more on cannabis decriminalisation

After California decriminalized marijuana, teen arrest, overdose and dropout rates fell. Read more here.

no direct link between being tough on drugs and tackling the problem

The UK government’s comparison of international drug laws, published on Wednesday last week, represents the first official recognition since the 1971 Misuse of Drugs Act that there is no direct link between being “tough on drugs” and tackling the problem. The full report is available here.

placebo effect

A great explanatory video about this phenomenon is available here:

The Placebo Effect

preventing suicide

"Every 40 seconds a person dies by suicide somewhere in the world. “Preventing suicide: a global imperative” is the first WHO report of its kind. It aims to increase awareness of the public health significance of suicide and suicide attempts, to make suicide prevention a higher priority on the global public health agenda, and to encourage and support countries to develop or strengthen comprehensive suicide prevention strategies in a multisectoral public health approach."

The full WHO report is available here:

Preventing Suicide - A Global Imperative

benzodiazepine use and Alzheimer's - is there a link?

A research article available from the link below seems to suggest that there is:

benzodiazepine use and risk of Alzheimer's

depression in pregnancy and the postpartum period

A July 2014 report on the antidepressant treatment of this phenomenon is available at this link:

Antidepressant treatment of depression in pregnancy

World Alzheimer Report 2014

"The World Alzheimer Report 2014, Dementia and Risk Reduction: An analysis of protective and modifiable factors critically examines the evidence for the existence of modifiable risk factors for dementia.

It focuses on sets of potential modifiable risk factors in four key domains: developmental, psychological and psychosocial, lifestyle and cardiovascular conditions. The report makes recommendations to drive public health campaigns and disease prevention strategies.

The report which was researched and authored by Prof Martin Prince, Prof Emiliano Albanese, Dr Maëlenn Guerchet and Dr Matthew Prina on behalf of the Global Observatory for Ageing and Dementia Care which is hosted at the Health Service and Population Research Department, King’s College London."

The full report is available at this link:

World Alzheimer Report 2014