In 2 states, legalization of recreational marijuana found to have little effect on crime

Eleven states and the District of Columbia have legalized marijuana. A new study funded by a grant from the National Institute of Justice sought to determine the effect of this legal change on crimes rates. The study, which looked at…

New addiction treatments hold promise for stemming the opioid crisis, scientists say

Concerns over the opioid epidemic have sparked a strong scientific interest in why some people become addicted while others don’t. Now, researchers are proposing novel treatment strategies that could help prevent abuse of opioids and other substances. In a report…

One in three young adults receive medication for opioid use disorder after overdose

BOSTON – A new study found that one in three young adults receive medication for opioid use disorder within 12 months of a non-fatal opioid overdose. The study, led by researchers at Boston Medical Center’s Grayken Center for Addiction, in…

Men Receiving Opioids After Vasectomy at High Risk for Persistent Opioid Use

Routine use of opioids after vasectomy doesn’t improve pain control, but is associated with a substantial rate of persistent opioid use in the months after the procedure, reports a study in the October issue of The Journal of Urology®, Official Journal of the American Urological Association (AUA). The Journal is published in the Lippincott portfolio by Wolters Kluwer.

Community responders more likely to seek help during overdose when naloxone does not work

BOSTON- Calling emergency services is an integral part of overdose response training. This step may be even more important in the setting of rapidly-progressing overdoses from fentanyl. New research from Boston Medical Center’s Grayken Center for Addiction found, however, that…

Designing a new class of drugs to treat chronic pain

A UC Davis research team, led by Vladimir Yarov-Yarovoy and Heike Wulff, will receive a $1.5 million grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to develop a novel class of peptides that are better at treating pain and don’t have the side effects of opioids. The grant is part of the NIH initiative Helping to End Addiction Long-Term (HEAL Initiative).

VCU will lead $50 million study of traumatic brain injuries in military personnel

Virginia Commonwealth University has been awarded a $50 million federal grant to oversee a national research consortium of universities, hospitals and clinics that will study the long-term impacts of mild traumatic brain injuries or concussions on service members and veterans.…

Chronic insomnia can be cured in cancer survivors with a basic, one-session sleep education class, study finds

In a study published online today by the journal Cancer, investigators at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute report that a single-session sleep education program for survivors can cure insomnia in many participants, and that those who don’t benefit from this approach are often helped by a more extensive, but still modest, three-session program.

Chronic insomnia can be cured in cancer survivors with a basic sleep education class

Affecting as many as 30% of cancer survivors, chronic insomnia can be effectively treated with intensive cognitive-behavioral techniques, but such methods are time-consuming, costly, and limited by the availability of trained specialists. In a study published online today by the…

Other treatments can reduce need for addictive pain medication

Hardly a day goes by without the public being warned about the dangers of opioids. But still, according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, more than 130 people die every day of opioid overdose and the problem is getting worse. A Houston Methodist pain specialist says new advancements in pain management are giving patients options.

Depression, Anxiety Linked to Opioid Use in Women With Breast Cancer

The findings should encourage doctors to better manage mental health in patients with breast cancer and spur care providers to consider alternative pain management such as physical therapy, massage and acupuncture, the researchers say.

Depression, Anxiety Linked to Opioid Use in Women With Breast Cancer

The findings should encourage doctors to better manage mental health in patients with breast cancer and spur care providers to consider alternative pain management such as physical therapy, massage and acupuncture, the researchers say.

‘Kangaroo Care’ Reduces Pain from Needle Pricks in Preterm Infants Across Hospital Admission

For preterm infants in the newborn intensive care unit (NICU), skin-to-skin contact with the mother – sometimes called “kangaroo care” – reduces pain from repeated painful procedures, reports a study in PAIN®, the official publication of the International Association for the Study of Pain (IASP). The journal is published in the Lippincott portfolio by Wolters Kluwer.