Still Reaching: The Syndemics that Complicate and Characterize How Drugs and HIV Intersect in People’s Lives

Nearly 42 years ago, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported a rare pneumonia in five gay men, marking the recognized start of the HIV/AIDS epidemic. While we often hear about those men’s sexuality, we hear less often about their substamce use. As the 1981 report notes,...

Prenatal Cannabis Exposure Associated With Mental Disorders in Children That Persist Into Early Adolescence

Prenatal cannabis exposure following the middle of the first trimester – generally after five to six weeks of fetal development – is associated with attention, social, and behavioral problems that persist as the affected children progress into early adolescence (11 and 12 years of age),...

Increased Use of Telehealth for OUD Services During COVID-19 Pandemic Associated With Reduced Risk of Overdose

The expansion of telehealth services for opioid use disorder (OUD) during the COVID-19 pandemic was associated with individuals staying in treatment longer and reducing their risk of medically treated overdose, according to a new study. Published today in JAMA Psychiatry, this study was a...

Buprenorphine Initiation in the ER Found Safe and Effective for Individuals With Opioid Use Disorder Who Use Fentanyl

Results from a multi-site clinical trial supported by the National Institutes of Health showed that less than 1% of people with opioid use disorder whose drug use includes fentanyl experienced withdrawal when starting buprenorphine in the ER. The findings, which appeared today in JAMA Network Open,...

Overdose Deaths Involving Buprenorphine Did Not Proportionally Increase With New Flexibilities in Prescribing

The proportion of opioid overdose deaths involving buprenorphine, a medication used to treat opioid use disorder, did not increase in the months after prescribing flexibilities were put in place during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a new study. These data provide evidence that may help to...

School Prevalence of Stimulant Therapy for ADHD Associated With Higher Rates of Prescription Stimulant Misuse Among Teens

Researchers have identified a strong association between the prevalence of prescription stimulant therapy for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and rates of prescription stimulant misuse (taken in a way other than as directed by a clinician) by students in middle and high schools. The...

Young Men at Highest Risk of Schizophrenia Linked with Cannabis Use Disorder

Young men with cannabis (marijuana) use disorder have an increased risk of developing schizophrenia, according to a study led by researchers at the Mental Health Services in the Capital Region of Denmark and the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) at the National Institutes of Health. The...

NIH Research Matters – Telehealth Improves Treatment for Opioid Use Disorder

Telehealth improves treatment for opioid use disorder for people during the COVID-19 pandemic, increasing the likelihood of staying on their medications and less likely to overdose. The findings support continuing the expanded telehealth access that began during the pandemic. Medications...

How Many Is Too Many? When Drinking Becomes a Problem

For some people, a glass of wine, a beer, or a cocktail is an occasional treat. Others struggle to stop at just one or even many drinks. Some may drink alcohol in moderation, but still feel like they’re not in control of their drinking. How do you know when drinking becomes a problem for...

SAMHSA Proposes Update to Federal Rules to Expand Access to Opioid Use Disorder Treatment and Help Close Gap in Care

Changes would make permanent COVID-timed medication flexibilities, and update decades-old definitions and standards for opioid treatment programs at a time when fewer than 1 out 10 Americans can access treatment for substance use disorder. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services...