While the Russian government continues to dominate headlines in the United States, a quiet tragedy occurred late in 2016 to a community in the Siberian city of Irkutsk. Novo-Lenino, a neighborhood of Russia’s sixth largest city, is coming to grips with the deaths of 49 […]
Author: Inspire Malibu
Monitoring the Future Survey: Declining Rates of Teen Drug Abuse
The 2016 numbers are in and research shows yet another year of declining drug and alcohol abuse among eighth, 10th and 12th grade students. The caveat is marijuana use in these demographics, which spiked in 2015, has remained relatively stable. “Clearly our public health prevention […]
Got Gout? Might be Time to Ditch the Booze
Known as “the disease of kings” or “the rich man’s disease,” Gout earned these monikers centuries ago. The painful condition generally afflicted monarchs and the wealthy classes of people that could afford diets rich in fatty meats, seafood, fine wines, distilled spirits and ales. As […]
The 21st Century Cures Act is a Bipartisan Miracle
Amidst news of the Trump administration transitioning into the White House and constant pundit chatter about a deeply divided country, President Obama signed The 21st Century Cures Act on December 13, 2016. The bipartisan effort is perhaps one of the most comprehensive pieces of legislation […]
Why Pet Therapy Can Improve the Road to Recovery
It’s difficult to measure the value of a good dog. Beyond mere anecdotal evidence, research suggests that dogs (and other pets) can help people come back from traumatic experiences, lessen symptoms of anxiety and depression and, yes, even be powerful allies in recovery from addiction […]
Driving Under the Influence – New and Improved Roadside Tests
December is National Impaired Driving Prevention Month. Traffic fatalities as a result of drug and alcohol use have unfortunately increased according to the presidential proclamation. “Last year, preventable alcohol-related driving fatalities accounted for nearly one-third of all traffic fatalities,” says the president’s report. With the […]
MDMA for Treating PTSD – FDA Approves Phase 3 Trials
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 […]
Black Box Warning and Prescription Drugs
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 […]
The Public Health Crisis of Addiction: Surgeon General’s Historic Step Forward
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 […]
The 27 Club – A Tragic Tour of Famous People That Died Too Young
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, […]