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Harm Reduction
Calls for vaping products to have health messages – and separate regulations
Vaping companies in South Africa called this week for separate legislation for tobacco products and electronic nicotine delivery systems, reports Independent Online. Meanwhile, research...
Frequent adolescent cannabis use linked to IQ decline — Irish Royal College
A study from the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland has found that adolescents who frequently use cannabis may experience a decline in intelligence...
Alcohol consumption associated with nearly 5% of US cancer cases
Alcohol consumption contributed to 4.8% of all United States cancer cases and 3.2% of cancer deaths – translating to 75,199 cases and 18,947 deaths...
The important role of pharmacists in helping people to quit smoking
More than two-thirds of smokers in the United States want to quit, but lack proper resources. A prescribing pharmacy professional could help to solve...
Cannabis abuse by US youth with mood disorders linked to self-harm, death
Heavy use of marijuana by United States teens and young adults with mood disorders – such as depression and bipolar disorder – is linked...
Vaping reduces inflammatory biomarkers compared to smoking – American Council on Science and Health
Remember, before COVID-19 took all the oxygen out of the room, when vaping was a big fear. A new study shows what we have...
We should not allow a cannabis free-for-all – Yale ethicist
Mental health and addiction experts should lead the development of guidelines around the use of cannabis for medicinal and recreational purposes, writes Dr Sarah...
How alcohol may affect responses to the COVID-19 vaccine
Experts in Russia and the United Kingdom have warned that people should avoid drinking alcohol for a brief period of time when being vaccinated against...
Chicago research reveals ways to predict – and treat – alcohol use disorder
New research challenges existing dogma that higher tolerance for stimulating and rewarding effects of alcohol leads to addiction, reports the University of Chicago Medical...
Vaping linked to mental fog — Two US surveys
Adults and kids who vape were more likely to report difficulty concentrating, remembering or making decisions than their non-vaping, non-smoking peers, in two annual...
E-cigarettes trigger inflammation in the gut — University of California
Research has shown that chemicals used for vaping break down zipper-like junctions between cells in the gut, leading to chronic inflammation and potential for...
To deliver health benefits, vaping must replace smoking – American Heart Association
Smoking traditional cigarettes, as well as using e-cigarettes, results in harmful health effects similar to smoking cigarettes exclusively, reports the American Heart Association. However, people...
Health versus economy – Trauma cases plummet under alcohol ban
Hospitals in major urban areas reported over the New Year that trauma admissions had plummeted following South Africa’s third alcohol ban, writes MedicalBrief. The...
Raise awareness of second hand smoke and reduce its burden – European scientists
The burden from second hand smoke exposure is still significant in European Union countries, reports an international team of European researchers in the journal...
The E-Cigarette Summit 2020 – Less harmful than smoking but not harmless
There is now solid evidence that e-cigarettes are less harmful than conventional cigarettes and are more effective in helping smokers to stop than nicotine...
COVID-19 lockdowns tied to an increase in binge drinking — US study
Binge drinkers in the United States increased their alcohol consumption by nearly 20% during COVID-19 stay-at-home orders, according to research by public health experts...
Tobacco linked to global trends in bladder cancer
The incidence and associated mortality rates of bladder cancer worldwide appear to be correlated with the rates of tobacco use, a recent international study...
Young people who go to bed later, drink and smoke more due to impulsivity
Young people who prefer to stay up late are more impulsive than their peers who go to bed earlier, which makes them more likely...
United Nations – and United States – reclassify cannabis as less risky narcotic
The United Nations Commission on Narcotic Drugs last week took decisions that will change the way cannabis is internationally regulated – including removing it...
BMJ editorial – Lifetime perspective on alcohol and brain health
Harm prevention policies must take the long view, argue Australian and British researchers in a British Medical Journal editorial. Heavy alcohol use can wreak particular...
Cardiologists warn people with heart rhythm disorders against heavy alcohol
Fourteen drinks a week is linked with a higher risk of health problems including stroke and embolism in patients with atrial fibrillation, according to...
Older adults in wealthier countries drink more alcohol — Global study
A global study has found that older people in wealthy countries consume more alcohol than their counterparts in middle-income countries, on average – although...
Medical and recreational cannabis burst into the SA mainstream
Cannabis use and development appears to be going mainstream quickly in South Africa. A growing number of venues are offering cannabis-infused foods, according to...
International Association on Smoking Control & Harm Reduction founded
The new International Association on Smoking Control & Harm Reduction – SCOHRE – said in a founding statement this week that it “will drive...
Cannabis strength soars over past half century — UK study
Over the past 50 years street cannabis across the world has become substantially stronger, carrying an increased risk of harm, reports the University of...
Yale: Repurposed drug eases recovery for those with severe alcohol withdrawal
A drug once used to treat high blood pressure can help alcoholics with withdrawal symptoms reduce or eliminate their drinking, Yale University researchers reported...
Australian GPs willing to prescribe e-cigarettes to help patients quit
Many GPs in Australia would be prepared to upskill to prescribe nicotine-containing e-cigarettes to help patients who smoke, as another form of replacement therapy,...
Hyperventilation method touted as 'game changing' treatment for alcohol poisoning
Canadian researchers say they have developed a game-changing method to treat alcohol poisoning, reports The Canadian Press. It involves literally breathing alcohol out of...
CDC – Around one in five US adults report tobacco product use
About one in five United States adults reported currently using any tobacco product in 2019, with most reporting use of combustible products, according to...
European survey shows teen drinking and smoking down; concerns over cannabis
Smoking and drinking among 15-16-year-old students are showing signs of decline – but there are concerns over potentially risky cannabis use and challenges posed...
Urgent need to scale up tobacco harm reduction, says global report
A report from the Knowledge Action Change public health agency in the United Kingdom has revealed there are only nine users of safer nicotine...
Chronic alcohol use reshapes brain’s immune landscape, driving anxiety and addiction
In their quest to understand how the immune system is implicated in alcohol use disorder, Scripps Research scientists in the United States have found...
E-cigarettes can significantly alter a body’s response to viruses — US study
Researchers at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill have found that people who use e-cigarettes have significantly altered immune responses to influenza...
JAMA editorial: Research strengthens case for e-cigarettes for smoking cessation
Research shows that electronic cigarettes can help smokers to quit smoking cigarettes, according to an editorial in JAMA by Dr Nancy Rigotti, director of the Tobacco...
Study shows cannabis use leads to less alcohol. Are we just swapping vices?
Back before cannabis became legal in Canada in 2017, there was discussion about how it was going to mix with alcohol, writes Christine Sismondo...
Lung symptoms common among users of e-cigarettes and related products
One-third of people using e-cigarettes or related products reported symptoms associated with lung or respiratory tract impact or injury, according to an analysis of...
Cannabis use and impact on rheumatologic pain – French study
Nearly one in five patients suffering from rheumatologic diseases actively consume cannabis, with an improvement in pain, write researchers at Clermont-Ferrand University Hospital in...
Childhood smoking, adult cessation and heart risk — Large Oxford study
A large US study by Oxford University found that smokers, especially those who started young, faced nearly three times the risk of dying prematurely...
Tobacco harm reduction to reduce smoking rates in South Africa
Tobacco control strategies in South Africa could be complemented by a harm reduction approach to reduce smoking rates faster, writes Marcelo Nico, MD of...
Moderating excessive alcohol use resulting from COVID-19 stress
The full impact of COVID-19 on alcohol use is not yet known, but rates have been rising during the pandemic. There is an urgent...