Last decade saw big decrease in teens who used commonly prescribed and misused prescription drugs

Since 2009, U.S. high school seniors have reported steep declines in medical use, misuse and availability of the three most commonly prescribed and misused controlled substances for teens, a new University of Michigan study found. Researchers compared use trends, sources and perceived availability of opioids, stimulants and benzodiazepines from 2009 to 2022. The research letter … Read more

Does getting ADHD drugs via telehealth increase addiction risk?

For nearly five years, people with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder have had the option of getting their stimulant medications prescribed and renewed by doctors they see only over a computer screen, despite the risks that these stimulant drugs can pose if misused. But with expiration dates coming up for the telehealth rules that made this possible, … Read more

Groundbreaking device instantly detects dangerous street drugs, offering hope for harm reduction

A portable device that can instantly detect dangerous street drugs at extremely low concentrations has been developed at the University of Bath in the UK. The device, which is being trialled by drug-checking services in the UK, Norway and New Zealand, can identify substances such as benzodiazepines and synthetic opioids that are difficult to detect … Read more