NARCONON BLOG

STATISTICS & TRENDS

Drugged Driving in America

An examination of recent data regarding drugged driving in the US shows the problem has worsened. And unlike drunk driving, public health officials and law enforcement have yet to establish effective protocols for preventing drugged driving.

STATISTICS & TRENDS

Can Washington’s New Drug Policy Improve Access to Addiction Treatment?

Washington State recently passed a law making it easier for drug addicts to access treatment without facing criminal punishment for possession infractions. Yet, unlike similar Oregon legislation passed last year, the Washington law does not legalize drugs...

DRUG INFORMATION

10 Questions to Ask Before Taking Opioid Painkillers

Patients must protect themselves from addictive medications by becoming informed on pharmaceutical drugs their doctors may try to prescribe them.

STATISTICS & TRENDS

Addiction Treatment in the United States Rates Flatline While Overdoses Rise

According to preliminary data from CDC researchers, fatal overdoses were slightly higher in 2022 than in 2021, suggesting overdoses did not decline post-pandemic, as many public health experts thought they would. Meanwhile, treatment rates across the U.S.

DRUG REHABILITATION

What Enabling an Addict Looks Like: Ten Signs You’re Enabling Your Loved One

People who have a family member or loved one addicted to drugs and alcohol usually want to do everything they can to help that person get better, to assist them in breaking free from addiction and achieving a healthy, substance-free life.

DRUG REHABILITATION

The Importance of Intervention Before Hitting Rock Bottom

Addiction does not happen overnight. Usually, there is a dwindling spiral aspect to it, where-in one begins to gradually lose control over their use of mind-altering substances. While most intervention approaches have historically focused on people who...

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.