Dirkh

LATEST ARTICLES ( 312 )

• The Chemistry of Modern Marijuana

  

  Is low-grade pot better for you than sinsemilla?First published September 3, 2013.Australia has one of the highest rates of marijuana use in the world, but unti... Read more

  Posted on 20 August 2014 HEALTH, PSYCHOLOGY, SCIENCE

• Synthetic Cannabis Can Cause Cyclic Vomiting

  

  Another reason to skip "Spice."Cannabinoid hyperemesis, as it is known, was not documented in the medical literature until 2004. Case studies of more than 100... Read more

  Posted on 12 August 2014 HEALTH, PSYCHOLOGY, SCIENCE

• Avoid the ‘Noid: Synthetic Cannabinoids and “Spiceophrenia”

  

  Like PCP all over again.Synthetic cannabis-like “Spice” drugs were first introduced in early 2004, and quickly created a global marketplace. Read more

  Posted on 31 July 2014 HEALTH, PSYCHOLOGY, SCIENCE

• Getting Spiced

  

  Synthetic cannabis is stronger than it used to be.First published 10/07/2013 I wish I could stop writing blog posts about Spice, as the family of synthetic... Read more

  Posted on 26 July 2014 HEALTH, PSYCHOLOGY, SCIENCE

• Hunting For the Marijuana-Dopamine Connection

  

  Why do heavy pot smokers show a blunted reaction to stimulants?Most drugs of abuse increase dopamine transmission in the brain, and indeed, this is thought to b... Read more

  Posted on 22 July 2014 HEALTH, PSYCHOLOGY, SCIENCE

• Drugs and Disease: A Look Forward

  

  First published 2/18/2014. Former National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) director Alan Leshner has been vilified by many for referring to addiction as a... Read more

  Posted on 20 July 2014 HEALTH, PSYCHOLOGY, SCIENCE

• Vitamin C and Pregnant Women Who Smoke

  

  Improving pulmonary function in newborns. 500 mg of daily vitamin C given to pregnant smoking women “decreased the effects of in-utero nicotine” and “improved... Read more

  Posted on 28 June 2014 HEALTH, PSYCHOLOGY, SCIENCE

• Gone in June

  

  Alcohol takes a friend. What good does it do: You write about addiction, research it, think about it, formulate new ideas about it. You try to be of service. Read more

  Posted on 27 June 2014 HEALTH, PSYCHOLOGY, SCIENCE

• NIDA’s Dark View of Teen Marijuana Use

  

  Federal study also discusses medical marijuana.Considering the impasse on marijuana policy between state and federal governments in the U.S. Read more

  Posted on 15 June 2014 HEALTH, PSYCHOLOGY, SCIENCE

• Tripling the Tax on Alcohol

  

  Would it do any good?A recent article in Slate by Reihan Salam, a sort of modest proposal on behalf of a big boost in alcohol excise taxes, caught considerable... Read more

  Posted on 02 June 2014 HEALTH, PSYCHOLOGY, SCIENCE

• Smoking Is Over If You Want It

  

  Happy World No Tobacco Day It’s one of the annual days of note concocted by the World Health Organization (WHO). The motive is undeniably noble, and the goofy... Read more

  Posted on 27 May 2014 HEALTH, PSYCHOLOGY, SCIENCE

• Single Bout of Binge Drinking Linked to Immune System Effects

  

  The hazards of a leaky gut. Biology for $1000, Alex: An integral part of the cell walls of Gram-negative bacteria, these toxic compounds can trigger inflammatio... Read more

  Posted on 22 May 2014 HEALTH, PSYCHOLOGY, SCIENCE

• Why the CDC Director Hates E-Cigarettes

  

  The pros and cons of getting your vape on.Last month, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) began a new era—regulating e-cigarettes. Read more

  Posted on 08 May 2014 HEALTH, PSYCHOLOGY, SCIENCE

• How Alcoholism Causes Muscle Weakness

  

  It’s a mitochondrial thing. Chronic alcohol intake weakens muscles. This condition can take the form of numbness or shooting pains in arms and legs, muscle... Read more

  Posted on 28 April 2014 HEALTH, PSYCHOLOGY, SCIENCE

• Marijuana Dependence and Legalization

  

  Making best guesses about pot. One essential question about state marijuana legalization continues to dog the debate: Namely, as marijuana becomes gradually... Read more

  Posted on 15 April 2014 HEALTH, PSYCHOLOGY, SCIENCE

• Tips For Dating a Person in 12 Step Recovery

  

  Would you let your daughter go out with an addict?In the title of her book, Girlfriend of Bill, author Karen Nagy riffs on the time-honored public code for... Read more

  Posted on 09 April 2014 HEALTH, PSYCHOLOGY, SCIENCE

• Does Strong Marijuana Cause Addiction?

  

  Strong pot matters, but maybe not the way we think. Colorado, Washington, and some 20 additional states have now made various provisions for legal transactions... Read more

  Posted on 24 March 2014 HEALTH, PSYCHOLOGY, SCIENCE

• The Escalating Debate Over E-Cigarettes

  

  Follow the bouncing ping-pong ball. “E-cigarettes are likely to be gateway devices for nicotine addiction among youth, opening up a whole new market for tobacco. Read more

  Posted on 14 March 2014 HEALTH, PSYCHOLOGY, SCIENCE

• Hey, Wake Up, It’s Brain Awareness Week

  

  Your brain doesn’t come with an instruction manual.The Dana Foundation’s annual Brain Awareness Week (BAW), March 10-16, seems particularly appropriate and... Read more

  Posted on 09 March 2014 HEALTH, PSYCHOLOGY, SCIENCE

• Six Writers Who Battled the Bottle

  

  Book review.In The Trip to Echo Spring: On Writers and Drinking, author Olivia Laing’s stated goal is “to know why writers drink, and what effect this stew of... Read more

  Posted on 26 February 2014 CULTURE, HEALTH, PSYCHOLOGY, SCIENCE