News sources, such as newspapers, news magazines and news websites, can make for great sources of information on addiction. It is a different type of information found in news sources than is found in academic journals or in psychology handbooks. Where as more academic publications are based on many years of scientific studies, news stories on addiction are either summations of academic works with additional sources added in, or they are current events related to addiction, such as new funding for addiction treatment programs or current trends in addiction.
In determining whether or not a news source is a credible opinion on addiction, it is good to verify that the news source is well-established and widely circulated. The better trusted the news source is, the more verifiable it is. The strength of a news source with a firm reputation and history will provide accurate information on local, national and global trends in addiction, as well as report on developments in studies on addiction from an academic standpoint.
This is not to say that local news sources do not have quality information on addiction. Millions of groundbreaking addiction news events have come from a grassroots level and were first reported on by a local news source. Not only are local news sources usually the first to get wind of developments happening in their area, but they are often the ones to cover the story most thoroughly. Do not underestimate the value of a good quality local news source on the topic of addiction.
And even more important than the size or reputation of the news source is the quality of the reporting itself. Were all your questions about the addiction story answered? Was the information current? Did the reporter make use of good sources and conduct credible research? Use your best judgment in determining the quality of an addiction news story before circulating it as many lesser quality stories can be misleading.