New paper explains why there needs to be a shift in cannabis policies to a public health approach as opposed to the prevailing, more punitive approach that pushes abstinence instead of public education. The case is more urgent with cannabis now legal to some extent in most US states.

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#CannabisPolicy #PublicHealthApproach #HarmReduction #DrugPolicyReform #CannabisEducation

Effectiveness of Harm Reduction Interventions in Chemsex: A Systematic Review

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#HarmReduction #ChemsexResearch #PublicHealth #AddictionRecovery #MentalHealthAwareness

Little-known psychedelic drug, 5-dimethoxy-4-iodoamphetamine, reduces motivation to take heroin in rats, study finds

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#Psychedelics #AddictionResearch #MentalHealth #HarmReduction #Neuroscience

Harm Reduction works. 💊 72% of participants in the SAFER program in Vancouver reduced unregulated drug use after accessing pharmaceutical-grade fentanyl powder. 🌿

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#HarmReduction #SaferProgram #Vancouver #DrugPolicy #PublicHealth

Cannabis study: legalization reduces problematic consumption, particularly among people who use other drugs in addition to cannabis 🌿📉🧪

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#CannabisLegalization #HarmReduction #SubstanceUse #PublicHealth #AddictionResearch

Heated tobacco and cigarettes cause the same gut and vascular damage. Both HTPs and conventional cigarettes impair gut barrier integrity and increase cardiovascular risk, refuting claims of reduced harm. The results highlight the urgent need for stronger tobacco control policies. 🥵🚬💔

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#TobaccoControl #PublicHealth #CardiovascularRisk #HarmReduction #GutHealth

Cannabis use associated with a reduction in alcohol intake: 🍃 A new study reports that for some heavy drinkers, using cannabis may be associated with consuming less alcohol. This reduction in drinking appears linked to a decrease in alcohol craving that occurs after cannabis use. 🍺✨

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#CannabisResearch #AlcoholConsumption #HarmReduction #HealthStudies #CannabisCommunity

🍄 Psychiatric distress is common with classic psychedelics and MDMA, but severe physical complications are rare in real-world use, according to a global pharmacovigilance analysis published in Psychiatry Research.

🍄 Reports of substance abuse are high for LSD and MDMA, but this may be linked to simultaneous use of other intoxicants rather than psychedelics alone, the study suggests.

🍄 Cardiac, respiratory, and gastrointestinal disorders were uncommon in the VigiBase dataset, with pregnancy-related complications and congenital abnormalities also appearing extremely rare.

🍄 While psychedelics are linked to higher odds of "substance use disorder" and "dependence" compared to acetaminophen, this is likely influenced by polysubstance use.

#PsychedelicResearch #DrugSafety #HarmReduction

🌿 A survey published in the Journal of Psychoactive Drugs suggests cannabis-infused beverages may help reduce alcohol consumption. Nearly two-thirds of participants who used these drinks lowered their weekly alcohol intake from an average of 7 drinks to approximately 3.35.

🍻 Binge drinking also decreased significantly. Before using cannabis drinks, 47% of users binge drank less than once a month or never. This number rose to nearly 81% after incorporating cannabis beverages.

🍹 61.5% of cannabis beverage users reported reducing their alcohol intake, with only about 1% stopping alcohol consumption entirely, indicating moderation rather than complete replacement for most.

#Cannabis #HarmReduction #AlcoholAlternatives

🔬 A study in Contemporary Drug Problems suggests that the 1971 UN decision to heavily restrict psychedelics was driven by political ideology and media panic, not scientific evidence of medical harm. Historical documents from 1963-1971 reveal that anxieties about youth rebellion, social decay, and an "epidemic of drug abuse", amplified by sensationalized media reports, influenced diplomats more than scientific data on the substances' low addiction risk and physiological safety.

🏛️ Cold War tensions between the US and USSR played a significant role in shaping the 1971 Convention on Psychotropic Substances. Eastern Bloc countries used the issue to criticize Western societies, while Western nations emphasized strict drug control as a public health measure, ultimately forging a global consensus for the strictest level of legal control on psychedelics, alongside highly addictive substances.

⚖️ Unlike sedatives and stimulants, which were supported by powerful pharmaceutical companies, psychedelics lacked major industry defenders. This absence of economic protection made them an easier target for international prohibition, as competing interests like culture, geopolitics, and finance overshadowed considerations of their actual risks or therapeutic potential during the treaty negotiations.

#PsychedelicResearch #DrugPolicy #HarmReduction

🚨 Kratom-related poisonings have surged by approximately 1,200% over the past decade, with a significant increase in 2025. Experts believe this is due to synthetic derivatives like 7-hydroxymitragynine (7-OH), which has been marketed alongside natural kratom.

📈 The distinction between natural kratom (Mitragyna speciosa) and synthetic 7-OH is critical. While natural kratom has centuries of use for pain management and has shown relative safety in studies, 7-OH carries dangers similar to opioids, including addiction and respiratory depression risks.

⚖️ Despite these differences, many states have implemented or proposed broad bans on all kratom products. This impacts users who rely on natural kratom for chronic pain management and addiction recovery, with about half of surveyed users reporting chronic pain and 40% in addiction recovery.

#Kratom #PublicHealth #HarmReduction

💊 New Hope for Methamphetamine Use Disorder (MUD): An antidepressant, mirtazapine, shows promise in reducing methamphetamine use, filling a treatment gap where no FDA-approved medications previously existed. A 2026 clinical trial demonstrated it can decrease days of use.

💊 MUD Complexity & Co-use: Approximately 2.4 million people in the U.S. used methamphetamine in the past year. MUD often involves polysubstance use (averaging 3.3 substances) and is linked to increased risks of overdose, infectious diseases, and severe medical, neurological, and psychiatric issues.

💊 Mirtazapine's Practical Advantages: Unlike more complex treatments, mirtazapine is readily available, inexpensive, and can be prescribed by primary care physicians. It helps manage common MUD symptoms like sleep disturbances, anxiety, and mood instability.

#AddictionTreatment #MentalHealth #HarmReduction

A 1967 LSD safety pamphlet still holds up as psychedelics boom. Nearly 600 users backed 18 of 19 old tips: stay with trusted people, skip public outings, know the trip ends, and anxiety is not a problem. Mixed only on avoiding mirrors. 60-year-old harm-reduction advice still fits new users now.

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#PsychedelicsSafety #HarmReduction #LSDHistory