Drugs

People with cannabis use disorder had more than triple the odds of developing oral cancer, a large five-year study found, raising red flags about the carcinogenic risks of heavy cannabis use, especially in its smoked form.

Traces of a psychoactive compound has been found in the dental plaque of a woman buried 4,000 years ago, making it the earliest direct chemical evidence of humans chewing betel nut – the world's fourth biggest drug, after tobacco, caffeine and alcohol.

While it's very important to know if a "date rape" drug has been sneaked into your drink, whipping out a full test kit in a bar may be time-consuming. That's why scientists have developed a temporary tattoo that can detect such drugs in one second.

A common anti-nausea drug used during chemotherapy may do more than ease discomfort, it could help women with aggressive breast cancers live longer, cutting the risk of death by up to 39% in some cases, according to a new study.

In the ongoing search to find an intervention that does away with opioids, a new game-based system has shown huge promise in tackling chronic neuropathic pain. Using a game and a headset, it "trains" patients to rewire brain signals to relieve pain.

A new study has found that smoking marijuana and ingesting THC edibles over the long term can reduce blood vessel function at levels similar to those seen in cigarette smokers, posing a risk to heart health.

The first once-daily oral GLP-1 medication could be on shelves by this time next year, making the weight-loss drug easier to take and potentially cheaper. In the race to be the first, Novo Nordisk has scored a huge win, while Pfizer has failed again.

For some common medical conditions, timing is everything when it comes to taking medications. Now, a customizable capsule engineered at UC San Diego could simplify complicated dosing schedules thanks to a unique staged release system.

A benzodiazepine seeping into waterways is causing young Atlantic salmon to behave strangely, with fish in the wild migrating more rapidly and taking more risks on their journey from river to ocean. It even seems to be messing up their social lives.

A study published in the journal Antiquity suggested an ancient South American civilization spiked a beer-like drink with psychoactive drugs as a way of maintaining social cohesion and forging new bonds with surrounding communities.

COVID antiviral Paxlovid wasn't perfect. Many patients couldn't take it due to extreme side effects but now the second generation of antivirals are on the way and they promise better efficacy and fewer drug complications.

A 2018 study found patients suffering from cancer-related fatigue got improvements in their symptoms after knowingly being given a placebo. The research is part of a body of work suggesting "honest" placebos could play a role in clinical treatments.