Alcohol, Other Drugs, and Health: Current Evidence

Alcohol, Other Drugs, and Health: Current Evidence

Informing you of the latest clinically relevant research on alcohol, illicit drugs, and health

September-October 2017

Interventions and Assessments

• Buprenorphine Is Superior to Morphine for the Treatment of Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome
• High-dose Baclofen: No Effect on Maintenance of Abstinence

Health Outcomes

• Heroin Is Increasingly the Initial Opioid Used by Individuals Who Develop Opioid Use Disorder
• “Moderate” Drinking Linked to Hippocampal Atrophy and Cognitive Dysfunction
• Opioid Agonist Treatment During Incarceration Saves Lives After Prison Release
• Exposure to Alcohol Content Posted by Peers on Social Media Increases Alcohol Initiation and Heavy Drinking
• People With Low Socio-Economic Status and Alcohol Consumption Have a Greater Risk of Poor Health Outcomes
• Does “Light” Drinking Increase the Risk of Cancer?

Prescription Drugs and Pain

• Referral to and Engagement in Substance Use Disorder Treatment After Aberrant Urine Drug Test Varies by Substance Detected

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