Media and Education Activities

Press Releases

April 1, 2006 - Combination of Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy and Motivational Incentives Enhance Treatment for Marijuana Addiction.
New research supported by NIDA, indicates that people who are trying to end their addiction to marijuana can benefit from a treatment program that combines motivational incentives with cognitive-behavioral therapy. The study was published in the April 2006 issue of the Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology.

March 9, 2006 - NIDA NewsScan #41

• Bacterial Infections Pose Major Risks for Drug Abusers
• Improving HIV/AIDS Knowledge in Treatment-Seeking Cocaine Abusers
• Mouse Study Reveals Mechanisms By Which Cocaine Strengthens HIV Infection
• Russian Medical System Needs To Adapt to Co-Occurring Drug Abuse, Infectious Diseases

February 1, 2006 - NIDA NewsScan #40

• Epigenetics Offers New Avenues for Addiction Research
• Rat Study Shows Link Between Stress and Relapse to Drug Abuse
• Nicotine, Hypocretin Have Similar Effects on Attention in Rats
• Research in Mice Shows Naloxone Blocks Activity in Brain Pathways Key to Nicotine Addiction
• New Brain Scan Study Suggests Differences in Smokers in Response to Smoking Cues
• Compound Blocks Cocaine-Associated Environmental Cues in Rats
• Scientists Correlate Cocaine Craving, High with Regional Brain Activity
• New Brain Scan Technology Confirms the Effects of Acute Cocaine Abuse in the Human Brain
• Rat Study Suggests Chromatin Remodeling Affects Brain Circuits Involved in Addiction
• Study Identifies Cerebellum's Involvement in Addiction
• Brain Protein May Elicit Neuroprotective Effects on Brain Nerve Cells

May 15, 2006 - Behaviors May Indicate Risk of Adolescent Depression.
New findings from a study supported by the National Institute on Drug Abuse, show that girls and boys who exhibit high levels of risky behaviors have similar chances of developing symptoms of depression. However, gender differences become apparent with low and moderate levels of risky behaviors with girls being significantly more likely than boys to experience symptoms of depression. The study, which incorporates data from almost 19,000 teens, was published in the May 15, 2006 issue of the Archives of Women's Mental Health.

January 20, 2006 - Black, White Teens Show Differences in Nicotine Metabolism.
New research by scientists with NIDA suggests that some of the racial and ethnic differences underlying how adults' bodies metabolize nicotine also are at work during adolescence. The findings have implications for the way teens of different racial and ethnic backgrounds are provided smoking cessation treatments. The study was published in the January 2006 issue of Ethnicity and Disease.

January 3, 2006 - Two Research Centers Join the NIDA Clinical Trials Network.
NIDA announced the establishment of two new Clinical Trials Network (CTN) affiliates. This development increases the range of NIDA's research infrastructure to test drug addiction treatments in real-life settings with diverse patient populations.

December 19, 2005 - 2005 Monitoring the Future Survey Shows Continued Decline in Drug Use by Students.
Overall, the 2005 Monitoring the Future (MTF) survey showed good news. While there was no substantive change in any illicit drug use between 2004 and 2005, analysis of the survey revealed an almost 19 percent decline in past month use of any illicit drug by 8th, 10th, and 12th graders between 2001 and 2005. This trend is driven largely by decreasing rates of marijuana use among these students. For example, since 2001, past month use of marijuana has fallen by 28 percent among 8th graders and by 23 percent among 10th graders.

Articles of Interest

April 3, 2006, Associated Press - "NIDA Chief Studies the Brain of Addicts" - Interview with Nora D. Volkow M.D.

March 2, 2006, CNN Headline News - "The Teenage Brain and Behavior" - Interview with Nora D. Volkow M.D.

March 20, 2006, NBC Nightline - "Women Under the Influence" - Interview with Nora D. Volkow M.D.

Winter 2006, Lens Magazine - "Two Paths to the Future" - Interview with Nora D. Volkow, M.D.

February 26, 2006, Washington Post - "Millions Have Misused ADHD Stimulant Drugs, Study Says" - Interview with Nora D. Volkow M.D.

January 23, 2006, Washington Post - "Blacks' Tobacco Risk Revisited" - Interview with Eric T. Moolchan, M.D.

Educational Activities

Mr. Brian Marquis, OSPC, presented a "NIDA Goes Back to School" workshop at the National after School Association Conference in Louisville, KY at the Kentucky International Convention Center on February 24, 2006. Session attendees learned about the campaign and its variety of K-12 science based educational materials about the consequences of drugs abuse on the brain and body.

In response to continuing trends in inhalant abuse among younger teens as noted in the 2005 Monitoring the Future study, NIDA continued enhancing public awareness this year through meetings and information dissemination projects nationwide. Most recently, as part of National Inhalants and Poisons Awareness Week activities in March 2006, Dr. Nora D.Volkow led the annual kick-off press conference at the National Press Club. Other speakers included ONDCP Deputy Director Mary Ann Solberg; SAMHSA Senior Advisor to the Administrator Beverly Watts Davis; National Inhalants Prevention Coalition Executive Director Harvey Weiss; Jeff Williams, a Cleveland police officer whose son died at age 14 after "huffing" computer keyboard cleaner; and Craig Dant, a 20 year old recovering inhalant user.

Heads Up: Real News about Drugs and Your Body NIDA and SCHOLASTIC INC., continued year 4 of their aggressive outreach to middle school students and teachers in the classroom, with the Heads Up science-based article inserts on drug abuse and addiction. Junior Scholastic, Science World, Up Front, CHOICES, SCOPE, and Action have carried Heads Up articles four times a year since 2003. Each issue is distributed to nearly 2 million students and teachers nationwide in classrooms, with an overall reach of nearly 7 million. In April and May, 2006, the SCHOLASTIC magazines carried the article A Day in the Life of a Teen, focusing on a teen's decision-making in various daily social settings, with the goal of avoiding drugs.

Conferences/Exhibits

Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America -- February 14-16, 2006

Lonnie E. Mitchell Historic Black Colleges and Universities Substance Abuse Conference -- April 5-9, 2006

National Science Teachers Association 541th National Convention -- April 6-9, 2006

PRIDE 2006 World Conference -- April 12-15, 2006

American Association for the Treatment of Opioid Dependence Conference -- April 22-25, 2006

American Alliance of Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance National Convention and Exposition -- April 25-29, 2006

American Society for Addiction Medicine (ASAM) 37th Annual Medical-Scienfitic Conference -- May 4-7, 2006

American Psychiatric Association (APA) 159th Annual Meeting -- May 20-25, 2006