The intersection of substance use with broader public health concerns.
Public Health
Higher Taxes Needed to Lower Smoking Rates in South Asia
New research published in The British Medical Journal supports the need to increase taxes on tobacco products in South Asia, suggesting that doing so could reduce consumption by at least 1/3 and, in turn, avoid around 35 - 45 million...
Global Smoking Rates on Decline Thanks to Demand-Reduction Measures
New research published in The Lancet Public Health suggests that global smoking rates have decreased by 2.5% following the introduction of the global tobacco control treaty. The treaty obligates the 180 countries committed to it to...
New Resources from the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA)
The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) has released a number of new resources. These are aimed at those working within the criminal justice system and other environments where people in recovery from drug addiction are ready to return...
Marijuana Linked to Cardiovascular Problems
Marijuana use may increase the risk of stroke and heart failure. This was concluded to be the case even after accounting for demographic and lifestyle risk factors, as well as other health conditions. The new findings on the potential...
Alcohol Consumption as a Cause of Cancer
Background and aims: There is increasing research evidence about the causal role of alcohol in cancer, accompanied by unclear and conflicting messages in the media. This paper aimed to clarify the strength of the evidence for alcohol as a...
5th International Conference on Novel Psychoactive Substances (NPS)
The 5th International Conference on Novel Psychoactive Substances will be held from 23 to 24 October 2017 at the United Nations in Vienna, Austria.
10th International Conference on Nightlife, Substance Use and Related Health Issues
This event will bring together experts from a wide range of fields to exchange information on the latest research, policy and practice on protecting and promoting health in nightlife settings.
Characteristics of Fentanyl Overdose — Massachusetts, 2014–2016
Summary What is already known about this topic? Fentanyl has a growing presence in the illicit drug market and is involved in an increasing proportion of opioid overdose deaths. What is added by this report? Approximately two thirds of...
Estimation of National, Regional and Global Prevalence of Alcohol Use during Pregnancy and Fetal Alcohol Syndrome
Background Alcohol use during pregnancy is the direct cause of fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS). We aimed to estimate the prevalence of alcohol use during pregnancy and FAS in the general population and, by linking these two indicators...
‘Ex-spliff-cit’ Content: If Legalised, Should Marijuana Carry Age Restrictions?
Canadians will soon know whether marijuana will be made legal. If legalised, should the drug carry an age restriction? This question is central to new research published in the journal Health which suggests that young users report lower...