The Brief Addiction Science Information Source (BASIS)

ASHES, Vol. 9(12) - This Thanksgiving, choose turkey over cigarettes: Associations between smoking and overeating among women

Many women smoke based on a belief that smoking helps to control weight (Camp, Klesges & Relyea, 1993; John, Meyer, Hapke, Rumpf, & Schumann, 2004). Today, as most Americans prepare for a big Thanksgiving feast, ASHES reviews a study that examines if using smoking as a mean to control weight is a general phenomenon, or is more likely to be found among those who have unhealthy relationship with food, as evidenced by binge eating and eating disorder symptoms (White, 2012). Methods The researchers recruited 107 adult female current smokers via national Craigslist ads using advertisements that invited volunteers to participate... Read more →

The DRAM, Vol. 9(12) - Drinking to cope: Stress, emotion, and cravings among heavy drinkers

The holiday season is upon us with all its trappings, from cocoa and pumpkin pie to stress and depression. People react to stress in different ways. Some hunker down, some go for a run, and some reach for the bottle. Research suggests that women and men tend to react differently to stress, and that those different reactions might in turn have different effects on drinking behavior (Rubonis,Colby, Monti, Rohsenow et al., 1994). This week, the DRAM reviews a study that examined stress-induced alcohol craving and negative emotion among female and male heavy drinkers (Hartwell & Ray, 2013). Methods Researchers recruited... Read more →

The WAGER, Vol. 18(12) – Two roots and a hundred branches: Classes of misconceptions about gambling

Gamblers can have a wide variety of superstitions and misconceptions that are associated with gambling-related problems. Either due to their variety or sheer number, dispelling those misconceptions can seem to be an impossible task. However, Ejova et al. (2013) recently proposed that it might be possible to group common misconceptions associated with gambling-related problems into two broad overlapping categories: (1) “primary control” – things players believe they can do to affect their results and (2) “secondary control” – the effects of external agents, forces or inanimate objects. If the two-category heuristic is valid, then dispelling gambling-related fallacies may require strategies... Read more →

STASH, Vol. 9(12) - Dude, where’s my life? How college student life goals predict marijuana use

Marijuana is the most commonly used illicit drug in the general population. Moreover, its use among college age students is higher than for any other age group (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration [SAMHSA], 2012). Although the relationship between student pursuit of goals and alcohol use has been studied (Rhoades & Maggs, 2006), researchers and others know less about the relationship between marijuana use and goals. This week’s STASH reviews a study that assessed the relationship between students’ life goals and their marijuana use (Wright & Palfai, 2012). Methods Researchers recruited 198 students (59.6% female) from an intro to... Read more →