Smoking has been connected to several serious health conditions such as cancer, lung disease and heart disease. Recently, medical researchers have begun to look into how smoking may affect a person's experience of pain. more...

However, many who use drugs and alcohol do not perceive that their use is affecting their workplace, according to a report published online in the journal Addiction. It shows wide use of drugs and alcohol in the Australian workplace, and workers unaware of the possible impact of that use. more...

When women drink and drive, what characteristics do they have? Researchers at the University of Nottingham said that female drunk drivers may have similar, and surprising, traits - including well-educated, in older age groups, and typically divorced or widowed. more...

Teen drinking is associated with many immediate risks, including a higher risk of injury and a tendency to engage in risky sexual behaviors. Teens that drink regularly may also experience difficulties in academic achievement and in relating to parents and siblings. more...

Being exposed to secondhand smoke in an enclosed space for just one hour affects the brain in the same way as direct nicotine exposure does. more...

Impulsivity associated with alcohol dependence could be the result of functional anomalies in brain regions that are associated with cognition and emotion. more...

Despite efforts by the Surgeon General and other organizations to encourage women not to drink alcohol during pregnancy, the message may not be getting through. Now, recent research adds more to the list of devastating consequences for alcohol use during pregnancy, with strong indications that prenatal alcohol use may be linked with conduct disorder later in life for children and teens. more...

New data shows that smoking bans not only reduce consumption, they successfully lower the rate of heart attack. Many countries throughout the world are enforcing smoking bans, and currently there are 32 states in the U.S. that have enacted legislation to limit smoking in public places. more...

Alcohol consumption shows trends over multiple months, giving policymakers a view of how the general population is making consumption decisions. Alcohol consumption is an important public health concern. Decisions about drinking impact other areas of life, and can lead to possibly risky behaviors, such as dangerous sexual choices, and rash decisions. more...

Caffeine is one of the world's most popular stimulants, and often viewed as a relatively harmless way to get a boost of energy or alertness. However, researchers are warning of a dangerous condition called caffeine intoxication, especially in light of increasing national use of caffeine-laden energy drinks. more...

In the United States, it is difficult to separate sports and alcohol in the spectator's experience. The sound of "ice cold beer" being shouted over the thwack of the baseball bat seems like as much a part of the game as the 7th inning stretch. Americans go to games at Busch Stadium and Coors Field, and a good football match-up always starts with a long tailgating party, right? more...

The National Drug Intelligence Center, or NDIC, has been a source of debate about the agency's effectiveness and whether or not its programs are accomplishing their outcomes for several years. more...

Mary Jane is making a comeback. A new study conducted by researchers at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor showed that marijuana use among teens is on the rise, despite a declining trend in alcohol and cigarette use. more...

There is a growing problem in a number of European countries: citizens are regularly consuming large amounts of alcohol and their health is suffering as a result. A recent Medical News Today report suggests that severe diseases are growing at an alarming rate, affecting those at an increasingly younger rate than in the past. more...

No one ever believes they are too drunk to drive safely when they get behind the wheel of a car which is why so many fatal crashes happen every year as a result of drunk driving. The state of Tennessee was fed up with not only drunk driving, but also drugged driving and demanded tougher laws. more...