A study provides evidence for a link between marijuana use and early pregnancy failure. Cannabinoids interfere with the body's natural signaling system, which uses cannabinoid-like signaling molecules, and cause a failure of embryo transport from the ovary to the uterus.
Researchers at Johns Hopkins Medical Institution released a study that assessed the therapuetic value of psilocybin, a pyschoactive found in "magic mushrooms." Thirty-six people participated in the study, which used Ritalin as a control. After the two month follow up to the study, the psilocybin group scored about twice as high on the three categories of changes in "positive attitudes about life and/or self," "positive mood changes," and "positive behavior changes."
French researchers conducted a case-control study of the link between childhood Leukemia and fetal exposure to alcohol. Alcohol use was found to be significantly associated with both lymphomic and nonlymphomic types of Leukemia. Cigarettes had no correlation, but drinking more than 4 cups of coffee per day did correlate to an increased risk of lymphomic Leukemia.
A recent study conducted by the Pacific Intstitute for Reseach and Evaluation (PIRE) found that boys and girls are affected quite differently by experimentation in drug use. Girls who experiment with drugs and sex are far more depressed than boys who do the same. According to PIRE, these adolescents have very little difference in their levels of depression prior to experimentation. Adolescent experimenters are also much more depressed than those who abstain. However, at high usage the levels of depression begin to equalize between the sexes.
Earlier, we reported on a government survey that suggested a doubling of older drug addicts. Today's CESAR Fax details this trend. Users of illicit drugs aged 50 and older are expected to rise from 1.6 million in 1999-2001 to 3.5 million in 2020. As the baby boomer population, which consumed more illicit drugs, reaches older age, it becomes more important to understand the effects of these illicit substances in aging bodies.
Donald Tashkin of UCLA announced today the findings of a study that evaluated the link between lung cancer and marijuana smoking. The study compared groups of 611 lung cancer patients, 601 patients with neck/head cancers, and 1,040 cancer-free individuals in a similar demographic. The findings showed that there was no correlation between even the heaviest marijuana use and cancers.
Thanks to The Drug WarRant for the story.
Reuters this week reported on a study conducted by the University of Michigan Health System that assessed substance prevalence among teen trauma admissions. The team found that of 443 patients, aged 14 to 17, who were admitted to the hospital at the University of Michigan, nearly 40 percent tested positive for either drugs or alcohol. Of those, 29 percent tested positive for opiates, 20 percent for marijuana and 11.2 percent for alcohol. It is unclear how characteristic the results are of typical use, however, as not all admissions were screened.
A preliminary study published in the Harm Reduction Journal conducted MRI scans of ten adolescent nonusers and ten adolescent heavy users to find "no pattern consistent with evidence of cerebral atrophy or loss of white matter integrity." The preliminary study concludes that cannabis use is not likely to alter the developing brain.
A study (also found here) done at Maastricht University in the Netherlands examined the effect of MDMA and alcohol, both in combination and by themselves, on "behavioral measures of impulsivity and risk-taking behavior." The study found that "MDMA decreased stop reaction time in the stop-signal task indicating increased impulse control" and also that there appeared to be no interaction effect on any of the measured criteria.
An article in the May-June issue of American Scientist examines the toxicity of drugs to find that alcohol is more toxic than many illicit substances that are generally considered more dangerous. The author claims that alcohol has a fatal dose that is only 10 times the effective dose, compared with marijuana or LSD, for which the claimed fatal dose is over 1000 times the effective dose, or MDMA, for which the fatal dose is 16 times the effective dose.
The article explains that the fatal dose becomes lower in cases of closely-spaced uses - for example, taking MDMA several times close together will increase the risk of a fatal dose, because the body has not had enough time to metabolize all of the ecstasy from the previous use. Also, it is difficult to measure the fatal dosage without a controlled study, making it difficult to accurately estimate the amount required for a fatal dose.
In a 4-3 ruling, the Canadian Supreme Court ruled favorably for two men who had been denied disability benefits as a result of afflictions such as alcoholism and drug addiction. The men had waited two years only to face a denial of benefits, and when they appealed, it was turned down on the basis that the men suffered from alcoholism alone. The ruling overrides Canadian federal appeals code, which states that those suffering from drug addiction are not eligible for disability benefits.
There has been a growth of overdose victims in the mid-30 to mid-50-year age range. Drug abuse experts cite the increase in Baby Boomer overdose as going largely unnoticed, occluded by popularized strides in diminished teen drug use. There is concern that Federal programs, including treatment, have largely overlooked the growing proportion of aging drug abusers.
The Food and Drug Administration issued a statement today concerning the use of marijuana smoked for medical purposes. The statement claims that "marijuana has a high potential for abuse, has no currently accepted medical use in treatment in the United States, and has a lack of accepted safety for use under medical supervision." The FDA refers to a "past evaluation by several Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) agencies," which "concluded that no sound scientific studies supported medical use of marijuana for treatment in the United States, and no animal or human data supported the safety or efficacy of marijuana for general medical use." Also, the statement only focuses on "smoked marijuana," leaving the question of other consumption methods such as eating or vaporization completely open.
A New York Times article highlights how the "statement directly contradicts a 1999 review by the Institute of Medicine, a part of the National Academy of Sciences, the nation's most prestigious scientific advisory agency." The contradictory review "found marijuana to be moderately well suited for particular conditions, such as chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting and AIDS wasting." While this study is apparently ignored in the statement, the FDA notes that the administration's "drug approval process requires well-controlled clinical trials that provide the necessary scientific data upon which FDA makes its approval and labeling decisions." However, at the same time, the Times article points out that "scientists who study the medical use of marijuana said in interviews that the federal government had actively discouraged research."
In the meanwhile, the ONDCP Drug Czar issued his own statement that uses the FDA's press release to reinforce the ONDCP's policies.
Today's CESAR Fax reports the difference between the 1993 and 2003 data for the national Treatment Episode Data Set (TEDS). While treatment for alcohol remained highest, data shows a decline from 57% of cases to 41%, while cocaine dropped 3 percentage points to 14% of cases. In the meanwhile, marijuana admissions doubled and stimulant admissions tripled, while opiate admission increased 5 percentage points to 18%.
A study done by researchers at the University of Mississippi of alcohol consumption's affect on tumors in mice shows that alcohol may increase tumor growth. The mice were given the equivalent of 2-4 glasses of alcohol and injected with melanoma. The mice that had the alcohol had tumors about twice as heavy as the control group after about 4 weeks. The alcohol caused increased levels of a growth factor that aids tumor growth, as well as an increases in micro-vessels.
A small study using the hallucinogen psilocybin has been conducted by Harbor-UCLA Medical Center to treat Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. This study also helped at least one of its volunteers cope with imminent death. Yet, some fear that the use of hallucinogens will result in a repeat of the LSD wave of the 1960s. The possibilities for the medical community abound but the problems of misuse remain.
At the American Academy of Neurology annual meeting in San Diego today, researchers announced findings that linked Parkinson's drugs with compulsive behavior. While the percentage of patients who exhibited such compulsive behavior was low, it still was double the national average. The behavior prominently included gambling, oversexed tendencies, and compulsive shopping. In 2005, a study found that some gamblers stopped giving in to their habit after halting their medication. The researchers recommended that patients with a history of alcoholism or risk takers should be more carefully monitored when taking Parkinson's medications.
London University doctors released a report about a man who had an estimated 40,000 pills of ecstacy in a nine year period, averaging 25 pills per day during his 4-year peak period. The man suffered from "extreme [short-term] memory problems, paranoia, hallucinations and depression." He also seemed to not be aware of his memory problems. The man was also a heavy marijuana smoker, and when the doctors convinced him to quit, his paranoia and hallucinations stopped. They reported that evaluating him at all was difficult because he lacked the short-term memory and concentration necessary to complete the small tasks.
An Australian study found that marijauna users risk the onset of emphysema 20 years before tobacco smokers. The risk is increased possibly because of higher temperatures at which the marijuana is inhaled and different inhalation techniques. Matthew Naughton of Melbourne's Alfred Hospital explained that "a tobacco smoker generally has smaller holes in the top of the lungs. What we were seeing (in marijuana smokers) was larger holes in the top and mid-part of the chest." The emphysema cases in marijuana smokers were more advanced and occured 20 years earlier than the cases in tobacco users.
According to researchers at the University of Southern Florida, use of nicotine patches or gums may interfere with chemotherapy's affect on cancer cells. When nicotine was added to the mix, the drugs that normally helped cancer cells kill themselves off seemed to be blocked by the cancer cells' response to the nicotine.
Over the past 30 years, many studies have been done that conclude that moderate drinking may be healthier for the heart than complete abstinence. However, according to researchers at the University of California at San Francisco say that most of these studies are flawed. In all but seven of the fifty-four studies the group researched, former drinkers were lumped into the same group as non-drinkers. But, since many of the former drinkers gave up drinking for health reasons, the coronary health of the non-drinking group was significantly raised, making the moderate drinkers to appear more healthy.
A study of 221 couples who underwent in vitro fertilization found that marijuana smoked by either the man or the woman adversely affected the likelihood of success. For men or women that had smoked, there was an average of one less embryo that could be transferred, as well as less eggs retrievable. The study also showed a correlation between smoking and lower birth weights, whether the man or the woman smoked.
A study done in Australia found that smoking increased the risk of impotence. Men who smoked more than a pack per day were 39% more likely than non-smokers to have problems getting or maintaining an erection. Smokers that smoked less than a pack per day were about 24% more likely to have erectile problems.
A study found that daily marijuana users had decreased levels of depression. The effect was highest in recreational users and less noticable in medicinal users, although the study noted that medicinal users were more likely to have other conditions that increased their susceptibility to depression.
Researchers at UT Southwestern Medical Center found a link between rats' level of cocaine addiction and their responses to different stimuli. Rats were allowed to give themselves cocaine with the pull of a lever. Once addicted, and then put through withdrawal, the rats were then given different drugs. One drug was given that reduces cravings along with a small amount of cocaine. In another trial, the rats were given a drug that increases cravings. The more addicted rats were much more likely to give themselves more cocaine in both trials, showing differing brain responses to the same stimuli, based on level of addiction.
Research indicates that tobacco use increases risk of bladder cancer by more than 400 percent. Method of tobacco use (cigarettes, cigars, chewed) doesn't make a difference, because once tobacco enters the body, some of its carcinogenic waste products are excreted through the bladder.
NPR held a discussion today regarding the most potent naturally occuring hallucinogen, salvia. Many first time salvia users experiences are too intense, leading them to never try the drug again. Among other things, there is consideration of the psychoactive's potential to treat stimulant abuse.
We previously reported on popular sleeping pill Ambien's relation to auto-accidents. The pill, which is prescribed to nearly 30 million Americans, has received more press for other strange sleepwalking behaviors it causes. Apparently, some users sleepwalk to the kitchen in the middle of the night, binge on food, and then return to their beds with no recollection of what happened.
A German research team released a study that shows the extent to which cigarette smokers have trouble quitting their addictions. Among people who were diagnosed with three or more conditions that are caused by, and aggravated by, smoking (high blood pressure, heart attacks, heart failure, stroke, and peripheral vascular disease) 28% continued to smoke.
The American Journal of Psychiatry published a study suggesting that adults are not likely to abuse ADHD drugs. While drugs that cause euphoria are susceptible to abuse, the subjects in the study reported no enjoyment of methylphenidate's effects, reducing the potential for abuse. Methylphenidate is the generic name for Ritalin and Concerta.
Idaho's state Senate passed a bill (it's awaiting a vote in the Idaho House) that would allow pregnant women to be incarcerated for using meth. The goal is to reduce the number of children born who are addicted to meth, or have even been exposed to it before birth. Opponents of the bill say that the legislation will only make meth addicts less likely to seek prenatal care for fear of being arrested. They cite the fact that when South Carolina passed a similar law, there was an 80% drop in pregnant women seeking drug treatment programs.
February 20th's CESAR Fax reports on a study of methamphetamine - prevalent areas, which found that 5% of pregnant women used the drug at least once during pregnancy. A quarter of the women surveyed also used tobacco during pregnancy, while 23% drank alcohol.
Consumers are pushing for a relabeling of alcohol products that will include nutritional information. Additionally, there is an effort to get companies to publish allergen information on these products.
A review of scientific literature in the Drug Court Review concluded that marijuana detection times are actually shorter than previously thought. The review finds that the detection window for frequent users is less than 10 days, and 3-4 days for casual marijuana users. After these time periods, indicators of marijuana usage - which can disqualify users from a great number of jobs - disappear.
Researchers at the Medical College of Georgia have found that a compound in marijuana is useful in preventing the loss of eyesight in diabetics. An unmanaged case of diabetes can lead to the proliferation of blood vessels in the eye, which causes blindness.
A new study by UCLA's BioMed Central explored the effects of loud noise in combination with ecstacy. By studying rats on the same dose of ecstacy, different noise levels were compared. Rats who were stimulated with loud acoustics took about five days for their brain functions to return to normal, as compared to just a single day for rats who weren't int he loud environment. Because of some nerve deterioration in the rats (more in the ones with music), the study suggests that ecstacy could be linked to mental illnesses later in life.
PBS has a documentary about meth abuse fully available online. There are many resources available on the PBS website, like an interview with Steve Suo about meth and a section about meth's effects on the body. Also available is an interview with filmmaker Carl Byker regarding the program.
Canadian law enforcement and drug advocacy groups worry and warn the public about a disturbing new trend: Teenage girls are starting to use crystal meth as a way to lose as much as 39 pounds in a single month.
The American Academy of Pediatrics revised their policy statement, lending support to needle exchange programs to slow the spread of HIV. The revision is "part of a comprehensive set of positions on dealing with HIV infection among youth."
New Scientist reports that THC has the effect of suppressing coughs by sticking to nerve cells in the upper respiratory tract, halting coughing spasms. Researchers at the University of California in Oakland have found a similar chemical, arachidonylethanolamide, that does not make users high, but has the same cough-stopping power. A patent for the concept can be found here.
The FDA will now allow earlier testing in humans for experimental drugs. The agency hopes to lessen the cost of testing for pharmaceutical companies by allowing the earlier testing. "The idea is that companies would be able to identify failing candidates and jettison them before they invest millions of dollars in costly clinical trials." Of course the earlier testing also increases the possibility of negative side effects in the human test subjects.
The British newspaper The Guardian released a government report about illicit drugs whose aim was "to identify the mix of policies which will substantially reduce the harms caused by drugs to users and others." The report finds that of all the drugs, heroin and crack cocaine "by far the most addictive, expensive and harmful." Also among the interesting findings: it doesn't seem that supply-side intervention would reduce the amount of users who cause harm; "only 20% of high harm causing users are receiving treatment" that they don't tend to stay with; and almost 80% of acute deaths caused by illegal drugs come from heroin overdoses.
Two studies have found that passive exposure to Marijuana smoke could lead to false positives. The studies were conducted by Lehigh University.
The Medical College of Georgia in Augusta conducted a study that found middle-aged male marijuana users are at a higher risk for bladder cancer than nonsmokers. Researchers "advise that younger patients with symptoms that might suggest bladder cancer, who aren't usually considered at high risk, 'should be questioned about a history of marijuana use.'"
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