The Brief Addiction Science Information Source (BASIS)

The WAGER, Vol. 18(6) – Division Report: A First Look at Gambling Behavior among Massachusetts Residents

Gambling expansion is an important public health concern (LaPlante & Shaffer, 2007; Shaffer, LaBrie, & LaPlante, 2004). Recently, Massachusetts legalized the development of three resort style casinos (i.e., in greater Boston, western MA, and southeastern MA), as well as one slot parlor. These developments will supplement the state’s current legalized gambling opportunities, which include the lottery, as well as events run by non-profits such as bingo and table games. Gambling expansion in Massachusetts and other localities represents an opportunity for a natural experiment that examines the impact of gambling expansion. Today’s WAGER reviews selected results from a recent report on... Read more →

STASH, Vol. 9(6) - Stages of non-medical prescription opioid use and suicidal ideation and attempts

Non-medical prescription opioid use (i.e., use of prescription opioid painkillers without a valid medical reason or prescription) is a public health concern in the United States, in part because it is linked with anxiety, depression, and other harmful consequences (Becker, Sullivan, Tetrault, Desai, Fiellin, 2008). Both anxiety and depression are associated with increased risk of suicide (Goldney, Wilson, Dal Grande, Fisher, McFarlane, 2000), and there is some indication that non-medical prescription opioid use is associated with increased risk for suicidal behavior. This week’s STASH reviews a study that adds to our understanding of opioid misuse and suicide by exploring whether... Read more →

ASHES, Vol. 9(5) – Easy to get, but tough to smoke? Relationships among clean air policy, tobacco outlet density, and youth smoking.

Some research has found that young people smoke less if they have to travel further to buy tobacco products (Altman & Jackson, 1998). However, findings about the relationship between number of tobacco outlets in an area and youth smoking are mixed (Novak,Reardon, Raudenbush, & Buka, 2006). Today’s ASHES reviews a study that investigates if local tobacco policies (e.g., clean air laws) affect the relationship between tobacco outlet density and youth smoking (Lipperman-Kreda,Grube, & Friend, 2012). Methods The researchers conducted a general household survey, interviewing 1,491 youth (mean age = 14.7 years) across 50 randomly distributed midsize California cities. Participants reported... Read more →

The DRAM, Vol. 9(5) - A DUI but no diagnosis? How DSM-5 might impact the identification of Alcohol Use Disorders

Imagine a man who drinks in dangerous situations, such as when driving, but doesn’t meet any other criteria for alcohol use disorders. According to the DSM-IV, this man is experiencing alcohol abuse. The DSM-IV separates alcohol use disorders (AUDs) into alcohol abuse, characterized by serious negative consequences due to drinking, and alcohol dependence, characterized by physical symptoms related to drinking (APA, 1994); it also requires only one criterion for a diagnosis of alcohol abuse. However, under the new DSM-5 guidelines scheduled to be released this month, our hypothetical man’s diagnostic situation would change. The DSM-5 does not make separate diagnoses... Read more →

The WAGER, Vol. 18(5) – Should I sleep on it? How mental fatigue affects risky behavior

Factors such as mental fatigue and the outcomes of previous bets might influence how we make decisions about risk. However, previous research reveals inconsistent findings about these factors. Being “cognitively-depleted”—in other words, being mentally fatigued—sometimes promotes riskier behavior and sometimes promotes more conservative decision making (Freeman & Muraven, 2010; Unger & Stahlberg, 2011). Likewise, it is unclear how the outcome of previous bets influences risky decisions (Demareee, Burns, DeDonno et al., 2012). This week’s WAGER reviews a study of the effects of both cognitive depletion and with the outcome of previous bets on risky gambling behavior (Kostek & Ashrafioun, 2013).... Read more →