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 <title>Alcohol, Tobacco  and Other Drugs News</title> 
 <link>http://www.jointogether.org/</link> 
 <description>Top national news about alcohol, drug and tobacco problems.</description> 
 <language>en-us</language> 

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  <title><![CDATA[Study: Risky Behavior Among Teens Fueled by Fatalism]]></title> 
  <link>http://www.jointogether.org/system/rss/clickthrough.jsp?feedTag=Alcohol,+Tobacco++and+Other+Drugs+News&amp;subsiteID=27070633&amp;url=http://www.jointogether.org/news/research/summaries/2009/study-risky-behavior-among.html</link>
  <description><![CDATA[A new study from the University of Minnesota finds that nearly 15 percent of teens think they’re going to die young, possibly leading some to engage in risky behaviors such as drug use.]]></description> 

  <pubDate>Thu, 2 Jul 2009 16:24:01 EDT</pubDate> 
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  <title><![CDATA[Americans Drinking Remains Steady in Recession]]></title> 
  <link>http://www.jointogether.org/system/rss/clickthrough.jsp?feedTag=Alcohol,+Tobacco++and+Other+Drugs+News&amp;subsiteID=27070633&amp;url=http://www.jointogether.org/news/headlines/inthenews/2009/americans-drinking-remains.html</link>
  <description><![CDATA[A new Gallup Poll shows that the recession has done little to change Americans drinking habits.]]></description> 

  <pubDate>Thu, 2 Jul 2009 16:23:26 EDT</pubDate> 
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  <title><![CDATA[Crackdown on Mexican Drug War Leads to Bloodshed in Canada]]></title> 
  <link>http://www.jointogether.org/system/rss/clickthrough.jsp?feedTag=Alcohol,+Tobacco++and+Other+Drugs+News&amp;subsiteID=27070633&amp;url=http://www.jointogether.org/news/headlines/inthenews/2009/crackdown-on-mexican-drug-war.html</link>
  <description><![CDATA[Fallout out from the recent government crackdown on cocaine smugglers in Mexico has spilled over to the Canadian border, affecting profit margins and leading to a gang war in the suburbs that has killed at least 18 young people this year.]]></description> 

  <pubDate>Thu, 2 Jul 2009 16:23:00 EDT</pubDate> 
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  <title><![CDATA[Alcohol Responsible for Over Half of Russian Deaths in One Decade]]></title> 
  <link>http://www.jointogether.org/system/rss/clickthrough.jsp?feedTag=Alcohol,+Tobacco++and+Other+Drugs+News&amp;subsiteID=27070633&amp;url=http://www.jointogether.org/news/research/summaries/2009/alcohol-responsible-for-half.html</link>
  <description><![CDATA[More than half of deaths among Russians ages 15 to 54 were attributable to alcohol consumption during the 10-year period following the collapse of the Soviet Union in late 1991, compared to less than 4 percent worldwide.]]></description> 

  <pubDate>Thu, 2 Jul 2009 16:22:29 EDT</pubDate> 
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  <title><![CDATA[Report: Cigarette Smuggling Funds Terrorist Groups]]></title> 
  <link>http://www.jointogether.org/system/rss/clickthrough.jsp?feedTag=Alcohol,+Tobacco++and+Other+Drugs+News&amp;subsiteID=27070633&amp;url=http://www.jointogether.org/news/headlines/inthenews/2009/report-cigarette-smuggling.html</link>
  <description><![CDATA[A new report by the U.S.-based Center for Public Integrity finds that cigarette and tobacco smuggling funds militant groups like the Taliban.]]></description> 

  <pubDate>Wed, 1 Jul 2009 19:21:20 EDT</pubDate> 
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  <title><![CDATA[College Students of Both Genders Binge Drinking More ]]></title> 
  <link>http://www.jointogether.org/system/rss/clickthrough.jsp?feedTag=Alcohol,+Tobacco++and+Other+Drugs+News&amp;subsiteID=27070633&amp;url=http://www.jointogether.org/news/research/summaries/2009/college-students-of-both.html</link>
  <description><![CDATA[Researchers at the Washington University School of Medicine found that a decline in binge drinking among males 12- to 20-years-old did not extend to females of the same age, and that both male and female college students are bingeing more.]]></description> 

  <pubDate>Wed, 1 Jul 2009 19:20:00 EDT</pubDate> 
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  <title><![CDATA[Young Adults Need for Addiction Treatment Outpaces Desire for Help]]></title> 
  <link>http://www.jointogether.org/system/rss/clickthrough.jsp?feedTag=Alcohol,+Tobacco++and+Other+Drugs+News&amp;subsiteID=27070633&amp;url=http://www.jointogether.org/news/headlines/inthenews/2009/young-adults-need.html</link>
  <description><![CDATA[Federal researchers say that 21.1 percent of Americans ages 18 to 25 have alcohol or other drug problems serious enough to require addiction treatment, but few of them recognized their need for help or sought assistance from a treatment facility.]]></description> 

  <pubDate>Wed, 1 Jul 2009 19:16:59 EDT</pubDate> 
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  <title><![CDATA[Site for Alcohol's Impact on the Brain Visualized]]></title> 
  <link>http://www.jointogether.org/system/rss/clickthrough.jsp?feedTag=Alcohol,+Tobacco++and+Other+Drugs+News&amp;subsiteID=27070633&amp;url=http://www.jointogether.org/news/research/summaries/2009/site-for-alcohols-impact-on.html</link>
  <description><![CDATA[A new animal study suggests that alcohol affects the brain by binding with a specific location in the brain's communication system.]]></description> 

  <pubDate>Wed, 1 Jul 2009 19:07:51 EDT</pubDate> 
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  <title><![CDATA[N.H. Lawmakers Approve Medical Marijuana Bill]]></title> 
  <link>http://www.jointogether.org/system/rss/clickthrough.jsp?feedTag=Alcohol,+Tobacco++and+Other+Drugs+News&amp;subsiteID=27070633&amp;url=http://www.jointogether.org/news/headlines/inthenews/2009/nh-lawmakers-approve.html</link>
  <description><![CDATA[The New Hampshire House of Representatives passed legislation that would allow medical use of marijuana, leaving the final word to Gov. John Lynch.]]></description> 

  <pubDate>Tue, 30 Jun 2009 17:05:00 EDT</pubDate> 
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  <title><![CDATA[Michael Jackson Death Probe Focuses on Prescription Drugs]]></title> 
  <link>http://www.jointogether.org/system/rss/clickthrough.jsp?feedTag=Alcohol,+Tobacco++and+Other+Drugs+News&amp;subsiteID=27070633&amp;url=http://www.jointogether.org/news/headlines/inthenews/2009/michael-jackson-death-probe.html</link>
  <description><![CDATA[Officials investigating the death of music icon Michael Jackson are looking at the King of Pop's past struggles with prescription-drug addiction to help determine if his death was due to an overdose.]]></description> 

  <pubDate>Tue, 30 Jun 2009 17:02:12 EDT</pubDate> 
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  <title><![CDATA[Study: Tobacco Linked to Brain Damage]]></title> 
  <link>http://www.jointogether.org/system/rss/clickthrough.jsp?feedTag=Alcohol,+Tobacco++and+Other+Drugs+News&amp;subsiteID=27070633&amp;url=http://www.jointogether.org/news/research/summaries/2009/study-tobacco-linked-to.html</link>
  <description><![CDATA[New research has found a direct link between tobacco use and brain damage.]]></description> 

  <pubDate>Tue, 30 Jun 2009 16:44:03 EDT</pubDate> 
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  <title><![CDATA[Utah Set to Relax Liquor Laws to Boost Tourism]]></title> 
  <link>http://www.jointogether.org/system/rss/clickthrough.jsp?feedTag=Alcohol,+Tobacco++and+Other+Drugs+News&amp;subsiteID=27070633&amp;url=http://www.jointogether.org/news/headlines/inthenews/2009/utah-set-to-relax-liquor-laws.html</link>
  <description><![CDATA[Utah will loosen its liquor laws next month in a bid to boost tourism and bring alcohol sales practices closer in line with those in other states.]]></description> 

  <pubDate>Tue, 30 Jun 2009 16:20:00 EDT</pubDate> 
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  <title><![CDATA[Obama Says His Nicotine Addiction is '95 Percent Cured']]></title> 
  <link>http://www.jointogether.org/system/rss/clickthrough.jsp?feedTag=Alcohol,+Tobacco++and+Other+Drugs+News&amp;subsiteID=27070633&amp;url=http://www.jointogether.org/news/headlines/inthenews/2009/obama-says-his-nicotine.html</link>
  <description><![CDATA[President Barack Obama told reporters that while he is almost totally over his smoking addiction, quitting remains a constant struggle.]]></description> 

  <pubDate>Mon, 29 Jun 2009 17:05:39 EDT</pubDate> 
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  <title><![CDATA[Supreme Court Requires Lab Analysts to Testify about Drug-Test Results]]></title> 
  <link>http://www.jointogether.org/system/rss/clickthrough.jsp?feedTag=Alcohol,+Tobacco++and+Other+Drugs+News&amp;subsiteID=27070633&amp;url=http://www.jointogether.org/news/headlines/inthenews/2009/supreme-court-requires-lab.html</link>
  <description><![CDATA[The U.S. Supreme Court has ruled that crime-lab reports can no longer be used against defendants at trial unless the analyst who created the report testifies in court and is available for cross-examination.]]></description> 

  <pubDate>Mon, 29 Jun 2009 17:01:55 EDT</pubDate> 
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  <title><![CDATA[Illinois Considers Upping Penalties for High-Potency Marijuana]]></title> 
  <link>http://www.jointogether.org/system/rss/clickthrough.jsp?feedTag=Alcohol,+Tobacco++and+Other+Drugs+News&amp;subsiteID=27070633&amp;url=http://www.jointogether.org/news/headlines/inthenews/2009/illinois-considers-upping.html</link>
  <description><![CDATA[Legislators in Illinois are considering a bill that would increase penalties for marijuana containing high levels of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC).]]></description> 

  <pubDate>Mon, 29 Jun 2009 16:59:51 EDT</pubDate> 
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  <title><![CDATA[Cobra Venom Drug Stops Growth of Lung Cancer Cells]]></title> 
  <link>http://www.jointogether.org/system/rss/clickthrough.jsp?feedTag=Alcohol,+Tobacco++and+Other+Drugs+News&amp;subsiteID=27070633&amp;url=http://www.jointogether.org/news/research/summaries/2009/cobra-venom-drug-stops-growth.html</link>
  <description><![CDATA[A group of Italian investigators has found that an anti-cancer agent called α-CBT -- derived from cobra venom -- inhibited the growth of lung-cancer cells and increased the survival time of mice infected with human lung cancer.]]></description> 

  <pubDate>Mon, 29 Jun 2009 15:53:00 EDT</pubDate> 
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  <title><![CDATA[Attorney General Wants Cocaine Sentences Equalized]]></title> 
  <link>http://www.jointogether.org/system/rss/clickthrough.jsp?feedTag=Alcohol,+Tobacco++and+Other+Drugs+News&amp;subsiteID=27070633&amp;url=http://www.jointogether.org/news/headlines/inthenews/2009/attorney-general-wants.html</link>
  <description><![CDATA[U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder called for an end to the gap between prison sentences for crack and powdered cocaine crimes at a recent legal discussion sponsored by the Congressional Black Caucus.]]></description> 

  <pubDate>Fri, 26 Jun 2009 16:48:27 EDT</pubDate> 
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  <title><![CDATA[Strip Search of 13-Year-Old for Drugs Unconstitutional, High Court Says]]></title> 
  <link>http://www.jointogether.org/system/rss/clickthrough.jsp?feedTag=Alcohol,+Tobacco++and+Other+Drugs+News&amp;subsiteID=27070633&amp;url=http://www.jointogether.org/news/headlines/inthenews/2009/strip-search-of-13-year-old.html</link>
  <description><![CDATA[Arizona school officials violated a middle-school girl's Constitutional protection against unreasonable searches when they strip-searched her on suspicion of possessing prescription ibuprofen in school.]]></description> 

  <pubDate>Fri, 26 Jun 2009 16:43:29 EDT</pubDate> 
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  <title><![CDATA[Study: Off-Campus Drinking Can be Curbed with Community's Help]]></title> 
  <link>http://www.jointogether.org/system/rss/clickthrough.jsp?feedTag=Alcohol,+Tobacco++and+Other+Drugs+News&amp;subsiteID=27070633&amp;url=http://www.jointogether.org/news/research/summaries/2009/study-off-campus-drinking.html</link>
  <description><![CDATA[A new study concludes that off-campus drinking by college students was reduced 27 percent by implementing community-level prevention programs.]]></description> 

  <pubDate>Fri, 26 Jun 2009 16:40:35 EDT</pubDate> 
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  <title><![CDATA[Arizona Legislators Consider Banning Methadone Users from Driving]]></title> 
  <link>http://www.jointogether.org/system/rss/clickthrough.jsp?feedTag=Alcohol,+Tobacco++and+Other+Drugs+News&amp;subsiteID=27070633&amp;url=http://www.jointogether.org/news/headlines/inthenews/2009/arizona-legislators-consider.html</link>
  <description><![CDATA[Arizona's state legislators debated this week the pros and cons of banning methadone users from driving, and in the end voted to amend the state's DUI law to allow methadone users to drive only if they are taking their medication as prescribed.]]></description> 

  <pubDate>Fri, 26 Jun 2009 16:36:56 EDT</pubDate> 
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  <title><![CDATA[Attitudes About Alcohol Shift in Hospitality Industry ]]></title> 
  <link>http://www.jointogether.org/system/rss/clickthrough.jsp?feedTag=Alcohol,+Tobacco++and+Other+Drugs+News&amp;subsiteID=27070633&amp;url=http://www.jointogether.org/news/headlines/inthenews/2009/attitudes-about-alcohol-shift.html</link>
  <description><![CDATA[Bars and restaurants have become less tolerant of drinking on the job, but people in recovery from alcoholism still struggle with employment in the hospitality industry.]]></description> 

  <pubDate>Thu, 25 Jun 2009 21:51:14 EDT</pubDate> 
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  <title><![CDATA[Healthcare Reform Must Prioritize Treatment for Addictions, Mental Health, Report Says ]]></title> 
  <link>http://www.jointogether.org/system/rss/clickthrough.jsp?feedTag=Alcohol,+Tobacco++and+Other+Drugs+News&amp;subsiteID=27070633&amp;url=http://www.jointogether.org/news/features/2009/healthcare-reform-must.html</link>
  <description><![CDATA[Any effort to reform the U.S. healthcare system must make behavioral healthcare a priority, treat the "whole person" not just disease symptoms, and eliminate the stigma and system fragmentation that stand in the way of patients seeking treatment and preventative services, according to a consensus statement issued by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). ]]></description> 

  <pubDate>Thu, 25 Jun 2009 21:28:49 EDT</pubDate> 
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  <title><![CDATA[Oregon Poised to Enter the Hemp Business]]></title> 
  <link>http://www.jointogether.org/system/rss/clickthrough.jsp?feedTag=Alcohol,+Tobacco++and+Other+Drugs+News&amp;subsiteID=27070633&amp;url=http://www.jointogether.org/news/headlines/inthenews/2009/oregon-poised-to-enter-the.html</link>
  <description><![CDATA[The Oregon Senate has approved legislation which would allow farmers to cultivate and process hemp, a crop closely related to marijuana.]]></description> 

  <pubDate>Thu, 25 Jun 2009 19:58:32 EDT</pubDate> 
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  <title><![CDATA[Manufacturers Secretly Alter Cigarettes ]]></title> 
  <link>http://www.jointogether.org/system/rss/clickthrough.jsp?feedTag=Alcohol,+Tobacco++and+Other+Drugs+News&amp;subsiteID=27070633&amp;url=http://www.jointogether.org/news/research/summaries/2009/manufacturers-secretly-alter.html</link>
  <description><![CDATA[Cigarette companies have made significant design changes to their brands over the years -- resulting in differences in the amount of tobacco, smoke chemistry, and nicotine delivery -- without informing consumers of the changes, according to researchers at the Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH).]]></description> 

  <pubDate>Thu, 25 Jun 2009 19:55:34 EDT</pubDate> 
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  <title><![CDATA[Researcher Reveals Past Addiction as Policy Shifts]]></title> 
  <link>http://www.jointogether.org/system/rss/clickthrough.jsp?feedTag=Alcohol,+Tobacco++and+Other+Drugs+News&amp;subsiteID=27070633&amp;url=http://www.jointogether.org/news/headlines/inthenews/2009/researcher-reveals-past.html</link>
  <description><![CDATA[Kathie Kane-Willis sees the government's recent push to steer addicts to treatment rather than prison from a fairly unique perspective: not only is she a social researcher who specializes in issues of drug abuse, but she also struggled with a heroin addiction herself.]]></description> 

  <pubDate>Thu, 25 Jun 2009 19:53:01 EDT</pubDate> 
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  <title><![CDATA[Alcohol May Not Be So Good for You, After All]]></title> 
  <link>http://www.jointogether.org/system/rss/clickthrough.jsp?feedTag=Alcohol,+Tobacco++and+Other+Drugs+News&amp;subsiteID=27070633&amp;url=http://www.jointogether.org/news/headlines/inthenews/2009/alcohol-may-not-be-so-good.html</link>
  <description><![CDATA[Many studies have suggested that using alcohol in moderation may help heart health and even prevent diabetes and dementia, but some scientists are questioning the purported benefits of moderate drinking.]]></description> 

  <pubDate>Wed, 24 Jun 2009 17:31:06 EDT</pubDate> 
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  <title><![CDATA[Researcher Decries Parental Permissiveness on Drinking]]></title> 
  <link>http://www.jointogether.org/system/rss/clickthrough.jsp?feedTag=Alcohol,+Tobacco++and+Other+Drugs+News&amp;subsiteID=27070633&amp;url=http://www.jointogether.org/news/research/summaries/2009/researcher-decries-parental.html</link>
  <description><![CDATA[A Penn State researcher says that parents who let teens drink alcohol may be setting their kids up for binge drinking in college, but the study by Caitlin Abar of the school's Prevention Research and Methodology Center makes no distinction between parents who simply let kids drink some wine during meals and those whose permissiveness extends to drinking outside the home.]]></description> 

  <pubDate>Wed, 24 Jun 2009 17:28:37 EDT</pubDate> 
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  <title><![CDATA[Army Sees Increase in Alcohol Abuse Among Soldiers]]></title> 
  <link>http://www.jointogether.org/system/rss/clickthrough.jsp?feedTag=Alcohol,+Tobacco++and+Other+Drugs+News&amp;subsiteID=27070633&amp;url=http://www.jointogether.org/news/headlines/inthenews/2009/army-sees-increase-in-alcohol.html</link>
  <description><![CDATA[Far greater numbers of U.S. Army soldiers are dealing with significant drinking problems, according to a new report.]]></description> 

  <pubDate>Wed, 24 Jun 2009 17:25:23 EDT</pubDate> 
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  <title><![CDATA[Huge Salaries for L.A. Treatment Executives Challenged]]></title> 
  <link>http://www.jointogether.org/system/rss/clickthrough.jsp?feedTag=Alcohol,+Tobacco++and+Other+Drugs+News&amp;subsiteID=27070633&amp;url=http://www.jointogether.org/news/headlines/inthenews/2009/huge-salaries-for-la.html</link>
  <description><![CDATA[Tarzana Treatment Centers, an L.A.-based nonprofit drug-treatment program that receives millions in annual government contracts to provide services, is raising eyebrows because of its top executives' generous salaries, compensation packages and business arrangements.]]></description> 

  <pubDate>Wed, 24 Jun 2009 17:21:59 EDT</pubDate> 
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  <title><![CDATA[Mexican Legislature Votes for Drug Decriminalization ]]></title> 
  <link>http://www.jointogether.org/system/rss/clickthrough.jsp?feedTag=Alcohol,+Tobacco++and+Other+Drugs+News&amp;subsiteID=27070633&amp;url=http://www.jointogether.org/news/headlines/inthenews/2009/mexican-legislature-votes-for.html</link>
  <description><![CDATA[President Felipe Calderon is expected to approve legislation passed by the Mexican Congress that would decriminalize the possession of small amounts of marijuana, cocaine, methamphetamine, and other drugs.]]></description> 

  <pubDate>Tue, 23 Jun 2009 20:15:00 EDT</pubDate> 
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  <title><![CDATA[California Board Rules Marijuana Smoke a Carcinogen]]></title> 
  <link>http://www.jointogether.org/system/rss/clickthrough.jsp?feedTag=Alcohol,+Tobacco++and+Other+Drugs+News&amp;subsiteID=27070633&amp;url=http://www.jointogether.org/news/headlines/inthenews/2009/california-board-rules.html</link>
  <description><![CDATA[A California state board called marijuana smoke a health hazard and has added it to the state's list of environmental hazards, placing the drug alongside other carcinogens like arsenic, asbestos, and DDT.]]></description> 

  <pubDate>Tue, 23 Jun 2009 19:52:00 EDT</pubDate> 
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  <title><![CDATA[Screening Reveals Overlooked Addictions among Elderly]]></title> 
  <link>http://www.jointogether.org/system/rss/clickthrough.jsp?feedTag=Alcohol,+Tobacco++and+Other+Drugs+News&amp;subsiteID=27070633&amp;url=http://www.jointogether.org/news/research/summaries/2009/screening-reveals-overlooked.html</link>
  <description><![CDATA[Screening and brief intervention programs can spot addiction and mental health problems among elderly patients that traditional healthcare interactions may miss, findings from a new Florida study indicate.]]></description> 

  <pubDate>Tue, 23 Jun 2009 19:46:34 EDT</pubDate> 
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  <title><![CDATA[Marijuana Legalization Drive Fueled by Current Events]]></title> 
  <link>http://www.jointogether.org/system/rss/clickthrough.jsp?feedTag=Alcohol,+Tobacco++and+Other+Drugs+News&amp;subsiteID=27070633&amp;url=http://www.jointogether.org/news/headlines/inthenews/2009/marijuana-legalization-drive.html</link>
  <description><![CDATA[Ongoing drug violence in Mexico and state budget deficits are driving optimism among supporters of marijuana legalization.]]></description> 

  <pubDate>Tue, 23 Jun 2009 19:44:22 EDT</pubDate> 
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  <title><![CDATA[FDA Tobacco Bill Signed Into Law]]></title> 
  <link>http://www.jointogether.org/system/rss/clickthrough.jsp?feedTag=Alcohol,+Tobacco++and+Other+Drugs+News&amp;subsiteID=27070633&amp;url=http://www.jointogether.org/news/headlines/inthenews/2009/fda-tobacco-bill-signed.html</link>
  <description><![CDATA[At a Rose Garden ceremony, President Barack Obama signed into law long-sought legislation that will give the U.S. Food and Drug Administration the power to regulate tobacco products.]]></description> 

  <pubDate>Mon, 22 Jun 2009 16:24:41 EDT</pubDate> 
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  <title><![CDATA[Alcohol's Effect on the Brain is Rapid, Detrimental]]></title> 
  <link>http://www.jointogether.org/system/rss/clickthrough.jsp?feedTag=Alcohol,+Tobacco++and+Other+Drugs+News&amp;subsiteID=27070633&amp;url=http://www.jointogether.org/news/research/summaries/2009/alcohols-effect-on-the-brain.html</link>
  <description><![CDATA[Researchers at Heidelberg University in Germany have found that it takes only six minutes for a change in brain cells to occur after drinking the equivalent of about three glasses of beer or two glasses of wine.]]></description> 

  <pubDate>Mon, 22 Jun 2009 14:35:59 EDT</pubDate> 
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  <title><![CDATA[Study Sees Strong Links Between Smoking Prevention, Mortality ]]></title> 
  <link>http://www.jointogether.org/system/rss/clickthrough.jsp?feedTag=Alcohol,+Tobacco++and+Other+Drugs+News&amp;subsiteID=27070633&amp;url=http://www.jointogether.org/news/research/summaries/2009/study-sees-strong-links.html</link>
  <description><![CDATA[Smoking prevalence and related deaths are far lower in communities that have taken the most concrete steps to prevent tobacco use among individuals and in public places, according to researchers.]]></description> 

  <pubDate>Mon, 22 Jun 2009 14:31:51 EDT</pubDate> 
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  <title><![CDATA[Houston Plagued by Drunk Driving Deaths ]]></title> 
  <link>http://www.jointogether.org/system/rss/clickthrough.jsp?feedTag=Alcohol,+Tobacco++and+Other+Drugs+News&amp;subsiteID=27070633&amp;url=http://www.jointogether.org/news/headlines/inthenews/2009/houston-plagued-by-drunk.html</link>
  <description><![CDATA[Houston's Harris County has the highest rate of drunk-driving fatalities among populous counties in the U.S., and issues about 10,000 drunk-driving citations annually, in what District Attorney Pat Lykos termed a "pandemic plague" of alcohol- related problems on local roads.]]></description> 

  <pubDate>Mon, 22 Jun 2009 14:25:29 EDT</pubDate> 
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  <title><![CDATA[38th Annual Summer Clinical Institute in Addiction Studies]]></title> 
  <link>http://www.jointogether.org/system/rss/clickthrough.jsp?feedTag=Alcohol,+Tobacco++and+Other+Drugs+News&amp;subsiteID=27070633&amp;url=http://www.jointogether.org/news/yourturn/announcements/2009/38th-annual-summer-clinical.html</link>
  <description><![CDATA[The University of California, San Diego, Center for Criminality &amp; Addiction Research, Training &amp; Application (CCARTA) kicks off its 38th annual Summer Clinical Institute with international and national research scientists and clinical experts, August 4-6, 2009.]]></description> 

  <pubDate>Fri, 19 Jun 2009 17:49:26 EDT</pubDate> 
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  <title><![CDATA[More College Students Dying from Drinking, NIAAA Reports ]]></title> 
  <link>http://www.jointogether.org/system/rss/clickthrough.jsp?feedTag=Alcohol,+Tobacco++and+Other+Drugs+News&amp;subsiteID=27070633&amp;url=http://www.jointogether.org/news/research/summaries/2009/more-college-students-dying.html</link>
  <description><![CDATA[Alcohol-related deaths, heavy drinking and drunk driving are all increasing among U.S. college students, according to a report from the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA).]]></description> 

  <pubDate>Fri, 19 Jun 2009 17:46:49 EDT</pubDate> 
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  <title><![CDATA[Dad's Drinking Predicts Teen Imbibing, Study Finds ]]></title> 
  <link>http://www.jointogether.org/system/rss/clickthrough.jsp?feedTag=Alcohol,+Tobacco++and+Other+Drugs+News&amp;subsiteID=27070633&amp;url=http://www.jointogether.org/news/research/summaries/2009/dads-drinking-predicts-teen.html</link>
  <description><![CDATA[Living with an alcoholic father dramatically increases the risk of binge drinking among teenagers, according to new research from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA).]]></description> 

  <pubDate>Fri, 19 Jun 2009 17:45:17 EDT</pubDate> 
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  <title><![CDATA[College Program Aims to Curb Alcohol-Related Deaths]]></title> 
  <link>http://www.jointogether.org/system/rss/clickthrough.jsp?feedTag=Alcohol,+Tobacco++and+Other+Drugs+News&amp;subsiteID=27070633&amp;url=http://www.jointogether.org/news/headlines/inthenews/2009/college-program-aims-to-curb.html</link>
  <description><![CDATA[Red Watch Band, a volunteer program started at Stony Brook University, aims to teach students what to do when someone passes out from binge drinking.]]></description> 

  <pubDate>Fri, 19 Jun 2009 17:43:34 EDT</pubDate> 
 </item>

 <item>
  <title><![CDATA[New Tobacco Regulation Violates First Amendment Rights, Critics Say]]></title> 
  <link>http://www.jointogether.org/system/rss/clickthrough.jsp?feedTag=Alcohol,+Tobacco++and+Other+Drugs+News&amp;subsiteID=27070633&amp;url=http://www.jointogether.org/news/headlines/inthenews/2009/new-tobacco-regulation.html</link>
  <description><![CDATA[Opponents of the tobacco-regulation bill passed by Congress last week say the measure infringes upon their free-speech rights by outlawing legal advertising and cutting off communication with adults.]]></description> 

  <pubDate>Fri, 19 Jun 2009 17:21:49 EDT</pubDate> 
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  <title><![CDATA[Will FDA Eventually Ban Menthol Cigarettes? ]]></title> 
  <link>http://www.jointogether.org/system/rss/clickthrough.jsp?feedTag=Alcohol,+Tobacco++and+Other+Drugs+News&amp;subsiteID=27070633&amp;url=http://www.jointogether.org/news/headlines/inthenews/2009/will-fda-eventually-ban.html</link>
  <description><![CDATA[As legislation allowing the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) power to regulate tobacco products clears Congress, some tobacco experts are focusing on the potential for the agency to use its new powers to ban menthol cigarettes.]]></description> 

  <pubDate>Thu, 18 Jun 2009 19:16:34 EDT</pubDate> 
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  <title><![CDATA[School-Based Prevention Cuts Drug Use, Violence, NIDA Says]]></title> 
  <link>http://www.jointogether.org/system/rss/clickthrough.jsp?feedTag=Alcohol,+Tobacco++and+Other+Drugs+News&amp;subsiteID=27070633&amp;url=http://www.jointogether.org/news/research/summaries/2009/school-based-prevention-cuts.html</link>
  <description><![CDATA[Fifth-grade students who took part in comprehensive, interactive
school-based prevention programs starting as early as first grade were half
as likely as their peers to use alcohol or other drugs, act out violently,
or engage in sexual activity, according to a new study from the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA).]]></description> 

  <pubDate>Thu, 18 Jun 2009 19:12:23 EDT</pubDate> 
 </item>

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  <title><![CDATA[Proposed Oregon Beer Tax Still Alive]]></title> 
  <link>http://www.jointogether.org/system/rss/clickthrough.jsp?feedTag=Alcohol,+Tobacco++and+Other+Drugs+News&amp;subsiteID=27070633&amp;url=http://www.jointogether.org/news/headlines/inthenews/2009/proposed-oregon-beer-tax.html</link>
  <description><![CDATA[With less than two weeks left in Oregon's 2009 legislature session, Rep. Ben Cannon (D-Portland) and Sen. Floyd Prozanski (D-Eugene) are proposing an updated version of the beer tax they introduced earlier this year.]]></description> 

  <pubDate>Thu, 18 Jun 2009 19:09:57 EDT</pubDate> 
 </item>

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  <title><![CDATA[Federal Appeals Court Upholds Conviction of Marijuana Advocate]]></title> 
  <link>http://www.jointogether.org/system/rss/clickthrough.jsp?feedTag=Alcohol,+Tobacco++and+Other+Drugs+News&amp;subsiteID=27070633&amp;url=http://www.jointogether.org/news/headlines/inthenews/2009/federal-appeals-court-upholds.html</link>
  <description><![CDATA[A federal appeals court has upheld the conviction of prominent medical-marijuana advocate Ed Rosenthal for growing the drug.]]></description> 

  <pubDate>Thu, 18 Jun 2009 19:08:20 EDT</pubDate> 
 </item>

 <item>
  <title><![CDATA[Poll: Americans Want Addiction Treatment in Healthcare Reform]]></title> 
  <link>http://www.jointogether.org/system/rss/clickthrough.jsp?feedTag=Alcohol,+Tobacco++and+Other+Drugs+News&amp;subsiteID=27070633&amp;url=http://www.jointogether.org/news/headlines/inthenews/2009/poll-americans-want.html</link>
  <description><![CDATA[Almost three-quarters of Americans support including alcohol and other drug treatment in national healthcare reform to make it more affordable, and two-thirds of survey participants (68 percent) support increasing the amount of federal and state funding for preventing and treating addiction.]]></description> 

  <pubDate>Wed, 17 Jun 2009 17:20:59 EDT</pubDate> 
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  <title><![CDATA[R.I. Assembly Overrides Veto of Marijuana Dispensary Bill]]></title> 
  <link>http://www.jointogether.org/system/rss/clickthrough.jsp?feedTag=Alcohol,+Tobacco++and+Other+Drugs+News&amp;subsiteID=27070633&amp;url=http://www.jointogether.org/news/headlines/inthenews/2009/ri-assembly-overrides-veto.html</link>
  <description><![CDATA[The Rhode Island House of Representatives and Senate overrode Gov. Donald L. Carcieri's veto of legislation that would allow state-licensed "compassion centers" to sell marijuana to patients with chronic pain and other debilitating diseases.]]></description> 

  <pubDate>Wed, 17 Jun 2009 17:13:37 EDT</pubDate> 
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  <title><![CDATA[Calif. Legalization Advocates Focus on 2010 Ballot]]></title> 
  <link>http://www.jointogether.org/system/rss/clickthrough.jsp?feedTag=Alcohol,+Tobacco++and+Other+Drugs+News&amp;subsiteID=27070633&amp;url=http://www.jointogether.org/news/headlines/inthenews/2009/calif-legalization-advocates.html</link>
  <description><![CDATA[Marijuana-legalization advocates in California are looking to get legislation to tax and regulate the drug on the state ballot for November 2010.]]></description> 

  <pubDate>Wed, 17 Jun 2009 17:08:41 EDT</pubDate> 
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  <title><![CDATA[Ft. Hood Commander Orders Dinner at Home to Combat Stress]]></title> 
  <link>http://www.jointogether.org/system/rss/clickthrough.jsp?feedTag=Alcohol,+Tobacco++and+Other+Drugs+News&amp;subsiteID=27070633&amp;url=http://www.jointogether.org/news/headlines/inthenews/2009/ft-hood-commander-orders.html</link>
  <description><![CDATA[Soldiers on leave from the wars in Iraq or Afghanistan have been ordered to get home for dinner by the commander of the Army's Fort Hood, who is looking for ways to cut soldiers' stress, improve morale, and reduce the incidence of suicide and addiction among his troops.]]></description> 

  <pubDate>Wed, 17 Jun 2009 16:21:00 EDT</pubDate> 
 </item>

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  <title><![CDATA[Navy Culture Contributes to Heavy Drinking]]></title> 
  <link>http://www.jointogether.org/system/rss/clickthrough.jsp?feedTag=Alcohol,+Tobacco++and+Other+Drugs+News&amp;subsiteID=27070633&amp;url=http://www.jointogether.org/news/research/summaries/2009/navy-culture-contributes.html</link>
  <description><![CDATA[The young age of recruits, cycles of activity and boredom, and general attitudes about alcohol use are all parts of Navy culture that contribute to heavy drinking among sailors, according to a new study.]]></description> 

  <pubDate>Tue, 16 Jun 2009 19:28:07 EDT</pubDate> 
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  <title><![CDATA[Patrick Kennedy Again Seeks Addiction Treatment]]></title> 
  <link>http://www.jointogether.org/system/rss/clickthrough.jsp?feedTag=Alcohol,+Tobacco++and+Other+Drugs+News&amp;subsiteID=27070633&amp;url=http://www.jointogether.org/news/headlines/inthenews/2009/patrick-kennedy-again-seeks.html</link>
  <description><![CDATA[Rep. Patrick Kennedy (D-R.I.) has checked into an addiction treatment center, saying that he has "decided to temporarily step away from my normal routine to ensure that I am being as vigilant as possible in my recovery."]]></description> 

  <pubDate>Tue, 16 Jun 2009 19:24:19 EDT</pubDate> 
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  <title><![CDATA[R.I. Governor Vetoes Marijuana Dispensary Bill]]></title> 
  <link>http://www.jointogether.org/system/rss/clickthrough.jsp?feedTag=Alcohol,+Tobacco++and+Other+Drugs+News&amp;subsiteID=27070633&amp;url=http://www.jointogether.org/news/headlines/inthenews/2009/ri-governor-vetoes.html</link>
  <description><![CDATA[Rhode Island Gov. Donald L. Carcieri has vetoed legislation that would have allowed state-licensed centers to sell marijuana to registered patients with chronic and debilitating illnesses.]]></description> 

  <pubDate>Tue, 16 Jun 2009 18:59:31 EDT</pubDate> 
 </item>

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  <title><![CDATA[Florida Pain Doctor's Appeal Denied by State Supreme Court]]></title> 
  <link>http://www.jointogether.org/system/rss/clickthrough.jsp?feedTag=Alcohol,+Tobacco++and+Other+Drugs+News&amp;subsiteID=27070633&amp;url=http://www.jointogether.org/news/headlines/inthenews/2009/florida-pain-doctors-appeal.html</link>
  <description><![CDATA[The Florida Supreme Court recently declined to review the case of Sharon Johnston, a Naples doctor found guilty of criminally dispensing controlled substances.]]></description> 

  <pubDate>Tue, 16 Jun 2009 17:39:00 EDT</pubDate> 
 </item>

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  <title><![CDATA[Adding Drones to the Drug War Arsenal]]></title> 
  <link>http://www.jointogether.org/system/rss/clickthrough.jsp?feedTag=Alcohol,+Tobacco++and+Other+Drugs+News&amp;subsiteID=27070633&amp;url=http://www.jointogether.org/news/headlines/inthenews/2009/adding-drones-to-the-drug-war.html</link>
  <description><![CDATA[The U.S. Defense Department's Southern Command has begun to test an unmanned air vehicle (UAV), or drone, for use in detecting and intercepting boats used to smuggle narcotics into the U.S.]]></description> 

  <pubDate>Mon, 15 Jun 2009 17:31:19 EDT</pubDate> 
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  <title><![CDATA[Army Brass Calls for Crackdown on Alcohol and Other Drug Problems]]></title> 
  <link>http://www.jointogether.org/system/rss/clickthrough.jsp?feedTag=Alcohol,+Tobacco++and+Other+Drugs+News&amp;subsiteID=27070633&amp;url=http://www.jointogether.org/news/headlines/inthenews/2009/army-brass-calls-for.html</link>
  <description><![CDATA[The U.S. Army is directing commanders to take steps to root out alcohol and other drug problems and get soldiers with addiction problems either into treatment or out of the service.]]></description> 

  <pubDate>Mon, 15 Jun 2009 17:29:26 EDT</pubDate> 
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  <title><![CDATA[N.M.'s State-Sanction Marijuana Grower Readies First Crop]]></title> 
  <link>http://www.jointogether.org/system/rss/clickthrough.jsp?feedTag=Alcohol,+Tobacco++and+Other+Drugs+News&amp;subsiteID=27070633&amp;url=http://www.jointogether.org/news/headlines/inthenews/2009/nms-state-sanction.html</link>
  <description><![CDATA[The first and only state-approved grower of medical marijuana in the U.S. will begin dispensing the drug to patients in New Mexico as early as the end of the summer.]]></description> 

  <pubDate>Mon, 15 Jun 2009 17:28:56 EDT</pubDate> 
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  <title><![CDATA[Meth Group Reaches Out to Teens in Spanish]]></title> 
  <link>http://www.jointogether.org/system/rss/clickthrough.jsp?feedTag=Alcohol,+Tobacco++and+Other+Drugs+News&amp;subsiteID=27070633&amp;url=http://www.jointogether.org/news/headlines/inthenews/2009/meth-group-reaches-out-to.html</link>
  <description><![CDATA[The Meth Project, which is known for using graphic images in its ads to show the consequences of methamphetamine use, is now reaching out to Spanish-speaking teens in the Western U.S. through new radio and TV ads.]]></description> 

  <pubDate>Mon, 15 Jun 2009 17:28:39 EDT</pubDate> 
 </item>

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  <title><![CDATA[1,000 Treatment Providers Join the ACTION Campaign]]></title> 
  <link>http://www.jointogether.org/system/rss/clickthrough.jsp?feedTag=Alcohol,+Tobacco++and+Other+Drugs+News&amp;subsiteID=27070633&amp;url=http://www.jointogether.org/news/yourturn/announcements/2009/1000-treatment-providers.html</link>
  <description><![CDATA[The Adopting Changes to Improve Outcomes Now (ACTION) Campaign has enrolled over 1,000 treatment providers and other organizations in its efforts to promote the national adoption of proven practices for enhancing client access to care and engagement in treatment.]]></description> 

  <pubDate>Sun, 14 Jun 2009 00:17:26 EDT</pubDate> 
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  <title><![CDATA[Senate, House Approve FDA Tobacco Bill]]></title> 
  <link>http://www.jointogether.org/system/rss/clickthrough.jsp?feedTag=Alcohol,+Tobacco++and+Other+Drugs+News&amp;subsiteID=27070633&amp;url=http://www.jointogether.org/news/headlines/inthenews/2009/senate-house-approve-fda.html</link>
  <description><![CDATA[The U.S. Senate and House have voted in favor of a bill that would give the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) the authority to regulate tobacco and imposes new restrictions on tobacco marketing and ingredients.]]></description> 

  <pubDate>Sat, 13 Jun 2009 21:59:00 EDT</pubDate> 
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  <title><![CDATA[Binge Drinking Part of Military Culture, Study Says]]></title> 
  <link>http://www.jointogether.org/system/rss/clickthrough.jsp?feedTag=Alcohol,+Tobacco++and+Other+Drugs+News&amp;subsiteID=27070633&amp;url=http://www.jointogether.org/news/research/summaries/2009/binge-drinking-part-of.html</link>
  <description><![CDATA[Excessive drinking is deeply ingrained in military culture, and service members are more likely than the general public to drive drunk, drink while underage, and be intoxicated while on duty, according to a study from the University of Minnesota and the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.]]></description> 

  <pubDate>Sat, 13 Jun 2009 21:55:04 EDT</pubDate> 
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  <title><![CDATA[Few Countries Put Health Warnings on Tobacco Products, CDC Finds]]></title> 
  <link>http://www.jointogether.org/system/rss/clickthrough.jsp?feedTag=Alcohol,+Tobacco++and+Other+Drugs+News&amp;subsiteID=27070633&amp;url=http://www.jointogether.org/news/research/summaries/2009/few-countries-put-health.html</link>
  <description><![CDATA[Health warnings placed on tobacco product packages are effective, but few countries have adopted an international treaty that mandates such warnings.]]></description> 

  <pubDate>Sat, 13 Jun 2009 19:55:00 EDT</pubDate> 
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 <item>
  <title><![CDATA[Regulation Uneven as E-Cigarettes Gain Popularity]]></title> 
  <link>http://www.jointogether.org/system/rss/clickthrough.jsp?feedTag=Alcohol,+Tobacco++and+Other+Drugs+News&amp;subsiteID=27070633&amp;url=http://www.jointogether.org/news/headlines/inthenews/2009/regulation-uneven-as.html</link>
  <description><![CDATA[New smokeless, electronic cigarettes have become increasingly popular in the U.S., with smokers buying the devices online even as the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has intercepted some shipments of the products, saying that they are unapproved drug-delivery devices.]]></description> 

  <pubDate>Sat, 13 Jun 2009 19:53:00 EDT</pubDate> 
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 <item>
  <title><![CDATA[Border Anti-Drug Strategy Outlined]]></title> 
  <link>http://www.jointogether.org/system/rss/clickthrough.jsp?feedTag=Alcohol,+Tobacco++and+Other+Drugs+News&amp;subsiteID=27070633&amp;url=http://www.jointogether.org/news/headlines/inthenews/2009/border-anti-drug-strategy.html</link>
  <description><![CDATA[The Obama administration's 2009 counternarcotics strategy includes high-tech efforts to prevent the flow of drugs across the U.S.-Mexico border and a stepped-up campaign to cut drug demand.]]></description> 

  <pubDate>Thu, 11 Jun 2009 20:57:08 EDT</pubDate> 
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  <title><![CDATA[Lower Drinking Age Associated with Poor Birth Outcomes]]></title> 
  <link>http://www.jointogether.org/system/rss/clickthrough.jsp?feedTag=Alcohol,+Tobacco++and+Other+Drugs+News&amp;subsiteID=27070633&amp;url=http://www.jointogether.org/news/research/summaries/2009/lower-drinking-age-associated.html</link>
  <description><![CDATA[A new study from the University of Georgia concludes that lowering the legal drinking age could affect the rate of unplanned pregnancies and pre-term births among young women. ]]></description> 

  <pubDate>Thu, 11 Jun 2009 20:01:18 EDT</pubDate> 
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  <title><![CDATA[CDC Head Faces New Challenges in Fighting Smoking]]></title> 
  <link>http://www.jointogether.org/system/rss/clickthrough.jsp?feedTag=Alcohol,+Tobacco++and+Other+Drugs+News&amp;subsiteID=27070633&amp;url=http://www.jointogether.org/news/headlines/inthenews/2009/cdc-head-faces-new-challenges.html</link>
  <description><![CDATA[The man who spearheaded New York City's successful battle against smoking will face a much different political landscape as he takes the helm at the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).]]></description> 

  <pubDate>Thu, 11 Jun 2009 19:57:43 EDT</pubDate> 
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  <title><![CDATA[Delaware Medical Marijuana Bill Reaches Senate Floor]]></title> 
  <link>http://www.jointogether.org/system/rss/clickthrough.jsp?feedTag=Alcohol,+Tobacco++and+Other+Drugs+News&amp;subsiteID=27070633&amp;url=http://www.jointogether.org/news/headlines/inthenews/2009/delaware-medical-marijuana.html</link>
  <description><![CDATA[The full Delaware Senate could soon vote on a measure that would legalize medical use of marijuana in the state.]]></description> 

  <pubDate>Thu, 11 Jun 2009 19:57:20 EDT</pubDate> 
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  <title><![CDATA[FDA Wants Drug Ads Toned Down]]></title> 
  <link>http://www.jointogether.org/system/rss/clickthrough.jsp?feedTag=Alcohol,+Tobacco++and+Other+Drugs+News&amp;subsiteID=27070633&amp;url=http://www.jointogether.org/news/headlines/inthenews/2009/fda-wants-drug-ads-toned.html</link>
  <description><![CDATA[Pharmaceutical companies need to stop using various advertising techniques to distract viewers from learning about the side-effects of prescription drugs marketed on TV, according to draft guidelines issued by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).]]></description> 

  <pubDate>Thu, 11 Jun 2009 18:59:27 EDT</pubDate> 
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  <title><![CDATA[MADD, Century Council Split Over Drunk-Driving Penalties]]></title> 
  <link>http://www.jointogether.org/system/rss/clickthrough.jsp?feedTag=Alcohol,+Tobacco++and+Other+Drugs+News&amp;subsiteID=27070633&amp;url=http://www.jointogether.org/news/headlines/inthenews/2009/madd-century-council-split.html</link>
  <description><![CDATA[Clashing over penalties for first-time drunk driving offenses, Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) has severed its relationship with the alcohol-industry funded Century Council.]]></description> 

  <pubDate>Wed, 10 Jun 2009 22:49:08 EDT</pubDate> 
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  <title><![CDATA[Teen Drinkers Face Greater Alcohol Risks as Adults]]></title> 
  <link>http://www.jointogether.org/system/rss/clickthrough.jsp?feedTag=Alcohol,+Tobacco++and+Other+Drugs+News&amp;subsiteID=27070633&amp;url=http://www.jointogether.org/news/research/summaries/2009/young-drinkers-face-greater.html</link>
  <description><![CDATA[New research suggests that individuals who begin drinking alcohol as teenagers are more likely than those who start drinking after age 21 to suffer alcohol-related harm as adults.]]></description> 

  <pubDate>Wed, 10 Jun 2009 22:45:00 EDT</pubDate> 
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  <title><![CDATA[Tobacco Allies' Alternative to FDA Bill Rejected]]></title> 
  <link>http://www.jointogether.org/system/rss/clickthrough.jsp?feedTag=Alcohol,+Tobacco++and+Other+Drugs+News&amp;subsiteID=27070633&amp;url=http://www.jointogether.org/news/headlines/inthenews/2009/tobacco-allies-alternative.html</link>
  <description><![CDATA[A proposed substitute for the Senate's tobacco-regulation bill was rejected on a 60-36 vote, and the Senate is now poised to approve the landmark regulatory measure.]]></description> 

  <pubDate>Wed, 10 Jun 2009 22:42:36 EDT</pubDate> 
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  <title><![CDATA[Tobacco Industry Has Few Friends Left in Congress]]></title> 
  <link>http://www.jointogether.org/system/rss/clickthrough.jsp?feedTag=Alcohol,+Tobacco++and+Other+Drugs+News&amp;subsiteID=27070633&amp;url=http://www.jointogether.org/news/headlines/inthenews/2009/tobacco-industry-has-few.html</link>
  <description><![CDATA[The U.S. tobacco industry, which once had the power to block most federal legislation it did not like, has lost most of its allies on Capitol Hill apart from a handful of lawmakers from traditional tobacco states.]]></description> 

  <pubDate>Wed, 10 Jun 2009 22:32:53 EDT</pubDate> 
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  <title><![CDATA[Heaviest Smokers at Increased Lung-Cancer Death Risk ]]></title> 
  <link>http://www.jointogether.org/system/rss/clickthrough.jsp?feedTag=Alcohol,+Tobacco++and+Other+Drugs+News&amp;subsiteID=27070633&amp;url=http://www.jointogether.org/news/research/summaries/2009/heaviest-smokers-at-increased.html</link>
  <description><![CDATA[Smoking intensity may predict lung-cancer mortality, according to new research from West Virginia University.]]></description> 

  <pubDate>Tue, 9 Jun 2009 20:37:46 EDT</pubDate> 
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  <title><![CDATA[New Web-Based Evaluation Tool for Drug and DWI Courts]]></title> 
  <link>http://www.jointogether.org/system/rss/clickthrough.jsp?feedTag=Alcohol,+Tobacco++and+Other+Drugs+News&amp;subsiteID=27070633&amp;url=http://www.jointogether.org/news/yourturn/announcements/2009/new-web-based-evaluation-tool.html</link>
  <description><![CDATA[The Treatment Research Institute (TRI) released a Court Evaluation Program, "TRI-CEP," a web-based, multi-media tool helping judges and other court officials comprehensively evaluate and justify their drug and other problem solving courts.]]></description> 

  <pubDate>Tue, 9 Jun 2009 19:59:35 EDT</pubDate> 
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  <title><![CDATA[Drug Czar Repudiates Legalization]]></title> 
  <link>http://www.jointogether.org/system/rss/clickthrough.jsp?feedTag=Alcohol,+Tobacco++and+Other+Drugs+News&amp;subsiteID=27070633&amp;url=http://www.jointogether.org/news/headlines/inthenews/2009/drug-czar-repudiates.html</link>
  <description><![CDATA[Drug legalization "is not a part of the president's vocabulary under any circumstances and it's not a part of mine," said Obama administration drug czar Gil Kerlikowske in a recent interview.]]></description> 

  <pubDate>Tue, 9 Jun 2009 12:04:47 EDT</pubDate> 
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  <title><![CDATA[N.J. Medical Marijuana Bill Moves to Full Assembly]]></title> 
  <link>http://www.jointogether.org/system/rss/clickthrough.jsp?feedTag=Alcohol,+Tobacco++and+Other+Drugs+News&amp;subsiteID=27070633&amp;url=http://www.jointogether.org/news/headlines/inthenews/2009/nj-medical-marijuana-bill.html</link>
  <description><![CDATA[Legislation to legalize the use of marijuana for "compassionate medical" purposes passed the New Jersey General Assembly's Health and Senior Services Committee by an 8-1 vote.]]></description> 

  <pubDate>Tue, 9 Jun 2009 12:01:22 EDT</pubDate> 
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  <title><![CDATA[NY Grassroots Advocacy Training Initiative]]></title> 
  <link>http://www.jointogether.org/system/rss/clickthrough.jsp?feedTag=Alcohol,+Tobacco++and+Other+Drugs+News&amp;subsiteID=27070633&amp;url=http://www.jointogether.org/news/yourturn/announcements/2009/ny-advocacy.html</link>
  <description><![CDATA[These one-day trainings are open to anyone who is concerned about alcohol and drug related problems in New York and would like to make a difference by advocating for prevention, treatment and recovery policies, funding and services.]]></description> 

  <pubDate>Mon, 8 Jun 2009 15:48:49 EDT</pubDate> 
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  <title><![CDATA[Drug Use Varies from State to State, SAMHSA Finds]]></title> 
  <link>http://www.jointogether.org/system/rss/clickthrough.jsp?feedTag=Alcohol,+Tobacco++and+Other+Drugs+News&amp;subsiteID=27070633&amp;url=http://www.jointogether.org/news/headlines/inthenews/2009/drug-use-varies-from-state-to.html</link>
  <description><![CDATA[A new study from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) finds that the prevalence of illicit drug use -- and drug preferences -- vary widely among the states.]]></description> 

  <pubDate>Mon, 8 Jun 2009 15:29:01 EDT</pubDate> 
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  <title><![CDATA[Heroin Maintenance Trial to Begin in Canada]]></title> 
  <link>http://www.jointogether.org/system/rss/clickthrough.jsp?feedTag=Alcohol,+Tobacco++and+Other+Drugs+News&amp;subsiteID=27070633&amp;url=http://www.jointogether.org/news/headlines/inthenews/2009/heroin-maintenance-trial-to.html</link>
  <description><![CDATA[Buoyed by research showing that giving heroin to addicts in a controlled setting can reduce crime and improve health, Canadian researchers are set to launch a trial heroin-maintenance project in Montreal and Vancouver.]]></description> 

  <pubDate>Mon, 8 Jun 2009 15:26:05 EDT</pubDate> 
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  <title><![CDATA[Tobacco Company to Test Effectiveness of 'Less Toxic' Cigarettes]]></title> 
  <link>http://www.jointogether.org/system/rss/clickthrough.jsp?feedTag=Alcohol,+Tobacco++and+Other+Drugs+News&amp;subsiteID=27070633&amp;url=http://www.jointogether.org/news/headlines/inthenews/2009/tobacco-company-to-test.html</link>
  <description><![CDATA[British American Tobacco (BAT) is testing the effectiveness of new cigarettes that the company claims emit less-toxic smoke.]]></description> 

  <pubDate>Mon, 8 Jun 2009 15:19:44 EDT</pubDate> 
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  <title><![CDATA[Cocaine Users' Brains Behave Differently from Non-Users']]></title> 
  <link>http://www.jointogether.org/system/rss/clickthrough.jsp?feedTag=Alcohol,+Tobacco++and+Other+Drugs+News&amp;subsiteID=27070633&amp;url=http://www.jointogether.org/news/research/summaries/2009/cocaine-users-brains-behave.html</link>
  <description><![CDATA[Researchers from the Brookhaven National Laboratory and the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) have demonstrated that an area of the brain called the Anterior Cingulate Cortex shows differences in levels of activity between cocaine users compared with non-users when performing a series of tasks, even though both groups are evenly matched demographically.]]></description> 

  <pubDate>Mon, 8 Jun 2009 15:17:29 EDT</pubDate> 
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  <title><![CDATA[Study: Children More Likely to Smoke if Mothers Smoked While Pregnant]]></title> 
  <link>http://www.jointogether.org/system/rss/clickthrough.jsp?feedTag=Alcohol,+Tobacco++and+Other+Drugs+News&amp;subsiteID=27070633&amp;url=http://www.jointogether.org/news/research/summaries/2009/study-children-more-likely.html</link>
  <description><![CDATA[New research from the University of Arizona suggests that children are 'primed' to become regular smokers as teenagers if their mothers smoked during pregnancy.]]></description> 

  <pubDate>Mon, 8 Jun 2009 08:22:11 EDT</pubDate> 
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  <title><![CDATA[New Jersey Keeps Tight Grip on Strict Drug Sentences]]></title> 
  <link>http://www.jointogether.org/system/rss/clickthrough.jsp?feedTag=Alcohol,+Tobacco++and+Other+Drugs+News&amp;subsiteID=27070633&amp;url=http://www.jointogether.org/news/headlines/inthenews/2009/new-jersey-keeps-tight-grip.html</link>
  <description><![CDATA[While other states in the U.S. are loosening their harsh drug penalties, some legislators in New Jersey are determined to keep the state's strict sentencing laws in place.]]></description> 

  <pubDate>Mon, 8 Jun 2009 08:20:50 EDT</pubDate> 
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  <title><![CDATA[Mass. Anti-Smoking Program Helps Medicaid Recipients Quit]]></title> 
  <link>http://www.jointogether.org/system/rss/clickthrough.jsp?feedTag=Alcohol,+Tobacco++and+Other+Drugs+News&amp;subsiteID=27070633&amp;url=http://www.jointogether.org/news/headlines/inthenews/2009/mass-anti-smoking-program.html</link>
  <description><![CDATA[A Massachusetts smoking-cessation program for participants in the state Medicaid program has helped 33,000 people stop smoking.]]></description> 

  <pubDate>Mon, 8 Jun 2009 08:17:16 EDT</pubDate> 
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  <title><![CDATA[NIH Panel to Consider NIDA/NIAAA Merger]]></title> 
  <link>http://www.jointogether.org/system/rss/clickthrough.jsp?feedTag=Alcohol,+Tobacco++and+Other+Drugs+News&amp;subsiteID=27070633&amp;url=http://www.jointogether.org/news/features/2009/nih-panel-to-consider.html</link>
  <description><![CDATA[A special panel at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) has recommended a formal study on the possibility of merging the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) with the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) to form a National Institute on Addiction, but another putative merger -- between the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) and the Health Resources and Services Administration -- has been dismissed as nothing more than a "rumor" by a SAMHSA official.]]></description> 

  <pubDate>Sat, 6 Jun 2009 22:58:34 EDT</pubDate> 
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  <title><![CDATA[Computer Versus Therapist-Delivered Treatment for Co-occurring Depression and Alcohol/Cannabis Use]]></title> 
  <link>http://www.jointogether.org/system/rss/clickthrough.jsp?feedTag=Alcohol,+Tobacco++and+Other+Drugs+News&amp;subsiteID=27070633&amp;url=http://www.jointogether.org/news/research/tprb/mayjun09/boyle-computer-versus.html</link>
  <description><![CDATA[In a randomized trial, researchers compared the effectiveness of a computer- or therapist-delivered intervention that combined motivational interviewing (MI) and cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) to treat co-occurring depression and alcohol/cannabis use.]]></description> 

  <pubDate>Fri, 5 Jun 2009 14:08:12 EDT</pubDate> 
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  <title><![CDATA[Contingency Management Effective in a Community Adolescent Treatment Program]]></title> 
  <link>http://www.jointogether.org/system/rss/clickthrough.jsp?feedTag=Alcohol,+Tobacco++and+Other+Drugs+News&amp;subsiteID=27070633&amp;url=http://www.jointogether.org/news/research/tprb/mayjun09/levy-contingency-management.html</link>
  <description><![CDATA[This observational study measured the effect of low-cost contingency management (the use of motivational incentives) on drug tests and attendance among adolescents enrolled in intensive drug treatment program.]]></description> 

  <pubDate>Fri, 5 Jun 2009 14:07:27 EDT</pubDate> 
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  <title><![CDATA[Extended Outpatient Detoxification with Buprenorphine Demonstrates Better Outcomes than Short-Term Detoxification]]></title> 
  <link>http://www.jointogether.org/system/rss/clickthrough.jsp?feedTag=Alcohol,+Tobacco++and+Other+Drugs+News&amp;subsiteID=27070633&amp;url=http://www.jointogether.org/news/research/tprb/mayjun09/levy-extended-outpatient.html</link>
  <description><![CDATA[Researchers compared outcomes for short- and long-term detoxification with buprenorphine to determine how best to maximize completion rates, reduce drug use after completion, and facilitate transition to longer term treatment.]]></description> 

  <pubDate>Fri, 5 Jun 2009 14:06:10 EDT</pubDate> 
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  <title><![CDATA[Treatment in Primary Care for Family Members Affected by Substance Abuse]]></title> 
  <link>http://www.jointogether.org/system/rss/clickthrough.jsp?feedTag=Alcohol,+Tobacco++and+Other+Drugs+News&amp;subsiteID=27070633&amp;url=http://www.jointogether.org/news/research/tprb/mayjun09/finkelstein-treatment-in-primary.html</link>
  <description><![CDATA[Studies indicate that individuals who have a close family member with addiction suffer from multiple symptoms of physical and psychological stress. Researchers from England compared the effectiveness of two family interventions aimed at reducing those symptoms.]]></description> 

  <pubDate>Fri, 5 Jun 2009 14:05:18 EDT</pubDate> 
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  <title><![CDATA[Substance Abuse Linked to Tuberculosis Transmission and Treatment Failure in the United States]]></title> 
  <link>http://www.jointogether.org/system/rss/clickthrough.jsp?feedTag=Alcohol,+Tobacco++and+Other+Drugs+News&amp;subsiteID=27070633&amp;url=http://www.jointogether.org/news/research/tprb/mayjun09/delaney-substance-abuse-linked.html</link>
  <description><![CDATA[Researchers from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention analyzed records of tuberculosis (TB) cases in the United States from 1997-2006 to assess the role of substance abuse in the transmission and treatment of TB.]]></description> 

  <pubDate>Fri, 5 Jun 2009 14:04:29 EDT</pubDate> 
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  <title><![CDATA[Abstinence after Diagnosis of Alcohol-Related Cirrhosis is a Key Factor in Prognosis]]></title> 
  <link>http://www.jointogether.org/system/rss/clickthrough.jsp?feedTag=Alcohol,+Tobacco++and+Other+Drugs+News&amp;subsiteID=27070633&amp;url=http://www.jointogether.org/news/research/tprb/mayjun09/delaney-abstinence-after.html</link>
  <description><![CDATA[This study analyzed the factors affecting 7-year survival among 100 consecutive patients with alcohol-induced liver cirrhosis treated in the UK.]]></description> 

  <pubDate>Fri, 5 Jun 2009 14:03:17 EDT</pubDate> 
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  <title><![CDATA[Ohio Not Expected to Follow Michigan's Lead on Medical Marijuana]]></title> 
  <link>http://www.jointogether.org/system/rss/clickthrough.jsp?feedTag=Alcohol,+Tobacco++and+Other+Drugs+News&amp;subsiteID=27070633&amp;url=http://www.jointogether.org/news/headlines/inthenews/2009/ohio-not-expected-to-follow.html</link>
  <description><![CDATA[Michigan's recent enactment of medical-marijuana legislation is unlikely to prompt similar action in Ohio, at least in the near-term.]]></description> 

  <pubDate>Fri, 5 Jun 2009 11:15:49 EDT</pubDate> 
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  <title><![CDATA[Louisiana House Rejects Smoking Ban]]></title> 
  <link>http://www.jointogether.org/system/rss/clickthrough.jsp?feedTag=Alcohol,+Tobacco++and+Other+Drugs+News&amp;subsiteID=27070633&amp;url=http://www.jointogether.org/news/headlines/inthenews/2009/louisiana-house-rejects.html</link>
  <description><![CDATA[The Louisiana House of Representatives shot down legislation that would have banned smoking in bars and gambling facilities.]]></description> 

  <pubDate>Fri, 5 Jun 2009 11:00:51 EDT</pubDate> 
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  <title><![CDATA[Scientists Show How Brain Protein is Involved in Addiction]]></title> 
  <link>http://www.jointogether.org/system/rss/clickthrough.jsp?feedTag=Alcohol,+Tobacco++and+Other+Drugs+News&amp;subsiteID=27070633&amp;url=http://www.jointogether.org/news/research/summaries/2009/scientists-show-how-brain.html</link>
  <description><![CDATA[Researchers have demonstrated that a naturally occurring brain protein known as Brain Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF) can be manipulated to produce increased activity in the brain similar to when opiates are ingested.]]></description> 

  <pubDate>Thu, 4 Jun 2009 21:55:27 EDT</pubDate> 
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  <title><![CDATA[Jury Orders RJR to Pay $30 Million to Widow of Florida Smoker]]></title> 
  <link>http://www.jointogether.org/system/rss/clickthrough.jsp?feedTag=Alcohol,+Tobacco++and+Other+Drugs+News&amp;subsiteID=27070633&amp;url=http://www.jointogether.org/news/headlines/inthenews/2009/jury-orders-rjr-to-pay.html</link>
  <description><![CDATA[Cigarette maker R.J. Reynolds has been ordered to pay $30 million to the widow of a Florida man who died from lung cancer, another in a string of verdicts against the tobacco industry.]]></description> 

  <pubDate>Thu, 4 Jun 2009 21:54:35 EDT</pubDate> 
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  <title><![CDATA[17 States Give Anti-Overdose Drug to Addicts]]></title> 
  <link>http://www.jointogether.org/system/rss/clickthrough.jsp?feedTag=Alcohol,+Tobacco++and+Other+Drugs+News&amp;subsiteID=27070633&amp;url=http://www.jointogether.org/news/headlines/inthenews/2009/17-states-give-anti-overdose.html</link>
  <description><![CDATA[A pioneering Chicago program that allows opiate addicts and their friends to administer the anti-overdose medication naloxone to those in distress has been replicated in 17 states.]]></description> 

  <pubDate>Thu, 4 Jun 2009 21:51:24 EDT</pubDate> 
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  <title><![CDATA[Senate Starts Floor Debate on FDA Tobacco Bill]]></title> 
  <link>http://www.jointogether.org/system/rss/clickthrough.jsp?feedTag=Alcohol,+Tobacco++and+Other+Drugs+News&amp;subsiteID=27070633&amp;url=http://www.jointogether.org/news/headlines/inthenews/2009/senate-starts-floor-debate-on.html</link>
  <description><![CDATA[The U.S. Senate has voted 84-11 in favor of beginning debate on a bill that would give the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) the power to regulate tobacco products.]]></description> 

  <pubDate>Thu, 4 Jun 2009 21:39:58 EDT</pubDate> 
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