Tobacco, Alcohol and Cannabis Use

Professor of Behavioral and Social Sciences Christopher Kahler, director of the Center for Alcohol and Addiction Studies at the School of Public Health, discussed the results of a new study that reveals health risks of alcohol consumption.

A smartphone-based memory test helped researchers identify when alcohol-induced blackouts were unlikely, a finding that could advance efforts to study and prevent one of drinking's most dangerous consequences.

A growing wave of intentionality is reshaping our happy hours and weekend rituals—without the hangover. For Brown researchers, this shift reflects a growing body of evidence that drinking alcohol, even in moderation, comes with serious health risks.

Liver screenings at community health clinics can save lives, according to new pilot study in Rhode Island co-led by Hayley Treloar Padovano and Mollie Monnig from Brown’s Center for Alcohol and Addiction Studies.

This article includes commentary from Christopher Kahler, the director of the Center for Alcohol and Addiction Studies at Brown. 

Christopher Kahler, the director of the Center for Alcohol and Addiction Studies at Brown, provided commentary in this article.

A new review of ‘Dry January’ from researchers at Brown’s School of Public Health and Alpert Medical School finds even a short break from alcohol can boost health and help drinkers cut back for good.

A new review of ‘Dry January’ from researchers at Brown’s School of Public Health and Alpert Medical School finds even a short break from alcohol can boost health and help drinkers cut back for good.

A study led by researchers at Brown University suggests that while other risks remain, smoking marijuana can temporarily cut down how much people drink.

A new study led by researchers at Brown University suggests that while other risks remain, smoking marijuana can temporarily cut down how much people drink.

Amidst a reversal in youth substance-use trends, a new study links experiences of discrimination among young people of color to an increased risk of turning to substances as a coping mechanism.

A new study researchers at CAAS on the benefits of going one month sober.

Despite the health claims made about red wine, it turns out it’s no better than white wine, according to researchers from Brown University School of Public Health and Warren Alpert Medical Schools, who studied nearly 96,000 participants.

A new study by researchers from Brown University School of Public Health reveals that a simple writing exercise could be used as a harm reduction tool for heavy-drinking college students.

A complementary approach called Counter-Attitudinal Advocacy has been found to help young adults reduce the harms related to heavy drinking by shifting how they think—not how much they drink.

Epidemiologists in the School of Public Health and Warren Alpert Medical School conducted a meta-analysis to assess whether red wine protects against cancer, comparing the cancer risks of red wine vs. white wine.

A new proposal seeks to limit the amount of nicotine in certain combusted tobacco products.

The research, funded by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, aims to uncover how alcohol and HIV disrupt gut bacteria and contribute to chronic health issues like heart disease.

The Food and Drug Administration has rejected some products because of concerns about youth users.

Brown researchers are developing a mobile app aimed at reducing high-risk alcohol use among young adults.

As cannabis legalization continues to spread, a Brown researcher is driven to understand the risks of impaired driving and to help drivers make safer choices.

We all understand the dangers of smoking—but the debate over vapes, nicotine pouches and other tobacco alternatives rages on: Can vaping really save lives? Or are nicotine alternatives a slippery slope: a dangerous gateway to lifelong substance use? Professors Jasjit Ahluwalia and Jennifer Tidey discuss their takes on a harm reduction and how it applies to the modern nicotine landscape.

The debate over vapes, nicotine pouches and the quest to reduce the global scourge of tobacco-related diseases and fatalities.

Over his 50 years at Brown University, Professor Peter M. Monti has not only been witness to a sea change in our understanding of addictive disorders, but has contributed to that understanding with his research and leadership. At the School of Public Health’s 10th anniversary, he reflects on the decades of work defining Brown’s public health legacy.

A pair of preliminary studies presented at an American Heart Association conference over the weekend sparked intrigue for Rhode Island health professionals and academics.

For more than 14 million people in the US, cannabis use disorder is a major life disruption. Professor Jane Metrik says a new drug to help reduce use shows promise.

A NIDA-backed project will shed light on how social media content and social circles shape motivation for using cannabis.

A project by Professors Alexander Sokolovsky and Jasjit Ahluwalia to compare heat-not-burn tobacco to e-cigarettes and to investigate their harm reduction potential among socioeconomically disadvantaged smokers has been awarded Research Seed Funding by Brown University.

Rates of alcohol and cannabis use among adolescents are at a record high, so Brown researchers tried to address the issue.

A national survey finds that children whose mothers use marijuana try it two years younger, highlighting a public health need for targeted interventions.