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23 Dec
More Dogs and Cats Are Being Unintentionally Poisoned by Illicit Drugs in Their Homes
An increasing number of dogs and cats are being exposed to cocaine and methamphetamine left out in their owners’ homes, new study finds.
Health News Results - 48
U.S. Justice Department Moves to Reclassify Weed as Less Risky Drug
- Robin Foster HealthDay Reporter
- May 17, 2024
- Full Page
The U.S. Justice Department on Thursday moved to reclassify marijuana as a less dangerous drug, setting the stage for a significant shift in the nation's drug policy.
In a proposed rule...
More Than 1 in 6 U.S. Adults, Teens Have Substance Use Disorder
- Robin Foster HealthDay Reporter
- November 14, 2023
- Full Page
TUESDAY, NOV. 14, 2023 (Healthday News) -- Over 1 in 6 Americans, adults and teens alike, suffered a substance use disorder in 2022, new government data released Monday shows.
Buying Marijuana Online Easy for Minors, Study Finds
- Cara Murez HealthDay Reporter
- September 26, 2023
- Full Page
The lax enforcement of age limits by many online marijuana dispensaries makes it easier for minors to buy weed, claims new research that looked at online weed sales in 32 states.
"It is imperative to require strict age-verification procedures prior to cannabis purchases ...
Substance Abuse Greatly Raises Odds of Heart Attack, Stroke During Pregnancy
- Cara Murez HealthDay Reporter
- September 21, 2023
- Full Page
Substance abuse and pregnancy may be a dangerous combination.
New research finds that pregnant women with a history of substance abuse had a dramatically increased risk of death from heart attack and stroke during childbirth compared to women with no drug history.
...
New Opioids Are Joining the Illicit Drug Supply, and They're More Potent Than Fentanyl
- Alan Mozes HealthDay Reporter
- September 5, 2023
- Full Page
In recent years, the opioid epidemic has been worsened by the advent of street fentanyl, an illicit version of a powerful prescription painkiller.
But experts now warn that the threat posed by fentanyl may ultimately pale in comparison to the emergence of an even more da...
1 in 10 ICU Patients With Heart Issues Has Illicit Drugs in Their System
- Dennis Thompson HealthDay Reporter
- August 18, 2023
- Full Page
More than 1 out of every 10 patients who land in an ICU with a potentially deadly heart emergency test positive for recreational drug use, a new French study reports.
About 11% of nearly 1,500 patients admitted to a French intensive cardiac care unit for a heart crisis t...
After U.S. Warns of Counterfeit Pills Laced With Fentanyl, Mexico Shuts Down 23 Pharmacies
- Cara Murez HealthDay Reporter
- August 9, 2023
- Full Page
Following a four-day raid, Mexico has closed 23 pharmacies in Caribbean resorts of Cancun, Playa del Carmen and Tulum for irregular pill sales.
Psilocybin May Help Some Who Battle Anorexia
- Amy Norton HealthDay Reporter
- August 1, 2023
- Full Page
One dose of the hallucinogenic ingredient in "magic mushrooms" may help some people with anorexia move past their preoccupation with body image, an early study suggests.
The study, of just 10 women with anorexia, tested the effects of a single dose of psilocybin plus psy...
ADHD Drugs Won't Raise Risk for Illicit Drug Use Later
- Cara Murez HealthDay Reporter
- July 12, 2023
- Full Page
Teens who use stimulant medication like Ritalin to treat attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) do not have an increased risk of illicit drug use later, a new study finds.
This study looked specifically at cocaine and methamphetamine use. High school seniors wh...
First Murder Conviction for Fentanyl Dealer Delivered in California
- Cara Murez HealthDay Reporter
- July 11, 2023
- Full Page
A fentanyl dealer has been found guilty of second-degree murder in what authorities believe is the first-ever murder conviction for dealing the dangerous drug.
The conviction happened in Placer County, Calif., in a case involving the fatal overdose last summer of a 15-ye...
Lesbians, Gays Suffer More Mental Health Issues, Drug Use Problems: Survey
- Cara Murez HealthDay Reporter
- June 14, 2023
- Full Page
Lesbians, gays and bisexuals are experiencing more mental health and substance use issues than their heterosexual peers, researchers say.
Young Adults' Use of Hallucinogens Like Mushrooms, PCP Doubled in a Few Years: Study
- Cara Murez HealthDay Reporter
- June 9, 2023
- Full Page
Young American adults have doubled their use of non-LSD hallucinogens in just a few years, a new report warns.
Researchers found that between 2018 and 2021, U.S. adults aged 19 to 30 increased their use of mescaline, peyote, psilocybin ("magic mushrooms") and PCP, thoug...
Illicit Use of Ketamine Keeps Rising in U.S.
- Cara Murez HealthDay Reporter
- May 24, 2023
- Full Page
Seizures of illicit ketamine by drug enforcement agents have surged throughout the United States, growing 349% from 2017 through 2022, a new study finds.
Rising use of ketamine could increase the likelihood that people who use the drug recreationally may instead get a po...
U.S. to Fund Study on Safe Drug Injection Sites for Overdose Prevention
- Cara Murez HealthDay Reporter
- May 8, 2023
- Full Page
The U.S. federal government has committed $5 million to study three existing and planned safe drug injection sites to see if they help prevent overdoses and whether they may offer savings in the health and criminal justice systems.
At these overdose prevention centers (O...
Apetamin: Using This Illegal Weight-Gain Product Can Bring Tragic Results
- Cara Murez HealthDay Reporter
- May 2, 2023
- Full Page
U.S. regulators are urging Americans to avoid Apetamin, an illegal drug used for weight gain and figure enhancement.
The substance, typically sold as a syrup, is manufactured overseas, illegally imported and isn't approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
Mix of Vet Tranquilizer, Fentanyl an 'Emerging Threat,' U.S. Officials Warn
- Cara Murez HealthDay Reporter
- April 12, 2023
- Full Page
U.S. officials are intensifying efforts to crack down on illicit use of the veterinary tranquilizer xylazine, which can cause painful and deadly side effects in humans.
The drug, when mixed with the opioid fentanyl, has been designated an "emerging threat,"the Office of ...
Lawmakers Want to Tighten Access to Veterinary Drug Xylazine, Often Mixed With Fentanyl
- Cara Murez HealthDay Reporter
- March 29, 2023
- Full Page
Congressional leaders introduced a bill on Tuesday that would further restrict access to the veterinary drug xylazine, which is now being added to fentanyl powder.
Also known as tranq, the drug is meant to be a sedative and muscle relaxer for horses and other large anima...
FDA Takes Action Against Animal Tranquilizer Tied to Fatal ODs
- Cara Murez HealthDay Reporter
- February 28, 2023
- Full Page
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration said Tuesday that it has taken action to restrict imports of the veterinary tranquilizer xylazine to prevent illicit use of the drug.
While veterinarians use products containing xylazine to sedate large animals such as horses and dee...
U.S. Tourists in Northern Mexico Are Buying Counterfeit Pills Containing Fentanyl
- Cara Murez HealthDay Reporter
- February 6, 2023
- Full Page
Researchers have uncovered groundbreaking evidence that pharmacies in tourist areas of Northern Mexico are selling counterfeit pills containing fentanyl, heroin and methamphetamines.
The pills, mainly sold to U.S. tourists without a prescription, were passed off as contr...
Colorado Says Yes to Medical Use of 'Magic Mushrooms'
- Cara Murez HealthDay Reporter
- November 14, 2022
- Full Page
Colorado voters have voted narrowly to approve the medical use of "magic mushrooms"in Colorado.
"I'm in awe of what we were able to accomplish,"s...
Fatal Heart Infections Linked to Opioid Abuse Have Tripled Among Young Americans
- Dennis Thompson HealthDay Reporter
- November 9, 2022
- Full Page
The U.S. opioid epidemic has been heartbreaking -- literally.
Young adults' risk of dying from a devastating infection of the heart has doubled to tripled in the United States during the past two decades, a new study reports.
Researchers ascribe the increase in fat...
FDA Warns of Animal Tranquilizer in Illicit Drugs
- Cara Murez HealthDay Reporter
- November 9, 2022
- Full Page
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Tuesday warned health care workers to look out for patients who may have been exposed to a potentially deadly animal sedative, possibly through illicit drug use.
The veterinary medication xylazine is sometimes added to fentanyl, h...
Could Psychedelics Help You Kick the Habit?
- Cara Murez HealthDay Reporter
- October 26, 2022
- Full Page
Smoking is an incredibly hard habit to break. Anne Levine of Baltimore can attest to that.
But Levine, 58, is getting help from a potential ...
New Biden Plan Would Help Pregnant Women Fight Opioid Addiction
- Cara Murez HealthDay Reporter
- October 21, 2022
- Full Page
Pregnant women addicted to opioids have both a compelling reason to change and a harder time getting medications to battle their substance use disorder.
Now, a new plan from the B...
Allergy Meds in Street Opioids Make Overdoses More Deadly
- By Ernie Mundell HealthDay Reporter
- October 13, 2022
- Full Page
A new study is sounding the alarm about the addition of antihistamines to street forms of opioids -- and how they might make a fatal overdose more likely.
Experts Say New Street Drug Is 'as Deadly as Fentanyl'
- By Ernie Mundell HealthDay Reporter
- September 16, 2022
- Full Page
Nitazenes: You've probably never heard of these highly toxic drugs, and neither have many Americans who abuse opioid street drugs.
...
Deadly 'Rainbow Fentanyl' Looks Like Candy, Could Entice Kids
- By Sydney Murphy HealthDay Reporter
- September 1, 2022
- Full Page
The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) is warning the public that colorfully dyed fentanyl -- dubbed "rainbow fentanyl" -- is readily available across the United States.
"Rainbow ...
LSD Is Making a Comeback Among Young Americans
- Steven Reinberg HealthDay Reporter
- August 23, 2022
- Full Page
If you think hallucinogens like LSD are a thing of the past, think again.
New research estimates that the use of mind-altering LSD rose from less than 1% in 2002 to 4% in 2019 among people aged 18 to 25. An...
B 8/9 -- When Pot Made Legal, Poisonings From Synthetic Pot Decline
- By Dennis Thompson HealthDay Reporter
- August 4, 2022
- Full Page
People appear less likely to turn to dangerous synthetic pot products in U.S. states where marijuana has been legalized, a new Washington State University study finds.
Researchers disco...
Police Records Show Use of Illegal Fentanyl-Laced Pills Soaring
- By Robert Preidt HealthDay Reporter
- March 31, 2022
- Full Page
Dovetailing with a surge in overdose deaths, the United States has seen a sharp rise in seizures of illicit fentanyl, according to a new report.
Law enforceme...
Young Americans Lost Almost 1.5 Million Years of Life to Opioids Between 2015 and 2019
- Robert Preidt
- February 1, 2022
- Full Page
The U.S. drug epidemic continues its death march, with new research showing American teens and young adults have lost nearly 1.5 million years of life due to drug overdose deaths in recent years.
Opioid Addiction Treatment in Jail Could Change Lives
- Robert Preidt
- January 19, 2022
- Full Page
No magic bullet exists for ending the U.S. opioid crisis, but there's hopeful news for one high-risk population: Providing addiction medication in jails reduces the odds of addicts being re-arrested after their release, new research shows.
"Studies like this provide much...
NYC's Overdose Prevention Centers Already Saving Lives
- Robert Preidt
- December 22, 2021
- Full Page
At least 59 overdoses were prevented in the first three weeks that two overdose prevention centers have been open in New York City, the city's health department said Tuesday.
During that time, there were more than 2,000 visits to the centers that are operated by OnPoint ...
Pandemic Saw Big Declines in Kids' Use of Drugs, Alcohol, Vaping
- Robert Preidt
- December 16, 2021
- Full Page
There may be a silver lining to the COVID-19 pandemic, with U.S. health officials reporting an "unprecedented" decline in teens' use of alcohol, marijuana, other illegal drugs and vaping.
"We have never seen such dramatic decreases in drug use among teens in just a one-y...
Wearable Device Spots, Reverses Opioid Overdoses
- Steven Reinberg HealthDay Reporter
- November 24, 2021
- Full Page
A wearable device that could inject a lifesaving antidote for an opioid overdose might be on the horizon.
A new study shows that the device, worn on the stomach like an insulin pump, can detect when someone stops breathing from an overdose and inject the drug naloxone to...
Number of Teens Who Vape Marijuana Doubled in 7 Years
- Dennis Thompson HealthDay Reporter
- October 26, 2021
- Full Page
Teenagers have followed the vaping trend into marijuana use, with recent studies chronicling a boom in pot vaping among adolescents in the United States and Canada, researchers report.
The percentage of teens who've experimented with vaped pot has more than doubled in re...
Scientists Develop Quick Test for Marijuana Use
- Amy Norton HealthDay Reporter
- October 22, 2021
- Full Page
Researchers may be one step closer to developing the equivalent of a Breathalyzer for detecting marijuana use.
In an early study, scientists found that their rapid test was able to reliably detect THC in people's saliva in under 5 minutes. THC, short for tetrahydrocannab...
CDC Reports Record High 12-Month Drug Overdose Death Toll
- Robert Preidt and Robin Foster
- October 14, 2021
- Full Page
Drug overdose deaths in the United States hit a new record for the 12-month period ending March 2021, new government data shows.
A record high 96,779 drug overdose deaths occurred between March 2020 and March 2021, representing a 29.6% rise, new statistics from the U.S....
Stimulants Like Ritalin May Be Gateway Drugs for College Students
- Cara Murez
- October 8, 2021
- Full Page
Use of stimulants among college students was once thought to be a problem among high achievers seeking energy and focus to study.
Not so, according to new research that links misuse of these so-called "study drugs" to binge drinking and marijuana use. The stereotype of s...
How the COVID Pandemic Made the Opioid Epidemic Worse, Even as Telehealth Helped
- Dennis Thompson HealthDay Reporter
- October 1, 2021
- Full Page
The COVID-19 pandemic has shaken up the U.S. opioid crisis in ways bad and good, increasing the risk of use and overdose but also spurring innovative approaches to treatment.
The pandemic has definitely been linked to an increase in opioid use and overdose deaths, Tufts ...
Smoking, Drinking Gateway to Pot, Study Finds
- Steven Reinberg
- September 30, 2021
- Full Page
For those who smoke or drink, it's only a small step to marijuana, researchers report.
"Legal consumption of alcohol and tobacco may directly increase the level of illicit drug use. However, the relationships are complex," said researcher Dr. Zoe Reed. She is a senior re...
DEA Warns of Fentanyl in Counterfeit Opioid Pills
- Cara Murez
- September 29, 2021
- Full Page
People buying pills that look like prescription opioid painkillers or stimulants who are not buying them from a licensed pharmacy may be buying a lethal drug, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration warned this week.
This was the first public safety alert the DEA has is...
U.S. Meth Overdose Deaths Tripled in Recent Years
- Steven Reinberg
- September 23, 2021
- Full Page
Deaths from methamphetamine overdoses in the United States nearly tripled between 2015 and 2019, health officials report in a new study.
While the number of methamphetamine users did not increase as steeply, researchers said frequent use of methamphetamine, and using oth...
Animal Sedative Is Driving Rise in Fatal Drug ODs
- Steven Reinberg HealthDay Reporter
- September 21, 2021
- Full Page
An animal tranquilizer, xylazine, is increasingly linked to drug overdose deaths across the United States, health officials say.
According to a new report from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, xylazine has turned up in overdose deaths in 25 of 38 stat...
Opioid Use Disorder Is as Deadly as Heart Attack: Study
- Steven Reinberg
- September 20, 2021
- Full Page
Hospitalized opioid addicts die at a rate similar to people who have a heart attack after leaving the hospital.
Nearly 8% of patients addicted to opioids died within 12 months of hospital discharge, according to researchers from Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU)....
Half of Adults With ADHD Have Struggled With Alcohol, Drug Use
- Denise Mann HealthDay Reporter
- August 30, 2021
- Full Page
Fully half of all young adults with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) may also battle alcohol or drug abuse.
And folks with ADHD who have a history of depression or anxiety are particularly vulnerable to substance abuse problems, a new study showed.
...
Fatal ODs From Illicit Tranquilizers Jumped 6-Fold During Pandemic
- Dennis Thompson HealthDay Reporter
- August 26, 2021
- Full Page
Overdose deaths linked to illicit "designer" benzodiazepines have surged in the United States, as underground labs crank out new synthetic variations on prescription tranquilizers like Valium, Xanax and Ativan.
Overdose deaths involving illicit benzos increased more than...
Rising Number of U.S. Cardiac Arrests Tied to Opioid Abuse
- Ernie Mundell and Robert Preidt HealthDay Reporters
- August 23, 2021
- Full Page
There's been a sharp rise in opioid-related cardiac arrests in the United States and they now equal those associated with other prime causes, a new study finds.
Of more than 1.4 million cardiac arrest hospitalizations nationwide between 2012 and 2018, more than 43,000 (3...