Surgeon General Vice Adm. Jerome M. Adams has issued an advisory emphasizing the importance of protecting youth and pregnant women from the health risks of marijuana use. Marijuana, or cannabis, is the most commonly used illicit drug in the United States. Delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), a component of marijuana, binds to receptors in the brain, producing euphoria… Continue reading Marijuana: A Warning From The U.S Surgeon General
Category: Drug Use
Think Before You Click: Buying Online Drugs Can Be Deadly
Illegal online websites are the new street drug dealers. Abusers of controlled substances, prescription drugs which are strictly limited in the U.S., are turning to these sites because, at the click of a mouse, they can “score” as many pills in one order as they want. But there are some serious problems with this practice.… Continue reading Think Before You Click: Buying Online Drugs Can Be Deadly
Progress, but Far from Perfection, on Avoiding Risky Sedatives in Older Adults
Although it’s widely known that the medications known as benzodiazepines present particular risks for people over 65, a sizable percentage of adults in that group still have a prescription for one, according to new research from three countries that have made a special effort to reduce their use. These medicines help many people sleep, or… Continue reading Progress, but Far from Perfection, on Avoiding Risky Sedatives in Older Adults
A Test for Marijuana-Impaired Drivers?
We already have a test to determine whether drivers are alcohol-impaired. But it could be a bit more difficult to come up with a similar evaluation for drivers who have been using too much marijuana. Recent studies in which marijuana users took controlled doses of cannabis in the lab have identified new biomarkers that can… Continue reading A Test for Marijuana-Impaired Drivers?
The Famous Marijuana Leaf, Explained
The marijuana leaf has been a pop culture symbol for decades. Today, you can find the pointed leaf on so many things: bumper stickers, posters, t-shirts, socks, mugs – you name it. But did you know that this famous leaf isn’t actually what is used when smoking marijuana or manufacturing marijuana products? Here, we break… Continue reading The Famous Marijuana Leaf, Explained
Plastic Surgeons and the Painkiller Crisis
Plastic surgeons are playing a part in the ongoing opioid epidemic and need to change some practices with patients, according to a professional journal. The topic paper, in the October 2017 issue of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery®, the official medical journal of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS), cited the use of opioids for pain… Continue reading Plastic Surgeons and the Painkiller Crisis
A New Weapon Against Antibiotic Resistance
Researchers at the University of Rochester’s Medical Center are developing a genetic tool to help doctors prescribe antibiotics to patients who actually need them – and that could help the rising problem of antibiotic resistance. Antibiotic resistance, caused by the overuse of antibiotics, is one of the world’s most crucial health threats. According to the… Continue reading A New Weapon Against Antibiotic Resistance
Better Labeling Needed for Marijuana Edibles
Edible marijuana products such as cookies and candies may be replacing pot brownies, but these new products should have labeling changes to ensure consumer safety. A new study from the nonprofit Research Triangle Institute (RTI) International, published in the International Journal of Drug Policy, found that many of the adults who participated in the study… Continue reading Better Labeling Needed for Marijuana Edibles
Marijuana Tourists in Colorado Are Spending More Time in The E.R.
Out-of-towners using marijuana in Colorado — which has legally allowed sales of the drug since 2014 – are increasinglyl ending up in the emergency room, according to new research. Investigators from Northwestern Medicine and the University of Colorado School of Medicine published their findings in the New England Journal of Medicine. “Emergency room visits related… Continue reading Marijuana Tourists in Colorado Are Spending More Time in The E.R.