In the News

Physicians Not Familiar With Synthetic Marijuana Symptoms

Many emergency room physicians are not familiar with symptoms caused by synthetic marijuana such as "K2" and "Spice," which are sending a growing number of teenagers to the hospital, according to USA Today.

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) has published a report for physicians about the side effects of the drugs, to help them be on the lookout for the symptoms, according to lead author Joanna Cohen, MD, of Children's National Medical Center in Washington, DC.

Signs of synthetic marijuana abuse include agitation, excessive sweating, inability to speak, restlessness and aggression, according to the report. The drugs also cause "euphoric and psychoactive effects" similar to those caused by marijuana. These symptoms require immediate medical attention, Cohen said.

Fallout of College Students’ Binge-Drinking

Student About 44 percent of U.S. college students binge-drink, many of them racking up big bills at their local hospitals, a new study has found.

Released this week, the study, by Marlon P. Mundt and Larissa I. Zakletskaia at the University of Wisconsin, was supported by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. It's to appear in the April issue of the journal Health Affairs.

At universities with at least 40,000 students, total expenses stemming from blackout-related visits to emergency departments run $469,000 to $546,000 a year, the study projects.

Alcohol is Factor in Accused G.I.'s Actions

The American staff sergeant suspected of killing 16 Afghan villagers had been drinking alcohol — a violation of military rules in combat zones — and suffering from the stress related to his fourth combat tour and tensions with his wife about the deployments on the night of the massacre, a senior American official said .

"When it all comes out, it will be a combination of stress, alcohol and domestic issues — he just snapped," said the official, who has been briefed on the investigation and who spoke on condition of anonymity because the soldier has not yet been formally charged.

As new details emerged about possible reasons behind the shootings, the American official said the military was preparing to move the sergeant to a prison in the United States as early as Friday, most likely to Fort Leavenworth, Kan., just a day after he was flown to a detention site in Kuwait from Afghanistan.

Government Unveils Nationwide Anti-Smoking Campaign

cdc smoking image This ad released by the CDC shows Shawn Wright who had a tracheotomy after being diagnosed with head and neck cancer.The federal government has unveiled a nationwide anti-smoking campaign, with a series of ads that feature former smokers who discuss the negative health consequences of smoking.

The ads will appear on television and in newspapers starting March 19, 2012. The cost of the campaign is $54 million this year. The New York Times reports that the tobacco industry generally spends at least that much on promotional efforts in two days.

Army Delays Confidential Alcohol Counseling Program

Soldier Despite high rates of alcohol abuse, the Army has delayed for nearly three years a plan to offer all soldiers access to confidential counseling for drinking problems, a move that leaders in alcohol abuse treatment say is a mistake.

The Army began a pilot program in 2009 for confidential treatment, but it continues debating what to do next because of a high dropout rate. One in four GIs now have a drinking problem, and alcohol has been linked to record numbers of suicides, sexual assaults and domestic abuse cases, Army research shows.

Many refuse to seek counseling for alcohol abuse because military policy requires that their commanders be notified, says Col. John Stasinos, addiction consultant to the Army Surgeon General.

Confidential counseling for alcoholism has for decades been a routine part of civilian employee-assistance programs. Without confidentiality, those who abuse alcohol delay seeking help until the problem becomes more serious, says H. Westley Clark, head of the Center for Substance Abuse Treatment at the federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.

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