Opioids Content

Researchers Identify a Potentially Safer Approach to Opioid Drug Development

Andy Fell — August 24, 2021 - 8:01am

Opioids are powerful painkillers but their use is hindered because patients become tolerant to them, requiring higher and higher doses, and overdoses can cause respiratory depression and death. A recent study from researchers at the 51�ԹϺ�� Davis Center for Neuroscience contradicts existing thinking about how opioid drugs cause tolerance and respiratory depression, and suggests a new, balanced approach to developing safer analgesics. The work was published July 13 in Neuropsychopharmacology.

Counties With More Cannabis Dispensaries Show Reduced Opioid Deaths

Karen Michele Nikos — January 28, 2021 - 10:50am

First study to examine the association between active cannabis dispensary operations and opioid-related mortality rates at the county level and both medical and recreational cannabis dispensaries. Suggests alternative pain management could improve public health outcomes, researchers said.

A Breath Test for Opioids

Andy Fell — October 03, 2019 - 11:09am

A test to detect opioid drugs in exhaled breath has been developed by engineers and physicians at the University of California, Davis. A breath test could be useful in caring for chronic pain patients as well as for checking for illegal drug use.