Category Archives: Addiction
Marijuana Addiction in the Age of Legal Weed
Generation X writer Neal Pollack thought he had it all: a good writing career, a strong marriage, even a lucrative 3-day run on “Jeopardy”! That brought him national attention. Like many in his generation, he also smoked a lot of … Continue reading
Why Do We Get Addicted
Think about an experience that makes you feel good. It could be successfully completing a project at work, eating a warm chocolate chip cookie or taking a swig of whiskey. It could be a puff of a cigarette or a … Continue reading
Addiction Hijacks the Brain
You’ve probably heard of the brain’s reward network. It’s activated by basic needs — including food, water and sex — and releases a surge of the feel-good neurotransmitter dopamine when those needs are met. But it can also be hijacked … Continue reading
Drug addiction is complex
We’re told studies have proven that drugs like heroin and cocaine instantly hook a user. But it isn’t that simple – little-known experiments over 30 years ago tell a very different tale. Drugs are scary. The words “heroin” and “cocaine” … Continue reading
Addiction: Is Love All You Need?
If anything deserves to be called “the establishment view,” it is what Johann Hari — in his new book on addiction and the war on drugs, Chasing the Scream: The First and Last Days of the War on Drugs — calls the pharmaceutical … Continue reading
Researchers seek answers of brain on (legal) cannabis
For those suffering depression or anxiety, using cannabis for relief may not be the long-term answer. That’s according to new research from a team at Colorado State University seeking scientific clarity on how cannabis — particularly chronic, heavy use — … Continue reading