Smoking pot appears to affect teens’ brain development, altering it in ways that could diminish their reasoning, decision-making and memory skills as they age, a new study reports. Brain scans of about 800 teenagers found that those who started smoking pot tended to have increased thinning of the cerebral cortex — the outer layer of…  read on >  read on >

The coronavirus pandemic has had an unexpected side effect — a wave of bad reactions to alcohol-based hand sanitizers. Vapors from the products can cause headache, nausea and dizziness, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, which advises consumers to use the products in well-ventilated areas. “We have received increasing reports of these side…  read on >  read on >

There’s a severe blood shortage in the United States due to a recent surge in trauma cases, organ transplants and elective surgeries, the American Red Cross says. The Red Cross is appealing to Americans to roll up their sleeves and donate blood immediately. “Our teams are working around the clock to meet the extraordinary blood…  read on >  read on >

More and more Americans are seeking out healthier, greener and more ethical alternatives to meat, but are plant-based alternatives like the Impossible Burger and Beyond Meat truly nutritious substitutes? The answer is yes, according to new research funded by the U.S. National Institutes of Health. It found the imitation meats to be a good source…  read on >  read on >

Aiming to deliver a one-two punch to the herpes virus, animal research on an experimental drug found it tackled active infections and reduced or eliminated the risk of future outbreaks. Existing treatments, such as Zovirax, Valtrex or Famvir, are only effective at the first task; they can help treat cold sores and genital eruptions once…  read on >  read on >

People living with HIV have to take powerful drug cocktails to keep their disease in check, but a new study finds they also need to worry about a doubled risk of sudden cardiac death. Unlike a heart attack caused by a blocked heart artery, sudden cardiac death can happen without warning and is triggered by…  read on >  read on >

Your health and fitness apps may have privacy issues that put your personal information at risk, researchers warn. “This analysis found serious problems with privacy and inconsistent privacy practices in mHealth [mobile health] apps. Clinicians should be aware of these and articulate them to patients when determining the benefits and risks,” lead study author Muhammad…  read on >  read on >