Category Archives: News

Hemp industry pushes back against Senate bill to ban THC; the ban may pass the Senate but prospects are less certain in the House

Various Delta 8 THC products at a Valero station on Thursday, Feb. 9, 2023 in Spring Branch.

Six years after Texas lawmakers inadvertently triggered the state’s consumable hemp market, the TX Senate is pushing to shut down the industry by barring products that contain tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC.   Yet the proposal to ban THC faces uncertain prospects in the House, where the hemp industry is bullish about getting

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US drug overdose deaths drop to lowest levels since June 2020, CDC data shows

Overdose Rescue kits are sit on a table during an Opioid Overdose Prevention Training class provided by Lourdes Hospital in Binghamton, New York
Feb 25 (Reuters) – Nearly 87,000 Americans died from drug overdose in the United States in the 12-month period ending September 2024, a decline of about 24% from the previous year, according to preliminary data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released on Tuesday.
This is the
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Alcohol-Related Organ Complications Increasing in Teens, Young Adults — The most affected organ was the pancreas

A photo of a male physician pointing to an anatomical model of the pancreas and gall bladder.

Alcohol-associated pancreatitis and liver disease have been increasing among adolescents and young adults, according to a retrospective population-based cohort study from Canada. Rates of pancreatitis and liver-related complications from alcohol have increased in teens and young adults.  Males were most affected, yet young females had changes in rates that were

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Vaping Does Not Help U.S. Tobacco Smokers Quit and May Actually Make It Harder To Quit Smoking, Study Reports

Researchers at the University of California San Diego have found, among smokers in the US, e-cigarette use does not increase smoking cessation and is actually associated with reduced tobacco abstinence. The findings refute the notion that e-cigarettes can help people quit, a common misperception among tobacco users and e-cigarette

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Domestic violence is up in Texas: Survivors and supporters hope lawmakers will take action.

State Rep. Suleman Lalani, D-Sugar Land (R), confers with Rep. Armando Walle on the House floor on April 06, 2023.TYLER – Reported domestic violence incidents have risen 26% since 2019.  Cheyenne Russell was with children when ex-boyfriend, Jorian Jackson, arrived.  Russell, 26, and Jackson, 29, began to fight over their fractured relationship that ended about a year prior. That’s when Jackson allegedly shot and killed Russell.

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Narcan distribution sites increase on University of Texas campus and West Campus

The Narcan vending machine, installed by the Naloxone In Case of Emergency organization, stands outside the Rio Market on Feb. 11, 2025.

Operation Naloxone implemented four additional Narcan distribution sites on campus last month.  Operation Naloxone is a University program focused on improving access, distribution and educational outreach of Naloxone, a medication used to reverse opioid overdose. Since its establishment in 2019, the program has set up Narcan distribution sites at various

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“Tall Cop” shares updates on youth drug use and hidden dangers and accessibility

Jermaine Galloway aka as the Tall Cop speaks about his key findings from a local scan of the Amarillo Community last week at Amarillo College.Officer Jermaine Galloway, known as “The Tall Cop,” says that marijuana legalization across the country has contributed to increased accessibility, particularly for cannabis-based products like Delta-8 THC and high-potency vapes.  “Legal doesn’t mean safe,” he warned. “We’re seeing dangerous substances being marketed as harmless, and kids are being drawn in

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Vaping weed has become popular, but young users should be aware it carries risks

A vape pen is filled with a concentrated form of THC, the psychoactive ingredient in weed, along side marijuana buds.

The average cannabis flower contains about 17% or 18% THC, the concentration in vapes can reach 95% or higher.  A vape pen is filled with a concentrated form of THC, the psychoactive ingredient in weed, alongside marijuana buds.  As marijuana sales increase across the board, vaping weed from an

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First-ever Travis County fentanyl murder charge highlights Texas crackdown efforts

AUSTIN – A man is facing a murder charge for his alleged connection with the August 2024 death of a 22-year-old man that was caused by the toxic effects of fentanyl and other drugs, according to the Travis County Sheriff’s Office, its first fentanyl-related murder warrant.

TCSO said it secured … Continue to full story .......

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Addressing The Link Between Trauma And Addiction

Many Americans have experienced traumatic events, toxic stress, and other types of adversity in childhood. However, repeated exposure to trauma and adversity in childhood predicts a variety of poor health outcomes, including the development of substance use disorder (SUD).

Population-level research, neuroscience, epigenetics, and other fields have established that the

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Del Valle man sentenced to 10 years for distributing fentanyl-laced pills

fentanylA 22-year-old Del Valle man has been sentenced to 120 months in federal prison for distributing fake oxycodone pills laced with fentanyl. Gabriel Cecilio Osorio was investigated in 2023; a search of his home revealed an additional 3,700 pills, a money counter, a digital scale, four firearms, and $45,701 in … Continue to full story .......

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SUD Treatment Month: Substance Use Disorders Treatment Options Provided by SAMHSA

Many people make new promises to their health and well-being at the beginning of the year. To emphasize the value of expanding access to treatment for substance use disorders (SUDs), SAMHSA is launching “SUD Treatment Month” in January. This annual observance will be dedicated to spreading awareness about the effectiveness … Continue to full story .......

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