Breakthrough research shows genetic markers for substance abuse and could lead to more effective ways to prevent and treat drug and alcohol use disorders.

These findings could help people who face addiction to varied substances, including those who have more than one addiction at a time.

The findings al...

Women with mental illness have a risk for cervical cancer that's twice as high as that for others, according to new research.

Swedish researchers noted that women with mental illness, neuropsychiatric disability or substance abuse were also less likely to get screening tests that can detect cervical cancer.

“Our results suggest that women with these diagnoses participate more seld...

Four out of five U.S. parents questioned in a large poll believe their preteen and teenage kids are clear on the risks that electronic cigarettes pose, and only a few think their child actually vapes.

Still, if their child did vape, would parents know? Nearly half of more than 1,300 parents polled said they would.

The findings, experts say, point to a potential disconnect between wh...

Contrary to concerns, wider availability of naloxone treatment is not increasing heroin use among U.S. teens, new research finds.

Naloxone (Narcan) quickly reverses an overdose from opioids like heroin, fentanyl, morphine and oxycodone (OxyContin). There had been some worry that expanding access to naloxone might inadvertently promote high-risk substance use among young people. However, t...

For decades, people turned to cigarettes in times of stress. Now, a preliminary study hints that young people are using vaping in the same way.

The study, of nearly 2,000 U.S. teenagers and young adults, found that those who vaped nicotine or marijuana were more likely to report anxiety, depression or suicidal thoughts. In fact, a majority of vapers said they'd suffered anxiety or depress...

Soon, the federal government will allow states to use Medicaid funds to treat prisoners for drug addiction and mental health services.

In an announcement made during a visit to the Camden County Jail in New Jersey on Tuesday, Dr. Rahul Gupta, director of the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy, said stat...

Researchers may have found a way for coffee-lovers to cut back without suffering symptoms of caffeine withdrawal like headache, fatigue, bad mood and irritability.

It's a cup of decaf.

A new study found that people experienced fewer withdrawal symptoms with the substitute.

“A co...

A nasal spray that can reverse an opioid overdose should be sold over-the-counter, two expert panels to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration recommended Wednesday.

Research has shown that wider availability of naloxone -- brand named Narcan -- could save lives as the opioid epidemic rages on in this country.

The FDA advisors voted unanimously in favor of making the drug easier to ...

A nasal spray that can reverse an opioid overdose may become available for easier over-the-counter purchase.

U.S. Food and Drug Administration advisers are meeting Wednesday to discuss making generic naloxone hydrochloride available without requiring interaction with a pharmacist, CNN reported.

Approval could happen later this year. Research shows that wider availability of...

Living in a U.S. state where recreational weed is legal does not appear to increase the average adult's risk of succumbing to “reefer madness,” a new study of twins has determined.

An adult living in a “legal” state is not more likely to develop any sort of substance abuse disorder than their twin residing in a state where marijuana remains outlawed, researchers found.

They ...

Pharmacists could play an important role in helping curb the U.S. opioid epidemic, a new study suggests.

Researchers studied the impact of a Rhode Island law allowing specially trained pharmacists to prescribe buprenorphine, a medication used to treat opioid use disorder.

The study began with 100 patients who received the medication at a pharmacy. After they were stabilized, 58 were...

Despite tobacco industry claims, a new study found that banning menthol-flavored cigarettes did not lead to more people purchasing illicit smokes.

Researchers at the University of Waterloo surveyed smokers to study the impact of a menthol cigarette ban in Canada. Smokers of both menthol and non-menthol cigarettes were surveyed before and after Canada's ban, and asked about their usual cig...

Giving up nicotine can be a brutal experience that can include everything from physical symptoms, such as headache and nausea, to mood issues, including irritability, anxiety and depression.

Yet, it is still possible to get through nicotine withdrawal symptoms with a good plan and specific tools, according to a smoking cessation expert, who offered some suggestions for coping with nicoti...

One low-cost intervention could make a difference in America's epidemic of opioid overdoses, a new study suggests.

When health care providers were notified that one of their patients had died from an overdose, they wrote fewer opioid prescriptions for up to a year later.

The University of Southern California (USC) study built upon earlier findings that letters like these could reduc...

Cigars are linked with victory, new babies and Winston Churchill, not nicotine addiction, but are they any better for your health than cigarettes?

No, say experts who point out the many dangers of cigar smoking.

Over the past few decades, through clever marketing, cigar smoking has taken on a rarified aura, with cigar bars and magazines like Cigar Aficionado devoted to...

Sometimes it really does "take a village" to help you meet life's challenges, and quitting smoking can be one of the toughest challenges out there.

That's why specially designed smoking-cessation programs can make all the difference, experts say.

Many programs employ a combination approach, one that treats the physical and the psychological addictions you're trying to brea...

So much for vaping as a smoking-cessation tool: New research finds most folks who use both traditional cigarettes and e-cigarettes are likely to continue smoking rather than quit, a new study finds.

How much is most? Only 10% quit vaping and smoking.

"As used by the general population, e-cigarettes have not contributed to substantial smoking cessation," said lead researcher

Researchers report they have created a vaccine to fight fentanyl addiction, in a potential breakthrough in the opioid epidemic.

The shot would block the ability of fentanyl to enter the brain and cause the “high” that users crave. It could be used to prevent relapses in people trying to quit opioids, once it gets through clinical trials, the scientists said.

“We believe these ...

More American youth than ever are so addicted to e-cigarettes that they vape within 5 minutes of waking up in the morning, a new analysis shows.

While that percentage was around just 1% in 2017, it increased every year after that. It reached 10.3% by 2021, researchers reported.

"The increasing intensity of use of modern e-cigarettes highlights the clinical need to address youth addi...

Years of litigation over the opioid epidemic could end soon, as the national pharmacy chains CVS and Walgreens announced Wednesday that each company has agreed to a nearly $5 billion settlement.

While neither of the companies admitted wrongdoing, the settlements are part of the fight over the drug industry's role in the epidemic that has led to 500,000 U.S. deaths in the past 20 years, t...

New research out of Canada offers some encouraging news amid concerns about the opioid epidemic.

Doctors are prescribing a lower dose of the painkillers after older adults have surgery, the study found. They are not, however, writing fewer prescriptions for the potentially addictive drugs.

"While it's good news that the dos...

Just a few years ago, "Friends" actor Matthew Perry almost died from opioid overuse that nearly destroyed his colon and almost killed him.

Now, he's sober and wants to tell his story.

Perry has written a memoir,