News: Substance Abuse

Recent Study Reports an Effective Means to Decrease or End Drug Abuse

February 16, 2005

Dr. Judith Bernstein, Dr. Edward Bernstein and their colleagues at Boston University Schools of Medicine and Public Health published a study in the January 2005 issue of "Drug and Alcohol Dependence" that shows that just one meeting with an addiction peer counselor at the time of a routine doctor visit and one follow-up booster phone call can motivate some cocaine and heroine addicts to reduce their use of the drugs.

The one and only meeting with the addiction peer counselor was labeled a motivational interview. The intention during this interview was to establish rapport and assess readiness to change. The 20 minute motivational interview also included the development of an action plan.

Six months following enrollment, researchers found a significant difference in abstinence rates for both cocaine and heroine abusers. "The study not only shows that this type of intervention provides true benefits in reducing cocaine and heroine abuse, it also suggests that peer interventionists can play an important role in busy clinical environments" says Dr. Volkow.

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Source: "Brief Encounters Can Provide Motivation to Reduce or Stop Drug Abuse", January 5, 2005,Department of Health and Human Services, National Institutes of Health, National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA)