Addictions to, dependence on, and abuse of alcohol and drugs—from marijuana and methamphetamine to cocaine and heroin—place emotional and economic burdens on individuals, families, and communities. RAND research provides a firm, empirical foundation for policymakers and helps community leaders and public officials worldwide to deal effectively with substance use disorders and associated issues.
BLOG
In honor of National Underage Drinking Prevention Day, there will be a live, interactive webcast today (May 21) about successful approaches and resources to prevent underage drinking. The issue of underage drinking may sometimes be overshadowed by other forms of substance use, but it remains a steady and significant problem in the United States.
PERIODICAL
Marijuana legalization will be on the ballot in at least two U.S. states in November 2012, and it is the subject of serious debate in a growing number of countries. When it comes to understanding the consequences of legalization, the devil is in the details of how the regulatory regime is designed.
COMMENTARY
Being honest about the uncertainties involved is the price of admission to any serious discussion about marijuana legalization, writes Beau Kilmer.
REPORT
Illicit drug use continues to be an important public health and safety concern in Europe. An evaluation of the EU Drugs Strategy 2005–12 and Action Plans examines the implementation, relevance, and influence of the Strategy and its added value for Member States and at EU level.
JOURNAL ARTICLE
This study seeks to assess more comprehensively the results of decisions on whether and how to 'schedule' (i.e. to determine their legal status and penalties to be applied for sale or possession) newly emerging drugs.
JOURNAL ARTICLE
The authors assessed intergenerational transmission of smoking in mother-child dyads.
JOURNAL ARTICLE
A culturally relevant web-based Motivational Interviewing in English and Spanish was developed to serve as a standalone or adjunctive program in DUI educational settings. This study evaluated its feasibility and acceptability among clients.
COMMENTARY
Many organizations that we have worked with indicate that this approach has helped improve reporting and communication both within and external to their organization, writes Sarah Hunter.
JOURNAL ARTICLE
The strong link between having a best friend who smoked and increased adolescent smoking isn't affected by individual factors such as self-esteem, depressing and access to cigarettes.
PROJECT
RAND Europe is conducting an independent evaluation of the Department of Health's drug and alcohol recovery payment-by-results pilots to determine whether market forces can encourage the development of better recovery programmes.
NEWS RELEASE
If prevention researchers build programs with developmentally relevant content, and provide this content in an engaging, confidential, and non-judgmental way, it can help middle school-aged children avoid alcohol.
JOURNAL ARTICLE
Increases in reading skills and numeracy skills substantially increase the odds that an individual will quit smoking.
JOURNAL ARTICLE
This study used ecological momentary assessment to examine acute changes in college students' future smoking risk as a function of their exposure to prosmoking media (e.g., smoking in movies, paid advertising, point-of-sale displays).
JOURNAL ARTICLE
Oregon's experience suggests that behavioral health insurance parity that places restrictions on how plans manage the benefit may lead to increases in expenditures for alcohol treatment services but is unlikely to lead to increases in spending for other drug abuse treatment services.
REPORT
The Juvenile Justice Crime Prevention Act funds programs that have been proven effective in curbing crime among juvenile probationers and young at-risk offenders. This report summarizes, for fiscal year 2009–2010, Corrections Standards Authority–mandated outcome measures from each of the programs, as well as county-determined supplemental outcomes.
JOURNAL ARTICLE
This study uses an event-based approach to examine individual, relationship, and contextual correlates of heterosexual condom use among homeless men.
JOURNAL ARTICLE
If prevention researchers build programs with developmentally relevant content, and provide this content in an engaging, confidential, and non-judgmental way, it can help middle school-aged children avoid alcohol.
JOURNAL ARTICLE
How legalizing marijuana would affect consumption and tax revenues will depend on many design choices including tax level, incentives for a continued black market, whether advertising is restricted, and how the regulatory system is designed and adjusted.
JOURNAL ARTICLE
This study describes CHOICE, a voluntary after-school program which targeted AOD use among middle school students.
JOURNAL ARTICLE
To meet the call for more "transportable" interventions, the authors conducted a pilot study to test a group cognitive–behavioral therapy (CBT) for depression and substance use that was designed for delivery by outpatient substance abuse treatment counselors.
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