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Published: 11 July 2024

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Recent research exposes how social media influencers are promoting vaping to adolescents, raising serious concerns about public health and safety. This study highlights the urgent need for preventive measures and stringent regulations. Legalising or normalising vaping without addressing these promotional tactics is incredibly reckless.

Manipulative Marketing Tactics: The study reveals that influencers employ manipulative marketing tactics to attract adolescent followers to vaping. These tactics glamorise vaping, making it appear trendy and harmless. Legalising vaping without tackling these deceptive promotions is irresponsibly shortsighted. Robust preventive measures are essential to counteract such manipulative influences and safeguard young minds.

Health Risks and Addiction: Vaping poses significant health risks, including nicotine addiction, respiratory issues, and potential long-term consequences that are still being studied. The study underscores the severe implications of adolescent vaping, emphasising that legalisation without comprehensive preventive strategies is negligent. Educating the public about these health risks is crucial to preventing a new wave of nicotine addiction among youth.

Effective Preventive Strategies: Implementing effective preventive strategies is critical in combating the influence of social media on adolescent vaping habits. This includes stricter regulations on advertising, enhanced public awareness campaigns, and promoting healthier alternatives. Legalisation without these preventive frameworks is a perilous path. Prioritising prevention and responsible regulation is vital to protect the health and well-being of adolescents.

(For detailed analysis and further reading, please visit WRD News)

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Published: 08 July 2024

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Inhaling THC through vaping poses serious health risks that are often downplayed by proponents of cannabis legalisation. Recent evidence underscores the dangers associated with this method of consumption, making a strong case for stringent preventive measures. Legalising without addressing these risks is both irresponsible and dangerous.

Respiratory Damage: Vaping THC introduces harmful substances into the lungs, leading to severe respiratory issues. Chemicals found in vaping products can cause lung inflammation, chronic bronchitis, and even acute lung injury. Legalising THC vaping products without considering these significant health risks is reckless. A focus on prevention and regulation is essential to protect public health from these damaging effects.

Mental Health Concerns: THC is linked to various mental health issues, including anxiety, depression, and psychosis, which can be exacerbated by vaping due to the rapid delivery of the substance to the brain. These mental health risks underscore the need to prevent teen and adult use through comprehensive education and strict regulation. Legalisation without these safeguards is a recipe for increased mental health crises.

Addiction and Behavioural Issues: Vaping THC is highly addictive and can lead to significant behavioural problems. The concentrated forms of THC in vaping products increase the risk of dependency, particularly among young users. Legalising without implementing robust preventive measures will result in a surge of addiction and related behavioural issues. Emphasising prevention and control strategies is crucial to mitigate these risks.

Source: Dr Jeremy London

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Published: 13 May 2024

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E-cigarette use raises heart failure risk by 19%

More than 64 million people around the world are affected by heart failure.

Heart failure can occur if the heart muscle is damaged in some way, such as through disease, high blood pressure, or cigarette smoking.

A new study from researchers at MedStar Health says people who use e-cigarettes have a much higher risk of developing heart failure compared to those who have never vaped.

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Published: 16 April 2024

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Background: Resurgent psychedelic research has largely supported the safety and efficacy of psychedelic therapy for the treatment of various psychiatric disorders. As psychedelic use and therapy increase in prevalence, so does the importance of understanding associated risks. Cases of prolonged negative psychological responses to psychedelic therapy seem to be rare; however, studies are limited by biases and small sample sizes. The current analytical approach was motivated by the question of whether rare but significant adverse effects have been under-sampled in psychedelic research studies.

Results: We find that 16% of the cohort falls into the “negative responder” subset. Parsing the sample by self-reported history of psychiatric diagnoses, results revealed a disproportionate prevalence of negative responses among those reporting a prior personality disorder diagnosis (31%). One multivariate regression model indicated a greater than four-fold elevated risk of adverse psychological responses to psychedelics in the personality disorder subsample (b = 1.425, p < 0.05).

Conclusion: We infer that the presence of a personality disorder may represent an elevated risk for psychedelic use and hypothesize that the importance of psychological support and good therapeutic alliance may be increased in this population.

(Source: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/epub/10.1177/02698811241232548 )