Psychiatric News (3/18) says new poll data from the American Psychiatric Association suggest “that more than one-quarter of American adults report a daily habit of online gambling.” According to the poll, among US adults, “28% have a daily habit of gambling online, with men being more likely than women to gamble online for at least a few minutes a day (36% compared with 20%, respectively). More than half of adults (58%) who gamble online daily said that they have intentionally taken a break or limited the amount of time they spend gambling, with men more likely to report doing so than women.” Additionally, the poll indicated that “one-third (35%) of respondents who said they gamble online daily said they began doing so between the ages of 18 and 25, suggesting that late adolescence and early adulthood is a crucial period for shaping attitudes toward online gambling.”

Related Links:

— “More Than a Quarter of American Adults Gamble Online Daily, APA Poll Finds,” Psychiatric News, March 18, 2025

HealthDay (3/17, Thompson ) reports, “Nearly 1 in 3 children live with a chronic condition that could significantly affect their health for the rest of their lives, a new study says.” Researchers found that “chronic illnesses affected more than 30% of children ages 5 to 17 by 2018, up from around 23% in 1999.” That “adds up to about 130,000 more children each year being diagnosed with a chronic illness.” The findings were published in Academic Pediatrics.

Related Links:

— “ 1 in 3 Children Now Suffer From Chronic Illness
,” Dennis Thompson, HealthDay, March 17, 2025

Healio (3/17, Rhoades) reports, “The trajectory of sports gambling over the past several years exhibits strong ties to trends related to alcohol use disorders, results from a cross-sectional survey study showed.” Investigators “reported a highly positive correlation between sports gambling and alcohol use disorders and, as a result, individuals who increase their sports gambling over time ‘would be at substantial risk for also increasing problems related to alcohol,’ they wrote.” The findings were published in JAMA Psychiatry.

Related Links:

— “‘Part of the sports culture’: Gamblers ‘especially at risk’ for alcohol-related problems,” Andrew Rhoades, Healio, March 17, 2025

Psychiatric News (3/17) reports that in a statement released on Monday, “APA voiced its disapproval of the possible personnel cuts to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) that have been reported in multiple news outlets.” The APA said, “SAMHSA’s programs have contributed to the advances our nation has made in fighting the mental health and addiction crises. Its impact across the nation is widespread and crucial.” The statement concluded, “Before taking any executive actions that will affect our nation’s mental health, the APA calls on the Administration and Congressional leadership to work with us and our partner organizations to thoughtfully pursue the best path forward to ensure people with mental health and substance use disorder do not lose services they desperately need.”

Related Links:

— “APA Expresses Concern Over Reported Cuts to SAMHSA,” Psychiatric News, March 17, 2025

The AP (3/14, Perrone ) reported, “U.S. health officials are tracking a rise in injuries tied to the misuse of nitrous oxide, or laughing gas, including some brands that are sold in small canisters containing flavors like blueberry, strawberry and watermelon.” The FDA “on Friday warned consumers that inhaling the gas for its euphoric effects can cause dangerously low blood pressure, leading to loss of consciousness and injuries.” The FDA “flagged a number products sold in colorful packaging at gas stations, vape shops and online including Cosmic Gas, Galaxy Gas and MassGass.”

Reuters (3/14, Sunny) reported similarly that “the FDA cautioned against the improper use of these products in any canister, tank, or charger size, as misuse could result in severe health issues, including blood clots, loss of consciousness, paralysis, psychiatric disorders, and even death.” The FDA “said that it is monitoring reports of adverse events following the inhalation of nitrous oxide products and will take appropriate actions, although it did not provide specific details.”

Related Links:

— “FDA warns of misuse of laughing gas sold in colorful, flavored canisters,” Matthew Perrone, Associated Press, March 14, 2025