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FDA Approves First Over-the-Counter Nasal Spray for Opioid Overdoses

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Wednesday approved the over-the-counter use of a nasal spray that can reverse an opioid overdose.

Research has shown that wider availability of naloxone (Narcan) could save lives as the opioid epidemic rages on in this country.

“The FDA remains committed to addressing the evolving complexities of the overdose crisis. As part of this work, t...

Used After Opioid Overdose, Anti-Addiction Drug Can Cut Odds for Fatal OD

When someone lives through an opioid overdose, taking the medication buprenorphine lowers their risk of death if they OD again, according to new research.

Buprenorphine is a medication used to treat opioid use disorder. Researchers linked receiving it after an overdose with a 62% reduction in risk of death in a subsequent opioid overdose.

The medication is approved by the U.S. Food ...

Gambling: When Does Play Become Addiction?

While some gamble socially and others do it for a living, it’s a serious addiction for those who have an uncontrollable urge to keep going at the risk of losing everything.

“In our brain, the centers involved with gambling addiction are the same centers involved with substance addiction," said

Million-Person Study Finds Genes Common to Many Addiction Disorders

Breakthrough research shows genetic markers for substance abuse and could lead to more effective ways to prevent and treat drug and alcohol use disorders.

These findings could help people who face addiction to varied substances, including those who have more than one addiction at a time.

The findings al...

Mental Health Woes Double Women's Odds for Cervical Cancer

Women with mental illness have a risk for cervical cancer that’s twice as high as that for others, according to new research.

Swedish researchers noted that women with mental illness, neuropsychiatric disability or substance abuse were also less likely to get screening tests that can detect cervical cancer.

“Our results suggest that women with these diagnoses participate more se...

Poll Finds Many Parents Unaware of Kids' Exposure to Vaping

Four out of five U.S. parents questioned in a large poll believe their preteen and teenage kids are clear on the risks that electronic cigarettes pose, and only a few think their child actually vapes.

Still, if their child did vape, would parents know? Nearly half of more than 1,300 parents polled said they would.

The findings, experts say, point to a potential disconnect between wh...

Wider Supply of Opioid Antidote Naloxone Won't Encourage Heroin Use: Study

Contrary to concerns, wider availability of naloxone treatment is not increasing heroin use among U.S. teens, new research finds.

Naloxone (Narcan) quickly reverses an overdose from opioids like heroin, fentanyl, morphine and oxycodone (OxyContin). There had been some worry that expanding access to naloxone might inadvertently promote high-risk substance use among young people. However, t...

Vaping Tobacco or Weed Appears Tied to Higher Anxiety in Teens

For decades, people turned to cigarettes in times of stress. Now, a preliminary study hints that young people are using vaping in the same way.

The study, of nearly 2,000 U.S. teenagers and young adults, found that those who vaped nicotine or marijuana were more likely to report anxiety, depression or suicidal thoughts. In fact, a majority of vapers said they'd suffered anxiety or depress...

US to Allow Medicaid to Pay for Drug Treatment in Prisons

WEDNESDAY, Feb. 22, 2023 (HealthDay News) – Soon, the federal government will allow states to use Medicaid funds to treat prisoners for drug addiction and mental health services.

In an announcement made during a visit to the Camden County Jail in New Jersey on Tuesday, Dr. Rahul Gupta, director of the White House Off...

Kicking the Coffee Habit But Scared of Withdrawal? Try Decaf

Researchers may have found a way for coffee-lovers to cut back without suffering symptoms of caffeine withdrawal like headache, fatigue, bad mood and irritability.

It’s a cup of decaf.

A new study found that people experienced fewer withdrawal symptoms with the substitute.

“A ...

FDA Panel Says Opioid Overdose Antidote Safe to Sell Over-the-Counter

A nasal spray that can reverse an opioid overdose should be sold over-the-counter, two expert panels to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration recommended Wednesday.

Research has shown that wider availability of naloxone -- brand named Narcan -- could save lives as the opioid epidemic rages on in this country.

The FDA advisors voted unanimously in favor of making the drug easier to ...

FDA Panel Considers Making Opioid Antidote Drug Available Without Prescription

A nasal spray that can reverse an opioid overdose may become available for easier over-the-counter purchase.

U.S. Food and Drug Administration advisers are meeting Wednesday to discuss making generic naloxone hydrochloride available without requiring interaction with a pharmacist, CNN reported.

Approval could happen later this year. Research shows that wider availability of...

Legalizing Marijuana Doesn't Raise Drug, Alcohol Abuse: Study

Living in a U.S. state where recreational weed is legal does not appear to increase the average adult’s risk of succumbing to “reefer madness,” a new study of twins has determined.

An adult living in a “legal” state is not more likely to develop any sort of substance abuse disorder than their twin residing in a state where marijuana remains outlawed, researchers found.

The...

Pharmacists Can Be Key to Helping Folks Kick Opioid Addiction

FRIDAY, Jan. 13, 2023 (HealthDay News) – Pharmacists could play an important role in helping curb the U.S. opioid epidemic, a new study suggests.

Researchers studied the impact of a Rhode Island law allowing specially trained pharmacists to prescribe buprenorphine, a medication used to treat opioid use disorder.

The study began with 100 patients who received the medication at a ph...

Ban on Menthols Won't Push Smokers to Black Market Cigarettes: Study

FRIDAY, Jan. 13, 2023 (HealthDay News) – Despite tobacco industry claims, a new study found that banning menthol-flavored cigarettes did not lead to more people purchasing illicit smokes.

Researchers at the University of Waterloo surveyed smokers to study the impact of a menthol cigarette ban in Canada. Smokers of both menthol and non-menthol cigarettes were surveyed before and after Ca...

Coping With Nicotine Withdrawal Symptoms

Giving up nicotine can be a brutal experience that can include everything from physical symptoms, such as headache and nausea, to mood issues, including irritability, anxiety and depression.

Yet, it is still possible to get through nicotine withdrawal symptoms with a good plan and specific tools, according to a smoking cessation expert, who offered some suggestions for coping with nicoti...

Letting Doctors Know a Patient Has Overdosed Might Curb Opioid Overprescribing

One low-cost intervention could make a difference in America's epidemic of opioid overdoses, a new study suggests.

When health care providers were notified that one of their patients had died from an overdose, they wrote fewer opioid prescriptions for up to a year later.

The University of Southern California (USC) study built upon earlier findings that letters like these could reduc...

How Unhealthy Are Cigars?

Cigars are linked with victory, new babies and Winston Churchill, not nicotine addiction, but are they any better for your health than cigarettes?

No, say experts who point out the many dangers of cigar smoking.

Over the past few decades, through clever marketing, cigar smoking has taken on a rarified aura, with cigar bars and magazines like Cigar Aficionado devoted to...

What Are Quit-Smoking Programs and How Can They Help You?

Sometimes it really does "take a village" to help you meet life's challenges, and quitting smoking can be one of the toughest challenges out there.

That's why specially designed smoking-cessation programs can make all the difference, experts say.

Many programs employ a combination approach, one that treats the physical and the psychological addictions you're trying to brea...

Vaping Won't Help Smokers Quit, Another Study Finds

So much for vaping as a smoking-cessation tool: New research finds most folks who use both traditional cigarettes and e-cigarettes are likely to continue smoking rather than quit, a new study finds.

How much is most? Only 10% quit vaping and smoking.

"As used by the general population, e-cigarettes have not contributed to substantial smoking cessation," said lead researcher

A Vaccine Against Deadly Fentanyl Might Be Near

Researchers report they have created a vaccine to fight fentanyl addiction, in a potential breakthrough in the opioid epidemic.

The shot would block the ability of fentanyl to enter the brain and cause the “high” that users crave. It could be used to prevent relapses in people trying to quit opioids, once it gets through clinical trials, the scientists said.

“We believe these ...

More U.S. Teens Are Getting Heavily Addicted to Vaping

More American youth than ever are so addicted to e-cigarettes that they vape within 5 minutes of waking up in the morning, a new analysis shows.

While that percentage was around just 1% in 2017, it increased every year after that. It reached 10.3% by 2021, researchers reported.

"The increasing intensity of use of modern e-cigarettes highlights the clinical need to address youth addi...

CVS, Walgreens Announce $10 Billion Opioid Settlements

Years of litigation over the opioid epidemic could end soon, as the national pharmacy chains CVS and Walgreens announced Wednesday that each company has agreed to a nearly $5 billion settlement.

While neither of the companies admitted wrongdoing, the settlements are part of the fight over the drug industry's role in the epidemic that has led to 500,000 U.S. deaths in the past 20 years, t...

No Change in Number of Post-Op Opioid Prescriptions, But Dosages Drop

New research out of Canada offers some encouraging news amid concerns about the opioid epidemic.

Doctors are prescribing a lower dose of the painkillers after older adults have surgery, the study found. They are not, however, writing fewer prescriptions for the potentially addictive drugs.

"While it's good news that the dos...

'Friends' Star Matthew Perry Reveals Harrowing Addiction Journey

Just a few years ago, "Friends" actor Matthew Perry almost died from opioid overuse that nearly destroyed his colon and almost killed him.

Now, he's sober and wants to tell his story.

Perry has written a memoir,

  • Cara Murez HealthDay Reporter
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  • October 20, 2022
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  • Full Page
  • Pregnancy May Have Women Cutting Back on Smoking Before They Know They've Conceived

    Pregnancy can be a big motivator for women to stop smoking. Now a new study suggests that at least some pregnant smokers start cutting back even before they know they've conceived.

    The findings, researchers say, suggest there may be biological mechanisms during pregnancy that can bl...

    Menthols Make Up 40% of U.S. Cigarette Sales; Ban Could Have Huge Impact

    A proposed ban on menthol cigarettes could have a significant impact on smoking rates, especially among minorities, new U.S. research suggests.

    Adult smokers who are younger, have mental health problems and are from racial/ethnic minority groups are more likely to use menthol cigarettes than other groups, according to a study from Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health and Th...

    Knee, Shoulder Surgeries Without Opioids? It's Possible, Study Finds

    While politicians and health officials seek solutions to an opioid epidemic that kills tens of thousands every year, doctors who prescribe the pain medications are seeking alternatives for their patients.

    1 in 7 U.S. High School Students Now Vapes

    Teen vaping continues at concerning levels, U.S. health officials reported Thursday.

    About 2.5 million middle school and high school students reported that they had vaped in the past 30 days in 2022,...

    Big Drop Seen in Drug Treatment Admissions During Pandemic

    Admissions to drug treatment programs declined sharply during the pandemic's first year, likely explaining a later surge in fatal overdoses.

    Among people of color, admissions dropped nearly 25%, a RAND Corp. study found.

    This is one possible reason for the recent surge in drug overdose deaths, according...

    In Canada, Program That Supplies Safe Opioids to Addicts Is Saving Lives

    As opioid overdose deaths continue to soar, a Canadian program points to one way to save lives: providing "safer" opioids to people at high risk of overdose.

    That's the conclusion of a study evaluating Canada's first formal "safer opioid supply," or SOS, program. Such programs aim to prevent overdoses by giving vulnerable people an alternative to the increasingly dangerous street supply o...

    Teens More Likely to Vape If Parent Smokes

    Parents who smoke should know that their kids are more likely to vape and try smoking.

    Those teens were 55% more likely to try e-cigarettes than those of nonsmoking parents and 51% more likely to have tried traditional cigar...

    Deadly 'Rainbow Fentanyl' Looks Like Candy, Could Entice Kids

    The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) is warning the public that colorfully dyed fentanyl — dubbed "rainbow fentanyl" — is readily available across the United States.

    “Rainbow fentanyl — fentanyl pills and powder that come in a variety of bright colors, shapes, and sizes — is a deliberat...

    'Healthier' Option? Fit Teens Are More Likely to Vape

    It might seem incongruous, but new research suggests that teens who engage in more physical activity may vape m...

    Deep Brain Stimulation Shows Promise Against Binge Eating Disorder

    Electrically stimulating the brain's "reward" circuity may hold promise as a treatment for binge eating disorder, a small pilot study suggests.

    The findings are based on just two patients who received deep brain stimulation (DBS) -- a technique used for ...

    Magic Mushroom Hallucinogen May Treat Problem Drinking

    Jon Kostas, a lifelong resident of New York City, started bar-hopping at age 13. At the height of his alcoholism, he was consuming as many as 30 drinks a night.

    Desperate for a way out, Kostas, 32, turned to a new therapy: psilocybin -- the psychedelic compound found in so-cal...

    America's Love Affair With Sleeping Pills May Be Waning

    Fewer Americans are turning to sleep medications to fight insomnia.

    After a dramatic rise in prescriptions for drugs like Ambien, the trend has ebbed, according to a new study, and fewer doctors are prescribing sleep medications

    Use of Pot, Hallucinogens Soaring Among Young Americans

    Marijuana and hallucinogen use are at an all-time high among young adults, U.S. health officials reported Monday.

    Compared to five or 10 years ago, the use of these drugs over the past year has risen significantly among 19- to 30-year-olds, according to the Monitoring the Future panel study. The new dat...

    Why Coffee & Cigarette Is a Morning Ritual for Millions

    Smokers in the throes of nicotine withdrawal when they wake up in the morning may crave not just a cigarette but a cup of coffee along with it.

    Science can explain that.

    Researchers have identified two compounds in coffee that directly affect certain nicotine receptors in...

    FDA Issues Warning to Maker of Illegal Nicotine Gummies

    The U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Thursday warned a maker of nicotine gummies to stop marketing what is an illegal product.

    In what is a first-of-its-kind warning, the agency said it considers these gummies part...

    3 Big Pharmacy Chains Must Pay $650 Million to Ohio Counties for Role in Opioid Crisis

    Three of the country's largest pharmacy chains will have to pay $650.5 million over the next 15 years to two Ohio counties for their role in the opioid epidemic, a U.S. federal judge has ordered.

    The decision follows a November jury verdict that found CVS, Walgreens and Walmart pharmacies continued to ...

    Meth Plays Big Role in Drug ODs in Rural America

    Methamphetamine is driving an epidemic of drug overdoses in rural America, a new study concludes.

    Researchers attribute the surge to meth laced with fentanyl or combined with an opioid that contains fentanyl.

    "

    Fewer Smokers Tried to Quit During COVID Pandemic

    Fewer people tried to quit smoking as the COVID-19 pandemic began, and this continued for at least a year, according to a new U.S. study.

    The American Cancer Society detailed pandemic smoking behavior in the report, while stressing the need to re-engage smokers in

  • By Cara Murez HealthDay Reporter
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  • August 8, 2022
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  • Full Page
  • Wave of Opioid Overdoses Expected to Hit U.S. Rural, Urban Areas

    Experts predict opioid overdoses will climb in both rural and urban areas because of the lethal practice of mixing the highly addictive narcotics with other drugs.

    The coming wave of opioid overdoses “...

    Telehealth, Phone Visits a Lifesaver for Veterans Addicted to Opioids

    There are many obstacles to opioid addiction treatment, but a new study shows one that one outgrowth of the COVID pandemic -- telehealth -- is enabling more U.S. veterans to get help.

    Researchers examined care given to vets before and after a transition to telehealth visits in early 2020 for treatment of their opioid use disorder. Telehealth for patients receiving the prescription drug

    Many Smokers Who Want to Quit Just End Up Vaping, Too

    Many smokers eager to quit embrace electronic cigarettes as a tool for kicking the habit, but a new study warns the move may raise the risk for becoming addicted to both cigarettes and vaping.

    The finding follows a look at the experience of nearly 112,000 smokers who sought outpatie...

    Today's Potent Pot Could Be Prescription for Addiction

    Cannabis has become far more potent over the years, and that may explain why the number of people becoming addicted to the drug has soared, a new study suggests.

    Researchers from the University of Bath Addiction and Mental Health Group in the United Kingdom used data from 20 studies to analyze the relationship between the types of marijuana people use and their addiction and mental healt...

    Methadone ODs Didn't Rise in Pandemic, Supporting Use as At-Home Treatment

    Giving more patients at-home access to the opioid addiction treatment drug methadone during the COVID pandemic did not lead to more overdose deaths, a nationwide study shows.

    The research, which covered the period from January 2019 to August 2021, found that the push to let more patients take home doses rather than visit a clinic daily did not increase harm among users.

    "Treatment ...

    Drinking Alone in Youth a Big Sign for Future Problems

    Drinking by yourself may have lifelong consequences, especially if the habit begins early in life, a new study suggests.

    Researchers found that drinking alone during adolescence and young adulthood greatly increases risk for alcohol use disorder later on and the risk for women is especially worrisome.

    Alcohol abuse causes more than 3 million deaths a year worldwide.

    "Most youn...

    Teens Have Triple the Odds of Misusing Marijuana Compared to Adults

    In yet another report that illustrates the dangers pot poses to the young, developing brain, a new British study finds teenagers are much more likely than adults to develop an addiction to marijuana.

    "We found that teenagers are three and a half times more likely to have severe cannabis use disorder, whi...