About Drugs & Health: NIDA's Blog for Teens
Applying the Science of Drug Abuse to Real Life
Here at NIDA, we learn from science—not from rumors or gossip. We have thousands of researchers around the world who study drug addiction and come up with ways to help people recover and live healthy lives. Every day, scientists and physicians discover more about how drugs affect your brain and body. You owe it to yourself to ask the right questions, look for the facts, and think hard about what you find out and what it means for you. We're here to help you do that.
Meet the NIDA Blog Team
The Drugs & Health blog is written by a team of NIDA scientists, science writers...
Source: NIDA Drugs and Health Blog - September 3, 2014 Category: Addiction Authors: The NIDA Blog Team Source Type: blogs
Real Teens Ask: What Are the Different Types of Opioids?
Learn more about the different types of opioids in this updated post from 2013.
During the 2013 Drug Facts Chat Day, teens from across the country submitted their questions about drug abuse to NIDA scientists. A teen from Walter Johnson High School in Maryland asked:
“What types of opioids are there?”
Opioids are psychoactive chemicals that occur naturally (in the resin of the poppy plant) or can be made in a laboratory. They work by binding to opioid receptors in the central and peripheral nervous system and the gastrointestinal tract.
There are illegal opioids (like heroin) as well as legal opioids that are prescri...
Source: NIDA Drugs and Health Blog - July 16, 2014 Category: Addiction Authors: Sara Bellum Source Type: blogs
E-Cig Popularity on the Rise
As states continue to pass laws that restrict the sale of e-cigarettes to minors, this post from 2013 explores why they've become so popular with teens.
Good news! Cigarette smoking among American teenagers dropped to a record low in 2012.
Not so good news—Many teens are turning to a new alternative known as “e-cigarettes.”
What Are E-Cigarettes?
Electronic cigarettes (e-cigs) are battery-operated products designed to deliver nicotine, flavor, and other chemicals as vapor that a user inhales, without producing actual tobacco smoke.
A survey conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that the us...
Source: NIDA Drugs and Health Blog - July 9, 2014 Category: Addiction Authors: Sara Bellum Source Type: blogs
Real Teens Ask: Is Addiction Hereditary?
Does someone in your family abuse drugs? Learn more about how DNA can influence a person’s chances of becoming addicted to drugs in this updated post from 2011.
Every year, NIDA’s top scientists answer questions from teens at schools across the country during Drug Facts Chat Day. In 2010, “I AM MIKE” from Jefferson Township High School in Trenton, New Jersey asked:
Are you more likely to do drugs if someone in your family does?
The short answer is Yes.
The risk for developing drug and alcohol problems is higher in children whose parents abuse alcohol or drugs—but it is NOT a guarantee that those children will ei...
Source: NIDA Drugs and Health Blog - July 2, 2014 Category: Addiction Authors: Sara Bellum Source Type: blogs
The Buzz on Caffeine
This post from 2012 gets a refresh highlighting new caffeine trends.
Question: What’s the most widely used drug?
It’s not marijuana—and no, it’s not tobacco or alcohol either. Nine out of 10 Americans take it in some form every day, and it’s not limited to adults.
Hint: According to a recent study published by the American Academy of Pediatrics, nearly three-fourths (75%) of children, teens, and young adults use it daily too—in the form of soda, coffee, and energy drinks.
Answer: Caffeine!
That’s right, caffeine is a drug—a stimulant drug, to be exact. It’s even possible to be physically dependent on it...
Source: NIDA Drugs and Health Blog - June 25, 2014 Category: Addiction Authors: Sara Bellum Source Type: blogs
