MJ News Redux, Neanderthal Genes and Addiction/Disease, Strange Addiction of Week
Marijuana stories continue to dominate the news. Stories on the Super Bowl NFL players and pot, anti-MJ ads on Super Bowl, AJ Holder comments on ease banking restrictions for marijuana businesses, big investors meet in Las Vegas to discuss strategies for investing (lots) in the emergent pot industry, and marijuana enters county fairs competion. And the strange addiction this week is trying to look like Justin Bieber – strange indeed!
Heroin, Energy Drink Ban, Fingertip Drug Testing, AA vs Addiction Docs
Heroin is at epidemic levels in Vermont and a major concern, says its governor … Vermont and other small states have a greater per capita heroin problem than big cities, and overdose deaths have increased dramatically. Also, calls for banning of Monster Energy Drink, following a 19 year old’s death, and increased emergency room caffeine poisonings cases. Using the sweat from fingertips is the latest innovation in drug testing. And a discussion on the ongoing conflict between subscribers to the AA model of recovery vs. addiction doctors and their adherents. Also “amnesty boxes in Denver airport for MJ, and more on e-cigarettes, which have been banned in some places.
MJ Biz has Roaring Start in CO, Dabbing, Genetic Testing for ADHD, E-Cigs on TV
Recreational marijuana business got off to a roaring starting in Colorado, with $5 million is sales reported for the first week. Dabbing is a general term for several ways to extract the THC from the marijuana and greatly increase the potency. Genetic testing and treatment for ADHD is being explored. Low levels of dopamine seems to be part of the condition. And e-cigarette companies are planning a major advertising effort for this year, including TV ads. Meanwhile the FDA is intending to adopt new regulations for e-cigarettes, and New York City and a few other areas are requiring tobacco and e-cigarette purchasers to be 21.
Psychedelics, mollys, survey of how many athletes really do doping
A new study indicates psychedelics don’t have the same tendency toward addiction as other drugs, and many be useful in treating mental health. Molly – mostly used as another name for ecstasy – is in the news thanks to Miley Cyrus talking about them in her song, at the Video Music Awards, and having the word bleeped out. And a new anonymous survey finds that many more athletes use performance enhancing drugs, on the order of 30-40%, then previous testing and surveys showed. PODCAST.
Sports and doping — A-Rod and another bicyclist, Drug sentence changes, Medical expert and payments
Sports and doping returns again – this time its star Yankee Alex Rodriguez, receiving a 211 game suspension for being associated with a south Florida anti-aging clinic, known to dispense human growth hormone, among other things. Also, the administration has announced its plans to look at the currently harsh drug penalties in this country, which incarcerates more people per capita than any other country… Lindsay Lohan’s $5000/day shopping habit … exchanging one addiction for another. And a study out of Australia highlighting to correspondence between medical experts on review panels for new drugs, etc., and the degree of remuneration that is appropriate. PODCAST.
Treatment Ethics, Anxiety mixes with Reward parts of mid-brain, Freshman college drinking
A recent article in Addiction Professional magazine shared some thoughts and observations on ethical practices and considerations in addiction treatment… including paying bounty for new patients, using call centers, claiming insurance will pay most of the costs, promising a cure, selling proprietary supplements, and using brain scans, among others. Also new research on the relationship between the anxiety and stress centers in the older mid-brain, and the VTA, also in the same region, which is where most of our dopamine is produced. Another new study highlights the profound changes and effects of alcohol drinking in first year of college students. PODCAST.