Methamphetamine Enters Brain Quickly And Lingers

ScienceDaily (2008-10-16) -- Using positron emission tomography to track tracer doses of methamphetamine in humans' brains, scientists find that the addictive and long-lasting effects of this increasingly prevalent drug can be explained in part by its pharmacokinetics -- the rate at which it enters and clears the brain, and its distribution.

Preventing Prescription Drug Overdoses

Check out the Utah Department of Health initiative to reduce the number of unintentional prescription pain medication overdose deaths by 15 percent in 2009.

Learn more about talking to teenagers about prescription drug abuse here.

Learn 3 easy steps to prevent prescription drug abuse here.

Variations In Key Genes Increase Caucasians’ Risk Of Heroin Addiction

ScienceDaily (2008-10-02) -- Sometimes, small changes do add up. In the case of addictive diseases, tiny variations in a few genes can increase or decrease the likelihood of some people developing a dependency on heroin. Now, by examining a select group of genetic variants in more than 400 former severe heroin addicts, Rockefeller University researchers have identified several genetic variations in American and Israeli Caucasians that influence the risk for becoming addicted to one of the world's most powerful substances.