Cannabis, Suicide, and Teens

  • Post author:
  • Post category:Uncategorized
  • Reading time:3 mins read

If a teenager uses marijuana, are they more likely to have suicidal ideas? New research suggests that the two may be closely related, at least in teenagers. However, teens’ cannabis use may offer a warning sign when it comes to a teen’s mental health.

Marijuana and Suicide Among Teens

According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, over 280,000 young adults ages 18-35 showed that using marijuana was linked to increased thoughts of suicide, suicide attempts, and follow-through. While the research isn’t thorough enough to establish a cause and effect of marijuana. However, it does emphasize the importance of mental health among teens. Teens with mental health disorders are more likely to try and use drugs. However, many drugs can exacerbate mental health disorders, increasing depression or anxiety, especially when a person is in withdrawal or ceasing use.

Even among teens who had not reported depressive feelings, the inclination …

Continue ReadingCannabis, Suicide, and Teens

Marijuana and the Coronavirus

  • Post author:
  • Post category:Uncategorized
  • Reading time:4 mins read

Marijuana is a hot topic of conversation when it comes to the novel coronavirus. For one thing, states with legalized marijuana sales have reported that people are stocking up on it. But news about this fad is bleak; some of the sickest coronavirus patients in American hospitals have been regular marijuana smokers.

Coronavirus and the Lungs

The World Health Organization says that about 80% of people with COVID-19 recover without needing hospitalization or specialist treatment, leaving one in six seriously ill. Most of these patients experience difficulty breathing.

Nearly all of the seriously ill patients end up with pneumonia. Some may need breathing treatments, antibiotics, and other assistance. Some end up on a ventilator.

Tobacco and Marijuana Smokers and Vapers in Danger

While most people who end up seriously ill from the coronavirus have some pre-existing condition many are smokers, marijuana users, and tobacco vapers. Existing research from China and …

Continue ReadingMarijuana and the Coronavirus

FDA Warns CBD Products Can Be Dangerous

  • Post author:
  • Post category:News
  • Reading time:4 mins read

The proliferation of CBD products in the “wellness” industry seemed to happen overnight. CBD, a byproduct of marijuana and hemp that does not get users “high”, has been marketing as a cure-all to everything from arthritis to anxiety. Some sellers even claim that CBD can help fight cancer by lowering inflammation levels. Now, the FDA is stepping in and warning users and manufacturers that these products not only may be modern-day “snake oil” but also can cause real damage to some people’s health.

What is CBD, Exactly?

CBD, also known as cannabidiol, is a chemical that’s found in all types of cannabis, even the male plant which is not smoked or used as a drug. Instead of getting a user high, CBD is supposed to have a host of health benefits and has been proven to help with rare seizure disorders in children. However, that’s where the clinical testing has …

Continue ReadingFDA Warns CBD Products Can Be Dangerous

Synthetic Cannabinoid Drugs Cause Bleeding, Injury Nationwide

  • Post author:
  • Post category:Uncategorized
  • Reading time:2 mins read

Synthetic cannabinoid drugs like K2, Spice and other similar formulations of what is often called “fake marijuana” have now caused bleeding in several states across the US, in what officials say is a growing trend of additives that contain rat poison.

According to the American Association of Poison Control Centers (AAPCC), the CDC and several health departments in many states are actively investigating cases of severe bleeding among people who have used synthetic cannabinoid products –which are both sold on the street and sometimes as shady gas stations in certain cities. It’s believed that this bad batch of products is tainted with Warfarin or a similar drug used to kill rats – essentially a blood thinner that causes internal bleeding and bruising. People have been hospitalized in Ohio and North Carolina for bleeding eyes, ears, and other internal severe damage.

In fact, since March, 0ver 200 people in Illinois and …

Continue ReadingSynthetic Cannabinoid Drugs Cause Bleeding, Injury Nationwide

Using Marijuana for Morning Sickness is Dangerous

  • Post author:
  • Post category:Uncategorized
  • Reading time:4 mins read

A new study shows that more women than ever are turning to marijuana for morning sickness, although there is no medical evidence to show that this is safe. In fact, experts are warning that using marijuana while with child is dangerous for the unborn.

The study, which followed trends in pregnant women in California, is a cause for alarm for many reasons. For one thing, the marijuana use referenced in the study was self-reported, which means that study participants likely under-reported their use of cannabis. An earlier study by the same organization also found marijuana use among pregnant women rose from 2.37% in 2002 to 3.85% in 2014.

The numbers may sound small, but the worries of medical providers are not. Nora D. Volkow, director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse, published an editorial explaining the many dangers. Few things are known about the effects of marijuana use on …

Continue ReadingUsing Marijuana for Morning Sickness is Dangerous

Spice is Not a Natural “Herbal High”

  • Post author:
  • Post category:Uncategorized
  • Reading time:3 mins read

The term “Spice” is drug slang for a class of herbal concoctions that have gained a reputation as a safe and way to get high. Sold as incense or potpourri in convenience stores, head shops and over the Internet, Spice consists of a mixture of dried plant leaves and stems that have been soaked in synthetic chemicals. When smoked, Spice produces psychoactive (mind-altering) effects that have been compared by some to marijuana.

Many Spice products carry labels saying “not for human consumption.” Despite these labels, Spice is marketed as a natural “herbal high.” It has been sold since 2004 under a variety of names, including K2, Genie, Incense and Bliss.…

Continue ReadingSpice is Not a Natural “Herbal High”

New Study on American Teen Drug Use

  • Post author:
  • Post category:Uncategorized
  • Reading time:4 mins read

Prolonged use of marijuana by our nation’s students and the drug’s harmful effects were the focus of this year’s “Monitoring the Future” survey. This annual survey of students from the eighth, tenth and twelfth grades recently completed by researchers from the University of Michigan. The data was obtained from classrooms throughout the country earlier in the year and was licensed through a grant from the National Institute on Drug Abuse.

The study reveals that 6.5% of high school twelfth graders smoke marijuana daily, compared to 5.1% only a few years ago. A surprising 23% admitted they had used the drug in the month before taking the survey and more than 36% confessed to using marijuana in the prior year. For tenth graders, 3.5% reported using the drug daily, 17% said they have used it within the past month, and 28% admitted using pot in the previous year. Only 1.1% of …

Continue ReadingNew Study on American Teen Drug Use

For Teens – Marijuana Can Have Lasting Effects on the Brain

  • Post author:
  • Post category:Uncategorized
  • Reading time:3 mins read

The majority of marijuana users believe the myth that it’s a harmless, non-addictive drug. They may even extol the medicinal value of the drug, despite the fact that the FDA has never approved its use for the treatment of any medical conditions. They may not be aware that recent research indicates that marijuana use can have a lasting effect on the brain.

Dr. Nora D. Volkow, Director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse, recently highlighted current marijuana research on the NIDA website. One of the most important research projects is a major new study that indicates that heavy marijuana use by teenagers can lead to a drop in IQ in adulthood.…

Continue ReadingFor Teens – Marijuana Can Have Lasting Effects on the Brain

Marijuana Abuse and the Legalization Debate

  • Post author:
  • Post category:Uncategorized
  • Reading time:3 mins read

The debate is long-lasting and as controversial as ever:  should marijuana use be legalized? Advocates of the legalization of the drug maintain that its usage does not involve health complications—at least none that are as significant or harmful as the ones that arise through inhaling cigarette smoke.  Additionally, they suggest that marijuana—most commonly used for medicinal and recreational purposes—poses no serious threat to society as a whole.  Beliefs such as these, regardless of veracity, have led to marijuana being the most widely used and abused drug.  Only alcohol consumption rivals it.…

Continue ReadingMarijuana Abuse and the Legalization Debate

Unbelievable Ambush of 12 Police in Mexico Underscores Cartel Mayhem

  • Post author:
  • Post category:Uncategorized
  • Reading time:2 mins read

The stories of murders and public display of corpses are so out of hand in Mexico that they almost defy reality.  This latest chain of events is almost commonplace but sounds like it’s out of a movie.

After 10 people were beheaded in Teloloapan and their heads put on display in the street on Sunday, a team of police were sent in a convoy to crack down.  There was a message threatening the La Familia gang.…

Continue ReadingUnbelievable Ambush of 12 Police in Mexico Underscores Cartel Mayhem