Addiction is a chronic, relapsing disorder characterized by compulsive substance seeking and use despite harmful consequences. It is associated with persistent brain and behavioral changes and often requires long-term management.
One in eight U.S. adults now takes a GLP-1, and prescriptions among non-diabetics rose 700% since 2019. The market is projected to reach $200 billion by 2030, driving manufacturing investments and consumer food shifts.
Penn State College of Medicine held its 2026 Research and Innovation Awards luncheon on April 21, and Stanford Medicine's Department of Epidemiology and Population Health honored faculty and students with student-selected awards for community and teaching.
San Francisco's RESET Center opens Monday in SoMa to take in people found publicly using drugs or intoxicated. Officials have offered conflicting explanations about arrest status, detention, release rules and medication access.
Vermont insurers and employers are scaling back GLP-1 coverage as costs rise, leaving some patients without access. The drugs remain in high demand as studies point to benefits beyond weight loss.
The Trump administration is reclassifying medical marijuana from Schedule I to Schedule III and accelerating psychedelic research with a $50 million executive order. The FDA commissioner says marijuana has medical benefits but warns of potency and risks to youth. The DEA says the rescheduling process remains pending.
A longitudinal study of 460,000 teenagers found adolescent cannabis use was linked to higher risks of later bipolar, psychotic, anxiety and depression diagnoses. Separate research and expert guidance say THC effects, especially long term, still need more study.
GLP-1 drugs are still being studied for Alzheimer’s and addiction after semaglutide failed to slow cognitive decline in Alzheimer’s. A 2025 abstract reported semaglutide slowed cognitive impairment in an Alzheimer’s model.
The UK is offering £20 million through Innovate UK to develop medicines, devices and digital tools for drug and alcohol addiction. Awards range up to £10 million for late-stage projects and up to £1.5 million for earlier-stage innovations, with applications closing on 6 May 2026.
A 34-person trial found that a single 21.5mg intravenous dose of DMT with psychotherapy produced rapid antidepressant effects lasting three to six months. Separate brain-scan research across five psychedelics found a shared pattern of weaker within-network links and stronger communication between brain networks.
New Zealand police arrested 11 people and seized drugs, cash, and firearms after uncovering a dark web drug import network, while Canadian police made a separate bust seizing cocaine, fentanyl, and methamphetamine. The New Zealand operation involved international cooperation and intercepted over 200kg of drugs at borders. The busts come as New Zealand data shows record-breaking cocaine consumption nationwide.
| NCT ID | Title | Status | Phase |
|---|---|---|---|
| NCT07772193 |
Short-Term Psychodynamic Group Therapy for Problematic Pornography Use |
COMPLETED | NA |
| NCT07740291 |
Tirzepatide Impact Assessment Study |
RECRUITING | NA |
| NCT07737808 |
EFFECTIVENESS OF SOLUTION-FOCUSED APPROACH-BASED PSYCHOEDUCATION IN INDIVIDUALS DIAGNOSED WITH SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER: A RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED TRIAL |
COMPLETED | NA |
| NCT07734363 |
Role of Craving in the Transition Across Level of Addiction Severity: A Longitudinal Study. |
RECRUITING | |
| NCT07663474 |
Mobile Restriction on Dopamine Transporter |
RECRUITING | NA |
| NCT07596251 |
Support Towards Addiction Recovery for Individuals With Criminal Legal System Involvement: The STAR Project |
NOT_YET_RECRUITING | NA |
| NCT07595614 |
NLP Analysis of Weekly Narratives for Dynamic Clinical Assessment in SUD |
RECRUITING | |
| NCT07590154 |
Cross-sectional Functional Stratification Based on Psychometric Profiling and Machine Learning in Patients With Substance Use Disorders (SUD) |
COMPLETED | |
| NCT07585006 |
Comparative Evaluation of Nicotine Analogs |
RECRUITING | PHASE1 |
| NCT07573345 |
Pain and Upper Extremity Function in Smartphone and Digital Game Addiction |
RECRUITING |
