Addiction

A new study suggests CBD can reduce cravings and anxiety in subjects with a history of heroin use. The study doesn't imply CBD alone can help break an opioid addiction but instead points to the marijuana ingredient acting as a tool to help reduce cravings in those struggling with heroin addiction.

​A new study is suggesting a great number of individuals are self-treating problematic alcohol consumption with strong doses of LSD or psilocybin. The research rekindles interest in a strong vein of study from the 1950s and 1960s into LSD and alcoholism.

Two new studies suggest the psychiatric benefits of ketamine treatment may extend beyond just the targeting of depression. The research demonstrates ketamine may be helpful in targeting both anxiety- and substance abuse-related depression.

New research has revealed a promising new candidate to help smokers kick their damaging addiction. An enzyme has been engineered that can gobble up nicotine in the bloodstream before it reaches the brain, with the compound proving to be incredibly successful in early animal tests.

Researchers have revealed that an ancient retrovirus, found in between 5 and 10 percent of the world’s population, is significantly associated with addiction. The study uncovered a connection between the retrovirus and a gene that could make individuals prone to a variety of addictive behaviors.

A novel form of treatment could help cut back on a person’s desire for cocaine and reduce its damaging effect in the body. The method involves removing a small patch of skin, introducing genes that produce cocaine-degrading enzymes, and then grafting it back onto the patient.

Ketamine has become the subject of intense research in recent years, as scientists hunt for new and improved treatments for depression. A new study has highlighted some worrying parallels between ketamine and opioids, raising red flags about the potentially addictive qualities of the drug. ​​

A robust study has uncovered a molecular mechanism in the brain that is believed central to the development of alcohol addiction. The research potentially explains why some people are more prone to alcoholism than others and may even lead to a new drug therapy than could treat alcohol dependance.

Scientists exploring the potential of ​transcranial magnetic stimulation to tackle drug addiction have found that it can dampen brain activity in response to common triggers, with implications for both the development of new substance abuse treatments and our understanding of neuroscience.

​Two new studies are adding weight to the argument that cannabis legalization can significantly reduce opioid consumption. The research found that when states legalize marijuana, either medicinal or recreational, a drop in opioid prescriptions can be identified.

​A study has found that a dose of human stem cells administered to rats bred to be high alcohol drinkers significantly reduced their voluntary alcohol intake. The research bolsters the growing hypothesis that stem cell treatments may be effective therapies to battle a variety of addiction disorders.

Scientists at The Scripps Research Institute are developing a vaccine that keeps addicts from experiencing the heroin high. The vaccine was recently proven effective on non-human primates, making it the first vaccine against an opioid to ever do so.