A new study that links opium use with serious health problems, including cancer, circulatory diseases and respiratory problems, has implications for opium-derived painkillers such as morphine and codeine, CNN reports.
The study of more than 50,000 people in Iran found an 86 percent increased likelihood of death from major causes among those who used opium, even at modest levels. The researchers took into account factors such as poverty and cigarette smoking, which could affect the outcome. The article notes the study does not prove opium causes the increased risk of death, since it did not randomly assign participants to use opium or not.
Full story of opium study at DrugFree.org
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Tipping back one too many cocktails during an individual’s early 20s doesn’t correlate to a personal sense of immaturity; however if this habit doesn’t stop as they reach age 30, young adults can feel psychologically underdeveloped, according to a University of Missouri study. Helping young adults acknowledge their mental impulse to "sober up" as they mature can improve substance abuse intervention programs.
"When a heavy drinking 30-year-old comes in for therapy and says he doesn’t feel like an adult, we can present this study and suggest that cutting back on alcohol could help him feel more mature," said lead researcher Rachel Winograd, a doctoral student in psychology at MU.
"People in their early 20s who accept their own heavy drinking and experience alcohol-related consequences may not realize that these behaviors can be associated with identity issues later on," said Winograd. "We can apply this research to nip the problem in the bud and help young adults become aware that their alcohol use behaviors may conflict with their long-term goals."
Full story of adult alcohol misuse at Science Daily
Photos courtesy of and copyright Free Range Stock, www.freerangestock.com
People who engage in Internet gambling, such as online poker, are more likely to use alcohol and marijuana than those who gamble offline, a new study suggests.
Online gamblers also were found to be involved in more types of gambling, and spent more money and time playing, PsychCentral.com reports.
Researchers from Concordia University in Montreal studied 8,456 offline-only gamblers and 111 people who gambled both online and offline. Participants were asked how often they gambled in the past year, how much money and time they spent gambling on a typical occasion, and how much alcohol and marijuana they used.
Full story on internet gamblers and substance abuse at DrugFree.org
By Elizabeth Landau
(CNN) — The purse was by designer Baby Phat, and it was only $5. But when Elizabeth Deiter bought it at the thrift store where she works, she immediately had to run over to the bank and deposit money to avoid running a negative balance.
She and her husband only recently caught up on their rent, after four or five months, and Deiter has close to 100 purses already, but she still went for the bargain. In thinking about this and other splurges on things she didn’t need, Deiter has begun to consider herself a compulsive shopper.
“I am ashamed of it,” says Deiter, 22, of Reading, Pennsylvania. “I’ve screwed up a lot. I know I should stop.”
With holiday season discounts running rampant online and in stores, it’s especially easy to fall into the trap of overspending this month, especially if you have a problem with impulse control at the mall. But beyond carelessness with finances, compulsive shopping is a mental disorder that psychologists recognize, although it has not been studied extensively.
Full story of compulsive shopping at CNN
By Warren Scott
WEIRTON – Theater students at Weir High School have teamed with a local agency to promote awareness of the dangers of prescription drug abuse with a play to be presented Tuesday and a public service ad for television.
Jason Rine, a drug-free community coordinator for Advocates for Substance Abuse Prevention, said the students will present "The Empty Chair" at 7 p.m. at the school’s Milton Weinberg Theater.
"The students came up with it on their own," Rine said of the play, a drama about the impact of prescription drug abuse upon a group of students.
The students also will unveil a videotaped public service ad that will be broadcast through the Comcast cable television company. Both projects were completed under the direction of Deb Marino, the students’ teacher, said Rine.
Full story of play on drug awareness at Herald Star
A new study that links opium use with serious health problems, including cancer, circulatory diseases and respiratory problems, has implications for opium-derived painkillers such as morphine and codeine, CNN reports.
