Drugs & Alcohol

Blood Test May Help Identify Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders

Pixabay Images Researchers at University of California San Diego School of Medicine, Texas A&M College of Medicine and the Omni-Net Birth Defects Prevention Program in Ukraine have identified a blood test that may help predict how severely a baby will be affected by alcohol exposure during pregnancy, according to a study published November [...]

Are E-cigarettes A Gateway To Smoking?

Pixabay Images Teenagers who use e-cigarettes are more likely to go on to smoke tobacco, new research suggests. The findings, based on more a study of more than 3,000 15-year-olds in the US, last night fuelled a bitter row about whether the devices can provide a 'gateway' to smoking. Many public health experts [...]

How The Tobacco Industry Is Gaming Australian Health Regulations

Australia’s tough tobacco regulations are acting as a catalyst for the industry to develop sophisticated marketing practices. These companies are gaming the system by anticipating regulatory impact and then using unregulated marketing elements to overcome it. Australia has been a guiding light for countries looking to improve public health through the effective regulation of tobacco, [...]

‘Liking’ Alcohol Linked To Risky Drinking

Pixabay Images Young Australians who "like" or "follow" alcohol brands on social media are twice as likely to drink at risky levels than those who do not, according to new research. The results have led to calls from public health experts for a re-evaluation of alcohol and social media regulations in Australia. "Australian [...]

Sleepless in HSC: Expert Highlights A Stress Crisis

Flickr Images Stressed HSC students are so wired on their prescription drugs that they are resorting to sleeping tablets and taking an artificial sleep hormone to get themselves to bed, a leading expert has warned. Chris Seton, a paediatric and adolescent sleep physician at the Woolcock Institute and Westmead Children's Hospital, also warned the US experience of [...]

Generation Adderall

Have you ever been to Enfield? I had never even heard of it until I was 23 and living in London for graduate school. One afternoon, I received notification that a package whose arrival I had been anticipating for days had been bogged down in customs and was now in a FedEx warehouse in Enfield, [...]

The 4 Traits That Put Kids At Risk Of Addiction

Pixabay Images Drug education is the only part of the middle school curriculum I remember — perhaps because it backfired so spectacularly. Before reaching today’s legal drinking age, I was shooting cocaine and heroin. A new antidrug program tested in Europe, Australia and Canada is showing promise. Called Preventure, the program, developed by [...]

Alcohol Policies Contribute To Suicide Prevention

Restrictive alcohol policies, such as those limiting liquor store density or imposing taxes on alcohol, have been shown to have a "protective effect" in reducing suicides, according to a newly published review led by Boston University School of Public Health researchers. "Consistent with the conclusion that alcohol policies are among the most important population-level interventions [...]

What Is Spice And Why Is The Drug So Dangerous?

Synthetic cannabis, of which Spice is an example, is linked to serious health issues ranging from difficulties breathing to psychotic episodes. But, despite well-known issues, these drugs are still in demand and homeless people, particularly, are at risk of mental health issues from their use. So what exactly are these drugs made of and why [...]

How Does Ice Use Affect Families And What Can They Do?

Some of the greatest impacts of drug use are on families, but families sometimes feel in a position of little control when it comes to responding. Often they receive mixed messages about what they should do. Ice or crystal meth, the strongest form of methamphetamine, has arguably the biggest impact on families of all drugs. [...]

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