As the one-year anniversary of quarantine has recently passed and the COVID-19 vaccine is now widely available, the public has begun cautiously celebrating a soon end to the global pandemic. Despite these emerging feelings of relief, the pandemic has caused damage in its wake that is unlikely to heal anytime soon. Due, in large part,…
A new term has been circulating and creating confusion among the public. The term is “California sober”. But what is California sober? What are the implications? For those connected to the addiction and recovery community, it is essential to have the answers to these questions, for “California sobriety” is unfounded and perilous. What is…
The consumption of alcohol and MDMA, also known as “ecstasy” or “molly”, is commonly found within the nightlife scene. When MDMA is present, most likely alcohol is being served as well. This substance combination rose in popularity during the 1980s club scene and remains prominent today. While the isolated use of either alcohol or MDMA…
Addiction is nondiscriminatory. It affects individuals from all races, ages, classes, and religions. Between 1999 and 2019, 841,000 individuals died from a drug overdose in the United States. That is approximately 115 people per day. Due to the increasing prevalence of the ongoing drug epidemic, studies have been conducted to identifying at-risk demographics. These studies…
An estimated 4.38 billion prescriptions were filled in the United States in 2019, alone. As a country, the U.S. is ranked number 1 in benzodiazepine and opioid prescriptions. As legal substances, prescription drugs can be insidious as they are commonly habit-forming and lethal when abused. Unlike illicit substances, prescription drugs are easily accessible and likely…
Polysubstance abuse is very common with approximately 1 out of every 8 adults struggling with alcohol and drug abuse simultaneously, as stated by the National Survey on Drug Use and Health. However common, some substance combinations are more hazardous than others. One such combination is the mixture of methamphetamine and alcohol. To fully understand the…
Within the past decade, the U.S. public has battled a third wave of the seemingly relentless opioid epidemic. The fully-synthetic opioid, Fentanyl, is considered the main contributor to this third wave; however, the U.S. drug market has also seen an increase in stimulant circulation, specifically methamphetamine, which is partially responsible for the increase in overdose…
Lots of intoxicating substances can be fatal when used in excess and some combinations increase the likelihood of overdose and fatality. One such combination is simultaneous alcohol and OxyContin consumption. As legal substances, both drugs are easily accessible and often abused. To fully understand the dangers of this blend, it is important to examine the…
Many addictive substances are dangerous when used in isolation; however, some drug combinations increase the likelihood of developing serious, potentially life-threatening side effects, or overdose. Combining alcohol and cocaine is one such event. The co-occuring ingestion of these substances poses significant health risks and is more harmful than using either of the drugs individually. To…
Many intoxicating substances can be fatal when used in excess; however, some combinations increase the likelihood of overdose and fatality. One such combination is simultaneous alcohol and Xanax consumption. As legal; substances, both drugs are easily accessible and often abused. To fully understand the dangers of this blend, it is important to examine the effects…