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Under the Influence – How Hazing Drives Substance Use Among Students
Chase Roberts is a former student at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. After enduring severe hazing as a pledge in a fraternity, Roberts began using drugs as a coping mechanism. He described how the trauma from the hazing rituals led him to seek solace in substances like marijuana and...
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Marijuana and Hallucinogen Use, Binge Drinking Reached Historic Highs Among Adults 35 to 50
Past-year use of marijuana and hallucinogen use by adults 35 to 50 years old continued a long-term upward trajectory to reach all-time highs in 2022, according to the Monitoring the Future (MTF) panel study, an annual survey of substance use behaviors and attitudes of adults 19 to 60 years old....
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Older Adults and Substance Misuse: Hiding in Plain Sight
Last winter “Lucy,” an 87-year-old woman, was referred to Service Program for Older People (SPOP) by her primary care doctor. Lucy’s husband had died during the COVID-19 pandemic, and she was struggling with unresolved grief, depression, and panic attacks. A retired teacher, she had enjoyed a...