NARCONON BLOG

STATISTICS & TRENDS

Summertime Associated with Highest Risk for Teen Drug Use

New research has found that teens are most likely to use drugs for the first time during summer. Parents need to be aware of the unique factors and conditions that put teens at higher risk of drug experimentation during this season, so they can intervene...

STATISTICS & TRENDS

‘Sense of Purpose’ a Critical Factor in Substance-Free Living

Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania surveyed college students and found that the ‘sense of purpose’ factor was a critical predictor of whether college students drank alcohol excessively.

ADDICTION

Sobriety at Summer Parties: Staying Off of Substances When Others Do Not

Summer is typically a season when recreational alcohol consumption and drug use increase, along with attendant injuries, accidents, illnesses, and even deaths. For those who are in recovery but still want to maintain social connections, summer is when...

DRUG INFORMATION

Research Continues to Show There Are No Health Benefits of Drinking Alcohol

A scientific paper was recently published in the Journal of the American Medical Administration highlighting new data that shows alcohol consumption has no health benefits whatsoever. Further, the study showed that any amount of drinking, even in “moderation,”...

STATISTICS & TRENDS

Law Enforcement Shifts Tactics as Dark Web Becomes the New Marketplace for Drug Trafficking

In May 2023, a multinational effort by U.S. and European law enforcement officials led to nearly 300 drug traffickers being arrested in several countries and $53 million in contraband being seized.

STATISTICS & TRENDS

Cough Suppressant Now a Leading Cause of ER Visits for Young People

One of the most common predictors of drug addiction is using mind-altering substances in one’s youth. A recent study has shown that children and teens are increasingly being sent to the ER for overdoses of cough suppressants.

STATISTICS & TRENDS

Rising Drug Overdose Deaths Among Seniors Shed Light on Expansion of Addiction Crisis to America’s Elderly

Much of the focus regarding America’s addiction epidemic has been on the effects that drugs and alcohol have on young people. Sadly, senior citizens have largely been forgotten as the addiction epidemic spread across all demographics.

DRUG INFORMATION

Vaping Cannabis and Self-Reported Anxiety and Depression Go Hand-in-Hand

While some cannabis supporters say the use of the drug may curb anxiety and depression, recent data shows when young people vape cannabis, they continue to report similar levels of anxiety and depression.

STATISTICS & TRENDS

Parental Involvement Tied to Drop in Teen Drug Use

A broad study analyzing several risk factors and overall health metrics for teens had an interesting finding. The researchers found that, for teens whose parents were more involved in their lives, those teens had better health outcomes and were less likely...

STATISTICS & TRENDS

New Study Shows Conservative Opioid Prescribing More Safe for Patients in the Long Run

When the debate around curbing opioid prescribing began many years ago, some public health advocates expressed concern that more conservative prescribing practices would deny chronic pain patients access to pain relief.

DRUG INFORMATION

Marijuana Users Suffer Lower Blood Flow to the Brain than Non-Users

A study published in the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease examined blood flow to the brain, and it found that heavy marijuana users consistently have lower-than-normal blood flow levels than non-users. That puts them at risk for insufficient oxygen levels...

DRUG INFORMATION

The Non-Fatal Opioid Overdose and the Long-Term Health Problems It Causes

By the time emergency medical technicians get to a person who has overdosed, that individual may have already suffered severe brain hypoxia, or brain damage from a lack of oxygen caused by the effects of drugs on their lungs.

STATISTICS & TRENDS

As Fentanyl Surges into the Drug Supply, America’s Youth at Highest Risk Ever for Drug Overdoses

Every society has its core mandate to protect its youth. Unfortunately, new research shows that teen and young adult drug-related death rates in the U.S. have skyrocketed in recent years.

STATISTICS & TRENDS

The 80–20 Trap: How Drug and Alcohol Industries Prey on Their Heaviest Users

It is a well-known rule of thumb in business: 80% of your sales come from 20% of your clients. It applies to hardware stores, new car sales and designer clothing sales. It also applies to the subject of drug abuse, excessive drinking and addiction.

DRUG INFORMATION

Brace Yourself: A Tsunami of Psychedelic Drug Use May Be Coming

Technology workers’ use of psychedelic drugs in an attempt to boost productivity has been followed by more calls for medical testing and legalization. But psychedelic use is associated with delusions, psychosis, paranoia, and physical and mental harm...

DRUG INFORMATION

Heavy Alcohol Consumption Now Linked to Brain Inflammation

A recent scientific study published in a journal dedicated to brain health showed a clear connection between heavy drinking and brain inflammation. Critically, such inflammation was found to cause a long list of unique and potentially life-altering health...

STATISTICS & TRENDS

Marijuana and Hallucinogen Use at All-Time Highs for Young Americans

According to the recently published 2022 Monitoring the Future Survey, even though overall drug use did not increase among youths between 2021 and 2022, certain drug types did become increasingly more popular, namely cannabis and hallucinogens.

DRUG INFORMATION

How Do I Spot Fentanyl and the Chemicals That Make It?

A news story broke recently of an Arizona drug bust in which, unlike most drug busts, the agents did NOT seize fentanyl that had been trafficked from Mexico or China. Rather, the agents seized batches of chemicals intended to produce fentanyl right here...

ADDICTION

Key Factors Creating the Highest Overdose Risk Among Drug Users

Certain drug combinations, habits, and even mental or physical health conditions greatly increase the risk of fatal drug overdose. Learn the factors that create the biggest risks.

STATISTICS & TRENDS

Monitoring the Future Survey Showed Drug Abuse Rates Remained Steady Among Young Americans in 2022

The 2022 Monitoring the Future Survey was finalized and published recently. The findings showed no progress in reducing teen substance abuse rates from 2021 to 2022, as rates of substance abuse among young people held steady compared to drug use rates...