Drug Abuse

URL of this page: http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/drugabuse.html

Also called: Also called: Substance abuse

Drug abuse is a serious public health problem that affects almost every community and family in some way. Each year drug abuse results in around 40 million serious illnesses or injuries among people in the United States. Abused drugs include

    * Amphetamines
    * Anabolic steroids
    * Club drugs
    * Cocaine
    * Heroin
    * Inhalants
    * Marijuana
    * Prescription drugs

Drug abuse also plays a role in many major social problems, such as drugged driving, violence, stress and child abuse. Drug abuse can lead to homelessness, crime and missed work or problems with keeping a job. It harms unborn babies and destroys families. There are different types of treatment for drug abuse. But the best is to prevent drug abuse in the first place.

National Institute on Drug Abuse
Start Here

    * Drug Abuse and Addiction: One of America's Most Challenging Public Health ProblemsFrom the National Institutes of Health(National Institute on Drug Abuse) - http://www.nida.nih.gov/about/welcome/aboutdrugabuse/
    * Understanding Drug Abuse and AddictionFrom the National Institutes of Health(National Institute on Drug Abuse) - http://www.nida.nih.gov/Infofacts/understand.html
      Also available in Spanish http://www.nida.nih.gov/Infofacts/Explicacion-sp.html

Overviews

    * Commonly Abused DrugsFrom the National Institutes of Health(National Institute on Drug Abuse) - http://www.nida.nih.gov/DrugPages/DrugsofAbuse.html
    * Drugs-Frequently Asked Questions(Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration) - http://getfit.samhsa.gov/Drugs/Information/faqsmyths.aspx
    * Faces of Change: Do I Have a Problem with Alcohol or Drugs?Easy-to-Read(Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration) - Large PDF file - http://www.kap.samhsa.gov/products/brochures/pdfs/TIP35.pdf

Latest News

    * Extended Suboxone Treatment Substantially Improves Outcomes for Opioid-Addicted Young AdultsFrom the National Institutes of Health(11/04/2008, National Institute on Drug Abuse) - http://www.nih.gov/news/health/nov2008/nida-04.htm
    * Kids Who Drink Before 15 Face Poor Health as Adults(10/24/2008, HealthDay) - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/news/fullstory_70844.html
    * ADHD Stimulant Meds Cut Young Girls' Drug Abuse Risk(10/06/2008, HealthDay) - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/news/fullstory_70109.html
    * 3 Million Injected Drug Users Worldwide Could Be HIV-Positive(09/26/2008, HealthDay) - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/news/fullstory_69787.html
    * More News on Drug Abuse http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/alphanews_d.html#drugabuse

Treatment

    * NewAlcohol and Drug Treatment: How It Works, and How It Can Help You(Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration) - Links to PDF - http://www.kap.samhsa.gov/products/brochures/pdfs/CJA_ConsumerBrochure.pdf
    * Therapeutic CommunityFrom the National Institutes of Health(National Institute on Drug Abuse) - http://www.nida.nih.gov/researchreports/therapeutic/default.html
      Also available in Spanish http://www.nida.nih.gov/researchreports/terapeutica/terapeutica.html
    * Treatment Approaches for Drug AddictionFrom the National Institutes of Health(National Institute on Drug Abuse) - http://www.nida.nih.gov/Infofacts/TreatMeth.html
      Also available in Spanish http://www.nida.nih.gov/Infofacts/Metodos-Sp.html
    * What Is Substance Abuse Treatment? A Booklet for Families(Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration) - Large PDF file - http://www.kap.samhsa.gov/products/brochures/pdfs/WhatIsTx.pdf
      Also available in Spanish http://kap.samhsa.gov/mli/docs/spanish/WhatIsTx-Spanish.pdf

Prevention/Screening

    * Frequently Asked Questions about Drug Testing in SchoolsFrom the National Institutes of Health(National Institute on Drug Abuse) - http://www.drugabuse.gov/drugpages/testingfaqs.html
    * Preventing Drug Use among Children and Adolescents: A Research-Based GuideFrom the National Institutes of Health(National Institute on Drug Abuse) - http://www.nida.nih.gov/Prevention/Prevopen.html

Specific Conditions

    * Hallucinogens and Dissociative Drugs: Including LSD, PCP, Ketamine, DextromethorphanFrom the National Institutes of Health(National Institute on Drug Abuse) - http://www.nida.nih.gov/ResearchReports/hallucinogens/hallucinogens.html
      Also available in Spanish http://www.nida.nih.gov/researchreports/alucinogenos/alucinogenos.html
    * JAMA Patient Page: Opioid Abuse(American Medical Association) - http://jama.ama-assn.org/cgi/reprint/292/11/1394.pdf
      Also available in Spanish http://jama.ama-assn.org/cgi/data/292/11/1394/DC1/1
    * NewKhatFrom the National Institutes of Health(National Institute on Drug Abuse) - http://www.nida.nih.gov/Infofacts/khat.html
      Also available in Spanish http://www.nida.nih.gov/Infofacts/khat-Sp.html
    * LSD (Lysergic Acid Diethylamide)From the National Institutes of Health(National Institute on Drug Abuse) - http://www.nida.nih.gov/Infofacts/LSD.html
      Also available in Spanish http://www.nida.nih.gov/Infofacts/LSD-sp.html
    * Opioid Addiction(American Academy of Family Physicians) - http://familydoctor.org/online/famdocen/home/healthy/addictions/889.printerview.html
      Also available in Spanish http://familydoctor.org/online/famdoces/home/healthy/addictions/889.printerview.html
    * Over-the-Counter Drug Abuse(American Society of Anesthesiologists) - http://www.medem.com/medlb/article_detaillb.cfm?article_ID=ZZZ5A5UFHZD&sub_cat=0
    * PCP (Phencyclidine)From the National Institutes of Health(National Institute on Drug Abuse) - http://www.nida.nih.gov/Infofacts/PCP.html
      Also available in Spanish http://www.nida.nih.gov/Infofacts/PCP-sp.html
    * NewSalviaFrom the National Institutes of Health(National Institute on Drug Abuse) - http://www.nida.nih.gov/Infofacts/salvia.html
      Also available in Spanish http://www.nida.nih.gov/Infofacts/salvia-Sp.html
    * Workplace Substance Abuse(Occupational Safety and Health Administration) - http://www.osha.gov/SLTC/substanceabuse/index.html

Related Issues

    * Drug Abuse and the Link to HIV/AIDS and Other Infectious DiseasesFrom the National Institutes of Health(National Institute on Drug Abuse) - http://www.nida.nih.gov/Infofacts/drugabuse.html
      Also available in Spanish http://www.nida.nih.gov/Infofacts/Elabuso-sp.html
    * Drugged DrivingFrom the National Institutes of Health(National Institute on Drug Abuse) - http://www.nida.nih.gov/Infofacts/driving.html
      Also available in Spanish http://www.nida.nih.gov/Infofacts/driving-Sp.html
    * Minorities and Drugs(Office of National Drug Control Policy) - http://www.whitehousedrugpolicy.gov/drugfact/minorities/
    * Oops: How Casual Drug Use Leads to AddictionFrom the National Institutes of Health(National Institute on Drug Abuse) - http://www.nida.nih.gov/Published_Articles/Oops.html

Pictures & Photographs

    * DEA Multimedia Drug Library(Drug Enforcement Administration) - http://www.usdoj.gov/dea/multimedia.html

Videos

    * NewD'cisions: Drugs + HIV, Learn the LinkFrom the National Institutes of Health(National Institute on Drug Abuse) - http://hiv.drugabuse.gov/english/message/webisodes.html

Games

    * Sara's QuestFrom the National Institutes of Health(National Institute on Drug Abuse) - Requires Flash Player - http://teens.drugabuse.gov/sarasquest/index.asp

Clinical Trials

    * ClinicalTrials.gov: NarcoticsFrom the National Institutes of Health(National Institutes of Health) - http://clinicaltrials.gov/search/open/condition=%22Narcotics%22
    * ClinicalTrials.gov: Opioid-Related DisordersFrom the National Institutes of Health(National Institutes of Health) - http://clinicaltrials.gov/search/open/condition=%22Opioid-Related+Disorders%22
    * ClinicalTrials.gov: Substance-Related DisordersFrom the National Institutes of Health(National Institutes of Health) - http://clinicaltrials.gov/search/open/condition=%22Substance-Related+Disorders%22
    * ClinicalTrials.gov: MethadoneFrom the National Institutes of Health(National Institutes of Health) - http://clinicaltrials.gov/search/open/intervention=methadone

Research

    * Drugs, Brains, and Behavior - The Science of AddictionFrom the National Institutes of Health(National Institute on Drug Abuse) - http://www.nida.nih.gov/scienceofaddiction/
      Also available in Spanish http://www.nida.nih.gov/scienceofaddictionSP/
    * NewImpacts of Drugs on NeurotransmissionFrom the National Institutes of Health(National Institute on Drug Abuse) - http://www.nida.nih.gov/NIDA_notes/NNvol21N4/Impacts.html
    * Misuse of Over-the-Counter Cough and Cold Medications among Persons Aged 12 to 25(Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration) - http://www.oas.samhsa.gov/2k8/cough/cough.htm
    * Nonmedical Use of Pain Relievers in Substate Regions: 2004 to 2006(Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration) - http://www.oas.samhsa.gov/2k8/pain/substate.htm

Journal Articles
References and abstracts from MEDLINE/PubMed (National Library of Medicine)

    * Article: Extended vs short-term buprenorphine-naloxone for treatment of opioid-addicted youth: a... - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=18984887&tool=MedlinePlus
    * Article: Stimulant treatment for ADHD may not increase risk of substance... - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=18946888&tool=MedlinePlus
    * Article: Brain science and addiction. - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=18929888&tool=MedlinePlus
    * Article: Complications of mandible fractures related to substance abuse. - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=18848098&tool=MedlinePlus
    * Drug Abuse -- see more articles - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=search&db=pubmed&term=substance-related+disorders[majr]+OR+street+drugs[majr]+NOT+(alcoholism[mh]+OR+alcohol-related+disorders[mh]+OR+anabolic+agents[mh+OR+behavior,addictive[majr]+OR+cocaine-related+disorders[mh]+OR+prescriptions,drug[mh]+OR+amphetamines[mh]+OR+amphetamine-related+disorders[mh]+OR+marijuana+abuse[mh]+OR+tobacco+use+disorders[mh]+OR+heroin[mh]+OR+heroin+dependence[mh]+OR+cocaine[mh]+OR+n-methyl-3,4-methylenedioxyamphetamine[mh]+OR+flunitrazepam[mh]+OR+sodium+oxybate[mh]+OR+ketamine[mh]+OR+gamma-hydroxybutyrate[mh]+OR+designer+drugs[mh]+OR+cannabis[mh])+AND+english[la]+AND+humans[mh]+AND+(review[pt]+OR+guideline[pt]+OR+clinical+trial[pt]+OR+patient+education+handout[pt]+OR+jsubsetk[text]+OR+systematic[sb]+OR+jsubsetaim[text]+OR+jsubsetn[text])+NOT+(letter[pt]+OR+editorial[pt]+OR+case+reports[pt])&doptcmdl=summary&cmd_current=Limits&pmfilter_EDatLimit=last+1+Year&tool=MedlinePlus
    * Addictive behavior -- see more articles - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=search&db=pubmed&term=behavior,addictive[majr]+AND+substance-related+disorders[majr]+AND+humans[mh]+AND+english[la]+NOT+(letter[pt]+OR+editorial[pt])&doptcmdl=summary&cmd_current=Limits&pmfilter_EDatLimit=last+1+Year&tool=MedlinePlus

Dictionaries/Glossaries

    * Drugs - Glossary of Terms(Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration) - http://getfit.samhsa.gov/Drugs/Information/glossterms.aspx
    * Street Terms: Drugs and the Drug Trade(Office of National Drug Control Policy) - http://www.whitehousedrugpolicy.gov/streetterms/

Directories

    * Single-State Agency (SSA) Directory(Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration) - http://www.recoverymonth.gov/2007/kit/Resources/single_state_agency.aspx
    * Substance Abuse Treatment Facility Locator(Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration) - http://dasis3.samhsa.gov/

Organizations

    * Drug Enforcement Administration - http://www.usdoj.gov/dea/
    * National Institute on Drug AbuseFrom the National Institutes of Health - http://www.nida.nih.gov/
    * Office of National Drug Control Policy - http://www.whitehousedrugpolicy.gov/
    * Partnership for a Drug-Free America - http://www.drugfree.org/
    * Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration - http://www.samhsa.gov/

Newsletters/Print Publications

    * NIDA Notes IndexFrom the National Institutes of Health(National Institute on Drug Abuse) - http://www.nida.nih.gov/NIDA_Notes/NNindex.html