Sober News

DSM-5 Revisions Draw Criticism

About Alcoholism — Thu, 06 Jun 2013 12:51:32 GMT

The new Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5), published by the APA last month after more than a decade of revisions, has drawn criticism for lumping all alcohol-related problems into one "alcohol abuse disorder" category...(read more)

Signs of Domestic Abuse

About Alcoholism — Wed, 05 Jun 2013 02:25:52 GMT

It may be difficult to tell if someone you know is being physically abused because, out of fear or shame, many victims of domestic violence try to hide or deny it. But there may be tell-tell signs that indicate that someone is being abused. Do you know...(read more)

Inhaling Alcohol a Dangerous Trend

About Alcoholism — Tue, 04 Jun 2013 00:01:39 GMT

A new practice among mostly young adults, who want to avoid the calories associated with drinking alcohol, is to "smoke" or inhale alcohol vapors. The growing trend has been termed highly dangerous by experts because it bypasses the body's...(read more)

Helping a Victim of Domestic Abuse

About Alcoholism — Thu, 16 May 2013 00:01:39 GMT

If you know someone who is a victim of domestic abuse, you may be reluctant to get involved, or you may hesitate to reach out because you don't know what to say. Here are some tips for trying to help someone who is a victim of domestic violence. Read...(read more)

The Dangers of 'Bath Salts'

About Alcoholism — Wed, 15 May 2013 00:01:09 GMT

Called a "serious and growing public health and safety issue" by the NIDA, synthetic cathinones, commonly known as bath salts or fake cocaine, have produced adverse reactions in users across the nation. What are bath salts and what do they do...(read more)

Vermont Decriminalizes Pot Possession

About Alcoholism — Tue, 14 May 2013 02:32:48 GMT

Vermont has become the 17th state to pass legislation reducing or eliminating the penalties for possession of small amounts of marijuana. The state legislature voted make possession of less than an ounce of weed a civil penalty similar to a traffic fine...(read more)

Nalmefene Can Help Drinkers Cut Back

About Alcoholism — Thu, 09 May 2013 02:30:00 GMT

The current medications approved to treat alcoholism are aimed at a goal of achieving abstinence and preventing relapse. But for those alcoholics who cannot or will not consider total, lifetime abstinence a new medication could help them cut back on their...(read more)

JAMA: Hospitals Should Drug Test All Doctors

About Alcoholism — Wed, 08 May 2013 01:14:10 GMT

Like other industries trying to protect their customers, hospitals should conduct random drug and alcohol tests on all their doctors, according to the Journal of the American Medical Association. Doctors should also be tested immediately following an...(read more)

A Breath Test for Drugged Drivers?

About Alcoholism — Tue, 07 May 2013 00:19:34 GMT

Law enforcement and public health officials, struggling with a way to crack down on the growing problem of drugged driving, may be encouraged by a new Swedish study of breath testing which could mean the development of a roadside breathalyzer test for...(read more)

Teen Prescription Drug Abuse Jumps 33%

About Alcoholism — Thu, 02 May 2013 00:01:56 GMT

The prescription drug abuse epidemic in the United States has begun to affect our children as a new national survey shows a 33% increase in prescription drug use by teens since 2008. Unfortunately, the experts say, parents may be playing a role in their...(read more)

Coordination Needed for Prevention Efforts

About Alcoholism — Wed, 01 May 2013 00:01:22 GMT

The government's goal of reducing teen drug abuse by 15% before the year 2015 is not being achieved and a lack of coordination between agencies could be partially to blame. Teen use of some drugs has decrease, but those decreases have been offset...(read more)

Narconon of Georgia Under Investigation

About Alcoholism — Tue, 30 Apr 2013 00:29:38 GMT

Narconon of Georgia, a alcohol and drug treatment facility associated with the Church of Scientology, is under investigation for massive insurance fraud. Officials from the Georgia Insurance Commissioner's office and law enforcement served a search...(read more)

Marijuana: Sending Youth the Wrong Message

About Alcoholism — Thu, 25 Apr 2013 05:28:15 GMT

Even advocates for the legalization of marijuana agree that smoking weed is not safe for children whose brains are still developing. But the messages kids are getting from today's culture is, "marijuana is medicine, therefore it's safe"...(read more)

Medical Marijuana an Easy Target for Abuse

About Alcoholism — Wed, 24 Apr 2013 02:03:55 GMT

Medical marijuana is intended to help people who have serious, debilitating medical conditions that standard medical treatments cannot help. The problem is that it is actually being prescribed for many other diseases and conditions that aren't on...(read more)

FDA Blocks Generic OxyContin

About Alcoholism — Thu, 18 Apr 2013 01:05:09 GMT

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has rejected the manufacture of generic versions of OxyContin in it's original form. The agency said that the risk of original OxyContin outweighs the benefits of the drug, because of its potential to be abused...(read more)