Good News for People Who
Want to Get Drunk At Church
With religious affiliation and attendance at worship services
on a steady decline, some churches have begun to think outside of the box, in
an effort to boost attendance among the younger generation. One particular
church in Portland, Oregon has even begun offering a monthly service of
"beer and hymns", which provides exactly that: the opportunity to
freely imbibe while singing of the Lord's Prayer. Please
click here for the rest of the story.
The Drunkest State in
America Isn't the One You Would Expect
The news: America's drunkest state isn't a college spring
break spot, but rather a quiet skiing destination. According to a new report by
the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA), the
hardest-drinking state turns out to be New Hampshire. Please
click here for the rest of the story.
Drugs for treating heroin
users: a new abuse problem in the making?
Evidence is mounting that certain drugs used to treat heroin
users are themselves being sold on the streets – and may even be a 'gateway' to
heroin or opioid use. As some experts herald their value for treating
addiction, others ask if the 'cure' is making things worse. Please
click here for the rest of the story.
More Americans Are Smoking
Pot, But Use Among Teens Is Down
As lawmakers take steps to protect marijuana businesses, a
new government report shows that the drug’s popularity is mostly growing among
adults. Please
click here for the rest of the story.
Innovative Campus-Based
Model Supports College Students in Recovery
With addiction best conceptualized as chronic for many,
recovery support services are increasingly adopting a continuum of care
approach. Acute episodes of intensive treatment may help initiate recovery but
relapse too often follows lest ongoing support is available. Please
click here for the rest of the story.
The New Joe Camel?
E-Cigarette Ads Spook Anti-Smoking Activists
Some anti-smoking advocates fear the rise of a new,
battery-powered Joe Camel as researchers find that more young people are being
exposed to unregulated electronic cigarette ads mixed in with popular TV shows.
Please
click here for the rest of the story.
House OKs plan to protect
state medical marijuana laws
The U.S. federal government would not be allowed to spend
money to block states from implementing their own medical marijuana laws under
legislation passed by the House of Representatives as more states legalize
using it to treat various ailments. Please
click here for the rest of the story.
College women swapping
food for alcohol
While most people acknowledge the dangers of anorexia and
bulimia, there are many more individuals who have unhealthy approaches to
eating. The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders gives
specific criteria for diagnosing an eating disorder. Signs include refusal to
maintain minimal body weight for size, height gender; distorted view of actual
body weight and appearance; too much influence of weight on self-esteem or
denial of dangerously low weight; and an intense fear of becoming overweight.
Many people do not exhibit all of these symptoms, though. A new breed of eating
disorder that couples starvation diets with excessive alcohol consumption is
sweeping through college campuses, affecting scores of young women, experts
say. To avoid gaining weight, the coeds devote their calories to the booze. Please
click here for the rest of the story.
Heroin Has Expanded Its
User Base
Compared with 50 years ago, today's heroin user is whiter,
more suburban and had prescription opioids for a gateway.
In the last half century, heroin contributed to thousands of
deaths, from Janis Joplin to Philip Seymour Hoffman to legions of people now
remembered only by their friends and families. Please
click here for the rest of the story.
Marijuana Can Be Addictive: NIDA Director
Marijuana is linked to several
significant adverse health effects, and can be addictive, National Institute on
Drug Abuse Director Dr. Nora Volkow writes in this week’s New England Journal
of Medicine. The drug can disrupt the brain function and learning of young
users, she said. Marijuana has been proven to contribute to fatal motor-vehicle
crashes, Dr. Volkow noted. She argued legalizing marijuana will lead to
nationwide health problems similar to those seen with alcohol and tobacco,
HealthDay reports. “By making marijuana legal, you have more widespread use and
many more health implications,” Dr. Volkow said. “We don’t need a third legal
drug. We already have enough problems with the two we have.” She noted 9
percent of people who try marijuana will become addicted. In young people under
18, the addiction rate is 17 percent, she wrote. “This is something that a lot
of people who are pro-marijuana deny. The evidence shows otherwise.” She added
people intoxicated by marijuana are three to seven times more likely to cause a
motor vehicle accident than someone who is sober. Frequent marijuana use by
teens has been linked to lower IQ and a higher risk of dropping out of school,
she noted. Other research has shown marijuana can impair school performance,
worsen mental illness such as schizophrenia, and increase the risk of health
problems such as heart disease and chronic bronchitis, she wrote. “It is important
to alert the public that using marijuana in the teen years brings health,
social, and academic risk,” Dr. Nora Volkow said in a news release. “Physicians
in particular can play a role in conveying to families that early marijuana use
can interfere with crucial social and developmental milestones and can impair
cognitive development.”
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