Binge drinking. Alcohol poisoning. Prescription sharing. Painkiller addiction. These are all serious problems for teens and college students. Although it is unlikely that we are going to get kids to stop experimenting or partying altogether, we don’t need to encourage it. Urban Outfitters, known for supplying teens and college students with trendy and low-cost clothing,
Keep ReadingTurning to medication seems easier than exploring the issues behind a health problem. Making diet and lifestyle changes, lowering stress, cutting out bad habits and self-examining are far more difficult. Who wants to do all that work, when they can just take a pill? There aren’t catchy ads for behavioral therapy or classes that teach
Keep ReadingWhen it comes to addiction, most of us don’t think we are at risk. However even if you’re fit and health conscious, you can fall prey to addiction. A single injury can start the addiction process without you even realizing it. Injuries can lead an otherwise healthy and active individual to take painkillers to avoid
Keep ReadingIt is a natural response to look for something to ease feelings of emotional pain, but many people fall prey to addiction, as they seek a way to dull unwanted feelings or emotions. Emotional pain can be related to memories of physical, sexual or emotional abuse by a loved one or family member. It can
Keep ReadingMore than half of Americans believe the use of marijuana should be made legal according to a recent survey conducted by the Pew Research Center. The new research shows that 52 percent of those surveyed agreed with legalization, while 45 percent were not in favor or making marijuana legal. A total of 1,501 adults were
Keep ReadingIt’s legal, so it must be harmless, right? That’s what teens who turn to synthetic marijuana for quick high seem to think. But synthetic marijuana, also known by the street names K2 or spice, could land users in the emergency room. Researchers examined three cases of teens admitted to the emergency room after suspected use
Keep ReadingFrom huffing and pill parties to overdosing on caffeine on the playground, kids today are finding creative – and dangerous – new ways to get high. Teens and experimentation go together. While it’s natural for kids to explore new things and push boundaries as they journey toward adulthood, some experimentation can be deadly. Teens (and
Keep ReadingFor many the point of smoking marijuana is to get high, but Israeli researchers have bred a cannabis plant that looks, smells and tastes like ordinary marijuana, minus one important ingredient. The new plants lack THC, the active ingredient responsible for pot’s high. This may not be cause for rejoicing among recreational marijuana users, but
Keep ReadingHealth officials and addiction experts are fighting an uphill battle when it comes to warning teens of the dangers of synthetic marijuana. The perception among many high school and college students is that pot is already safe, so a manufactured version should be even safer. Tell that to the family of Emily Bauer. The 17-year-old
Keep ReadingLast month the US Navy launched a new campaign to warn servicemen and women about the dangers of bath salts. The informational video is getting a lot of attention for its depiction of a sailor ingesting the synthetic designer drug and then experiencing violent hallucinations, complete with a gruesome demon-type figure. The Bath Salts campaign’s
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