No one would suggest leaving potentially dangerous, untested drugs on the market. But an outright ban hinders valuable research on compounds that could hold clues to treatments for diseases like Alzheimer’s.
Drugs
Teen Drug Use: Marijuana Up, Cigarettes and Alcohol Down
The latest update to the annual Monitoring the Future survey of drug use in American youth bears mainly good news, at least if your interest is in reducing drug-related harm
Why Medical Marijuana Laws Reduce Traffic Deaths
States that legalize medical marijuana see fewer fatal car accidents, according to a new study, in part because people may be substituting marijuana smoking for drinking alcohol.
Report: 1 in 5 American Adults Takes Mental Health Drugs
More than 1 in 5 American adults now takes at least one type of medication to treat a psychological or behavioral disorder, a 22% rise since 2001, according to a new report by Medco Health Solutions, which monitors drug trends in …
Why Kids With High IQs Are More Likely to Take Drugs
People with high IQs are more likely to smoke marijuana and take other illegal drugs, compared with those who score lower on intelligence tests, according to a new study from the U.K.
Is Nicotine a ‘Gateway’ to Cocaine Addiction (and Cancer)?
Some have claimed that tobacco and alcohol are “gateway” drugs that people use before turning to illicit substances. While causal conclusions are hard to draw, at least one new study in mice shows that smoking may indeed increase …
Study: Legal Medical Marijuana Doesn’t Encourage Kids to Smoke More Pot
Despite warnings from opponents of medical marijuana, legalizing the drug for medical purposes does not encourage teens to smoke more pot, according to new research that compared rates of marijuana use in Massachusetts and Rhode …
Obama’s Misguided Crackdown on Medical Marijuana
(Updated) Why is the U.S. government cracking down on medical marijuana, a $1.7 billion business — and one of the few that seems to be thriving in a moribund economy?
‘Magic Mushrooms’ Trigger Lasting Personality Change
The psychedelic drug psilocybin (the active ingredient in “magic mushrooms”) may produce lasting, positive changes in personality, new research finds. People who took the drug showed increases in the key personality dimension of …
Study: College-Age Youths Increasingly Overdose on Alcohol and Drugs
College-age youth are increasingly overdosing on drugs and alcohol, according to 1999–2008 data on hospitalizations in this age group.
New York State Passes ‘Good Samaritan’ Law to Fight Overdose
New York state last week became the largest state in the nation to adopt a “Good Samaritan” law to fight overdose. The law bars arrests and prosecution for personal possession of drugs, paraphernalia or underage drinking …
Heat Spikes Death Risk from Drugs
With relentless heat enveloping much of the nation, no one, it seems is spared. That includes a group at especially high risk of harm from high temperatures: drug users, both therapeutic and recreational, particularly those who …
U.S. Rules That Marijuana Has No Medical Use. What Does Science Say?
The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) ruled on Friday that marijuana has “no accepted medical use” and should therefore remain illegal under federal law — regardless of conflicting state legislation allowing medical …
