Published since 1884 by the Society for the Study of Addiction.
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The use of dietary supplements may lead smokers to smoke more cigarettes under the false belief that the vitamins mitigate the risk. Link to Abstract
Keeping quiet about the fact that one is trying to stop smoking is very common and does not appear to hinder the chances of success. Link to Abstract
Despite the removal of "light/mild" labels from cigarette packaging, alternative labels such as "smooth" and "fine" and design features such as lighter colours are enough to maintain the belief that "light" cigarettes are less harmful than regular ones. Link to Abstract
Stopping regular cannabis use appears to improve the ability to remember information that has just been learned. Link to Abstract
In the 30 years since first entering treatment, liver disease has been found to be the most common cause of death among opioid-dependent people in Australia. Link to Abstract
Individuals diagnosed with obsessive-compulsive disorder are more likely to suffer from substance use disorder than those diagnosed with non-obsessive-compulsive psychological disorders; this is particularly true of men. Link to Abstract
Among people attending Alcoholics Anonymous, a decrease in impulsivity is associated with fewer alcohol-related problems. Link to Abstract
Cognitive-behavioural therapy, delivered by paraprofessional counsellors, appears to be effective in reducing alcohol use among HIV- infected Kenyan out-patients. Link to Abstract
The non-medical use of prescription medications that affect the central nervous system increases the risk for the onset and recurrence of psychopathology. Link to Abstract
The "Örebro prevention programme", as currently delivered in Sweden, does not appear to reduce or delay youth drunkenness. Link to Abstract
When Brazil reduced the legal limit for blood alcohol when driving it reduced the numbers of deaths caused by traffic accidents Link to Abstract
Even after long periods of abstinence from smoking, relapses continue to erode quit success. Starting to smoke early in adolescence appears to be linked to lower likelihood of quitting later in adulthood. Link to Abstract
E-cigarettes are used both as an aid to reducing and quitting smoking and by former smokers to avoid relapse, in much the same way that people use nicotine replacement therapy. Link to Abstract
Among smokers in Ontario, most quit attempts are planned and planners are more likely to use quit aids; however, planning does not appear to increase the likelihood of success. Link to Abstract
The 'Clubs against Drugs' community-based intervention programme, a systems approach to prevention, appears to increase the frequency and effectiveness of club doormen's interventions to tackle obviously drug-intoxicated guests. Link to Abstract
Mephedrone has a high abuse and health risk liability, with increased tolerance, impaired control and a compulsion to use being the predominant reported dependence symptoms. Link to Abstract
In the UK, opiate substitution therapy and a high coverage of needle and syringe programmes appears to have substantially reduced the risk of hepatitis C virus transmission among injecting drug users. Link to Abstract
Living in a deprived neighbourhood appears to undermine attempts to stop injecting illicit drugs. Relocating out of these neighbourhoods appears to be helpful in promoting behaviour change. Link to Abstract
Much of the 1990 to 1994 rise in Russian mortality appears to have been due to the increase in population alcohol consumption. Link to Abstract
Excessive drinking, frequent drinking and binge drinking behaviour have reached epidemic proportions among current drinkers in China. Link to Abstract
The proposed DSM-5 revisions to diagnosis of alcohol use disorders would exclude as cases individuals who drink at hazardous levels but show no other signs of dependence or alcohol problems but include individuals with relatively low levels of dependence Link to Abstract
In countries with relatively high gender-income equality, the combination of motherhood, paid labour and partnership appears to be associated with decreased alcohol consumption; in countries with lower gender-income equality, this role combination does not appear to have the same effect. Link to Abstract
Increased participation in sports, athletics or exercising is related to significantly lower substance use at age 18 and into early adulthood. Link to Abstract
Canadian girls score higher than boys on measures of emotional dependence and social attitudes associated with tobacco smoking. Link to Abstract
The chances of success of quit attempts appear to be influenced not only by the strength of urges to smoke but by the way that they change over time Link to Abstract
While prescriptions of all smoking cessation medications in England increased in the months leading up to the introduction of smoke-free legislation, this increase was not sustained afterwards. Link to Abstract
Treatments aimed at preventing relapse to smoking after a quit attempt (such as nicotine replacement therapy) appear cost effective when used in routine clinical care. Link to Abstract
Cocaine appears to serve an emotion-regulating function among post-traumatic stress disorder patients. Link to Abstract
In China, "contingency management" - the use of motivational incentives - appears to improve opiate abstinence and treatment retention in methadone maintenance treatment clinics. Link to Abstract
Individuals in birth cohorts that are more disapproving of marijuana use are less likely to use, independent of their personal attitudes towards marijuana use. Link to Abstract
In China, concurrent sexual partnerships are common among both injection drug users and non-injection drug users; these concurrent sexual partnerships may serve as a bridging group to transmit HIV from high-risk populations to the general population. Link to Abstract
In Australia, an increased number of off-premises alcohol outlets in an area is associated with a greater risk of harmful alcohol consumption. Link to Abstract
The benefits of an extended telephone-based continuing care programme to treat alcohol dependence did not persist after the end of the intervention. Link to Abstract
In Sweden, brief interventions to reduce alcohol consumption are more effective when conversations with health-care professionals are longer and include advice on how to cut down on drinking. Link to Abstract
In primary care settings, a "stepped" smoking cessation intervention appears to significantly increase smoking abstinence, compared with a brief intervention. Link to Abstract
In Australia, an increase in cigarette prices does not appear to result in smokers moving to cheaper cigarette products. Instead, the majority of smokers indicate a positive change in their smoking-related thoughts and behaviours as a result of the prices increase. Link to Abstract
The various criteria conventionally applied to define dependence on nicotine, such as craving and experience of withdrawal symptoms, appear to be sufficiently closely related to each other as to be regarded as a single underlying condition that varies in severity. Link to Abstract
Heavy cannabis users appear to have an automatically triggered tendency to approach rather than avoid cannabis-related stimuli; those with stronger tendencies to approach are more likely to increase cannabis use. Link to Abstract
Familial similarities in the initiation of cannabis use appear to be influenced by both environmental and genetic factors, with the influence of environmental factors increasing - and genetic factors decreasing - from early adolescence to young adulthood. Link to Abstract
Both heroin-assisted and methadone maintenance treatments appear to improve physical and mental health among severe opioid-dependent patients, with heroin-assisted treatment producing the best results. Link to Abstract
In Norway, the use of cannabis is linked with subsequent receipt of social welfare assistance, although it is unclear whether this welfare assistance is a consequence of cannabis use or of cultural factors and the illegal status of the cannabis. Link to Abstract
In Australia, alcohol use at work appears to be widespread, with more than one in twenty workers admitting to having worked under the influence of alcohol. Link to Abstract
In the US, the severity of life-threatening motor vehicle accidents increases significantly at blood alcohol concentrations that are far lower than the current legal limit of 0.08 percent. Link to Abstract
Seventy percent of Australians report being negatively affected by other people's drinking; these negative effects range from noise and fear to physical abuse, sexual coercion and social isolation. Link to Abstract
Although adolescents from high socio-economic backgrounds are at risk of tobacco and cannabis experimentation, they are less likely to engage in daily use than adolescents from lower socio-economic backgrounds. Link to Abstract
Despite the recent inclusion of 12-17 year olds in the marketing licence for nicotine replacement therapy in England, prescriptions to adolescents remain low. Link to Abstract
Among non-smokers and non-daily cigarette smokers, plain packaging appears to increase visual attention towards health warning information and away from brand information. Link to Abstract
Among adolescents, low levels of reactivity to social stress are associated with repeated and lifetime cannabis use. Link to Abstract
Age-related cortical gray matter loss is greater than normal in methamphetamine users, suggesting the possibility of an accelerated decline in their mental functioning. Link to Abstract
The abuse potential of crushed buprenorphine and buprenorphine/naloxone tablets - used in the treatment of opioid dependence - taken by the intranasal route appears low. Link to Abstract
In Finland, a disadvantaged socio-economic background increases the likelihood of driving while under the influence of drugs for all substance use groups. Low education, unemployment and receiving a disability pension are particularly strong predictors. Link to Abstract
Among ex-prisoners in Taiwan with a history of opiate injecting, enrolment and continued participation in methadone maintenance treatment is associated with substantially lower mortality. Link to Abstract
Family environment appears to impact differently upon the alcohol use of male versus female adolescents. While an emotionally close relationship to mothers is associated with less frequent drinking in females, parental disapproval of alcohol is a better predictor of reduced drinking in males. Link to Abstract
Among Aboriginal Australians, episodic or "binge" drinking is associated with similar patterns of cognitive impairment and recovery as chronic alcohol use. Link to Abstract
Across Canada and the US, smoke-free legislation does not appear to have had an impact on existing smoking trends, although it has increased the decline of smoking prevalence is some regions. Link to Abstract
Contrary to findings in other South East Asian countries, neither low nicotine dependence nor high-self efficacy appear to predict successful smoking cessation in China. Link to Abstract
In areas with strong smoke-free laws, a breath carbon monoxide level of 5 parts per million or more is effective at identifying someone as a cigarette smoker. Link to Abstract
Since its introduction in England, varenicline has become the most commonly prescribed smoking cessation medication after nicotine replacement therapy. Despite this popularity, varenicline has not led to an increase in the overall prescription rates for smoking cessation medication. Link to Abstract
Employment-based reinforcement appears to increase adherence to depot naltrexone, a drug that blocks the effects of opioids, among unemployed opioid-dependent adults. Link to Abstract
Deviant socialization resulting from transmissible risk (genetic or parental upbringing risk factors) and poor parent-child relationships is integral to the development of cannabis use disorder in young adulthood. Link to Abstract
Among ecstasy users in Australia, the use of multiple ecstasy pills in one session is common, likely resulting in a greater exposure of the brain to MDMA than is predicted in single-dose studies. Link to Abstract
Although rare, illegal drug use among aviation employees is associated with a significantly increased risk of involvement in an aviation accident. Link to Abstract
Among women attending drug court, current major depression, but not past major depression, appears to increase the risk of crack cocaine use. Link to Abstract
In the Netherlands, adolescents who are motivated to drink alcohol for social reasons - such as "fitting in" and "having fun" - appear more likely to drink heavily after a year than adolescents who drank to enhance their mood or cope with negative emotion Link to Abstract
The use of motivational language by patients during counselling for excessive alcohol consumption does not appear to be a good predictor of their actual readiness to change their drinking behaviour. Link to Abstract
The majority of drunk drivers on US roads during weekend evenings and nights do not suffer from alcohol use disorders, but can be considered heavy drinkers. Link to Abstract
Despite reporting positive feelings about alcohol-related discussions in healthcare settings, relatively few people in Finland are asked about alcohol consumption by healthcare professionals, and even fewer are offered advice. Link to Abstract
Offering smokers who want to quit a wide range of nicotine replacement therapy does not appear to produce better results than offering a narrower selection of reduced cost nicotine replacement therapy. Link to Abstract
Although the words 'light' and 'mild' are banned, smokers in western countries continue to believe that some cigarette brands are less harmful than others. These beliefs are based on the descriptive words and designs used in cigarette marketing. Link to Abstract
In smokers with no immediate plans to quit, smoking reduction programmes with behavioural support and nicotine replacement therapy are more effective than brief advice to quit Link to Abstract
There are five distinct categories of opioid use and related behaviour, with each category - particularly the most severe, early-onset category - revealing significant genetic influences on the characteristics of an individual's opioid use. Link to Abstract
DSM's current distinction between cannabis abuse and cannabis dependence has limited use for diagnosing adolescents. The two sets of criteria do not reflect two distinct aspects of cannabis-related problems, but instead constitute a single underlying diso Link to Abstract
Patients with affective disorders and anxiety disorders have an increased risk of developing substance abuse problems, although it is unclear whether these disorders lead to substance abuse problems, or whether both are symptoms of a common cause. Link to Abstract
In Europe, health professionals - particularly those in primary care - appear to have a lower regard for treating substance users than for treating patients with other chronic conditions. Link to Abstract
In the transition from high school to college, sensation seeking students from protective high school environments experience more alcohol-related problems than those from less protective environments. Link to Abstract
While light drinkers only show increased attention to pictures that are alcohol-related when they are expecting alcohol, heavy drinkers show a preference for alcohol-related pictures regardless of whether they are expecting alcohol. Link to Abstract
As is widely believed, heavy drinking adversely affects the health and personal well-being of others who are close to the heavy drinker. Link to Abstract
Psychiatric disorders have a stronger influence on the onset of nicotine dependence in adolescents than nicotine dependence has on the onset of psychiatric disorders. Disruptive behaviour disorders appear to be a particularly important precursor and consequence of nicotine dependence. Link to Abstract
When compared with other racial/ethnic groups, American Indians appear to have a low awareness of the use of pharmacotherapy - such as nicotine replacement therapy - to aid smoking cessation. Link to Abstract
Nicotine dependence and intelligence are only weakly associated. This association does not appear to be due to common genetic factors. Link to Abstract
Among Chinese smokers, a variant of the CYP2A6 gene leading to reduced rate of nicotine metabolism is associated with later smoking initiation, fewer cigarettes smoked per day, shorter smoking duration but reduced likelihood of smoking cessation. Link to Abstract
Treatment for Hepatitis C infection can be successful in patients on opioid substitution therapy, even if they are active injectors, and is not associated with any major safety concerns. Link to Abstract
'Transient elastography' - a non-invasive procedure - has the capacity to identify severe liver fibrosis in a significant proportion of drug users with hepatitis C infections, making it a feasible screening tool for cirrhosis among drug users. Link to Abstract
Although abstinence-contingent employment appears to reduce cocaine use in cocaine dependent patients, there is a high rate of relapse once the abstinence contingency of their employment is discontinued. Link to Abstract
The capacity for 'conditional reasoning' (using if-then rules) of patients being treated for alcohol dependence, including reasoning about social contracts and emotional intelligence, appears to be impaired. Link to Abstract
Alcohol use disorders have a low correlation with the 'substance-related legal problems' criterion used in the DSM diagnosis, supporting the removal of the criterion. Although alcohol use disorders have a high correlation with the proposed 'craving' crite Link to Abstract
In Taiwan, a brief in-hospital interventions has been found to reduce alcohol consumption among hospitalised men who drink heavily or have been diagnosed with alcohol use disorders. Link to Abstract
Rates of domestic violence appear to correlate positively with the density of alcohol outlets in the local area, particularly those with off premise alcohol licenses. Link to Abstract
Although 'duty' - the belief that one ought to quit smoking - appears to be the most commonly reported motive for quitting, both 'desire' and 'intention' to quit are better predictors of quit attempts, with 'duty' even appearing to mitigate their effects. Link to Abstract
Among smokers with smoking-related illnesses, tailoring nicotine replacement therapy according to the concentration of cotinine - a biomarker for tobacco smoke exposure - in the patient's saliva does not appear more effective than standard nicotine replac Link to Abstract
Treating heavy smokers in primary care with nicotine nasal spray compared with a placebo, significantly increases the rate of successful quit attempts, and is particularly effective among those highly dependent on nicotine. Link to Abstract
In the Netherlands, a workplace ban on smoking appears to have been more effective than a hospitality ban in reducing the prevalence of smoking and increasing the rate of successful quit attempts. Link to Abstract
Over the past decade there has been a sharp increase in accidental poisoning deaths in the US. While a baby boom cohort effect is likely responsible for this increase among black Americans, among white Americans it appears that a historical period effect - possibly the rise in non-medical pharmaceutical drug use - has contributed to this rise in deaths. Link to Abstract
Long-term ecstasy use increases the likelihood of adverse effects, such as paranoia, poor general health and irritability, particularly when the drug is consumed with alcohol. These adverse effects decrease with the period of abstinence from the drug. Link to Abstract
In New Zealand there is a positive correlation between earnings from property crime and levels of both methamphetamine/amphetamine and cannabis use. While this relationship also exists between methamphetamine/amphetamine use and drug dealing, earnings from drug dealing are negatively associated to levels of cannabis use. Link to Abstract
In contrast to previous findings, there is little evidence of decreased cognitive performance in long-term ecstasy users. Link to Abstract
The large increase in numbers of privately owned liquor stores in British Columbia between 2003 and 2008 was associated with a significant local-area increase in alcohol-related deaths. Link to Abstract
In Finland, a reduction in the price of alcohol in 2004 was associated with an increase in chronic hospitalization rates among 50-69 year olds. This increase was largely due to a rise in alcohol-related mental and behavioural disorders. Link to Abstract
The level of social interaction between light, moderate and heavy drinkers and the traffic between low-risk and high-risk drinking venues are important determinants of changes in drinking patterns among US college students. Link to Abstract
The genotype which predisposes to obesity is also associated with protection from alcohol dependence, lower alcohol consumption and less intense cigarette smoking. Link to Abstract
Drinkers in Edinburgh with alcohol-related illnesses pay an average of £0.29 less per unit of alcohol than the general Scottish population, with those paying the lowest prices consuming the greatest amounts of alcohol. Link to Abstract
Server training appeared to be successful at reducing alcohol-related violence in and around licensed premises. However, there is limited evidence that premises level interventions are effective at reducing intoxication or related disorder. Link to Abstract
The vast majority of nicotine, alcohol, cannabis or cocaine dependent individuals achieve remission at some point in their lives, with males, Blacks and those with personality disorders exhibiting the lowest rates of remission. Link to Abstract
During the first 30 days of a quit attempt, smokers who use more pieces of nicotine gum experience less weight gain. This relationship is not seen for smokers on nicotine-free placebo gum. Link to Abstract
Although stress coping responses during a quit attempt may be effective at lowering stress, they do not appear to protect against smoking or increase the likelihood of quit success. Link to Abstract
Among English smokers, a simple 'strength of urges' rating appears to be a good predictor of short-term quit success. Link to Abstract
Although price increases may reduce smoking prevalence among smokers as a whole, financial stress appears to limit the efficacy of price increases among low-income smokers. Link to Abstract
Smokers living in areas with higher cigarette prices and taxes were significantly more motivated to quit and had an increased likelihood of actual quitting. Link to Abstract
HIV prevention interventions that encourage injection drug users to take on the role of peer educator may have the additional benefit of increasing the likelihood of injection cessation. Link to Abstract
Among in-treatment opioid users, there appears to be two separate classes of individuals, exhibiting distinct patterns of opioid dependence, other substance use and mental health disorders. Link to Abstract
The mortality rate of male Vietnamese injection drug users is 13 times higher than that of the general population and substantially higher than the mortality rate of injection drug users studied in developed countries. Link to Abstract
Administering Buprenorphine to infants was demonstrated to be both safe and effective in the treatment of neonatal opioid abstinence syndrome, with indications of a therapeutic advantage over morphine. Link to Abstract
While adolescent users of alcohol and marijuana displayed no difference from non-users in their performance on a verbal encoding task, both binge drinkers and combined marijuana and alcohol users did exhibit different brain response patterns. No main effects of marijuana use alone were found. Link to Abstract
Despite steadily increasing during the first nine months of alcohol use, the emergence of clinical features of alcohol use disorder then appear to plateau or fluctuate during the second year. Link to Abstract
The portrayal of alcohol consumption in movies appears to increase the alcohol consumption of young males while they are viewing the movie, but not that of female viewers. Link to Abstract
An intervention targeting both young adolescents and their parents appears to be effective in delaying the onset of weekly alcohol use by developing adolescent self-control as well as parental rule-setting. Link to Abstract
Among American college students who had violated alcohol policies, face-to-face counselling reduced alcohol consumption and related problems more than computer-delivered interventions, particularly in female students. Link to Abstract
Alcohol consumption in parents may increase the risk of sudden infant death syndrome. However, it is unclear whether this is due to alcohol impairing parental capacity, or alcohol being a proxy for other risk factors, such as smoking. Link to Abstract
Both 'expert-led' and 'train-the-trainer' approaches to training clinicians in addiction treatment appear to be more successful than a self-study approach. Link to Abstract
Anxiety diagnoses are common among smokers attempting to quit, and appear to be related to an impaired ability to quit. Link to Abstract
For smokers attempting to quit, exposure to available cigarettes is a risk factor for lapsing. However, this risk can be reduced by repeated exposures to available cigarettes without smoking. Link to Abstract
Smokers appear to be more likely than non-smokers to prefer small short-term rewards over larger delayed rewards. Link to Abstract
An individual's initial smoking experience appears to be affected by heritable factors, particularly the experience of dizziness which may be caused by a heritable sensitivity to the chemicals contained in cigarettes. Link to Abstract
Dopamine release appears to be associated with increased excitement levels in pathological gamblers, regardless of their performance in a gambling task. Link to Abstract
Although oral opioid substitution therapy can reduce groin injecting in some patients, groin injecting usually persists despite both treatment and severe health complications. Link to Abstract
'STEP into Action', a peer-based training program using the influence of social networks, appeared to reduce behaviour with a high risk of HIV transmission among active injection drug users. Link to Abstract
Police interference in American syringe exchange programs is inconsistent, with programs predominantly serving non-white drug users reporting higher levels of police interference. Link to Abstract
Bone density appears to be lower than normal in men, but not women, taking methadone maintenance therapy. Link to Abstract
Substance use disorders appear more prevalent among patients also suffering from borderline personality disorder, although remissions in drug use appear common and relatively stable. Link to Abstract
Despite the common belief among young drinkers that caffeinated alcoholic drinks enhance alertness, when compared to non-caffeinated alcoholic drinks they do not appear to improve either driving performance or attention/reaction times. Link to Abstract
In couples over 65, high-risk drinking and differences in alcohol consumption do not appear to have a negative effect on the quality of marital relationships or family functioning, as they appear to in younger couples. Link to Abstract
In US adults, consumption of alcohol, and particularly spirits, appears to be associated with an increased rate of ischemic heart disease mortality while beer consumption appears have a protective effect. Link to Abstract
Effects of restricting pub closing times on night-time assaults in an Australian city Link to Abstract
Computer-based interventions appear to be effective at reducing alcohol consumption in both student and non-student populations. Link to Abstract
Individual responses to alcohol, tobacco and marijuana use appear to share common genetic influences; drug-specific genetic influences appear to contribute to individual differences in drug response Link to Abstract
In the Netherlands, approximately 1.5% of all 13-16 year olds can be considered addicted online gamers. Despite addiction-like problems, an association between addictive online gaming and decreased psychosocial health is not evident. Link to Abstract
The use of nicotine replacement therapy for smoking reduction and temporary abstinence does not appear to reduce the number of cigarettes consumed, when compared with those attempting reduction and temporary abstinence without nicotine replacement therapy. Link to Abstract
Smokers who quit smoking gain more weight than those who continue smoking; the association between quitting and weight gain is particularly pronounced in those who are already obese. Link to Abstract
The observed association between depressive symptoms and smoking in young adults may be influenced by a decline in the presence of alternative sources of personal reward in depressive young adults. Link to Abstract
Compared to 'morning types', 'evening types' are more likely to be current smokers and highly nicotine dependent; 'evening types' also have a lower likelihood of quitting smoking. Link to Abstract
Consistent with Swedish studies, Norwegian data shows that snus use is associated with an increased probability of being a former compared with a current smoker, suggesting that in Norway snus may have a role in smoking cessation. Link to Abstract
A study of users of a UK-based dance and clubbing website suggests that mephedrone use is common, particularly among males with the preferred route being intranasal. Link to Abstract
Non-injecting cocaine users in South America are vulnerable to Hepatitis C infection, particularly those in an intimate relationship with an intravenous drug using, or HIV positive, partner. Link to Abstract
A jail sanction for non-adherence to substance abuse treatment is more likely to achieve successful results in individuals not already acclimatized to incarceration. Link to Abstract
Paternal incarceration is associated with an increase in marijuana use and the risk of other illegal drug use among adolescents and young adults in the United States. Link to Abstract
Although there is evidence to show that interventions reduce unhealthy alcohol use in primary care populations, a multi-component intervention among older adults in primary care did not reduce at-risk drinking, despite reducing alcohol consumption. Link to Abstract
The 'Alcohol, less is better' project, which is aimed at changing attitudes to alcohol through the involvement of community leaders, appears to reduce alcohol consumption in participants, particularly women Link to Abstract
High alcohol consumption is associated with poor cognitive performance among low socio-economic grou Link to Abstract
Whilst alcohol-related mortality is higher in the more deprived areas of Northern Ireland, this appears to be due to the characteristics of individuals within the areas, rather than an independent effect of area deprivation. Link to Abstract
A deterioration in health appears to be an important motive for reducing or stopping alcohol consumption; this may at least partly explain the apparently increased risk of ill health in people who abstain from drinking. Link to Abstract
A third of homicide victims appear to have been intoxicated with alcohol at the time of their death but this figure has decreased over time. Link to Abstract
Although mortality in opioid-dependent users varies between countries, overdose is the most common cause of death. Link to Abstract
