Substance

On December 17, 1914, Congress passed the Harrison Act, making non-medical opium and cocaine illegal. It was really about punishment, not public health. And it set the tone for a disastrous century.

With tens of thousands of Americans taking to the streets to demonstrate that “Black Lives Matter,” we have a rare chance to confront drug war violence, mass incarceration, and our own deepest misconceptions about black and white.

This valuable, newly updated resource for parents is based in the real world.

Saying "no" to my kids was harder than saying "no" to alcohol. But for their sake and mine, I had to learn to put myself first sometimes.

People tend not to hear about the prison drug dealing operations that succeed. Substance.com asks a veteran of the game to explain his system.

For the paper of record, addiction is always about this drug or that drug rather than the real causes.

It's empowering to say publicly that you are in recovery from addiction. But for some, recovery is a members-only club for people who are totally abstinent. That leaves most of us out in the cold.

Millions of people worldwide endure traumatic injuries or deaths from cancer, AIDS, and, now, Ebola without access to the medication that could relieve their suffering. The international drug control system is to blame.

Journalist Mike Power broke the story of the drug revolution that the rest of the media largely ignores—he even created a drug of his own to prove it. He tells us how legal highs and the Internet are transforming use and challenging policy.

Popular notions about who receives treatment are largely wrong. But what about the conventional wisdom that we should devote more resources to treatment to increase access? Let's look at the data.

We atheists and agnostics in AA have faced a long struggle for acceptance. But newer 12-step fellowships are leading the way to a more tolerant form of recovery—despite a "Back to Basics" backlash.

As opposition to the war on drugs grows louder, a movement to challenge traditional ways of treating—and doing treatment with—people who have difficulties with drugs is also reaching critical mass.

Many seniors use drugs to self-medicate, and baby boomers—with their long history of casual drug use—are retiring in vast numbers. As America's population ages, will the little addiction treatment that exists for older people be swamped?

Against all medical guidelines, children who are two and three years old are getting diagnosed with ADHD and treated with Adderall and other stimulants. It may be shocking, but it's perfectly legal.

The popular view is that if a woman is into BDSM she's probably a sex addict, and vice versa. In fact, most kinky women are perfectly happy—and possibly healthier than their vanilla counterparts.

After 21 years in federal prison for a first-time, non-violent drug offense, I'm now living in a halfway house. I can go out to work and visit my wife, but I'm sometimes reminded how vulnerable my new life is.

The mid-term elections prove that support for legalizing weed continues to grow. But progress has been rolled back before—it's important to remember how we got here if we're to keep moving forward.

Advocates for reform are praising the outgoing attorney general's accomplishments. But ultimately his legacy is more words than deeds.

I have a condition called trichotillomania, which means that I compulsively pull out my own hair, every day. Too little is known about it and I don't know where to turn.

Recently, Baltimore was the scene of a remarkable gathering. It provided a fascinating glimpse into a movement that's both practical and radical—and full of confidence.

A drug war Truth and Reconciliation Commission along the lines of post-apartheid South Africa is a radical idea proposed by the Green Party. Substance.com asks their candidates for New York State's gubernatorial election to tell us more.

As a teacher, my students confided in me about many harrowing aspects of their lives. I never crossed the line and shared my biggest problem with them—but now I wish I had.

The polarized legalization debate leads to exaggerated claims and denials about pot's potential harms. The truth lies somewhere in between.

The idea that addiction is typically a chronic, progressive disease that requires treatment is false, the evidence shows. Yet the "aging out" experience of the majority is ignored by treatment providers and journalists.