Recent Blog Articles
Testosterone-blocking drugs boost heart disease risk when given in combination
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Does sleeping with an eye mask improve learning and alertness?
Do tattoos cause lymphoma?
Hot weather hikes: Staying safe when temperatures spike
Cannabis drinks: How do they compare to alcohol?
What is Lewy body dementia?
Dog bites: How to prevent or treat them
Ever read your medical record? Here's why you should
Shining light on night blindness
Addiction Archive
Articles
Study suggests scant increased risk of breast cancer from alcohol intake
Research we're watching
A study published Oct. 15, 2015, in the International Journal of Cancer adds to evidence that the risk of breast cancer increases—but not very much—with every drink a woman takes. Researchers from five Spanish universities followed 334,850 women, ages 35 to 70, from 10 European countries. During an 11-year period, 11,576 were diagnosed with breast cancer.
When the researchers compared alcohol intake among women who developed breast cancer and those who didn't, they found women who averaged two drinks a day had a 4% higher risk than those who limited their consumption to one daily drink. Those who averaged three drinks a day had a 6% higher breast cancer risk.
Low-nicotine cigarettes may help determined smokers cut back
A study examining the effects of low-nicotine cigarettes on smoking behavior yielded surprising results. The study volunteers who smoked the low-nicotine cigarettes actually smoked less and had fewer cigarette cravings than those who smoked cigarettes with a higher level of nicotine. Although more research is needed before we can draw any conclusions, it’s possible that very-low-nicotine cigarettes might be a way to mitigate the health dangers of smoking for people determined not to quit.
When are opioids safe to take?
Opioids are commonly used to control acute, intense pain. Meditation, yoga, and acupuncture may help control pain when tapering off opioids. |
Although these powerful pain relievers can be addictive, opioids are safe for most people when used properly.
Edible marijuana — a half-baked idea?
Marijuana-laced brownies have long been a way to get high. Now a new generation of “food companies” is taking the concept of edible marijuana in a somewhat scary new direction: marijuana-laced foods that mimic popular candies. These sweets could pose a danger to children, warns a Perspective article in today’s New England Journal of Medicine. From a marketing perspective, it’s a cute concept to sell Buddahfingers that look like Butterfingers, Rasta Reese’s that mimic Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups, or Pot Tarts that resemble Pop-Tarts. But the availability of edible marijuana products has led to an increase in emergency visits to hospitals because of kids accidentally eating edible marijuana products and in marijuana-related calls to poison and drug hotlines.
Recent Blog Articles
Testosterone-blocking drugs boost heart disease risk when given in combination
Parenting isn't easy: Two important skills can help
Does sleeping with an eye mask improve learning and alertness?
Do tattoos cause lymphoma?
Hot weather hikes: Staying safe when temperatures spike
Cannabis drinks: How do they compare to alcohol?
What is Lewy body dementia?
Dog bites: How to prevent or treat them
Ever read your medical record? Here's why you should
Shining light on night blindness
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