The Brief Addiction Science Information Source (BASIS)

The DRAM, Vol. 11(9) – Playing hard: Problem drinking among college athletes

Alcohol use, specifically risky drinking, has been a public health concern on college campuses for many years. Previous research has suggested that college athletic involvement is associated with an increased likelihood of alcohol consumption (Leichliter et al, 1998). This week, as part of our Special Series on Addiction and Sports,The DRAM explores ta study that examined the progression of alcohol consumption and alcohol-related problems and how it relates to athletic participation (Cadigan et al., 2013). Methods Researchers utilized data from 1590 college students who participated in a 4-year longitudinal study (the Intensive Multivariate Prospective Alcohol College-Transitions Study [IMPACTS]: Sher and... Read more →

The WAGER, Vol. 20(9) – Warning signs: The influence of gambling ads on gambling behavior

Most advertisers use a wide variety of promotions and ad types, because different people react more or react less to different kinds of ads. Some people, for example, notice product and logo placement more than others. Other people are more susceptible to jingles and earworms. Accordingly, gambling service providers have invested millions of dollars in many different forms of advertising, from jerseys to stadium walls to 30-second spots on television broadcasts. This week, as a part of our Special Series on Addiction and Sports, The WAGER will review a study exploring gamblers’ reactions to different kinds of promotions and advertising... Read more →

STASH, Vol. 11(8) - Play through the Pain: Participation in organized sports and opioid use among adolescents

Key stakeholders, including presidential candidates, are speaking out about to the burgeoning problem of opioid misuse and dependence, which can strike any community. To illustrate, according to the American Society of Addiction Medicine, each day, 2,500 American youth abuse a prescription pain reliever for the first time. It follows that those who might have an increased likelihood of having such a prescription are an important group to monitor. As part of our Special Series on Addiction and Sports, STASH reviews a study of medical opioid use and misuse among adolescent athletes (Veliz, Epstein-Ngo, Meier, Ross-Durros, McCabe, & Boyd, 2014). Methods... Read more →

Register Now: Addiction Medicine Continuing Education Course

We invite clinicians, practitioners, and allied health professionals who treat clients with addictive disorders to attend the 2015 Addiction Medicine Continuing Education course now on Harvard Medical School’s campus at The Joseph B. Martin Conference Center on October 2-3, 2015. The Division on Addiction, Cambridge Health Alliance presents "Addiction Medicine: A Case-based Approach to the Treatment of Addictive Disorders, with a Special Focus on the Traumatized Brain." Each year, this course provides cutting-edge information on methods of diagnosis and protocols for intervention and management strategies for patients with substance abuse and dependence. Our expert faculty provides a forum for dialogue... Read more →

ASHES, Vol. 11(8) - Ready to quit smoking? Vigorous exercise can help reduce cravings

Vigorous exercise reduces cigarette cravings in the short term (Haasova et al., 2013), but researchers are unsure why this occurs. By learning more about the underlying physiological and neurobiological factors involved, researchers might help people use exercise to quit smoking. This week, as part of our Special Series on Addiction and Sports, ASHES reviews a study that investigated potential underlying mechanisms involved in the relationship between exercise and reduction of cigarette cravings (Roberts, Gant, Sollers, Bullen, Jiang, & Maddison, 2015). Methods The authors recruited 40 participants (25 male, 15 female, 18-59 years old), all smokers, from throughout Auckland, New Zealand.... Read more →

Introduction to the Special Series on Addiction and Sports

Addiction and sports are connected with one another countless ways. At the most basic level, physical activity—running, swimming, lifting weights—can help people overcome urges to engage in addictive behavior. For example, this month's ASHES reviews a study of the beneficial effects of vigorous exercise on cigarette cravings. But participating in sports is about much more than physical activity. For example, being part of a team might serve as a protective factor against substance abuse among adolescents -- except, as reviewed in this month's STASH, when it results in injuries, and, ultimately, misuse of prescription pain medication. Potentially harmful associations with... Read more →