Pornography addiction is more of a process or behavioral addiction where the effect on the brain is the same, but you’re not putting a foreign chemical into your body. Pornography is just one behavior that we would put under that umbrella of sexual addiction. And for some people who become sex addicts, it actually starts out with pornography—as a sort of gateway drug.

If you have not yet heard of kratom (usually pronounced kray-tom or krah-tom), consider this an introduction. Kratom preparations are gaining popularity among substance users because of the plant’s opioid-like and stimulant properties.

Cannabis users seem to be at higher than normal risk to develop psychotic symptoms (see CATR, March 2015, “High Potency Cannabis Increases Risk of First Episode Psychosis”), but so far researchers haven’t solved the chicken-and-egg problem.

After reading these articles, you should be able to…

The post-test for this issue is available for one year after the publication date to subscribers only. By successfully completing the test you will be awarded a certificate for 2 CME credits.

How do PDMPs work? To search for a patient in a PDMP, all you need to do is enter the person’s name and birthdate and click the search button. The PDMP will generate a patient activity report that will tell you what controlled substances the patient has picked up and where. The report gives you lots of detail, including the address of the patient; the drug names, doses, quantities, and refill information on any controlled substances that have been dispensed; and the applicable prescriber names, DEA numbers, pharmacy names, dispensing dates, and prescription numbers.

Dr. Raskin discusses strategies when dealing with prescription-seeking patients, including common scenarios for helping clinicians decide whether a patient requesting opioids is endorsing more pain than they actually have.

Two recent federal initiatives have catapulted buprenorphine to the forefront of treatment for opioid use disorders.

Do electronic cigarettes (e-cigs) help people quit smoking tobacco cigarettes? Clinical trials have indicated that e-cigs are as effective as nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) in quit rates, but what about population-level evidence? Can it show that increasing e-cig popularity in a country leads to a greater likelihood of quitting smoking?

There are a few truths when it comes to cognitive functioning and acute alcohol use. We know that alcohol intoxication can lead to imbalance, disorientation, and loss of consciousness. We also know the ability to hang on to small amounts of information for a few seconds is impaired. However, what’s less clear is the long-term impact on cognitive abilities in heavy drinkers as they age. It may seem like a “no-brainer” that cognitive abilities would be worse in heavy drinkers as they get older, but research on the topic has been conflicting.