The Brief Addiction Science Information Source (BASIS)

The WAGER Vol. 11(9) - Three different paths to improvement; but, is there a difference?

Pathological gambling (PG) is associated with significant negative financial, psychosocial and health consequences (Petry, Ammerman, Bohl, Doersch, Gay, Kadden, Molina, & Steinberg, 2006). Current research estimates the prevalence of lifetime PG to be about 1.5% among U.S. adults (Shaffer, Hall, & Vander Bilt, 1999). Despite the prevalence and associated sequelae of gambling disorders, little is known about the effectiveness of current treatments for PG (Petry et al., 2006). This week’s WAGER reviews a study that evaluates the relative efficacy of three interventions for reducing gambling among treatment-seeking pathological gamblers. Petry et al. (2006) recruited pathological gamblers (N=231) using media announcements... Read more →

STASH Vol. 2(9) - Eating Disorders and Substance Use: A Double Danger?

Some research suggests a frequent co-occurrence of specific eating disorders and substance use. For example, studies of clinical populations found that bulimics and binge eaters, in particular, relative to anorexic patients or the general population, are more likely to abuse several substances.(Blinder, Cumella, & Sanathara, 2006; Conason, Brunstein Klomek, & Sher, 2006). It is unclear whether this elevated risk also is evident in non-clinical populations, such as community samples. In this week’s STASH, we examine Piran and Robinson’s (2006) study assessing substance use and eating disordered behaviors among female college students. Five hundred and twenty six female undergraduate students volunteered... Read more →

Op-Ed/Editorials - The Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act of 2006 Analyzed

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. Prof. I. Nelson Rose, J.D. Professor, Whittier Law School, Costa Mesa, CA BASIS, editorial board member The Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act of 2006 was rammed through Congress by the Republican leadership in the final minutes before the election period recess. According to Sen. Frank R. Lautenberg (D-NJ), no one on the Senate-House Conference Committee had even seen the final language of the bill. The Act is title VIII of a... Read more →

Addiction and the Humanities, Volume 2(9) - The Deal or No Deal Culture

From online poker to day trading, various forms of gambling permeate our culture in new and unique ways. Although legal gambling once was restricted, today there is widespread accessibility to old and new forms of gambling. It is possible that such increases in access reflect a cultural attitude change towards gambling. Primetime television programs such as “Las Vegas” and “Celebrity Poker Showdown” demonstrate that gambling interests have increasingly been integrated into mainstream society. Very successful television game shows straddle the line between contest and gambling; the success of these programs further illustrates our culture’s greater acceptance of gambling. For example,... Read more →

ASHES Vol. 2 (8) - Public Policies and Adolescent Cigar Use: Close But No Cigar?

Research suggests that cigar smoking is on the rise, and that smoking cessation programs rarely address cigar use (Symm et al. 2005). Although, both cigarette smokers and cigar users are at an increased risk of several medical conditions (e.g., lung cancer and coronary heart disease) (Ringel, Wasserman, & Andreyeva, 2005), many people still believe that cigar smoking is a safe alternative to cigarettes. Compared to non-cigar smokers, cigar smokers are more likely to believe cigars are less dangerous than cigarettes (Symm, Morgan, Blackshear, & Tinsley, 2005). Adolescents particularly might be susceptible to thinking that cigars are safe because, as ASHES... Read more →