Psilocybin Exposures Reported to US Poison Centers: National Trends Over a Decade
PurposeWe describe trends in psilocybin exposures among adolescents and young adults as reported to US poison centers over the past decade. MethodsWe queried the National Poison Data System for cases involving psilocybin during January 1, 2013–December 31, 2022. Persons aged 13–25 years were included. We examined exposures to psilocybin by demographics, clinical effects, level of […]
Cannabidiol (CBD) Products for Pain: Ineffective, Expensive, and With Potential Harms
Cannabidiol (CBD) attracts considerable attention for promoting good health and treating various conditions, predominantly pain, often in breach of advertising rules. Examination of available CBD products in North America and Europe demonstrates that CBD content can vary from none to much more than advertised and that potentially harmful other chemicals are often included. Serious harm […]
Alcohol-related deaths in U.S. jumped 29 percent in 5 years. Here’s why, according to experts
In the United States, deaths tied to excessive alcohol use rose 29 percent in just five years, according to federal data out this week, an increase that has alarmed experts and devastated many people who have lost loved ones. A study published this week by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimated an annual […]
Research shows continued cocaine use disrupts communication between major brain networks
collaborative research endeavor by scientists in the Departments of Radiology, Neurology, and Psychology and Neuroscience at the UNC School of Medicine have demonstrated the deleterious effects of chronic cocaine use on the functional networks in the brain. Their study titled “Network Connectivity Changes Following Long-Term Cocaine Use and Abstinence,” was highlighted by the editor of […]
CBD products don’t ease pain and are potentially harmful, study finds
There is no evidence that CBD products reduce chronic pain, and taking them is a waste of money and potentially harmful to health, according to recent research led by the University of Bath in the UK. CBD (short for cannabidiol) is one of many chemicals found naturally in the cannabis plant. It’s a popular alternative […]
FMCSA issues active phishing alert: Scammers push fake safety audit claims
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration published an alert for motor carriers with authority about phishing attempts by criminals posing as agency auditors via email. The “fake safety audit” attempt is taking the form of emails to registered entities, including motor carriers, “pretending to be FMCSA” notifying you of the “need to schedule a safety […]
China’s Growing Illegal Pot Industry in the U.S. Should Spark Action
Top political leaders are wise to demand more information and stop the spread of these illegal operations. The link between the Chinese government and fentanyl is widely known. Using Mexican producers, international drug cartels linked to the Chinese government are laundering money and trafficking deadly drugs — and killing Americans at a record rate. But […]
DUIC- Driving Under the Influence of – Cigarettes?
Everyone knows about the problems of driving under the influence of alcohol (DUIA) and under the influence of cannabis (DUIC), but tend to overlook the impairment of driving ability under the influence of cigarettes (another DUIC). Cigarette smoking causes more death and injuries from cancers and disease than any of the other 2 drugs, but […]
‘Smart drugs’ don’t make people better at a problem-solving test
Some people try to get a mental boost by taking medicines that are designed to treat ADHD or to counter sleeping disorders, even though they don’t have these conditions. But that may not be such a smart move, as the drugs worsened the performance of people who didn’t have these conditions in a complex problem-solving […]
Surge in Hallucinogen-Associated ED Visits, Hospitalizations From 2016 to 2022
There was a significant increase in hallucinogen-related emergency department (ED) visits and hospitalizations from 2016 to 2022 in California, according to study results published in Addiction. This increase was significantly higher than the relative increases for alcohol- and cannabis-associated hospitalizations during the same period. Hallucinogens have garnered growing scientific and public attention for their potential […]
