Many people wonder, “What is ‘wet brain’?” Wet brain is a slang term for Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome (WKS). It’s important to note that WKS is two conditions, and both are a type of brain damage that happens because chronic alcoholism causes a person to absorb less vitamin B1 (thiamine). People who drink a lot of alcohol over a long period stop … Read More

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) warned the public against the use of kratom, citing potential dangers. Recently, the FDA issued warnings to two major distributors of kratom for mislabeling the substance and misrepresenting the kratom as having health benefits. This new development indicates that the FDA may be taking a stronger stand against kratom use and comes at a … Read More

Colorado and Washington were the first two states in the country to legalize the use of recreational marijuana for people aged 21 years and older. Despite the legal purchase age restriction, both states are starting to see increasing problems relating to youths and teens using marijuana. Increasingly Potent Marijuana There are reports from doctors, educators and parents pointing to the … Read More

Cannabidiol, commonly referred to as CBD oil, is gaining momentum in the United States. CBD oil is one of the compounds found in the cannabis plant. However, unlike the well-known THC compound, CBD does not have a psychoactive effect, so a person’s state of mind is not altered with use. CBD oil has proven health benefits for certain conditions, such … Read More

The state of Colorado may have one of the nation’s most progressive views on the legalization of certain kinds of drugs, but the opioid epidemic and other substance abuse issues persist. One group of people affected who need immediate attention are pregnant women. While opioid-related deaths in the state of Colorado are modestly declining, the death rates among pregnant women … Read More

With many states in the U.S. legalizing not only medical marijuana but recreational marijuana as well, the country has recently taken a more accepting stance on marijuana use. However, there are also health concerns that become more apparent as states adopt less rigid attitudes towards the legality of marijuana. One example is the growing number of visits to the emergency … Read More

The opioid epidemic in the United States over the past 20 years caused a surge in overdoses across the country. The spike in overdose deaths reached every state, including Colorado. Opioid overdoses in Colorado increased by a staggering 179% between 2001 and 2015. In 2017, 558 people died from an opioid or heroin overdose in the state. However, in 2018, … Read More

Kratom is a substance proponents tout as a beneficial herbal supplement, while critics say it has the potential to be dangerous or even deadly. At the federal level, there’s been a lot of back-and-forth over the legality of kratom. According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, consumers shouldn’t use kratom, technically known as Mitragyna speciose. Despite this warning, it’s … Read More

Texas recently enacted a law increasing the legal smoking age. Senate Bill 21 was signed into law June 7, 2019,  prohibiting the sale of any tobacco products, including e-cigarettes, to anyone under the age of 21. Texas joins 14 other states in increasing the smoking age to 21. These types of laws are informally referred to as “Tobacco 21” laws. … Read More

A recent article published by Colorado Public Radio reported that doctors in Colorado succeeded in reducing opioid prescriptions by 14% — a small but important accomplishment in reigning in the problem with over-prescribed opioids. Data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) suggest that doctors are prescribing opioids less: Doctors wrote opioid prescriptions at a rate of 72.4 … Read More