A U.S. government survey has revealed America's elderly population is facing a growing drug addiction problem. The survey shows that adults aged 50 and above with substance abuse problems will double to 5 million by 2020.

In 1999, 2.5 million Americans above 50 suffered from drug addiction

A new study from the May 15 issue of the Archives of Women's Mental Health journal reports that the incorporated data of nearly 19,000 teenagers found that both girls and boys who engage in high-risk behaviors have a tendency to develop symptoms of depression.

This study was supported by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), National Institutes of Health

Persistent depression may indicate future nursing home admission for seniors, new research shows.

Researchers from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services in Baltimore and George Washington University in Washington, D.C. surveyed seniors to investigate the link between depression and nursing home admission. A total of 13,261 of the 141,000 seniors surveyed said they had "felt sad or depressed much of the time" during the last year. At the end of the study period, 13 percent of them were living in nursing homes

U.S. authorities have warned that methamphetamine has become a "global threat."

Global users of methamphetamine outnumbered cocaine and heroin users combined

Dianette, a contraceptive pill used to treat acne, is being reviewed by the drugs watchdog following concerns it could plunge young women into depression. The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Authority (MHRA) is reviewing the pill after receiving a report that has raised worries about the side-effects.

Charity group April (Adverse Psychiatric Reactions Information Link) reveals that over 100 women who were surveyed during the report indicated that they experienced serious depression while on the drug