HealthDay (10/2, Mundell) reports that in wake of the Las Vegas shootings, “psychiatrists urge young people and their parents to not give way to fear.” Psychiatrist Victor Fornari, MD, “director, child and adolescent psychiatry, Zucker Hillside Hospital,” said, “The acts of violence we have seen are rare events, and should not interfere with young people from attending concerts.” Psychiatrist Matthew Lorber, MD, of the Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City, said, “It is natural for parents to be fearful [after such events], but they have to be careful to not teach teens to be afraid of everything, but rather teach teens smart safety precautions.”

Related Links:

— “Reassuring Kids After Another Senseless Tragedy,” E.J. Mundell, HealthDay, October 2, 2017.

Healio (10/2) reports, “Illicit drug use initiation was highest for marijuana in 2016, followed by prescription pain relievers, tranquilizers and stimulants,” researchers from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration found after analyzing “data from the 2016 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) for individuals aged 12 years and older.”

Related Links:

— “Survey results shed light on substance use initiation trends,” Rachel N. Lipari, PhD, Healio, October 2, 2017.

The AP (10/3, Neergaard) reports the National Institutes of Health’s National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism will launch Tuesday a novel online tool to help patients find alcohol treatment professionals. NIAAA Director George Koob “ordered development of the Alcohol Treatment Navigator after realizing if medical professionals were confused, families must be lost.” The Navigator offers a step-by-step guide to assessing options beyond detox and Alcoholics Anonymous, including links to thousands of board-certified addiction physicians or psychiatrists, accredited alcohol treatment centers, and licensed therapists, organized by ZIP code.

Related Links:

— “Trying to get sober? NIH offers tool to help find good care,” LAURAN NEERGAARD, ABC News, October 3, 2017.

Healio (9/29, Oldt) reported, “Adults who used cannabis were significantly more likely to use nonmedical prescription opioids,” researchers found after analyzing “data from wave 1 (2001-2002) and wave 2 (2004-2005) of the National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions.” The findings were published online Sept. 26 in the American Journal of Psychiatry, a publication of the American Psychiatric Association.

Related Links:

— “Cannabis use may increase risk for opioid abuse,” Olfson M, et al., Healio, September 29, 2017.

HealthDay (9/29, Preidt) reported, “Older adults who’ve lost their sense of smell appear to have an increased risk of dementia,” researchers concluded after conducting a “long-term study” that “included nearly 3,000 participants, aged 57 to 85, who were tested on their ability to identify five common odors.” The findings were published online Sept. 25 in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society.

Related Links:

— “Failing Sense of Smell Tied to Dementia Risk,” Robert Preidt, HealthDay, September 29, 2017.