The Brief Addiction Science Information Source (BASIS)

Announcing The BASIS 2016-2017 Editorial Board

We are proud to announce The BASIS Editorial Board, comprised of a distinguished international group of clinicians, researchers, educators, and industry experts. For the next two years, these individuals will contribute to The BASIS and its capacity to improve our understanding of addiction. We are grateful for their service and look forward to working with them. Mark J. Albanese, MD Assistant Clinical Professor of Psychiatry Harvard Medical School Medical Director, Addictions Cambridge Health Alliance Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA Bo J. Bernhard, PhD Executive Director UNLV International Gaming Institute Professor, UNLV William F. Harrah College of Hotel Administration and UNLV Department of... Read more →

STASH 12(1) – Drug of choice? Changes in opium use as a function of the price of hash

What influences population drug use patterns? We often think that drug use is just a function of the properties of drugs, and how drugs make people feel. However, other factors, such as new drug opportunities, public perceptions of drugs, and drug availability and affordability might also affect broad trends. To explore these ideas, Siddharth Chandra and Madhur Chandra looked at the historical consumption of legalized opiates as a function of their price, the price of cannabis, and wage/income and discovered a surprising relationship. This week’s STASH reviews their study. What was the research question? How do wages and drug prices... Read more →

How has addiction science expanded in the last 20 years? Nominate your choice for a breakthrough paper

We’re also excited to announce that January 30, 2016 is the 20th anniversary of The BASIS! We started back in 1996 as The WAGER. Throughout the coming year, we will mark our 20th anniversary with some special content. We will take this opportunity to highlight some of the ways addiction science has expanded and advanced over the last two decades. You can help with this effort! Nominate a research article that you believe represents a breakthrough for addiction studies. Click here or submit a comment below to nominate an article. Check back in throughout the year to see if your... Read more →

ASHES Vol. 12(1) – Treating what? Substance use disorder treatment and quitting smoking

People with substance use disorders (SUD) are 2-4 times more likely to use tobacco — and suffer the consequences — than the general population[1]. Though research shows that people can quit smoking while managing their SUDs, many SUD treatment providers deprioritize quitting smoking, perhaps sending the message that quitting smoking during SUD treatment is too difficult or will negatively affect their patients’ treatment outcome[2]. Researchers Chang Shu and Benjamin Lê Cook recently examined the difference in rates of quitting smoking for individuals with and without lifetime SUD treatment. This week, ASHES reviews their study[3]. What was the research question? Are... Read more →

The DRAM Vol. 12(1) – The use of naltrexone in treating heavy drinking among young adults

Young adults experience many social and environmental situations that encourage heavy drinking, including turning 21 and being able to legally drink alcohol for the first time. Some young adults grow out of this behavior, yet some do not—they continue to drink heavily and experience the negative consequences that follow. Recently, a team of researchers led by Stephanie O’Malley studied the effectiveness among young adults of a medication called Naltrexone, designed to reduce how fast a person consumes alcohol and their desire to drink. This week, the DRAM reviews their study. Read more →

The WAGER, Vol. 21(1) – Parents just don’t understand: Gambling behaviors in successive immigrant generations

Adapting to a new culture can be tough on first-generation immigrants. It can take generations for immigrant families to adapt fully to a new culture. As immigrant families adapt, first-generation immigrants, their second-generation grandchildren, and their third-generation grandchildren can have vastly different experiences. Researcher Alyssa N. Wilson and her colleagues recently examined inter-generational differences in gambling. This week, The WAGER reviews their study. Read more →

Op-ed/Editorial: New resolutions to mark our 20th year

Dear readers, Welcome to our first science review of 2016! You might notice some exciting changes to The BASIS. First, we’ve streamlined our science reviews. For each scientific paper we review, we now focus less on the details of the methodology and more on the implications of the findings. This is part of our continuing efforts to share addiction science with the broadest audience possible. In addition to informing professionals, like researchers, clinicians, and policy makers, we also want to reach people outside these fields who have an interest in addiction. We want everyone, regardless of professional experience or educational... Read more →