Poor drug addicts around the world face a host of problems from stigma and imprisonment to lack of treatment, according to the head of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC).

A meta-analysis of 24 previous studies concluded that there is "good evidence that prostate cancer is likely a smoking-related tumor," according to researcher Michael Huncharek.

Misuse of prescription drugs is a growing problem on college campuses, where the drugs are used recreationally as well as to aid in studying.

Many people with addictions can't access rehabilitation services, but if you're a celebrity like Charlie Sheen you can get treatment even if you don't currently have a drinking or drug problem.

Moderate alcohol consumption prior to a traumatic event like a car crash or sexual assault has been linked to higher rates of flashbacks among victims.

A new law regulating medical-marijuana dispensaries in Los Angeles is being challenged by activists who say the rules are too onerous.

Marlboro Snus, a version of smokeless tobacco developed by Philip Morris USA parent Altria Group, Inc., will soon be sold nationally.

Physicians' assistants, nurse practitioners and naturopathic physicians would join doctors in being able to prescribe marijuana for medical use under a bill that's close to becoming law in Washington state.

Children exposed in-utero to cocaine often have lower IQs and do poorly in school and with language, but a new research review concludes that these impairments can usually be traced to the troubled environment the children of cocaine users live in and not directly to the effects of the drug itself.

A poll commissioned by the Maryland chapter of the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence found that 72 percent of state residents back a proposed 10-cent-per-drink tax if the revenues were used to pay for addiction treatment, services for the mentally ill and developmentally disabled, and healthcare for uninsured residents.

The Utah House of Representatives has voted 39-35 in favor of a measure that would raise the state tax on cigarettes by $1 per pack, from the current 69.5 cents to about $1.70.

Teens exposed to secondhand smoke have measurably thicker arteries than adolescents who are not exposed, suggesting that for children "even a little exposure to tobacco smoke may be harmful for blood vessels," according to researcher Katariina Kallio of the University of Turku in Finland.

Nominations are now being accepted for the Father Joseph C. Martin Award for Professional Excellence, which honors professionals in the addiction treatment field who embody Father Martin's philosophy and life's work.

Only a fraction of the world's injection-drug users receive education or other assistance in preventing contraction or spreading of the AIDS virus, according to a new study that says government health officials often overlook a key vector for the disease.

The star-powered (but ill-fated) musical 'Nine' got a thumbs-down as the year's smokiest movie as part of the annual Hackademy Awards.

Ohio's smokefree law calls for fines of up to $1,000 on businesses that violate the statute, but a state judge recently ruled that patrons should be penalized for lighting up, not property owners.

Marijuana arrests and prosecutions continued virtually unabated in Denver despite passage of a voter initiative calling for police to make such cases their lowest priority.

Smoking marijuana as a teenager could raise the risk of developing schizophrenia and psychotic symptoms as a young adult, according to a new study that compared the prevalence of mental illness among marijuana users and non-users.

Tobacco companies are promoting use of snuff and other smokeless tobacco products as an alternative to smoking, but new research shows that snuff users are just as addicted to nicotine as smokers.

Liquor stores are suing and neighbors are complaining as the Walgreens pharmacy chain seeks permits to sell alcohol at its stores in Indiana.

NIATx announces opportunities to learn about treatment improvement strategies, participate in free webinars, and share your story for a chance to win a free trip to their upcoming conference.

A new report finds that more kids say they are using alcohol and other drugs, but many parents are unable or unwilling to deal with the issue -- a bad combination when declining support for prevention and cultural apathy about the issue leave parents as the last and sometimes only line of defense against adolescent drug use.

The governments of Mexico and the United States have signed a pledge to cut demand for illicit drugs by stepped up treatment and prevention efforts.

"If Big Tobacco is in retreat in some parts of the world, it is on the march in others," says Margaret Chan, director general of the World Health Organization (WHO).

A French youth antismoking campaign that equates smoking to submissively giving oral sex is being criticized for its explicit theme and questionable effectiveness.