Objective: The current study examined the mediating role of distress tolerance on the association between pain-related disability and addiction to opioids, past-month opioid use, and risky opioid use among an ethno-racially diverse sample of young adults with current pain. Methods: Participants were 141 undergraduate college students (78.7%…

The urgency of this study has become vivid in the light of the growing problem of prevalence and use of new synthetic drug types. Lately there has been a tendency of expanding the range of psychologically active substances (PAS) used by addicts with the purpose of their illegal taking. The aim of this research is an attempt of systematizing and…

The progression from prescription opioid (RXO) abuse to RXO addiction is not well understood in adolescents, nor is the progression from RXO addiction to heroin abuse. The purpose of this pilot study was to characterize the development of RXO drug abuse, RXO drug addiction, and heroin abuse in a small cohort of adolescents recovering from opioid…

This study aimed to examine (a) the impact of the change in the "Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders" ("DSM") from a categorical to dimensional classification of substance use diagnoses, (b) the elimination of the legal criterion, and (c) the inclusion of a craving criterion in the "DSM"-5.…

This article presents abstracts from the 2011 AMERSA National Meeting. It includes 2011 best abstracts on research, programmatic, and curricular presentations.

Preventing and treating inhalant use problems, as well as raising awareness about the dangers of inhalant use, are important ongoing goals of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). Monitoring trends in inhalant use is vital to assessing policies intended to reduce inhalant use. This issue of "The NSDUH Report"…

Examines how selected internal and external control variables influence lifetime use, frequency of use, and cessation of use of marijuana. Indicates that both internal and external control factors are significant predictors of the frequency of marijuana use. Finds that the external control factor plays a more important role in explaining lifetime…

Explored drug overdose mortality and its economic consequences through examination of Texas mortality data from 1980-86. Compared crude mortality rates across 10 drug categories. Found drug overdose mortality costs had more than doubled over 6-year period. Found men had greater illicit drug overdose risk than women; women had greater prescribed…

There is growing evidence that cannabis can have negative effects on health. While the ongoing debate about the nature and duration of these effects recognizes mild cognitive impairment, the evidence for irreversibility of cognitive impairment and causal links with psychiatric illness is not conclusive. There is undoubtedly potential for…

Examines possible relationships between self-efficacy for avoiding marijuana use and theoretically related measures in a sample of 161 men and 51 women who sought marijuana cessation treatments. Predictive validity was stronger for frequency of posttreatment use than for abstinence status. Discusses the need for better assessment of the efficacy…

After defining HIV and the AIDS disease and outlining symptoms and means of infection, this fact sheet lists the ways alcohol and drugs are involved with the AIDS epidemic, noting that needle-sharing transmits the virus; that alcohol or mood-altering drugs like crack cocaine cause disinhibition, increase sex drive, encourage sex for drugs, and…

Traces the history of drug control in the United States from the extensive consumption of opium, heroin, and cocaine before World War I to the popularity of marijuana and LSD during the 1960s. Discusses public concern over drug use that seems to peak following periods of widespread drug use that is linked to foreign influences. (DK)

Using a stratified random sampling procedure, 754 student athletes were surveyed regarding drug and alcohol use in eight different sports from eight universities across Canada. Provides statistics of substances athletes reported using, including pain medications, weight loss products, anabolic steroids, smokeless tobacco products, alcohol,…

Investigates the effects on marijuana use of a drug prevention curriculum, as well as this curriculum with added parent and other adult community activities in comparison with a control community. Baseline information on drug-related behaviors from a sample of fourth, fifth and sixth graders aged nine to fourteen years (N=1,200) in rural New…

Many parents know they need to talk with their children about making responsible choices but do not know where to begin. This book offers practical advice on how to begin and what to say to third to twelfth graders about drugs, sexuality, peer pressure, stress, health, the law, and mixed media messages. Each chapter focuses on a different aspect…