Wednesday, June 25, 2003

Drug Addiction as a Developmental Disorder
New York Times article - "A new study from Yale suggests that drug addiction should be thought of as a developmental disorder, because the changing circuitry of teenagers' brains appears to leave them especially vulnerable to the effects of drugs and alcohol. Dr. R. Andrew Chambers of the Yale School of Medicine, lead author of the article, said addictive drugs worked by stimulating parts of the brain that are changing rapidly in adolescence. In particular, Dr. Chambers said, the drugs tap into a neural imbalance that may underlie teenagers' affinity for impulsive and risky behavior." [Viewing New York Times resources requires registration, which is free].  
  

Access to Recovery
SAMHSA press release - "President Bush announced in his State of the Union Address a new substance abuse treatment initiative, Access to Recovery. This new initiative will provide people seeking drug and alcohol treatment with vouchers to pay for a range of appropriate community-based services. The President proposed $600 million in new funds over the next three years for Access to Recovery. The first $200 million installment is included in the 2004 budget for the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)."