As more and more states begin to legalize the usage of medical and recreational marijuana, will there be any significant effects of marijuana usage or a significant trend in usage of other substances such as opioids and alcohol? In 1996, California became the first state to legalize the usage of medical marijuana.
Do substance use disorders and co-occurring mental health conditions significantly contribute to the higher risk of mass gun violence in the United States? According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), gun violence is now the leading cause of death among young people in America.
Is vaping a gateway into the usage of other drugs and alcohol? The saga for the popular e-cigarette brand Juul takes another surprising turn. On June 23, 2022 the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) banned Juul from selling and marketing its popular e-cigarette products as well as the removal of all current inventory on the market.
The United States is in the depths of one of its worst drug epidemics the nation has ever experienced. In 2019, an estimated 10.1 million people aged 12 or older misused opioids. Specifically, 9.7 million people misused prescription pain relievers and 745,000 people used heroin.
Alcohol is a substance that is widely accepted in most cultures and is legal in most countries as well. But it is also a poison, and if abused and mistreated, it carries with it many symptoms, side effects, and consequences.
A new drug is sweeping the nation, one that is creating an overdose epidemic. It is often prescribed by doctors and is sold on the street as well. It’s made its way into other drugs; these laced drugs are now the number one cause of overdose in the United States. This new drug is called Fentanyl. Fentanyl is an especially dangerous drug because when compared to other opioids such as heroin, oxycodone, and morphine to Fentanyl, Fentanyl is 50 to 100 times more potent (1), according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse.
The name “Prozac” has made its way into everyday common households and is probably one of the first medicines one brings up when asked about what prescription drugs they have heard about, next to Ritalin.
Addressing a newly diagnosed mental disorder can feel daunting, and finding the right kind of treatment or therapy can be even more overwhelming. When seeking out therapy for specific issues, someone with depression or anxiety might try to find a psychologist or therapist through their insurance company, or by recommendation of a doctor.
As technology continues to evolve, the amount of information we are able to ingest is increasing at an incredibly high rate. Mobile devices, music streaming services, the internet, and a flood of social media apps constantly work to overload our senses.
Drugs such as cocaine, heroin, methamphetamine, and fentanyl are extremely dangerous and addicting; their effects work quickly and can have fatal consequences. Most everyone agrees that these drugs are harmful and should not be taken under any circumstance.
