Drug Facts in Media

Adolescent marijuana use and binge drinking did not significantly change during the COVID-19 pandemic, despite record decreases in the substances' perceived availability, according to a survey of 12th graders in the United States. The study's findings challenge the idea that reducing adolescent use of drugs can be achieved solely by limiting their supply.

People who have a high sensation-seeking trait in the brain could be more susceptible to drug addition, according to a new study.

Zebrafish exposed to the leading cannabinoids found in cannabis in the earliest stages of development suffer a significant drop in neural activity later in life, according to a new study that has implications for prenatal development in humans.

A study of more than 3 million insured US adult patients under 65 found that nearly 3 percent take immunosuppressive drugs that may elevate risk for severe COVID-19 symptoms and hospitalization if they became infected. There is growing evidence that immunosuppressive drugs may also reduce the COVID vaccine's efficacy.

The latest findings show that with clever science, a single fingerprint left at a crime scene could be used to determine whether someone has touched or ingested class A drugs.

Many people live with chronic pain, and in some cases, cannabis can provide relief. But the drug also can significantly impact memory and other cognitive functions. Now, researchers have developed a peptide that, in mice, allowed THC, the main component of Cannabis sativa, to fight pain without the side effects.

Studies have shown that while CBD reduces pain sensation in animals, its ability to do so in humans is limited by low bioavailability, the extent to which the drug successfully reaches its site of action. Now, new research suggests this obstacle may be overcome by a novel CBD analog known as KLS-13019.

Researchers have created to novel biobanks of diverse tissues from animals to further explore the biological bases and consequences of addiction to cocaine and oxycodone.

New research shows that while cannabis users had higher rates of psychotic experiences than non-users across the board, the difference was especially pronounced among those with high genetic predisposition to schizophrenia.

Smoking cannabis when you're young may increase your risk of developing heart disease later, according to a recent study.

Legalization of recreational cannabis may be associated with an increase in fatal motor vehicle collisions based on data from the United States.

As the world awaits the upcoming Olympic games, a new method for detecting doping compounds in urine samples could level the playing field for those trying to keep athletics clean. Now, scientists report an approach using ion mobility-mass spectrometry to help regulatory agencies detect existing dopants and future 'designer compounds.

Anabolic androgenic steroids (AAS), a synthetic version of the male sex hormone testosterone, are sometimes used as a medical treatment for hormone imbalance, and its use is known to have many side effects, ranging from acne to heart problems to increased aggression. A new study now suggests that AAS can also have deleterious effects on the brain, causing it to age prematurely.

Study finds that a small portion of the risk for repeated cannabis use into adulthood can be attributed to the genetic effects of neuroticism, risk tolerance and depression that can appear during adolescence.

Medical cannabis can reduce essential tremor in mice. By injecting a specific synthetic cannabinoid into the spinal cord of mice suffering from essential tremor, researchers have shown that the drug can reduce involuntary shaking - as the cannabinoid activates a particular type of cell, the so-called astrocytes.

A new analysis explores the effects of these changes on use. The analysis concludes that sharp declines in production costs for cannabis and opioids could dramatically reduce the price per dose for consumers in ways that alter patterns of use and dependence.

A team of neuroscientists is uncovering how psychedelics affect brain activity. New work shows a strong connection in rodent models between brain activity and behaviors resulting from psychedelic treatment, a step forward in the quest to better understand their potential therapeutic effects.

Illegal use of anabolic steroids not only has dangerous side effects during use but also can harm of men's testicular function years after they stop abusing steroids, according to a new study.

Researchers have found that tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the psychoactive component of marijuana, stays in breast milk for up to six weeks, further supporting the recommendations to abstain from marijuana use during pregnancy and while a mother is breastfeeding.