Drug abuse of varied legal and illicit substances continues to be a niggling, decades-old, nationwide health concern. Drug abuse could cause irreparable, all-encompassing devastation in the lives of the users as well as their kin members and pals. It is the reason for a surge in criminal activities and augmented monetary hassles in neighbourhoods. An estimate forty million grave infirmities, injuries or fatalities occur in the U.S. on an annual basis due to drug abuse. There is a wide-ranging array of substances which people abuse and every one of these has varied effects and upshots. Majority of these substances are vastly habit-forming and detrimental to a person’s health. There are several prevalent signs and symptoms which would assist in indentifying a drug abuser. Instantaneous Physical Signs & Symptoms A number of drug abuse signs and symptoms are instantaneous (occurring mainly when the drug abuser is using the substance). Every drug type elicits its own exclusive group  [...]

Irrespective of age, effects of smoking on a person’s bone health cannot be overlooked. From infancy till thirty years of age are the most important years when bone mass builds up and develops. Smoking during adolescence would hamper optimal bone mass development leading to a smaller skeletal structure and lesser bone mass in comparison to a non-smoker. Effects of smoking on bone health continue even in forty and fifty year old people. Females in 40-50 years age group start losing estrogen that is vital for bones and those who indulge in smoking face swifter bone loss with greater associated complications. Deleterious effects of smoking to Bone Health Nicotine and toxic constituents present in a cigarette affects bone health in a multitude of ways. Cigarette smoke generate vast quantities of free radicals which are particles assaulting and overwhelming the body’s innate defence system resulting in a string of unfavourable overall damaging reactions inclusive of all cell, organ  [...]

Does this ring a bell or strike a chord somewhere deep inside? David, 37, with a stable career, secure house and a good marital life, revels in a couple of pegs of scotch seated in front of the television on majority of the nights – does not have what majority of the individuals dub as a drinking problem. There are conceivably thirty-six million Davids across the U.S. alone, estimates forwarded by the National Inst. on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism – NIAAA – that lead to creation of the character enacted by an actor on its webpage to assist in training physicians. David does not engage in the requisite amount of exercising, due to which he has slight overweight issues. Averaging 4 drinks daily, he is by no means an alcoholic – however several specialists presently view such a person as a drinker belonging to the elevated-risk category and state that he might yield to ‘alcohol use disorder’. Scores of those across the globe who engage in nightly, post-job drinking some wine  [...]

Investigators from California that offered an update of their research outcomes believe that marijuana shows potential for treating a number of precise, pain-associated medical disorders with mounting substantiation backing marijuana or the components of cannabis being beneficial as an adjuvant therapy of neuropathy. Though whether it could be employed as a vanguard treatment is still unknown, but researchers are hopeful that the outcomes of their studies would elicit bigger-scaled ones involving a wide-ranging populace. Findings of these studies that were put forth to the California Legislature during last week had its share of critics who found the studies erroneous and were apprehensive regarding the long-standing health outcomes of marijuana smoke. Outlook – Medical Marijuana Study Several onlookers contemplated that the investigators put forth their details to the California legislature for calling awareness to marijuana studies as a proposal to sanction marijuana for broad usage  [...]

College-going crowds who indulge in drinking and habituated to swilling alcoholic and energy drink concoctions are thrice more prone to getting squashed out as compared to those drinking solely alcoholic drinks. What is even more appalling is that those who imbibed such energy mélange are four folds more prone to attempting drunken drinking, a finding by investigators from Univ. of Florida. Researchers explicated that on blending alcoholic drinks along with energy drinks could have a deceptive action on the brain making those who consume it feel they are sober when actually the contrary holds true. Researchers noted that nearly twenty-eight percent of college-goers indulged in this form of concoction drinking. For gathering data, the research team queried nearly eight hundred clients who left bars located at college revelry areas in-between ten prior midnight to three a.m. in the morning. They interrogated them regarding their drinking and regarding if they were intent on driving.  [...]

Battery power-driven contraptions intended to resemble real cigarettes – E-cigarettes or Electronic cigarettes are being widely sold online or in at least 1 of the sixty-plus malls all over the United States. These are smoke and tobacco-free devices, but as a substitute is a nicotine conveyance gadget emitting heated fumes. E-cigarette manufacturers assure them to be a safer bet to cigarettes. FDA has not yet approved these drug-gadget combos, yet these are widely been vended across the U.S. with figures only rising daily. Available in varying forms and sizes, several bearing striking resemblance to longish cigarettes whereas as others resemble cigar or pipe though working in similar fundamental ways. Inhalation via mouth piece after which air flow elicits a feeler device which activates a tiny battery driven heater. Mouth piece has analogous quantity of nicotine present in a cigarette packet and has tobacco-tasting flavouring or menthol, mint, vanilla, chocolate among other flavour  [...]

All those trying really hard to kick the butt, donning nicotine patches for close to 6 months – far more than what is usually suggested could raise one’s  likelihood of quitting smoking, a new-fangled study has revealed. The study backed by National Cancer Institute along with National Institute on Drug Abuse has shown that despite being on the lengthier treatment, the likelihood of successful smoking cessation are solely 1in 7. Lead authors of the study expounded that there is a postulation that nicotine addiction is a severe condition that could be cured with short-spanning treatment. Hence, authors believe that smokers need to speak to their physicians regarding if it would be reasonable for them to keep using the nicotine patches for extensive time spans as a substitute to relapsing to smoking. The patches are believed to lower yearnings and withdrawal signs by gradual and steady release of nicotine dosages via the skin’s surface. The most recent recommendation provided by  [...]