A recent study published in Nature Neuroscience shows that, for rats at least, substance abuse in the father may actually prevent the same substance abuse from recurring in the son. The study demonstrated how male rats addicted to cocaine tended to beget sons who were somewhat immune to the drug’s pleasurable effects.
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One of the core tenets of most efforts to curb drug use is education. The theory is that the perceived risk of taking a drug is intrinsically tied to usage rates, because knowledge of the potential dangers of drugs makes people less likely to try them. Whether or not this claim is valid has huge consequences for the future of campaigns to stop drug use. If it proves to be true, it is a powerful indicator that education should be at the forefront of drug policy. If false, current efforts need to be re-shaped in order to more efficiently address the issue.
With some states approving marijuana use for certain medical conditions, a trend of use once moving downward could head in the reverse direction. Now, in states where the drug is partially legal, storefronts selling marijuana are popping up even directly across the street from public high schools. Will greater availability of the drug lead to more abuse? It seems appropriate therefore, to remind the public about the facts surrounding marijuana and its use.
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The use of cannabis is a hotly debated topic, with some pushing for legalization. While some states allow medical use of cannabis, recreational use is not allowed in the United States. Some proponents of legalizing marijuana insist that its use is harmless and potentially beneficial.
Small towns are often appealing to families because of the seemingly quaint setting, isolated from the dangers and risks of the big city. The draw of living in a place where there is no need to lock doors and where the residents all know one another.
A new study finds that student addiction to their technology is similar to drug cravings. When deprived of using their gadgets the feeling is comparable to those same symptoms felt by smokers or addicts who quit cold turkey. Four out of five students experienced noteworthy distress both mentally and physically, according to The Telegraph.
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The American Society of Addiction Medicine (ASAM) has released its updated, official definition of addiction, calling it “a chronic brain disorder,” that is “not solely related to problematic substance abuse,” according to a press release issued by the society on August 15.
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New studies are showing that those who may have an addiction to salt, can also be more apt to a cocaine or heroin addiction. Scientists in the United States and Australia have discovered that there is a correlation between salt and other drugs in the hypothalamus portion of the brain.
A potentially vital part of methamphetamine research comes in a very tiny package – the fruit fly. Researchers are studying the impact of methamphetamines on the molecular function of fruit flies, and looking to see what other systems are affected, in hopes of learning more about how the drug impacts human systems and pathways – and encountering surprising findings, including some related to cancer research.
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A new study from researchers at Spain’s University of Granada has found that drug abusers have difficulty identifying negative emotions (such as anger, disgust, fear, and sadness) by their facial expressions. In addition, the study found that regular abuse of alcohol, marijuana, and cocaine usually affects the users’ fluency and decision-making. Cocaine abuse is associated with changes in inhibition, and marijuana and cocaine use negatively affects work memory and reasoning.
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