Comparing Substance Use in the United States and South Korea
In recent years there has been increasing research focusing on the brain functions related to reward and punishment, in the hope of identifying specific areas dedicated to addiction behaviors. However, equally important in the development of addiction are the social and environmental influences that can increase a person’s risk of developing a substance abuse problem. [...]
Genetic Makeup and Length of Drug Abuse Can Determine Severity of Addiction
A new study from the U.S. Department of Energy’s Brookhaven National Laboratory has shown that drug-dependent individuals with certain genetic makeup have lower gray matter density (and fewer neurons) in areas of the brain that control decision-making, self-control, learning, and memory. This shows that genes can influence the severity of addiction, according to study co-author [...]
K2 Emerging as Dangerous, Yet Legal Drug
With the ease in which individuals can obtain marijuana, it appears there is a growing demand for K2 or “fake weed.” According to a Science Daily release, Anthony Scalzo, M.D., a professor of toxicology at Saint Louis University, has seen nearly 30 cases in the last month of teenagers who were experiencing hallucinations, severe agitation, [...]
