The Brief Addiction Science Information Source (BASIS)

Thank You to our Organizational Sponsors

We thank the following organizations that provided essential financial support for the BASIS during 2013. Thanks to their generous support, we were able to continue to provide the BASIS free of charge to thousands of interested readers worldwide. The Massachusetts Council on Compulsive Gambling bwin.party digital entertainment We applaud the Massachusetts Council on Compulsive Gambling and bwin.party for promoting the free dissemination of science-based information regarding addiction in its many expressions. During 2013, we published 13 issues each of our four review journals; two Special Topics in Addiction and the Humanities; and two Op-Ed/Editorials, one of which prompted a lively... Read more →

ASHES, Vol. 9(13) - Do e-cigarettes deliver? A randomized control trial of nicotine delivery systems

As awareness about and use of e-cigarettes has grown across the globe (ASHES Vol. 9(6)), these devices have come under more scrutiny from researchers and public policy experts. E-cigarettes are gaining popularity because like nicotine patches, they provide a low dose of nicotine, contain fewer toxins than cigarettes, and simulate behavioral and sensory dimensions of smoking. However, because e-cigarettes are a relatively new technology, there is a paucity of research to inform discussions about safety and efficacy. This week’s ASHES reviews a recent randomized control trial examining the efficacy of e-cigarettes compared to placebo and nicotine patches for smoking cessation... Read more →

The DRAM, Vol. 9(13) – How do you deal?: Exploring possible mediators between trauma and physical health complaints.

Psychological trauma has adverse consequences for the body as well as the mind. Some research suggests that the way we cope influences how psychological trauma influences physical health (Lawler et al., 2005). This week’s DRAM reviews a study examining how avoidant coping and drinking mediate the relationship between sexual trauma and physical complaints (Bedard-Gilligan, Cronce, Lehavot, Blayney, & Kaysen, 2013). Methods Researchers contacted a large random sample of female students at northwestern university. Eligible participants reported recent “heavy episodic drinking”[1]. The researchers selected 722 who had experienced “at least one unwanted sexual experience” and 105 controls who reported no traumatic... Read more →

The WAGER, Vol. 18(13) – For a limited time: How self-imposed caps change gambling activity

Many online gambling operators offer self-limiting features, allowing players to set limits on how much money or time they spend gambling. Although it is up to the player to set his or her own limits, once in place, the sites strictly enforce the limits. During 2008, Nelson et al. noted that players who used such features altered their behavior, gambling less than before they set the limits. More recently, Auer and Griffiths used a concept they call “theoretical loss” (explained in more detail below) to explore whether self-imposed limits change the behavior of what they consider “high-intensity” gamblers. This week’s... Read more →

STASH, Vol. 9(13) – Prescription stimulant use among high school seniors

With ever-increasing rates of high school students being prescribed stimulants for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD; Garfield et al., 2012), a substantial percentage of high school students are exposed to medical stimulants, both legally and illicitly. However, there have been few systematic, large-scale studies of prescription stimulant use among high school students. This week’s STASH reviews a national survey of high school students’ prescription stimulant use and its relation to other drug and alcohol use behavior (McCabe & West, 2013). Methods The data for this study were collected as part of the larger Monitoring the Future (MTF) study (http://www.monitoringthefuture.org/). This study used... Read more →