Rural areas in South Carolina have higher rates of cancer and cancer-related deaths than cities, largely due to higher rates of smoking in these areas. Young adults (ages 21-29) living in rural areas are especially at risk, as they tend to smoke more, are more dependent on nicotine, have fewer resources to help them quit, and are less likely to successfully quit smoking. At the same time, newer products like nicotine pouches and e-cigarettes are becoming more common. These products provide nicotine without tobacco and may help reduce smoking because they are more accessible and easier to use. Quitting smoking before age 30 can greatly lower the risk of developing cancer, making it especially important to understand whether these products can help young adults cut back or quit. In this virtual study, the DREAM Lab will work with 60 young adults living in rural South Carolina who smoke cigarettes. We will: 1) conduct interviews to learn more about their experiences with quitting smoking and their perspectives on using these products for quitting, and 2) examine how these products affect tobacco withdrawal symptoms. Findings will help guide future policies and programs aimed at reducing smoking and cancer risk in rural communities.

Quantitative survey of certain substances of abuse in the adolescent and young adult population of SC. Survey study will be focused on substances of abuse that are easily accessible at a gas station due to little to no regulations or excessive amounts available in various forms such as Kratom, 7-OH, Tia, nicotine pouches, THC, etc.

This study focuses on adolescents who experience both substance use problems and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), which often occur together and can seriously impact mental health, school performance, and relationships if left untreated. The goal is to evaluate a trauma-focused treatment called Concurrent Treatment of PTSD and Substance Use Disorders for Adolescents (COPE-A), which is designed to address both conditions at the same time. Earlier pilot studies showed that COPE-A is safe, feasible, and effective in reducing substance use and PTSD symptoms compared to a supportive counseling approach.

In this larger study, 120 adolescents from across the U.S. will receive treatment through telehealth. Researchers will compare COPE-A to person-centered therapy to see which leads to greater improvements in substance use and PTSD symptoms. The study will also examine effects on depression, HIV risk behaviors, relationships, and overall quality of life, while using brief daily surveys to track changes over time.

Co-occurring post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and alcohol use disorder (AUD) disproportionately affects Veterans and has significant negative impacts on the safety, wellbeing, and quality of life of Veterans, their romantic partners, and their families. However, treatments that address co-occurring PTSD-AUD and restore Veterans' psychosocial functioning are lacking. The overall goal of this project is to improve treatment approaches aimed at reducing symptoms of co-occurring PTSD-AUD and improving functioning among Veterans and their partners. We plan to do this by learning from Veterans, family members, and treatment providers in order to inform an adaptation of a brief dyadic AUD intervention to be delivered alongside integrated PTSD-AUD treatment for Veteran couples and then conducting a pilot trial of an adapted Brief Family Involved Treatment (B-FIT) intervention with Veterans with PTSD-AUD and their romantic partners.

This project aims to identify and evaluate internal barriers that inhibit engagement with pharmacological treatment for opioid use disorder (OUD). Participants, consisting of adults diagnosed with OUD, will complete a series of surveys that will take approximately 30 minutes. In conducting this study, investigators intend to identify barriers that could be improved by future interventions.

This study will examine sex differences in how the brain processes reward in people that regularly use cannabis. Men and women that use cannabis at least 4 days a week will participate in a study involving 3 in-person visits. The first visit will be used to determine eligibility for the study. The other two visits will last 7 hours each and take place at least two days apart. Visits include administration of either THC, the chemical responsible for many of the psychoactive effects of cannabis, or a placebo; completion of questionnaires; and a 1.5-hour brain scan.

The goal of the current project is to gather preliminary data from adults across the United States using an online survey study regarding alternative cannabinoid use, motivations, and experiences. We will also conduct interviews with some participants to gather more open-ended responses regarding the targets of interest in order to inform future work about alternative cannabinoids.

This is a small, test study to see if mailing buprenorphine works for patients with opioid use disorder and a recent medical hospitalization. It tries to remove some of the existing barriers to make it easier to stay in treatment and make it easier for individuals to keep taking their medicine after discharge. The purpose of this research study is to determine if mailing buprenorphine is possible, acceptable, and look at the early results of how well it works.

This study is an 8-week cannabis reduction trial among adults (ages 18+; N=176) with CUD who are interested in reduction to assess effects of cannabis reduction on: 1) cannabis-related problems and consequences, 2) objective measures of sleep and cognitive performance, and 3) patient-reported improvements, including quality of life and CUD severity. All participants will receive CUD treatment and cannabis use will be comprehensively assessed via detailed self-report and urinary cannabinoids.All participants will receive cognitive behavioral treatment (CBT4CBT- a computerized cognitive behavioral therapy) enhanced with motivational interviewing, brief counseling, and financial incentives provided on a sliding scale for demonstrating reduction in urinary cannabinoids.

This study will examine genetic factors that contribute to the different ways people feel after consuming cannabis. People that use cannabis at least 4 days per week will participate in a study involving 1 in-person visit followed by a 5-day remote assessment period. The in-person visit will determine if an individual is eligible for study participation and their blood will be drawn to assess genetics. During the remote assessment period, participants will complete multiple short surveys per day describing their feelings and their recent cannabis use.