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Side-effects associated with Ketamine Use In Depression: A Systematic Review

Summary This is the first systematic review of the safety of ketamine in the treatment of depression after single and repeated doses. We searched MEDLINE, PubMed, PsycINFO, and Cochrane Databases and identified 288 articles, 60 of which met the inclusion criteria. After acute dosing, psychiatric, psychotomimetic, cardiovascular, neurological, and other side-effects were more frequently reported […]

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Medical Marijuana And Opioids (MEMO) Study: Protocol Of A Longitudinal Cohort Study To Examine If Medical Cannabis Reduces Opioid Use Among Adults With Chronic Pain

Abstract Introduction In the USA, opioid analgesic use and overdoses have increased dramatically. One rapidly expanding strategy to manage chronic pain in the context of this epidemic is medical cannabis. Cannabis has analgesic effects, but it also has potential adverse effects. Further, its impact on opioid analgesic use is not well studied. Managing pain in […]

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Why Marijuana Isn’t Just ‘Cannabis’ (Guest Opinion)

A few of us may know, or can infer, what the genera vitis or nicotiana refer to. Fewer, perhaps, malus or pyrus. How many of us are familiar with solanum? Humulus? Triticum? Hordeum? Zea? Marijuana. Pot. Weed. Ganja. Reefer. Whacky tobacky. There are countless names for the drug that has become a cultural mainstay in America today. But the people who grow and sell it, the people […]

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Adolescent Alcohol Use And Parental And Adolescent Socioeconomic Position In Six European Cities

Abstract Background Many risk behaviours in adolescence are socially patterned. However, it is unclear to what extent socioeconomic position (SEP) influences adolescent drinking in various parts of Europe. We examined how alcohol consumption is associated with parental SEP and adolescents’ own SEP among students aged 14–17 years. Methods Cross-sectional data were collected in the 2013 SILNE […]

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Drunk Air Passenger Arrests Soar By 50%: Nearly 400 People Were Held For Alcohol-fuelled Disruption At Airports Or On Board During 2016

Arrests for drunk behaviour at airports and aeroplanes have rocketed this year BBC1 Panorama collected information for 18 out of 20  airport police forces  More than 387 passengers were arrested last year, a rise of 50% from 2015  Arrests for drunken behaviour at airports and on aeroplanes have rocketed by half over the past year, […]

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Are YOU Drinking Too Much? Answer These 10 Questions To Find Out: Experts Reveal The Classic Warning Signs You’ve Become Dependent On Booze

Experts warn that millions of people are drinking way more than they should This week a US report showed 1 in 8 Americans are now deemed alcoholics But how do you know if ‘happy hour’ has turned into a concerning issue? Take this 10-step test, made in association with the World Health Organization, to find […]

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Novel Considerations for the FDA Evaluation of Re-scheduling Cannabinoids in Colorado and United States: Genotoxicity and Teratogenicity

This is a copy of an article which was submitted to BMJ but was deemed unsuitable for publication Short Title: Case for Caution with Cannabis Albert Stuart Reece 1,2 Moira Sim 2 Gary Kenneth Hulse 1,2 1 – Division of Psychiatry, University of Western Australia, Crawley, Western Australia 6009, Australia. 2 – School of Medical […]

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Teens Learn about the Many Risks of Vaping — Nicotine and THC Are More Potent, Addictive, and Dangerous than Ever

by Barbara A. Preston | www.themontynews.org – June 6, 2025 Montgomery Police and Health Department officials are partnering to raise awareness about the dangers of vaping and substance abuse. They sponsored a program at Montgomery High School on Friday, June 6, aimed at educating teens about the risks. Experts say vaping weed, and nicotine, are […]

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Drug abuse silently killing northern youths — DFAM

by  Kabeer Bello,  Daily Post, Nigeria –  June 7, 2025   The Drug-Free Arewa Movement (DFAM) has appealed to the leaders of Northern Nigeria to join forces in confronting the growing threat of drug trafficking and substance abuse taking root in the region. In his Eid-el-Kabir message on Friday in Abuja, DFAM Lead Convener, Ibrahim […]

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Marijuana Use Is Rising, But Is It a Cancer Risk?

by Amy Norton – May 14, 2025 The trends are clear: Americans are in the midst of a marijuana high. Over the past 30 years, daily or near-daily marijuana use soared 15-fold, surpassing daily alcohol use for the first time in 2022. That same year, marijuana use reached historic levels among Americans aged 19-50 — with 11% of 19- to 30-year-olds saying […]

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Swordsman accused of murdering schoolboy ‘became psychotic after taking cannabis’

by Albert Tait – Telegraph of London – 04 June 2025 Marcus Arduini Monzo is also charged with assaulting four others in Hainault attack in April last year A man accused of murdering a 14-year-old schoolboy with a Japanese sword experienced psychotic episodes after taking cannabis, a court has heard. Marcus Arduini Monzo, 37, believed “he […]

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The Top Seven of Teen Substance Use Trends Parents Need to Know in 2025

by Pat Aussem, L.P.C., M.A.C., Vice President, Consumer Clinical Content Development – June 2025 Personalized support for addressing your child’s substance use or addiction (available in English and Spanish)   Fentanyl poisoning & counterfeit pills According to the CDC, deaths from fentanyl poisoning are fastest growing among 14- to 23-year-olds. The presence of fentanyl both […]

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“Stoned on the road”: A systematic review of cannabis-impaired driving; educational initiatives targeting young drivers in Canada

by Robert Colonna a,* , Zuha Pathan a , Anupradi Sultania a , Liliana Alvarez b a Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, Western University, London, Canada b School of Occupational Therapy, Western University, London, Canada ARTICLE INFO: Keywords: Cannabis Driving under the influence of cannabis young drivers systematic review impaired driving ABSTRACT: Background: With recreational cannabis […]

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Brain Function Outcomes of Recent and Lifetime Cannabis Use

Originally published in JAMA – JAMA Network Open. 2025;8(1):e2457069. doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2024.57069 by Nora D. Volkow MD; Joshua L. Gowin, PhD; Jarrod M. Ellingson, PhD; Hollis C. Karoly, PhD; Peter Manza, PhD; J. Megan Ross, PhD; Matthew E. Sloan, MD; Jody L. Tanabe, MD; Abstract: IMPORTANCE Cannabis use has increased globally, but its effects on brain function […]

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Police let half of all Class A Drug users walk free

by Charles Hymas Home Affairs Editor. Ollie Corfe. Ben Butcher Data Editor – The Telegraph of London – 29 May 2025 Possession of hard drugs such as cocaine and heroin treated as a health issue rather than a criminal matter by UK forces Half of class A drug users are let off by police without punishment, official figures show. Some […]

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NNOAC Urges President Trump to Not Weaken Enforcement of Federal Drug Laws

For Immediate Release June 7, 2018 Contact: Bob Bushman bbushman@nnoac.com The National Narcotics Officers Association Coalition today released a letter to the President urging him not to weaken the memo issued by US Attorney General Jeff Sessions on January 4, 2018. The letter warns the President of the connection between legalized marijuana, the black market, […]

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Cannabis in Canada

This is an email from Professor Stuart Reece sent to the Drug Watch International mailing list:  Yes indeed there is certainly more to the Cannabis in Canada story than given in Pam McColl’s Oped. If one looks at the places where the most cannabis is smoked in Canada it is in those same northern reaches […]

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Brain Function Outcomes of Recent and Lifetime Cannabis Use

This paper was forwarded to NDPA by Gary Hulse of Drug Free Australia, with his remark that this is “an  important recent paper in JAMA from Dr Volkow on Cannabis Brain Damage Deficits   To access the full document: Click on the ‘Source’ link below. An image  – the front page of the full document […]

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What’s The “Fenty Fold” And Why Does It Happen To Fentanyl Users?

What Is The “Fentanyl Fold”? by Jessica Sherer B.A., Ashford University – May 30, 2025 The “fenty fold” (also “fenty lean” or “fentanyl fold”) is a startling but common occurrence among regular users of fentanyl, and other illicit drugs like xylazine, where they are bent at the waist, slumped forward, in a rigid position. Their heads […]

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System dynamics modeling to inform prevention of opioid overdose and fatality

System dynamics modeling to inform implementation of evidence-based prevention of opioid overdose and fatality: A state-level model from the New York HEALing Communities Study Author panel:Nasim S. Sabounchi a b, Rachel L. Thompson a, Matthew R. Lootens a b, David W. Lounsbury c, Gary Hirsch d, Derek Blevins e, Turner C. Canty a b, Nabila El-Bassel f, Louisa Gilbert f, Pedro Mateu-Gelabert g, Daniel J. Feaster h, Bruce D. Rapkin c, Terry T.-K. Huang a b Highlights • Simulations showed fentanyl spread challenges reducing overdoses in the short run. • Prevention of opioid misuse among opioid-exposed individuals […]

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Anti-drug awareness seminar held in Al Dhahirah – Oman

By: Oman News Agency – Thursday 29/May/2025 Dhank: The Wilayat of Dhank in Al Dhahirah Governorate on Thursday hosted an awareness seminar titled “Your Mind is Your Identity – Don’t Lose It to Drugs,” held under the auspices of Sheikh Musallam Ahmed Al Ma’shani, Wali of Dhank. The event was organised as part of ongoing […]

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AALM counter Legaliser assertion that legalisation will give fairness to people of colour

NDPA opening statement: This piece by AALM (Americans Against Legalisation of Marijuana) counters the assertion that legalisation would bring fairness to people of colour. To access the full document: Click on the ‘Source’ link below. An image  – the front page of the full document will appear. Click on the image to open the full […]

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Opinion Piece: “Put cannabis on par with crack” says policing chief in rebuke for Khan

by Charles Hymas – Home Affairs Editor – The Telegraph of London – 28 May 2025 Police Commissioner says drug should be Class A over long-term health impacts Sir Sadiq Khan, who made his call following a report from the London Drugs Commission, visited a legal cannabis farm in Los Angeles in 2022 Credit: Stefan […]

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Opinion Piece: “Our cities stink of weed. Decriminalisation is naive and dangerous”

by Michael Deacon       Columnist & Assistant Editor  – The Telegraph of London (UK)        28 May 2025 The Mayor of London has called for law reform because he believes that stop-and-search powers disproportionately affect black communities Mayor of London Sadiq Khan walking through cannabis plants at a licensed factory in Los Angeles Credit: PA […]

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How AI is Transforming Drug Prevention and Healthcare Worldwide

Opening comment by NDPA: Although this item is a fairly unashamed promo for AI, it nevertheless gives a useful summary of how AI can be applied to this field, so we have retained it. by Dianova – 25/05/2025   A New Era in Health Begins with Intelligence — Artificial and Human Artificial Intelligence (AI) is […]

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Pain in the Nation 2025: The Epidemics of Alcohol, Drug, and Suicide Deaths

by Rhea Farberman – rfarberman@tfah.org – Trust for America’s Health – Washington, D.C. – May 28, 2025   New data show that deaths due to drug overdose and alcohol are down nationally, but this progress is uneven across population groups and at risk due to cuts to federal health programs and workforce. (Washington, D.C. – […]

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Pregnancy and Marijuana: Why the Science Cannot Be Ignored

by Herschel Baker, International Liaison Director, Queensland Director, Drug Free Australia May 28, 2025   The rate of prenatal marijuana use in the United States has more than doubled over the past two decades, with many pregnant individuals turning to marijuana to manage symptoms like nausea, anxiety, and insomnia.   While marijuana use during pregnancy is increasing, so is […]

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Considering possible drivers of the recent decrease in drug overdose deaths in Canada

by Benedikt Fischer, Wayne Hall, Didier Jutras-Aswad, Bernard Le Foll – The Lancet – Volume 47. – 101141 – July 2025 For a decade, Canada, like the United States, has experienced a public health crisis from drug overdose deaths (DODs), mostly due to toxic synthetic opioids (SOs; e.g., fentanyl/analogues), commonly combined with other (e.g., methamphetamines, benzodiazepines) substances.1 This crisis […]

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Abuse Drugs and Trends We’re Up Against in the U.S.

The latest substance abuse facts and insights. Updated May 30, 2025 |  Reviewed by Michelle Quirk Key points Rates of opioid/stimulant overdose deaths increased over the past decade. In the Eastern U.S., it’s cocaine + fentanyl that’s problematic vs. methamphetamine + fentanyl in the West. Adulterants are ever-changing with fentanyl, local anesthetics, xylazine, and medetomidine creating overdoses. Fentanyl-only […]

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Cannabis is Driving the Exponential USA Autism Epidemic; but the Hyper-Exponential Epidemic of Holes in the Heart is Worse

This is an Email – Sent: 24 May 2025 – from Stuart Reece: stuart.reece@bigpond.com To: Ms. Erika Olson, Chargé d’Affaires, Embassy of the United States of America, Canberra, Australia. (askembassycanberra@state.gov) Dear Chargé d’Affaires Olson, It has been reported in several news pieces lately that President Trump is becoming concerned about exponential autism epidemic in USA which particularly affects […]

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Real Talk, Real Tools: Drug Prevention That Actually Works for Today’s Youth

Paper by Dianova 25/05/2025 The Organisation Internationale Dianova, or Dianova International, is a public utility Swiss NGO committed to social progress. Through its members operating on four continents, Dianova International supports the development of activities aimed at improving people’s lives. Introduction: Let’s Get One Thing Straight Forget the outdated slogans. “Just say no” doesn’t cut […]

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1 in 4 Kids Lives With a Parent Battling Addiction, Alarming Study Finds

Updated estimates indicate a greater need for treatment. A new study reveals that a large number of American children are growing up in homes where at least one parent struggles with alcohol or drug use. This troubling environment may increase the chances that these children will face similar challenges later in life. Using the latest […]

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WE NEED INFORMATION ON PSYCHEDELICS

by Dave Evans – Senior Counsel, Cannabis Industry Victims Educating Litigators (CIVEL) via Drug Watch International <drug-watch-international@googlegroups.com>  24 May 2025 Subject: We need information on psychedelics. Dr. Casey Means, the Trump Surgeon General pick, praised unproven psychedelic therapy and said mushrooms helped her find love. Her brother, Calley Means, an entrepreneur who now works in the Trump […]

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Donald J. Trump is so wrong regarding wanting to reclassify Cannabis

by Shane W. Varcoe , Director@dalgarnoinstitute.org.au – 23 May 2025 “I was talking to a tradesman in my home on Wednesday and he asked me what I did…. After explanation about Weed…. He said.. “I wen to a local doctor and just said I had trouble sleeping and can I have cannabis… got a script, […]

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CDC reports decline in drug-related mortality

by John J. Coleman, PhD – President, drug-watch-international – 23 May 2025 Today’s edition of “The Drug Report” (by SAM) brings some good news about drug-related overdose deaths. The piece leads with: “According to estimates from the CDC, the number of overdose deaths declined in 48 states between 2023 and 2024, representing a 26.9% decline. This […]

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Attorney General James Co-Leads Bipartisan Coalition Urging Congress to Pass Legislation to Prevent Youth Substance Abuse

by Letitia James – Office of the New York State Attorney General – May 22, 2025 NEW YORK – New York Attorney General Letitia James today co-led a bipartisan coalition of 40 other attorneys general from across the country in calling on Congress to pass the Youth Substance Use Prevention and Awareness Act, bipartisan legislation to […]

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Changes in Synthetic Opioid–Involved Youth Overdose Deaths in the United States: 2018–2022

May 20 2025 by Megan Miller, MPH; Katherine Wheeler-Martin, MPH;  Amanda M. Bunting, PhD; Magdalena Cerdá, DrPH;  Noa Krawczyk, PhD There is a video to illustrate this information. To see the video, go to the Source at the foot of this article, then press the ‘play’ button as indicated. BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE Youth overdose deaths have remained elevated in […]

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Discussion of cannabis exposure leading to malformation of babies

This is an excerpt from an email sent by Stuart Reece to Senator Eric Abetz as part of a Drug Watch International discussion relating to the proposal for Drug Decriminalization in Northern Territory of Australia, more specifically related to the effects of cannabis exposure to malformation of babies. Eric you might also be interested that […]

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Rejection of Proposal for Drug Decriminalization in Northern Territory of Australia

This is a copy of an email sent by Stuart Reece to members of the Australian Northern Territory government, particularly addressing Dr Jennifer Buckley. Dear Dr Buckley, I am a Professor of Addiction Medicine at Edith Cowan University on Western Australia, and an Associate Professor of Addiction Medicine at the University of Western Australia.  I […]

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New Study Links Cannabis and Dementia. Here’s What That Means

by Lisa O’Mary – works for WebMD – contributor to Medscape, LinkedIn, int. al – April 21, 2025 Forwarded by Herschel Baker <hmbaker1938@hotmail.com> 14 May 2025 04:45 A newly published large-scale study has cast serious doubt on the long-term safety of cannabis. Based on data from more than 6 million Canadians, the research shows that adults who had […]

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Carfentanil: A Synthetic Opioid Unlike Any Other

DEA Headquarters – May 14, 2025 Over the past two decades, synthetic opioids have increased the threat of the ongoing opioid epidemic. Nearly 70% of all drug poisonings and overdose deaths in 2023 involved synthetic opioids, primarily fentanyl. Also, among these substances is carfentanil, which stands out – at this time – as one of […]

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The Seward Prevention Coalition and the Icelandic Prevention Model for youth drug abuse

  By Kathleen Gustafson –  May 14, 2025 Katie Cornwell and Andrew Scrivo from The Seward Prevention Coalition joined host, Kathleen Gustafson to discuss the results of their Planet Youth survey and the coalition’s implementation of the Icelandic Prevention Model. Kathleen Gustafson came to Homer in 1999 and has been involved with KBBI (www.kbbi.org) since 2003. […]

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Cannabis Vaping and Drug Trends Among Youth in Australia (2014–2024): A Growing Concern

Published by NIH/NIDA 14 May 2025   Cannabis vaping is making headlines worldwide, often promoted as a “safer” alternative to smoking. Meanwhile, Drug Trends data from Australia reveal that non-prescribed cannabis use remains high among people who regularly use drugs. But are wider permission models and positive propaganda about cannabis leading to greater engagement, especially […]

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Opinion: To Save America’s Youth, Lawmakers Should Invest in Drug Prevention |

By Kevin Sabet – President, Foundation for Drug Policy Solutions – Published May 14, 2025  Prevention remains one of the most effective and cost-conscious tools we have in our fight against the drug crisis. This National Prevention Week, we urge lawmakers to renew their investments in prevention and push back against industry-backed efforts to normalize drug use. To […]

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Prevention Works: Historic Drop in U.S. Overdose Deaths Signals Hope

From clincoln-dfaf.org@shared1.ccsend.com – 15 May 2025   For the first time in years, there’s encouraging news in the fight against the overdose crisis. According to provisional data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, an estimated 80,000 people died from drug overdoses in 2024—30,000 fewer than the year before, marking a 27% decrease and […]

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DEA Releases 2025 National Drug Threat Assessment

Issued by DEA Public Affairs – May 15, 2025 WASHINGTON – The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration today announced the release of the 2025 National Drug Threat Assessment (NDTA), DEA’s comprehensive review of the threats posed to the United States by deadly illicit drugs and the violent domestic and international drug trafficking organizations responsible for producing and […]

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‘Growing Up Safe’: Prevention Strategies for Children and Adolescents

Dianova International is a Public Utility NGO with Special Consultative Status to the Social and Economic Council of the United Nations. Dianova and G2H2 launched a series of debates with a session dedicated to prevention and treatment initiatives for children and adolescents – 16/05/2025 Substance use prevention targeting children and adolescents is a science that […]

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What two new studies tell us about Cannabis Use Disorder (CUD) and Chronic Pancreatitis and Colon Cancer Outcomes.

From sfunes@drugfreeamericafoundation.ccsend.com – 16 May 2025   Today you can find marijuana everywhere, dispensaries around every corner or easily accessible through social media. This normalization is leading researchers to investigate its effects on various health conditions and the dangers associated with overconsumption of marijuana. This research shows that there is an association between marijuana use […]

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Kelly, Tillis, Coons Introduce Legislation to Address Youth Drug Use

Mark Kelly, Arizona Senator, USA – May 6, 2025 Today, Senators Mark Kelly (D-AZ), Thom Tillis (R-NC), and Chris Coons (D-DE) introduced bipartisan legislation to fund public service announcement (PSA) campaigns and contests to help young Americans understand the dangers of drug use.   The Youth Substance Use Prevention and Awareness Act would expand the Department of Justice’s […]

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The Changing Demographics of the Opioid Epidemic

by Connery, Lucy MPH; Tomilin, Kailyn MPH; Lynch, Joshua DO, FACEP  – Emergency Medicine News  Introduction Since the first wave of the opioid epidemic in the 1990s, more than 550,000 people from various backgrounds have died of an overdose in the United States.1 In 2023, opioid overdose deaths decreased 3% nationwide and by 10% in states […]

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MEDIA STATEMENT: Record-breaking raids in war on illicit tobacco and dangerous vapes – Australia

Statement by the Queensland Cabinet and Ministerial Directory Published Tuesday, 06 May, 2025 at 10:09 AM The Honourable Tim Nicholls – Minister for Health and Ambulance Services Record-breaking raids in war on illicit tobacco and dangerous vapes Queensland has seized the nation’s largest ever haul of illegal cigarettes and vapes by a health authority, under […]

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Medical Marijuana – Opinions on the topic

From: Dr Karen Randall – Vermont School of Medicine Sent: 01 May 2025 02:55 There is no other medication on the market where a patient can decide what type and how much to consume.  And, as with all medications, the more is not always the merrier.  Every drug has an LD50 where the harms exceed […]

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How Agencies Can Come Together In The Fight Against Drug Use – Nigeria

by Mr Mohammed Bukar Daily Trust – Sat, 3 May 2025 Drug use remains a persistent public health crisis affecting communities across the nation. The complexity of substance abuse requires a coordinated response from multiple agencies and sectors. When these entities work in isolation, gaps in care emerge and resources are used inefficiently. A collaborative approach […]

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Map Shows States With Highest Drug Use Issues – USA

by Joe Edwards – Newsweek Update, 05/06/2025, 12:11 p.m. ET: This article was updated with comment from Chip Lupo. A new analysis by WalletHub has revealed the states struggling most with drug use, with New Mexico, West Virginia and Nevada ranking at the top. Why It Matters The study evaluated all 50 states and the […]

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If smug middle-class users of drugs knew this, they’d be horrified

by Dr Max Pemberton (The Mind Doctor) in the Daily Mail on 17 March 2025 Source: Daily Mail – 17 March 2025

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Boys need role models not gaming and porn, Sir Gareth Southgate says

The ex-England football manager reflects on his personal journey, belief and resilience … During Sir Gareth’s football career as a defender and midfielder, he played for Crystal Palace, Aston Villa and Middlesbrough and was in the England squad between 1995 and 2004. He took over as manager in 2016 and led the team to the […]

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A Comparative Study of the Use of Methadone and Naltrexone in the Treatment of Opioid Dependency

by Dr Ross Colquhoun, Consultant to Drug Free Australia – March 26, 2025 Summary: Key Findings: 1. Mortality and Relapse Risks – Research indicates that opioid-dependent individuals face heightened mortality risks when starting or discontinuing methadone treatment and, to a lesser extent, while in MMT. Reviews have consistently found no significant difference in mortality and […]

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States and Feds Are Partners in Fight Against Opioid Epidemic

by Lisa Ryckman – NCSL’s associate director of communications. (National Conference of State Legislatures) Somewhere in America right now, a teenager searches the internet for drugs. The pills they buy might look like the real thing—Xanax, maybe, or Adderall—but chances are, they’re not getting what they think they are. The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration estimates […]

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Supporting Employees with Substance Use Disorder

by H Horning, DFAF, 28 April 2025 Published by the NATIONAL DRUG-FREE WORKPLACE ALLIANCE  As the workplace division of Drug Free America Foundation, NDWA’s mission is to be a national leader in the drug-free workplace industry by directly assisting employers and stakeholders, providing drug-free workplace program resources and assistance, and supporting a national coalition of […]

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The Scammer’s Manual: How to Launder Money and Get Away With It

Documents and insiders reveal how one of the world’s major money laundering networks operates. The New York Times Selam Gebrekidan and Joy Dong        Reporting from Phnom Penh and Sihanoukville, Cambodia          March 23, 2025 Every few weeks, fireworks light up the night sky in Cambodia, set off by scammers to salute their biggest swindles. By the time the […]

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A New Approach to Addiction

Scott Strode and his company have an active take on recovery and sobriety. Wall Street Journal    Andy Kessler         March 23, 2025 It wasn’t hard to find Scott Strode when we first met. He was the big guy in a black T-shirt with the word “SOBER” splashed across it. Mr. Strode is founder of the Phoenix, a national “sober […]

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Kentucky’s ‘Better Without It’ Anti-Drug Campaign Recruits College Basketball Players to Reach Youth

Kentucky Attorney General Russell Coleman is tapping into his state’s love of college basketball to promote his drug prevention campaign aimed at young people By Associated Press  March 19, 2025, at 2:08 p.m. Louisville guard J’Vonne Hadley celebrates after scoring against the Clemson during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game in the semifinals of […]

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Advancing reduction of drug use as an endpoint in addiction treatment trials

by Dr. Nora Volkow March 18, 2025 This blog was also published in the American Society of Addiction Medicine (ASAM) Weekly, on March 18, 2025.  For many people trying to recover from a substance use disorder, perhaps for the majority, abstinence may be the most appropriate treatment objective. But complete abstinence is sometimes not achievable, even in […]

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NIDA director: Rethinking SUD treatment goals

by Robyn Oster Associate Director, Health Law and Policy Published March 2025 National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) Director, Nora Volkow, wrote a blog on the need for new SUD treatment approaches that recognize the clinical value of reduced use. In trials to develop medications for substance use disorder, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has historically […]

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A Call for Compassionate Health Communication

by Gould, H., Zaugg, C., Biggs, M. A., Woodruff, K., Long, W., Mailman, K., Vega, J., & Roberts, S. C. M. (2025). Mandatory warning signs for cannabis: Perspectives and preferences of pregnant and recently pregnant people who use cannabis.  Marijuana and the Risks to Pregnancy & Breastfeeding Marijuana contains almost 500 components including the psychoactive […]

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Where the parties stand on the toxic drug crisis – Canada

This article gives a useful summary of the viewpoints of the various Canadian candidates for premiership “After briefly approaching overdose deaths as a health problem, the ‘war on drugs’ appears to be making a comeback.”         (Opening remark by article author – Michelle Gamage, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, The Tyee Apr 20, […]

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When ‘Make America Healthy Again’ Actually Means the Opposite

As part of a ‘painful period’ of cuts, Trump and RFK Jr. plan on dismantling the agency that focuses on substance abuse.  by Jonathan Cohn – Mar 30, 2025 ONE OF THE BIGGEST ADVANCES in public health from the last few years is one that you’ve probably never heard about—and one that now may be […]

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The Impact of Substance Use on Parenting

How do I know if a child is being abused/neglected? In 2023, there were over 546,000 reported cases of child abuse and neglect across the U.S. That same year, approximately 2,000 children died from abuse and neglect – a 9.6% rise in child fatalities from 2019. 1 The lifetime economic cost of child maltreatment was […]

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Adolescent Substance Use Research: Honoring National Drug and Alcohol Facts Week

by Leah Kuntz –  Psychiatric Times  – Vol 42, Issue 3 – March 17, 2025 Key Takeaways Personality-focused programs like PreVenture significantly reduce adolescent SUD rates by targeting personality-specific skills and self-efficacy. Understanding SUD prevalence and severity across age cohorts aids in policy-making and clinical service improvement. National Drug and Alcohol Facts Week 2025 occurs […]

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If smug middle class users knew its effect on their brain they’d be horrified

by Dr Max Pemberton (The Mind Doctor) in the Daily Mail on 17 March 2025. Source: Dr Max Pemberton (The Mind Doctor) in the Daily Mail on 17 March 2025.  

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Study finds cannabis users face higher risk of Thyroid Eye Disease

by Amanda Zong, BS et al. Collation by Lynda Charters – Ophthalmology Times-  March 24, 2025 Key Takeaways Cannabis users with autoimmune hyperthyroidism have a higher risk of developing TED outcomes, particularly within the first year. The study utilized a cohort design with data from 36,186 patients, including cannabis users, cigarette smokers, and controls. The […]

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Sober Truth on Preventing Underage Drinking Act (STOP Act) Grant Program

Short title: STOP Act What is the Sober Truth on Preventing Underage Drinking Act (STOP Act) Grant Program? Underage drinking is one of our nation’s most significant public health concerns. It has been associated with negative consequences for youth, including impaired brain function, decreased academic performance, injury, an increased risk of developing an alcohol use disorder […]

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Prevention program has reduced odds of teen drug use: Study

by Drug and Alcohol Testing Association of Canada – Mar 25, 2025 According to the results of a new study, a Montreal-based drug prevention program for teenagers significantly reduced the risk of substance use disorders. The program, called PreVenture, provided adolescents with tools and strategies to cope with personality traits such as impulsivity and anxiety. In […]

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Inhalant Abuse Prevention

Inhaling the vapors from chemical products has become a dangerous practice among teenagers and young adults. Often referred to as “huffing,” inhaling chemical vapors can become addictive — leading to both short-term and long-term health consequences including death. Most people have no idea how dangerous it is to inhale a chemical substance. In the US: […]

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Exposure to maternal cannabis use disorder and risk of autism spectrum disorder in offspring: A data linkage cohort study

This article, reporting on research by Profs Stuart Reece and Gary Hulse, is seen as seminal contribution to the current concerns about the effects of cannabis use on autism. Accordingly, NDPA has written to JF Kennedy Jnr as below: Date: 20th April 2025 Importance: High To Robert F. Kennedy Jnr, Secretary of Health and Human […]

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Italy’s Hemp Industry Dealt 2nd Major Blow as CBD Oil Classified as Narcotic

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Health and Human Services Secretary Robert Kennedy, Jr. urges community as fix to opioid crisis

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RFK recounts heroin addiction and spiritual awakening, urges focus on prevention and community

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"When representing a cause (almost) lost, sound your trumpet, mount your steed and go for the very last charge, failing which you will die of sad old age in the depths of the forgotten fortress, no longer besieged because life has abandoned it for greener pastures."

Jean Raspail
From the website of jeanraspail.net

"Universal prevention initiatives are important elements of a comprehensive prevention strategy that should include selective and indicated prevention initiatives as well. In order to prevent the development of dependence you need all three - and you cannot do without universal prevention. Norms, attitudes, availability are important risk factors for developing drug use problems as well as neighbourhood disorganization and weak family bonds."

Christina Gynna, Deputy National Drugs Policy Co-ordinator, Sweden,
at the ICAA conference in Budapest, 24 October 2005

 
 

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