The California Drug Addiction Helpline is committed to helping those who struggle with drug addiction find treatment. These resources will provide readers with articles and up to date reports on issues regarding drug addiction and treatment. Check back often for new and exciting material.

Smoking marijuana doesn’t only get you high, it can also cause meningitis!

Smoking marijuana doesn’t only get you high, it can also cause meningitis!

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Not long ago, a 48-year-old California woman who smoked up to six medical marijuana strains a day was admitted to the Cedars-Sinai Medical Center (CSMC) in Los Angeles. She showed symptoms like dizziness, tiredness, aggressive behavior and difficulty in remembering her own name. She was diagnosed with a potentially deadly meningitis infection.

Owing to her problem, the woman’s behavior had become so erratic that she not only lost her job but also assaulted a nurse at a medical center. Unable to figure out her ailment, the staff at the CSMC emergency room referred her to the psychiatric department. “We thought it might be catatonia (abnormal movement triggered by mental issues), and it took us some time to rule out a psychiatric illness,” said Dr. Bryan Shapiro, who treated the woman. Read more

New track-and-trace software to help California prevent marijuana black marketing

New track-and-trace software to help California prevent marijuana black marketing

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With 30 states and the District of Columbia legalizing marijuana in one form or the other, the risk of cannabis abuse has only become higher than ever in the United States. California, which was the first state to establish a medical marijuana program way back in 1996, took a leap by legalizing weed for recreational use from January 1, 2018. However, realizing the threat of misuse of the legally grown marijuana the state engaged a Florida-based software company to develop a tracking system to keep tabs on the publicly available cannabis. Read more

Fentanyl test strips in high demand, but hard to find

Fentanyl test strips in high demand, but hard to find

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Dependency on drugs is fast becoming a normal feature. With the number of drug users increasing on a daily basis, there is also a sharp rise in overdose fatalities. In an effort to control an overdose, harm-reduction workers are nowadays using a tool to help drug abusers avoid death. This tool or drug test strips are able to detect the presence of fentanyl.

There have been regular calls to the Ontario-based biotechnology company BTNX, which offers the testing kits, by distraught parents who have lost their children to fentanyl overdose. They have been eager to get their hands on drug testing strips, which are said to detect the presence of fentanyl. However, CEO of the company, Iqbal Sunderani, says he is forced to turn them down. Read more

Tips on safe recreational drug use

Tips on safe recreational drug use

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From alcohol to opioids, most adults have tried some sort of a recreational drug. Some of the most popular drugs (including prescription and illicit ones) with high rates of recreational use are marijuana, hydrocodone, amphetamine, cocaine, oxycodone, LSD, methamphetamine, heroin, buprenorphine, morphine, methadone, oxymorphone and ketamine. Often, people do not realize that they might develop an addiction or other health problems. Occasional but reckless use increases the threat to one’s life. If it is hard to quit immediately, it is better to use them sensibly until gaining sobriety. Read more

Key risk factors responsible for triggering drug-seeking behavior

Key risk factors responsible for triggering drug-seeking behavior

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Characterized by compulsive drug-seeking behavior despite knowing the negative consequences, addiction is a chronic brain disease that has paralyzed millions of people worldwide. In the United States alone, an estimated 28.6 million people aged 12 or older were current illicit drug users in 2016.

Despite the tough laws and regulations, the mortality rate due to illicit drug abuse continues to grow. This rise in the mortality rate has been attributed to overdose deaths, adverse health effects, poor socioeconomic condition, etc. Read more