The intersection of substance use with broader public health concerns.
Public Health
Marijuana Linked to Cardiovascular Problems
Marijuana use may increase the risk of stroke and heart failure. This was concluded to be the case even after accounting for demographic and lifestyle risk factors, as well as other health conditions. The new findings on the potential...
Alcohol Consumption as a Cause of Cancer
Background and aims: There is increasing research evidence about the causal role of alcohol in cancer, accompanied by unclear and conflicting messages in the media. This paper aimed to clarify the strength of the evidence for alcohol as a...
5th International Conference on Novel Psychoactive Substances (NPS)
The 5th International Conference on Novel Psychoactive Substances will be held from 23 to 24 October 2017 at the United Nations in Vienna, Austria. The conference is jointly organised by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA), the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), University of Hertfordshire and Sapienza University of Rome.
10th International Conference on Nightlife, Substance Use and Related Health Issues
This event will bring together experts from a wide range of fields to exchange information on the latest research, policy and practice on protecting and promoting health in nightlife settings.
Characteristics of Fentanyl Overdose — Massachusetts, 2014–2016
Summary What is already known about this topic? Fentanyl has a growing presence in the illicit drug market and is involved in an increasing proportion of opioid overdose deaths. What is added by this report? Approximately two thirds of...
Estimation of National, Regional and Global Prevalence of Alcohol Use during Pregnancy and Fetal Alcohol Syndrome
Background Alcohol use during pregnancy is the direct cause of fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS). We aimed to estimate the prevalence of alcohol use during pregnancy and FAS in the general population and, by linking these two indicators...
‘Ex-spliff-cit’ Content: If Legalised, Should Marijuana Carry Age Restrictions?
Canadians will soon know whether marijuana will be made legal. If legalised, should the drug carry an age restriction? This question is central to new research published in the journal Health which suggests that young users report lower...
Can Abstaining from Alcohol Help to Fight the Spread of HIV?
Studies have shown that alcohol may play a role in more that 13% of deaths resulting from infectious diseases, including HIV. Evidence suggests that alcohol consumption negatively affects the fight against HIV primarily by: Increasing the...
Young People are More Likely to Report Seeing Alcohol Advertising Online, Pilot Study Finds
An American pilot study published in the journal Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research has found that underage youngsters between 13 and 20 years old are more likely than adults to report seeing alcohol marketing online. The...
Smoke-free Implementation in Colombia: Monitoring, Outside Funding and Business Support
Objective: To analyze successful national smoke-free policy implementation in Colombia, a middle income country. Materials and methods: Key informants at the national and local levels were interviewed and news sources and government...