ADAI News

Upcoming Substance Abuse Conferences & Events

These conferences and events are coming up soon in Seattle.  Find more events on the ADAI Events Calendar.

February 5-8
Society for Research on Nicotine and Tobacco
Sheraton Hotel, Seattle
The annual scientific meeting is intended to foster the exchange of information on the biological, behavioral, social, public health, and economic effects of nicotine. SRNT encourages submission of abstracts describing cutting-edge research in nicotine and tobacco. Registration cost increases after Jan. 8, 2014.

February 12-15
International Neuropsychological Society
Sheraton Hotel, Seattle
Theme: Translating Evidence into Practice. The INS Annual meeting presents over 40 sessions that are designed to be be scientifically inspiring and of interest to neuroscientists in a wide range of disciplines.

February 19
Gabor Maté, author of "In the Realm of Hungry Ghosts"
Kane Hall, Room 120, UW Campus, 7:00 - 9:00 pm
Maté writes about the complexities of the science of addiction and about his decades of groundbreaking work with the severely addicted on Vancouver’s skid row.  His book discusses policy issues and societal factors affecting treatment and prevention of addiction in Canada and the U.S. This lecture is free and open to the public.

March 13-17
6th Annual Fundamentals of Addiction Medicine
Tulalip Resort, Marysville, WA
This 2-day cource is designed to enhance the skills and performance of physicians and other providers who treat patients with addictions. Topics include opioid prescribing, treating pain in patients with addition, caring for the pregnant patient with addiction, neonatal drug withdrawal, effective interventions, medication assisted treatment and comorbid attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and substance abuse. CME available.

March 20
Knowledge is Power: 2014 SAMA Luncheon
Sheraton Hotel, Seattle
This annual event is SAMA’s primary fundraiser and allows SAMA to provide free and reduced services to youth and families, public education and participate in research not otherwise supported in our community. Keynote speaker: Caleb Banta-Green from UW Alcohol & Drug Abuse Institute.

Communities across U.S. Reduce Teen Smoking, Drinking, Violence, and Crime

Fewer high school students across the U.S. started drinking alcohol, smoking cigarettes, committing crimes and engaging in violence before graduation when their towns used the Communities That Care prevention system during the teens’ middle school years. 

Communities That Care was developed by researchers in the UW’s Social Development Research Group. The prevention system is led by a coalition of diverse stakeholders in each community who use surveys of young people to identify risk factors that are widespread in their town and protective factors that need strengthening.

A paper describing the long-term results of Communities That Care was published on Dec. 9, 2013 in JAMA Pediatrics.

Read more from UW News & Information...

PTSD & Alcohol Problems: Participants Needed for Treatment Study

A new study for people who have current alcohol problems and PTSD is seeking participants who will receive free treatment.  This is a University of Washington and Seattle VA study to evaluate the effectiveness of two evidence-based psychotherapies: Relapse Prevention and Cognitive Processing Therapy.

People with both PTSD and alcohol use problems have often found it difficult to get treatment that would address both sets of issues. Over the past 10 to 15 years new therapies addressing both PTSD and addictions have been developed and tested, but the results of these studies have been mixed and overall, disappointing.

This study is testing established and effective treatments that were originally designed to treat PTSD (Cognitive Processing Therapy) or addictions (Relapse Prevention) because of new information suggesting that they each can be helpful for both problems.  If true, that would expand treatment options for people with PTSD and alcohol problems.

Treatment is provided at no cost, and volunteers will be paid for pre-treatment and post-treatment assessments (up to $483).  Participants must be 18 years of age or older. Men and women, active duty military, veterans, and civilians are all welcome to participate.  Participants will be required to commute to Seattle twice a week for 6 weeks for therapy appointments.

For clinicians who have a patient who indicates an interest in the study, please have them call the UW study coordinator, Sruti Desai, at 206-543-0584.   You can also download a flyer to post in your offices:   APT Study Flyer

The study is led by Tracy Simpson, PhD, Clinical Psychologist, VA Puget Sound, and Debra Kaysen, PhD, Clinical Psychologist, University of Washington.

New Journals in the Addictions

These issues of addiction journals were recently published online. Click on links to connect to tables of contents.

Alcoholism: Clinical & Experimental Research 37(10)
Alcoholism: Clinical & Experimental Research 37(11)
Drug & Alcohol Dependence 133(1)
Drug & Alcohol Dependence 133(2)
Journal of Studies on Alcohol & Drugs 74(6)
NIAAA Alcohol Alert: Epigenetics (no. 86)
Nordic Studies on Alcohol & Drugs 30(5)