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Coordinated Strategy Has Impact on High-Risk College Drinking, Study Suggests

A coordinated strategy aimed at high-risk college drinking can be effective, a new study suggests.

The strategy addresses alcohol availability, policy enforcement and perceptions about the rate of high-risk drinking among peers, HealthCanal.com reports.

Campuses that implemented the strategy saw a 50 percent decrease in alcohol-related injuries, the researchers report in the journal Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research.

1 in 13 Pregnant Women Drink According to CDC Report

Pregnant1 A new government study has revealed that almost eight percent of women who are pregnant report alcohol use, leaving the topic about drinking among pregnant women in the United States an important public health issue.

Researchers from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities studied data from 2006 to 2010 on almost 14,000 pregnant women and more than 330,000 non-pregnant women, aged 18 to 44.

The study is published in the July 20 issue of the CDC's journal Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.

Increase in Cigarette Prices Leads to Rise in Binge Drinking Among Young Adults

37735066 Increases in cigarette prices lead to significant increases in binge drinking in young adults, a new study suggests.

The study found increased cigarette prices due to taxes did not decrease smoking rates in people under 30, The Atlantic reports.

Bill Would Require Most Painkillers to Have Safeguards to Prevent Abuse

pill-bottle-pile A bill to be introduced in the U.S. House would require most painkillers to have safeguards to prevent abuse, The Wall Street Journal reports.

Under the provisions of the bill, most prescription painkillers would have some form of abuse deterrence, such as being more difficult to crush or inject. The exact details of how drug manufacturers could meet the new standards are vague, the article notes. The bill does not set time lines for compliance.

As Prescription Drug Abuse Rises, U.S. Re-Examines Drug Policy

War-on-Drug The increase in prescription drug abuse in the United States is forcing the government to re-examine its emphasis on trying to stop shipments of illegal drugs into the country, The New York Times reported recently.

A shift in the nation's drug policy would have an effect in Mexico and Central America, the article notes. Some experts say money currently spent on fighting illegal drug shipments could be instead used to bolster courts and prosecutors' offices, which could lead to long-term stability in those countries.

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