drug abuse

More Than 100 Billion Doses of Opioid Pills Were Shipped Between 2006 and 2014

Data collected by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) shows more than 100 billion doses of oxycodone and hydrocodone were shipped nationwide between 2006 and 2014, The Washington Post reports. In July, the newspaper reported that the nation’s drug manufacturers had distributed more than 76 billion opioid pills from 2006 through 2012. Two…

Could MDMA help treat mental health conditions?

Ecstasy — or methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) — is a recreational drug that is illegal in the United States. However, some researchers believe that it could aid in mental health therapy. A new study in mice puts this idea to the test. MDMA is a mind-altering drug that can be popular at…

Vaping of marijuana on the rise among teens

Findings from the 2019 Monitoring the Future (MTF) survey demonstrate the appeal of vaping to teens, as seen in the increased prevalence of marijuana use as well as nicotine vaping. Results from the 45th annual MTF survey, a nationally representative sample of eighth, 10th and 12th graders in hundreds of…

At Least 2.2 Million U.S. Children Affected by Opioid Crisis: Report

A new report estimates at least 2.2 million children had been affected by the opioid crisis in the United States by 2017. That number is likely to increase, according to the report by the United Hospital Fund, a health policy nonprofit. Many of the children are living with a parent addicted…

Fingerprint test can distinguish between those who have taken or handled heroin

A state-of-the-art fingerprint detection technology can identify traces of heroin on human skin, even after someone has washed their hands — and it is also smart enough to tell whether an individual has used the drug or shaken hands with someone who has handled it. In a paper published by The…