If you’re using marijuana on a regular basis, it’s possible that you’ve experienced long-term damage to your reward center. The chronic use of marijuana has been shown to reduce the natural reward process that process that occurs. Researchers at The University of Texas at Dallas, and funded by the National Institute on Drug Abuse, demonstrated that the area of the brain associated with rewards showed a greater level of activity when presented with the prospect of cannabis than with other rewards. The alterations that became apparent in MRI scans demonstrates that the recreational drug has the potential to become addictive and has some potentially negative effects associated with long-term use. [Read more…]
Samuel L. Jackson: Drug Addict to A-List Celebrity
These days, Samuel L. Jackson is one of the most recognizable faces on the planet as an A-list Hollywood celebrity. However, before he became famous for portraying characters like Jules Winnfield, Mace Windu, and Nick Fury, Jackson was a struggling actor who fell victim to the temptations of drugs. His addiction was crack cocaine, and his habit nearly derailed Jackson’s Hollywood career before it began. [Read more…]
Talking to Your College-Aged Adult About Drugs and Alcohol
It is that time of year when your child is becoming a young adult and headed off to college. Checklists are being marked off. School supplies and college dorm room essentials are being bought. While everyone is running around from store to store, it’s also important to take time, sit down, and talk about all the situations they might encounter. Marijuana, alcohol, and other illicit drugs are a very common occurrence in a college environment. Talking to your child about these situations will help them understand the severity of these topics and give them a good understanding of substance abuse. However, before you sit down and have “the talk,” make sure to read and understand these key points. [Read more…]
Superman Pill Deaths Are Growing
In Recent Months Superman Pill Deaths Have Been
In recent months, there have been several deaths in the UK due to a recreational drug known as the Superman pill. Authorities suspect that users mistakenly believed they were taking ecstasy (MDMA) when, in reality, they ingested PMA (phenoxymethylamphetamine), which is far more toxic. What is behind the seemingly sudden emergence of this dangerous substance?
Surprisingly, PMA has been around since the 1950s, when its mood-elevating effects were tested and found to be lacking. It, and many other pharmaceuticals, were eventually banned by UN conventions. PMA and PMMA, its close cousin, have made a resurgence in recent years, thanks to a well-meaning policy that made making and selling ecstasy more difficult. Specifically, a 1988 UN edict banned a chemical called safrole, which is a vital ingredient in MDMA. When that was no longer available, chemists substituted aniseed oil, which is similar to safrole. Unfortunately, using aniseed oil yields PMA and PMMA, which are both far more toxic than MDMA ever was.
How do these new drugs affect hapless users? First, they are up to ten times more potent than the ecstasy people believe they are taking. As a result, the dose they take is far higher than they intended. Furthermore, PMA does not work as fast as ecstasy, leading users to believe that they have gotten a bad batch and increasing the likelihood that they will take another dose. Finally, PMA and PMMA are far more toxic, making the brain unable to compensate for the effects of the serotonin rush these drugs create.
The Superman pill deaths are just the latest example of the disastrous results that can come from the best of intentions. Almost a century ago, for instance, the United States prohibited the sale of alcohol, which directly led to the clandestine production and distribution of home-distilled hard liquors that were far stronger and more dangerous. Banning the smoking of opium directly led to increased use of heroin, which is a far more dangerous opioid.
How can we arrest the trend of Superman pill deaths? The public could be given access to testing facilities, with no questions asked, in order to know exactly what they have bought before they use it. A more controversial solution would be to make safe doses of MDMA available by prescription to registered users. At the very least, information about PMA and PMMA could be disseminated far and wide to alert the public to the potential dangers of the pills they plan to purchase. In this case, knowledge is power. It would help to reverse the unintended effects of governmental good intentions.
