Drug Facts in Media

Among adults aged 18 years and older, 31 percent used prescription opioids only as prescribed by a physician medically and 4 percent misused them. Thus, the overwhelming majority (88 percent) of all past-12-month prescription opioid users used the drugs for medical purposes only.

Spending on cannabis, cocaine, heroin and methamphetamine fluctuated between $120 billion and $145 billion each year from 2006 to 2016, rivaling what Americans spend each year on alcohol, according to a new study.

After medical marijuana became legal in Massachusetts, cannabis-related poison control calls involving the commonwealth's children and teenagers doubled, according to a public health investigation.

A new study found no harm to newborns from opioid maintenance treatment (OMT) during pregnancy compared with no treatment.

Compared to people who only drank alcohol, those who used alcohol and marijuana simultaneously were more likely to drink heavier and more often, according to researchers. They were also more likely to experience alcohol-related problems -- like impulsive actions they later regretted.

Not a good mix: A researcher has found that adults who combine prescription opioids for severe pain and cannabis report elevated anxiety and depression symptoms, with no increased pain reduction.

A new study finds that marijuana access leads to reductions in opioid-related deaths.

Using in-depth interviews with adolescents (16-19 years of age) who used alcohol and marijuana, this study examines the role that social and physical contexts play in adolescent decision-making about simultaneous use of alcohol and marijuana.

Researchers were surprised to find that methamphetamine use is not linked with worse health outcomes among burn patients, but was associated with significantly worse discharge conditions for meth-positive patients. Meth-positive patients suffered worse injuries and stayed longer in hospital than meth-negative patients. Also, more meth-positive patients left the hospital against medical advice and fewer had access to support such as skilled nursing facilities. They did worse in every measure of socioeconomic status.

More than a tenth of U.S. adults age 65 and older currently binge drink, putting them at risk for a range of health problems, according to a new study.

Marijuana exposure damages cells of the inner lining of blood vessels throughout the heart and vascular system. In studies with human cells and arteries from mice, a compound found in soybeans blocked the damage and may have potential in preventing cardiovascular side effects of marijuana use.

Blocking dopamine receptors in different regions of the amygdala reduces drug seeking and taking behavior with varying longevity.

Findings offer new insight into the complex world of motivation and reward by discovering the science behind giving up. The study is among the first to describe the effects of the complex nociception modulatory system. The researchers said this discovery could lead to helping people find motivation when they are depressed and conversely decrease motivation for drugs in substance abuse disorders, like addiction.

American teenagers and adults are more likely to try illegal or recreational drugs for the first time in the summer, a new study shows.

The number of women using cannabis in the year before they get pregnant and early in their pregnancies is increasing, and their frequency of use is also rising, according to new data.

Roughly 11% of high school seniors reported prescription drug misuse during the past year, and of those, 44% used multiple supply sources, according to a pair of recent studies.

The recent wave of recreational cannabis legalization across the US could generate $22 billion in sales per year, but not everyone is happy about it. New research shows the alcohol industry could be impacted when the substance is legalized.

An Australian study has demonstrated that cannabis-based medication helps tackle dependency on cannabis, one of the most widely used drugs globally. A new article provides the first strong evidence that cannabis replacement therapy could reduce the rate of relapse. The principles are similar to nicotine replacement in that the patient is provided a safer drug and in an environment that helps break the pattern of use.

Patients receiving a post-surgery prescription of ibuprofen with a rescue prescription of Percocet used less opioids than a group of similar patients who were prescribed just Percocet.

A new study shows that teens who use prescription opioids to get high are more likely to start using heroin by high school graduation.