Alcoholism & Drug Abuse Weekly articles from September 2003

Alcoholism & Drug Abuse Weekly archives from September 2003

SAMHSA, ASAM discuss buprenorphine mentoring program.
September 1, 2003... One of the challenges officials have encountered in trying to make buprenorphine, the new pharmacological treatment for opioid addictions, available to patients has been getting primary care physicians trained and certified to prescribe the...

DAWN survey finds increase in narcotic-medication ER visits.
September 1, 2003... The latest Drug Abuse Warning Network (DAWN) data released last week by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) found a substantial increase in the number of narcotic-medication mentions among patients in the...

CARF accredits first drug court program under new standards.
September 1, 2003... One of the country's oldest drug courts became the first to be accredited under CARF... The Rehabilitation Accreditation Commission's new drug court treatment standards. The Broward Sheriff's Office (BSO) in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., the first...

SAAS-NCCBH dual diagnosis conference postponed until the spring: SAMHSA to convene meeting on integrated services.
September 1, 2003... A conference on integrating services for people with co-occurring substance abuse and mental health disorders that had been planned for next month has been postponed, probably until spring. The State Associations of Addiction Services...

Cornell Companies Inc.(Names in the News)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2003... Houston-based Cornell Companies Inc. has named Harry J. Phillips, Jr. as chief executive. Phillips has served as executive chairman since Feb. 2002 and will continue in the role of chairman of the board. Cornell provides services for adults and...

Ohio Department of Alcohol and Drug Addiction Services (ODADAS).(Names in the News)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2003... Michael J. Magnusson has been named prevention services chief for the Ohio Department of Alcohol and Drug Addiction Services (ODADAS), filling the vacancy left when Gary Q. Tester was appointed director of ODADAS. Magnusson, a certified...

Latest version of AlcoholEdu available.(Resources)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2003... Outside The Classroom has introduced AlcoholEdu 4.0, the latest version of its online prevention program. The new version features greater ability to customize to users' individual needs, personalized feedback, an increased focus on how...

Study questions benefits of alcohol on cognitive ability.(Briefly Noted)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2003... Findings published in the July issue of Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research suggest that variations in cognitive ability are more closely related to cognitive abilities in youth than to alcohol consumption, the Health Behavior News...

British government funds medical cannabis trial.(Briefly Noted)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2003... The British government is funding a trial to determine whether anecdotal evidence of cannabis' pain-killing properties can be scientifically backed, the Agence France Presse reported. Trial participants will randomly be given an oral form of...

Vietnam plans to place addicts in detention.(Briefly Noted)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2003... Vietnamese officials plan to put drug addicts into detention centers as part of an effort to beautify the capital, Hanoi, before the Southeast Asian Games, the Agence France Presse reported. The justice ministry and city police have been...

Amphetamine, cocaine may impair certain brain changes.(Briefly Noted)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2003... Exposure to stimulants such as amphetamine or cocaine may impair the ability of certain brain cells to change in response to life experiences, according to findings published on the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences website....

Former employee sues OxyContin maker.(Briefly Noted)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2003... A former assistant director who researched OxyContin is suing drug maker Purdue Pharma, claiming he was fired for raising concerns about the drug, the Associated Press reported. Marek Zakrzewski filed a lawsuit in Danbury (Conn.) Superior Court...

$1,500 reward offered for information about illegal copying.(Briefly Noted)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2003... Manisses Communications Group, Inc. offers a reward of up to $1,500 to persons providing evidence of illegal photocopying, sending by fax, transmitting electronically or reproducing by an other means of Alcoholism & Drug Abuse Weekly. This...

Rutgers researchers identify brain-relapse connection.(Briefly Noted)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2003... Researchers at Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey, may haw identified a part of the brain that processes memories that act as triggers in addiction relapse. The researchers focused on the nucleus accumbens, a part of the brain known to...

Gene variant may influence college drinking behaviors.(Briefly Noted)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2003... College students who have a short variant of the serotonin transporter gene may be predisposed to more harmful drinking habits, according to findings in the current issue of Alcohol and Alcoholism. Researchers found that students who had the...

Ky.task force wants prescription database accessible for research.(Briefly Noted)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2003... A task force that formed to help reduce drug abuse in Kentucky wants to gain access to data from the state's prescription drug monitoring system, the Associated Press reported. According to Rice Leach, M.D., the his agency does not have the...

Coming up.(Calendar)
September 1, 2003... NAADAC... The Association for Addiction Professionals will hold its annual conference and policy event, "Advancing the Addiction Profession: Facing Today's Challenges," Sept. 14 to 17 in Washington, D.C. For more information, visit...

In case you haven't heard ...(Brief Article)
September 1, 2003... Officials from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) are warning about the dangers of eating moonflower seeds, the Associated Press reported. Teens form Ohio got sick trying to get a high from the seeds of the night-blooming...

Study shows effectiveness of office-based buprenorphine.
September 8, 2003... The case for office-based treatment of opioid addiction with buprenorphine continues to build. While SAMHSA officials toured the country this summer to educate physicians on treatment of opioid dependence with buprenorphine (see ADA W, Sept....

Federal, city officials respond to Baltimore family tragedy.(more funding of drug treatment centers)
September 8, 2003... Responding to an urgent request by the City of Baltimore Health Department, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Tommy G. Thompson announced last month a $1.15 million emergency grant to help the city combat drug...

Pride survey finds slight increase in illicit drug use: about one-fourth of teens use drugs.
September 8, 2003... The Pride survey, the first of a triad of major drug surveys to be released this year, shows the nation to be "locked in" at about a quarter of its middle- and high-school students using illicit drugs. The survey reflects an increase of...

Screening day beneficial in identifying harmful drinking habits.
September 8, 2003... Voluntary education and community-based screenings for alcohol problems can have a significant impact on potentially unhealthy drinking habits, according to the first annual results of the National Alcohol Screening Day (NASD), a program which...

Gambling curriculum designed for grades 3-8.(Resources)(Brief Article)
September 8, 2003... The North American Training Institute is offering Kids Don't Gamble... Wanna Bet?, a curriculum for grades three to eight. The curriculum includes an educator's guide, video, resource guide, overhead transparencies, a bibliography and resource...

CADCA, NIDA partner to release drug abuse research.(Resources)(Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America)(National Institute on Drug Abuse )(Brief Article)
September 8, 2003... The Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America (CADCA) is partnering with the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) to release Practical Theorist 5: Marijuana Abuse: Using Science for an Effective Community Response. The fifth installment in...

Online sobriety resource celebrates third anniversary.(Resources)(Brief Article)
September 8, 2003... SoberRecovery, an online resource for recovery information and support, is celebrating its three-year anniversary. Located at www.SoberRecovery.com, the site helps people find referrals and information on heroin, cocaine, alcohol, marijuana and...

Grant to fund evaluation of recidivism-reduction programs.(Briefly Noted)(Brief Article)
September 8, 2003... The Department of Justice has awarded RTI International a grant to evaluate programs that are funded by the Serious and Violent Offender Reentry Initiative (SVORI). Over the five-year evaluation period, RTI will collect information on the 68...

States see increasing numbers of female prisoners.(Briefly Noted)(Brief Article)
September 8, 2003... The female prison population in Pennsylvania has risen at a faster rate than the male population, the Associated Press reported. The Tribune Review of Greensburg conducted an analysis of prison records and found that the number of female...

Ecstasy may affect fetus in early pregnancy.(Briefly Noted)(drug abuse in pregnancy changes brain chemistry)(Brief Article)
September 8, 2003... Ecstasy exposure early in pregnancy may cause changes in brain chemistry and behavior, according to findings published the week of August 25 in the online issue of Neurotoxicology and Teratology. Researchers found that Ecstasy-exposed rat pups...

Smoking rate declines among adolescents.(Briefly Noted)(Brief Article)
September 8, 2003... According to findings in the August issue of Health Psychology, more adolescents think it is a bad idea to smoke today than teens did 20 years ago, Health Behavior News Service reported. Researchers found that the number of students who had...

FDA unable to regulate tobacco pellets.(Briefly Noted)(Food and Drug Administration)(Brief Article)
September 8, 2003... The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has concluded that it cannot regulate tobacco pellets under current laws, the Washington Post reported. The FDA determined that the pellets are a form of smokeless tobacco and therefore cannot be regulated...

Burglary slows SA program study.(Briefly Noted)(substance abuse )(Brief Article)
September 8, 2003... A study of the nation's substance abuse programs has been slowed by the burglary of 21 laptop computers from the University of Georgia (UGA), the Associated Press reported. UGA's Institute of Behavioral Research is conducting the National...

Drug offenders fill Fla. prisons as state cuts treatment budget.(Briefly Noted)(Brief Article)
September 8, 2003... Florida state prisons are taking in record numbers of inmates, with the largest increases occurring among convicted drug offenders, the Orlando Sentinel reported. People convicted of drug-related crimes account for the single largest group of...

Netherlands to provide prescription marijuana.(Briefly Noted)(Brief Article)
September 8, 2003... The Netherlands has become the first country to make marijuana available by prescription in pharmacies to treat cancer, HIV, multiple sclerosis (MS) and Tourette's syndrome, the Los Angeles Times reported. Doctors in the Netherlands will be...

Committee to determine fate of recovery center.(Briefly Noted)(financing drug treatment centers)(Brief Article)
September 8, 2003... The Detroit Medical Center is waiting for permission from an oversight committee to close the Eleanore Hutzel Recovery Center, the Detroit Free Press reported. The center, which provides inpatient and outpatient services for women recovering...

Coming up.(substance abuse prevention conferences)(Brief Article)(Calendar)
September 8, 2003... The Center for Applied Sciences (CENAPS) Corporation will offer a relapse prevention update, "Resiliency & Relapse In Times Of Stress," Sept. 18 to 20 in Elk Grove Village, Ill. For more information, call (708) 799-5000; e-mail info@cenaps.com;...

In case you haven't heard.(health benefits of marijuana)(Brief Article)
September 8, 2003... The case for the medical use of marijuana keeps gaining the support of the public at large and influential people in the medical field. In a column appearing in the Boston Sunday Globe last month, Lester Grinspoon, M.D., emeritus professor of...

Calm before the storm: HIPAA deadline looms: field appears ready for payment requirements.(Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act )
September 15, 2003... With the transaction and code set deadline for all health care entities who engage in electronic transactions about a month away, the addiction field appears to be reasonably well prepared for the start of the HIPAA era. Association and...

National household survey shows increase in illicit drug use: SAMHSA says increase due to new survey methodology.(2002 National Household Survey on Drug Abuse)(Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration )
September 15, 2003... Results from the 2002 National Household Survey on Drug Abuse (NHSDA) released last week by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), show an increase in use of illicit drugs among Americans. Federal officials...

Ohio university receives NIDA grant to study barriers to treatment: project will focus on linking assessment and treatment.(National Institute on Drug Abuse )
September 15, 2003... Helping people overcome barriers to drug treatment services and providing improved treatment linkage and case management services are the goals of a Dayton, Ohio community-based medical school's new five-year project, funded by the National...

The Institute for Professional Development in the Addictions (IDPA) has awarded Addictions Education awards to S. Lala Ashenberg Straussner for Individual Distinction and to the Alcoholism Council of New York (ACNY) for Program Excellence.(Names in the News)(Brief Article)
September 15, 2003... The Institute for Professional Development in the Addictions (IDPA) has awarded Addictions Education awards to S. Lala Ashenberg Straussner for Individual Distinction and to the Alcoholism Council of New York (ACNY) for Program Excellence....

September designated as National Youth Court Month.(Resources)(Brief Article)
September 15, 2003... The Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and the National Youth Court Center have designated September as National Youth Court Month. The theme for the month will be...

Company offers work/life services to Horizon customers.(Business Notes)(Work and Family Benefits Inc.; Horizon Healthcare Services Inc. )(Brief Article)
September 15, 2003... Work & Family Benefits, Inc. (WFB), a provider of work-life products distributed through the employee benefits channel, has begun offering its Values Package to major customers of Horizon Healthcare Services, Inc., according to a company...

Kingdom Ventures acquires Christian Counselors Association.(Business Notes)(Brief Article)
September 15, 2003... The American Association of Christian Counselors (AACC) has become part of the Kingdom Ventures family of companies, Kingdom Ventures announced. Kingdom Ventures serves the church market and the Christian consumer market through media...

Health insurance premiums continue to rise.(Briefly Noted)(Brief Article)
September 15, 2003... Findings in the current issue of Health Affairs indicate that job-based health insurance premiums increased at six times the rate of inflation from 2002 to 2003, Health Behavior News Service reported. In the largest increase since 1990,...

Many smokers say they want to quit.(Briefly Noted)(Brief Article)
September 15, 2003... Many smokers consider themselves to be addicted and want to stop smoking, according to a report from Gallup Poll Tuesday Briefing. A recent survey found that 82 percent of smokers would like to quit smoking and 72 percent consider themselves...

Calif. legislature passes bill for syringe sales.(Briefly Noted)(Brief Article)
September 15, 2003... The California state legislature has passed a bill that will allow adults to purchase up to 30 clean syringes without a prescription in an effort to prevent the spread of HIV/AIDS and other diseases, the Drug Policy Alliance reported. The bill,...

England unable to treat many drug-addicted prisoners.(Briefly Noted)(Brief Article)
September 15, 2003... The Prison Service in England can only afford to adequately treat less than a third of the inmates who are addicted to drugs, The Daily Telegraph (London) reported. About 18,000 offenders with a serious drug habit enter the prison system...

OxyContin maker launches new ad in anti-abuse campaign.(Briefly Noted)(Purdue Pharma)(Brief Article)
September 15, 2003... Purdue Pharma, the maker of OxyContin, has launched a new commercial in its campaign against prescription drug abuse, the New York Times reported. The commercial shows a teen taking medicine from his parents' medicine cabinet, but does not...

Drug addicts escape from Vietnam detox center.(Briefly Noted)(Brief Article)
September 15, 2003... Twenty-nine inmates have escaped from a rehabilitation center in northern Vietnam, the Agence France Presse reported. The escape took place at Chi Linh Social Centre for Labour and Education while guards were celebrating National Day, according...

Nicotine study on rats finds risk during adolescence.(Briefly Noted)(greater risk of nicotine addiction during adolescence)(Brief Article)
September 15, 2003... Findings in the Sept. issue of the journal Psychopharmacology suggest that people who begin using nicotine during adolescence may be at a greater risk of developing a lasting nicotine addiction, Ascribe Newswire reported. Researchers found that...

Vaccine may help prevent relapse.(Briefly Noted)(vaccine to help prevent relapse for smokers)(Brief Article)
September 15, 2003... A vaccine designed to reduce nicotine's effect on the brain may help prevent relapse for former smokers, the Daily Telegraph (London) reported. The vaccine, developed by British researchers, has completed its first round of trials on...

Report: binge drinking puts young girls at risk.(Briefly Noted)(Brief Article)
September 15, 2003... A report released in Melbourne, Australia has revealed that many young girls have experienced unwanted sexual activity after binge drinking, AAP Information Services Pty. Ltd. reported. More than 21 percent of teenage girls who binge drink...

Coming up.(upcoming events in the addiction field)(Calendar)
September 15, 2003... The Latino Behavioral Health Institute (LBHI) will hold its 2003 Ninth Annual Conference, "Promoting Effective Behavioral HealthCare for Latinos," Sept. 23 to 25 in Universal City, Calif. For more information, call (818) 831-3395; e-mail...

In case you haven't heard.(tabloid journalism making celebrity access to substance abuse treatment difficult)(Brief Article)
September 15, 2003... A California psychologist says that tabloid journalists and photographers are making it difficult for Hollywood celebrities to access appropriate substance abuse treatment in the state, the Press Association Limited reported. Speaking at the...

Senate passes 2004 Labor/HHS appropriations bill: bill would zero-fund president's voucher program.(Access to Recovery voucher program)
September 22, 2003... The full Senate this month confirmed an appropriations bill for the Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services (HHS) and Education that would fail to provide any funding for President's Bush's touted Access to Recovery voucher program,...

IOM recommends collaborative effort to reduce underage drinking: agency recommends national media campaign.(Institute of Medicine)
September 22, 2003... More young people drink alcohol than use other drugs or smoke tobacco, and underage drinking costs the nation an estimated $53 billion annually in losses stemming from traffic fatalities, violent crime, and other behaviors that threaten the...

CASA: reducing teen smoking reduces marijuana use.(National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse)
September 22, 2003... A national survey released last week by The National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse (CASA) at Columbia University found that teens who smoke cigarettes are much more likely to have tried marijuana, use it regularly, and have friends...

NIDA develops drug education website for teens.(National Institute on Drug Abuse )(www.teens.drugabuse.gov)
September 22, 2003... The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) this month launched a virtual back-to-school program with a website to teach adolescents about the science behind drug abuse. As part of this initiative, NIDA will send teachers across the country...

National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA).(Names in the News)(Faye Calhoun named deputy director)(Brief Article)
September 22, 2003... Faye Calhoun, Ph.D., has been named deputy director of the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA). Calhoun joined NIAAA in 1995 as the associate director for NIAAA's Office of Collaborative Research.

Authors seek stories for the 'recovering soul'.(Call for Stories)(Chicken Soup for the Recovering Soul)(Brief Article)
September 22, 2003... The authors of the Chicken Soup for the Soul book series, Jack Canfield, Mark Victor Hansen, Robert J. Ackerman, Ph.D., Peter Vegso and Theresa Peluso, are seeking stories for inclusion in Chicken Soup for the Recovering Soul. The authors are...

RWJF seeks proposals for SA policy research program.(Call for Proposals)(Robert Wood Johnson Foundation asks for proposals for its Substance Abuse Policy Research Program)(Brief Article)
September 22, 2003... The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation is accepting proposals for its Substance Abuse Policy Research Program, CADCA E-news reported. This program is designed to encourage experts in public health, law, political science, medicine, sociology,...

Teleconference offers tips on securing coalition funding.(Resources)(Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America to present a satellite teleconference on "Securing Federal Funding for Your Coalition" )(Brief Article)
September 22, 2003... The Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America (CADCA) will present a satellite teleconference, "Securing Federal Funding for Your Coalition," Sept. 25 from 1 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. Eastern time. The broadcast will feature federal officials who...

NIDA releases updated prevention guide.(Resources)(National Institute on Drug Abuse guide)(Preventing Drug Use among Children and Adolescents: A Research-Based Guide for Parents, Educators, and Community Leaders, 2nd ed.)(Brief Article)
September 22, 2003... The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) has released its newly updated prevention guide, Preventing Drug Use among Children and Adolescents: A Research-Based Guide for Parents, Educators, and Community Leaders, Second Edition. The expanded...

InfoMC adds new senior sales team.(Business Notes)(David Selden, Katrina Radke, Angela Lee, and Paul Caplan form new sales team)(Brief Article)
September 22, 2003... InfoMC, a provider of care management technology for behavioral health, EAP/work-life, and human services organizations, has added a new senior sales team, according to a company announcement. The team consists of David Selden as the eastern...

Report: preventable illnesses take economic toll.(Briefly Noted)(Brief Article)
September 22, 2003... Preventable diseases have a significant economic impact on businesses, workers and the nation, according to a report released by U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Tommy G. Thompson. The report highlights the need for...

University of Minnesota reports lower drinking rate.(Briefly Noted)(Brief Article)
September 22, 2003... University of Minnesota school officials told a board of regents committee that the proportion of undergraduate students at the school who drink alcohol is at a record low, but that binge drinking has increased, the Associated Press reported. A...

Women who quit drinking may have lasting heart effects.(Briefly Noted)(Brief Article)
September 22, 2003... Findings in the September issue of Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research suggest that women who experience temporary hypertension following drinking cessation may have cardiovascular problems even after their blood pressure returns to...

FIU to study effects of infant massage.(Briefly Noted)(Florida International University School of Nursing )(Brief Article)
September 22, 2003... The Florida International University (FIU) School of Nursing has launched a four-year study on the long-term effects of incorporating infant massage therapy (IM) into intervention and caretaking programs for substance-abusing mothers and their...

Cannabis experimentation doubles in France.(Briefly Noted)(Brief Article)
September 22, 2003... A report commissioned by the French government found that 9.5 million people in France have tried cannabis at least once, the Agence France Presse reported. Between 1993 and 2002, the level of cannabis experimentation has more than doubled,...

Alcohol promotions associated with heavy drinking.(Briefly Noted)(Brief Article)
September 22, 2003... Researchers found a strong association between alcohol promotions and higher rates of heavy drinking on college campuses, according to findings in the October issue of the American Journal of Preventive Medicine. Researchers found that the...

Coming up.(Calendar)
September 22, 2003... The Latino Behavioral Health Institute (LBHI) will hold its 2003 Ninth Annual Conference, "Promoting Effective Behavioral Health Care for Latinos," Sept. 23 to 25 in Universal City, Calif. For more information, call (818) 831-3395; e-mail...

In case you haven't heard.(women have worse hangovers than men)(Brief Article)
September 22, 2003... Scientists at the University of Missouri have concluded that women suffer from worse hangovers than men, the Evening Standard in London reported. Researchers looked at 1,230 students who on average experienced five of the 13 symptoms that...

Hawaii mobilizes to combat methamphetamine crisis: state leaders also focus on other substance use issues.
September 29, 2003... Faced with the highest rate of methamphetamine abuse in the nation, Hawaii officials embarked on a number of proactive initiatives to combat the escalating crisis, including a statewide summit held earlier this month, the establishment of a...

Report finds lack of compliance in some plans for alcohol treatment.
September 29, 2003... An analysis by Ensuring Solutions to Alcohol Problems (ESAP) at George Washington University Medical Center has found that employer-sponsored health plans often don't provide the treatment for alcoholism and other drug addictions that is...

RWJF selects 10 sites for Paths to Recovery program.(Robert Wood Johnson Foundation)
September 29, 2003... Paths to Recovery, a national program of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF), announced this month that 10 substance abuse treatment sites have been selected to receive funding as they participate in a unique learning collaborative which...

Study finds attitudinal impact of youth anti-drug media campaign.(National Youth Anti-Drug Media Campaign has positive effect )
September 29, 2003... Findings from the 2003 Partnership Attitude Tracking Survey (PATS) released last week by the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) found that the National Youth Anti-Drug Media Campaign is having a positive effect on youth...

American Advertising Federation.(Names in the News)(Partnership for a DrugFree America's Steve Pasierb named to Advertising Hall of Fame)(Brief Article)
September 29, 2003... The American Advertising Federation has named Steve Pasierb, the president and chief executive of the Partnership for a DrugFree America, to its Advertising Hall of Achievement.

OraSure seeks FDA clearance for oral fluid drug test.(Business Notes)(UPlink drug abuse analyzer )(Brief Article)
September 29, 2003... OraSure Technologies, Inc., has filed an application for a 510 (k) clearance with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for its UPlink (R) analyzer and oral fluid assays for rapid, point-of-care detection of drugs of abuse, according to a...

Field test shows benefits of new medical coding system.(Briefly Noted)(ICD-10-CM medical coding system )(Brief Article)
September 29, 2003... The ICD-10-CM medical coding system represents a significant improvement over the current ICD-9-CM coding system, according to findings released by the American Hospital Association (AHA) and the American Health Information Management...

El Paso, Texas loses only detoxification program.(Briefly Noted)(Pan American Community Hospital closes detoxification program)(Brief Article)
September 29, 2003... Pan American Community Hospital has closed its detoxification program, leaving El Paso, Texas without detoxification services, the Associated Press reported. The detoxification program was set up at the hospital two years ago in response to a...

Teens may develop nicotine dependence quickly.(Briefly Noted)(Brief Article)
September 29, 2003... Findings in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine suggest that teens may experience symptoms of nicotine dependence even if they smoke infrequently, Health Behavior News Service reported. Researchers found that even teens who said they...

Tobacco control programs reduce cigarette sales.(Briefly Noted)(Brief Article)
September 29, 2003... Cigarette sales in states that spend more money on tobacco control programs dropped more than twice as much as they did in the United States as a whole, according to findings reported in the September issue of the Journal of Health Economics....

Idaho counties want taxes to pay for treatment.(Briefly Noted)(increase in beer and wine taxes to help pay for alcohol treatment costs)(Brief Article)
September 29, 2003... Idaho counties are calling for an increase in beer and wine taxes to help offset medical costs related to alcohol abuse, the Associated Press reported. The Idaho Association of Counties has approved a resolution calling on lawmakers to raise...

Epilepsy drug may help treat cocaine addiction.(Briefly Noted)(vigabatrin)(Brief Article)
September 29, 2003... A drug used to treat epilepsy may also be an effective treatment for cocaine addiction, according to findings reported in the online version of Synapse during the week of Sept. 22. A preliminary clinical trial has shown that gamma vinyl-GABA...