Addictions: Kush Drug and Online Sports Betting in the US

Scientists from the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich, among others, have developed a whey protein gel that breaks down alcohol in the intestines and reduces its intoxicating effects, which could help develop a new way to treat hangovers. The gel, which has not yet been tested on humans, can reduce blood alcohol levels in mice by up to 50%. With further research, the gel could be converted into an oral tablet, taken before or during drinking, to prevent acetaldehyde from increasing blood alcohol levels and damaging the body.

The Sierra Leone authorities have declared war on a cheap synthetic drug called kush, which is destroying the younger generation of Sierra Leoneans. It is a cannabis derivative mixed with synthetic drugs such as fentanyl and tramadol, and chemicals such as formaldehyde. Given the ineffective health care, volunteers catch patients at the request of their families and sometimes chain them in locked rooms to prevent them from escaping. In this way, they are trying to cut them off from the drug and get them out of the addiction.

The past five years have seen the fastest growth in the history of the legal gambling industry in the United States. Following the 2018 Supreme Court decision, 30 states have legalised online sports betting, which has generated billions of dollars in revenue for gambling operators. All professional sports leagues in the US have entered into partnerships with bookmakers. The betting frenzy has also led to an increase in the number of people addicted to gambling. Experts fear that gambling companies will use sports betting as a bridgehead to achieve their main goal – to allow casino-style gambling on the smartphones of all users.