Children whose mothers use marijuana are more likely to try it at younger age

When mothers use marijuana during the first 12 years of their child's life, their cannabis-using children are more likely to start at an earlier age than children of non-using mothers, according to a new study. This study is the first to establish a relationship between maternal cannabis use during a child's lifetime and earlier initiation in a nationally-representative, longitudinal cohort.

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Drug overdose epidemic has been growing exponentially for decades

Death rates from drug overdoses in the US have been on an exponential growth curve that began at least 15 years before the mid-1990s surge in opioid prescribing, suggesting that overdose death rates may continue along this same historical growth trajectory for years to come. These findings suggest that, to be successful, prevention efforts must extend beyond control of specific drugs to address deeper factors driving the epidemic.

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Cannabinoid drugs make pain feel 'less unpleasant, more tolerable'

Researchers have determined that cannabinoid drugs do not appear to reduce the intensity of experimental pain, but, instead, may make pain feel less unpleasant and more tolerable.

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Opioid users could benefit from meth-relapse prevention strategy, study finds

New research raises the possibility that a wider group of people battling substance use disorders may benefit from a relapse-prevention compound than previously thought.

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Gene therapy via skin protects mice from lethal cocaine doses

A new study shows that skin stem cells, modified via CRISPR and transplanted back to donor mice, can protect addicted mice from cocaine-seeking and overdose.

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Increase in fentanyl -- responsible for 44 percent of New York City overdose deaths -- has led to apprehension and caution

A new study finds that people who use drugs in New York City have adjusted their behaviors to avoid overdose.

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Cocaine addiction traced to increase in number of orexin neurons

A new study identifies a critical role of the orexin system in the expression of an addicted state in rats.

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Sugar pills relieve pain for chronic pain patients

Someday doctors may prescribe sugar pills for certain chronic pain patients based on their brain anatomy and psychology. And the pills will reduce their pain as effectively as any powerful drug on the market, according to new research. Scientists have shown they can reliably predict which chronic pain patients will respond to a sugar placebo pill based on the patients' brain anatomy and psychological characteristics.

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Nerve pain in the legs? Medical marijuana may alter brain connections, bring relief

When medical marijuana is taken for chronic nerve pain, it may provide pain relief by reducing connections between the areas of the brain that process emotions and sensory signals, according to a new study.

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Marijuana use continues to grow among baby boomers

Marijuana use is becoming more prevalent among middle-aged and older adults, with 9 percent of adults aged 50-64 and nearly 3 percent of adults 65 and older reporting marijuana use in the past year, according to a new study.

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Increased cortical activation in cannabis users' brains in resting state, research suggests

Recent research shows that cannabis users experience increased cortical activation during the brain's resting state when compared with nonusers. The resulting 'noisy brain' might impair brain activity and disrupt cognitive processes, say researchers.

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Immune system emerges as potential partner in opioid cravings fight

New research shows there's promise in specific immune system peptides -- amino acid compounds that signal cells how to function. In this case, they may be affecting brain activity and, by extension, drug cravings.

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Body clock link to steroids discovered

Scientists have discovered that the time of day influences the way mice respond to steroids. Researchers found that out of 752 genes which regulate lungs in mice, 230 genes work only in the day and 197 only at night.

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Investigators find that bile acids reduce cocaine reward

Bile acids -- gut compounds that aid in the digestion of dietary fats -- reduce the desire for cocaine, according to a new study.

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Vicious circle leads to loss of brain cells in old age

The CB1 receptor is responsible for the intoxicating effect of cannabis. However, it appears to act also as a kind of 'sensor' with which neurons measure and control the activity of certain immune cells in the brain. A recent study at least points in this direction. If the sensor fails, chronic inflammation may result -- probably the beginning of a dangerous vicious circle.

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In test with rats, cannabidiol showed sustained effects against depression for seven days

First results appeared 24h after one single dose of the marijuana component; scientists concluded that CBD activate mechanisms which repair neuronal circuitry in patients' prefrontal cortex and hippocampus.

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Cannabis extract helps reset brain function in psychosis

Researchers have found that a single dose of the cannabis extract cannabidiol can help reduce brain function abnormalities seen in people with psychosis. Results provide the first evidence of how cannabidiol acts in the brain to reduce psychotic symptoms.

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Scientists take big step toward finding non-addictive painkiller

Scientists have been working to find a safe, non-addictive pain killer to help fight the current opioid crisis in this country.

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Differences between combined, isolated use of cannabis, nicotine on brain networks

Researchers have investigated the effects on the brain of concurrent cannabis and nicotine use, versus the use of solely cannabis and solely nicotine.

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Marijuana found in breast milk up to six days after use

To better understand how much marijuana or constituent compounds actually get into breast milk and how long it remains, researchers conducted a study.

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