Science

‘Hangxiety’: why alcohol gives you a hangover and anxiety

Alcohol, he says, targets the Gaba (gamma-aminobutyric acid) receptor, which sends chemical messages through the brain and central nervous system to inhibit the activity of nerve cells. Put simply, it calms the brain, reducing excitement by making fewer neurons fire. “Alcohol stimulates Gaba, which is why you get relaxed and cheerful when you drink,” explains…

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Anthropology

Confessions of a White Vampire

Several times during my stay in the [ayahuasca drinking] community, different men took me aside and confided that they knew of nearby gold deposits that they would be willing to show me. They said this as if to test my interest. I would reply with indifference to these propositions, much to my interlocutors’ surprise. A…

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Modern Culture

Colorado is finally getting its first cannabis club

The city of Denver granted its first license on Monday to a business that will allow marijuana use on its premises. The Coffee Joint plans to charge patrons a $5 entry fee and permit them to consume their own cannabis in edible or vapor form.​​Denver voters approved a measure to create a social-use pilot program in 2016. Interested businesses…

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Modern Culture

Why police boss thinks drug users should get to test their substances at clubs and festivals

“Members of the public can bring substances of concern for free, anonymous and non judgemental forensic analysis by PhD chemists. “They then receive the results as part of a brief intervention by a healthcare professional with the overall aim of reducing drug-related harm. Fiona Measham, director of The Loop and professor of criminology at Durham…

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Modern Culture

Marijuana dispensaries are keeping cannabis out of the hands of minors in Oregon

All 25 marijuana dispensaries in Oregon passed the latest round of state minor decoy operations. The Oregon Liquor Control Commission (OLCC), which regulates the marijuana industry, periodically sends minors to try to buy marijuana from retail outlets. The latest operations targeted dispensaries in Portland, Bend and Salem, all of which had a compliance rate of…

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