Drugs and Alcohol

When people ask about the types of weed, they usually mean the major biological categories and popular strains of the cannabis plant. Cannabis has been cultivated for thousands of years for fiber, medicine and recreational purposes, and today thousands of named strains are available to consumers.

By Wren Corvayne

Where does cocaine originate from? It starts with a green shrub called Erythroxylum coca, or simply, the coca plant. Native to the Andes Mountains of South America, this plant has been cultivated for thousands of years by Indigenous communities for its stimulating properties.

By Wren Corvayne

DMT users report seeing otherworldly beings or "DMT entities," commonly described as "DMT elves." What's the science behind these reports?

By Kate Morgan

Phenibut is sold in Russia as an anti-anxiety drug. But it's not licensed as medication in many countries because of its side effects. Still it's easy to find online sold as a brain-booster.

By Jennifer Walker-Journey

Juul dominates the Big Vape market, but the company also has been accused of targeting minors in its television and marketing campaigns. Is Juul breaking or just circumventing the law?

By Michelle Konstantinovsky

An open bar at an event sounds like an invitation to a good time, but at what cost?

By Michelle Konstantinovsky

A new study offers some insight into the possible health effects of edible marijuana.

By Chris Opfer

After a night of heavy drinking, it sure would be nice not to wake up with a hangover. Some patches promise to take care of the problem can they really?

By Alia Hoyt

Some people think taking a run after a night of drinking will help them to sweat out a hangover. But is this true?

By Dave Roos

Studies indicate cannabis can help victims of chronic pain without the risk of deadly overdose.

By Jamie Allen

Some people buy "clean urine" off the internet. Others borrow a deposit from a helpful friend. But can labs tell whether your pee is your own or someone else's?

By Alia Hoyt

Isn't that just one long and toxic cocktail of intense pain?

By Laurie L. Dove

We talk with addiction specialists and recovering alcoholics to find out whether the host should hold off on the booze, give a heads-up, or do nothing.

By Alia Hoyt

Many Americans who've benefited from using medical marijuana are wondering whether they can get a prescription for their pets, too.

By Dave Roos

The chuckling, happy-go-lucky stereotype of the marijuana user may soon be laid to rest.

By Ben Bowlin

Smokers aren't all two-pack-a-day types, but many of the people who have a cigarette here and there don't consider themselves smokers.

By John Donovan

We can all name a great musician, writer or actor who's struggled with alcohol abuse. Just how linked are creative genius and a good cocktail?

By Colleen Cancio

Diabetes is a lot of work. Everything that goes into your mouth has an effect on your blood sugar, including alcohol. And new research raises the possibility that alcohol does more than just aggravate type 2 diabetes - it might cause it.

By Alison Cooper

One tequila, two tequila, three tequila, floor, goes the saying. But do you really know your blood alcohol math? This is an equation where 1 + 1 comes out a little crazy.

By Alison Cooper

Alcohol proof is always twice the alcohol percentage, right? Wrong. That depends on where on the globe you happen to be. And that's probably not the only thing you don't know about proof.

By Alison Cooper

Gout is far more terrible than it sounds. This form of arthritis that often attacks the big toe causes excruciating pain -- the kind that will make you do just about anything to make it stop. What does that mean for the beer in front of you?

By Alison Cooper

A 2010 surgeon general's report about the dangers of smoking led to headlines warning "One Cigarette Can Kill You!" Should you take this claim with a grain of salt or start worrying about that cigarette you puffed at a party five years ago?

By Jennifer Sellers

It can be embarrassing, but it also may be a survival skill. Find out why some of us get red-faced while tying one on.

By Laurie L. Dove

At best, drinking alcohol can lower your inhibitions and relax you; at worst, it can be dangerous. Find out exactly how alcohol does what it does.

By Laurie L. Dove

More than giving you a buzz, coffee is now proving what many of us claim that we've always known: coffee is good for you!

By Laurel House