Drug and alcohol dependence
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Drug Alcohol Depend · Apr 2003
Comparative StudyEarly-onset cannabis use and cognitive deficits: what is the nature of the association?
Individuals who initiate cannabis use at an early age, when the brain is still developing, might be more vulnerable to lasting neuropsychological deficits than individuals who begin use later in life. ⋯ Early-onset cannabis users exhibit poorer cognitive performance than late-onset users or control subjects, especially in VIQ, but the cause of this difference cannot be determined from our data. The difference may reflect (1). innate differences between groups in cognitive ability, antedating first cannabis use; (2). an actual neurotoxic effect of cannabis on the developing brain; or (3). poorer learning of conventional cognitive skills by young cannabis users who have eschewed academics and diverged from the mainstream culture.
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Drug Alcohol Depend · Apr 2003
Review Comparative StudyCollege on Problems of Drug Dependence taskforce on prescription opioid non-medical use and abuse: position statement.
This position paper from the College on Problems of Drug Dependence addresses the issues related to non-medical use and abuse of prescription opioids. A central theme throughout is the need to strike a balance between risk management strategies to prevent and deter prescription opioid abuse and the need for physicians and patients to have appropriate access to opioid pharmaceuticals for the treatment of pain. The epidemiology of prescription opioid use and abuse is reviewed. ⋯ Treatment options are discussed; these depend on whether or not an abuser is in pain. Prescription opioid abuse has harmful ramifications for the legitimate and appropriate use of opioids, including stigmatization, opiophobia, and undertreatment of pain. Recommended steps to take include further epidemiological research, laboratory testing of prescription opioids to determine abuse liability, and clinical trials to determine the efficacy of different approaches to the prevention and treatment of prescription opioid abuse.
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Drug Alcohol Depend · Sep 2002
What predicts incident use of cannabis and progression to abuse and dependence? A 4-year prospective examination of risk factors in a community sample of adolescents and young adults.
To determine risk factors of incident onset of use, abuse and dependence of cannabis in a community sample of adolescents and young adults. ⋯ Different factors predict the onset or severity of cannabis use and the progression to abuse and dependence. In addition to well-documented risk factors such as peer group pressure, drug availability, and low self-esteem, findings suggest that family history (e.g. parental mental disorders, early parental death), and prior experiences with legal drugs play a significant role in the initiation of cannabis consumption and the transition to cannabis use disorders in adolescents and young adults. Findings suggest that early intervention and prevention might be improved by better targeted treatment.
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Drug Alcohol Depend · Jul 2002
Bystander resuscitation attempts at heroin overdose: does it improve outcomes?
To document the characteristics and effectiveness of cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) at non-fatal heroin overdose events in Melbourne, Australia. ⋯ While CPR administration prior to ambulance attendance at heroin overdose events is relatively uncommon (especially compared to out-of-hospital cardiac arrest), such administration was associated with a statistically significant improvement in clinical outcomes in cases of non-fatal heroin overdose. These findings suggest that the provision of CPR training to people likely to come into contact with heroin overdose events may be an effective strategy at minimising consequent overdose-related harm.
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Drug Alcohol Depend · Jul 2002
Comparative StudyComparing attentional bias to smoking cues in current smokers, former smokers, and non-smokers using a dot-probe task.
Much evidence documents that individuals with emotional and drug-use disorders demonstrate biased attention toward stimuli associated with their disorder. This bias appears to diminish following successful treatment. Two studies examined whether current cigarette smokers show biased attention toward smoking-related images compared with non-smokers (Studies 1 and 2) and whether this bias is less pronounced in former smokers (Study 2). ⋯ In both studies, current smokers displayed significantly greater attentional bias toward cigarette stimuli than did non-smokers. Former smokers in Study 2 displayed an intermediate level of bias, but did not differ significantly in bias score from either of the other groups. These results support further use of the dot-probe task as a measure of attentional bias in non-abstinent smokers and in individuals undergoing smoking cessation treatment.