NIDA Announces DrugPubs - A New Research Dissemination Center

Main Category: Alcohol / Addiction / Illegal Drugs
Article Date: 23 Sep 2008 - 2:00 PDT

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Anyone interested in receiving the latest scientific information about drug abuse and addiction has a new number to call: 1-877-NIDA-NIH. NIDA, part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), launches DrugPubs, its new research dissemination center, designed to distribute materials and information on drug abuse and addiction to virtually all audiences: drug abuse researchers, health professionals, teachers, advocacy groups, and teenagers and other members of the general public. Callers to 1-877-NIDA-NIH can receive scientific information on drug abuse in a timely and effective manner. Requests for information also can be emailed to: drugpubs@nida.nih.gov. NIDA supports most of the world's research on the health aspects of drug abuse and addiction, and views information dissemination as a key part of its public mission.

DrugPubs distributes a wide range of free or low-cost materials including fact sheets, brochures, pamphlets, posters, and video tapes, on a variety of drug abuse topics. For example, DrugPubs houses NIDA's most popular publications, including:

- Drugs, Brains and Behavior: The Science of Addiction, a landmark, plain-language publication on the disease of drug addiction;

- Marijuana: Facts for Teens, which provides teens with answers to frequently asked questions about marijuana;

- Marijuana: Facts Parents Need to Know, which provides parents with the latest scientific information on marijuana;

- Brain Power! The NIDA Junior Scientist Program, a series of science education materials on the brain and the effects of drugs for children of all ages; and

- Mind Over Matter, a series of eight booklets for middle-school aged children in English and Spanish, that discuss drug abuse topics, such as inhalants, methamphetamine, nicotine and steroids.

In addition, popular NIDA materials for health professionals include a chart of Commonly Abused Drugs; Principles of Drug Abuse Treatment for Criminal Justice Populations: A Research-Based Guide; and Preventing Drug Abuse Among Adolescents and Children.

NIDA's new DrugPubs number can serve as a resource to the public in two ways:

- Get Information on NIDA Publications. NIDA information specialists answering requests for publications are familiar with NIDA's materials and can suggest publications that are appropriate for the requester's situation, event, or reading level.

- Place Publication Orders. The public can view and download NIDA publications at http://www.drugabuse.gov. To order publications in English or Spanish, call the NIDA DrugPubs center toll-free at 1-877-NIDA-NIH (1-877-643-2644), or 240-645-0228 (TDD). Order requests can also be sent via fax to 240-645-0227 or emailed to: drugpubs@nida.nih.gov.

NIDA formerly distributed its research information and science education materials via the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration National Clearinghouse for Alcohol and Drug Information (NCADI). Callers to NCADI who are requesting information relating to the science of drug abuse and addiction will now be referred to the new NIDA DrugPubs phone number 1-877-NIDA-NIH and the NIDA website: http://www.drugabuse.gov. The complete transition to the new DrugPubs service could take a period of months; however, the DrugPubs phone service will be operational as of September 22, 2008.

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