The Brief Addiction Science Information Source (BASIS)

STASH, Vol. 15(7) - Do medical marijuana laws reduce deaths from prescription opioid and heroin overdoses?

This week, STASH reviews a study by David Powell and colleagues that examined how changes in medical marijuana laws affected deaths due to prescription opioids and heroin. Read more →

ASHES, Vol. 15(7) - Vape shops: Helpful or harmful?

This week, ASHES reviews a study by Greta Hsu and colleagues that investigated whether vaping product source predicts vaping frequency and successful smoking cessation. Read more →

The DRAM, Vol. 15(7) - Individual preferences in support for reducing drinking

This week, The DRAM reviews a study by Emma Davies and her colleagues that explored whether people’s intentions to reduce their drinking, and their preferred sources of support, are related to their drinking patterns and problems. Read more →

The WAGER, Vol. 24(7) - From Fortnite to slots: Do problem video gaming behaviors predict future problem gambling behaviors?

This week, The WAGER reviews a study by Helge Molde and colleagues that examined whether problem video gaming behaviors predict future problem gambling behaviors. Read more →

STASH, Vol. 15(6) - Attention at all ages: A recent, rapid increase in opioid treatment among older adults

This week, STASH reviews a study by Andrew Huhn and colleagues that examined how treatment admissions of older adults for opioid use disorder have changed during the United States opioid crisis. Read more →

ASHES, Vol. 15(6) - I think, therefore I try: Perceptions about e-cigarette harm and addictiveness as predictors of e-cigarette use

This week, ASHES reviews a study by Wiseman and colleagues that explored how perceptions about e-cigarettes relate to e-cigarette use among a nationally representative sample. Read more →

Op-ed: How The Phoenix and the Red Sox are partnering to change the stigma of addiction

Even in a nation that has spent substantial resources combatting the addiction epidemic, for many there remain significant barriers to accessing care, such as long waiting lists for treatment beds, high financial cost to receiving quality care and lack of long-term recovery support services. While the US has made significant strides in bending the curve of addiction related deaths in recent years, many of these challenges will require additional financial investment, time and innovation to meet the need. One less tangible, but equally strong barrier to overcoming addiction however, is the concept of stigma. Read more →

The DRAM, Vol. 15(6) - Turn of the Century: Reasons why people did not seek help for drinking between 1991 and 2002.

This week, as part of our Special Series on Stigma and Addiction, The DRAM reviews a study by Karen Chartier and colleagues that examined changes over time in the most common reasons people give for not seeking help for their drinking. Read more →

The WAGER, Vol. 24(6) - Differences in stigma across levels of gambling behavior

This week, as part of our Special Series on Stigma and Addiction, The WAGER reviews a study by Billy A. Palmer and colleagues on the stigmatization of people with gambling disorder. Read more →

How stigma thwarts evidence-based and compassionate public policy

Editor’s Note: This editorial was written by Michael Botticelli as part of our Special Series on Stigma and Addiction. There may be no more dangerous contributor to the current opioid epidemic than stigma. Stigma is the lack of respect for a person or a group of people because they have done something or have traits of which society disapproves. And stigma isn’t just an abstract concept – it’s present every day in how society perceives people with a substance use disorder (SUD). People with a SUD are referred to as addicts, junkies and worse. When we call people things like... Read more →