News & Events
Much of our work involves measuring the difference others make. Getting involved and making our own difference is also an important part of who we are as individuals and as an organization.
Cannabis is a plant that has been used for its intoxicating effects for at least a century in the United States and for longer in other cultures. It also has a long history of use around the world for purported medical benefits. More than 100 different cannabinoids have been identified in cannabis. The primary intoxicating cannabinoid in cannabis is delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). The cannabinoid cannabidiol (CBD) has received increasing public attention in recent years; preliminary findings suggest that CBD may be a useful treatment for several medical conditions and it is not reported to be associated with intoxication or addiction, unlike THC. 1 In this document, the term “cannabis” is used to describe the plant-based products. When the document refers specifically to individual cannabinoids, they are identified as such.
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As of Feb 18, 2020, a total of 2807 cases of e-cigarette, or vaping, product use-associated lung injury (EVALI) and 68 attributed deaths have been reported to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Diagnostic criteria for EVALI consists of a mixture of non-specific systemic symptoms (eg, fever, chills, and vomiting) and respiratory symptoms (eg, shortness of breath, cough, chest pain, pnoea, and hypoxia), along with detection of lung opacities on imaging. Diagnosis also depends on identifying a history of vaping and careful exclusion of alternative conditions.
A urine drug screen positive for tetrahydrocannabinol, although non-specific for the disease, might be helpful in this aspect by identifying marijuana-containing electronic cigarettes and vape use.
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Take Back Day is coming up on Saturday, October 24th from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. These bi-annual events provide an opportunity to prevent drug misuse and overdose deaths by proper disposal of unused, expired, or unwanted prescription medications. Learn more about the event here and see the below posters for disposal sites for the upcoming event.
To learn about how to dispose of your unwanted, expired, or unused prescription medications year-round, click here.
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The theme of this year’s Mental Illness Awareness Week is, “What People with Mental Illness Want You to Know.” Throughout the week, the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) will be raising the voices of those with lived experience to talk about some of the conditions and symptoms that are most misunderstood.
Learn more about NAMI and the local San Diego affiliation at https://namisandiego.org/. For more information on how to support Mental Illness Awareness Week, visit https://www.nami.org/get-involved/awareness-events/mental-illness-awareness-week.
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San Diego has had some cool things going on lately.
- In North Park, a classically trained opera singer has been performing from her porch for the last 25 weeks. Read more here.
- There is a new marketplace called Melanin Made in the College area that celebrates Black artists, designers, and creators. Learn more here.
Though this last one didn’t happen in San Diego, here is a story about a five-year-old who speaks for the first time and is bursting with happiness. Watch here.
We hope you all had a great week!
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