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While marijuana may have both short and long term adverse side effects, there is limited research as to whether using it can cause death.

Smoking weed can, however, impair judgment and motor skills, so smoking cannabis before driving or doing other dangerous activities may increase the risk of an accident. However, most experts consider the risk of dying from marijuana itself to be very lowTrusted Source.

This does not mean marijuana is a risk-free substance. While many people focus on the beneficial compounds in weed, such as cannabidiol (CBD), there are some possible adverse side effects of weed, especially when using it long term or at a young age.

Keep reading to learn more about the health risks of marijuana and whether or not it could potentially cause death.

Has pot killed anyone?

A 2014 study in Forensic Science International reported two cases of sudden death that doctors linked to health complications possibly worsened by marijuana use. The report indicated that before these deaths, the researchers were not aware of any other deaths related to marijuana use alone.

It is important to note that only after excluding all other causes of death did the report assume the young men experienced fatal cardiovascular events brought on by cannabis. The report also concludes that doctors cannot rule out the possibility that pre-existing cardiovascular factors played a role in the deaths.

In 2018, a teenager died of dehydration due to cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome (CHS). CHS is a condition that can occur in regular cannabis smokers and causes nausea, vomiting, and abdominal pain.

Despite these incidents, compared to the deaths caused by other drugs, such as alcohol and tobacco, many people considerTrusted Source marijuana to be relatively safe.

Health risks of smoking marijuana

According to the Centers for Disease and Prevention (CDC)Trusted Source, a person is unlikely to die from a marijuana overdose, but this does not mean that there are no risks.

In 2014, Colorado became one of the first states to legalize cannabis for recreational use. Since then, it has seen a significant riseTrusted Source in the number of emergency room visits related to marijuana use.

However, before legalization, people experiencing adverse symptoms due to smoking weed might not have visited an emergency room due to the illegal nature of the substance.

A recent report in Missouri MedicineTrusted Sourcefound that some of the more common illnesses connected to marijuana use have also increased in Colorado since legalization. These include:

  • cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome (CHS)
  • acute psychosis
  • cannabinoid catatonia syndrome
  • acute myopericarditis

CHS

Once a rare condition, CHS is becoming increasingly common. According to Missouri MedicineTrusted Source, it is most common in long term users who smoke cannabis 20 or more times per month.

A person with CHS experiences severe bouts of vomiting, nausea, abdominal pain, and dehydration from excessive vomiting.

Many people experiencing CHS say their symptoms go away temporarily after taking a hot bath or showerTrusted Source.

According to an article in Current Drug Abuse ReviewsTrusted Source, some people with CHS find it difficult to accept that marijuana is the source of their symptoms because they understand it to be a cure for nausea and vomiting, rather than the cause of it. However, tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and other cannabinoids in weed affect both the brain and the digestive tractTrusted Source, along with other areas.

Weed does trigger an antinausea effect on the central nervous system. However, repeated use may dull this effect. In the digestive tract, the opposite occurs. THC and other cannabinoids may increase the likelihood of an upset stomach, especially with repeated use.

Treatment for CHS includes therapy, hydration, and antinauseaTrusted Source medication. Other recommendations include stopping using marijuana in any form for a prolonged period of weeks or monthsTrusted Source.

Acute psychosis

Acute psychosis is an alteration of the sense of reality to the point where the person experiences delusions, mood disturbances, and hallucinations. A person experiencing acute psychosis might behave unusually.

A review in Psychiatric Times notes that some evidence suggests a correlation between cannabis use and psychiatric conditions, including cannabis-induced psychosis (CIP).

The review notes a case study of a 19-year-old who experienced an acute psychotic event that was consistent with CIP. The person blamed the pressures of a competitive university environment for their paranoia and isolation, claiming that smoking weed was keeping them sane. The person did, however, receive treatment, stopped smoking cannabis, and experienced no further episodes of psychosis.

Another studyTrusted Source references two reports of people experiencing acute psychotic episodes after using cannabis. In one instance, the only drug in the person’s system was cannabis, and the person had no family history of mental health illnesses. In the other case study, the elderly individual ate some marijuana products for the first time and began to display some unusual behavior.

It is possible to deduce that cannabis was the cause of these psychotic episodes, although there is no conclusive evidence.

Treatment for cannabis-induced psychosis includes refraining from using cannabis in any form. In people who are unwilling to do this, doctors may use antipsychotic drugs to protect them from psychosis.

Heart conditions

There is some evidence that marijuana use could lead to cardiovascular issues.

A 2001 studyTrusted Source suggests smoking marijuana could be a rare trigger of a heart attack.

However, a recent 25-year longitudinal studyTrusted Source looked at the risk of cardiovascular events in people with a history of marijuana use. Their research noted that neither total lifetime marijuana use nor recent marijuana use was associated with cardiovascular disease in middle-aged people.

Sometimes, heavy marijuana use may also contribute to acute pericarditisTrusted Source. Pericarditis is inflammation in the pericardium, which is the membrane surrounding the heart.

Some experts believe that changes in the structure of marijuana over recent years may be partly to blame for the increased risk of these conditions.

Most past medical research has used marijuana with relatively low THC content, while in recent years, the THC levels in marijuana have increased significantly, with an increase of about 4% to 12%Trusted Source, on average.

However, a review in Nature Reviews CardiologyTrusted Source noted that the THC content in marijuana has increased over tenfold over the last decade. The review also notes that this increase has led to a rise in the number of severe cardiovascular incidents reported, including:

  • heart attack
  • stroke
  • arrhythmia
  • cardiac arrest

However, this does not necessarily prove that marijuana causes these events. The review notes, however, that doctors should consider whether a person’s use of marijuana is an underlying cause of their cardiovascular problems.

Can weed harm a fetus during pregnancy?

Most doctors will recommend that pregnant women do not smoke any substance because the contents of the smoke may pass to the baby.

A study in Pharmacology & TherapeuticsTrusted Source notes that compounds such as THC readily pass to the placenta. Though the fetus may experience lower levels of THC than the mother, it could still affect them in the long term.

While scientists have not found that cannabis causes physical abnormalities at birth, they have found associations between fetal exposure and changes in physical growth early in life, including low birth weight. Evidence also suggests it has an adverse mental impact on the developing child, including heightening behaviors of anxiety and depression.

Until more research analyzes THC as a potential toxin for fetuses in the womb, researchers suggest pregnant women should not assume that cannabis is safe for them to use.

Summary

While marijuana can have adverse effects on short and long term health, there is limited research as to whether or not it can cause death.

There are a few recorded cases of people dying from possibly marijuana-induced complications of an existing medical condition, but these are inconclusive.

While most experts agree that it is not possible to smoke a lethal dose of marijuana in most cases, this does not mean that it is a harmless substance.

Pregnant women especially should avoid marijuana use until researchers and doctors know more about the potentially adverse effects on the fetus.

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However, most cases were transmitted by everyday close contact, researchers say

HealthDay news image The Ebola virus was transmitted by semen and breast milk during the latter stages of the outbreak in Sierra Leone, a new study shows.

Researchers from the United Kingdom identified several instances of unconventional transmission of the deadly disease, including a mother who may have passed it to her baby through breast-feeding. In another instance, an Ebola survivor sexually transmitted the virus a month after being released from quarantine.

“Close contact with an infected individual is still by far the most common way for Ebola to spread, but this study supports previous research suggesting that the virus can persist in bodily fluids for a long time after recovery,” said Jeremy Farrar, director of Britain’s Wellcome Trust, which funded the study.

“These unusual modes of transmission may have contributed to isolated flare-ups of infections towards the end of the epidemic,” said Farrar in a news release from the organization.

The recent West African outbreak of Ebola, the largest in history, killed more than 11,000 people and infected more than 28,000, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Cases were concentrated in Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone.

The study does not suggest that unconventional transmission of Ebola was more common than previously believed.

However, the study authors said their findings suggest that rapid sequencing of viral genomes (determining a virus’ genetic code) during an epidemic could enable public health officials to quickly trace new cases back to their source. This could prove important in bringing future outbreaks under control, the researchers said.

The study “shows how important it is to carry out genome sequencing within the affected countries, and for the data to be shared in a rapid and open way as part of the epidemic response,” Farrar said. “Strengthening laboratory and surveillance facilities where they are currently lacking will also aid early detection, making the world better prepared for infectious disease outbreaks.”

The study was published May 18 in the journal Virus Evolution.

SOURCE: Wellcome Trust, news release, May 18, 2016

HealthDay

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What is Sex? Sex is perceived as taking place between one individual, not being a child that carries XY and another individual, not being a child that carries XX genes. That is to say, sex is deemed to take place between two consenting adults of opposite genders. Sex occurs when the male penis enter the female vagina. Sexual problems Sexual problems in men can be and usually is different from the sexual problems in women. In some occasions, these problems are similar. We will attempt to look at common problems in both genders. Common Sexual Problem in Men Erectile Dysfunction Erectile dysfunction otherwise known as impotence by the public is a persistent inability of the man to get and maintain a penile erection that is sufficient for a sexual intercourse. What makes for an erection and what causes erection to occur? In individual, an erection would normally occur:

Stage 1:

1) At the thought of sex, via fresh imagination or a recall from memory/past experience of sexual encounters.

2) Seeing the actual image of sex. This can be in form of video, pictures or real life sexual scene. The crucial issue is that, the person must receive some data and information into the brain, about sex. With these, a quick succession of events is activated. The hormones, testosterone and others are activated in the blood and other hormones are released to effect the erection.

3) Talk of sex or discussion about sex.

4) Feeling of sex: hearing of sex scenes, smelling, touching-feeling of sex. Note that, the above-mentioned set of events takes place at the level of the brain and mind. With the mind involved, the person imagines having sex as the mental picture of sex is formed in the mind of the individual. This is called conditioning and often occurs in readiness for sex. Then and thereafter the “conditioning”, the organ of penis is “instructed” by the brain to more or less get “ready” and the blood flow is activated to flow and fill those organs designed for sex.

Stage 2:

5) Following the above, the blood flow to the penis will increase considerably in a way similar to filling your garden rubber pipe used for watering the flowers, with the open end of the pipe tied or closed. The penis becomes turgid.

6) With these, the muscles of the penis become firm and pointed in readiness for penetration of vagina. Erection may therefore fail if:

There is problem or blockade with your imagination.
There is problem with sensation of sight, smell, tough and hearing. •There is an abnormality with the production of hormones especially testosterones which can occur in diseases of the pituitary/brain or poor function or absent of the testes (“balls”). The hormone testosterone may also not function properly to hit the appropriate sex target even if the hormones are present as in some other situations. Testosterone along with other hormones controls the stages of sex.
When there is a disease that affects the blood flow to the penis such as diabetes mellitus, high blood pressure and stroke, erection may fail.
You cannot get erection if you don’t have a penis.

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`You are a very busy person, so busy you have no time for frivolities like making time out for sex. Good news for you. Kristina Wright, author of Bedded Bliss: A Couple’s Guide to Lust Ever After, has put together a few tips to keep the flame burning even when you have no time to light the candle! Here they are…

Sex

Make any day special
You don’t have to wait for anniversaries or birthdays to have so-called special sex. Any day can be special, including the anniversary of the first time you made out, the day you’ve finally potty trained your youngest child, or just because it’s Tuesday. “Whatever it takes, whenever you can manage it, celebrate this crazy, messy, busy life you’ve created together —celebrate any time you can.

Get out of the house
It’s tempting to just bunker down and stay in when the weather starts to get chilly, but the problem is that your home has so many things that distract you from alone time: dishes, kids, computers, and even the television. Find a way to physically remove yourself from the things that keep you from making time for each other. Check into a nearby hotel for a night if you need to.

Shower together
Napping baby? Head to the bathroom and get clean (or dirty) together. It doesn’t have to end in sex — all that matters is the time spent alone together, and the re-connection from touch. As a bonus, you can save time and water!
Don’t dismiss the quickie.
Yes, it’s nice to have an entire evening together, but sometimes there just isn’t time for an extended romantic rendezvous. Sex doesn’t have to be an all-or-nothing event. A quickie can remove the pressure. It will also give you something to remember how much you enjoy spending time together.

Schedule sex
No, it’s not very romantic to literally make an appointment to get naked with your partner, but is it less romantic than not having the time at all? No matter how busy you are at work or what sort of responsibilities are distracting you at home, you know you’ll have one-on-one time with your love. Turn off your phones, shut the door, and focus on each other.

Constantly kindle the flame
Don’t wait until you’re about to have sex to get romantic. This will make each partner excited and eager for the time to be intimate; they will be extremely less likely to skip being intimate.

Don’t forget intimacy
It’s hard to get revved up for sex when you’re feeling disconnected from your partner. Don’t forget to work on your intimacy as well, in big and little ways. Send a quick note during the day, or text just to say you’re thinking of your spouse. Make a point of touching more often. Talk about how you’re feeling and where you’re struggling. Fostering those connections will make it easier to make sex a priority, and remind you why you’re with this person in the first place. Try out these tips.

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Wife of the Governor of Ogun State, Mrs. Olufunso Amosun has assured women diagnosed with breast and cervical cancer of the state’s support, saying the government would sponsor their treatment with the aim of reducing mortality rate in the state.

The governor’s wife disclosed this during the 2015 Free Breast and Cervical Cancer Awareness and Screening Exercise she organised in collaboration with the Medical Women Association (MWAN) Ogun State Chapter at Moshood Abiola Polytechnic in Abeokuta.

She encouraged women to embrace regular breast and cervical screening to prevent the scourge of the disease.

Mrs. Amosun stressed the need for massive sensitisation campaign against breast and cervical cancer. She said that hundreds of women die daily of breast and cervical cancer across the world, adding that the state government was committed to the well-being of its citizenry, particularly women and the girl-child who are more vulnerable to the disease.

She said the aim of the screening exercise was to increase early detection in order to prevent the prevalence of cancer among women, explaining that her Uplift Development Foundation would continue to partner   stakeholders to improve the health of women in the state.

In her remarks the President Medical Women Association, Ogun State Chapter, Dr. Bunmi Fatugase advised the students and women to avail themselves of the opportunity of the free cancer screening and surgery put together by the state government and the wife of the governor.

She noted that women were always engaged in the care of their husbands and children thus neglecting their own health, encouraging participants to give more attention of their health in order to stay healthy.