A new study in mice has found that activating a receptor affected by marijuana can dramatically reduce cocaine consumption. The research suggests that new anti-addiction drugs might be developed using synthetic versions of …
Addiction
How Repetitive Foods Can Mean Weight Loss
Want to lose weight? How about trying to bore yourself thin? According to a study that will be published in the August issue of The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, monotony at mealtime might be a clever — if …
The Healthland Podcast: Superobese Kids, Parents on Facebook and Betty Ford’s Mixed Legacy
This week on the podcast, Healthland editor Sora Song asks whether child obesity is child abuse. TIME editor-at-large Belinda Luscombe reports that adults are less savvy on Facebook than teens. And TIME senior writer John Cloud …
Teens and Drugs: Rite of Passage or Recipe for Addiction?
Teen drug use shouldn’t be looked at as a rite of passage but as a public health problem, say experts, and one that has reached “epidemic” levels.
Study: Most Addicts Get Painkillers from Friends or Family, Not Doctors
Only 1 in 5 people who misuse opioid painkillers like Vicodin get their drugs exclusively from doctors, and 69% never obtain any of these drugs from medical sources, according to a recent study published in the Archives of …
‘Magic Mushrooms’ Can Improve Psychological Health Long Term
The psychedelic drug in magic mushrooms may have lasting medical and spiritual benefits, according to new research from Johns Hopkins School of Medicine.
Does Acting Like a Weiner Mean You’re An Addict?
As revelations about Rep. Anthony Weiner’s Twitter sexting continue to emerge — including private messages he sent to a 17-year-old girl — the announcement Saturday that he was entering “treatment” was almost inevitable. …
The Criminal Mind: How Drugs and Violence May Affect the Brain
Brain imaging studies of violent criminals are difficult to interpret because the most persistent among them — those who are responsible for a disproportionate amount of all crime — are not only violent but also …
How to Cut Crime, Alcoholism and Addiction? It’s Not Elementary, But Preschool
To cut crime, raise education and income levels, and reduce addiction rates among the poor, no program offers more bang for the buck than preschool, as a new study published in Science demonstrates.
Love and Addiction: Voles in Love Just Say No To Speed
While love doesn’t always conquer all, it can be a potent antidote to addiction, according to a growing body of research. The latest study on the matter examined male prairie vole behavior, finding that those that had bonded to a …
An Addict’s Battle With Painkiller Addiction Reveals Outdated Rehab Tactics
The New York Times today includes a moving personal story about overcoming opioid addiction. But while it describes one woman’s triumph, it also illustrates something the Institute of Medicine calls a “quality chasm” between …
Bypassing Obesity for Alcoholism: Why Some Weight-Loss Surgeries Increase Alcohol Risk
People who undergo gastric bypass surgery for weight loss have more than twice the risk of developing alcoholism, compared with those who have gastric banding surgery, preliminary research finds. This line of inquiry could shed …
Perspective: The Debate Over Anonymity in Addiction Recovery
Should addicts and alcoholics remain anonymous about their recovery? Eighteen years ago this month, I wrote my first op-ed for the Washington Post‘s Sunday Outlook section, arguing against that idea. It was headlined “Addicted to …
