The known health risks of secondhand cigarette smoke to the lungs and heart raise questions about whether the similar secondhand marijuana smoke exposure poses same health risks. Not only adults, but also children, and even pets may suffer from accidental ingestion of secondhand marijuana.

Since cannabis has gotten more potent, it has been legalized in many states across the U.S. This puts nonsmokers at the increasing risk of inhaling secondhand marijuana smoke, which can ultimately influence their drug testing. This is why they frequently ask about the potential psychoactive result of such exposure and whether an individual who has been exposed to it could fail a drug test.

Recent studies show that while secondhand marijuana smoke can negatively affect the health of the exposed individuals, it will unlikely make them fail their drug test.

In one study, researchers measured THC (Tetrahydrocannabinol) content in the blood samples of people who did not use marijuana, but had spent more than three hours in a well-ventilated space with individuals smoking it. It was found that the blood samples of non-smoking participants tested positive with THC, however the levels were below the 50 ng/ml required to fail regular drug testing.

Another study published in the Journal of Analytical Toxicology has something else to say. This research suggests that inhaling secondhand marijuana smoke in some cases can lead to a failed drug test. In this study nonsmokers were exposed to extreme marijuana smoke in poorly ventilated rooms with smokers. After that, the scientists tested the urine samples of the nonsmokers for 9-carboxy-THC, and only one sample out of 12 surpassed typically detectable levels (50 ng/ml). This happened after the nonsmoking participant was exposed to 4-6 hours of marijuana smoke.  

The THC levels in urine of nonsmokers were rapidly decreasing with time, which shows that drug tests can be passed in a matter of hours or even minutes depending on the exposure.

Although most of the samples were tested negative during the urine test, this study shows that positive result is possible, but only in the extreme conditions.

Researchers also said that THC in urine of secondhand smokers could be detected using a more sensitive tests with cutoff levels less than 50 ng/ml. Fortunately, organizations and workplaces don’t employ such drug tests.  

So, this is a bit of a relief for people who do not smoke themselves, but have weed-using friends.

That sounds like a completely absurd title, doesn’t it? New research has been done in bio mechanics that suggests young people are growing hornlike spikes in their skulls as a result of excessive phone usage, caused by the consistent and prolonged forward tilt of the head. Always tilting your head forward will shift weight to the back of the head, which – over time – results in bone growth.

Australian researchers at the University of the Sunshine Coast in Queensland have published academic papers that argue that the prevalence of bone growth is due to smartphones that require users to take up more unnatural postures. According to the researchers, and to the best of our knowledge, this is the first example of technology resulting in a skeletal adaption in humans.

In the research, young people were studied, and the researchers bring up the point that if the effects can already be seen, what will they look like in several decades? After all, mobile phones are still a new invention, and their prevalence is still in its early days.

The size of the bone spurs that the researchers found were thought to be large if they were between 3 to 5 millimetres in length.

This is not a hastily put together research paper, as the authors have reportedly been working on it for the past 3 years. In that time, they have analyzed numerous neck X-rays.

This study highlights the importance of teaching correct posture. One can think back to the 70’s, for example, when the effect of soft drinks and dental hygiene was not properly understood. Now, these things are common knowledge. Perhaps in a few decades we’ll be looking back at today and wondering how our posture was so bad.

We will be following this story and posting any updates as they come.

Scientists can now detect Alzheimer’s disease early from the eyes. Due to reduced blood flow to capillaries at the back of the eyes, cognitive impairment can now be diagnosed early to prevent the onset of Alzheimer’s disease. People suffering from Alzheimer’s experience memory failure and then become unable to think or talk coherently and finally become completely helpless.

According to a study published in the journal PLOS ONE, the scientists found vascular changes in the human eyes without using eye dyes or MRI scanners. The non-invasive detection only required an infrared camera.

Using OCT angiography technology, scientists can view the back of the eye to evaluate changes in the tiny blood vessels with great detail and unparalleled resolution. This makes it possible for scientists to analyze what is going on in the brain via the eyes.

Alzheimer’s Therapies Are Effective If Applied before Cognitive Decline and Brain Damage Occur

Dr. Amani Fawzi, a professor of ophthalmology at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine and a Northwestern Medicine physician, said their findings need to be validated. With this, it will be super easy to obtain another biomarker for people who might soon develop Alzheimer’s.

Once these people are identified, they can be subjected to new therapies to reduce onset of Alzheimer’s and prevent the dementia that is associated with the disease.

Fawzi revealed that Alzheimer’s therapies are more effective if applied before cognitive decline and brain damage occur.

Sandra Weintraub, a professor of neurology and of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at Feinberg, said more research and larger participants are needed to validate their finding. The research team from the Northwestern Mesulam Center for Cognitive Neurology and Alzheimer’s Disease recruited 32 participants for the study.

Forgetful Cognitively Impaired Patients May Go On To Develop Alzheimer’s Disease

These people had cognitive impairment that made them very forgetful. They were subjected to eye imaging with OCT angiography.

Fawzi said their retinal findings will add to other brain indicators of cognitive impairment that could progress to Alzheimer’s disease. He added that further studies will establish if dramatic changes in the eye capillaries of forgetful cognitively impaired patients are certain proof of progression to Alzheimer’s.

The research was funded with grants from Illinois Society for the Prevention of Blindness and National Institutes of Health.