Emerging Drug Trends | Get Smart About Drugs


Last Updated: Thursday, April 30, 2020

Stay on top of all the recent trends in drug use and drug overdose.

Teens and vaping marijuana: Understanding the dangers of ‘dabbing’Teens and vaping marijuana: Understanding the dangers of ‘dabbing’

(Chicago Sun-Times, March 5) Among U.S. teens, vaping (the use of e-cigarettes) continues to be very popular.  Dabbing – using an e-cigarette to ingest marijuana concentrates – is also gaining in popularity.

Kratom-Related Poisonings Are Soaring, Study FindsKratom-Related Poisonings Are Soaring, Study Finds

​(Health Day News, February 21) U.S. poison control centers are seeing an increase in calls related to the herbal substance kratom.

Fentanyl-Laced Crack Cocaine a Deadly New ThreatFentanyl-Laced Crack Cocaine a Deadly New Threat

(HealthDay News, October 31) Fentanyl-laced drugs are behind a growing number of overdoses in the United States.

Doctors and Policymakers Struggle To Keep Up As Opioid Use Surges among WomenDoctors and Policymakers Struggle To Keep Up As Opioid Use Surges among Women

(Huffington Post, July 25) While men have higher rates of substance use than women nationwide, opioid use among women appears to be on the rise.

More People Are Inhaling Heroin, and It's Destroying Brain TissueMore People Are Inhaling Heroin, and It’s Destroying Brain Tissue

(Gizmodo, July 9) More heroin users are inhaling the drug and it’s causing them irreversible brain damage and dementia, according to a recent report published in JAMA Neurology.

Report: Youth Drug Use DecreasingReport: Youth Drug Use Decreasing

Youth drug use has been on a steady decline during the past decade, according to the latest Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System (YRBSS) report. 

New Report: Rx Abuse Down, but ‘Vaping’ Popular Among TeensNew Report: Rx Abuse Down, but ‘Vaping’ Popular Among Teens

A recent survey on teen drug use revealed that while painkiller use is down, “vaping” (the use of e-cigarettes) is popular among teens.

New Opioid Mixture ‘Gray Death’ Causing Overdoses in Several StatesNew Opioid Mixture ‘Gray Death’ Causing Overdoses in Several States

(Associated Press, May 4) The opioid – which looks like a concrete mix — is responsible for a rash of overdoses in Alabama, Georgia and Ohio.

Among College Students, First Time Marijuana Use is Going UpAmong College Students, First Time Marijuana Use is Going Up

Students who never used marijuana in high school are more likely to start if they go to college.

 

 

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