/oss/taxonomy/term/647/all en /oss/article/medical/what-hbos-euphoria-teaches-us-about-opioid-use <p>When season two of HBO’s <a href="https://www.hbo.com/euphoria"><i>Euphoria</i></a> came out earlier this year, it painted a vivid picture of the chaotic lives of a group of high school students. From relationships, social media, to drug use and abuse, the show covers it all. The audience witnesses the main character, Rue, taking a number of drugs that drive her opioid addiction. While some have criticized the show for glorifying drug use in adolescents, what it does get right is that substance use is a reality for millions of teenagers in North America.</p> Fri, 11 Nov 2022 16:42:44 +0000 Cat Wang, B.Sc. 9292 at /oss /oss/article/health-and-nutrition-did-you-know/chocoholics-true-addiction-or-funny-word <p>In the third novel of the Harry Potter series, the Prisoner of Azkaban, Harry encounters the “Dementors” for the first time -- creatures that feed on hope and happiness. When he is left with a feeling of depression, Harry learns that chocolate is an antidote to help counter the Dementors’ effects. For us Muggles, chocolate has a somewhat similar result, making us feel a little warm and fuzzy inside! But can we get addicted to chocolate? In other words, is being a chocoholic a real thing?</p> Wed, 25 May 2022 17:51:10 +0000 Haleh Cohn 9119 at /oss /oss/article/health-and-nutrition/lets-not-pretend-alcohol-good-us-it-isnt <hr /> <p><em>This article was originally posted in the <a href="https://montrealgazette.com/opinion/columnists/christopher-labos-lets-not-pretend-alcohol-is-good-for-us-it-isnt">Montreal Gazette</a>.</em></p> <hr /> <p>Many people turn to alcohol to deal with life’s daily stressors. Unfortunately, that has happened quite a bit in the past two years, with some very negative consequences.</p> <p>We sometimes forget that alcohol is not good for us.</p> Tue, 22 Mar 2022 18:57:07 +0000 Christopher Labos MD, MSc 9061 at /oss /oss/article/health-and-nutrition-you-asked/what-khat-and-why-are-we-warned-about-it <p>Cathinone’s molecular structure resembles amphetamine which accounts for its mild stimulant effect. Historically, cathinone has not cause much concern, at least not until clandestine chemists began to tinker with its molecular structure, trying to increase its stimulant effect. Attaching a methyl group (consisting of a single carbon atom and three hydrogens) to cathinone turned out to be a simple laboratory procedure. The resulting “methcathinone” was far more potent as a stimulant and found a ready market.</p> Fri, 18 Mar 2022 18:18:19 +0000 Joe Schwarcz PhD 9054 at /oss /oss/article/history-you-asked/why-are-people-addicted-heroin-called-junkies <p>By the first decade of the twentieth century heroin addiction had become a huge problem in major American cities such as New York. The drug was not cheap and some people experiencing addiction resorted to supporting their habit by rifling through junkyards for scrap metal that they could sell. Interestingly, heroin was introduced by the Bayer Company in 1897 as a non-habit forming version of morphine. It was originally synthesized in 1874 by C.R. Wright, an English chemist who hoped to improve the properties of morphine by altering its molecular structure.</p> Sat, 11 Sep 2021 08:00:00 +0000 Joe Schwarcz PhD 8838 at /oss /oss/article/did-you-know-health/juuls-harmful-side-effects <p>On September 25, 2019, <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2019/09/25/business/juul-ceo-resigns/index.html">CNN news announced</a>, “the CEO of Juul is out, as a growing number of vaping-related death and threats of federal regulation present a monumental challenge for the e-cigarette company.” We are approaching a world where the problems caused by the Juul can no longer be ignored. It is fundamental that we understand it, how it affects us, and what solutions we can implement.</p> Thu, 31 Oct 2019 21:28:07 +0000 Mark Seo, Student Contributor 7979 at /oss /oss/article/you-asked/lip-balm-addictive <p><span>“My lowest point was having to stop at Walgreen’s because I was on my way to a wedding and discovered I did not have any in my purse.  We had to make a quick detour to buy some. I bought 10 of them, and had to carry them in my purse all day […] On my own, I decided “Enough is enough!” I went cold turkey and stopped using the lip balm completely.”</span></p> Thu, 14 Dec 2017 17:54:14 +0000 Cassandra Lee, OSS Intern 6846 at /oss /oss/article/did-you-know/what-makes-hard-drugs-hard-and-soft-drugs-soft <p>If you ask almost anyone if they know what a hard <span name="searchHitInReadingPane">drug</span><span> is, they’ll nod enthusiastically. Ask them to define a </span><a href="https://www.government.nl/topics/drugs/how-does-the-law-distinguish-between-soft-and-hard-drugs" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">hard vs a soft <span name="searchHitInReadingPane">drug</span></a><span> however and the nodding might stop.</span></p> Wed, 29 Nov 2017 21:45:55 +0000 Ada McVean B.Sc. 6838 at /oss /oss/article/health-nutrition/are-we-all-addicted-caffeine <p>It’s Monday morning. You blink your tired eyes awake, pull your body out of bed, and drag yourself into the kitchen. If the only thing on your mind is how quickly you can get a cup of coffee to your lips, you might suffer from what some call a “caffeine addiction”. To dedicated coffee drinkers who faithfully battle the morning Tim Horton’s line or to stressed out students during exam season, coffee can certainly <em>feel</em> like an addiction.</p> Mon, 02 Oct 2017 13:42:36 +0000 Cassandra Lee, OSS Intern 2650 at /oss /oss/article/did-you-know-health/using-imodium-opioid <p>The drug marketed as Imodium,<span> loperamide, has found a new, unintended use. While traditionally used for relieving diarrhea, some drug users are now turning to loperamide to either relieve the symptoms of opioid withdrawal, or achieve a high.</span></p> Fri, 25 Aug 2017 14:54:35 +0000 Ada McVean B.Sc. 2606 at /oss /oss/article/health-general-science/kratom-potential-opioid-saviour <p><span>Kratom is rapidly becoming a choice recreational drug, but there's a good chance you've never heard of this substance, </span><a href="https://www.dea.gov/pr/multimedia-library/publications/drug_of_abuse.pdf#page84">which can cause</a> sedative effects like morphine at high doses as well as stimulating effects, like caffeine or methamphetamine at low doses. This drug is not new, though regulations concerning it are (at least in North America), and not everyone is pleased about them.</p> Fri, 16 Jun 2017 16:24:30 +0000 Ada McVean B.Sc. 2549 at /oss /oss/article/did-you-know/why-do-we-get-caffeine-withdrawal-headaches <p><span>Caffeine interacts with a neurotransmitter- adenosine- receptors, inhibiting the functions that adenosine would normally activate- namely, sleepy feelings. One theory behind caffeine withdrawal headaches is that with time your body adjusts to a new base level of caffeine, and creates more adenosine receptors to compensate. This would explain why you stop feelings alert after only 1 cup of coffee in the mornings after a while and have to start having 2 or 3.</span></p> Tue, 13 Jun 2017 13:55:15 +0000 Ada McVean B.Sc. 2543 at /oss /oss/article/drugs-health/bath-salts-other-spiked-drugs <p>“Bath salts,” “vacuum fresheners” and “plant food” seem innocuous enough. You can pick then up at some gas stations, convenience stores, some garden supply shops, or order them on the Internet. Except that the contents may not be what the labels suggest. These “bath salts” and “plant food,” for those in the know, are code names for synthetic cathinones, substances that can be ingested, inhaled or smoked for stimulant effects similar to amphetamines.</p> Wed, 30 May 2012 14:05:00 +0000 ���ϲ����� OSS 1688 at /oss /oss/article/health-you-asked/sugar-addictive <p>It causes epileptic seizures, gastric cancer, liver tumours, multiple sclerosis and increases the risk of polio and Alzheimer's disease. It dehydrates newborns and increases the risk of Crohn's disease. What horrific toxin are we talking about? Arsenic? Cyanide? Strychnine? Nope. According to Nancy Appleton, who holds a PhD from "distance learning" Walden University in the U.S., the substance responsible for these crimes is plain old sugar. And it causes many more travesties as well.</p> Tue, 06 Nov 2012 17:06:36 +0000 OSS 1741 at /oss /oss/article/drugs-you-asked/what-huffing <p>According to new data obtained by the Partnership for a Drug-Free America, the use of inhalants is on the rise. The number of grade eight student users has jumped by eighteen percent; and the figures from those in the sixth grade are even more shocking, with reports of a drastic forty four percent increase in users over the last two years. </p> Sat, 10 Nov 2012 01:45:15 +0000 Joe Schwarcz PhD 1780 at /oss