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Tag Archives: international

Global Access To Pain Relief Needs To Be Improved

Jason Nickerson and Amir Attaran of the University of Ottawa, Canada examine in this week’s PLoS Medicine the vast inequities in medical pain relief around the world, arguing that the imbalance has arisen from restrictive drug laws designed to prevent access to illegal substances, and proposing that the global control of licit narcotics be shifted from the International Narcoti…

China’s Academician under Fire for Tobacco Research

A researcher who specializes in low-tar cigarette studies is facing growing criticism after being honored with a seat in the elite Chinese Academy of Engineering, which health experts say only serves to discredit the country’s tobacco-control efforts. Xie Jianping, 52, is known for his research on low-tar cigarettes and serves as the deputy head of a tobacco research institute under China National Tobacco Corporation (China Tobacco) — China’s tobacco monopoly and the world’s largest cigarette company. Gan Quan, a senior project officer with the International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease, said it is an international common practice that science and research institutes should distance themselves from tobacco interests.

Opening Bars Longer Found To Increase Violence: Norwegian Study

A new study published in the international journal Addiction demonstrates that even small changes in pub and bar closing hours seem to affect the number of violent incidents. The findings suggest that a one-hour extension of bar closing hours led to an increase of an average of 20 violent cases at night on weekends per 100,000 people per year…

Drug Laws Fail To Protect Children

“Would legal regulation and control of drugs better protect children?” is a question posed by former President of Brazil, Fernando Henrique Cardoso in an editorial to be published in the January issue of Elsevier’s International Journal of Drug Policy (IJDP)…

Star Scientific May Be ‘One Up On Wall Street’

Peter Lynch’s legendary book “One Up on Wall Street” encourages retail investors to search for and find “tenbaggers” before they become widely known. He suggests that we, as individual investors, can occasionally find opportunities on Main Street USA before the investment professionals on Wall Street discover them.

Governing through problems: The formulation of policy on amphetamine-type stimulants (ATS) in Australia

Abstract: Producing and implementing credible and effective policies on illicit drug use is generally seen as an important aspect of health governance in the West.

Is The Alcohol Industry Profiting From Underage Drinking?

In a study published online in the international journal Addiction, researchers at the University of Pittsburgh reported that the average US adolescent is heavily exposed to alcohol brand references in popular music…

Popular Music Linked To Top Alcohol Brands – Is Industry Exploiting Underage Drinking?

Music like rap, hip hop and R&B often contain references to branded alcoholic beverages that are commonly linked to a luxury lifestyle which degrades sexual activity, violence, wealth, partying, and the use of drugs. Researchers at the University in Pittsburgh conducted a study published online in the international journal Addiction that reports that the average U.S…

What is the difference between dependence and withdrawal reactions? A comparison of benzodiazepines and selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors

Abstract Aims:  To explore the rationale for claiming that benzodiazepines cause dependence while selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) do not. Methods:  We analysed the definitions of dependence and withdrawal reactions as they had appeared over time in the Diagnostic Statistical Manual of Mental Diseases (DSM) and the International Classification of Diseases (ICD). We also compared the discontinuation symptoms described for the two drug groups in a systematic review

The association between exposure to point-of-sale anti-smoking warnings and smokers’ interest in quitting and quit attempts: Findings from the…

ABSTRACT Aims This study aimed to examine the associations between reported exposure to anti-smoking warnings at the point-of-sale (POS) and smokers’ interest in quitting and their subsequent quit attempts by comparing reactions in Australia where warnings are prominent to smokers in other countries. Design A prospective multi-country cohort design was employed. Setting Australia, Canada, the UK and the US.