To be clear, methylenedioxy-methamphetamine, known on the street as MDMA, molly, “E” or ecstasy, is an illicit and extremely dangerous “club” drug. Misuse can cause brain damage and even death. Because of its euphoric sensory effects, MDMA is popular on the music festival circuit, though […]
For many people, the phrase “black box” conjures images of emergency officials searching for a downed airplane’s flight recorder in hopes of discovering just what exactly caused the accident. There is, however, another type of black box. The Federal Food and Drug Administration, the agency […]
For the past 65 years, the American court and prison system is where the majority of people struggling with substance abuse and the addiction end up. Of the nation’s 2.3 million prison inmates, more than half – 65 percent or 1.5 million – meet the […]
It’s an eerie coincidence that so many talented musicians and artists lost their lives at the age of 27, a phenomenon dubbed The 27 Club. Set aside the various conspiracy theories about the unenviable club’s membership and the unfortunate realities, in some of the cases, […]
In the words of the late actress Katharine Hepburn, a fierce personality known for her spirited honesty, “Life is hard. After all, it kills you.” The reality of Ms. Hepburn’s opinion, though blunt, is undeniable. Recovering from a drug or alcohol addiction adds another degree […]
Wet Houses are residential housing facilities for homeless people suffering from chronic alcoholism. Unlike other shelters that require residents to attend addiction treatment, stay sober and adhere to strict curfews, tenants at these harm reduction shelters can drink as much alcohol as they want. In […]
Along with a new president, Americans in eight states voted for the passage of recreational or medicinal marijuana. Before the election, recreational pot was legal for 5 percent of the population, but that number jumped to 20 percent post-election. Among the states with marijuana reform […]
Most people of a certain age will remember First Lady Nancy Reagan’s anti-drug campaign “Just Say No.” Then came a Partnership for a Drug-Free America’s iconic ad “This is Your Brain on Drugs.” Following that was the Drug Abuse Resistance Education or DARE, founded by […]
As the nation’s battle with opioid addiction continues to ravage entire communities, there’s been scant reporting on how the epidemic’s touched the lives of children. In a recent study, however, researchers examined 15 years of data from children’s hospitals and found that children are suffering […]
Global consumption of the opioid Tramadol, a drug that in some parts of the world is unregulated, increased 186 percent between 2000 and 2012, reports the International Narcotics Control Board. In the United States, the synthetic opioid analgesic received government approval in 2010. By 2014, […]
