Monthly Archives: April 2009

Question: Can people tolerate alcohol?

It depends on what you mean by tolerate. Alcohol is a neurotoxin (nerve poison) that affects every cell in the body. It is good for no one in large quantities. Can people tolerate alcohol in small quantities? Most people can … Continue reading

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Eliminating Drug-Associated Memories To Treat Drug Addiction

One more tool, maybe… clipped from www.medicalnewstoday.com “In this study, we found that after repeatedly giving cocaine injections to rats within a particular environment, the rats developed a strong preference for that environment over another environment where a placebo was … Continue reading

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New Drug Effective on 2/3 of Hep C Victims in 24 Weeks

Studies: Drug shows promise against hepatitis C Hepatitis C is a huge and growing problem because for years there was no way to screen the blood supply for the virus. Infection often doesn’t produce symptoms for many years, so many … Continue reading

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Street Drug Linked To Lasting Social Deficits

Street Drug Linked To Lasting Social Deficits “This tells us that [methamphetamine] use has psychological consequences, and, potentially, consequences for these individuals’ social functioning. The size of these social reasoning deficits was comparable to the memory problems that have also … Continue reading

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Swine Flu — No Need To Panic

Good article. (I wrote it.) clipped from open.salon.com Hysteria has already begun with the recent news of the swine flu outbreaks in Mexico, the US and Canada. I have spoken to people who say that they intend to wear face … Continue reading

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On Vacation

Be out of circulation Friday through Monday.  Have a great weekend!

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Just wondering…

If “the only requirement for membership is a desire to stop drinking,” how can they tell you that you are not supposed to talk about drugs?

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8.5% of US Youths Who Play Video Games Show Multiple Signs of Addiction

U.S. Youths Addicted to Video Games, Study Finds – washingtonpost.com A new study concludes that children can become addicted to playing video games, with some skimping on homework, lying about how much they play and struggling, without success, when they … Continue reading

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A couple of remarks about the infallibility of 12-step programs

Let me say at the outset that I am a firm believer in AA, NA and the other 12-step fellowships, just in case no one has noticed. They saved my life, the life of my wife, and of my best … Continue reading

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Clues to Alcohol’s Cancer Connection

Study Provides Clues to Alcohol’s Cancer Connection For the first time scientists have demonstrated a model that may explain how alcohol stimulates tumor growth.

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Question: Can you become addicted to alcohol the first time you use it?

No. It takes more than one exposure to become addicted to a drug, although it is possible that one might like it so much that one becomes psychologically disposed to drink more from the beginning.

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Ms. Ebony Ankledancer

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Pet Lovers Vindicated! (Not that we needed it…)

clipped from www.salon.com Just having a pet in a room when you’re doing a mental stress test has been found to lower the subject’s heart rate, blood pressure and stress-hormone levels better than having their spouse in the room.  

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Q: Can addictive drugs cause Down Syndrome?

Down Syndrome is a genetically-transmitted disease cause by the presence of part or all of an extra 21st chromosome. We can’t blame this one on the drugs. However, drug use (including alcohol) while pregnant could complicate the issue with developmental … Continue reading

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A note to the folks who, by now, must think I’m suffering from Multiple Personality Disorder or something like that:

Dear Readers, I hope you don’t mind if I call you “Dear Readers.”  All three of you are very important to me, and I hope you’ll leave a message after the beep. Here’s the thing about the changes on the … Continue reading

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