Q&A: How addictions have been affected by COVID-19 — good and bad
Keck School of Medicine of USC researcher Adam Leventhal highlights the drop in teen vaping, more use of food as a coping mechanism and changes in adults’ drinking habits.
Wait. It’s a Bar and It’s a Lab? Yes, and It May Help Unravel the Riddle of Problem Drinking
COVID-19 got people drinking — a lot. USC experts are looking for solutions to the long-term effects of alcohol and their harmful impact.
USC Schaeffer maps state and federal responses to the opioid crisis during COVID-19 pandemic
When in-person therapy became too dangerous, every state adopted at least one policy related to treatment access for patients suffering from opioid addiction. But no state did everything that was necessary, the USC study found.
Former rock star seeks master’s to address addiction in older adults
As a female rock star, Brett Anderson fought stereotypes and pushed boundaries. With a master’s in gerontology, she hopes to do the same with aging and addiction.
Deaths tied to opioids rose among less-educated whites during stay-home order
Opioid-related deaths among Blacks, Asians and Latinos dropped during the same period, according to a study from USC and the L.A. County Medical Examiner-Coroner’s Office.
Risk of opioid overdose appears higher in older Americans, USC study indicates
One in 10 adults were at risk of overdose, with older Americans relying on high doses of opioids more than younger adults, researchers found in a national sample of prescription claims.
Music videos provide far-reaching, under-the-radar advertising for vaping products
Models and celebrities exhaling clouds of e-cigarette smoke in music videos promote vaping to young adults in unregulated product placements, two USC studies show.
Risk factors for opioid relapse differ between men and women
Multiple substance use disorders were deemed a serious risk factor for men, while women who relapsed tended to suffer from withdrawal symptoms and depression, a USC study has found.
When Addiction and COVID-19 Collide
The coronavirus outbreak could worsen America’s substance use crisis. USC addiction expert Adam Leventhal explains why it matters to all of us.
Cannabis stores tend to target California’s minority populations
Licensed and unlicensed cannabis retailers often set up shop in neighborhoods with higher proportions of Hispanic and Black residents, a new USC study finds.
Nearly half of teens who vape say they want to quit
A new USC study finds an urgent need for vaping cessation programs similar to those aimed at kids who smoke cigarettes.
Less addictive opioid may slow osteoarthritis while easing pain
A Keck Medicine of USC study reveals that kappa opioids alleviated pain while also preserving cartilage in joints.
Pandemic drives alcohol sales — and raises concerns about substance abuse
As people stay at home and alcohol sales skyrocket, USC experts examine the physical, emotional and mental risks of substance abuse amid the global outbreak.
Using certain e-cigarette devices can lead to smoking more cigarettes
A USC study finds that teens who vape — especially those who use modifiable e-cigarette devices — end up smoking far more cigarettes than those who don’t.
Opioid withdrawal increases the odds of needle sharing or overdose
A new study from the Keck School of Medicine of USC highlights the risks of withdrawal and reinforces the need for medication-assisted treatment.
‘Dabbing’ teens more likely to keep using cannabis and increase its use
USC-led study finds that, although the total number of high schoolers who were dabbing was low, those adolescents had nearly six times the likelihood of continuing to use concentrates.
Social media bots often tweet fake health claims about cannabis, USC study reveals
Researchers analyzed tens of thousands of tweets and found that social bots frequently shared false information about cannabis’s medicinal benefits.
Trojans asked to drop off extra medication on Drug Take Back Day, Dec. 5
On Dec. 5, students, faculty and staff can safely dispose of any unused or expired prescriptions and other drugs — no questions asked.
Teen vapers choose mint as their favorite e-cigarette flavor
Findings in a new USC study could impact pending legislation intended to reduce the growth of e-cigarette usage among teens.
USC study implicates flavored e-cigs in teen vaping epidemic
Researchers found that 64% of teens using flavored e-cigs were still vaping six months later, compared to 43% who used more traditional flavors.
Kids treated in general ERs are more likely to be prescribed opioids
According to USC research estimates, general ERs that prescribed similarly to pediatric ERs would have given out 28 million fewer opioid prescriptions.
Researchers investigate why certain brains are more vulnerable to addiction
A new USC study examines how to identify the people most at risk of opioid addiction and how to best treat those already addicted.
Efforts to minimize opioid use after surgery appear to be working
A major step in reducing reliance on opioids is empowering surgical patients to make informed, educated decisions about their health, a USC expert notes.
Teens who abuse opioids are more likely to later use heroin, USC study shows
The association between prescription opioids abuse and later heroin use reinforces that adolescents need to be considered in the opioid epidemic discussion.