This is a comprehensive article that explains all aspects of the pathophysiology of nicotine addiction.

This paper contains valuable information regarding nicotine and its similarities and differences to other addictive drugs.

Narcotic maintenance programs involving both methadone and high-dosage buprenorphine resulted in an increase in the number of patients participating in maintenance treatment, a reduction in the number of intravenous drug users, and a reduction in overall consumption of psychoactive substances.  The implications to US drug control policy are discussed.

Recent studies of people of have succeeded in resolving their alcohol and drug problems without formal treatment or attendance at Twelve Step Support Groups may give vital information about the factors that are critical to successful recovery.

Here is a concise listing of facts about the cost effectiveness of drug treatment as compared to enforcement and other drug war approaches.  This is the place to find the evidence and references needed to show people that Public Health Addiction policy that invests in prevention and treatment is more effective and less expensive than our current well intentioned but ineffective War On Drugs.

How many inmates must suffer and die 
before it becomes wrong?

The drug warriors are continually searching for more intrusive ways to stamp out the use of illegal drugs in this country.  One of the potentially most intrusive is the use of thermal imaging technology that is capable of detecting patterns of heat coming from private homes.  Recently various generations of this technology have been deployed by police to search for in home marijuana cultivation by detecting the heat emitted from growing lamps.  The Supreme Court recently ruled that the use of this surveillance technology without a search warrant to be illegal.

Efforts to resolve the differences between Republicans and Democrats on relaxing New York State's drug sentencing laws have stalled over three critical issues:  (1)  Will the judges or prosecutors call the shots on whether Class B drug felons, who make up 28% of imprisoned drug offenders, go to prison or receive treatment;  (2)   Will funding be increased for drug treatment behind the bars; and (3) the length of sentences for each drug crime and how those sentences should vary based upon the drug involved.  This is unfortunate because the current drug laws are hurt addicted people, their families, and their communities.  Harsh drug laws have failed to slow the rate of drug abuse and addiction, to make drugs less available on the streets, or to lower the rate of drug related crime and violence.  It's time that all states trade in their ineffective war on drugs legislation in favor of more effective laws based upon Public Health Addiction Policy.

On June 12, 2001 the police burned down a home in St. Petersburg, Florida while attempting to serve a no knock drug warrant.  They arrived on the scene and threw a flash bang device through a window which set the house on fire.  The reason for the search was an anonymous tip that drugs were being kept in the house.  No drugs were found, but an entire neighborhood was terrorized and people lost their home and livelihood.  They could have been burned to death.

Governor Jeb Bush refused to allow an early request for clemency of a 14-year-old boy sentenced to life in prison for beating a 6-year-old girl to death when he was twelve years old.

The war on drugs is threatening our basic right to privacy.  The Justice Department wants to implement a program code named Carnivore to use the internet to find drug dealers, drug users, and other criminals.  Although this allegations sounds like it is right out of the film Conspiracy Theory, Dick Armey of Texas, the majority leader of the House of Representatives is seriously concerned.  

The Justice Department announced yesterday that violent crime fell 15 percent last year, the largest drop on record, a finding that puzzled some criminologists because it came only two weeks after the Federal Bureau of Investigation reported that serious crime remained stable in 2000, ending an eight-year period of significant declines in crime.  Read the details of how the experts account for this discrepancy. 

After three decades of explosive growth, the nation's prisoner population may have begun to stabilize.  But it's not time to start celebrating.  Drug crime has been the major factor increasing prisoner population.  The U.S. is using two diametrically opposed approaches to drug crime - the War on Drugs which is driving up the prisoner population & Public Health Addiction Policy which is driving it down.  As a result they tend to cancel each other out.  In spite of it's success, Public Health Addiction Policy Approaches are not universally supported.  Find out why.

The Canadian move toward the legalization of the medical use of marijuana raises a number of issues related to pain management.  Steve Grinstead objectively reviews these issues raises important questions for consideration when considering issues related to pain management and addiction medicine.

The rate of serious crime in the United States stabilized in the year 2000 after eight years of consistent declines.  Is the crime rate stabilizing or could this indicate that serious crimes will start to increase in the years to come?  Read what the experts think.  (Remember, drug crimes are not included in this report on serious crime!)

In spite of the fact that alcohol and drug abuse problems are a  leading cause of health care problems requiring medical attention, few doctors receive adequate training in how to identify and treat addiction.  In the current political climate of a national drug prohibition policy that demonizes addicts and places physicians at risk when treating addicted people with prescription medication this is not surprising.  This news analysis provides more details.

Women in America should be seriously concerned about a recent court decision that convicted a 24 year old Regina McKnight of Conway, S.C., of homicide by child abuse for killing her unborn fetus by smoking crack cocaine and sentenced her to 12 years in prison .  Conflicting medical testimony did not stop a jury from convicting McKnight after fifteen minutes of deliberation.  Accurate information about addiction, medical intervention, and treatment was never presented to the jury.  Although on the surface this decision seems to protect unborn children from drug-crazed addicted mothers, the potential consequences to the rights and liberties of women and families could be devastating.  It places addicted and mentally ill women at extreme risk.  Read the details.

There is a slow but steady movement toward the legalization of marijuana in Canada.  This political movement is in opposition to current trends in US drug law and could influence future direction of drug policy in the United States toward a public health addiction policy that focuses upon prevention and treatment and away from a criminal justice drug policy that focuses upon punishment as a deterrent.

This article summarizes some of the key points in a report by Amnesty International involving the abuse of children in our criminal justice system.  We all need to be concerned, because in a very real sense these are our children who are being abused by a system that we are all responsible for.

This article summarizes some of the key points in a report by Amnesty International involving the abuse of children in our criminal justice system.  We all need to be concerned, because in a very real sense these are our children who are being abused by a system that we are all responsible for.

New research conducted by Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York may shed new light on the biology of cocaine craving and the relationship of craving to relapse.  There are two brain centers that have been implicated in cocaine craving: the "reward" or "liking" center that registers the high from using the drug -- a brain pathway that involves a chemical called dopamine; and the hippocampus region of the brain, which is associated with memory and involves glutamate, an entirely different brain chemical. This research suggests that craving is is activated by the hippocampus when strong memories of cocaine use are activated.  The study suggests that medications affecting the productions of glutamate may be helpful in reducing cocaine craving.  Read the details.

A policy-reform advocate criticizes the U.S. role in the international war against narcotics—and suggests some fixes.  

Read about the long history of US involvement with  Peru's that led up to the killing of innocent missionaries in pursuit of winning the drug war.  As you read, ask yourself this question - is this the kind of country you want to live in?  Is this the kind of foreign policy you want the nation to follow under the guise of helping addicts?  Would this money be better spent investing in prevention and treatment programs within this country aimed at reducing the demand for drugs?

The Center for Addiction and Substance Abuse (CASA) at Columbia University has developed a model policy for guiding the use of aftercare services top prevent criminal recidivism.  This model stresses a treatment & enforcement coordination (TECS) approach.

A policy-reform advocate criticizes the U.S. role in the international war against narcotics—and suggests some fixes.  

This article documents the unique brain responses experienced by cocaine addicts to a variety of cues related to cocaine use.  This research adds to the growing evidence that addiction to mind altering drugs is a brain disease.

On April 10, 2001 President Bush nominated John P. Walters to his cabinet as Director of National Drug Control Policy.  Read the remarks of the president made at the time of the nomination.

Washington State is considering changes in its drug laws that will reduce the penalties for drug crimes and place more emphasis on treatment and prevention programs. 

Special Focus:  Mental Health, Substance Abuse, & Terrorism