The Brief Addiction Science Information Source (BASIS)

STASH, Vol. 13(1) – For adults only: Evolving attitudes about marijuana among Gen X-ers

As people age, their attitudes often change. Opinions can transform for many reasons. Circumstances evolve, people look at questions from different points of view, exposure to and knowledge about events and subjects changes. As multiple states legalize or consider legalizing marijuana, researchers have been surveying and studying changes in public opinion of marijuana use. This week, ASHES reviews a longitudinal study by Rick Kosterman and his colleagues on Gen X-ers’ views on marijuana use as they moved from adolescence to adulthood. What was the research question? Have these Gen X-ers’ attitudes towards marijuana use changed over the last three decades?... Read more →

ASHES, Vol. 13(1) - Parental socioeconomic status and nicotine dependence in children

Public health prevention, smoking cessation programs, and tobacco control policies have led to global reductions in prevalence of tobacco smoking. However, there are still groups of people, such as young adults and those experiencing homelessness, who are at increased risk for tobacco smoking. Learning more about risk factors could help us develop effective prevention strategies for these groups. Today in ASHES we review a population-based study conducted in Norway by Willy Pedersen and Tilmann Von Soest that examined the relationship between parents’ socioeconomic status and future nicotine dependence in their children. What was the research question? What is the pathway... Read more →

The DRAM, Vol. 13(1) – What do you think? Perceived peer attitudes & adolescent drinking

The influence of norms on attitudes and behavior is particularly strong during adolescence, a period of pronounced developmental changes. Research has established a robust association between perceptions about peers’ drinking behavior (called descriptive norms) and drinking among young people. A recent study by Eric Pedersen and colleagues seeks to enrich our understanding of the relationship between norms and adolescent drinking by focusing instead on how perceptions about peers’ attitudes about drinking (called injunctive norms) affect drinking among high school students. The DRAM reviews this study. What was the research question? How do perceptions about peers’ attitudes regarding the acceptability of... Read more →

The WAGER, Vol. 22(1) – Gambling Disorder among people in methadone maintenance treatment

People who are in methadone maintenance treatment are at risk for problem gambling. Importantly, such patients are over 8 times more likely to dropout of methadone treatment and more likely to be using opioids during methadone maintenance treatment. Since these early studies, the gambling landscape has changed and new diagnostic tools have become available. This makes continued research important. Today on the WAGER, we review a study by Seth Himeloch and colleagues, which continues this line of research study. What was the research question? What is the nature of the gambling behavior and problems among those receiving methadone maintenance? What... Read more →