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NIDA Home > Frequently Asked Questions 

Frequently Asked Questions


- What does the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) do?
- How does NIDA fund research?
- FAQ's on Applying for Grants
- What drugs are commonly abused?
- What is drug addiction?
- How quickly can I become addicted to a drug?
- How do I know if someone is addicted to drugs?
- What are the physical signs of abuse or addiction?
- If a pregnant woman abuses drugs, does it affect the fetus?
- Are there effective treatments for drug addiction?
- Where can I find information about drug treatment programs?
- What is detoxification, or “detox”?
- What is withdrawal? How long does it last?
- What is NIDA’s Drug Abuse Treatment Clinical Trials Network (CTN)?
- How does NIDA ensure its research findings are used by treatment providers?
- What are the costs of drug abuse to society?
- How can I receive educational materials regarding drug abuse?
- Is permission required to use parts of or reproduce these materials?



What does the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) do?
NIDA is a Federal scientific research institute under the National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. NIDA is the largest supporter of the world’s research on drug abuse and addiction. NIDA-funded scientific research addresses the most fundamental and essential questions about drug abuse, including tracking emerging drug use trends, understanding how drugs work in the brain and body, developing and testing new drug treatment and prevention approaches, and disseminating findings to the general public and special populations.

How does NIDA fund research?
Information for funding opportunities available at NIDA can be found online at www.drugabuse.gov/funding.html. We fund meritorious and innovative scientific research on all aspects of drug abuse and addiction. Because NIDA is one of 27 institutes and centers that comprise the National Institutes of Health (NIH), our grants review process and funding policies are governed by NIH. All NIH funding opportunities, including grants, contracts, training, and small business initiatives, are posted in the NIH Guide. The NIH Guide also provides instructions on how to apply for funding.

FAQ's on Applying for Grants
Go to http://www.drugabuse.gov/about/organization/oea/oeafaq.html

What drugs are commonly abused?
NIDA and other agencies monitor what drugs are being abused by tracking trends in drug abuse through many different surveys and data collection systems. Annually, NIDA supports the collection of data on drug abuse patterns among secondary school students and young adults through the Monitoring the Future Study (MTF). The table below provides 2005 MTF data for some commonly abused drugs among 8th, 10th, and 12th graders. NIDA has also gathered information on types of commonly abused drugs, such as street and commercial names and health effects, into a chart available on line at /DrugPages/DrugsofAbuse.html.

NIDA also monitors general and emerging drug abuse trends through its Community Epidemiology Work Group which meets twice yearly to discuss drug abuse patterns in major metropolitan areas across the nation.

MTF 2005 Data for 30-day Use*
Drug/Type of Drug 8th grade 10th grade 12th grade
Any Illicit Drug
8.5%
17.3%
23.1%
Nicotine/Tobacco
- Cigarettes
- Smokeless Tobacco

9.3%
3.3%

14.9%
5.6%

23.7%
7.6%
Marijuana
6.6%
15.2%
19.8%
Inhalants
4.2%
2.2%
2.0%
Methamphetamine
0.7%
1.1%
0.9%
Ecstasy (MDMA)
0.6%
1.0%
1.0%
Cocaine
1.0%
1.5%
2.3%
Heroin
0.5%
0.5%
0.5%

MTF 2005 Data for Annual Use*
Prescription Drugs
8th grade 10th grade 12th grade
Ritalin
2.4%
3.4%
4.4%
Tranquilizers
2.8%
4.8%
6.8%
Amphetamines
4.9%
7.8%
8.6%
Anabolic Steroids
1.1%
1.3%
1.5%
OxyContin
1.8%
3.2%
5.5%
Vicodin
2.6%
5.9%
9.5%

* "Lifetime" refers to use at least once during a respondent's lifetime. "Annual" refers to use at least once during the year preceding an individual's response to the survey. "30-day" refers to use at least once during the 30 days preceding an individual's response to the survey

What is drug addiction?
Drug addiction is a complex brain disease. It is characterized by drug craving, seeking, and use that can persist even in the face of extremely negative consequences. Drug-seeking may become compulsive in large part as a result of the effects of prolonged drug use on brain functioning and, thus, on behavior. For many people, relapses are possible even after long periods of abstinence. For more information, visit /about/welcome/aboutdrugabuse.

How quickly can I become addicted to a drug?
There is no easy answer to this. If and how quickly you might become addicted to a drug depends on many factors including the biology of your body. All drugs are potentially harmful and may have life-threatening consequences associated with their abuse. There are also vast differences among individuals in sensitivity to various drugs. While one person may use a drug one or many times and suffer no ill effects, another person may be particularly vulnerable and overdose with first use. There is no way of knowing in advance how someone may react.

How do I know if someone is addicted to drugs?
If a person is compulsively seeking and using a drug despite negative consequences, such as loss of job, debt, physical problems brought on by drug abuse, or family problems, then he or she probably is addicted. Seek professional help to determine if this is the case and, if so, the appropriate treatment.

What are the physical signs of abuse or addiction?
The physical signs of abuse or addiction can vary depending on the person and the drug being abused. For example, someone who abuses marijuana may have a chronic cough or worsening of asthmatic symptoms. Each drug has short-term and long-term physical effects. Stimulants like cocaine increase heart rate and blood pressure, whereas opioids like heroin may slow the heart rate and reduce respiration.

If a pregnant woman abuses drugs, does it affect the fetus?
Many substances including alcohol, nicotine, and other drugs of abuse can have negative effects on the developing fetus because they are transferred to the fetus across the placenta. For example, nicotine has been connected with premature birth and low birth weight as has the use of cocaine.

Whether a baby's health problems, if caused by a drug, will continue as the child grows, is not always known. Research does show that children born to mothers who used marijuana regularly during pregnancy may have trouble concentrating, even when older. Our research continues to produce insights on the effects of drug abuse on the fetus.

Are there effective treatments for drug addiction?
Drug addiction can be effectively treated with behavioral-based therapies and, for addiction to some drugs such as heroin or nicotine, medications. Treatment will vary for each person depending on the type of drug(s) being used, and multiple courses of treatment may be needed to achieve success. Research has revealed 13 basic principles that underlie effective drug addiction treatment discussed in NIDA's Principles of Drug Addiction Treatment: A Research-Based Guide.

Where can I find information about drug treatment programs?
For referrals to treatment programs, call 1-800-662-HELP, or visit the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration online at http://findtreatment.samhsa.gov/.

NIDA publishes an expanding series of treatment manuals, the "clinical toolbox," that gives drug treatment providers research-based information for creating effective treatment programs.

What is detoxification, or "detox"?
Detoxification is the process of allowing the body to rid itself of a drug while managing the symptoms of withdrawal. It is often the first step in a drug treatment program and should be followed by treatment with a behavioral-based therapy and/or a medication, if available. Detox alone with no follow-up is not treatment.

What is withdrawal? How long does it last?
Withdrawal is the variety of symptoms that occur after use of some addictive drugs is reduced or stopped. Length of withdrawal and symptoms vary with the type of drug. For example, physical symptoms of heroin withdrawal may include: restlessness, muscle and bone pain, insomnia, diarrhea, vomiting, and cold flashes. These physical symptoms may last for several days, but the general depression, or dysphoria (opposite of euphoria) that often accompanies heroin withdrawal may last for weeks. In many cases withdrawal can be easily treated with medications to ease the symptoms, but treating withdrawal is not the same as treating addiction.

What is NIDA’s Drug Abuse Treatment Clinical Trials Network (CTN)?
Clinical trials are research studies that answer specific questions about new treatments for health conditions such as drug addiction. NIDA’s CTN seeks to test new treatments for drug addiction, both medication and behavioral-based, in community settings.

NIDA has established a network of CTN centers across the country. Each center partners with several community treatment programs where patient volunteers are recruited for clinical trials. Researchers and practitioners involved in the CTN work together to determine treatment concepts to be tested. To date, eight different treatment protocols and three survey studies have been completed in our national clinical trials infrastructure. NIDA researchers are also training providers in the delivery of such treatments and, in so doing, are beginning to infuse evidence-based practices into the diverse culture of community treatment. This, in turn, is leading to advances in the way treatment is provided in this country.

Researchers, community treatment providers, and people who want to learn about participating in the CTN should visit /CTN/Index.htm.

How does NIDA ensure its research findings are used by treatment providers?
NIDA partners with other NIH Institutes, Federal agencies, and community and professional organizations to bring research findings to community and other treatment settings. In a landmark initiative begun in 2001, NIDA and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) developed what has come to be known as the Blending Initiative. This involves an interagency agreement designed to meld science and practice by encouraging the use of current evidence-based treatment interventions by professionals in the drug abuse treatment field.

"Blending Teams," comprising NIDA researchers and staff from the Center for Substance Abuse Treatment’s (CSAT’S) Addiction Technology Transfer Center (ATTC) Network are charged with disseminating research results for adoption and implementation in practice settings. Specifically, each team develops a strategic dissemination plan for introducing particular research findings using a number of different mechanisms—such as trainings, self-study programs, workshops, and distance learning opportunities—for effective adoption within communities. This effort also will establish and maintain regional and national partnerships with drug abuse researchers and community-based treatment providers as well as policy makers, stakeholders, and the general public.

This NIDA/SAMHSA-ATTC collaboration is an important mechanism for disseminating recent progress in drug addiction research and forging important linkages. Reaching individuals who are providing services to people with substance use disorders is imperative to the success of drug abuse treatment programs throughout the country.

What are the costs of drug abuse to society?
It is estimated that in 2002 illegal drug use cost America close to $181 billion:
  • $129 billion in lost productivity
  • $16 billion in healthcare costs
  • $36 billion in other costs, such as efforts to stem the flow of drugs.

For more details on the economic cost of drug abuse, visit http://www.whitehousedrugpolicy.gov/publications/economic_costs/.

Beyond the raw numbers are other costs to society:

  • spread of infectious diseases such as HIV/AIDS and hepatitis C either through sharing of drug paraphernalia or unprotected sex
  • deaths due to overdose or other complications from drug use
  • effects on unborn children of pregnant drug users
  • other effects such as crime and homelessness.

How can I receive educational materials regarding drug abuse?
NIDA produces a variety of educational materials for the general public and healthcare providers:

NIDA’s materials are available online. For hard copies, NIDA maintains an online publications catalog, and orders can be placed by calling the National Clearinghouse for Alcohol and Drug Information at 1-800-729-6686. Many of our publications are available in both English and Spanish.

For teachers and students, NIDA Goes Back to School provides science-based drug abuse education materials geared to students in grades K-12 and their teachers. All of these materials are free. Students are encouraged to join Sara Bellum, a budding neuroscientist, as she explores the effects of various drugs on the brain. Students and teachers can learn through the Mind Over Matter curriculum, or they can go online to join in Sara’s Quest an interactive web-based program. Educationally appropriate materials from NIDA’s collaboration with Scholastic Marketing Partners, the in-school marketing division of Scholastic, the global children’s publishing and media company, also are available in compilations by year from NIDA’s publications catalog and online through NIDA Goes Back to School. These products include articles and posters from the Heads Up: Real News About Drugs and Your Body program through which Scholastic features NIDA science-based articles on drug abuse and addiction in its Classroom Magazines. ScholasticNews.com also maintains a Heads Up Web site at www.scholastic.com/headsup. Also available is Marijuana: Facts for Teens and a companion booklet, Marijuana: Facts Parents Need to Know.

Is permission required to use parts of or reproduce these materials?
Unless otherwise specified, NIDA's products are in the public domain and can be copied as a whole without seeking permission from NIDA. Also, text selections and graphics that do not have source citations listed beside, above, or below them can also be used without permission. If the person or organization using such material wishes to cite the document or text, standard citation formats relating to publications and Web sites should be followed.

Please note, however, that if a person or organization wishes to use text selections and graphics that do have source citations listed beside, above, or below them, permission for use will need to be sought directly from the listed source.

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National Institutes of Health logo_Department of Health and Human Services Logo The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) is part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) , a component of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Questions? See our Contact Information. Last updated on Wednesday, August 13, 2008. The U.S. government's official web portal