NCADD's Weekly Addiction News & Policy Update - Week ending December 19, 2014

Please note!
NCADD's Weekly Addiction News & Policy Update will not publish for the holiday season beginning Friday, December 19 through Monday, January 5. We will resume sending our updates on Friday, January 9th. Thank you for your loyal support and Happy Holidays!

To Stop Teen Drinking Parties, Fine The Parents
When it comes to teenage drinking, the typical venue is a party - where some teens play drinking games and binge. It may surprise you to learn that the majority of parents are aware that alcohol is flowing at these events. Please click here to continue reading.

Why Colleges Haven't Stopped Binge Drinking
Despite decades of research, hundreds of campus task forces and millions invested in bold experiments, college drinking in the United States remains as much of a problem as ever.  Please click here to continue reading.

'60 Minutes' Shows Insurers Deny Mental Health Treatment Despite ACA Rules
Despite more comprehensive health insurance under the Affordable Care Act that includes mandatory coverage for mental health services, the noted TV newsmagazine 60 Minutes Sunday shined a light on the issue of patients denied treatment by doctors who never even saw them.   Please click here to continue reading.

Depression In Teens Looks Almost Nothing Like Depression In Adults
According to the National Institute of Mental Health, a depressed teen will experience the same symptoms of depression as adults (profound feelings of unhappiness, loss of interest in pleasurable activities, relentless fatigue, etc.), but those symptoms manifest themselves in ways that can be difficult to distinguish from normal teenage behavior. Click here to continue reading.

Survey: Teen marijuana use declines even as states legalize
Marijuana use among teens declined this year even as two states, Colorado and Washington, legalized the drug for recreational use, a national survey released Tuesday found.   Click here to read more.

Powdered Alcohol? Not So Fast, Lawmakers Say
Powdered alcohol hasn't even arrived in stores yet, but states already are moving to ban the product touted by its inventor as an easy way to mix a drink on the go.   Click here to read more.

Congress Ends Medical Marijuana Prohibition With Spending Bill Provision

Congress passed a federal spending measure over the weekend that includes a provision that will end the federal government's medical marijuana ban. The measure precludes the Department of Justice and the DEA from preventing states from passing laws that authorize medical marijuana use, distribution, possession or cultivation. The L.A. Times reports that the prospective law would prohibit federal drug agents from raiding retail outlets in the 32 states and District of Columbia where the drug is legal for medicinal use. President Obama is expected to sign the spending bill this week, making it a law.Click here to read the rest of this story.

Nearly 50% Of Physicians Say They're Less Likely To Prescribe Opioids Compared To A Year Ago
New research from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health found that 90% of primary care physicians consider prescription drug abuse a moderate or big problem in their respective communities. Nearly 50% of these physicians say they're less likely now to prescribe patients opioids to treat pain compared to a year ago.  Please click here to read more.

5 things to know: Alcohol calorie labels on menus

Want to know how many calories are in that alcoholic drink you're about to order? You might be able to find out just by reading the menu. Five things to know about the Food and Drug Administration's new menu labeling rules, which will require chain restaurants with 20 or more outlets to list the amount of calories in alcoholic drinks, along with other foods and beverages, on menus by next November.   Click here to read the rest of this story.

Health Officials Raise Concerns Over "Palcohol"
Though it is still not on store shelves, powdered alcohol continues to make headlines.  Please click here to read the rest of this story.

Colorado Funds Medical Marijuana Research, a First
Colorado will spend more than $8 million researching marijuana's medical potential - a new frontier because government-funded marijuana research traditionally focuses on the drug's negative health effects. Click here to continue reading.

Federal Agency Efforts to Advance Media Literacy in Substance Abuse Prevention

This article describes and reflects upon efforts to generate greater support for media literacy and critical thinking within the strategies and programs of the Federal government in the early1990s to about 2005 primarily among agencies with an interest in youth substance abuse prevention. Beginning with their personal reflections on discovering media literacy, the authors describe the wide range of initiatives that occurred under their leadership in bringing media literacy into the 1996 National Drug Control Strategy. Additionally, some of the inherent challenges and obstacles that impacted the ability to expand these efforts are described. The authors each served as Associate Director of the White House Drug Policy Office and Director of the National Youth Anti-Drug Media Campaign. Click here to DOWNLOAD a PDF of the article.

College Students Say 'Curiosity' Leads Them to Fake Pot
Curiosity is the main reason why college students try synthetic marijuana, a new survey finds. Of more than 330 students in undergraduate and graduate health programs at a public university, 17 percent said they used fake pot at least once in their lifetime, and 3 percent reported recent use, University of Cincinnati researchers found. Click here to continue reading.