The Brief Addiction Science Information Source (BASIS)

Gambling and the Law®: Cuba Needs Casinos

“I crapped out” Meyer Lansky, quoted in T.J. English’s Havana Nocturne: How the Mob Owned Cuba...and Then Lost It to the Revolution Fidel Castro is gone. He may not be dead. But on a recent trip to Cuba, I was told by both American and Cuban experts that he is beyond retired. His image may be everywhere, but he no longer has a living influence. Fidel has become to Cuba what Mao is to China. His younger brother, Raul, is still alive, but is 83 years old. He has called for term limits, including his own. He will not run... Read more →

Introduction to the Special Series on Addiction among Military Personnel and Veterans

Addiction touches nearly everyone in society but hits some groups especially hard. During the month of May, in recognition of Memorial Day, the BASIS focuses on research involving veterans and active duty military personnel. First, The DRAM reviewed a study of associative learning among veterans of Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) and Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) who drink alcohol to excess. Next, ASHES reviewed a study finding that exposure to combat and non-combat stress makes it more likely that soldiers will begin smoking and have difficulty quitting. Last week, STASH reviewed a study of employment among veterans with SUDs who have,... Read more →

The WAGER, Vol. 19(6) - Toward tactics for predicting gambling disorder among military veterans

A US admiral and nuclear military commander was fired last fall, and formally reprimanded early this month, due to his involvement in a gambling scandal. Such news provides some perspective about the diversity of military people who can be involved in gambling-related problems. As research accumulates suggesting that veterans are at elevated risk for gambling disorder (e.g., Westermeyer et al., 2005), the ability to detect those who are at greatest risk for problems becomes more important. This week, as part of our Special Series on Addiction among Military Personnel and Veterans, we consider individual characteristics associated with gambling problems among... Read more →

The Invisible Wounds of War

Editor’s Note: This editorial was written by John A. Renner, Jr., MD, CAS. Dr. Renner is Professor of Psychiatry, Boston University School of Medicine and Associate Chief of Psychiatry, VA Boston Healthcare System. We are grateful to Dr. Renner for sharing his insights regarding the treatment of veterans for a range of post-deployment conditions, including substance use disorder. After 9/11 they signed up in droves – young men and women from the inner cities, the suburbs and the heart land. Most were driven by a strong sense of patriotism and duty. There was no need for a draft – unlike... Read more →

STASH, Vol. 10(6) - Unemployment among veterans with substance use disorders and comorbid conditions

Veterans often face challenges when they return home from serving overseas. Unemployment is one such challenge. Some veterans might have trouble finding jobs because they are struggling with mental health problems, such as substance misuse, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and depression. This week, STASH reviews a study of employment among vets with substance use disorders who either have, or do not have, co-occurring psychiatric and general medical conditions (Humensky et al., 2013). This review is part of our Special Series on Addiction among Military Personnel and Veterans. Methods Participants were veterans who used the Veterans Administration (VA) for substance... Read more →

ASHES, Vol. 10(5) - Facing a different kind of enemy: Smoking initiation and cessation among Iraq veterans

Military service members and veterans are more likely to smoke than members of the general population (McKinney et al., 1997). Researchers have been investigating both the reasons for the increased rates of nicotine use and any factors that might give military personnel who smoke better chances of successfully quitting. This week, as part of our Special Series on Addiction among Military Personnel and Veterans, the ASHES reviews a prospective study that explored both smoking initiation and quitting among soldiers deployed to Iraq (Harte et al., 2014). Methods A total of 773 active duty and activated National Guard soldiers from the... Read more →

The DRAM, Vol. 10(5) - Associative learning among veterans with elevated alcohol consumption

The DRAM previously reviewed a study showing that returning veterans with mild traumatic brain injuries (mTBIs) are at an elevated risk for developing alcohol and drug use disorders, compared to veterans with other kinds of injuries. This week, as part of our Special Series on Addiction among Military Personnel and Veterans, we explore how brain injuries and substance use impact the ability to function in daily life. More specifically, we review a study that examined how mTBI, PTSD, and long-term alcohol use relate to associative learning, an important aspect of brain functioning (McGlinchey et al., 2014). Methods Participants were 81... Read more →