Dalgarno Institute - Health Education Charity

US Voters Push Back Against Radical Drug Policies It's time to #preventdontpromote drug use. Public sentiment aligns increasingly with policies prioritising treatment and prevention. States like California have voted to expand addiction recovery services instead of supporting expanded access to substances https://lnkd.in/gvwKpmke

Cannabis, Male Fertility & Epigenetic Harms: A Four-Decade Research Evolution #cannabisculture #fatherhood #StonerFam The impact of cannabis on human fertility has emerged as a critical public health concern, particularly as global cannabis consumption has surged by 23% since 2010. With 209 million users worldwide and growing, most being males of reproductive age, understanding cannabis’s effects on fertility has never been more urgent. This increase coincides with a troubling trend – global sperm counts declined by 51.6% from 1973 to 2018, and continue to fall at an accelerating rate. The convergence of rising cannabis use and declining sperm counts has spurred renewed scientific interest in how cannabis, particularly its primary psychoactive compound THC, affects male fertility. Two landmark studies – Morishima’s groundbreaking 1984 research and Kuzma-Hunt’s comprehensive 2024 analysis – provide crucial insights into the cellular and molecular mechanisms through which cannabis influences reproductive outcomes. https://lnkd.in/gPb4PAwr

Check out 'The Hidden Genetic Risks of Cannabis Use' on WRD News #cannabisculture is no friend of healthy #Genetics https://lnkd.in/g_gGBJDd

Some vapes claiming to be cannabis contain ‘synthetic cannabinoid’ – study #vape #cannabis #Toxic A new study from the University of Bath revealed that seven vaporizers claiming to contain cannabis actually contained a much more dangerous “synthetic cannabinoid” (SC) compound. (D.I comment: Toxic Cannabis Industry and the Three Market Debacle – ‘Regulating’ psychotropic toxins of idiosyncratic unpredictability is a farcical shell game for the entire sector with an incredibly inadequate and often tokenistic effort toward ‘health’ practices. Words like ‘safe’ or ‘safety’ and cannabis products in same sentence is at best an oxymoron; at worst it is just indicative of the level of denial, willful ignorance, or plain cover-ups in the addiction for profit sector that is the ‘Cannabis Industry’ and it’s protagonists) https://lnkd.in/gx5FgsUM

Parental 'Recreational' Substance Use – The Traumatic Ripple Effect on Children #ChildrenMatter and #druguse does NOT! Here's a sobering thought: While your average recreational substance user is busy defending their "harmless fun," approximately 8.7 million children in the United States alone are living in households where at least one parent struggles with substance use disorder. That's right – one in eight children under 17 are watching their childhood disappear into the bottom of someone else's bottle or going up in someone else's smoke. Let's cut through the haze and look at what the research actually tells us about this "recreational" activity's impact on the next generation. (For complete investigation https://lnkd.in/gpqQdhTc)

Ending Violence Against Women: 16 Days of Activism -also means 16 days (for starters) where alcohol and other drug promotion, posturing and permission are ended too! (also see https://lnkd.in/gaQv-nBN ) https://lnkd.in/eJ8qq7tn

Cannabis & Pain: Alleviation or Perpetration – a Conversation with Pain Expert Dr Kenn Finn Is cannabis the answer to pain relief, or is it a wolf in sheep’s clothing? On this episode of the Unnecessary Harm Podcast, host Shane Varcoe sits down with renowned pain medicine specialist Dr. Kenn Finn to explore one of the most contentious topics in modern healthcare. From the potential benefits of cannabis in managing chronic pain to the hidden risks that often go unnoticed, Dr. Finn brings decades of medical experience and research to the table. This conversation pulls no punches as they dig into the science, challenge popular narratives, and tackle the tough questions surrounding cannabis use. Could what’s marketed as a solution be aggravating the problem? Whether you’re curious about cannabis as medicine, interested in its societal impacts, or simply looking for a grounded perspective in a highly charged debate, this episode will leave you with plenty to think about. Don’t miss this eye-opening discussion! https://lnkd.in/g3hQnn_B

Cannabis – Mitochondria I.E.D? (Cannabis and Pregnancy is a Bad Combination) #cannabis is a #genetics wrecking ball #pregnancy #pregnancyjourney Cannabinoid-mediated targeting of mitochondria on the modulation of mitochondrial function and dynamics Conclusion: Findings thus far suggest that cannabinoids directly or indirectly affect mitochondria functioning through multiple molecular mechanisms. Ultimately, these cannabinoids’ actions may lead to biologically relevant effects on distinct cell lines and tissues, both damaging and protective. (D.I. Commentary: You will find in studying the above excerpt (and full research) that there is, in a number of instances, a dose dependent effect of cannabis shown on for example mitochondrial function. It is important to understand that to control all they do mitochondria have their own genetic blueprint. High cannabis doses cause mitochondria dysfunction cellular damage and death. So, this is the problem with having unrestricted upper limits on available cannabis products. Therefore, simply looking at urine samples, as some pregnancy studies do, only tells you if women have used cannabis in the last month, so we don't separate low from high use and any immediate effect will be lost and we are not getting any real accurate understanding of the impact being made on the mitochondrial function, because there is no, or little data on THC and CBD or other cannabinoid concentrations in the cohort studied. We are playing with receptors and functions we are only now learning the tip of the iceberg about. A broad-brush estimate of the number of mitochondria per cells is something like 5,000 for heart, around 2000 for liver, but 100,000 or so for oocytes, so these are the cells that can get really disrupted and none of this is good for foetal and human healthy development.) Dr Finn Talks Cannabis In-Utero Harms https://lnkd.in/gBFqtaqf (complete research: https://lnkd.in/gAX-YapW )

Exploring the ‘Realities’ of Psychedelic Research #psychedelic Recent developments in psychedelic research have brought to light significant concerns regarding the integrity and safety of studies focused on these substances. Once hailed as a potential breakthrough in mental health treatment, psychedelics are now facing scrutiny due to issues surrounding research practices and the portrayal of their efficacy. Scientific Integrity Under Scrutiny: The allure of psychedelics as a promising treatment for mental health conditions like depression and PTSD has sparked widespread interest and investment. However, recent reports suggest that the enthusiasm for these substances may have overshadowed the rigour required in scientific research. Studies often suffer from small sample sizes and lack of proper blinding, which undermines the reliability of their findings. Additionally, the influence of researchers’ personal beliefs has been noted, potentially skewing results and leading to the underreporting of adverse side effects. As noted by The New York Times, “The F.D.A.’s rejection signals greater uncertainty for the future of psychedelic medicine. And it will take more than just additional clinical trials for advocates to get back on track — it might require changing the culture of the research community from within”. https://lnkd.in/gQE5YiTp

Pill Testing: They Were Wrong – The Facts This ‘harm reduction’ vehicle continues to prove to be little more than tacit approval of certain drug use – another ‘permission model’ that pro-drug activities love to promote. #preventdontpromote #druguse  https://lnkd.in/ga7CP5yD