the short list of activities linked to genes controlling the biological clock. Researchers funded...
Boys Treated With Ritalin, Other Stimulants Significantly Less Likely To Abuse Drugs Later
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Boys with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) who are treated with stimulants such as Ritalin are significantly less likely to abuse drugs and alcohol when they get older, according to...
Chronic, Heavy Cocaine Use Associated with Long-Lasting Impaired Function
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The detrimental effects of heavy cocaine use on an individual's manual dexterity, problem solving, and other critical skills can last for up to a month after the drug was taken...
Combined Drug Counseling Approach Works in Treating Cocaine Addiction
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Drug addiction treatment combining individual and group drug counseling reduced cocaine use more effectively than group drug counseling alone or in combination with cognitive or supportive-expressive psychotherapy, according to a...
NIH Institute Opens Treatment Research Center in Baltimore to Help Teens Quit Smoking
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Baltimore-area teenagers who want to kick the habit may be eligible to join the first of a series of smoking cessation research studies being launched by the National Institute on...
Long-Term Brain Injury From Use of "Ecstasy"
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The designer drug "Ecstasy," or MDMA, causes long-lasting damage to brain areas that are critical for thought and memory, according to new research findings in the June 15 issue of...
Severity of Problems is Key to Best Type of Treatment For Cocaine Addiction
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Cocaine addicts with problems such as unemployment, poor support from family and friends, current alcohol or multidrug use, depression or anxiety require more intensive and lengthier treatment to overcome their...
Chronic Marijuana Users Become Aggressive During Withdrawal
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People who have smoked marijuana daily for many years display more aggressive behavior when they stop smoking the drug, according to a new study by researchers at Harvard Medical School...
National Institute on Drug Abuse and Kmart Kids Race Against Drugs Join Forces in Massive National Drug Awareness Program
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The national kick-off of a major drug abuse education outreach effort partnering the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), National Institutes of Health, with the Kmart Kids Race Against Drugs...
Researchers Discover Function for Brain's Marijuana-Like Compound
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Researchers, funded in part by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) of the National Institutes of Health, have discovered a function for a natural compound in the brain that...
Higher Doses of Methadone Found to be Safe and Effective
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Researchers have demonstrated that methadone can be used safely at dose levels higher than those often considered standard, and that the higher dosages significantly improve treatment outcomes. They also showed...
MIRAMAX, NBC, CBS & ABC Among Winners of PRISM Awards Which Champion Accurate Depiction of Drug Use in Movies & on Tv
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The Third Annual PRISM Awards, which spotlight outstanding efforts of the entertainment industry to accurately depict drug use and addiction in entertainment products, were presented today (March 9), at the...
Advances in Imaging and Understanding the Human Brain Featured in NIH Commemoration of Brain Awareness Week
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Noninvasive technology has become the scientist's window into the brain and how it functions. Neuroimaging, the theme of this year's Brain Awareness Week symposia at the National Institutes of Health...
NIDA Launches a Major Effort to Establish National Drug Abuse Treatment Clinical Trials Network
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The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), National Institutes of Health, is taking a major step forward in establishing a critically needed research infrastructure that will test and disseminate science-based...
Popular Rave Drug "Ecstasy" Impairs Memory, Apparently Related To Brain Damage
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Heavy use of the drug Ecstasy, or MDMA, can lead to persistent problems in remembering what is seen and heard, according to a study appearing in the December issue of...
Drug Use Eases Among Teens for Second Consecutive Year
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Illicit drug use among teenagers remained stable for the second year in a row, and in some cases even decreased, according to the 24th annual Monitoring the Future Survey released...
Panel Urges Broadened Access, Insurance Coverage for Methadone Treatment Nationwide
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An independent panel convened for a National Institutes of Health (NIH) Consensus Development Conference came out firmly in favor of methadone treatment for all heroin addicts who might benefit from...
Comprehensive Research Effort Advanced on Tobacco Use
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The National Cancer Institute (NCI), following the recommendations of its Tobacco Research Implementation Group, is advancing a plan to expand and accelerate tobacco research that can prevent cancers associated with...
Every Middle School Nationwide to Receive Award-Winning, Science-Based Drug Education Materials
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A new science education initiative for middle school students, teachers, and counselors will be launched by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), National Institutes of Health, at the November...
Individuals Who Abuse Any One Type of Drug Are at Serious Risk of Abusing All Other Types of Drugs
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New research on pairs of male twins who had abused an illicit drug at some time in their lives shows a common vulnerability to co-occurring drug abuse, and a significantly...
Different Treatment Strategy May Be Required For HIV+ Women Who Have Used Injection Drugs
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Findings from a decade-long study of HIV-1-infected injection drug users indicate that HIV-1-positive women who have used injection drugs may need a different schedule for anti-AIDS therapy from current practice...
New Study Clarifies Effects of Prenatal Exposure to Crack and Cocaine
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The need for stronger emphasis on prevention programs throughout the country has been brought to light by a new study of school-age children who were prenatally exposed to cocaine or...
Science and Public Confront Local Drug Abuse and Addiction Issues at Des Moines Town Meeting
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Des Moines and many other parts of Iowa and the Midwest have been besieged by increases in methamphetamine abuse and addiction and serious problems with marijuana abuse. To help the...
New Research Helps Explain Ritalins Low Abuse Potential When Taken As Prescribed
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New research sheds light on why individuals taking therapeutic doses of methylphenidate rarely abuse it or become addicted, even though it is a stimulant with properties similar to those of...
Gene Variant Found That Can Help Protect Against Nicotine Addiction
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Some individuals carry a gene variant that may help protect them from becoming addicted to nicotine, according to a new study funded in part by the National Institute on Drug...
Cocaine Reward Does Not Require Dopamine or Serotonin Transporters - The Brain Sites Previously Implicated
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Cocaine's action in the brain requires more or other sites than researchers previously believed, or an unidentified means of action, according to scientists at the National Institute on Drug Abuse...
Psychiatrists Focus on Latest Drug Addiction Research at Annual Meeting in Toronto
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Advances in science are revolutionizing understanding of drug abuse and addiction. Addiction is increasingly understood to be a medical disorder with a critical central role for psychiatrists in its treatment...
Economic Costs of Alcohol and Drug Abuse Estimated at $246 Billion in The United States
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A new study released today by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) and the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA), National Institutes of Health (NIH), estimates that...
Scientists Identify Gene Involved in Sensitivity to Cocaine
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Scientists have taken another step in unraveling the role genetics plays in addiction. A new study published in the May 14 issue of Nature found that mice lacking a specific...
Severity of Brain Changes During Nicotine Withdrawal Comparable to Those for Other Drugs of Abuse
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Dramatic changes in the brain's pleasure circuits during withdrawal from chronic nicotine use rival the magnitude and duration of similar changes observed during withdrawal from other abused drugs such as...
Popular TV Shows and Movies Receive Prism Awards for Scientific Accuracy in Showing Tobacco, Alcohol and Drug Abuse
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Entertainment industry leaders and more than 50 entertainment programs were recognized today at the Second Annual Prism Awards ceremony in Hollywood for their outstanding efforts to accurately depict the science...
New Addiction Treatments To Be Focus of National Conference in Washington
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More than two decades of research clearly shows that drug addiction is a chronic relapsing illness that comes about because of the effects of long-term drug use on the brain...
New Help Available for Communities to Assess Local Drug Problems
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The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), National Institutes of Health, today released a new guide to help communities determine the nature of their local drug problems. Speaking at a...