Research

Many sites promise help with health issues, but only a few have been tested in randomized clinical trials.

(HealthDay)—One-quarter of U.S. middle and high school students say they've been exposed to potentially dangerous secondhand e-cigarette vapors, a federal government study shows.

E-cigarette vapors can contain harmful substances such as nicotine, according to the U.S. Surgeon General. E-cigarette devices can also be used for marijuana and other illicit drugs.
Researchers from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention analyzed data from the 2015 National Youth Tobacco Survey.

The political discussion around cannabis keeps returning to the results of studies. Now that the opponents of cannabis are faced with the positive experiences in many US states, Uruguay and Canada, their arguments are petering out, so instead, they have begun referring to what they claim is a lack of results from studies on cannabis. So far... The fault lies with those who refused to approve such studies for years, and who ensured that by means of this tactic and others, Germany’s largest manufacturer of plant-based medicines moved its research on medicinal cannabis over the border, to Austria.

As a result of the Anthropocene mass extinction event, scientists estimate that 68 percent of plant species are threatened with extinction. Across the world, a pitched battle is being fought against the twin forces of climate change and habitat destruction to save the world’s plant species – and seed banks and repositories are a crucial part of the effort. In order to save as many species as possible, governments, universities, businesses and NGOs across the world are working to create gigantic repositories of seeds, to be stored in case of their extinction in the wild.

Credit: CC0 Public Domain
Veterans who have drug or alcohol problems are more than twice as likely to die by suicide as their comrades, a new study finds. And women veterans with substance use disorders have an even higher rate of suicide—more than five times that of their peers, the research shows.

The risk of suicide differs depending on the type of substance the veteran has problems with, according to the study.
The highest suicide risks are among those who misuse prescription sedative medicines, such as tranquilizers.

In the first prospective study of synthetic cannabinoids or SCs - the group of chemicals that mimic the effects of marijuana - researchers have found that symptoms of depression, drinking alcohol, or using marijuana was linked to an increased risk of SC use one year later.

Synthetic cannabinoids are a large group of chemicals that are similar to THC, the active ingredient in marijuana that produces its hallmark effects. These chemicals may be sprayed on plant-based materials that resemble cannabis and sold as "not for human consumption" potpourri or incense at stores.

The study used a tablet-based program, with or without the support of a human therapist, to guide participants through a 'motivational interview' about reducing their drug use. It followed participants for a year after the ER visit where the interaction took place.

The roller coaster of investment for the emerging worldwide cannabis industry has been even more volatile than traditional stocks.

Four states legalized recreational marijuana in November, nearly doubling the number of states where recreational pot is legal.

Australia's first medical marijuana farm received its growers' licence Wednesday, opening up domestic production of the drug for people seeking relief from serious illnesses.


The Cann Group, who last month received a cannabis research license, was awarded the cultivation permit after a "rigorous on-site security assessment".
"This major development will lead to improved access to domestically produced medicinal cannabis products for Australian patients," said Health Minister Greg Hunt.
"We are now making it easier to access medicinal cannabis products more rapidly, while still maintaining strict safeguards for individual and community safety," he added, with more licences expected