Alcohol use by underage college students has increasingly grown as a large issue across the United States. Excessive, or binge drinking among college students is associated with a variety of negative consequences, such as a decrease in academic productivity, unwanted sexual encounters and an increase in violent behavior.

Many colleges have made an attempt to examine the root cause of such extreme drinking by students, and have developed programs to deter students from consuming alcohol. Read more →

Alcohol (when used commonly refers to ethanol) is consumed widely around the world for numerous reasons. Its properties have been both praised and demonized. In humans it generally acts as a depressant with, conversely, mild stimulating effects of some parts of the brain. At low levels of consumption alcohol has minimal effects on a person; at higher levels it leads to disorientation, coma, and death. Most alcohol that is consumed is removed from the body via the liver, which breaks alcohol down before removal. However, alcohol can readily cross any cell membrane. Ethanol is widely used as a solvent and disinfectant. It is used as a solvent because it breaks down many proteins and other molecules, such as lipids, which form the main structure of cell walls. It is used as a disinfectant for the same reasons — it breaks down bacteria and many viruses. Read more →

Welcome to the eight edition of Drugs and Pharmacology. Today, we discuss a variety of topics from anti-depressants and natural sleeping aids and their efficiency to the rise in tooth decay in children and whether fluoride supplementation is the answer.

If you were left out in this round, just leave a comment with your blog entry. Remember, we review the latest blogs related to drugs — medicinal, recreational, interactional, personal, professional, or any other aspects. You can check out the archive for every edition. Read more →

If you’re interested in drug treatment or social policy, here’s a helpful resource and recent statistics regarding drug dependence. It is a report that tells us how many people become dependent, and are still dependent, two years after their first exposure to a particular drug.

The National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) surveyed people who had used a drug for the first time between 13 to 24 months prior, and calls them “year-before-last-initiates.” In other words, it tells us how many of these initiates are currently dependent on the drug (and, of course, this includes alcohol). Read more →

It has been known for years that babies in utero (womb) suffer ill effects from their mothers’ exposure to tobacco, drugs and alcohol. A new study funded by the National Institute on Drug Abuse and performed by Michael Rivkin of Children’s Hospital Boston showed that children exposed to these toxins may suffer effects well into early adolescence.

Using MRI technology, the study looked into the long term effects of prenatal exposure to drugs, alcohol, tobacco or a combination of the three on the brain structure of preteens. The study found that these kids have thinner cortical grey matter than subjects who did not suffer exposure to toxins in utero. This study also showed a reduction in brain volume directly tied to this exposure. Read more →

Let’s Start with Rats

With visions of hangovers dancing in many readers’ minds (and brains), and in the minds of whoever saw them doing what people do when they are intoxicated (or saw it on YouTube.com); I thought I’d bring your attention to some rats. Science is learning more about why alcoholics are able to stay in denial, and why anyone should be afraid of bingeing. Read more →