Substance Abuse News

Individuals addicted to prescription painkillers are more likely to succeed in treatment with the aid of the medication buprenorphine-naloxone (Suboxone), report McLean Hospital and Harvard Medical School researchers in today’s online edition of the Archives of General Psychiatry.

“Adjunctive Counseling During Brief and Extended Buprenorphine-Naloxone Treatment for Prescription Opioid Dependence,” is the first large-scale study to address treatment of prescription opioid addiction.

Addicted to Painkillers

According to lead author Roger Weiss, MD, Chief of the Division of Alcohol and Drug Abuse at McLean Hospital, most studies examining treatments for opioid dependence have been done with heroin-dependent patients at methadone clinics, resulting in the lack of data on treatment for patients addicted to prescription painkillers, especially in the offices of primary care doctors.

“Despite the tremendous increase in the prevalence of addiction to prescription painkillers, little research has focused on this patient population,” said Weiss, a professor of Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School. “This is notable because recent data tell us that the use of prescription painkillers for non-medical reasons is 20 times more common than heroin and 50 percent more people seek treatment for prescription drug abuse than for heroin.”

600 Patients Studied

Part of the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) Clinical Trials Network, this is the first randomized large scale clinical trial for the treatment of prescription opioid abuse, involving 10 sites nationwide and more than 600 treatment-seeking outpatients dependent on prescription opioids and either taking more than prescribed or using them illicitly. Each participant received Suboxone—a combination of buprenorphine, which alleviates opioid withdrawal and craving, and naloxone, which prevents abuse if the drug is not taken orally as prescribed—in conjunction with Standard Medical Management, in which physicians evaluated treatment effectiveness and recommended abstinence and self-help participation. Fifty percent of study participants also received additional more intensive individual addiction counseling.

According to Weiss, 49 percent of patients benefitted from Suboxone during a 12-week course of the medication. However, once the medication was discontinued, patients had a high rate of relapse. Monitored in four week increments, individuals showed an increasing rate of relapse the longer they remained off Suboxone. Another interesting finding, noted Weiss was that neither having chronic pain, nor participation in intensive addiction counseling affected the participant’s success rate.

Suboxone and Recovery

“We were surprised by some of these findings because there was an overall assumption that this population—those who have had little to no exposure to heroin—would do better in terms of not needing long-term medication intervention,” said Weiss. “It is clear that given the prescription drug abuse epidemic, we need to continue to look at the viability of longer-term use of Suboxone and whether it can continue to provide sustained recovery from addiction to pain medications.”

According to the National Survey on Drug Use and Health, an estimated 1.9 million people in the United States meet abuse or dependence criteria for prescription pain relievers. In addition, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report that annually, more people die from prescription painkiller overdoses than from heroin and cocaine combined.

Female prisoners who did not participate in a drug treatment program after their release were 10 times more likely to return to prison within one year than other prisoners, a new study has found.

More than one-third of those women were sent back to prison within six months, according to the national study led by Flora Matheson, a medical sociologist at St. Michael’s Hospital.

The findings, published in the American Journal of Public Health, underline the importance of post-release treatment programs for prisoners with substance abuse problems, Matheson said.

Women Vulnerable to Relapse

Since women are particularly vulnerable to drug relapse in the first two or three weeks after release, it’s important to begin the community care programs as soon as possible, she said.

“We don’t want these women re-offending, we want them to remain in the community and be successful,” said Matheson, a scientist in the hospital’s Centre for Research on Inner City Health who collaborated on the study with the Research Branch of the Correctional Service of Canada.

Matheson evaluated the effectiveness of the Community Relapse Prevention and Maintenance program, which was developed by CSC in 2003 for women on parole from six federal prisons. At the time the study was conducted, the community portion of the program consisted of 20, two-hour group sessions offered on a weekly basis. Cocaine was the most common drug that had been used by women in the program (58.9 per cent), followed by crack cocaine (44.3 per cent).

Women who were not exposed to the program were more than 10 times more likely to be back in prison within 52 weeks.

One-Third of Convictions Drug Related

Women make up five per cent of the federal prison population in Canada, although that number has tripled in the past 20 years. About one-third of them were convicted of drug-related offenses.

Matheson noted that drug-using offenders are twice as likely to have unstable housing in the community, are less able to manage stress, are hospitalized more often for mental health issues and have higher recidivism rates than do non-substance-abusing women. Many of them have experienced trauma in their lives, such as childhood, physical or sexual abuse, or domestic abuse, which may have contributed to their substance abuse and mental health issues.

She said there are many barriers to women who want to participate in post-release treatment programs, including childcare and high unemployment rates that make it difficult to afford transportation. Canada is such a vast country geographically that it’s difficult for CSC and other correctional jurisdictions to offer treatment programs in every community.

ncreasing access to rogue online pharmacies – those which dispense medications without a doctor’s prescription – may be an important factor behind the rapid increase in the abuse of prescription drugs. In a report in the journal Health Affairs, investigators from Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) and the University of Southern California (USC) find that states with the greatest expansion in high-speed Internet access from 2000 to 2007 also had the largest increase in admissions for treatment of prescription drug abuse.

Internet Growth a Factor

“We know we face a growing problem with prescription drug abuse in the United States. One need only look at statistics for college campuses, where prescription drugs are fast replacing illegal substances, to see the magnitude of the problem,” says Dana Goldman, PhD, director of the Schaeffer Center for Health Policy and Economics at USC, the study’s senior author. “Our findings suggest that Internet growth may partly explain the increase in prescription drug abuse, since it is well known that these drugs are easily available online.” Goldman is also the Norman Topping/National Medical Enterprises Chair in Medicine and Public Policy at USC.

In their report, Goldman and lead author Anupam B. Jena, MD, PhD, of the MGH Department of Medicine, note that the recent marked rise in the abuse of prescription narcotic painkillers – drugs like Percocet and Oxycontin – corresponds with an increase in the presence of online pharmacies, many of which do not adhere to regulations requiring a physician’s prescription. Drugs that are frequently abused – painkillers, stimulants, sedatives and tranquilizers – often can be purchased from rogue sites that may be located outside the U.S. The current study was designed to examine the potential link between online availability and prescription drug abuse, an association that has been suspected but not investigated in depth.

Increase in High-Speed Access

Using data available from the Federal Communications Commission, the researchers first compiled statistics on access to high-speed Internet service in each state during the years studied. Since actual rates of prescription drug abuse would be difficult if not impossible to calculate, they used information on admissions to substance abuse treatment facilities from a database maintained by the U.S. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Administration.

Changes in both measures over the seven years were analyzed on a per-state basis, and treatment admissions were categorized by the particular types of abused substances involved.

No Increase in Illegal Drug Use

The analysis indicated that each 10 percent increase in the availability of high-speed Internet service in a state was accompanied by an approximately 1 percent increase in admissions for prescription drug abuse. The increases were strongest for narcotic painkillers, followed by anti-anxiety drugs, stimulants and sedatives. During the same period admissions to treat abuse of alcohol, heroin or cocaine, substances not available online, showed minimal growth or actually decreased.

“The lack of an increase in abuse of drugs not available on the Internet suggests that an overall growth in drug-seeking behavior cannot explain the rise in prescription drug abuse,” Jena says. “Further studies need to better evaluate how easily commonly abused prescription drugs can be purchased online and explore the importance to the problem of foreign Internet pharmacies, which are outside the jurisdiction of the U.S. government.”

Few primary care physicians pay adequate attention to patients taking prescription opioid drugs — despite the potential for abuse, addiction and overdose, according to a new study by researchers at Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University.

The study, published in the Journal of General Internal Medicine, found lax monitoring even of patients at high risk for opioid misuse, such as those with a history of drug abuse or dependence. The findings are especially concerning considering that prescription drug abuse now ranks second (after marijuana) among illicitly used drugs, with approximately 2.2 million Americans using pain relievers nonmedically for the first time in 2009, according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA).

Missed Prevention Opportunity

“Our study highlights a missed opportunity for identifying and reducing misuse of prescribed opioids in primary care settings,” said lead author Joanna Starrels, M.D., M.S. , assistant professor of medicine at Einstein. “The finding that physicians did not increase precautions for patients at highest risk for opioid misuse should be a call for a standardized approach to monitoring.”

The researchers studied administrative and medical records of more than 1,600 primary care patients for an average of two years while they received regular prescription opioids for chronic, non-cancer pain. They looked at whether patients received urine drug testing, were seen regularly in the office, or received multiple early opioid refills.

Few Given Urine Tests

Only a small minority (8 percent) of patients were found to have undergone any urine drug testing. While such testing was more common in patients at higher risk for opioid misuse, the rate of testing among those high-risk patients was still low (24 percent). Only half of patients were seen regularly in the office, and patients at higher risk of opioid misuse were not seen more frequently than patients at lower risk. Although fewer than one-quarter (23 percent) of all patients received two or more early opioid refills, patients at greater risk for opioid misuse were more likely to receive multiple early refills.

“We were disturbed to find that patients with a drug use disorder were seen less frequently in the office and were prescribed more early refills than patients without these disorders,” said Dr. Starrels. “We hope that these findings will call attention to this important safety concern.”

Prescription Drug Misuse Problem

Prescription drug misuse is a major public health problem. In a 2004 NIDA report , it was estimated that 48 million people over the age of 12 have taken prescription drugs for nonmedical uses in their lifetime – which represents approximately 20 percent of the U.S. population. Opioids, central nervous system depressants and stimulants were the drugs most commonly abused.

“Most primary care physicians are attuned to these problems,” said Dr. Starrels, “but they haven’t put sufficient strategies in place to help reduce risks.” She and her co-authors recommend that physicians adopt the following risk-reduction strategies: standardize a plan of care for all patients on long-term opioids, which includes urine drug testing; schedule regular face-to-face office visits to evaluate patients’ response to opioids and evidence of misuse; and stick to a previously agreed-upon refill schedule.

Researchers have produced a lasting anti-cocaine immunity in mice by giving them a safe vaccine that combines bits of the common cold virus with a particle that mimics cocaine.

In their study, published in the online edition of Molecular Therapy and funded by the National Institute on Drug Abuse, the researchers say this novel strategy might be the first to offer cocaine addicts a fairly simple way to break and reverse their habit, and it might also be useful in treating other addictions, such as to nicotine, heroin and other opiates.

Fighting Cocaine Addiction

“Our very dramatic data shows that we can protect mice against the effects of cocaine, and we think this approach could be very promising in fighting addiction in humans,” says the study’s lead investigator, Dr. Ronald G. Crystal, chairman and professor of genetic medicine at Weill Cornell Medical College.

He says the antibody immune response produced in lab mice by the vaccine binds to, and sequesters, cocaine molecules before the drug reached the brains of these animals — and prevents any cocaine-related hyperactivity. The vaccine effect lasted for at least 13 weeks, the longest time point evaluated.

“While other attempts at producing immunity against cocaine have been tried, this is the first that will likely not require multiple, expensive infusions, and that can move quickly into human trials,” Dr. Crystal says. “There is currently no FDA-approved vaccine for any drug addiction.”

“An approach that works is desperately needed for cocaine addiction, which is an intransigent problem worldwide,” he adds. “There are no therapies now.”

The novelty of this possible treatment is that it hooks a chemical that is very similar in structure to cocaine, onto components of the adenovirus, a common cold virus. In this way, the human immune system is alerted to an infectious agent (the virus) but also learns to “see” the cocaine as an intruder as well, Dr. Crystal says. Once the structure of the new intruder is recognized, natural immunity builds to cocaine particles, so any time cocaine is snorted or used in any way, antibodies to the substance are quickly produced and the cocaine molecules are engulfed by the antibodies and prevented from reaching the brain.

Engineering a New Response

“The human immune system doesn’t naturally tag cocaine as something to be destroyed — just like all small-molecule drugs are not eliminated by antibodies,” he says. “We have engineered this response so that it is against the cocaine mimic.”

In this study, a team of researchers — scientists from Weill Cornell Medical College, Cornell University in Ithaca, and the Scripps Research Institute in La Jolla, Calif. — ripped apart an adenovirus, retrieving only the components that elicit an immune response and discarding those that produce sickness. They then hooked the cocaine analog on to these proteins to make the vaccine. “We used the cocaine analog because it is a little more stable than cocaine, and it also elicits better immunity,” Dr. Crystal says.

The researchers then injected billions of these viral concoctions into “garden variety” laboratory mice (mice that are not genetically engineered). They found a strong immune response was generated against the vaccine, and that these antibodies, when put in test tubes, gobbled up cocaine.

Vaccine for Addicts

They then tested the vaccine’s effect on behavior, and found that mice that received the vaccine before cocaine were much less hyperactive while on the drug than mice that were not vaccinated. The effect was even seen in mice that received large, repetitive doses of cocaine. Proportionally, the cocaine doses reflected amounts that humans might use.

The vaccine needs to be tested in humans, of course, says Dr. Crystal, but he predicts that if it works, it will function best in people who are already addicted to cocaine and who are trying to stop using the drug. “The vaccine may help them kick the habit because if they use cocaine, an immune response will destroy the drug before it reaches the brain’s pleasure center.”

Although the overall rate of admissions to substance abuse treatment in the U.S. remained stable between 1998 and 2008, at about 770 admissions for every 100,000 persons in the population, a new study shows striking changes and variations in admission rates by region. For example, the rate of admissions for alcohol as the primary drug has declined by 15 percent nationally. However admission rates for alcohol in West North Central states (Ark., Iowa, Kan., Minn., Mo., N.D., Neb. and S.D.) remained the same.

At the same time that admissions for alcohol treatment were declining, admission rates per 100,000 population for illicit drug use were increasing. In fact, one consistent pattern in every region was the increase in the admission rate for marijuana use which rose 30 percent nationally. From 1998 through 2008, marijuana treatment admission rates were highest in the West North Central and Middle Atlantic states (N.J., N.Y. and Pa.).

Hike in Pain Pill Abuse

As indicated in an earlier SAMHSA report, Substance Abuse Treatment Admissions Involving Abuse of Pain Relievers: 1998 and 2008, the treatment admission rate for opiates other than heroin (mainly narcotic pain relievers) rose 345 percent nationwide during these 11 years. The new study shows that increased admissions for pain reliever abuse occurred in every region of the nation and were highest in the New England (Conn., Mass., Maine, N.H., R.I. and Vt.) and the East South Central states (Ala., Ky., Miss. and Tenn.).

Nationwide, the admission rate for methamphetamine treatment was 53 percent higher in 2008 than in 1998, although the level has dropped significantly and consistently from its peak in 2005. Methamphetamine admission rates were highest during this period in the Pacific (Alaska, Calif., Hawaii, Ore. and Wash.), West North Central and Mountain states (Ariz., Colo., Idaho, Mont., Nev., N.M., Utah and Wyo.).

Fewer Heroin, Cocaine Admissions

The new study provided mixed news concerning heroin — nationwide the rate of heroin admissions dropped by 3 percent from 1998 to 2008, but this drop was not uniform and in many states the levels have actually risen. Heroin treatment admission rates were consistently highest in the New England and Middle Atlantic states.

In terms of cocaine the news was more encouraging — a 23 percent reduction in the cocaine treatment admission rate nationally over this period and decreases in every region of the country. The Middle Atlantic states had the highest levels of cocaine admission rates throughout this period.

Meeting Treatment Needs

“This study provides insight into the regional nature of substance abuse by highlighting the shifting trends in the reasons for admission to substance abuse treatment,” said SAMHSA Administrator Pamela S. Hyde, J.D. “By carefully analyzing these data, policy makers, public health experts and behavioral health service providers can better direct limited resources and meet the treatment needs of people living in states and communities.”

The study, State Admissions to Substance Abuse Treatment Services: TEDS 1998 – 2008, was based on data from SAMHSA’s Treatment Episode Data Set (TEDS) — a reporting system involving treatment facilities from across the country. The study was developed as part of the agency’s strategic initiative on data, outcomes, and quality — an effort to inform policy makers and service providers on the nature and scope of behavioral health issues.

The full report is available online.

Fueled by increases in marijuana use, the rate of eighth-graders saying they have used an illicit drug in the past year jumped to 16 percent, up from last year’s 14.5 percent, with daily marijuana use up in all grades surveyed, according to the 2010 Monitoring the Future Survey (MTF).

For 12th-graders, declines in cigarette use accompanied by recent increases in marijuana use have put marijuana ahead of cigarette smoking by some measures. In 2010, 21.4 percent of high school seniors used marijuana in the past 30 days, while 19.2 percent smoked cigarettes.

Increases in Ecstasy, Prescription Drugs

The survey also shows significant increases in use of Ecstasy. In addition, nonmedical use of prescription drugs remains high. MTF is an annual series of classroom surveys of eighth, 10th, and 12th-graders conducted by researchers at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, under a grant from the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), part of the National Institutes of Health.

Most measures of marijuana use increased among eighth-graders, and daily marijuana use increased significantly among all three grades. The 2010 use rates were 6.1 percent of high school seniors, 3.3 percent of 10th -graders, and 1.2 percent of eighth-graders compared to 2009 rates of 5.2 percent, 2.8 percent, and 1.0 percent, respectively.

“These high rates of marijuana use during the teen and pre-teen years, when the brain continues to develop, place our young people at particular risk,” said NIDA Director Nora D. Volkow, M.D. “Not only does marijuana affect learning, judgment, and motor skills, but research tells us that about 1 in 6 people who start using it as adolescents become addicted.”

Mixed Messages About Marijuana

“The increases in youth drug use reflected in the Monitoring the Future Study are disappointing,” said Gil Kerlikowske, director of the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy. “Mixed messages about drug legalization, particularly marijuana, may be to blame. Such messages certainly don’t help parents who are trying to prevent kids from using drugs. The Obama administration is aggressively addressing the threat of drug use and its consequences through a balanced and comprehensive drug control strategy, but we need parents and other adults who influence children as full partners in teaching young people about the risks and harms associated with drug use, including marijuana.”

The MTF survey also showed a significant increase in the reported use of MDMA, or Ecstasy, with 2.4 percent of eighth-graders citing past-year use, compared to 1.3 percent in 2009. Similarly, past-year MDMA use among 10th-graders increased from 3.7 percent to 4.7 percent in 2010.

Tobacco Use Down

Also of concern is that the downward trend in cigarette smoking has stalled in all three grades after several years of marked improvement on most measures. Greater marketing of other forms of tobacco prompted the 2010 survey to add measures for 12th-graders’ use of small cigars (23.1 percent) and of tobacco with a smoking pipe known as a hookah (17.1 percent).

Prescription drug abuse remains a major problem. Although Vicodin abuse decreased in 12th graders this year to 8 percent, down from around 9.7 percent the past four years, other indicators confirm that nonmedical use of prescription drugs remains high. For example, the use of OxyContin, another prescription opiate, stayed about the same for 12th-graders at 5.1 percent in 2010. And six of the top 10 illicit drugs abused by 12th-graders in the year prior to the survey were prescribed or purchased over the counter. The survey again found that teens generally get these prescription drugs from friends and family, whether given, bought, or stolen.

However, the survey says binge drinking continued its downward trend. Among high school seniors, 23.2 percent report having five or more drinks in a row during the past two weeks, down from 25.2 percent in 2009 and from the peak of 31.5 percent in 1998. In addition, 2010 findings showed a drop in high school seniors’ past-year consumption of flavored alcoholic beverages, to 47.9 percent in 2010 from 53.4 percent in 2009. Past-year use of flavored alcohol by eighth- graders was at 21.9 percent, down from 27.9 percent in 2005.

Teen Attitudes Changing

The MTF survey also measures teen attitudes about drugs, including perceived harmfulness, perceived availability, and disapproval, all of which can predict future abuse. Related to its increased use, the perception that regular marijuana smoking is harmful decreased for 10th-graders (down from 59.5 percent in 2009 to 57.2 percent in 2010) and 12th-graders (from 52.4 percent in 2009 to 46.8 percent in 2010). Moreover, disapproval of smoking marijuana decreased significantly among eighth-graders.

“We should examine the extent to which the debate over medical marijuana and marijuana legalization for adults is affecting teens’ perceptions of risk,” said Dr. Volkow. “We must also find better ways to communicate to teens that marijuana use can harm their short-term performance as well as their long-term potential.”

Overall, 46,482 students from 396 public and private schools participated in this year’s survey. Since 1975, the MTF survey has measured drug, alcohol, and cigarette use and related attitudes in 12th-graders nationwide. Eighth and 10th-graders were added to the survey in 1991. Survey participants generally report their drug use behaviors across three time periods: lifetime, past year, and past month.

Texting while driving can be a deadly combination for anyone. Yet, new data released today reveal that the dangers of excessive texting among teens are not limited to the road. Hyper-texting and hyper-networking are now giving rise to a new health risk category for this age group.

Scott Frank, MD, MS, lead researcher on the study and director of the Case Western Reserve School of Medicine Master of Public Health program, presented the findings today at the American Public Health Association’s 138th Annual Meeting & Exposition in Denver. Researchers surveyed a cross section of high school students from an urban Midwestern County and assessed whether use of communication technology could be associated with poor health behaviors, including smoking, drinking and sexual activity.

According to the research, hyper-texting, defined as texting more than 120 messages per school day, was reported by 19.8 percent of teens surveyed, many of whom were female, from lower socioeconomic status, minority and had no father in the home.

Hyper-Texters

Drawing from the data, teens who are hyper-texters are 40 percent more likely to have tried cigarettes, two times more likely to have tried alcohol, 43 percent more likely to be binge drinkers, 41 percent more likely to have used illicit drugs, 55 percent more likely to have been in a physical fight, nearly three-and-a-half times more likely to have had sex and 90 percent more likely to report four or more sexual partners.

“The startling results of this study suggest that when left unchecked texting and other widely popular methods of staying connected can have dangerous health effects on teenagers,” said Frank. “This should be a wake-up call for parents to not only help their children stay safe by not texting and driving, but by discouraging excessive use of the cell phone or social websites in general.”

Depression, Suicide

Additionally, hyper-networking, defined as spending more than three hours per school day on social networking websites, was reported by 11.5 percent of students and associated with higher odds ratios for stress, depression, suicide, substance use, fighting, poor sleep, poor academics, television watching and parental permissiveness.

Teens who are hyper-networkers are 62 percent more likely to have tried cigarettes, 79 percent more likely to have tried alcohol, 69 percent more likely to be binge drinkers, 84 percent more likely to have used illicit drugs, 94 percent more likely to have been in a physical fight, 69 percent more likely to have had sex and 60 percent more likely to report four or more sexual partners.

Rural teens appear more likely than their urban peers to use prescription drugs for non-medical purposes, according to a report posted online today that will appear in the March 2011 print issue of Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.

The non-medical use of prescription drugs is common among U.S. adolescents, with about one in eight reporting lifetime non-medical use of prescription opioids, according to background information in the article. “During adolescence, non-medical prescription drug use is particularly problematic given its association with use of other illicit drugs such as cocaine and heroin, as well as engagement in problem behaviors such as gambling, increased sexual activity and impulsivity,” the authors write. “Moreover, individuals who use prescription drugs earlier in life have a greater chance of later developing prescription drug dependence.”

Abuse Among Urban Teens

Previous studies have examined substance abuse among urban teens, but their conclusions may not apply to those from rural areas, the authors note. Jennifer R. Havens, Ph.D., M.P.H., of University of Kentucky College of Medicine, Lexington, and colleagues analyzed data from 17,872 12- to 17-year-olds participating in the 2008 National Survey on Drug Use and Health. Of these, 53.2 percent lived in urban areas, 51 percent were male and 59 percent were white.

There were no differences between urban and rural youth in rates of any illicit drug use, including marijuana, cocaine, heroin and hallucinogens. However, 13 percent of rural teens reported ever having used prescription drugs for non-medical purposes, compared with 10 percent of urban teens. When the researchers assessed specific medication types, they found rural teens were also more likely to have used pain relievers (11.5 percent vs. 10.3 percent) or tranquilizers (3.5 percent vs. 2.5 percent) non-medically.

After adjusting for sociodemographic factors, health status and the use of other substances, rural teens remained 26 percent more likely than urban adolescents to say they had used prescription drugs for non-medical purposes. “Data support that one reason for the higher prevalence of non-medical prescription drug use in rural areas may be the lack of availability of drugs such as heroin that are easily accessed in urban areas,” the authors write.

Family Involvement Important

Rural teens were more likely to misuse prescription drugs if they reported poorer health, episodes of depression or other substance abuse. “Residing in a household with two parents was associated with a 32 percent reduction in the odds of non-medical prescription drug use,” the authors write. “These results suggest that interventions aimed at family involvement may be beneficial in preventing or reducing non-medical prescription drug use.” Enrollment in school was also a protective factor.

“The cultural, structural and social realities of rural life can not only affect the prevalence of drug use but also exacerbate its consequences. The isolation and self-reliance of rural communities can negatively affect careseeking behavior, particularly regarding mental health and substance abuse services,” the authors write. “While we were able to identify potential targets for intervention such as increased access to health, mental health and substance abuse treatment, this may be difficult for rural areas where such resources are in short supply or non-existent. Research into the causal mechanisms surrounding initiation of non-medical prescription drug use in rural adolescents is necessary to develop tailored interventions for this population.”

The Partnership for a Drug-Free America announced today that it is changing its name to The Partnership at Drugfree.org. The new name reflects the nonprofit’s commitment to serving and supporting parents and families.

The change further reflects how the organization has grown since its founding in 1986 as a prevention-focused, anti-drug advertising campaign to a reliable partner and online community for parents and families seeking guidance and support on teen drug and alcohol use.

By focusing on parents and caregivers, working at the grassroots level and embracing the power of the web to communicate and connect, the organization has evolved to fulfill its important mission to help parents prevent, intervene in and find treatment for drug and alcohol use by their children. Parents will find deep, credible and science-based resources to help them and their families at drugfree.org.

11 million of America’s teens and young adults are struggling with drugs or alcohol[1], yet unlike most other adolescent health issues or diseases, parents haven’t found a clear path to resources and support for teen addiction.

Resources for Parents

“When it comes to preventing or helping a child involved with drug use and drinking, already a stigmatized issue, parents are at a loss,” said Steve Pasierb, president and CEO of The Partnership at Drugfree.org. “Over the past six years, we have created programs and resources to fill that gap and be a trustworthy, non-judgmental place to get answers and support, whether that’s online via drugfree.org or in their community through our grassroots education programs.”

While both parents and research point to a need for an organization like The Partnership at Drugfree.org, the nonprofit’s first celebrity champion, Melissa Gilbert, added, “I believe that the most compelling reality is that all parents will move heaven and earth to protect their children’s health because they love their kids.” She applauded the organization’s changes, saying, “Both as a mother and as a person who is living a life in recovery, I know firsthand what a struggle it is for both a teen or young adult in trouble and their parent who feels helpless and utterly alone. The Partnership at Drugfree.org is here for all parents, myself included, at whatever their stage of need – from prevention to recovery – and most importantly reinforces that we are not alone.”

Embracing “Partnership”

The change is also the culmination of more than a year of parent interviews, analysis and qualitative and quantitative research. New omnibus research from The Partnership at Drugfree.org also shows that when discovering what the organization does, an overwhelming majority of parents (94 percent) with children ages 10-17 would consider The Partnership at Drugfree.org as valuable to parents with kids at risk of using drugs and drinking. Embracing this learning, the 24-year-old nonprofit organization preserved the known strengths and attributes of its name: the concept of a partnership with parents and families. The new name is consistent with its mission, making it more relevant to parents and explicit as to where they can find the important tools and resources that position the organization as a cause leader on this issue.

“Even with a rich history and many widely acclaimed, effective public education campaigns, our name was confusing to parents. Research showed that people assumed we were part of the government or an organization focused on drug policy. These perceptions were limiting our ability to best serve families and meet their individual needs,” added Pasierb. “Parents also thought we focused exclusively on prevention. With resources to also help parents intervene and find treatment, we understand that while most kids don’t use drugs, many do, and far too many suffer problems or need help to overcome an addiction.”

Staggering Cost to Society

Addiction takes a toll on families and an equally devastating toll on society. 35 million families with children ages 9-17 need help with drug and alcohol prevention[2]. “The economic impact of substance abuse is staggering,” said Patricia Russo, chairman of The Partnership at Drugfree.org. With estimated costs to society from illicit drugs at $280 billion,[3] Russo added, “We can’t reduce the costs in the workplace due to drug and alcohol abuse and improve our global competitiveness as a nation until we better prepare and support parents in raising healthy teens, helping them to be more informed, empowered and better able to help their children.”

Gilbert, who has personally struggled with addiction and is now a parent spokesperson for the organization, added, “The burden and the responsibility for taking action on this issue falls to us, to parents. I hope that, like me, other parents will find The Partnership at Drugfree.org as a true partner. Here for us wherever we are and whenever we need help. It is my long-term hope that I will be able to help them achieve their goals, and fewer families will struggle with the pain of addiction. For now, I want families going through the agony and confusion of dealing with addiction to know that they are not alone. We are here. I am here and I understand.”

Redesigned Website at Drugfree.org

Debuting with the new name is the organization’s new web portal, making it easy to navigate expanded online resources that provide answers and support at whatever point parents need help. Drugfree.org is a user-friendly gateway to the nonprofit’s programs and resources, focused on prevention, intervention, treatment, recovery and community education. Featuring interactive tools, compelling videos, engaging blogs, comprehensive e-books and burgeoning online communities, the new site aims to be an online ‘public square’ where parents can support, learn from and encourage one another.