Alcohol, Drugs & Impairment

Minneapolis — Non-opioid painkillers are as effective as opioids in treating moderate to severe chronic back pain and hip or knee osteoarthritis pain, according to researchers from the Minneapolis Veterans Affairs Health Care System.

Washington — Every nine minutes, a child 6 years old or younger is taken to the emergency room because of an unintentional medicine-related poisoning – and one child dies every 12 days – according to a recent report from Safe Kids Worldwide.

Bethesda, MD — Alcohol-related emergency rooms visits surged by more than 60 percent over a recent eight-year period – with women and 45- to 64-year-olds experiencing the largest increases – according to a study from the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism.

Washington — Results of a new poll highlight a gap between awareness that marijuana can cause impaired driving and the belief that its use is contributing to the rising number of fatal vehicle crashes in the United States.

Atlanta – The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has launched a campaign intended to help reduce opioid-related overdose deaths.

Atlanta – Opioids, including those obtained by prescription as well as illegal forms such as heroin, were involved in more than 33,000 overdose deaths in 2015 – more than any year on record and nearly quadruple the number of overdoses recorded in 2000, according to the latest issue of "Business Pulse" from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Alexandria, VA – A new, free online tool from the American Association of Poison Control Centers aims to provide users with swift, expert responses to questions related to poisonings.

Fort Washington, PA – Although an overwhelming majority of Americans feel confident when choosing over-the-counter pain relievers, 1 in 5 fail to take safety into account when making their selection, according to the results of a recent survey from the U.S. Pain Foundation.

Bethesda, MD – The number of U.S. adults using prescription opioids without a prescription or not as prescribed has more than doubled in 10 years to nearly 10 million in 2012-2013, according to research from the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism.

Washington – Taking a higher than recommended dose of the anti-diarrhea drug loperamide – also known by the brand name Imodium – can lead to serious heart problems and death, the Food and Drug Administration is warning after receiving reports that people are intentionally misusing the drug in an attempt to self-treat opioid withdrawal or get high.