NARCONON BLOG

STATISTICS & TRENDS

One Simple Step Could Help Prevent Unnecessary Overprescribing and Keep Patients Alive

A new study has shown that when a doctor is told that a patient of theirs survived a near-fatal overdose on opioids, the rate at which that doctor prescribes opioid pain relievers to his patients falls in the following year. The study also found that if...

ADDICTION

Talk to Young People About Drugs and Alcohol

With new findings suggesting drug use is more dangerous for youths now than ever before, parents must do everything possible to prevent their kids from experimenting with mind-altering substances. This effort begins by having conversations with kids, and...

STATISTICS & TRENDS

Why Do Drug Overdoses Spike During Winter? A Look at Cold Weather-Related Risk Factors

Research has shown a possible connection between cold weather and a heightened risk for overdose. Several factors may contribute to this, like cold weather making it more likely addicts will use drugs at home by themselves, therefore being less likely...

DRUG INFORMATION

Fears Mount as Increasing Number of Opioid Overdoses Seem Tied to Naloxone-Resistant Tranquilizer

A January 2023 report published in a La Crosse, Wisconsin newspaper highlighted local law enforcement’s concern that a string of recent fatal drug overdoses in the city may have been linked to opioids laced with xylazine, a powerful animal tranquilizer...

DRUG INFORMATION

New Arrivals on the Illicit Drug Market in America

The list of new drugs is more than 1,000 entries long, and counting. Keeping track of new drugs is an essential part of keeping families and communities safe.

DRUG INFORMATION

Are Youth Vaping Addictive Drugs Right Under our Noses?

Millions of teens and young adults vape tobacco and flavored fluids but some are choosing to add THC, heroin, fentanyl or other drugs to their devices.

DRUG INFORMATION

Drug Dealers’ Fake Pills Are More Deadly Than Ever

A tidal wave of counterfeit pills that contain deadly fentanyl plus thousands more pounds of the drug threatens a continued high loss of American lives.

DRUG INFORMATION

Powerfully Dangerous Meth Linked to Homelessness and Mental Illness

Reports from across America testify to the catastrophic effects of a new form of methamphetamine that is driving some people into mental institutions and others into homeless encampments.

DRUG INFORMATION

The Extraordinary Dangers of Carfentanil

The powerful opioid carfentanil in America’s supplies of heroin, cocaine, methamphetamine and fake pills makes addiction more dangerous than ever.

STATISTICS & TRENDS

Kroger, Albertsons, and Rite Aid Latest Pharmacies Under Fire for Their Role in the Opioid Epidemic

Washington State Attorney General Bob Ferguson has filed suit against Kroger, Albertsons, and Rite Aid for failing to act as a final barrier to halt the spread of addictive opioids into Washington communities. This move marks the latest effort to hold...

DRUG INFORMATION

Cocaine and Opioid Abuse Connected to Potentially Fatal Heart Disease

A recent NIDA press release shows how it’s not just opioid addiction that is connected to endocarditis, but new studies show cocaine addiction increases the risk for potentially fatal heart disease too. These findings highlight how it’s not just the...

STATISTICS & TRENDS

Parents: Getting Rid of Expired Pills Can Save Kids

A significant percentage of young people undergo their first exposure to mind-altering drugs by simply consuming leftover medications they found in the family medicine cabinet or elsewhere in the home. Because it is far easier to prevent someone from using...

STATISTICS & TRENDS

Alarming Increase in California Fentanyl Busts Shed Light on How Accessible Fentanyl Is

California recently conducted a statewide crackdown on fentanyl, seizing over 28,000 pounds of the highly potent opioid in the past year, a nearly six-fold increase over the previous year. Given the exponential increase in the prevalence of fentanyl in...

STATISTICS & TRENDS

Drug Addiction Is a Serious Problem for Teens and Senior Citizens Too

People often think of drug addiction as primarily a problem for adults, especially adults in their 30s, 40s, and 50s. However, three recently published studies highlight how the addiction epidemic is expanding to include age demographics that previously...

DRUG INFORMATION

More Evidence Suggests Drinking Leads to Accidents, Hospitalization, and Death

A recent study produced an alarming finding: People who get injured while intoxicated to the point where they require hospital treatment are five times more likely to die in the coming year. That critical data point suggests that just one alcohol-related...

DRUG INFORMATION

Alcohol Abuse Increases Cancer Risk

A recent scientific study and population survey found that some Americans erroneously believe alcohol helps prevent cancer. Yet the opposite is true. This article briefly comments on the study’s findings while highlighting the different types of cancer...

DRUG REHABILITATION

Fentanyl Vaccine Won’t Address Underlying Reasons Why Addicts Use Drugs

Researchers have reported they’ve created a vaccine to help fight the opioid epidemic that claims tens of thousands of lives every year. While the medication is being hailed as a breakthrough (and it indeed will help save lives), the only way to truly...

STATISTICS & TRENDS

America’s Pregnant Women at Increasing Risk for Drug Overdoses

One could say that the most important mandate for the human species is to protect the future of the species. So when new research shows an alarming increase in fatal drug overdoses for pregnant and postpartum women, it serves as a warning sign that fast...

DRUG INFORMATION

Meth Abuse and Resulting Heart Failure are on the Rise Around the World

A recent study published in the journal Heart provided a worldwide examination of meth abuse, addiction trends, and the cardiovascular implications of meth addiction. The researchers found that no matter which country they examined, meth abuse was on the...

STATISTICS & TRENDS

Fatal Heart Infections Linked to Opioid Addiction Soar Among Youth

Scientific researchers are finding a grim answer to why growing numbers of young Americans are dying from the effects of heart failure, endocarditis, strokes, and leaking heart valves. Researchers have determined that opioid abuse among young people is...