The Brief Addiction Science Information Source (BASIS)

Op-Ed/Editorials - Loving the child, hating the disease.

Last night I saw pictures of Amy Winehouse's parents as they visited the shrine erected by Amy's fans in front of her apartment. They looked lost, and shocked - bereft. As the parent of a child who is both an addict and has a (currently untreated) mental illness, my heart aches for them. It is difficult to understand the unique and exquisite pain that accompanies parenting an addict. This message is meant as an attempt - feeble I'm sure - to elucidate that pain and to remind people that, for every addict lost, there are parents who are left behind... Read more →

Addiction & the Humanities, Vol. 7(6) — When Rehab Just Isn’t Enough

In an ongoing series, we highlight celebrity substance abuse and its media portrayal. A previous Addiction and the Humanities investigated how the media used Michael Jackson’s death to highlight the broader issues associated with prescription drug abuse and its consequences. Today’s BASIS examines the public response to the death of Amy Winehouse, English singer-songwriter and jazz musician. Amy Winehouse was found dead Saturday, July 23rd, in her London flat. She was only 27 years old. An autopsy proved inconclusive, and it will take two to four weeks before toxicology test results are available (Forbes, 2011). However, the media already has... Read more →

ASHES, Vol. 7(6) – FDA issues new graphic cigarette warning labels, but will they change behavior?

Beginning in September 2012, the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) will require cigarette companies to include new health warning statements and accompanying graphic images on cigarette packs and advertisements (U.S. Food and Drug Administration, 2011). In a previous Addiction & the Humanities, we reviewed critics’ claims that graphic warning labels, while emotionally impactful, might not be particularly effective in changing behavior. This week’s ASHES reports on a recent study the FDA used to inform their selection of graphic warning images (Nonnemaker, Farrelly, Kamyab, Busey, & Mann, 2010). The FDA designed the study to evaluate the relative efficacy of... Read more →

The DRAM, Vol. 7(6) – Biomarker testing: Detecting heavy alcohol consumption and relapse among DUI offenders

This week, the DRAM continues its series focusing on driving under the influence (DUI). This is the second of five issues concentrating on the body of recent DUI research. In the first issue, DRAM Vol. 7(5), we discussed how different DUI-related events exhibit different trends across time. DUI recidivism is a difficult phenomenon to prevent or limit. European countries have used biomarker tests to monitor DUI offenders since the 1980s (Morgan & Major, 1996). Biomarkers provide objective evidence for heavy drinking, a known factor associated with recidivism. This week, the DRAM reviews a study (Bean, Roska, Harasymiw, Pearson, Kay, &... Read more →

The WAGER, Vol. 16(6) – What is the worst gambling strategy? A study about preferred forms of gambling among pathological gamblers

It is important to understand clinical characteristics (e.g., betting pattern, emotional states, gambling preferences) of pathological gambling to provide insight for developing effective prediction, prevention and treatment initiatives. This week’s WAGER reports results of a study that examined how gambling preferences (i.e., strategic versus non-strategic) relate to clinical characteristics among people who suffer with gambling disorder (Odlaug, Marsh, Kim, & Grant, 2011). Method Participants (N = 440, age >=18, 54% females) were patients with a current DSM-IV diagnosis of pathological gambling (PG) and no psychotic or bipolar disorders. The researchers recruited participants who were enrolled to one of several clinical... Read more →