Maternal smoking during pregnancy, and the lasting effects on both developing foetuses and adults, remain a major concern for global health. Research into the genetics and epidemiology of maternal smoking effects is uncovering just how deep these impacts go. This article brings together insights from human foetal studies and large-scale analyses of ageing adults, focusing on how exposure in utero...
April 19, 2025
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ADHD Prescriptions London: Exploring the Surge Since the Pandemic
London has seen the sharpest increase in ADHD prescriptions since the pandemic began, with experts and campaigners keenly observing this new medication trend. If you’ve noticed more conversations about ADHD or ADHD medication trends on social media, you’re certainly not alone. Recent research shines a spotlight on what’s happening in the capital and across the nation, raising important questions about...
How People in Recovery Shape Leeds’ New Drug Treatment Plan
A compassionate, community-centred approach is transforming efforts to address drug and alcohol harm in Leeds. Local recovery stories and lived experience are at the heart of a major new five-year strategy, aiming to create healthier futures for all who call the city home. This blog explores the challenges, achievements, and the next steps for drug treatment in Leeds. How Lived...
Can Mindfulness Help with Opioid Use Disorder? What the Latest Research Shows
Opioid use disorder (OUD) and its effective treatment continue to be urgent topics in both medicine and public health. Recent research on mindfulness and opioid use disorder has generated discussion about whether mindfulness practices can offer meaningful benefits for those seeking recovery. This post unpacks a new large-scale clinical trial, explores what mindfulness can do, and what it can’t, based...
Scottish Charity’s Rock Climbing Recovery Programme Transforms Lives
A Scottish Christian charity is making a significant impact in addiction recovery with its groundbreaking rock climbing recovery programme. East Ayrshire Churches Homelessness Action (EACHa), based in Kilmarnock, has partnered with Above Adventure to create the New Heights initiative. This addiction recovery climbing initiative combines outdoor activities with community support to help individuals build resilience and self-confidence. Transforming Recovery Through...
Cork Prison in Ireland Faces Critical Shortage of Addiction Counselling Support
At Cork Prison, over 100 people are waiting for addiction counselling, but there are only two addiction counsellors available to help them. This highlights a larger problem across Ireland, where addiction counselling and treatment services struggle to keep up with demand. At the start of this year, there were just 18 counsellors working nationally and nearly 1,000 people on waiting...
Substance Use in US Jails: Key Findings from 2023 Drug Testing Data
A new study on substance use in US jails has revealed eye-opening statistics about drug use among people arrested in 2023. Analysed urine drug screens from 25 jails across the United States show a high rate of drug use, particularly among young people. If you’re trying to understand substance use trends or the US jail drugs findings, this breakdown covers...
The Rise and Fall of the “Napa Valley of Cannabis”: Why Legal Pot Failed
The cannabis market collapse is grabbing headlines across Colorado and California, places once heralded as pioneers of the “green rush.” Legal pot failure, along with the persistent California pot black market, has left communities grappling with broken promises and tough realities. This blog takes a closer look at what went wrong, focusing on the story of Pueblo, Colorado, and the...
Adam Leventhal’s Journey from Teenage Smoker to Leading USC Addiction Research
For Professor Adam Leventhal, the study of addiction isn’t just academic. It’s personal. Today, the USC addiction research expert is at the forefront of a world-class network, but his passion stems from his own experiences in the smoky haze of 1990s San Diego. Leventhal, now a University Professor of Population and Public Health Sciences and Psychology at the Keck School...
Illicit Marijuana Disguised as Hemp in New Mexico Convenience Stores
Illicit marijuana disguised as hemp is making its way onto the shelves of convenience stores and gas stations across New Mexico. Despite laws intended to ensure that only licensed dispensaries can sell cannabis, black market cannabis is finding new ways to bypass the system. These illicit sales put public safety and youth at risk and weaken the effectiveness of the...
North Carolina Hemp Regulation Faces Major Overhaul
Hemp-derived products have become big business in North Carolina. The state has earned a reputation as one of the most lenient when it comes to regulating psychoactive hemp products. Dispensaries, bars, and even pizza shops across North Carolina can legally sell hemp-based goods—even those producing a recreational high. However, new legislation may soon bring big changes to how these products...
Cannabis Legalisation in France: Why The Academy of Medicine Stands Firmly Against It
The debate around cannabis legalisation in France remains a contentious issue, with growing public and political interest. Among the voices opposing this shift is the French Academy of Medicine, which has reinforced its steadfast stance against the legalisation of recreational cannabis. Citing robust evidence from other nations that have adopted legalisation, the Academy highlights significant public health risks and underscores...
Legal Battle Over Medical Marijuana Pharmacy in St. John Parish, Louisiana , US
Efforts to bring a medical marijuana pharmacy to St. John the Baptist Parish have sparked controversy, leading to a lawsuit over zoning disputes. Despite Louisiana legalising medical marijuana nearly a decade ago, local officials in this parish have blocked plans for a cannabis dispensary, citing zoning regulations. Permit Denial Sparks Lawsuit Omar Pecantte, owner of Green Leaf Dispensary, intends to...
Rising Dangers: Fentanyl Poisoning in Children
Understanding the Growing Threat The issue of fentanyl poisoning in children and adolescents has reached alarming levels and deserves urgent attention. Recent research reveals that from 2015 to 2023, the number of nonfatal fentanyl poisoning cases involving children increased dramatically by more than 1,000 percent. Even more concerning, nearly half of reported cases in 2023 were life-threatening. This blog aims...
US Georgia Senate Advances Hemp Restrictions and THC Drink Ban
The Georgia Senate has advanced two significant bills aimed at tightening regulations on hemp-based products. The proposed measures include a total ban on THC-infused drinks and new limits on intoxicating compounds such as Delta-8 THC. These Georgia hemp product restrictions, still pending House approval, could shake up the market for many items currently found in smoke and convenience stores. The...
Cannabis Injury Litigation Group: New National Coalition Takes on Cannabis Industry for Widespread Harm
In a watershed moment for cannabis accountability, the nation’s largest trial lawyer association has officially launched a dedicated litigation group targeting harmful practices in the marijuana industry. The American Association for Justice (AAJ) announced the formation of the Cannabis Injury Litigation Group on April 15, thereby marking a significant victory for advocacy organisations that have long fought for legal accountability...
Cannabis Policy Impacts Public Health and Health Equity: A Critical Review of the 2024 National Academies Report
Cannabis policies in the U.S. have seen a dramatic shift over the past few decades. Most states now allow some form of legal cannabis use, even though federal law still prohibits it. This patchwork of regulations has developed with little federal oversight and often without prioritising public health. A new report from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine,...
Marijuana in New York: What Went Wrong with Weed Laws?
When former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo faced a political storm due to allegations of misconduct, he sought to shift the narrative by legalising marijuana in a last-ditch effort to gain voters’ favour. Although the legislation was designed not only to legalise cannabis but also to right the historical wrongs of prohibition, the reality of its implementation is far from...
Why the Purdue Pharma Opioid Settlement Frustrates Victims
The opioid crisis continues to leave communities devastated, with countless lives lost and families torn apart. One of the most significant developments in this ongoing tragedy is the proposed $7.4 billion Purdue Pharma opioid settlement. The settlement offers hope of accountability but also raises concerns among victims who feel justice is still far out of reach. While it may be...
Marijuana Legalisation in US: Has the Experiment Failed?
The United States embraced marijuana legalisation as a progressive leap towards criminal justice reform, economic opportunity, and improved public health. Advocates argued that legal cannabis would virtually eliminate the black market, provide significant tax revenues, and ensure a regulated, safer industry for consumers. But the reality hasn’t matched these ambitious promises. Across America, states grapple with unintended consequences such as...
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The Rise and Fall of the “Napa Valley of Cannabis”: Why Legal Pot Failed
The cannabis market collapse is grabbing headlines across Colorado and California, places once heralded as pioneers of the “green rush.”...
Cannabis Policy Impacts Public Health and Health Equity: A Critical Review of the 2024 National Academies Report
Cannabis policies in the U.S. have seen a dramatic shift over the past few decades. Most states now allow some...
Cannabis & Psychosis – The Not-So-Silent Epidemic (Part One)
The Silent Epidemic of Cannabis-Induced Psychosis Cannabis-Induced Psychosis (CIP) is becoming an unspoken public health threat that deserves our immediate...
Australia’s World-First Psilocybin Studies: Clinical Insights, Therapist Training Applications, and Future Innovations Presented
In recent years, there has been a resurgence of interest in psychedelic substances for clinical therapies. A growing movement advocating...
Kashmir Heroin Addiction: Afiya’s Story
Afiya, a 24-year-old from Indian-administered Kashmir, sits silently in a rehabilitation ward in Srinagar, recovering from the devastating effects of...
David Krumholtz Highlights Marijuana’s Hidden Dangers
Actor David Krumholtz, known for his roles in The Santa Clause and Oppenheimer, has shared his battle with cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome (CHS). This...