Alcoholism & Drug Abuse Weekly articles from June 2003

Alcoholism & Drug Abuse Weekly archives from June 2003

Only nine states use alcohol tax revenues for treatment.
June 2, 2003... An analysis released last week by Ensuring Solutions to Alcohol Problems, a George Washington University Medical Center initiative, found that only nine states earmark revenues from alcohol excise tax sales to alcohol treatment programs. All 50...

RWJF to enhance its focus on funding treatment initiatives.(Robert Wood Johnson Foundation)
June 2, 2003... The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation has designed a new framework for investing that includes focusing new grant money to the substance abuse field on improving the quality of the treatment system. The foundation, which with $1.5 billion in...

Study: epilepsy medication shows promise in treating alcoholism.(topiramate (Topamax) found effective )
June 2, 2003... A drug that is used to treat patients with epilepsy may be effective at promoting abstinence among alcohol-dependent individuals, according to researchers at the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio. The findings, which are...

HHS awards $3.25 million for peer support services.(for recovering substance users)
June 2, 2003... U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Tommy G. Thompson last month announced 10 awards totaling $3.25 million this year to support development of peer support services for people recovering from alcohol and drug use...

California governor drops plan to realign Prop. 36.(Gray Davis)
June 2, 2003... Proposition 36 supporters in California have won the battle to sustain funding for the groundbreaking diversion-to-treatment initiative this year. California Gov. Gray Davis included the $120 million set-aside funding for Proposition 36 in his...

Obituary.(Jack Gelber)(author of "The Connection" )(Brief Article)(Obituary)(Biography)
June 2, 2003... Jack Gelber, who wrote "The Connection," a play depicting the lives of drug addicts, died May 9 in New York City at age 71, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reported. Gelber was a playwright and taught at Columbia University and Brooklyn College....

EASNA revises its Code of Ethics. (Business Notes).(Employee Assistance Society of North America)(Brief Article)
June 2, 2003... The Board of Directors of the Employee Assistance Society of North America (EASNA) has approved a revision to its Code of Ethics to include guidance on business practices. The code was revised in response to concerns that business ethical...

Study questions effectiveness of school drug testing. (Briefly Noted).(student drug testing may not reduce drug use)(Brief Article)
June 2, 2003... The findings in the April issue of the Journal of School Health show that drug testing in schools may not reduce student drug use, the New York Times reported. In the first large-scale national study on school drug testing, researchers found...

Study finds increased SA problems among HIV-infected women. (Briefly Noted).(substance abuse)(Brief Article)
June 2, 2003... Findings in the May-June issue of Women 's Health Issues reveal a number of factors that may increase the risk of mental health and drug abuse problems among HIV-infected women, Health Behavior News Service reported. Researchers found that...

Specialty nursing association changes name, expands scope. (Briefly Noted).(National Consortium of Chemical Dependency Nurses Inc. changes name to the Consortium of Behavioral Health Nurses and Associates Inc.)(Brief Article)
June 2, 2003... The National Consortium of Chemical Dependency Nurses, Inc. has changed its name to the Consortium of Behavioral Health Nurses & Associates, Inc. (CBHNA). The consortium will continue to focus on chemical dependency and other addictions while...

SAMHSA funding available for Ecstasy prevention activities.(Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration)(Brief Article)
June 2, 2003... The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) is accepting applications for cooperative agreements to expand prevention activities related to use of Ecstasy and other club drugs, including GHB, ketamine, Rohypnol and...

Lowe's sets policy to limit the sale of potential inhalants. (Briefly Noted).(Brief Article)
June 2, 2003... Last month, Lowe's stores created a nationwide policy to prohibit the sale of potential inhalants to minors, the Associated Press reported. Under the policy, a list of about 1,200 products will trigger the cash register system to prompt the...

La. rejects drug-testing bill aimed at scholarship recipients. (Briefly Noted).(law allowing random drug testing for students who earned Tuition Opportunity Program for Students scholarships overturned)(Brief Article)
June 2, 2003... The Louisiana state legislature has rejected a bill that would have required random drug tests for students who earned Tuition Opportunity Program for Students (TOPS) college scholarships, the Drug Policy Alliance reported. Under the bill,...

In case you haven't heard.(youth tries to sell marijuana to off-duty county sheriff)
June 2, 2003... An overzealous youth tried to sell marijuana to the wrong person in Nay-Tah-Waush, Minn. this month, according to the Associated Press. Mahnomen County Sheriff Brad Athman said that a youth twice signaled to him as he was driving off-duty on...

ONDCP reauthorization becomes lightning rod for controversy: committee bill would ban use of campaign funds to fight ballot initiatives.(Office of National Drug Control Policy )
June 9, 2003... Should the drug czar be permitted to use money earmarked for the $1 billion national anti-drug media campaign to sway voters on drug-related statewide ballot initiatives and on candidates for public office? A provision permitting such use...

Massachusetts lawmakers at odds over Medicaid coverage of methadone.(government finance of drug abuse treatment)
June 9, 2003... For the second consecutive year, the Massachusetts House of Representatives is trying to remove methadone treatment as a covered option under Medicaid for opioid-dependent clients in the state. But the state Senate last month restored most...

Study: chronic pain an issue for methadone, residential patients; inpatients more likely to self-medicate.(drug therapy, chronic pain, and drug abuse treatment)
June 9, 2003... A study published in the May 14 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) found that chronic severe pain is prevalent among patients receiving substance abuse treatment, especially among methadone maintenance patients. ...

SAMHSA report finds 6 million children live with addicted parents.(Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration)
June 9, 2003... About 6 million children under age 18 were living with at least one parent who abused or was dependent on alcohol or drugs in 2001, according to a report released earlier this month by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services...

Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). (Names in the News).(deputy administrator appointed)(Brief Article)
June 9, 2003... James L. Stone has been appointed deputy administrator of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). Stone previously served as commissioner of the New York State Office of Mental Health.

National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA). (Names in the News).(associate director named)(Brief Article)
June 9, 2003... Mark S. Goldman, Ph.D., has joined the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) as an associate director. Prior to joining NIAAA, Goldman had served as distinguished research professor and director of the Alcohol and Substance...

SAMHSA offers updated SA treatment directory. (Resources).(Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration)(Substance Abuse )(Directory)
June 9, 2003... The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration's (SAMHSA's) National Directory of Drug and Alcohol Abuse Treatment Programs 2003 is now available. This updated guide provides information on more than 11,500 substance abuse...

ACA, Hazelden announce alliance. (Business Notes).(Brief Article)
June 9, 2003... The American Counseling Association (ACA) and the Hazelden Foundation have announced a new alliance. The alliance will feature exclusive promotional offers on Hazelden Publishing and Educational Services (PES) products for ACA members and a...

CiviGenics wins contract for Delaware treatment program. (Business Notes).(Brief Article)
June 9, 2003... The Delaware Department of Correction has selected CiviGenics to administer the state's network of drug rehabilitation programs for incarcerated addicts, according to a company announcement. Under the contract, CiviGenics will manage the...

FDA gives clearance for new Rapid Tec tests. (Business Notes).(Food and Drug Administration)(Brief Article)
June 9, 2003... The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has given 501(k) clearance for new tests in American Bio Medica Corporation's (ABMC' s) Rapid Tec series. The new tests, Rapid Tec 3 and Rapid Tec 4, include assays for methamphetamines and opiates at...

Nicotine-blocking drug may reduce effects of alcohol. (Briefly Noted).(Inversine)(Brief Article)
June 9, 2003... Mecamylamine (Inversine), a drug that blocks nicotine receptors in the brain, may also reduce the stimulant and euphoric effects of alcohol, according to findings in the May issue of Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research. Researchers...

Compliance checks reveal liquor violations in Washington D.C. (Briefly Noted).(liquor stores sell to minors)(Brief Article)
June 9, 2003... A recent "mock compliance check" of liquor sales outlets in Washington, D.C. revealed that more than one in five outlets sold alcoholic beverages to minors, the Washington Post reported. The check found a violation rate of 23 percent, according...

Riverside County rejects needle exchange program. (Briefly Noted).(Brief Article)
June 9, 2003... A Riverside County Board of Supervisors voted 3 to 2 against proposals that would have made clean hypodermic needles available to intravenous drug users, the Los Angeles Times reported. The board rejected a proposal to allow needle exchange...

University of Arizona evicts more students for marijuana use. (Briefly Noted).(Brief Article)
June 9, 2003... The University of Arizona has evicted more students from dorms for marijuana use this year under a new one-strike approach, the Associated Press reported. Students who moved into residence halls last August had to sign an agreement...

Survey: inmates cite drugs as reason for incarceration. (Briefly Noted).(Brief Article)
June 9, 2003... Most inmates in Henrico's Jail West and Jail East in Henrico County, Va. believe that drugs are the reason they are in jail, the Henrico Citizen reported. Among inmates who responded to a survey, 75 percent cited drugs as the primary or...

Study finds bipolar/alcohol link. (Briefly Noted).(Brief Article)
June 9, 2003... Findings in the May issue of the American Journal of Psychology indicate that people who suffer bipolar disorder may be at increased risk for problems with alcohol, the Health and Age newsletter reported. Researchers at the University of...

SAMHSA announces funds for residential treatment for pregnant women.(Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration )(Brief Article)
June 9, 2003... The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) announces the availability of up to nine awards in fiscal 2003 to expand the availability of comprehensive, high-quality residential treatment services for pregnant and...

Stanford cracks down on freshman drinking. (Briefly Noted).(Stanford University)(alcohol banned from freshman dorms)(Brief Article)
June 9, 2003... Stanford University has banned alcohol from events in its freshman dorms, the Los Angeles Times reported. The school had been growing increasingly concerned over alcohol abuse among its freshman students, according to Julie Lythcott-Haims,...

Arizona to distribute alcohol test strips to teens. (Briefly Noted).(alcohol education)(Brief Article)
June 9, 2003... Arizona's Department of Public Safety (DPS) plans to distribute alcohol test strips to high school students as part of an educational campaign, the Associated Press reported. Officials will distribute 30,000 Guardian Angel Personal Alcohol Test...

In case you haven't heard.(salvia divinorum to be classified as a controlled substance)(Brief Article)
June 9, 2003... According to Knight Ridder Newspapers, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) is considering regulating Salvia (Salvia divinorum) as a controlled substance. The herb, which has its origins in Mexico, has been around for centuries and...

Pa. audit finds disparities between public and private care.(evaluation of drug treatment services)
June 16, 2003... Report says managed care not meeting mandates Commercial managed care plans in Pennsylvania are falling far short of delivering the minimum coverage required by state law for drug and alcohol treatment, especially in outpatient treatment...

SA parity legislation introduced; success may hinge on MH parity.(substance abuse and mental health benefits)
June 16, 2003... In yet another attempt to help those in need of alcohol and drug abuse treatment avoid the discrimination they face with their employer-sponsored health insurance coverage, lawmakers have introduced comprehensive substance abuse parity...

Recovering addict starts unique detoxification unit.
June 16, 2003... The year was 1984. David Dashev was an addict going through detox -- in the backseat of an Audi. Fast-forward 19 years and Dashev is launching a high-end, discreet--some might say luxurious--detoxification for those who want the ultimate...

SAMHSA awards $10.4 million to enhance community treatment.(Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration )
June 16, 2003... The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) announced this month approximately $10.4 million in seven grants to expand or enhance substance abuse treatment capacity in local communities. These three-year grants are...

SAMHSA announces $ 15 million to fund drug courts.(Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration)
June 16, 2003... The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) today announced 13 grants totaling almost $15 million over three years to fund drug courts that provide substance abuse treatment for substance abusing parents; substance...

Caron Foundation. (Names in the News).(leadership awards presented)(Brief Article)
June 16, 2003... The Caron Foundation will recognize New Jersey-based Seabrook House's Peg Diehl and Jeffrey Wagner, R.N., at the Greater Philadelphia Community Service Awards Breakfast June 13. Diehl, a co-founder of and primary therapist in Seabrook House's...

Teens cite alcohol, drugs as factors leading to sex. (Briefly Noted).(Brief Article)
June 16, 2003... A survey released by the Kaiser Family Foundation revealed that alcohol, drugs and peer pressure are factors that teens say lead to sex, the Associated Press reported. One in five teens reported engaging in unprotected sex after drinking...

Nicotine-addicted teens may need intense treatment. (Briefly Noted).
June 16, 2003... Findings in the June issue of the journal Addictive Behaviors showed that teens can become addicted to tobacco and may need intense treatment to quit, the Associated Press reported. Researchers found that teen smokers could become as addicted...

Psychosocial problems may increase risk of HIV. (Briefly Noted).
June 16, 2003... Findings in the June issue of the American Journal of Public Health indicate that psychosocial health problems may increase the risk of contracting HIV among men who have sex with men, Health Behavior News Service reported. Researchers found...

Correction.(Correction Notice)
June 16, 2003... In the April 14 issue of ADAW on page 3, the name of the director of the Health Cares Exchange Initiative Inc. (HCEI) was incorrectly listed. Scott Boots is the founder and director of HCEI, and his correct e-mail address is rsbkc@yahoo.com....

Study compares faith-based and secular organizations. (Briefly noted).(Brief Article)
June 16, 2003... Faith-based organizations may not be better than secular organizations in providing social services, the Washington Post reported. Researchers compared job-training programs run by government-funded religious and secular organizations in two...

Study: covering uninsured not a large cost increase. (Briefly Noted).(Brief Article)
June 16, 2003... The cost of expanding coverage to the uninsured under the current health system may only amount to a three-to-six percent increase in total health care spending, according to a report prepared for the Kaiser Commission on Medicaid and the...

Workplace drug use declines, amphetamine use increases. (Briefly Noted).(Brief Article)
June 16, 2003... Amphetamine use has increased among the general U.S. workforce, while overall workplace drug use has declined, according to the 2002 Drug Testing Index released by Quest Diagnostics Incorporated. The number of positive test results compared to...

In case you haven't heard...(reverend arrested for marijuana possession)(Brief Article)
June 16, 2003... Police in Auburn, Wash. arrested a reverend and his wife for growing over 200 marijuana plants in their home, the Associated Press reported. However, Rev. Lee Phillips said police should not have made the arrests because he uses his home as a...

DVD downloads in bits and pieces characterize new limited-play 'rental' plans.(digital videodisks)
June 16, 2003... Are you ready for another limited-play DVD "rental" scheme? Japanese software developer Japan Wave (Osaka, Japan) claims to have exactly what you're looking for -- a system that uses a physical disc for content delivery but requires Internet...

Zep sets new mark for music video sales.(Led Zeppelin )(Brief Article)
June 16, 2003... Heralding new potential for music-video discs, as long as they're launched with great hoopla and a modicum of marketing savvy, the just-released Led Zeppelin DVD (Atlantic) burst onto the scene at retail with some 120,000 units sold to...

Datarius debuts new Databank DVD/SACD disc tester.(DaTARIUS Technologies GmbH)(Brief Article)
June 16, 2003... Datarius (Rette, Austria) introduced its new Databank, a top-loading testing machine for all disc formats, including recordable DVD and SACD, at the Media-Tech Expo held last month in Las Vegas, Nevada. Further, the company says, the machine is...

DVD6C signs seven Licensees.(DVD6C Licensing Agency)(Brief Article)
June 16, 2003... The DVD6C Licensing Agency (Redwood Shores, CA) added seven new companies to its roster of patent licensees for DVD-Video and DVD-ROM discs. The new signatories are Metatec International (Dublin, OH), POSO Media (Baldwin Park, CA), A6 (Irvine,...

As corporate DVD authoring goes in-house, indie facilities consider their futures.
June 16, 2003... The ever-increasing affordability and accessibility of DVD toolsets has not escaped the notice of newly budget-conscious corporate America, particularly at a time when the idea of digitizing assets appears to have taken firm root. As Shelly...

Criterion translates fine-art film to DVD, carefully, with 'by Brakhage' collection.(Criterion Collection)(digital videodisks)(Stan Brakhage)
June 16, 2003... One of the more highly pedigreed and unconventional DVD releases to date is, no doubt, by Brakhage, due this week from The Criterion Collection (New York, NY). The double-disc set collects 26 films by the late Stan Brakhage, an artist whose...

NBC. (News in Brief).(National Broadcasting Company Inc.)(sequel to television program planned)(Brief Article)
June 16, 2003... Scour those archives, folks. Outsized DVD sales of vintage NBC aliens-among-us miniseries V helped inspire a new invasion by the people-eating "visitors," with the network asking original creator Kenneth Johnson to script a three-hour...

PC DVD player WinDVD maker InterVideo (Fremont, CA) expects to raise more than $56 million in a forthcoming initial public offering, the company said in papers filed last week with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. (News in Brief).(personal computer)(digital video disk)(InterVideo Inc.)(Brief Article)
June 16, 2003... PC DVD player WinDVD maker InterVideo (Fremont, CA) expects to raise more than $56 million in a forthcoming initial public offering, the company said in papers filed last week with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Among the topics...

VIA Technologies. (News in Brief).(VIA Technologies Inc. files patent infringement lawsuit)(Brief Article)
June 16, 2003... VIA Technologies (Taipei, Taiwan) filed a patent-infringement lawsuit against MediaTek alleging that the latter company's optical-storage controllers infringed on a VIA patent covering "an apparatus and operating method that increase the...

Three different producers of recordable DVDs told Taipei-based DigiTimes.com. (News in Brief).(digital videodisks)(Brief Article)
June 16, 2003... Three different producers of recordable DVDs told Taipei-based DigiTimes.com that they have no plans to raise prices before the end of the year. CMC and Ritek told the news service that "they were satisfied with the current profit margins," and...

DVD-video sales/rental data.
June 16, 2003... DVD-Video Sales/Rental Data Nielsen VideoScan FirstAlert * Top 20 DVD Movie Titles (Week ended June 1) This Last Wks Week Title Week On 1 The...

Washington D.C. creates comprehensive citywide drug strategy: agency faces challenges, encounters missteps in adopting new role.
June 23, 2003... Washington D.C. continues to be at the cutting edge of devising strategies for dealing with its seemingly intractable substance abuse and chemical dependency problems. While the district has been in the process of implementing its voucher...

Unique Ark. program shows positive results for pregnant women.(Center for Addictions, Research, Education and Services (CARES) provides addiction treatment and mental health care for pregnant women)
June 23, 2003... In the last decade, probably hundreds of programs nationwide have been started to address an historically underserved population in the addiction treatment field: new mothers and mothers-to-be with substance abuse disorders. Many, if not...

Study: parents underestimate Ecstasy, methamphetamine risks.
June 23, 2003... A disturbing number of parents and teens in the St. Louis area underestimate the risks of Ecstasy and methamphetamine, and only one in every 100 parents believes their teens may have tried these drugs, according to a new study released this...

HHS awards $23 million to provide SA, MH services for homeless.(substance abuse/mental health services)
June 23, 2003... U.S. Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Tommy G. Thompson this month announced 14 grants totaling $23 million over three years to provide substance abuse and mental health services to homeless individuals. "These grants will provide...

Foundation leads way in serving homeless veterans.(Hoosier Veterans Assistance Foundation)
June 23, 2003... The need was clear: Hundreds of homeless veterans addicted to drugs and alcohol had no desirable place to turn in at night, off the streets of Indianapolis. The area's homeless shelters require people to be sober before they may claim a...

Prior Ritalin or Ecstasy use may increase cocaine sensitivity. (Briefly Noted).(Brief Article)
June 23, 2003... Research conducted on laboratory mice suggests that using Ritalin or Ecstasy may increase future sensitivity to cocaine, the Miami Herald reported. Researchers found that mice who had previously been given Ritalin or Ecstasy showed higher...

South Carolina cuts funding for halfway houses. (Briefly Noted).(Brief Article)
June 23, 2003... Budget cuts in South Carolina will affect 12 halfway houses that serve people who are recovering from alcohol and other drug addictions, the Associated Press reported. Chris Marlowe currently oversees Palmetto Houses, but his contract ends June...

Cocaine vaccine shows promise. (Briefly Noted).(TA-CD from Xenova)(Brief Article)
June 23, 2003... Xenova's experimental vaccine for cocaine showed signs of reducing the drug's euphoric effects during phase II trials, the Independent reported. Researchers gave the vaccine, code-named TA-CD, to 16 patients over the course of a year. Fourteen...

In case you haven't heard.(change in taste sensation in those who have alcoholic fathers may be used as a risk test for alcoholism)(Brief Article)
June 23, 2003... Researchers with the University of Connecticut Health Center report in a new study that individuals whose fathers are alcoholics consider salty tastes less pleasurable and sour tastes more intense than those whose fathers do not have alcohol...

Senate committee zero-funds president's voucher initiative.
June 30, 2003... House, Senate committee bills would restore prevention funding The Senate Appropriations Committee last week put the wraps on its Labor/Health and Human Services (HHS)/Education budget proposal that would provide no funding for President...

Manufacturer of OxyContin funds education campaigns in four states.
June 30, 2003... The maker of the prescription painkiller OxyContin is spending some $500,000 in four states for education campaigns geared toward preventing prescription drug abuse mainly among teenagers. In what's being billed as the first such...

Lofexidine shows promise in combination with naltrexone.(for the treatment of opiate addiction)
June 30, 2003... A pilot study performed at the Yale University School of Medicine found that opiate addicts treated with a combination of the medications naltrexone and lofexidine were more likely to avoid relapse. The findings were presented this month at the...

Study: Teens who hear anti-drug ads daily less likely to use drugs.
June 30, 2003... Teens who see or hear anti-drug ads at least once a day have significantly stronger anti-drug attitudes and are up to 38 percent less likely to use drugs, according to a study released this month by RoperASW, a N.Y.-based marketing research and...

SAMHSA announces American Indian/Alaska Native community grants.(Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration )(Brief Article)
June 30, 2003... The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) last week announced six new grants to help rural American Indian /Alaska Native communities develop local plans for substance abuse treatment systems. "American Indian...

Study finds African-American youths overexposed to alcohol ads.
June 30, 2003... Continuing a series of studies examining the exposure of youths and sub-groups of youths to alcohol advertising, the Center on Alcohol Marketing and Youth at Georgetown University (GAMY) released a report this month that found that...

The Caron Foundation. (Names in the News).(appoints Madeleine L. Tramm, director of business development)(Brief Article)
June 30, 2003... The Caron Foundation has appointed Madeleine L. Tramm, Ph.D., as the director of business development. Prior to joining Caron, Tramm served as vice president of Hazelden New York and was principle partner at Tramm Consulting.

Directory of integrated health systems available. (Resources).(National Directory of Integrated Healthcare Delivery Systems Database )(Brief Article)(Directory)
June 30, 2003... The Managed Care Information Center (MCIC) has released the new edition of the National Directory of Integrated Healthcare Delivery Systems Database on CD-Rom. The database includes information on more than 830 integrated delivery systems. It...

Nicotine replacement therapy does not cause alcohol relapse. (Briefly Noted).(Brief Article)
June 30, 2003... Nicotine replacement therapy does not appear to increase the risk that a person with a history of alcoholism will relapse into drinking, Health Behavior News Service reported. Heavy smokers with a history of alcoholism did not report any...

Alcohol may increase risk of aggressive behavior. (Briefly Noted).(Brief Article)
June 30, 2003... Findings in the June issue of Alcoholism: Clinical & Behavioral Research indicate that alcohol may increase the risk that people, particularly those who tend to express anger outwardly, will become aggressive, Health Behavior News Service...

Heavy drinking may affect memory. (Briefly Noted).(Brief Article)
June 30, 2003... Findings in the June issue of Alcoholism. Clinical & Behavioral Research suggest that heavy drinking may affect a person's day-to-day memory, Health Behavior News Service reported. Researchers found that people who drank heavily reported over...

New anti-drug initiative to feature YU-GI-OH! cast. (Briefly Noted).("Honor: My Anti-Drug" campaign to help prevent juvenile drug abuse)(Brief Article)
June 30, 2003... The White House Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) has partnered with 4Kids Entertainment as part of the Media Campaign's efforts to reach kids with anti-drug messages, ONDCP announced. The new initiative, "Honor: My Anti-Drug,"...

Police crackdown may prevent addicts from accessing services. (Briefly Noted).("Abusing the User: Police Misconduct, Harm Reduction and HIV/AIDS in Vancouver." )(concern that police may be preventing drug users from receiving HIV prevention services)(Brief Article)
June 30, 2003... Human Rights Watch is concerned that police in Vancouver, Canada may be harassing injection drug users, preventing them from receiving HIV prevention services, according to its report "Abusing the User: Police Misconduct, Harm Reduction and...

Study finds behavioral risk factors associated with steroid use. (Briefly Noted).(Brief Article)
June 30, 2003... A study conducted by researchers at McLean Hospital in Belmont, Mass., found that certain behavioral traits in young men and boys may predispose them to using illicit anabolic-androgenic steroids. The study, reported in this month's Drug...

Most inmates on drugs at time of arrest. (Briefly Noted).(Brief Article)
June 30, 2003... Interviews at Snohomish County Jail in Washington state revealed that almost three out of four inmates were on drugs at the time of their arrest, the Associated Press reported. Researchers found that heavier drug use was associated with more...

Researchers identify mechanism to protect embryos from alcohol. (Briefly Noted).(eight amino acid peptide NAP may protect against alcohol-induced embryo toxicity)(Brief Article)
June 30, 2003... Researchers have identified a protective mechanism against alcohol-induced embryo toxicity and growth retardation in mice, according to findings in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. Researchers found that the eight amino acid...