http://www.sciencedaily.com/news/mind_brain/illegal_drugs/ Read the latest medical research on illegal drugs and controlled substances. Find out about the effect on the body, addiction risks, possible medicinal uses and more. en-us Thu, 16 Feb 2012 01:05:02 EST Thu, 16 Feb 2012 01:05:02 EST 60 http://www.sciencedaily.com/images/logosmall.gif http://www.sciencedaily.com/news/mind_brain/illegal_drugs/ For more science articles, visit ScienceDaily. http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120130131511.htm A new brain imaging study suggests stress robustly activates areas of the brain associated with craving in cocaine-dependent women, while drug cues activate similar brain regions in cocaine-dependent men. The study suggests men and women with cocaine dependence might benefit more from different treatment options. Mon, 30 Jan 2012 13:15:15 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120130131511.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120127174737.htm Data could lead to better advice for primary-care doctors struggling with a rising tide of older adult patients still in throes of youthful bad habits. Fri, 27 Jan 2012 17:47:47 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120127174737.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120125101846.htm Scientists have identified a potential target for the development of anti-craving medications for people with addictions to stimulants such as methamphetamine. Wed, 25 Jan 2012 10:18:18 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120125101846.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120123152043.htm Brain scans of people under the influence of the psilocybin, the active ingredient in magic mushrooms, have given scientists the most detailed picture to date of how psychedelic drugs work. The findings of two new studies identify areas of the brain where activity is suppressed by psilocybin and suggest that it helps people to experience memories more vividly. Mon, 23 Jan 2012 15:20:20 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120123152043.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120111133512.htm New research provides fascinating insight into a newly discovered brain mechanism that limits the rewarding impact of cocaine. The study describes protective delayed mechanism that turns off the genes that support the development of addiction-related behaviors. The findings may lead to a better understanding of vulnerability to addiction and as well as new strategies for treatment. Wed, 11 Jan 2012 13:35:35 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120111133512.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120110163444.htm Using marijuana carries legal risks, but the consequences of occasionally lighting up do not include long-term loss of lung function, according to a new study. In the study in which participants had repeated measurements of lung function over 20 years, occasional and low cumulative marijuana use was not associated with adverse effects on pulmonary function. Tue, 10 Jan 2012 16:34:34 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120110163444.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120102180854.htm Different ingredients in marijuana appear to affect regions of the brain differently during brain processing functions involving responses to certain visual stimuli and tasks, according to a new report. Mon, 02 Jan 2012 18:08:08 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120102180854.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/12/111214125906.htm Cigarette and alcohol use by eighth, 10th and 12th-graders are at their lowest point since the Monitoring the Future survey began polling teenagers in 1975, according to this year's survey results. However, this positive news is tempered by a slowing rate of decline in teen smoking as well as continued high rates of abuse of other tobacco products (e.g., hookahs, small cigars, smokeless tobacco), marijuana and prescription drugs. Wed, 14 Dec 2011 12:59:59 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/12/111214125906.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/12/111213190158.htm Researchers find that mood and anxiety disorders are highly associated with non-medical prescription opioid use. Tue, 13 Dec 2011 19:01:01 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/12/111213190158.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/12/111206151448.htm A UCSF study suggests patients with chronic pain may experience greater relief if their doctors add cannabinoids – the main ingredient in cannabis or medical marijuana – to an opiates-only treatment. The findings, from a small-scale study, also suggest that a combined therapy could result in reduced opiate dosages. Tue, 06 Dec 2011 15:14:14 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/12/111206151448.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/12/111205165114.htm Recreational use of Ecstasy -- the illegal "rave" drug that produces feelings of euphoria and emotional warmth -- is associated with chronic changes in the human brain, researchers have discovered. The findings add to the growing evidence that Ecstasy produces long-lasting serotonin neurotoxicity in humans. Mon, 05 Dec 2011 16:51:51 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/12/111205165114.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/11/111121142501.htm Researchers have discovered a new means of enhancing the effects of anandamide -- a natural, marijuana-like chemical in the body that provides pain relief. Mon, 21 Nov 2011 14:25:25 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/11/111121142501.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/11/111114221018.htm A high childhood IQ may be linked to subsequent illegal drug use, particularly among women, new research suggests. Mon, 14 Nov 2011 22:10:10 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/11/111114221018.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/11/111110151703.htm Young adults between the ages of 18 and 25 report the highest rates of substance use and dependence, according to the U.S. National Survey on Drug Use & Health. A new study found that rural adolescents who engage in prosocial behaviors, such as volunteering and helping others, are less likely to use substances as young adults. Thu, 10 Nov 2011 15:17:17 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/11/111110151703.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/11/111107162730.htm Substance use is widespread among adolescents in the United States, particularly among those of Native American, white, Hispanic and multiple race/ethnicity, and these groups are also disproportionally affected by substance-related disorders, according to a new report. Mon, 07 Nov 2011 16:27:27 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/11/111107162730.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/11/111102190400.htm Cigarettes and alcohol serve as gateway drugs, which people use before progressing to the use of marijuana, cocaine and other illicit substances; this progression is called the "gateway sequence" of drug use. Latest findings provide the first molecular explanation for the gateway sequence. They show that nicotine causes specific changes in the brain that make it more vulnerable to cocaine addiction -- a discovery made by using a novel mouse model. Wed, 02 Nov 2011 19:04:04 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/11/111102190400.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/11/111102161259.htm A landmark study in mice identifies a biological mechanism that could help explain how tobacco products could act as gateway drugs, increasing a person's future likelihood of abusing cocaine and perhaps other drugs as well, according to researchers. The study is the first to show that nicotine might prime the brain to enhance the behavioral effects of cocaine. Wed, 02 Nov 2011 16:12:12 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/11/111102161259.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/11/111102161047.htm Researchers studied whether legalizing medical marijuana in Rhode Island would be likely to increase its use among youths. Based on their analysis of 32,570 students, they found that while marijuana use was common throughout the study period, there were no statistically significant differences in marijuana use between states where medical marijuana was legal and where it was illegal in any year. Wed, 02 Nov 2011 16:10:10 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/11/111102161047.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/10/111025172633.htm Cannabis use is associated with disturbances in concentration and memory. New research by neuroscientists in the UK has found that brain activity becomes uncoordinated and inaccurate during these altered states of mind, leading to neurophysiological and behavioral impairments reminiscent of those seen in schizophrenia. Tue, 25 Oct 2011 17:26:26 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/10/111025172633.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/10/111020025752.htm Researchers have sequenced the genome of Cannabis sativa, the plant that produces both industrial hemp and marijuana, and in the process revealed the genetic changes that led to the plant's drug-producing properties. Thu, 20 Oct 2011 02:57:57 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/10/111020025752.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/10/111020024443.htm Throughout history, Cannabis sativa has been exploited by humanity. Hemp seed oil is rich in omega 6, and its fiber is used in the production of fabrics. Marijuana is known for its mind-altering properties. The changes to the genome that led to drug-producing plants is a mystery of cannabis evolution, but one that has now been solved, thanks to new research. Thu, 20 Oct 2011 02:44:44 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/10/111020024443.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/10/111013121703.htm Urgently needed tests which could help identify the manufacturers of designer 'legal high' drugs are now being developed. Thu, 13 Oct 2011 12:17:17 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/10/111013121703.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/10/111007113947.htm A new study that examined responses to stimulants is the first to demonstrate that caffeine reinforcement prospectively predicts the positive effects of another drug. Fri, 07 Oct 2011 11:39:39 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/10/111007113947.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/10/111006173453.htm Researchers have found that drivers who test positive for marijuana or report driving within three hours of marijuana use are more than twice as likely as other drivers to be involved in motor vehicle crashes. The researchers also found evidence that crash risk increases with the concentration of marijuana-produced compounds in the urine and the frequency of self-reported marijuana use. Thu, 06 Oct 2011 17:34:34 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/10/111006173453.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/10/111006125418.htm A chemical component of the marijuana plant could prevent the onset of pain associated with drugs used in chemotherapy, particularly in breast cancer patients. Thu, 06 Oct 2011 12:54:54 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/10/111006125418.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/09/110929122934.htm A study of the 5.3 million men and women seen in Department of Veterans Affairs outpatient clinics in a one-year period found that use of cocaine is predictive of open-angle glaucoma, the most common type of glaucoma. Current and former cocaine users had a 45 percent increased risk of glaucoma. Thu, 29 Sep 2011 12:29:29 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/09/110929122934.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/09/110929074205.htm A single high dose of the hallucinogen psilocybin, the active ingredient in so-called "magic mushrooms," was enough to bring about a measurable personality change lasting at least a year in nearly 60 percent of the participants in a new study, according to researchers. Thu, 29 Sep 2011 07:42:42 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/09/110929074205.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/09/110923095016.htm A Spanish study on the consumption of drugs amongst university students confirms that non-prescribed drug abuse amongst those who use cannabis, tobacco and alcohol could be considered "another form of multi-drug consumption." Fri, 23 Sep 2011 09:50:50 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/09/110923095016.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/09/110921120037.htm Administration of cannabinoids (in the form of synthetic marijuana) after experiencing a traumatic event blocks the development of post-traumatic stress disorder-like symptoms in rats, according to a rat study conducted by researchers in Israel. Wed, 21 Sep 2011 12:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/09/110921120037.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/09/110915113632.htm Experts from the UK have devised a new questionnaire to detect behavior such as mephedrone use. The aim is to pinpoint exactly how widespread the abuse of substances like mephedrone, commonly called meow meow, is by using a method of data collection that aims to filter out respondents who might not be telling the truth. Thu, 15 Sep 2011 11:36:36 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/09/110915113632.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/09/110912152853.htm An enzyme that appears to play a role in controlling the brain's response to nicotine and alcohol in mice might be a promising target for a drug that simultaneously would treat nicotine addiction and alcohol abuse in people, according to a new study. Mon, 12 Sep 2011 15:28:28 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/09/110912152853.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/09/110906121227.htm Universities and colleges need to do more to protect young adults from the dangers of illicit stimulant use and to educate them about harms, argue the authors of a new editorial. Tue, 06 Sep 2011 12:12:12 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/09/110906121227.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/08/110830213619.htm Scientists report the development of much needed new tests to help cope with a wave of deaths, emergency room visits and other problems from a new genre of dangerous designer drugs sold legally in stores and online that mimic the effects of cocaine, ecstasy and marijuana. Tue, 30 Aug 2011 21:36:36 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/08/110830213619.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/08/110830193855.htm When glutamate and dopamine do not collaborate as they should in the brain's signal system, the kick that alcohol, sugar, or other drugs induce increases. This provides a key piece of the puzzle about the mechanisms behind both substance abuse and obesity. Tue, 30 Aug 2011 19:38:38 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/08/110830193855.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/08/110824122859.htm A new study finds that repeated cocaine use increases the severity of depressive-like responses in a mouse model of depression and identifies a mechanism that underlies this cocaine-induced vulnerability. Wed, 24 Aug 2011 12:28:28 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/08/110824122859.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/08/110811114002.htm When a research team asked cocaine addicts to choose, hypothetically, between money now or cocaine of greater value later, "preference was almost exclusively for the money now." Thu, 11 Aug 2011 11:40:40 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/08/110811114002.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/08/110810132857.htm Researchers have identified an important part of the pathway through which stress affects mood and motivation for drugs. The finding may prove useful in humans by providing new potential targets for drugs to treat problems related to stress. Wed, 10 Aug 2011 13:28:28 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/08/110810132857.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/08/110801172929.htm Adolescents who misuse controlled medications (e.g., pain, stimulant, sleeping and antianxiety medications) for which they have a legitimate prescription may be more likely to abuse other substances and to sell, give or trade their controlled medications to other individuals, according to a new study. Mon, 01 Aug 2011 17:29:29 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/08/110801172929.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/07/110726092157.htm People who abused methamphetamine or other amphetamine-like stimulants are more likely to develop Parkinson's disease than those who do not, according to a new study. Tue, 26 Jul 2011 09:21:21 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/07/110726092157.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/07/110720103526.htm Researchers have developed a highly successful vaccine against a heroin high and have indicated its therapeutic potential. Wed, 20 Jul 2011 10:35:35 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/07/110720103526.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/07/110715135335.htm Researchers have discovered that a common beta blocker, used to treat people with hypertension, has shown to be effective in preventing the brain from retrieving memories associated with cocaine use in animal-addiction models. Cocaine is one of the worst drug addictions to kick, with about 80 percent of those trying to quit experiencing a relapse within six months. Fri, 15 Jul 2011 13:53:53 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/07/110715135335.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/07/110712093856.htm Researchers have discovered a mechanism that seems to protect the brain from aging. In experiments with mice, they switched off the cannabinoid-1 receptor. As a consequence, the animals showed signs of degeneration -- as seen in people with dementia -- much faster. Tue, 12 Jul 2011 09:38:38 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/07/110712093856.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/07/110711104926.htm College athletes tend to be less likely than their non-athlete peers to smoke marijuana. But when they do, they may have some different reasons for it, according to a new study. Mon, 11 Jul 2011 10:49:49 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/07/110711104926.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/07/110701121534.htm Dentists, pharmacists and addiction experts provides new research and recommendations to help dentists combat, rather than contribute to, abuse of addictive painkillers. Fri, 01 Jul 2011 12:15:15 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/07/110701121534.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/06/110627192918.htm A national survey has found that more than one in twenty Australian workers report using alcohol while at work or just before work, and more than one in fifty report taking drugs during or just before work. The findings have implications for workplace safety. Mon, 27 Jun 2011 19:29:29 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/06/110627192918.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/06/110627095647.htm Researchers found that a brief, voluntary conversation with an adult led to up to a 20 percent decrease in marijuana use for teenagers who frequently used the drug. Mon, 27 Jun 2011 09:56:56 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/06/110627095647.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/06/110623151225.htm If the obvious reasons for avoiding recreational drug use aren't off-putting enough, physicians have another consequence to add -- crusty, purplish areas of dead skin that are extremely painful and can open the door to nasty infections. The condition is called purpura. Typical causes include some rare disorders, but it is also associated with the use of cocaine. Not just any cocaine, though: physicians believe cocaine contaminated with a de-worming drug is the culprit. Thu, 23 Jun 2011 15:12:12 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/06/110623151225.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/06/110623085953.htm It's well known that drunk driving can have fatal consequences, but a new study suggests that alcohol is not the only drug that's a danger on the road. Researchers found that of US drivers who died in a crash, about 25 percent tested positive for drugs. The most common drugs were marijuana and stimulants, including cocaine and amphetamines. Thu, 23 Jun 2011 08:59:59 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/06/110623085953.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/06/110621074342.htm Researchers have identified abnormal brain structures in the frontal lobe of cocaine users' brains which are linked to their compulsive cocaine-using behavior. Tue, 21 Jun 2011 07:43:43 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/06/110621074342.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/06/110620183240.htm Frequent use of energy drinks is associated with binge drinking, alcohol-related social problems and misuse of prescription drugs among musicians, according to new research. Mon, 20 Jun 2011 18:32:32 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/06/110620183240.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/06/110615161756.htm While alcohol has a wide range of pharmacological effects on the body, the brain is a primary target. However, the molecular mechanisms by which alcohol alters neuronal activity in the brain are poorly understood. New findings concern the interactions of alcohol with prototype brain proteins thought to underlie alcohol actions in the brain. Wed, 15 Jun 2011 16:17:17 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/06/110615161756.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/06/110613121946.htm A new study indicates high rates of injection drug use in urban Canadian Aboriginal youth, particularly in women, and points to the need for culturally specific prevention programs, according to a new article. Mon, 13 Jun 2011 12:19:19 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/06/110613121946.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/06/110606131705.htm Definitive proof of an adverse effect of chronic marijuana use could lead to potential drug treatments and aid other research involved in cannabinoid receptors, a neurotransmission system receiving a lot of attention. Mon, 06 Jun 2011 13:17:17 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/06/110606131705.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/05/110531180946.htm Long-term relationships make the commonly abused drug amphetamine less appealing, according to a new animal study. The findings suggest that social bonds formed during adulthood lead to changes in the brain that may protect against drug abuse. Tue, 31 May 2011 18:09:09 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/05/110531180946.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/05/110531115325.htm Female prisoners who did not participate in a drug treatment program after their release were 10 times more likely to return to prison within one year than other prisoners, a new study has found. Tue, 31 May 2011 11:53:53 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/05/110531115325.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/05/110512083149.htm Increasing access to rogue online pharmacies that dispense medications without a doctor's prescription may be an important factor behind the rapid increase in the abuse of prescription drugs. U.S. states with the greatest expansion in high-speed Internet access from 2000 to 2007 also had the largest increase in admissions for treatment of prescription drug abuse. Thu, 12 May 2011 08:31:31 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/05/110512083149.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/05/110511114211.htm Scientists are reporting development of three promising formulations that could be used in a vaccine to treat methamphetamine addiction -- one of the most serious drug abuse problems in the US. Wed, 11 May 2011 11:42:42 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/05/110511114211.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/05/110509122718.htm Aboriginal-youth living off-reserve in Canada use tobacco, alcohol and drugs significantly more than non-Aboriginal youth and have higher health risks, according to a new article. Mon, 09 May 2011 12:27:27 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/05/110509122718.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/05/110503171745.htm The effects of nicotine upon brain regions involved in addiction mirror those of cocaine, according to new neuroscience research. A single 15-minute exposure to nicotine caused a long-term increase in the excitability of neurons involved in reward, according to a new study. Tue, 03 May 2011 17:17:17 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/05/110503171745.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/05/110503143512.htm Ecstasy -- the illegal "rave" drug that produces feelings of euphoria and emotional warmth -- may have therapeutic value. Clinical trials are testing Ecstasy in the treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder. It's important, therefore, to define the impact of Ecstasy on brain function. Researchers report that recreational Ecstasy use is associated with a chronic change in brain function. Tue, 03 May 2011 14:35:35 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/05/110503143512.htm