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Friday, April 27, 2018

Synthetic Cannabis Is More Dangerous Now

synthetic cannabis
Synthetic cannabis is in the headlines once again due to a spate of deaths in the Midwest and Maryland. It turns out that the already dangerous compounds sprayed on plant matter are now infused with rat poison in some cases, according to Scientific American. Believe it or not, there is a precedent for this kind of behavior, drug users consuming toxic substances, specifically brodifacoum, to lengthen their “high.” Brodifacoum is a chemical found in pest poisons sold across the country; when its ingested by humans, it can cause internal bleeding and brain damage.

Experts say they are unsure the intentions behind mixing brodifacoum into chemicals used to make synthetic marijuana, but they speculate it’s to increase the duration of user's euphoria. Toxin ties up liver enzymes that metabolize drugs, extending their effects. Douglas Feinstein, a neuroscientist and brodifacoum expert, says that the poison binds with liver enzymes that metabolize narcotics, resulting in elongating the drug's effects. He says there are case studies of people ingesting brodifacoum when using drugs like cocaine.

“We don’t know the exact doses these people are getting, but it’s a lot,” says Feinstein, who is hoping to analyze blood samples from those affected. “It could have been added intentionally to prolong the high.”

 

Synthetic Marijuana Shouldn’t Be Fooled With, Ever!


Most of our readers are probably familiar with the litany of horror stories involving synthetic drug use; the types of drugs have been in the news a lot and not in favorable light. The only thing Spice and K2 (familiar brands of synthetic cannabinoids) have in common with cannabis is that the chemical found in the former act on the same brain cell receptors as the latter.

The side effects of synthetic marijuana use are unpredictable, and in a number of cases have led to death. Even the psychological effects of use are concerning, i.e., extreme anxiety, confusion, paranoia, and hallucinations. The physical dangers include:
  • Violent Behavior
  • Suicidal Ideations
  • Vomiting
  • Rapid Heart Rate (tachycardia)
  • High Blood Pressure (hypertension)
  • Reduced Blood Supply to the Heart
  • Kidney Damage
  • Seizures
With so many inherent risks, adding rat poison to the equation will hopefully make people think twice about experimentation. It is also worth noting that synthetic cannabis use can be habit-forming and lead to addiction. Today, it is not uncommon for individuals to seek treatment for synthetic drug addiction.

 

Synthetic Cannabinoids Treatment


If you are struggling with Synthetic Cannabinoids, please contact Celebrate Hope at Hope By The Sea. We can help you end the cycle of addiction and provide you with the tools and skills necessary for achieving lasting recovery.

Saturday, April 14, 2018

Young People's Perceptions About Alcohol Use

alcohol use
Many of our readers are aware of the fact that April is Alcohol Awareness Month; it is an opportunity to educate young people and adults about alcoholism, treatment, and recovery. Naturally, as with most events like AAM, the primary focus is to reach young people with the hope of helping prevent the consequences of alcohol use.

Of course, it doesn’t make any sense to maintain the hope that educating young people will prevent alcohol use altogether, but even reaching some of the demographic is valuable. Teenagers and young adults harbor many misconceptions of drinking that experts work tirelessly to dispel. A significant number of American youth fail to understand the slippery slope that is heavy alcohol consumption evinced by the rates of binge drinking. When unsafe drinking behaviors prevail, the likelihood of developing an alcohol use disorder down the road increases dramatically.

With the aid of the current research available, hopefully, we can all have a hand in disabusing teens and young adults over the myths of alcohol use. Knowledge is a powerful tool that, if wielded correctly, can change people’s perceptions about drinking.

 

Youth Perceptions About Alcohol


A new study presents interesting findings on the subject of alcohol use in college. Researchers conducting a secondary analysis of a longitudinal study reveals the value of having a greater insight into young people’s attitudes about alcohol, Science Trends reports. The findings were published in the journal Addictive Behaviors.

Study lead author, Angelo M. DiBello, of Brown University, and his colleagues found that a person’s positive attitude of “heavy alcohol use” was notably associated with consuming more alcohol, binge drinking more often, and are more likely to experience alcohol-related problems, according to the article. Whereas, those with approving attitudes about of “moderate alcohol use” are less likely to consume alcohol, binge drink, or experience problems related to imbibing.

The researchers define heavy drinking as 4 or more drinks for women and 5 or more drinks for men on a single occasion. Moderate alcohol use they define as less than 4/5 drinks for woman/men at one time.

Alcohol is a substance that can cause significant harm. The findings of this analysis could help experts better target their prevention efforts. The research helps to paint a clearer picture of the reasons why young people drink in unhealthy ways, the article reports. As a result, the study could assist in the creation of new prevention and intervention methods.

 

Alcohol Use Disorder Treatment


Celebrate Hope at Hope by The Sea can help any young adult break the destructive cycle of alcohol use disorder. We provide clients with the tools and skills necessary for leading a productive life in addiction recovery.
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