The Brief Addiction Science Information Source (BASIS)

Op-Ed/Editorials - Internet Gambling: Antigua v. United States—Another Perspective

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. Mark E. Mendel, Esq. Mendel Blumenfeld, LLP There has been much debate over the meaning and impact of the recent ruling of the World Trade Organisation in the dispute United States – Measures Affecting the Cross-Border Supply of Gambling and Betting Services. This state of affairs is well illustrated by the Op-Ed piece by I. Nelson Rose that ran in the 14 September 2005 issue of BASIS. To be fair, many... Read more →

STASH Vol. 1(2) - Students Love The OC…Too Much?

Recent research indicates that the misuse of prescription drugs is widespread; during 2003, about one-third of all drugs abused in the U.S. were prescription drugs (Trouble in the medicine chest (I): Rx drug abuse growing, 2003). Many people use prescription drugs for “pharming” (i.e., consuming several prescription pills for nonmedical use). Compared to illegal drugs (e.g., heroin or cocaine), prescription drugs are relatively cheaper and more accessible, yet provide similar euphoria-like effects (Trouble in the medicine chest (I): Rx drug abuse growing, 2003). One prescription drug that has gained notoriety is OxyContin (OC), a synthetic opioid that relieves pain by... Read more →

Addiction and the Humanities, Volume 1(14) - “Opium! Dread agent of unimaginable pleasure and pain!”* Addiction in Thomas de Quincey’s writing

One Sunday morning in 1804, the British poet Thomas de Quincey woke up with an excruciating headache. On his doctor’s advice, he bought a bottle of laudanum (i.e., opium mixed with alcohol), and ended up using opium regularly for twelve years. In Confessions of an English Opium Eater (1820), written in a style between poetry and prose, de Quincey tells his story of opium use and addiction. Confessions was ostensibly written to warn people about the horrors of opium addiction, but unfortunately, because of de Quincey’s notoriety as a writer, it stirred enthusiasm for opium among artistic circles. For today’s... Read more →

Op-Ed/Editorials - John Roberts, The Supreme Court, And Me

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 It was the New York Times calling, wanting to know what I thought of the nomination of John Roberts to the Supreme Court. My first thought was, “Yes!! I’ve made it!” Then reality struck me, “Wait a minute.” So I asked, “Why ask me?” The reporter replied, “You went to school with him for three years.”... Read more →

ASHES Vol. 1(10) - In the face of anxiety: A smoker’s struggle

People smoke for a variety of reasons (e.g., losing weight, trying to appear cool, or pure pleasure). However, the motivation to smoke might be different for people who suffer from anxiety disorders. Individuals who have an anxiety disorder might smoke to reduce anxiety and obtain relief from their symptoms; ironically, because nicotine is a stimulant, smoking often worsens anxiety symptoms (McCabe, Chudzik, Antony, Young, Swinson & Zolvensky, 2004). Because of differences in motivations, smokers who have anxiety disorders also might have unique smoking cessation problems (Zvolensky, Feldner, Leen-Feldner, Bonn-Miller, McLeish, & Gregor, 2004). In this week’s ASHES, we review a... Read more →

Op-Ed/Editorials - Regulations and Personal Liberty – Three Axes to Grind

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. When debates about addiction regulations (e.g., bans on casinos, minimum drinking ages) arise, they are usually framed as a simple question – to regulate or not to regulate – with a cost-benefit analysis used for argument. One side argues that we should regulate such and such because of the harm it can do to people. The other side argues that we shouldn’t regulate such and such (or should regulate it less)... Read more →

The Dram, Volume 1(10) - “A Matter of Degree”: An Environmentally Oriented Approach to Reduce Drinking Among College Students

Alcohol use and abuse are ongoing problems for college campuses across the United States (Wechsler et al., 2002). In response, many college campuses have implemented individually oriented educational programs and counseling to change this problem behavior pattern. Unfortunately, there is no empirical evidence that these individually-focused efforts are effective (Larimer & Cronce, 2002; Wechsler et al., 2003). As an alternative, some colleges are attempting to change their overall culture, with respect to alcohol and its predominance in the social lives of students. The “A Matter of Degree” (AMOD) program, for example, uses a community coalition model, combining strategies that address... Read more →

Op-Ed/Editorials - New York "Anti's" Blow It

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 The opponents of legal gambling, the "anti's," in New York were given a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to outlaw all of the forms of betting they hate. They managed to get their case heard by the New York Court of Appeals, the highest court in the state. And they blew it - big-time. What's worse is that any... Read more →