Answer Addiction

Tag: study

  • Cannabis Use Disorder Rising In The US

    Cannabis Use Disorder Rising In The US

    Cannabis use disorder affects 30% of the people who use the drug.

    It has been a popular misconception that you cannot become dependent on cannabis. It’s called cannabis use disorder and it is a lot more common than people think. Cannabis use disorder affects 30% of people who use the drug, a number that is steadily rising in states that have legalized it.

    What Is Cannabis Use Disorder?

    Here’s the definition of cannabis use disorder, according to drugabuse.gov:

    People who use marijuana frequently often report irritability, mood and sleep difficulties, decreased appetite, cravings, restlessness, and/or various forms of physical discomfort that peak within the first week after quitting and last up to 2 weeks. Marijuana dependence occurs when the brain adapts to large amounts of the drug by reducing production of and sensitivity to its own endocannabinoid neurotransmitters.

    Over the past decade, cannabis has become increasingly more potent. THC content in cannabis went from 3.8% in the early 90s to a whopping 12% in 2014. Federal prohibition has limited the research surrounding the effects of marijuana use on the brain and body. And researchers fear that the growing potency could have an unhealthy impact on the brains of underage users.

    A new study published in JAMA Network, explored how cannabis use and rates of cannabis use disorder changed from 2008 to 2016 after a number of states legalized the sibstance.

    Breaking Down The Stats

    • Cannabis use rose from 2.18% to 2.72% among those aged 12 to 17
    • Frequent cannabis use rose from 2.13% to 2.62% among those 26 and older
    • Cannabis use disorder rose from 0.90% to 1.23% among those 26 and older

    Compared to opioid use disorder, the rates of cannabis use disorder are incredibly low but the growing potency and availability of the drug suggests that the rates will conintue to increase especially if cannabis is descheduled and the federal prohibiton ends.

    The study’s authors found that while legalization and decriminalization have helped some non-violent marijuana offenders of color receive justice and shined a light on the racial disparity in marijuana-related arrests, cannabis use disorder still remains a concern that needs to be addressed. 

    Currently, medical cannabis use is legal in 33 states, DC and almost all US territories. Recreational cannabis is legal in 11 states and DC. 

    View the original article at thefix.com

  • Sitting Presidents Have Biggest Influence Over Public Cannabis Approval

    Sitting Presidents Have Biggest Influence Over Public Cannabis Approval

    Some believe that if a Democrat takes office in 2020, federal cannabis legalization will soon follow, as all major candidates support the issue.

    A recent study found that the sitting U.S. president has a high level of influence over public perceptions around cannabis and whether the substance should be legalized on a state or federal level.

    The study, published in the journal Defiant Behavior, looked at “the relationship between the president and Americans’ attitudes toward marijuana legalization from 1975 through 2016” using data from the General Social Survey and the American Presidency Project,

    “Findings indicate that confidence in the executive branch, fear of crime, and presidential drug rhetoric predict attitudes toward legalization despite controls for other factors such as estimated levels of marijuana use and arrests,” write study authors Dr. Richard J. Stringer and Professor Scott R. Maggard. 

    Shifting Attitudes Toward Marijuana 

    Over the past decade, presidential attitudes toward the Schedule I drug have shifted from “just say no” to the current president, who has expressed a desire to leave the legalization and regulation of cannabis up to the states and focus the energy of the Justice Department elsewhere, following in the footsteps of former President Barack Obama.

    Trump reiterated this stance as recently as late August, after he was asked by a reporter whether the drug would be federally legalized while he was in office.

    “We’re going to see what’s going on. It’s a very big subject and right now we are allowing states to make that decision,” Trump said at the press briefing. “A lot of states are making that decision, but we’re allowing states to make that decision.”

    According to Marijuana Moment, the study on presidential influence over public attitudes toward cannabis found that for every percent increase in the number of words about drugs in a president’s State of the Union address, odds of favoring legalization decrease by 6%.

    At the same time, those who have high confidence in the administration “correlated with 29% decrease in supporting legalization.”

    As of October 2018, 62% of the U.S. population favored federal cannabis legalization.

    Saying No To “Just Say No”

    The data examined by researchers starts with the administration of former President Gerald Ford, who was more moderate on marijuana than his predecessor, Richard Nixon, who launched the failed “war on drugs.”

    However, Ford’s presidency did not result in much change to federal drug policy. The Reagan administration then launched the famous “Just Say No” campaign, resulting in a 27% drop in public support for cannabis.

    It’s largely expected that if a Democratic candidate takes the Oval Office in 2020, federal cannabis legalization will soon follow, as all major candidates have expressed support for this action.

    View the original article at thefix.com

  • Is Drug Use Behind Rising Syphilis Rates?

    Is Drug Use Behind Rising Syphilis Rates?

    Syphilis rates have skyrocketed 156% for women from 2013 to 2017—and drug use may be making it worse.

    As public health officials grapple with the drug overdose crisis, they are also becoming alarmed at the increasing rate of syphilis diagnoses among heterosexual individuals.

    Syphilis is a disease primarily transmitted through sexual activity. Experts say that infection rates have coincided with the use of meth and injection drugs like heroin.

    The new Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) analyzed national syphilis surveillance data covering 2013 to 2017.

    The report gathered information from women, men who have sex with women only, and men who have had sex with men only, using the participants’ reported drug use in the last 12 months.

    The report found a large link between drug use and syphilis among women and heterosexual men. Women and men who reported the use of methamphetamine, heroin or injection drugs more than doubled from 2013 to 2017.

    Those who had partners who used these drugs also had higher rates of syphilis. Over one-third of women and one-quarter of heterosexual men with syphilis reported to the researchers that they had used methamphetamine within the previous year.

    This type of drug use makes people more likely to engage in risky behavior, such as not using condoms during sex, having multiple sex partners or exchanging sex for drugs and/or money, Sara Kennedy, medical director of Planned Parenthood Northern California, told BDN Health.

    “Two major public health issues are colliding,” Sarah Kidd, a medical officer at the CDC and lead author of this new report, told BDN Health.

    The syphilis diagnosis rate in the U.S. increased nearly two-fold from 2013 to 2014, with the highest diagnosis rates of 2017 among men who have sex with men.

    Syphilis is treatable with antibiotics, but when left untreated it can lead to organ damage and possibly death. Congenital syphilis, when a mother passes the disease to her unborn baby, can lead to increased premature birth and death rate.

    Antonio Urbina, MD, an associate professor of infectious disease at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City, addressed the responsibility of doctors and the need for early diagnosis of syphilis.

    “We need that type of care to be built into general primary care. I think providers often feel embarrassed about asking those questions. Or, they feel like they’re going to come across as judgmental. You know, it’s actually the opposite because I think patients appreciate you asking, and they want to tell. In that same regard, if somebody does screen positive for syphilis, I say, ‘Hey, this is what you have. We’re going to give you treatment. It’s important that you wait a certain period of time after your treatment before you resume any sexual activity so you don’t infect your loved ones or partners or any others.’ Then I ask them to identify their sexual partners and say, ‘We need them to come in for a screening so we can offer them treatment as well.’”

    View the original article at thefix.com

  • Is Drug Use Behind Rising Siphilis Rates?

    Is Drug Use Behind Rising Siphilis Rates?

    Syphilis rates have skyrocketed 156% for women from 2013 to 2017 and drug use may play a prominent role in the transmission.

    As public health officials grapple with the drug overdose crisis, they also are becoming alarmed at the increasing rate of syphilis diagnosis among heterosexuals.

    Syphilis is a sexually transmitted infection (STI) that until recent years had been considered almost eradicated.

    The new Centers For Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) study published in the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report analyzed national syphilis surveillance data covering 2013 to 2017.

    The report gathered information from women, men who have sex with women only, and men who have had sex with men only, using the participants reported drug use in the last 12 months.

    The report found a large link between drug use and syphilis among women and heterosexual men. Women and men who reported the use of methamphetamine, heroin or injection drugs more than doubled from 2013 to 2017.

    Those who had partners who used these drugs also had higher rates of syphilis. Over one-third of women and one-quarter of heterosexual men with syphilis reported to the researchers that they had used methamphetamine within the previous year.

    This type of drug use makes people more likely to engage in risky behavior, such as not using condoms during sex, having multiple sex partners or exchanging sex for drugs and/or money, Sara Kennedy, medical director of Planned Parenthood Northern California, told BDN Health.

    “Two major public health issues are colliding,” Sarah Kidd, a medical officer at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and lead author of this new report on the link between drug use and syphilis, told BDN Health.

    The US’ syphilis diagnosis rate increased nearly two-fold from 2013 to 2014, with the highest diagnosis rates of 2017 among men who have sex with men (MSM).

    Syphilis is treatable with antibiotics, but when left untreated it can lead to organ damage and possibly death. Congenital syphilis, when a mother passes the disease to her unborn baby, can lead to increased premature birth and death rate.

    Antonio Urbina, MD, an associate professor of infectious disease at Manhattan’s Mount Sinai Hospital, addressed the responsibility of doctors and the need for early diagnosis of syphilis.

    “We need that type of care to be built into general primary care. I think providers often feel embarrassed about asking those questions. Or, they feel like they’re going to come across as judgmental. You know, it’s actually the opposite because I think patients appreciate you asking, and they want to tell. In that same regard, if somebody does screen positive for syphilis, I say, ‘Hey, this is what you have. We’re going to give you treatment. It’s important that you wait a certain period of time after your treatment before you resume any sexual activity so you don’t infect your loved ones or partners or any others.’ Then I ask them to identify their sexual partners and say, ‘We need them to come in for a screening so we can offer them treatment as well.’”

    View the original article at thefix.com

  • Emergency Rooms Are Failing Overdose Victims, Study Shows

    Emergency Rooms Are Failing Overdose Victims, Study Shows

    Fewer than 10% of people who were treated in West Virginia emergency rooms for non-fatal overdose were connected with medication-assisted treatment.

    When people show up in the emergency room, they expect not only to be treated for the immediate problem, but to be connected with ongoing care. Someone with a broken arm, for example, can expect to have it set and leave with a referral to an orthopedist.

    Yet, this system is failing people with substance use disorder, one of the most deadly medical conditions in the country. 

    According to a new study published in the Journal of General Internal Medicine, fewer than 10% of people who were treated in West Virginia emergency rooms for non-fatal overdose were connected with medication-assisted treatment, and just 15% were connected with counseling. 

    Although the study looked at just one state, the findings are symptomatic of failures in the medical system across the country, Andrew Kolodny, who directs opioid policy research at at Brandeis University’s Heller School for Social Policy and Management, told California Healthline. 

    He said, “There’s a lot of evidence that we’re failing to take advantage of this low-hanging fruit with individuals who have experienced a nonfatal overdose. We should be focusing resources on that population. We should be doing everything we can to get them plugged into treatment.”

    Even the researchers were surprised by the low rates of ongoing treatment for opioid use disorder for patients who were clearly in need of treatment, said lead study author Neel Koyawala, a student at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine.

    “We expected more… especially given the national news about opioid abuse,” Koyawala said. 

    Dr. Margaret Jarvis, who works as medical director of a residential addiction treatment center, said that despite the prevalence of addiction, emergency room doctors often don’t know how to help people who present with substance use disorder.

    “Our colleagues in emergency rooms are not particularly well-trained to be able to help people in a situation like this,” she said. Marissa Angerer visited the emergency department in Texas many times with substance abuse-related conditions. She was never offered ongoing intervention and was surprised when doctors didn’t understand what she meant when she said she was dopesick. 

    “They were completely unaware of so much, and it completely blew my mind,” she said. 

    When Angerer finally got into recovery, it was because she found a treatment center herself after having fingers and toes amputated because of an opioid-related condition. 

    “There were a lot of times I could have gone down a better path, and I fell through the cracks,” she said.

    View the original article at thefix.com

  • Microdosing Study Yields Mixed Results

    Microdosing Study Yields Mixed Results

    Researchers explored the physical and mental effects of microdosing in a new study.

    The practice of microdosing—consuming very small amounts of psychedelic substances like psilocybin, allegedly to increase mental capacities—has gained popularity among individuals who have reported greater focus, happiness and creativity from the practice.

    To determine whether these claims had any validity, researchers conducted a study that posed a daily series of questions to regular microdosing proponents about their mental and emotional responses to their chosen substances.

    Their responses—which highlighted mostly positive but also negative reactions—underscored both the researchers’ and High Times‘ assessments that the subject was worthy of further study.

    The study, conducted by researchers from Macquarie University in Sydney, Australia and published in the journal PLOS One, recruited 98 participants to conduct its research. And to circumvent any legal issues involved the study of psychedelics, all of the subjects were already involved in microdosing.

    Over the course of a six-week period, the participants were tasked with answering sets of questions on a daily basis, as well as a separate and more intensive set at the beginning and end of the six-week timeframe.

    Upon reviewing the results, the researchers found that the majority of the participants reported that their experiences were largely positive. They claimed to experience an increase in a number of areas, including creativity, focus, happiness and productivity, on days when they microdosed. Such reactions were reported less on days when doses were not taken.

    Participants also claimed that they experienced lower levels of depression and stress, though study author Vince Polito also noted that none of the 98 participants reported problems with either condition prior to the launch of the study.

    While most of the responses skewed positive, some participants also reported a slight increase in neurotic feelings at the conclusion of the six-week test. Additionally, some reported such a negative response to their first experience with the psychedelic substances that they stopped their involvement after that initial experiment. 

    Noting that the participants’ previous and/or regular experiences might cause a degree of bias in their responses, the researchers also queried a group of 263 microdosers with varying degrees of experience about pre-existing beliefs and expectations about microdosing.

    The researchers found that while all participants believed that microdosing would produce considerable and extensive benefits, what they believed would happen was markedly different than what was reported by the actual group undergoing the microdosing. 

    As High Times noted, Polito and his co-author, Richard J. Stevenson, observed that their study was based on very broad and general information, and was drawn from personal questionnaires and not scientific experiments.

    Still, Polito noted that their findings showed “promising indications of possible benefits of microdosing, [as well as] indications of some potential negative impacts, which should be taken seriously.”

    The study authors concluded that research on microdosing is in its early stages, and requires more comprehensive studies to make more specific determinations.

    View the original article at thefix.com

  • Can SSRIs Interfere With Opioid Pain Relief?

    Can SSRIs Interfere With Opioid Pain Relief?

    A new study examined whether patients who were on SSRIs received less pain relief from certain opioids.

    SSRIs—the most common type of antidepressant—can make some opioid pain relievers less effective, exposing patients to higher levels of pain, according to a new study. 

    For the study, published in the journal PLOS ONE, researchers examined medical records of 4,300 patients who underwent a major operating room procedure at a medical center between 2009 and 2016. They found that patients who were on SSRIs and who received a certain type of opioid had less pain relief following their operations. 

    To understand the study, it’s important to note that opioids come in two varieties, according to NPR. Direct opioids, including morphine and OxyContin, begin working as soon as they are administered. Prodrugs, which include Vicodin and hydrocodone, have to be broken down in the liver before they can begin relieving pain. 

    SSRIs interrupt this process. This is because they affect a liver enzyme that is needed to break down prodrugs. With less of the enzyme breaking down drugs, the pain relief is less effective. 

    “There was theoretical evidence that suggested SSRIs might block prodrug opioids, but we didn’t know if it actually affected patient outcomes,” said Tina Hernandez-Boussard, who authored the study. 

    People on SSRIs who were prescribed prodrug opioids were in more pain up to two months after their procedure. 

    Because SSRIs and opioids are some of the most common prescriptions in the country, the study could have widespread implications for how pain is handled, said Jenny Wilkerson, a professor who teaches pharmacodynamics at the University of Florida.

    “This is an important study,” she said, before calling for additional research. 

    People who get less effective pain relief from opioids are likely to take more pills, which “could lead to misuse or abuse down the road,” Hernandez-Boussard said. 

    “If the opioids aren’t being activated and you’re not getting appropriate pain management, you’re going to take more opioids and you’re going to take them for a longer period of time,” she said. 

    One way around this would be to prescribe direct-acting opioids to patients on SSRIs. 

    “Every opioid has a side effect, not one opioid that is better than another. Possibly for patients taking SSRI, morphine or oxycodone, direct-acting drugs which don’t need to be broken down by the liver might be a better choice,” Hernandez-Boussard said. 

    Wilkerson said that patients should be confident in advocating for themselves when it comes to effective pain relief. 

    “Patients shouldn’t feel stigmatized for being depressed or in pain. Patients have to advocate for their best personal care.”

    However, Hernandez-Boussard acknowledged that this can be difficult for people who are depressed. Instead, she believes the medical community should work to better understand the interaction of SSRIs and opioids. 

    She said, “We need to think about how we can tailor treatment towards more vulnerable groups. More work needs to be done, but this is a good first step.”

    View the original article at thefix.com

  • Inside NFL Players' & Retirees' Rising Use Of Prescription Opioids

    Inside NFL Players' & Retirees' Rising Use Of Prescription Opioids

    “If I didn’t play in the NFL, I know I wouldn’t have been in this situation,” said one former offensive tackle who battled a painkiller addiction.

    NFL players and retirees have been misusing opioid painkillers at a much higher rate than the general population, according to a report recently published in The New York Times.

    The problem has become worse in recent years as football players have become physically larger and their prescribed opioids have had to be more potent in order to be effective.

    Injuries and subsequent surgeries leave professional football players in a lot of pain. Combined with the pressure to get back on the field as soon as possible, these athletes regularly turn to high potency painkillers.

    In recent years, these have very often been powerful and addictive opioids like OxyContin. Team doctors have been only too willing to prescribe these drugs, according to players.

    “Earl Campbell, a former All-Pro running back in the NFL, said the first painkillers he took came in a small brown packet that a trainer gave him on the team plane,” The New York Times reports. Others talked about bowls of over-the-counter painkillers in locker rooms and taking a “handful” of Percocet.

    This pill-popping behavior has turned into full-blown addictions for an alarming number of retired NFL players. Aaron Gibson, a former offensive tackle for multiple NFL teams, thought he would stop taking pills after he retired. Instead, he ended up taking as many as 200 pills every day before he finally faced his problem. “If I didn’t play in the NFL, I know I wouldn’t have been in this situation,” he said.

    A 2018 study found that 26.2% of surveyed former NFL players said they had used prescription opioids within the past 30 days, and half of those men admitted to misusing them.

    Another study from 2011 found that 7% of retired players were misusing painkillers, which was more than four times the national rate. A total of 71% of players admitted to misusing drugs at some point during their NFL career. 

    In comparison, a survey done by the World Health Organization found that 42.4% of all individuals in the U.S. had used cannabis—the most commonly used illicit substance—at any point in their lives. Meanwhile, a report by the National Institute on Drug Abuse found that about 20% of people have misused a prescription drug in their lifetimes.

    NFL commissioner Roger Goodell called this issue a “huge priority” after he was asked about it in a pre-Super Bowl press conference. He claimed that NFL leadership is consulting with pain management experts and is seeking recommendations, but didn’t go into specifics.

    Failure to act on the problem, however, has resulted in multiple lawsuits brought by players with chronic pain and addiction disorders as well as federal investigations against the league. The NFL has already come under fire for failing to properly support players who have suffered multiple concussions.

    “We don’t want to change the sport,” said former Chicago Bears quarterback Jim McMahon in an interview about the advocacy group Players Against Concussions. “What made the game great is the violence—but we want to get these guys properly treated after the violence. That’s the problem—they don’t take care of the guys when they’re finished.”

    View the original article at thefix.com

  • Anti-Diarrhea Medication Abuse Continues To Skyrocket

    Anti-Diarrhea Medication Abuse Continues To Skyrocket

    Cases of loperamide exposure are up 90% over a five-year period.

    People who are trying to avoid opioid withdrawals or get a high are more frequently turning to an over-the-counter diarrhea medication, leading to an increase in overdoses from the drug. 

    Researchers from Rutgers University found that overdoses from loperamide—known as “the poor man’s methadone” and sold under the brand name Imodium AD—increased steeply between 2011 and 2016, although they remained very rare, with only 26 cases reported, according to the study published in the journal Clinical Toxicology. At the same time, calls to poison control about the drug rose more than 90%.

    Despite the relatively low numbers, the trend caused alarm for people who see loperamide as an opioid that is easy to access and hard to detect in drug tests.

    Diane Calello, executive and medical director of the New Jersey Poison Control Center at Rutgers New Jersey Medical School and lead study author, said in a news release that loperamide is safe when taken as instructed.

    However, some opioid users take up to 50 times the recommended dosage, at which point the drug becomes very dangerous.  

    “When used appropriately, loperamide is a safe and effective treatment for diarrhea—but when misused in large doses, it is more toxic to the heart than other opioids which are classified under federal policy as controlled dangerous substances,” she said. “Overdose deaths occur not because patients stop breathing, as with other opioids, but due to irregular heartbeat and cardiac arrest.”

    Calello said that over the past years there have been multiple deaths related to loperamide in New Jersey. Because of this, Calello and others recommend that there be changes to the way that loperamide is sold, as well as more public awareness about the risks of the drug. 

    She said, “Possible ways of restricting loperamide misuse include limiting the daily or monthly amount an individual could purchase, requiring retailers to keep personal information about customers, requiring photo identification for purchase and placing medication behind the counter. Most importantly, consumers need to understand the very real danger of taking this medication in excessive doses.”

    In May 2018, the Food and Drug Administration announced changes to the way that loperamide is packaged and sold. FDA head Scott Gottlieb requested that online retailers stop selling large quantities of the drug, and that it be packaged in blister packs, which require users to individually open each pill. These requirements could curb misuse, while also keeping the drug available to people with digestive issues who need it regularly. 

    “We’re very mindful of balancing benefit and risk and the needs of patients in our mission to promote and protect public health,” Gottlieb wrote.

    “The FDA’s actions to address drug misuse and abuse must be informed by an understanding of the complex social environment in which changing patterns of drug consumption occur. The agency is committed to addressing emerging issues of abuse and misuse while taking steps to safeguard the needs of patients who depend on these medicines.”

    View the original article at thefix.com

  • Study Challenges Link Between Teen Social Media Use And Depression

    Study Challenges Link Between Teen Social Media Use And Depression

    Researchers explored whether teens are using social media to feel better or if it makes them feel worse.

    Which came first? It has been documented that teen social media use is tied to higher rates of depression, but a new study suggests that experiencing symptoms of depression may actually lead to social media use, rather than the other way around. 

    The study, published in the journal Clinical Psychological Science, polled 6th, 7th and 8th graders over the course of two years, and college students over the course of 6 years.

    Researchers asked about weekday and weekend social media use and other screen time, and evaluated the participants for depression using established scales, according to Science Daily. 

    The researchers found that social media use did not predict symptoms of depression.

    Breaking the data down between ages and genders, the researchers found that among people with depressive symptoms, only teen girls are likely to spend more time on social media, said lead study author Taylor Heffer.

    “This finding contrasts with the idea that people who use a lot of social media become more depressed over time. Instead, adolescent girls who are feeling down may turn to social media to try and make themselves feel better,” Heffer said.

    The study differed from previous research because it polled participants over time, rather than relying on information about depressive symptoms and social media use from one specific time. 

    “You have to follow the same people over time in order to draw the conclusion that social media use predicts greater depressive symptoms,” Heffer said. “By using two large longitudinal samples, we were able to empirically test that assumption.”

    The study results may be a welcome relief for parents who are concerned that social media engagement could be detrimental to their children’s health, Heffer said.

    “When parents read media headlines such as ‘Facebook Depression,’ there is an inherent assumption that social media use leads to depression. Policymakers also have recently been debating ways to tackle the effects of social media use on mental health.”

    Instead of looking to broad trends in the cause and effect of social media use, Heffer said it’s important that individuals pay attention to how they particularly are affected by heavy social media use, if at all. 

    “There may be different groups of people who use social media for different reasons. For example, there may be a group of people who use social media to make social comparisons or turn to it when they are feeling down, while another group of people may use it for more positive reasons, such as keeping in contact with friends.”

    View the original article at thefix.com