Substance use and alcohol abuse during pregnancy are significant public health concerns. Neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS) is a withdrawal syndrome that infants exposed to opioids may experience in the first few days of life. For most infants with NAS, exposure to opioids occurs during pregnancy while they are fetuses. Similarly, prenatal alcohol…

Background: Adolescent juvenile offenders are at high risk for problems associated with drug use, including polysubstance use (i.e., use of a variety of drugs). The combination of juvenile offending and polysubstance use presents a significant public and child health concern. Objective: This study explored polysubstance use among a sample of youth…

In May of 2010, President Obama released the Administration's inaugural "National Drug Control Strategy", a comprehensive approach to combat the public health and safety consequences posed by drug use. Now, a year later, the Administration is releasing its update building upon that initial "Strategy". The "Strategy" establishes ambitious goals to…

In May of 2010, President Obama released the Administration's inaugural "National Drug Control Strategy". Based on the premise that drug use and its consequences pose a threat not just to public safety, but also to public health, the 2010 "Strategy" represented the first comprehensive rebalancing of Federal drug control policy in the nearly 40…

Presents data on methamphetamine use in the United States and the economic and social pressures that may partially explain expanded methamphetamine use. Recommends a policy response that utilizes a public health approach, including prevention campaigns, harm-reduction outreach and treatment approaches, and pharmacologic and abstinence-based drug…

This monograph consists of eight papers which refer in one way or another to the pharmacology of cocaine. The papers are: (1) Cocaine 1984: Introduction and Overview" (John Grabowski); (2) "Cocaine: A Growing Public Health Problem" (Edgar H. Adams and Jack Durell); (3) "Neural Mechanisms of the Reinforcing Action of…

Addresses the problems associated with the effectiveness of drug prevention strategies. Argues that prevention programs must be tailored to the characteristics of the user, the drug, and the use. Comments on why school-based programs have had little or no impact. (ML)

This report examines alcohol, tobacco, and other drug use in rural parts of Indiana, as well as public and private initiatives to reduce these problems. The report is based on epidemiological, health, and criminal justice indicators; focus groups; and in-depth interviews with local officials, researchers, service providers, and civic leaders.…