The Brief Addiction Science Information Source (BASIS)

The Dram, Volume 1(7) - Going back to our roots: Exploring the power of Chinese herbal medicine to reduce problem

People who have problems with excessive alcohol consumption often turn to various behavioral and psychopharmacological treatment strategies to reduce their drinking. Recently, in their search of treatments for alcohol use and dependence, researchers have turned to alternative therapies, including herbal medicines such as the Kudzu plant, which was used in Chinese herbal medicine as early as 600 AD to treat alcohol-related illnesses (Lukas et al., 2005). This week’s DRAM reviews a recent study by Lukas, Penetar, Berko, Vicens, Palmer, Mallya, Macklin, and Lee (2005) that tested the effect of a 7-day kudzu treatment on drinking behaviors. In this study, researchers... Read more →

The WAGER Vol. 10(7) - I make bets, I lose my savings, my wife threatens to leave. No problem.

Most of us have probably heard the joke about the guy who tells his doctor, “I don’t have a drinking problem. I drink, I get drunk, I pass out. No problem.” Though in poor taste, the joke illustrates a real and unfortunate phenomenon. People who suffer from addiction are often unaware of the seriousness of their problem. There are multiple reasons for this lack of awareness. For example, although the lifetime prevalence of mental illness is about 50% (Kessler, et al., 2005), western cultures still stigmatize people with mental disorders. This stigma could result in significant motivation not to admit,... Read more →

Op-Ed/Editorials - In California The Fight Will Continue

The views expressed in the Op-Ed/Editorials page are solely the views of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the BASIS, its sponsors, or affiliated organizations. I. Nelson Rose, Ph.D. Professor, Whittier Law School Costa Mesa, CA BASIS, editorial board member Although California voters rejected two gaming initiatives on November 2, 2004, the political battles are far from over. Prop. 68 would have required tribes to agree to share their gaming revenue to keep their monopoly on casinos. Under compacts signed by former Gov. Gray Davis, which have another 16 years to go, there are now at... Read more →

Addiction and the Humanities, Volume 1(10) - Hard Times for Ray Charles: Review of RAY

In the last issue of Addiction and the Humanities, we reviewed a story of one man’s addiction to gambling as an example of a behavioral expression of addiction that fit Shaffer et al.’s (2004) syndrome model. Recall that Shaffer et al.’s (2004) model suggests that psychosocial and neurobiological elements predispose individuals to develop addictive behaviors. This week, in a review of Taylor Hackford’s film Ray, we explore how the model can explain the development and course of chemically expressed addiction. The film Ray chronicles the life of the legendary musician Ray Charles giving the viewer stunning insight into Charles’ inner... Read more →

Op-Ed/Editorials - Editorial response to “Some Gene Research Just Isn't Worth the Money”

Lance M. Dodes, M.D. Affiliated Faculty Division on Addictions, Cambridge Health Alliance A recent New York Times opinion piece by Keith Humphreys and Sally Satel (2005) entitled, “Some Gene Research Just Isn't Worth the Money” took the position that genetic research on addiction should be a low priority for federal budget dollars. I could not agree more. The authors’ reasoning, however, is flawed. They say that genetic research money should go to conditions not affected by factors like “personal habits or manipulation of the environment,” both of which they see as affecting addictive behavior. But addiction is basically not affected... Read more →

ASHES Vol. 1(6) - Sibling Rivalry: Genetic and environmental influences on sibling smoking behaviors

According to a common saying, the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree. With respect to smoking, it might be that the ash doesn’t fall far from the cigarette. As with many addictive behaviors, smoking initiation and persistence are more likely among people whose parents or siblings also smoke (though the extent of that relationship is still debated --see Avenevoli & Merikangas, 2003, for a review). Studies have shown that genes contribute to this commonality – risk factors for smoking are to some extent inherited (Li, Cheng, Ma, & Swan, 2003; Maes et al., 2004). However, recent research has found... Read more →

Op-Ed/Editorials - Casinos as debt collectors

The views expressed in the Op-Ed/Editorials page are solely the views of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the BASIS, its sponsors, or affiliated organizations. I. Nelson Rose, Ph.D. Professor, Whittier Law School Costa Mesa, CA BASIS, editorial board member A large casino may be stuck with more than $10 million every year in bum checks and bounced markers. How to collect? Debt collectors often make their money by, well, collecting debts. They are not paid by the hour, but depend for their livelihood upon their ability to extract money from reluctant customers. In the past,... Read more →

Op-Ed/Editorials - Legal Drinking Age in Vermont: 70 Miles an Hour?

The views expressed in the Op-Ed/Editorials page are solely the views of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the BASIS, its sponsors, or affiliated organizations. Peter E. Nathan, Ph.D. Professor, Department of Community and Behavioral Health College of Public Health, University of Iowa In its wisdom, the Iowa legislature recently sent to the Governor of the State a bill to raise the legal speed limit on rural Iowa highways from 65 to 70 miles an hour. The legislators’ principal justification for the bill seemed to be that since most of the drivers who used those highways... Read more →

The Dram, Volume 1(6) - First Drinks and Follow-ups: The age of drinking onset is important for adult drinking patterns

Though the legal drinking age in the United States is 21, adolescents and young adults often begin drinking long before they reach legal drinking age. This trend has been observed in countries worldwide, in general, and in Finland more specifically (Pitkänen, Lyyra, & Pulkkinen, 2005), where the legal drinking age is 18. Previous studies have found that heavy drinking in adolescence is a predictor of a problematic relationship to alcohol later in life (Ghodsian & Power, 1987). This week DRAM reviews a study by Pitkänen, Lyyra, and Pulkkinen (2005) that investigates the impact of the age at which a person... Read more →