Addiction

Study: Marijuana top illegal drug used worldwide

Marijuana is the most popular illegal drug used worldwide, but addictions to popular painkillers like Vicodin, Oxycontin and codeine kill the most people, according to the first-ever global survey of illicit drug abuse.

Health

Study examines opiate use in orthopedic trauma patients

(HealthDay)—Orthopedic trauma patients with isolated musculoskeletal injuries are significantly more likely than the general population to have used prescription opiates prior to injury, and pre-injury use predicts prolonged ...

Addiction

Heroin availability increasing across Washington state

New data from the University of Washington's Alcohol and Drug Abuse Institute indicates increases in heroin availability, abuse and deaths across the state, particularly among young adults ages 18-29. These increases are ...

Psychology & Psychiatry

Posttraumatic stress disorder common after lung injury

(HealthDay)—Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms are common in patients recovering from acute lung injury (ALI), according to a study published online March 5 in Psychological Medicine.

Medications

US panel opposes pure hydrocodone painkiller

(AP)—U.S. government health experts overwhelmingly voted against a stronger version of hydrocodone on Friday, questioning the need for a new form of one of most widely abused prescription painkillers.

Medical research

A new promising approach in the therapy of pain

The treatment of inflammatory pain can be improved by endogenous opioid peptides acting directly in injured tissue. Scientists at the Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin and the Université Paris Descartes showed that ...

Medications

Long-term methadone treatment can affect nerve cells in brain

Long-term methadone treatment can cause changes in the brain, according to recent studies from the Norwegian Institute of Public Health. The results show that treatment may affect the nerve cells in the brain. The studies ...

Medical research

Opiates' side effects rooted in patients' genetics, study shows

Genetics play a significant role in determining which patients will suffer the most from the disturbing side effects of opiates, commonly prescribed painkillers for severe to moderate pain, according to a new Stanford University ...

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