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substance use disorder

GLP-1 medications and mental health benefits: What new research shows

GLP-1 medications and mental health benefits: What new research shows

GLP-1 medications and mental health benefits: What new research shows GLP-1 medications are best known for helping people manage diabetes and lose weight. Over the past several years, researchers have begun to notice something else. Many patients report changes not only in appetite and weight, but also in

Nearly a third of Pennsylvania gamblers are at risk of problem gambling − but few seek treatment

Nearly a third of Pennsylvania gamblers are at risk of problem gambling − but few seek treatment

Nearly three times as many Pennsylvania adults gamble online today than just a few years ago. And as online platforms make gambling easier and more convenient, some Pennsylvanians are gambling more often and may be more prone to developing problems. We are researchers at Penn State’s Criminal Justice Research

GLP-1 drugs may fight addiction across every major substance, according to a study of 600,000 people

GLP-1 drugs may fight addiction across every major substance, according to a study of 600,000 people

A patient of mine, a veteran who had tried to quit smoking for over a decade, told me that after he started a GLP-1 drug for his diabetes, he lost interest in cigarettes. He didn’t use a patch. He didn’t set a quit date. He simply lost

What decades of research reveal about involuntary substance use treatment – and why evidence points elsewhere

What decades of research reveal about involuntary substance use treatment – and why evidence points elsewhere

Since President Donald Trump issued a July 2025 executive order aimed at “ending crime and disorder on America’s streets,” national attention has increasingly focused on involuntary treatment as a response to visible homelessness and drug use. A few months later, in September 2025, officials in Utah announced plans for

Fewer new moms are dying in Colorado – naloxone might be one reason why

Fewer new moms are dying in Colorado – naloxone might be one reason why

(AURORA, COLORADO) In Colorado, from 2016 to 2020, 33 women who were pregnant or had recently given birth died from accidental overdoses. That’s more than died from traditional obstetric complications like infection, high blood pressure or bleeding combined. More recent data shows an encouraging turnaround. The number of maternal

Does cannabis use raise risk of psychotic and bipolar disorders?

Does cannabis use raise risk of psychotic and bipolar disorders?

By Stephen Beech Teenage cannabis users double their risk of psychotic and bipolar disorders, according to new research. They face a "significantly higher" risk of developing serious psychiatric problems by young adulthood, say scientists. The American study, published in the journal JAMA Health Forum, followed 463,396 adolescents