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A veteran started vaping THC to cope with chronic pain. Then he got very sick.

As vaping has grown more popular in recent years, the trend has been fueled by the habit’s pleasurable allure: Compared with smoking cigarettes or pot, vaping is discreet and less smelly. Vaping fluids come in hundreds of flavors. There’s no tar or other byproducts of burning. And vape pens are high-tech, customizable and sleek.

20 Dec 2019

New set of recommendations for clinicians to address youth vaping

In response to the pressing public health issue of vaping, clinicians of all disciplines are being asked to address this issue with youth, families and community members, despite minimal youth-focused screening or treatment guidelines.

19 Dec 2019

Don’t toss that e-cig: Vaping waste is a whole new headache for schools and cities

In her office at Boulder High School, the assistant principal has a large cardboard box where she can toss the spoils of her ongoing battle with the newest student addiction.

18 Dec 2019

Study finds increased prevalence of marijuana and nicotine vaping among teens

Findings from the 2019 Monitoring the Future (MTF) survey demonstrate the appeal of vaping to teens, as seen in the increased prevalence of marijuana use as well as nicotine vaping.

18 Dec 2019

2 drinks a day could be too much

New draft guidelines from Australia's National Health and Medical Research Council has said that alcohol consumption per day could be no greater than 1.4 drinks per day. This is the first time that the organization has set limits to the amount that can be safely consumed per day. This means that adults should consume less than 10 “standard” alcohol drinks per week to avoid harmful effects on health. If a person drinks only once a week, maximum allowed number of drinks is four say the guidelines.

17 Dec 2019

Despite quick fixes, Kaiser Permanente mental health care still lags

After years of state sanctions and fines, Kaiser Permanente claims it has gone a long way toward improving its mental health care.

17 Dec 2019

Integrated approach needs to be used to address opioid use among psychiatric patients

Opioid use among psychiatric hospital patients needs to be addressed through an integrated approach to managing mental illness, pain and substance use, a study by researchers at the University of Waterloo has found.

14 Dec 2019

In the fight for money for the opioid crisis, will the youngest victims be left out?

Babies born to mothers who used opioids during pregnancy represent one of the most distressing legacies of an opioid epidemic that has claimed almost 400,000 lives and ravaged communities.

13 Dec 2019

San Francisco hopes to improve care for people with mental illness living on streets

San Francisco Mayor London Breed has promised to tackle her city's homelessness crisis, a vexing situation involving drug abuse and mental illness that is compounded by the city's high housing costs.

13 Dec 2019

Impulsive eating could stem from certain regions of the brain

Weight loss mandates healthy eating and control of impulses when it comes to eating fat rich and processed foods. The actual story is quite different, as most persons on a diet have found out the hard way. The smell of food and even thoughts have given rise to binge eating, indulging in excessive food intake that has led to obesity and weight gain.

12 Dec 2019

Specific brain circuit linked to food impulsivity discovered

You're on a diet, but the aroma of popcorn in the movie theater lobby triggers a seemingly irresistible craving.

11 Dec 2019

Health risks associated with NSAIDs as a factor for increased opioid prescribing

Patients with chronic pain caught between cardiovascular concerns about non-opioid analgesics and addiction risks of opioids, likely causing significant unmet need for pain relief.

11 Dec 2019

Cannabis use in the U.S. increases rapidly among persons with depression

Results of a new study suggest that over the past decade (2005-2017), the prevalence of cannabis use in the United States has increased among persons with and without depression, though the increase is significantly more rapid among those with depression.

11 Dec 2019

Blood pressure drug could be beneficial in treating alcohol use disorders

A drug used to treat high blood pressure may alleviate anxiety induced by long-term heavy alcohol use, and also halt the damage such drinking can cause to the brain's ability to grow new cells, research at the Queensland University of Technology shows.

11 Dec 2019

Legalization status of cannabis affects people's views on benefits

Residents of states where cannabis has been legalized are more likely to believe it has beneficial effects - including health benefits in treatment of pain and anxiety or depression, reports a survey study in the Journal of Addiction Medicine, the official journal of the American Society of Addiction Medicine.

10 Dec 2019

Only 10% of patients found to access their medical records despite numerous benefits

Despite the numerous benefits associated with patients accessing their medical records, a study by a new Portland State University professor found only 10% of patients utilize the resource.

10 Dec 2019

FAU and Georgia State collaborate to help children, families affected by addiction

About 8.7 million children live with a parent who has a substance use disorder. Addiction can have recurring and negative long-term effects on the child, the parent and the family.

10 Dec 2019

In campaign to stop teen vaping, states turn to tried-and-true remedy: taxes

Kathleen Hambleton once used to spend $100 a week on Marlboro Reds.

10 Dec 2019

Penn researchers receive nearly $5 million to reduce opioid cravings

Opioid overdoses take the lives of tens of thousands of Americans annually. Two researchers from Penn State College of Medicine have received nearly $5 million from the National Institutes of Health to study whether an already-approved drug can be used to reduce cravings and prevent relapse in those struggling with opioid addiction.

9 Dec 2019

Cannabis use more common among persons with depression

The prevalence of cannabis, or marijuana, use in the United States increased from 2005 to 2017 among persons with and without depression and was approximately twice as common among those with depression in 2017.

9 Dec 2019