Archive for December, 2009
- England’s Chief Medical Officer Demands Alcohol Reform for Children
There is a common belief among certain parents of teenagers that if they allow their children to drink at home, they are protecting their child from outside influences or drunk driving. In truth, this is a misguided belief that they are protecting their kids as they are in fact opening them to increased danger.
- Fruit Flies Prove to be Valid Drug Study Subject
Fruit flies are probably one of the most annoying realities of summer in the Midwest, but it turns out they can play a productive role in the fight against drug abuse. New research suggests that these insets could play an important role in the study of drug abuse.
- Charlie Sheen’s Wife Reportedly Has History of Drug Abuse
Charlie Sheen’s wife, Brooke Mueller, has a history of drug abuse, including problems with cocaine, Vicodin, and marijuana. According to RadarOnline.com, Mueller has been arrested twice: once in September 1996 for DUI and damage to property, and then in March 2001 for cocaine possession.
- Heroin and HIV in Zanzibar
In Zanzibar, an estimated 4,000 to 6,000 drug addicts use syringes to inject themselves with heroin. Reuters reports that high rates of HIV among addicts threaten to affect the general population as growth in heroin trafficking through east Africa is making the drug more available.
- More Young People in England Being Treated for Cocaine Addiction
The number of young people being treated for cocaine addiction has increased by 50% in three years, latest figures show. Last year 745 people under age 18 in England sought help from the National Treatment Agency for cocaine abuse, up from 453 in 2005 to 2006.
- Memphis Rehab Program Helps Homeless Addicts
Although the Memphis Union Mission has been offering a rehab program since the 1950s, many people don’t know that those in need can get help for free.
- Marijuana Damages Teen’s Brains More Than Originally Thought
According to new research by Dr. Gabriella Gobbi, a psychiatric researcher from the Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre, the damaging effects of marijuana on young brains are worse than originally thought. Science Daily reports that the new study, published in Neurobiology of Disease, suggests that daily consumption of cannabis in teens can cause depression and anxiety, and have an irreversible long-term effect on the brain. Canadian teenagers are among the largest consumers of cannabis worldwide.
- Study Finds Alcohol Outlets Lead to Specific Problems among Youth
Prior studies have not only demonstrated a clear connection between alcohol outlets and alcohol-related problems, they have also shown that certain types of outlets are associated with different types of problem outcomes. A new study shows that a particular group, underage youth and young adults, have specific problems–injury accidents, traffic crashes, and assaults that are related to specific types of alcohol outlets–off-premise outlets, bars and restaurants.
- Hangovers Impair Judgment in Young Adults
According to a new study, the effects of intoxication last long after booze leaves the blood, not only leaving a nasty hangover but also slowing reaction times and the ability to concentrate the next morning.
- Study Shows Awareness Deficit in Marijuana Abusers
A new study funded by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) has used brain-imaging technology to show that during a decision game, chronic marijuana users show less activity in an error-processing part of their brains than peers who do not use marijuana.