Entries for November 2012

A scientist at the Walter Reed Army Institute of Research is developing a vaccine designed to treat heroin addiction while at the same time prevent HIV infection.

Drug abuse or heavy drinking can cause long-term changes in the heart, arteries or blood that increase the risk of stroke in young adults, a new study finds.

Across Colorado and Washington state, communities are taking varying approaches to newly approved laws that legalize small amounts of recreational use of marijuana for adults.

Legislators in Washington, D.C., are proposing a ban on synthetic drugs, The Washington Times reports. More than 40 states have banned synthetic marijuana and/or bath salts.

As Kentucky begins to see results from its crackdown on prescription drug abuse, officials report a rise in heroin use.

Laws that mandate smoke-free workplaces are associated with a significantly reduced risk of heart attacks, according to a new study by researchers at the Mayo Clinic.

The number of NFL players who are testing positive for amphetamines such as Adderall has increased, according to the Associated Press.

The Congressional Budget Office estimates a 50-cent hike in the U.S. cigarette tax could result in a decrease of more than three million smokers by 2085. The tax increase would either encourage people to quit, or would keep people from starting to smoke, the researchers say.

The Drug Enforcement Administration announced it is investigating three Walgreens pharmacies in Florida because of concerns over possible prescription drug diversion.

A federal judge has ordered tobacco companies to pay for corrective statements that disclose the dangers of smoking, the Associated Press reports.