Vaping

By Sandee LaMotte, CNN March 19, 2022 Some people with pain, anxiety or depression who obtain medical marijuana cards may overuse marijuana within a short time frame, leading to cannabis use disorder while failing to improve their symptoms, a new study found.

By Gregory Wallace, CNN – February 12, 2022 Deaths and crashes linked to drunken driving dropped almost 20% in Utah, the only state with a lower legal limit of .05, according to a new study. The conclusions are a piece of encouraging news for highway safety, where the number of deaths rose at the highest rate ever recorded during the pandemic, despite fewer cars on the road, shorter distances driven, and more safety features in new cars. The National Highway Transportation Safety Administration study looked at collisions in Utah, where in late 2018, the blood alcohol content legal limit lowered to .05 from .08. To read more about this encouraging update, follow the link to the original article included below. https://www.cnn.com/2022/02/12/us/utah-dui-drunken-driving-law/index.html

CNN Opinion by Jonathan Reiner www.cnn.com Updated 9:16 PM ET, Sun January 23, 2022 For many years it was thought moderate doses of alcohol were associated with a reduced risk of death, whereas higher amounts of drinking were associated with increased risk. And while there has been research to suggest a glass of wine a day can promote longevity or heart health, the consensus on alcohol’s salutary effects has started to change. Click on the following link to read the full article. https://www.cnn.com/2022/01/22/opinions/alcohol-heart-health-reiner/index.html

Partnership to End Addiction By Partnership Staff at drugfree.org October 2021 The rate of teens who said they’ve ever tried vaping marijuana more than doubled between 2013 and 2020, from 6.1% to 13.6%, according to a new analysis of studies reported in JAMA Pediatrics. Researchers analyzed 17 studies conducted in the United States and Canada, with a total of almost 200,000 teens. They found past-year marijuana vaping doubled from 2017 to 2020 — from 7.2% to 13.2%. The percentage of teens who said they had vaped marijuana in the past month rose from less than 2% to more than 8%. Teens’ preference for cannabis products may be shifting from less potent products like dried herbal cannabis to highly potent vape oil and concentrates, the researchers noted. Click here to read the full article on the Partnership to End Addiction website and access article links.

The misuse of prescription pain relievers, tranquilizers, sedatives, and stimulants among youth and young adults aged 12 to 25 is a major public health issue in the United States. Click here to read this report from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). Click here to visit the SAMHSA website for more publications and digital products.

NIAAA SpectrumVolume 13, Issue 3 | Fall 2021 Stay-at-home and physical distancing orders during the COVID-19 pandemic have led to increased stress, anxiety, depression, and boredom, and reports suggest that some people may be consuming more alcohol as a coping mechanism. A recent study supported by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism now reveals changes in patterns of alcohol and marijuana use during the pandemic, as well as changes in motives for use among young adults. Click here to read the rest of the article.

Partnership to End AddictionNovember 2021 The $1 trillion infrastructure package expected to be signed soon by President Biden includes a provision requiring automakers to include new technology to prevent drunk driving, the Associated Press reports. The legislation requires automakers to include monitoring systems to stop intoxicated drivers in all new vehicles as early as 2026. The Transportation Department must first determine the best type of technology to install in vehicles, the article notes. The legislation mandates that the technology must “passively monitor the performance of a driver of a motor vehicle to accurately identify whether that driver may be impaired.” More than 10,000 people died in drunk-driving crashes in the United States in 2019, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The new legislation “will virtually eliminate the No. 1 killer on America’s roads,” Mothers Against Drunk Driving National President Alex Otte said in a news release. “We need

SAMHSA (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration) has developed a resource guide to review the literature on prevention of marijuana use among youth, distill the research into recommendations for practice, and provide examples of the ways these recommendations can be implemented. Abstract Marijuana use among youth and young adults is a major public health concern. Early youth marijuana use is associated with:1. Neuropsychological and neurodevelopmental decline2. Poor school performance3. Increased school drop-out rates4. Increased risk for psychotic disorders in adulthood5. Increased risk for later depression6. Suicidal ideation or behavior As policy and legalization efforts evolve and the availability of legal marijuana increases, communities and families need guidance to support the prevention of marijuana use among youth. This guide covers programs and policies to prevent marijuana use among youth aged 12 to 17, including:1. Environmental strategies, such as regulating the price of marijuana products, where these products are sold, the

September 15, 2021 / NPR.org / Bill Chappell, Reporter, Producer The World Anti-Doping Agency will review its ban on cannabis, in what the agency says is a response to “requests from a number of stakeholders” in international athletics. But it’s not clear when, or if, a change to the controversial policy might take effect: cannabis will remain forbidden for the 2022 athletic season. The news comes after WADA’s ban on cannabis prevented U.S. sprinter Sha’Carri Richardson from competing in the Tokyo Olympics, despite her victory in the 100-meter race at the U.S. Olympic trials. Click here to read the rest of the article on NPR.org.

American Lung Association / https://www.lung.org The American Lung Association is concerned about the health impacts of marijuana use, especially on lung health. We caution the public against smoking marijuana because of the risks it poses to the lungs. Scientists are researching marijuana now, and the American Lung Association encourages continued research into the effects of marijuana use on lung health. Smoke is harmful to lung health. Whether from burning wood, tobacco or marijuana, toxins and carcinogens are released from the combustion of materials. Smoke from marijuana combustion has been shown to contain many of the same toxins, irritants and carcinogens as tobacco smoke. Beyond just what’s in the smoke alone, marijuana is typically smoked differently than tobacco. Marijuana smokers tend to inhale more deeply and hold their breath longer than cigarette smokers, which leads to a greater exposure per breath to tar. Secondhand marijuana smoke contains many of the same

July 23, 2021 www.ntdailey.comby Tania Amador The first electronic cigarettes were successfully manufactured and patented in 2003 by Hon Lik, a 52-year-old pharmacist and smoker after his father died of lung cancer. He hoped this would help him quit smoking. It did not. Known as “vapes,” “pens,” or “carts,” electronic cigarettes were first introduced in the United States in August 2006. What was originally marketed as a cessation tool and healthier alternative to smoking has actually become a step backward for public health. Click here to read the rest of the article.

July 28, 2021 / John Horvat II / tfp.org People today live in make-believe worlds. They are conditioned to believe they can be or do whatever they want. Usually, such fantasies are limited by the real world. However, modern technologies now facilitate the illusions of making believe by creating illusions. The business world is not far behind by providing products that humor people into believing their fantasies can be real. People can then effortlessly indulge in them if they pay the right amount of money. The latest craze in fantasy-enabling is the Non-Fungible Token (NFT) mania shaking the virtual world. People can claim to own original digital images (often readily available online) by registering their purchases on blockchain platforms. Buyers have nothing to show for their purchase save the original code of historical video moments, gifs and other digital creations. These digital assets often sell for tens of thousands of

SAMHSA / Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services AdministrationNew Publication: July 27, 2021 / https://store.samhsa.gov Alcohol remains the number one substance used by young people. These 24 legal policy summaries allow you to track how your state regulates underage drinking as compared to other states in order to help inform your prevention work. Click here to download a copy of the document.

14-Jul-2021 4:35 PM EDT, by Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) Newswise — July 14, 2021 (Toronto) A new study from the World Health Organization’s (WHO) International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), published in the journal Lancet Oncology, has found an association between alcohol and a substantially higher risk of several forms of cancer, including breast, colon, and oral cancers. Increased risk was evident even among light to moderate drinkers (up to two drinks a day), who represented 1 in 7 of all new cancers in 2020 and more than 100,000 cases worldwide. In Canada, alcohol use was linked to 7,000 new cases of cancer in 2020, including 24 per cent of breast cancer cases, 20 per cent of colon cancers, 15 per cent of rectal cancers, and 13 per cent of oral and liver cancers. “All drinking involves risk,” said study co-author Dr. Jürgen Rehm, Senior Scientist,

By THE TIMES EDITORIAL BOARD / July 15, 2021 / https://www.latimes.com Nearly five years after Californians voted to create a legal marijuana industry through Proposition 64, the illegal weed market is as big as or even bigger than it was before the ballot measure passed. The end of prohibition at the state level was supposed to be the beginning of a highly regulated marijuana market served by legitimate, taxpaying companies (even though marijuana remains illegal under federal law). Legalization was billed as a way to tame the Wild West-style marijuana industry, which often flouted environmental and health strictures and was a bastion for organized crime. It hasn’t worked out that way for a variety of reasons. Nowhere is the failure of Proposition 64 more apparent than in the deserts of Southern California, where a booming illegal marijuana industry has spread across the arid landscape. Click here to read the rest

By Lambeth Hochwald / June 28, 2021 / https://www.webmd.com The pandemic was more than unnerving, lonely, and isolating. It ended up being a drinker’s dream, with margarita Mondays and wine Wednesdays becoming a regular occurrence on top of nightly happy hours. In fact, nearly 1 in 4 adults said they managed pandemic stress by drinking more, according to an American Psychological Association survey released in February. “Drinking particularly increased among people who don’t consider themselves to have an alcohol problem,” says Joseph Volpicelli, MD, executive director of the Institute of Addiction Medicine in Plymouth Meeting, PA. “It creeped up on people.” On the other end of the spectrum, COVID-19 prompted many Americans to start taking steps to eliminate alcohol entirely. If you’re among this group, science is definitely on your side, with recent studies increasingly showing that no amount of alcohol is healthy and that alcohol can be cancer-causing. Click

By Partnership Staff / July, 2021 / https://drugfree.org E-cigarette maker Juul Labs agreed to pay North Carolina $40 million to settle a lawsuit that claimed the company’s marketing practices encouraged teenagers to vape, The New York Times reports. Click here to read the article on the drugfree.org website.

By Michael Greenwood / June 28, 2021 / https://news.yale.edu/ While alcohol consumption during pregnancy may result in harm to developing embryos and fetuses, a new study led by the Yale School of Public health finds that a significant number of pregnancies that result in live birth still involve alcohol exposure. Click here to read the rest of the article.

We are grateful the University of Alabama Athletics Department placed restrictions on student athlete sponsorships. Student athletes may not accept sponsorships from the following: a tobacco company or brand, including alternative nicotine products; any alcoholic beverage company or brand; any seller or distributor of a controlled substance, including but not limited to, marijuana; any adult entertainment business; and any casino or entities that sponsor or promote gambling activities. We also hope these restrictions will stand. Please click on the link to read the full article. By: TYLER MARTIN AND JOEY BLACKWELL JUL 2, 2021 A new era of college athletics arrived at midnight on July 1. For the first time ever, all NCAA athletes can begin to make money off of their name, image and likeness. Click here to read the full article.

By Paige Cockburn ABC Health & Wellbeing / https://www.abc.net.au/news/health What would be a good enough reason for you to actually cut back on booze? If you were gaining weight? If you were tired all the time? Having relationship difficulties? What about cancer? Chances are, this one didn’t make your list. But five in every 100 Australians who exceed 14 drinks a week will develop cancer by age 85, according to Dr Peter Sarich, who led a landmark study published in the British Journal of Cancer. Dr Sarich found by age 85, the absolute risk of alcohol-related cancer was 17.3 per cent for men and 25 per cent for women who were drinking less than 14 drinks a week. Click here to read the rest of the article.

Partnership to End Addiction / By Partnership Staff / May 2021 www.drugfree.org As more states legalize marijuana, how can parents and policymakers protect young people from the risks marijuana can cause? Partnership to End Addiction CEO Creighton Drury spoke with Kevin Sabet, Ph.D., CEO of Smart Approaches to Marijuana and author of Smoke Screen: What the Marijuana Industry Doesn’t Want You to Know, and Linda Richter, Ph.D., Vice President, Prevention Research and Analysis at Partnership to End Addiction, about the issue and possible solutions. Click here to read the rest of the article.

Wednesday, 26 May 2021 Newfangled marijuana products — edibles, concentrates, vapes — are driving an overall increase in pot-related calls to U.S. poison control centers, a new study shows. There were more than 11,100 calls related to marijuana use in 2019, up from about 8,200 in 2017, researchers said. More and more of those calls are related to manufactured products that contain distilled amounts of THC, CBD, and other chemicals found in cannabis. “We saw this generalized increase in calls nationally,” said lead researcher Julia Dilley, an epidemiologist with the Oregon Public Health Division in Portland. “But when we dug into it, that increase is being driven by these manufactured products,” Dilley continued. “Flower cannabis exposure calls are actually declining.” Pot plant exposures made up the bulk of calls to centers in 2017, with 7,146 pertaining to marijuana plants and just 1,094 related to manufactured products. But by 2019, calls

Author: Tracie White / April 16, 2021 / https://scopeblog.stanford.edu April 16, 2021 States that legalize recreational marijuana use, and in some cases allow retail sales of the drug, may see more suicide attempts and other self-harm among younger men, a new Stanford Medicine study suggests. Researchers examined whether rates of self harm injuries — which include suicide attempts and non-suicidal behaviors like cutting — correlate with changing marijuana laws and found an increase among men younger than 40 in states that allow recreational use. The study indicated no such correlation with states that allow only medical marijuana use. “States that legalize, but still constrain commercialization, may be better positioned to protect populations from unintended harms,” said Keith Humphreys, PhD, professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences. Humphreys is the senior author of the study published March 18 in JAMA Network Open. Ellicott Matthay, PhD, a post doctoral scholar at UC-San Francisco,

NIAAA Spectrum / Volume 13, Issue 2 News reports of college drinking tragedies, and concerns about increased access to alcohol in the home during the pandemic, make clear that COVID-19 has provided no reprieve from the problems of underage drinking. A perennial public health priority, alcohol misuse by young people increases the likelihood of myriad serious consequences, including altered brain development, academic problems, unsafe sexual behavior, physical and sexual assault, traffic crashes, injuries, overdoses, and alcohol use disorder (AUD). To be sure, efforts to reduce underage drinking have seen success in recent decades. Epidemiological data from the annual Monitoring the Future survey, funded by the National Institute on Drug Abuse, show that by 2020, proportional declines in the prevalence of binge drinking, following recent peaks reached in the 1990s, were 66 percent, 60 percent, and 47 percent for grades 8, 10, and 12, respectively. George. F. Koob, Ph.D., Director of

Study authors hypothesize that ethanol is the ‘biological pathway to damage’By Kayla Rivas | Fox Newshttps://www.foxnews.com/health/alcohol-harm-brain-health Any amount of alcohol can cause damage to the brain, and more so than previously realized, according to a study in what researchers call one of the largest of its kind to date. The preliminary findings from Oxford University were recently posted to medRxiv ahead of peer review, drawing on clinical data and imaging samples from over 25,000 adults in the U.K. Biobank study. Subjects were aged 40 to 69 years when they were first recruited from 2006 to 2010. Nearly all participants were classified as current drinkers, while just 5.2% were non-drinkers, per the study. Almost half of participants were consuming alcohol at levels above U.K. ‘low risk’ guidelines, though few were considered heavy drinkers, researchers wrote. Through MRI analyses, the team looked for correlations between alcohol use and grey matter in the

May 7, 2021 / SAMHSAhttps://blog.samhsa.gov The global coronavirus pandemic has forced us to learn new ways of doing many things. Employees in some job sectors learned to work from home, while others had to find entirely new sources of income. Parents learned to be teachers for their kids, while teachers themselves learned to do their jobs in less-than-ideal remote environments. We figured out how to use technology to celebrate birthday parties, host award shows, and even conduct a presidential inauguration. One thing we can do to benefit ourselves as a nation is talking with friends, family, and neighbors about underage drinking and adult problem drinking prevention. According to the 2019 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, 54.3 percent (or 18.3 million) people ages 18 to 25 and 55 percent (or 119.1 million) people ages 26 or older drank alcohol in the past month. Alcohol misuse stays under the radar

SAMHSA – Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services AdministrationPublication ID: PEP20-01-03-001Publication Date: May 2021 This guide will help families who have a loved one who is suicidal or has made a suicide attempt. It will provide information on understanding suicide, warning signs and action steps to take, and how to prevent future attempts and keep your loved one safe. Click here for a copy of the guide. Click here to view the guide and other suicide prevention information on the SAMSA website.

By DR. GREGORY SHANGOLDHARTFORD COURANTAPR 05, 2021 Legalizing recreational marijuana has been cast as a state budget matter, but to physicians, marijuana use is a public health matter. At the start of each physician’s career, we take the Hippocratic Oath, committing ourselves to science and a set of ethical principles that promote health, honesty, trust and service to all patients in need of medical care. Fragments of the oath can be traced back thousands of years, making it sacred to medical providers like me. The Connecticut State Medical Society believes it must ensure that Connecticut policymakers and their constituents — our patients — are informed about the health and societal ramifications of public policies. One such issue is legalizing recreational marijuana, which the CSMS sees as a bad idea. Click here to read the full op-ed.

May is Mental Health Awareness Month! So, Johnny’s Ambassadors is hosting Marijuana Mental Health Awareness Month, to draw attention to the mental harms that can come to youth who use marijuana! Please join the Marijuana Prevention Challenge! Click on the following link to be a part of Johnny’s Ambassadors Marijuana Prevention Challenge.https://johnnysambassadors.org/mentalhealth/

OPIOIDS AND COVID-19The opioid overdose epidemic surges and rages alongside the coronavirus pandemicJoseph Friedman and Morgan Godvin, Los Angeles Times The opioid overdose epidemic surges and rages alongside the coronavirus pandemic While Americans have focused on the COVID-19 pandemic, another epidemic has also been killing people across the country in unprecedented numbers: overdose deaths. And the two crises are connected. Click on the following link to read the article. https://birminghamnews-al-app.newsmemory.com/?publink=0617df7bc

FEBRUARY 1, 2021 EDITOR https://poppot.org Black market growers of marijuana destroyed my Colorado retreatWhenever you listen to or read dialog from the pro-marijuana crowd, they say that legalizing marijuana will make the black market go away. This statement is a blatant lie. Rather, legalizing marijuana invites criminal organizations into your state and allows them to grow pot illegally under the guise of running a legal operation. I am the owner of a summer home in rural Colorado with beautiful mountain views. In the midst of this beauty, a Chinese group purchased a ten-acre parcel with a house near my home. Within a year, they had cleared a section of the indigenous vegetation, which is so important to the survival of the local wildlife, and illegally grew thousands of marijuana plants. These marijuana plants are not even native to Colorado or North America; in fact, they had to grow them in

Minority experience worsening of symptoms over time, especially younger peopleDate: January 8, 2021Source: Michigan Medicine – University of MichiganSummary: More than half of people who use medical marijuana products to ease pain also experience clusters of multiple withdrawal symptoms when they’re between uses, a new study finds. And about 10% of the patients taking part in the study experienced worsening changes to their sleep, mood, mental state, energy and appetite over the next two years as they continued to use cannabis. https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2021/01/210108142134.htm

Is marijuana really safer than alcohol? Parents Opposed to Pot tackles this common misconception with provoking facts. With the proliferation of ads for CBD products across the U.S., it is important to know what a Colorado psychiatrist has to say about such products. Joseph C. Godfrey, Executive Director, ALCAP

Partnership to End Addiciton / www.drugfree.org A young person’s brain is not fully developed until they reach their mid- to late 20s, and any drinking while the brain is still developing can be problematic. Regardless of age, alcohol lowers inhibitions and impairs judgment and coordination. It can also increase the incidence of aggressive or violent acts. Consuming large quantities in a short period of time — or binge drinking, which is defined as having 4-5 drinks on one occasion and is common among young people — can cause alcohol poisoning and even death. More than 16 million Americans misuse or are addicted to alcohol, which is a substance that is legal, widely available and normalized in our society. Prolonged, heavy use of alcohol can lead to addiction (known as alcohol use disorder, or alcoholism), liver and heart disease, and other health consequences such as a weakened immune system and increased risk

Alcohol weakens your immune system and can put you at a greater risk for COVID-19. How much is too much? Mercey Livingston https://www.cnet.com Alcohol, especially frequent and excessive drinking, can present some serious risks to your health, especially when it comes to COVID-19, your immune system and overall risk for developing serious complications from the virus. Click here for the full article.

Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) In 2019, more than five million, or 28 percent, of high school students reported nicotine vaping in the past 30 days, a significant increase from 2018 (21 percent) and more than double the rates in 2017 (12 percent). Evidence suggests that some youth who would not otherwise use nicotine or tobacco products are vaping. SAMHSA developed a guide that discusses effective programs and policies to prevent vaping among youth and young adults, challenges to reducing e-cigarette use and vaping, and program and policy implementation strategies that can be used to address those challenges. Click here for a copy of Reducing Vaping Among Youth and Young Adults.

e-cigarettes.surgeongeneral.gov Over the last half century, the U.S. Surgeon General has released 32 comprehensive reports outlining the impact of tobacco use on this nation’s health and well-being. The 33rd report, which addresses e-cigarette use among youth and young adults, adds significant data and analysis to the science of this important public health issue. Surgeon General’s Reports are the gold standard of scientific reports, and each is developed and reviewed by hundreds of expert researchers. More than 150 scientists and public health professionals contributed to the development of this latest Surgeon General’s Report. Click here to get the facts!

Partnership to End Addictionwww.drugfree.org If you’ve just discovered or have reason to believe your child is using substances, the first thing to do is sit down and take a deep breath. We know this is scary, but you’re in the right place. Take a beat and prepare yourself for the important conversations ahead. Some brief preparation now can lay a foundation for more positive outcomes ahead. Click here for resources available through Partnership to End Addiction.

What’s the Bottom Line on the Risks of E-cigarettes for Kids, Teens, and Young Adults? The use of e-cigarettes is unsafe for kids, teens, and young adults. Most e-cigarettes contain nicotine. Nicotine is highly addictive and can harm adolescent brain development, which continues into the early to mid-20s. E-cigarettes can contain other harmful substances besides nicotine. Young people who use e-cigarettes may be more likely to smoke cigarettes in the future. Click here to visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for more information

By: Rob Chambers, President, American Council on Addiction and Alcohol ProblemsTownhall October 30, 2019 The United States is currently fighting one of the worst addiction problems in its history by way of the opioid crisis. While many Americans are aware of its existence, few likely understand the ongoing issues surrounding this large-scale public health emergency and the extent to which it is undermining the foundations of our great country. The human and financial toll of this crisis is staggering. In 2018 alone over 47,000 people died from opioid-related overdoses. Meanwhile, a recent analysis from the Society of Actuaries found that over a four-year period from 2015 to 2018, the total economic cost of the opioid crisis was $631 billion. This crisis is also destroying families and stretching social service programs to the brink. During that same four-year period, an additional $39 billion was spent on child and family assistance programs and education programs. Every day children

getsmartaboutdrugs.gov Vaping marijuana continues to dramatically increase in popularity among teens, according to numbers from the latest Monitoring the Future study. “Vaping” is the use of an e-cigarette to inhale vapors from nicotine, marijuana or flavorings. About 37 percent of 12th graders admitted to “vaping” within the last year; an increase from 27.8 percent in 2017. In addition, 13.1 percent of 12th graders reported vaping marijuana within the past year — an increase from the 9.5 percent in 2017. Researchers have been conducting this survey each year since 1975. This year, they surveyed over 44,000 8th, 10th, and 12th graders across the country about their drug use. Click here for more information.

www.fda.gov FDA Statement on consumer warning to stop using THC vaping products amid ongoing investigation into lung illnesses – October 4, 2019 Both the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are working tirelessly to investigate the distressing incidents of severe respiratory illness associated with use of vaping products. The FDA and CDC are working closely with state and local health officials to investigate these incidents as quickly as possible, and we are committed to taking appropriate actions as a clearer picture of the facts emerges. While the work by federal and state health officials to identify more information about the products used, where they were obtained and what substances they contain is ongoing, the FDA is providing consumers with some information to help protect themselves. Click here for more information.

OCTOBER 3, 2019www.drugfree.orgBY PARTNERSHIP NEWS SERVICE STAFF Doctors who examined lung tissue from patients suffering from vaping-related lung illnesses report the damage resembles exposure to toxic chemicals. In this week’s New England Journal of Medicine, doctors from the Mayo Clinic write that the injuries look like those seen in people exposed to poisons such as mustard gas, a chemical weapon used in World War I, The New York Times reports. The doctors examined lung tissue from 17 patients who became ill after vaping nicotine or marijuana products. Two of the patients died. About 70 percent had a history of vaping marijuana or cannabis oils, the article notes. Scientists initially thought vaping-related lung injuries were caused by the oils being vaped, such as THC oil or vitamin E oil. But the Mayo Clinic researchers said they did not see any signs of oil accumulating in lung tissue. Lead researcher Brandon Larson said it is

BY PARTNERSHIP NEWS SERVICE STAFFwww.DrugFree.org The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is investigating at least 215 possible cases of severe lung disease associated with vaping. Teens and young adults should not use e-cigarettes, the agency said. Adults who do not currently use tobacco products should not start using e-cigarette products, the CDC advised. Cases of lung disease linked to e-cigarettes have been reported in 25 states, according to HealthDay. Additional reports of lung disease are being investigated by states to determine whether those illnesses are related to e-cigarette use, the CDC said. An adult in Illinois recently died after being hospitalized with a severe respiratory illness after vaping, the article notes. “In many cases, patients reported a gradual start of symptoms, including breathing difficulty, shortness of breath, and/or chest pain before hospitalization,” the CDC said in a statement. “Some cases reported mild to moderate gastrointestinal illness including vomiting and diarrhea,

BY PARTNERSHIP NEWS SERVICE STAFFwww.DrugFree.org The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is investigating at least 215 possible cases of severe lung disease associated with vaping. Teens and young adults should not use e-cigarettes, the agency said. Adults who do not currently use tobacco products should not start using e-cigarette products, the CDC advised. Cases of lung disease linked to e-cigarettes have been reported in 25 states, according to HealthDay. Additional reports of lung disease are being investigated by states to determine whether those illnesses are related to e-cigarette use, the CDC said. An adult in Illinois recently died after being hospitalized with a severe respiratory illness after vaping, the article notes. “In many cases, patients reported a gradual start of symptoms, including breathing difficulty, shortness of breath, and/or chest pain before hospitalization,” the CDC said in a statement. “Some cases reported mild to moderate gastrointestinal illness including vomiting and diarrhea,

May 30, 2019 by Partership News Service Staff Some schools are beginning to rethink their response to students’ e-cigarette use, emphasizing prevention and treatment over punishment, the Associated Press reports. One school district that has begun emphasizing prevention and treatment is the Conejo Valley Unified School District in Southern California. It recently stopped suspending students for a first vaping offense. Instead, students are sent to a four-hour Saturday class on the marketing and health dangers of vaping. For a second offense, students receive a one- or two-day suspension, combined with several weeks of a more intensive counseling program that includes parents. Atherton High School in Louisville, Kentucky has begun an intensive anti-vaping education program this year with the help of the American Association of Pediatrics. Teens learn about how e-cigarette companies have been marketing flavored products to them. It seems to be having an effect, said the school’s principal, Thomas Aberli. “You

May 30, 2019 by Partership News Service Staff Some schools are beginning to rethink their response to students’ e-cigarette use, emphasizing prevention and treatment over punishment, the Associated Press reports. One school district that has begun emphasizing prevention and treatment is the Conejo Valley Unified School District in Southern California. It recently stopped suspending students for a first vaping offense. Instead, students are sent to a four-hour Saturday class on the marketing and health dangers of vaping. For a second offense, students receive a one- or two-day suspension, combined with several weeks of a more intensive counseling program that includes parents. Atherton High School in Louisville, Kentucky has begun an intensive anti-vaping education program this year with the help of the American Association of Pediatrics. Teens learn about how e-cigarette companies have been marketing flavored products to them. It seems to be having an effect, said the school’s principal, Thomas Aberli. “You

Kenneth Finn, MD / Meds / May 26, 2019 In recent years, a flood of cannabis and cannabis-derived products like CBD have entered the market – often claiming to cure or treat an array of health issues and ailments. These products are everywhere, but there is little scientific evidence to support the hype that surrounds them. As a doctor, I’m deeply concerned at where this industry is heading – and the potential risks to patients and consumers. I urge my peers to take this issue seriously and stand with me in addressing these growing concerns. As doctors, we strive to alleviate suffering Most people are unfamiliar with my chosen specialty, known as physical medicine and rehabilitation medicine. My peers and I are called physiatrists. Together, we seek to restore the functional abilities and enhance the quality of life of people that face a wide range of physical, psychological or emotional

BY DR. JULIE MORITA, OPINON CONTRIBUTOR The U.S. Food and Drug Administration recently announced a crackdown on e-cigarette sales to minors, but before then, the city of Chicago had already taken matters into its own hands. The City Council passed an ordinance to require tobacco dealers to post warning signs at their doors about the health risks of e-cigarettes and other tobacco products. These signs, once designed and distributed, will also contain quit-line numbers to help our residents beat a nicotine addiction. The ordinance, introduced by Mayor Rahm Emanuel, reflects the nation’s growing understanding that e-cigarettes, also known as vaping products, are the latest effort by Big Tobacco to get our kids hooked on a risky and potentially deadly habit. To be sure, our country has made strides fighting tobacco use, with declining rates of smoking and lung cancer deaths. In Chicago, we have reduced cigarette smoking rates by high

BY DR. JULIE MORITA, OPINON CONTRIBUTOR The U.S. Food and Drug Administration recently announced a crackdown on e-cigarette sales to minors, but before then, the city of Chicago had already taken matters into its own hands. The City Council passed an ordinance to require tobacco dealers to post warning signs at their doors about the health risks of e-cigarettes and other tobacco products. These signs, once designed and distributed, will also contain quit-line numbers to help our residents beat a nicotine addiction. The ordinance, introduced by Mayor Rahm Emanuel, reflects the nation’s growing understanding that e-cigarettes, also known as vaping products, are the latest effort by Big Tobacco to get our kids hooked on a risky and potentially deadly habit. To be sure, our country has made strides fighting tobacco use, with declining rates of smoking and lung cancer deaths. In Chicago, we have reduced cigarette smoking rates by high

Doyle Rice, USA TODAY Updated: 1:34 p.m. ET Dec. 12, 2018 Fentanyl is now the deadliest drug in America, federal health officials announced Wednesday, with over 18,000 overdose deaths in 2016, the most recent year for which statistics are available. It’s the first time the synthetic opioid has been the nation’s deadliest drug. For the previous four years (2012 to 2015), heroin topped the list. On average, in each year from 2013 to 2016, the rate of overdose deaths from Fentanyl increased by about 113 percent per year. In fact, the report said that fentanyl was responsible for 29 percent of all overdose deaths in 2016, up from just 4 percent in 2011. Overall, more than 63,000 Americans died of drug overdoses in 2016, according to the new report, which was prepared by the National Center for Health Statistics, which is part of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. This is

Partnership for Drug-Free Kids Vaping’s popularity exploded seemingly overnight, and it took many parents and families by surprise. Vaping, or Juuling as it is often referred to by teens and young adults (named after a popular vape device called JUUL), is the inhaling and exhaling of an aerosol produced by using a vape device. According to the University of Michigan’s 2017 Monitoring the Future study, nearly 1 in 3 high school seniors tried vaping in the past year. Advertising is often geared toward teens and young adults, with brightly colored vape pens and thousands of flavors to choose from. Some kids vape marijuana, too. But for every story or article touting the benefits of vaping, there are an equal number raising concerns about the risks of vaping, especially for teens and young adults. We’ve created a vaping guide for parents to help you understand what vaping is, its appeal to youth and what research

CLICK HERE FOR A PRINTABLE COPY OF THE DEPARTMENT OF MENTAL HEALTH PRESS RELEASE.

Substance Abuse & Mental Health Services Administration5600 Fishers Lane | Rockville, MD 208571-877-SAMHSA-7 (1-877-726-4727) www.samhsa.gov Tips for Teens fact sheets provide information about the effects of short- and long-term use of cocaine, heroin, methamphetamine, and inhalants. These insightful and easy-to-read brochures provide important facts teens need to know, answer frequently asked questions, and help to dispel common myths about each of the substances covered. Tips for Teens: The Truth About CocaineCocaine is a white powder that can be snorted or dissolved in water and injected to cause a brief high. Cocaine is highly addictive and affects both the brain and body. It can increase the risk of paranoia, anxiety, and psychosis and change emotions. Inventory#: PEP18-01 Tips for Teens: The Truth About HeroinHeroin can be a white or dark brown powder or a black tar, and is often mixed with other substances that can make it even more dangerous. Heroin

By Laurie McGinleywww.washingtonpost.comMay 1, 2018 Federal regulators warned 13 companies that the way they market liquids used in cigarettes could entice dangerous ingestion by small children. (U.S. Food and Drug Administration)Federal regulators warned more than a dozen manufacturers, distributors and retailers Tuesday that they are endangering children by marketing e-cigarette liquids to resemble kid-friendly products such as juice boxes, candy and whipped cream. The Food and Drug Administration and the Federal Trade Commission said the packaging of the products — some of which feature cartoonlike images — could mislead children into thinking the liquids, which can be highly toxic if swallowed, are actually things they commonly eat and drink. “E-liquids,” as they are called, are typically a mix of nicotine, flavors and other ingredients. Ingesting them can cause nicotine poisoning — and even death — for small children, experts say. The government cited a recent analysis that found between January

By Laurie McGinleywww.washingtonpost.comMay 1, 2018 Federal regulators warned 13 companies that the way they market liquids used in cigarettes could entice dangerous ingestion by small children. (U.S. Food and Drug Administration)Federal regulators warned more than a dozen manufacturers, distributors and retailers Tuesday that they are endangering children by marketing e-cigarette liquids to resemble kid-friendly products such as juice boxes, candy and whipped cream. The Food and Drug Administration and the Federal Trade Commission said the packaging of the products — some of which feature cartoonlike images — could mislead children into thinking the liquids, which can be highly toxic if swallowed, are actually things they commonly eat and drink. “E-liquids,” as they are called, are typically a mix of nicotine, flavors and other ingredients. Ingesting them can cause nicotine poisoning — and even death — for small children, experts say. The government cited a recent analysis that found between January

The Federal Communications Commission adopted rules to establish 988 as the new, nationwide, 3-digit phone number for Americans in crisis to connect with suicide prevention and mental health crisis counselors. The rules require all phone service providers to direct all 988 calls to the existing National Suicide Prevention Lifeline by July 16, 2022. During the transition to 988, Americans who need help should continue to contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline by calling 1-800-273-8255 (1-800-273-TALK) and through online chats. Veterans and Service members may reach the Veterans Crisis Line by pressing 1 after dialing, chatting online at https://www.veteranscrisisline.net/, or texting 838255.

Research indicates people who are struggling with thoughts of suicide are increasingly turning to faith leaders for help and support, even before they will seek care from mental health professionals. Faith leaders play a key role in suicide prevention and postvention care. To better equip leaders of all faiths with life-saving skills to prevent suicide, the National Action Alliance for Suicide Prevention (Action Alliance) and its Faith Communities Task Force, recently released the resource Suicide Prevention Competencies for Faith Leaders: Supporting Life Before, During, and After a Suicidal Crisis. This new resource aims to provide faith leaders with feasible, practical, research-based actions they can adopt immediately to help save lives and restore hope in faith communities nationwide. The competencies, informed by leaders from diverse faith communities and experts in the suicide prevention field, help to integrate and coordinate suicide prevention across sectors and settings, like faith-based organizations and places of worship, a

Josh HafnerUSA TODAY NETWORKOctober 31, 2017 A new vaping device that’s “gone viral” on high school and college campuses doesn’t look like a vaping device at all, and its popularity has adults wondering what can be done to address it. The Juul vaporizer (stylized as “JUUL”) looks like a USB flash drive. It even charges when plugged into a laptop. It’s small enough to fit inside an enclosed hand, and comes with flavors like creme brulee, mango and fruit medley, all of which are too “kid friendly” for U.S. Sen. Chuck Schumer’s taste. The rise of “gadgets like Juul, which can fool teachers and be brought to school, demands the FDA smoke out dangerous e-cigs and their mystery chemicals before more New York kids get hooked,” Schumer, a Democrat from New York, said in a statement this month. Click here to read the full article.

Ryan W. Miller , USA TODAYFebruary 6, 2017 One in four high school teens who have used e-cigarettes have also tried a potentially dangerous new vaping method called “dripping” — dropping e-cigarette liquid directly onto the hot coils of the device to produce thicker, more flavorful smoke — a new study found. “Dripping,” which differs from normal e-cigarette use that slowly releases the liquid from a wick onto a hot atomizer, may expose users to higher levels of nicotine and to harmful non-nicotine toxins, such as formaldehyde and acetaldehyde — known carcinogens. Sixty-four percent of the surveyed teens said they dripped for the thicker smoke, 39% for the better flavor and 28% for the stronger throat hit or sensation, according to the study published Monday in the journal Pediatrics. “When people smoke cigarettes, they say they smoke it for, for lack of a better word, a tingling in the back

Ryan W. Miller , USA TODAY One in four high school teens who have used e-cigarettes have also tried a potentially dangerous new vaping method called “dripping” — dropping e-cigarette liquid directly onto the hot coils of the device to produce thicker, more flavorful smoke — a new study found. “Dripping,” which differs from normal e-cigarette use that slowly releases the liquid from a wick onto a hot atomizer, may expose users to higher levels of nicotine and to harmful non-nicotine toxins, such as formaldehyde and acetaldehyde — known carcinogens. Sixty-four percent of the surveyed teens said they dripped for the thicker smoke, 39% for the better flavor and 28% for the stronger throat hit or sensation, according to the study published Monday in the journal Pediatrics. “When people smoke cigarettes, they say they smoke it for, for lack of a better word, a tingling in the back of the

www.shelbycountyreporter.com By Briana Harris PELHAM – The family of a teenager who was hit and killed by a vehicle in front of a Hooters restaurant in Pelham has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the restaurant chain because of alleged liquor law violations that led to the teen’s death. Shortly after Ryan Rohr, 18, left Hooters with friends on May 25, a vehicle fatally hit him while crossing Cahaba Valley Road (Alabama 119), according to a lawsuit filed in Shelby County Circuit Court by Birmingham-based firm Cory Watson Attorneys on behalf of Rohr’s parents. According to the lawsuit, the impact propelled Rohr’s body about 30 feet down the road. The lawsuit seeks unspecified punitive damages from Hooters of Pelham LLC and Hooters of America LLC. A jury will determine the amount if Rohr’s family wins the lawsuit. The suit claims that waiters at Hooters served Rohr alcohol without asking him

By Cliff SimsYellowHammerNews.com With Monday marking the beginning of National Suicide Prevention Week, one Alabamian took to Facebook to share his suicide survival story in hopes that it will encourage others struggling with depression to get help and remember that “it gets better.” Brandon Jeter is a 26-year-old Auburn graduate who is now eight years removed from his darkest day when he tried to take his own life. “8 years ago I made the choice to end my life,” he wrote on his Facebook page Sunday evening. “I didn’t write a letter, because I felt no one would read it or even miss me. I was a lonely, depressed, sad, and angry high school kid. I took 30 lithium pills and cut my wrists. At that point, I was at my lowest, saddest, and most helpless, but I’m glad my mom found me before I died that June night. Because

BY PARTNERSHIP NEWS SERVICE STAFF Home https://drugfree.org/ September 8th, 2016 A new study finds a link between teens’ exposure to alcohol ads and how much of those brands they drink. Researchers at Boston University studied more than 1,000 13- to 20-year-olds who said they had consumed alcohol in the past month. Underage drinkers who didn’t see any alcohol ads drank about 14 drinks per month, compared with 33 drinks for those who had seen an average amount of alcohol ads, CNN reports. The findings appear in the Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs. “I think one of the implications for the broader society is that currently our controls on television advertising for alcohol are minimal and they’re self-regulatory, so I think we should definitely tighten up that seam,” said lead researcher Timothy Naimi, MD, MPH.

www.news-medical.net Adolescence is both a time of rapid neurobiological changes and of the initiation of drinking – alcohol is the most commonly used substance among students in grades eight to 12. Binge-drinking effects are particularly concerning, although it is unclear whether and how much it affects neurocognitive performance. This study looked at two questions: first, whether moderate, binge, or extreme-binge drinking in adolescence had an impact on later performance in tests of verbal learning and memory (VLM); and second, whether the amount of alcohol consumed is associated with specific changes in learning and memory during six years of adolescence. Click here to read the rest of the article.

IF YOU’VE RECENTLY HAD A DRINK, WE HAVE SOME TERRIBLE NEWS FOR YOU. http://www.huffingtonpost.com An opinion piece published in the scientific journal Addiction in July gathers evidence to argue that alcohol is a direct cause of cancer in several areas of the body. The article reviews 10 years’ worth of studies from several organizations, including the World Cancer Research Fund, the American Institute for Cancer Research and the International Agency for Research on Cancer. And its conclusions are dire. Nearly 6 percent of cancer deaths worldwide can be linked to alcohol, including in people who drink light to moderate amounts of alcohol, according to author Jennie Connor, a professor of epidemiology at the University of Otago in New Zealand. “From a public health perspective,” she writes, “alcohol is estimated to have caused approximately half a million deaths from cancer in 2012.” Click here to read the rest of the article.

by Amanda Chicago Lewiswww.buzzfeed.com CERTAIN COMPOUNDS IN CANNABIS HAVE SERIOUS MEDICAL POTENTIAL FOR EVERYONE FROM CANCER PATIENTS TO CHILDREN SUFFERING FROM SEIZURES. BUT PATIENTS AND PARENTS HAVE NO WAY TO DISTINGUISH THE SNAKE OIL SALESMEN FROM THE TRUSTWORTHY COMPANIES. Now that 38 states have legalized some form of cannabis, many people assume the plant’s therapeutic uses are being carefully regulated, dosed, and studied. This is not the case. Marijuana is still illegal everywhere under federal law, which prevents the agencies that would traditionally provide oversight from getting involved. Consumers have no way to know for sure what they are actually buying. Click here to read the article.

SAMHSA IS PLEASED TO ANNOUNCE THE RELEASE OF FACING ADDICTION IN AMERICA: THE SURGEON GENERAL’S REPORT ON ALCOHOL, DRUGS, AND HEALTH. THIS LANDMARK REPORT WAS DEVELOPED AS A COLLABORATION BETWEEN SAMHSA AND THE OFFICE OF THE SURGEON GENERAL. Today, U.S. Surgeon General Vivek H. Murthy published a landmark report on a health crisis affecting every community in our country. Facing Addiction in America: The Surgeon General’s Report on Alcohol, Drugs, and Health is a comprehensive review of the science of substance use, misuse, and disorders. Nearly 21 million people in America have a substance use disorder involving alcohol or drugs, an astonishing figure that is comparable to the number of people in our country with diabetes and higher than the total number of Americans suffering from all cancers combined. But in spite of the massive scope of this problem, only 1 in 10 people with a substance use disorder receives

Josh HafnerUSA TODAY NETWORKOctober 31, 2017 A new vaping device that’s “gone viral” on high school and college campuses doesn’t look like a vaping device at all, and its popularity has adults wondering what can be done to address it. The Juul vaporizer (stylized as “JUUL”) looks like a USB flash drive. It even charges when plugged into a laptop. It’s small enough to fit inside an enclosed hand, and comes with flavors like creme brulee, mango and fruit medley, all of which are too “kid friendly” for U.S. Sen. Chuck Schumer’s taste. The rise of “gadgets like Juul, which can fool teachers and be brought to school, demands the FDA smoke out dangerous e-cigs and their mystery chemicals before more New York kids get hooked,” Schumer, a Democrat from New York, said in a statement this month. Click here to read the full article.

By Join Together Staff A growing number of people are smoking marijuana out of e-cigarettes, NBC New York reports. Marijuana in liquid and wax forms used in e-cigarettes and vapor pens does not create an odor. Because the devices don’t produce a flame, a person smoking marijuana in an e-cigarette can take a puff and then quickly put it in a pocket. Local law enforcement officials and drug counselors are concerned about the trend, particularly in minors. Last month, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) published a survey that showed use of e-cigarettes among middle and high schools students doubled from 2011 to 2012. The CDC found 10 percent of high school students had tried an e-cigarette last year, compared with 5 percent the previous year. According to the survey, 1.8 million middle and high school students said they tried e-cigarettes last year. Detective Lt. Kevin Smith, who heads the Narcotics Unit for the

By Join Together Staff A growing number of people are smoking marijuana out of e-cigarettes, NBC New York reports. Marijuana in liquid and wax forms used in e-cigarettes and vapor pens does not create an odor. Because the devices don’t produce a flame, a person smoking marijuana in an e-cigarette can take a puff and then quickly put it in a pocket. Local law enforcement officials and drug counselors are concerned about the trend, particularly in minors. Last month, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) published a survey that showed use of e-cigarettes among middle and high schools students doubled from 2011 to 2012. The CDC found 10 percent of high school students had tried an e-cigarette last year, compared with 5 percent the previous year. According to the survey, 1.8 million middle and high school students said they tried e-cigarettes last year. Detective Lt. Kevin Smith, who heads the Narcotics Unit for the