Legalizing cannabis may derail the alcohol industry, says survey

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With the legalization of cannabis by 29 states and Washington, D.C., for medicinal purposes, the day when the drug will be available legally across the country seems not too far. In fact, the government is steadily diminishing control over the drug in other sectors and industries in the U.S. Read more

Drinking alcohol kills stem cells in adult brain

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Alcohol is one of the most commonly abused addictive substance in America, and it is pervasive in different cultures within the nation. In fact, people across the world have a long historical relationship with drinking, consuming it during family celebrations, achievements and important events. But the relationship has not been an easy one. Americans have struggled to balance their love of liquor with other responsibilities in their lives and many have succumbed to the problems. Read more

Novel cure of alcoholism using short hairpin RNA

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A gene therapy that causes unpleasant side effects is seen as a novel cure for alcoholism. While the current fight in America is against opioids, the dangers of alcohol are no less. It is one of the most addictive substances and according to researchers, accountable for 5.9 percent of all deaths. Costing America no less than $250 billion in terms of person-hours, productivity and health care, alcoholism is an evil no less than opioids. The study pointed out that though medications such as naltrexone, disulfiram, and acamprosate are legally approved to treat alcoholism, they are not very popular because of their side effects. Most patients are reluctant to comply. Therefore, there is an inherent need for new cures. Anamaria C. Sanchez from the University of Chile, Santiago, conducted the research along with R. Jude Samulski, from the University of North Carolina, which got published in the journal Human Gene Therapy in June 2017. Read more

Creating a sobriety toolkit

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Happiness comes at a price especially for those who have tasted bitterness for long. The path is full of challenges that test an individual’s grit and determination all through. When a person completes treatment for an addiction, he or she enters the recovery phase. It is during this phase that a sobriety toolkit can help a person to remain on the sober path. The toolkit is nothing but a coping mechanism—comprising resources— one can use during recovery and prevent a relapse. Read more

Breast Cancer Awareness Month: Why alcohol abuse is more dangerous for women

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Every year, October is observed as the Breast Cancer Awareness Month in the United States with the objective of making people conscious about the need for early detection, palliative care and prevention strategies.

While age, obesity, genes and family history are some of the common causes of breast cancer, the International Agency for Research on Cancer considers alcohol as a carcinogenic substance. Every 10g or 1 drink of alcohol is associated with an increased risk of breast cancer by 7-10% among adult women. This link is prevalent in both premenopausal and postmenopausal women. The risk increases by 4-15% with even light alcohol intake (less than 1 drink/day). In America, nearly 4-10% cases of breast cancer are attributed to alcohol consumption leading to 9000 to 23,000 novel cases of breast cancer cases every year. Read more