Join Together
Join Together, a collaboration of the Boston University School of Public Health and The Partnership at Drugfree.org, delivers substance abuse and addiction news that impacts your work, life and community. Learn more.
Many Medical Residents Give Poor Marks to Addiction Training: Survey
More than half of internal medicine residents at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston say they were not adequately trained in addiction and other substance use disorders, according to a new survey.
23 Attorneys General Urge Urban Outfitters to Pull Products Promoting Rx Drug Abuse
On Wednesday 23 attorneys general sent a letter to Urban Outfitters CEO and Chairman Richard A. Hayne, urging him to remove products promoting prescription drug abuse from the stores’ shelves.
CDC Campaign Encourages Smokers to Talk With Their Doctor About Quitting
A new campaign launched by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention encourages smokers to talk with their physician about quitting. The “Talk With Your Doctor” campaign also provides materials for physicians to help their patients give up cigarettes.
Scientists Identify Compound That May Block Cocaine Craving in Animal Study
Scientists at Johns Hopkins University have identified a compound that stopped mice addicted to cocaine from wanting the drug. The compound has been proven safe for humans and is undergoing further animal testing, in preparation for possible clinical trials for people addicted to cocaine.
New Psychiatric Manual Combines Alcohol Disorders
The newly released update to psychiatry’s diagnostic manual combines problem drinking and alcoholism into a single condition known as “alcohol use disorder,” which some experts say could lead binge drinkers to be mislabeled as alcoholics.
More Americans Engage in Heavy Drinking, CDC Finds
A new report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention finds an increase in the percentage of adults who had five or more drinks in one day at least once in the past year. The prevalence of adult smoking remained unchanged in most age groups, but declined among young adults.
Average Colorado Marijuana Smoker Will Pay $650 for the Drug Next Year
The average marijuana smoker in Colorado will pay about $650 for the drug next year, according to Time.com. The estimate is based on a study by researchers at Colorado State University, who wanted to determine how much the state will collect in marijuana-related tax revenue.
Some Minnesota Doctors Say They Are Unfairly Blamed for Prescription Drug Abuse
Some Minnesota physicians say they are sometimes unfairly blamed for patients’ prescription drug abuse, the Associated Press reports. At a Minnesota Medical Association forum, doctors said they feel caught between trying to help patients in pain and attempting to curb abuse.
Survey Finds People in Recovery Experience Striking Improvements Over Time
The first nationwide survey of people in recovery from addiction to alcohol and drugs finds their lives steadily improve in areas from employment to family life to community involvement. The online survey, released by the advocacy group Faces & Voices of Recovery, attempts to measure and quantify the effects of recovery over time.
Many Parents Don’t Know Their Teens Use ADHD Drugs for Studying: Poll
Only 1 percent of parents believe their teens have used attention-deficit hyperactivity drugs to help them study, but 10 percent of high school students have done so, a new nationwide poll suggests.
