Smoking in the news

Smoking in public is facing ever-greater restrictions; individuals, and the tobacco industries are pushing back in court. Meanwhile varenicline (Chantix) has been found to have serious cardiovascular side effects. And the state of Oregon mandating no smoking or be disqualified from state-supported treatment programs.

The Downer Cycle

After decades of uppers use, we are heading in a “downer cycle” with significant abuse and ODs being reported especially for prescription drugs like Vicodin and OxyContin, but also heroin, methadone and and even the opioid treatment drug suboxone. We look at the trend and some of the implications.

Addiction and Aging Baby-Boomers

An addiction “boom” is happening to people in 50s and 60s – too young to be old, often caring for parents, or under-employed adult children often with their own families, and still working to try to make ends meet – is causing many baby-boomers to have more issues with addiction and substance abuse then perhaps earlier in their life.

From Highballs to Eyeballing

Eyeballing is the latest campus craze – taking in straight vodka by holding a bottle up to your eye. Having started in England, it is reportedly moving onto US campuses and to Las Vegas. Devotees say it is faster than drinking and more potent because it passes easily through the mucous membrane and enters the bloodstream directly through veins at the back of the eye. Also more on new designer drugs like K9 and Spice and their rapid increases.