In the United States, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approves the use of drugs for specific health conditions. Some drugs, however, can be used "off label," meaning a doctor prescribes them for a different condition than its originally approved use or at a different dosage. Prescribing off-label is perfectly ... Read More
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The Off-Label Overprescription of Some Drugs
Actor Cary Grant’s Surprising Experience with LSD
From the late 1930s to the early 1960s, the name of Cary Grant was synonymous with the debonair leading man of Hollywood's golden age. Coming up through the studio system, Grant starred in some of the most successful films of the Silver Screen era, such as Bringing Up Baby, Arsenic and Old Lace and An Affair to ... Read More
What’s an Addiction Feedback Loop?
For a long time, people viewed substance use disorder (SUD) as a sign of poor self-control, evidence of a weak will and a symptom of bad behavior. These negative attitudes contributed to the spread of misinformation about addiction, making it difficult for people struggling with it to admit their problems and seek ... Read More
What Is Angel Dust?
Angel dust, also known as PCP (phencyclidine), is commonly found as a white powder. This powder may be smoked, eaten, snorted or injected. The drug was first developed as an anesthesia for use during surgery and other medical procedures. When its toxic effects became known, it was quickly removed from use in ... Read More
What Is Oxytocin Spray and Is It Safe to Take?
Many pregnant women and mothers might be familiar with the synthetic version of oxytocin, Pitocin. It may surprise you to know that this labor and delivery drug is also available in a nasal spray. Oxytocin nasal spray uses range from anxiety treatments to long-term autism support. In clinical trials, oxytocin shows ... Read More
5 Health Effects of Long-Term Xanax Use
Many people take one or more prescription drugs as part of their daily regimen and worry about the long-term health effects of these drugs. The commonly prescribed, anti-anxiety drug Xanax is a case in point. This blog is the first in a series that examines popularly prescribed drugs for anxiety and depression and ... Read More
Can You Get High on Benadryl?
Some over-the-counter drugs such as Benadryl can mimic the types of high feelings that marijuana and other drugs produce. The active drug in Benadryl is diphenhydramine. When taken according to directions, this drug is meant to treat symptoms of colds and allergies, and it's sometimes used for motion sickness or ... Read More
Overdose Statistics by Demographic Groups
Every year in the United States, more than 100,000 people lose their lives to drug overdose. While a shocking 16,706 deaths in 2021 were directly linked to legal, prescribed medications — specifically opioids — drug overdose death rates encompass more than just those with a legal prescription. The Opioid Crisis: ... Read More