LATEST

Editorial Staff in Opioid Crisis
March 14, 2024

Statistics on Heroin Addiction, One of America’s Longest-Lasting Addiction Nightmares

This article defines what heroin is, lists the many side effects users experience, and shows the trajectory of heroin addiction over time. Heroin is one of the longest-lasting drug problems in the country, and it is still a serious issue today.

read more...

Cocaine Experimentation Now More Lethal Than Ever

Cocaine experimentation and addiction have been a problem in the U.S. for several decades. The drug received a significant amount of media attention in the mid and late 20th century, but it has since been relegated to the background with the onset of the opioid epidemic. Unfortunately, cocaine use is still prevalent and very harmful. And today, more people are dying from using the drug than ever before.

read more...

KH
Karen Hadley in News
February 28, 2024

Oregon’s Drug Decriminalization Law Fails to Save Lives

The article examines the aftermath of Oregon’s Measure 110, which decriminalized personal quantities of drugs with the aim of redirecting funds toward addiction recovery services. There are many signs the law has failed to meet its objectives, with few individuals seeking help despite citations, increased crime and drug use, and a surge in fentanyl-related deaths. Now, the state has begun to shift its opinions and actions toward recriminalization.

read more...

Ren in Information on U.S. States
February 22, 2024

CDC Reports U.S. Overdoses Reach New High

The CDC recently published its most current provisional data regarding total U.S. drug overdoses for the 12 months between May 2022 and April 2023. According to the new data, 112,024 people across the U.S. died from drug overdoses in that period, compared to 110,394 deaths in the May 2021 to April 2022 period.

read more...

KH
Karen Hadley in Drug Education
February 8, 2024

How Inhalants Can Kill, Even the Very First Time They Are Used

The article explains the lethal risks associated with inhalant abuse, especially prevalent among young people due to the accessibility of these common household items. Felt tip pens, markers, nail polish remover, paint—any of these substances and hundreds more can intoxicate or kill. Statistics reveal the alarming incidence of inhalant abuse among students and how and why their abuse can lead to sudden death.

read more...

Editorial Staff in News
February 8, 2024

What Is the Opioid Vaccine?

The term “opioid vaccine” has been in widespread use since at least 2019. However, many still do not understand what the medicine is or if it’s really a “vaccine” as one traditionally thinks of such types of medicine. Opioids are not infectious diseases, so how can one be vaccinated against them? Is the opioid vaccine the solution to opioid addiction? Or is it just another replacement medication?

read more...

KH
Karen Hadley in Drug Use
February 1, 2024

Why Are So Many People Mixing Opioids and Stimulants?

This article explores the growing trend of combining opioids and stimulants, known as speedballing, among drug users. Learn the reasons behind this practice, including the desire to offset the negative effects of each drug or to achieve a specific high considered desirable. The outcome can be addiction, physical harm or death.

read more...

Ren in News
January 25, 2024

What Is the Scope of Fentanyl Use Today?

Fentanyl, the powerful synthetic opioid that is similar to morphine but is anywhere from 50–100 times more potent, has become the leading cause of drug overdose fatalities in the United States. Its widespread use is extremely grim because even as some people who struggle with addiction try to avoid the drug, dealers increasingly add fentanyl to their drug supplies to make each batch more potent, addictive, and dangerous.

read more...

KH
Karen Hadley in Drug Information
January 17, 2024

The International Curse That Is Captagon

The article traces Captagon’s transition from a prescription stimulant to an addictive drug addicting many in the Middle East. It further highlights historical parallels with wartime stimulant use and concludes by warning of the possibility of the drug’s spread across Europe.

read more...

Ren in Drug-Related News
January 11, 2024

New Research Data Shows Cannabis and Hallucinogen Usage Rates Continue to Rise Among Adults

While it’s common for certain drug use trends to come in and out of popularity, the trend of cannabis and hallucinogen use has been quite concerning in that usage of these drugs has steadily risen, uninterrupted, for several years. Further, interest in these drugs and experimentation with them has escalated among young adults ages 19 to 30 and middle-aged adults ages 35 to 50...

read more...