British singer, songwriter and television presenter Lily Allen recently admitted considering heroin after the official confirmation of her divorce in June 2018. She confessed in July 2018 that she did think about trying the drug in order to self-medicate and relieve stress arising from her breakup with ex-husband Sam Cooper. Although she didn’t go ahead […]

On hearing the term substance abuse, one is usually reminded of alcohol, illicit drugs or prescription opioid abuse. However, the spectrum of substance abuse is not so limited. Surprisingly, the abuse of household inhalants like toilet cleaners, hair spray, paint thinner, gasoline, glue and others also falls under the ambit of substance abuse. And sadly, […]

“I could neither eat nor sleep. I shed 50 pounds in a span of two months; never in my life did I weigh less than 180, and I reached 150,” said 25-year-old Carlos Rodriguez (name changed) of Orange County. “In a week, I felt dreadful and sick. I went into depression and couldn’t sleep. It […]

A Manchester University (MU) assistant professor has received the New Investigator Award, which consists of a $10,000 grant, to conduct research on the metabolism of bath salts. Diane Calinski, who teaches pharmaceutical sciences and pharmacogenomics at the MU, has been awarded the grant for the “Evaluation of Cytochrome P450-Mediated Metabolism of the Synthetic Cathinones.” Funded […]

In 2012, when a 22-year-old man showed up at a hospital in Boston suburb complaining of memory loss and extreme confusion following a possible opioid overdose, doctors were quick to diagnose him with an inability to form new memories, known as anterograde amnesia. The lead neurologist, who examined the man at that time, observed something […]

Despite immense advancements in medical science, it is a challenging task to select the right treatment for the people struggling with substance abuse. Since every individual needs a more integrated, individualized, comprehensive and long-term approach of care, it becomes quite difficult to provide quality substance abuse treatment to everyone. In the absence of one effective […]

In the wake of the opioid epidemic ravaging the United States, cities like San Francisco, Seattle, Denver and New York City are considering to allow supervised injection facility (SIF) for people with addiction to heroin and other opioids. Such safe sites would cater exclusively to individuals hooked on heroin or opioids, providing them with a […]

In the past 20 years, opioid abuse has spread like wildfire across the length and breadth of the United States without a definite end in sight. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the number of overdose deaths involving opioids, including prescription drugs and heroin, has quadrupled since 1999. The CDC data […]

The year 2017 was a tumultuous year with regard to health care reforms in the United States. In July 2017, the seven-year Republican endeavor to repeal the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare) failed in the Senate due to lack of a suitable replacement. Many termed this effort a “skinny repeal.” After numerous failed attempts, in September […]

Methamphetamine or meth, a Schedule II drug, is associated with a high degree of physiological and psychological dependence. Considering its highly addictive properties, researchers across the globe are striving hard to find ways to overcome its addiction. One such study looked into the impact of medications like Prozac in progressively decreasing the reward effects of […]