Drugs

A report on an individual patient has prompted scientists to ask whether psilocybin, the psychedelic compound in magic mushrooms, could have unexpected effects on the ageing brain.

A medication commonly given as an off-label treatment for sleep problems may be more risky than thought – and although it's prescribed for obstructive sleep apnea or insomnia, as it often is, we lack the science data needed for safe and informed use.

For decades, successfully targeting the central mechanism that causes the vast majority of pancreatic cancers was considered impossible. However, that narrative is rapidly changing ...

Never considering myself much of a writer in my youth, I entered the Young Queensland Writers’ Award with a throwaway short story I’d whipped up on a whim. That work of fiction just came true in Las Vegas.

A recently published marine biology study shines a light on yet another damaging effect of the global illegal drug trade. Cocaine dumped in rivers can alter the behavior of fish in those waters, causing them to venture out more than usual.

Does the brain really produce its own psychedelic “Spirit Molecule” to power our dream states and near-death experiences? A new study has sparked fresh debate over endogenous DMT, and its presence – or absence – in mammalian brains.

For the first time, scientists have identified ancient cannabis enzymes dating back millions of years – and discovered they were more efficient at producing the plant’s bioactive compounds like THC and CBD. The team then resurrected them in the lab.

Millions of Americans can now look forward to a better time traveling, with the US Food and Drug Administration approving a novel oral pill that helps prevent motion-induced vomiting – the first of its kind in more than 40 years.

A new review reveals finasteride users face higher risks of depression, anxiety, and suicidal thoughts. Concerns about the drug's underreported mental health side effects prompt calls for stricter regulation.

Researchers have identified specific regions of the human genome connected to cannabis use, which means the propensity to get addicted to weed may be encoded in our DNA.

People with cannabis use disorder had more than triple the odds of developing oral cancer, a large five-year study found, raising red flags about the carcinogenic risks of heavy cannabis use, especially in its smoked form.

Traces of a psychoactive compound has been found in the dental plaque of a woman buried 4,000 years ago, making it the earliest direct chemical evidence of humans chewing betel nut – the world's fourth biggest drug, after tobacco, caffeine and alcohol.