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With the rise of climate change and growing number of catastrophic natural disasters, more and more people are being impacted by traumatic weather events. Some people may turn to drugs or alcohol in order to cope. Learn about natural disasters and substance use, mental health challenges that can contribute to post-disaster substance use, interventions for […]

Millions of Americans struggle with a substance use disorder. In fact, addiction statistics compiled in 2020 show that among people 12 years old or older in the United States:1 3 million (14.5%) struggled with a substance use disorder in the past year. Alcohol use disorder (AUD) was the most common addiction, with around 28.3 million (10.2%) people struggling […]

@americanaddictioncenters What are the most dangerous drug combinations?#addiction #rehab #druguse #sobriety #harmreduction ♬ Stories 2 – Danilo Stankovic

Substance Abuse Insurance Laws Insurance regulations treat mental health and substance abuse services as essential health benefits. Affordable Care Act (ACA): The ACA, also referred to as Obamacare, made affordable health insurance available to people through tax credits that lower the cost of premiums for people within 100%–400% of the federal poverty level.1 The ACA […]

Genetics vs. Heredity: What’s the Difference? The terms genetics and heredity are sometimes used interchangeably, but there are differences that are important to understand. Genetics refers to the study of genes or heredity.1,2 Genes are units of DNA that are passed down from parents and specify certain traits.1 Genes are housed on chromosomes. Humans have […]

Are Substance Use Disorders Considered Disabilities? In short, yes. Diagnosable drug and alcohol addictions, or substance use disorders (SUDs), are considered disabilities under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), and Section 1557 of the Affordable Care Act.3 The consideration of what defines a disability may vary according to its […]

Substance Use by Occupation Some individuals in certain occupations may be more susceptible to substance misuse, addiction, and drug overdose.1 Occupations with Higher Rates of Drug Overdose Deaths According to the National Vital Statistics Report, compiled by the Department of Health and Human Services and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 8 occupations experienced […]

People who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender have benefitted from unparalleled social and legal progress in a remarkably short time span—TIME magazine called 2014 “The Transgender Tipping Point”—but people on the sexual orientation and gender identity spectrum still face many challenges. For transgender individuals, rates and risk factors of addiction are considerably higher […]

Marijuana, known by different names, is also seen by many as a gateway drug – the next step toward using substances such as cocaine, methamphetamine, or prescription opioids. While it may often be billed this way, is it the only substance guiding users down a dark and dangerous road? Over 1,000 Americans shared their past […]

Signs of Addiction Addiction is a complex disease of the risk and reward system in the brain, involving a person’s genes, family history, and environment, among other factors. There are many substances that a person struggling with addiction could abuse, with different symptoms of intoxication, different paraphernalia, and different long-term consequences. That being said, there […]