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THURSDAY, Sept. 28, 2023 (HealthDay News) -- The Biden administration is allocating $232.2 million in grants to help stem suicides and improve behavioral health care for at-risk groups.Suicide is happening at an “alarming” rate, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).Last year alone, nearly 50,000 Americans died by suicide, up 2.6% from 2021, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.“September is National Suicide Prevention Awareness Month. During this month, we are reminded that suicide is preventable, and no one should go through a suicide-related crisis alone,” HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra said Wednesday, emphasizing that the Biden administration “is deeply committed to tackling the mental health challenges facing...

THURSDAY, Sept. 28, 2023 (HealthDay News) -- Critics of a law that decriminalized drug possession in Oregon have blamed the policy for rising overdose deaths in the state, but a new study finds no evidence of that.Researchers discovered that while drug overdose deaths have risen recently in Oregon, it appears the trend has no relation to a law popularly known as Measure 110. Passed by Oregon voters in 2020, the policy decriminalized the possession of small amounts of previously illegal drugs like heroin and cocaine. Instead, people caught with those substances are now issued a citation and a fine -- which is waived if the person undergoes a health screening.Some critics have blamed Measure 110 for a rise in the state's overdose deaths between 2021 and 2022.The new study, however,...

THURSDAY, Sept. 28, 2023 (HealthDay News) -- Rock star Bruce Springsteen announced Wednesday that he has postponed all of his remaining shows this year as he deals with peptic ulcer disease. Springsteen said he’s continuing to “recover steadily from peptic ulcer disease over the past few weeks and will continue treatment through the rest of the year on doctor’s advice,” in a post on X, formerly known as Twitter. Peptic ulcer disease strikes 1 in 10 Americans, and it typically involves open sores or ulcers forming in the stomach or along the first part of the small intestine, according to the Cleveland Clinic. Many cases of peptic ulcer disease develop because a bacterial infection eats away the protective lining of the digestive system, but it can also develop when people...

THURSDAY, Sept. 28, 2023 (HealthDay News) -- People who abuse marijuana may be setting themselves up for heart problems down the road, Canadian researchers report.The new study found that people with so-called cannabis use disorder may have a 60% higher risk for a heart attack, stroke or other major heart-related event, compared to those who don't abuse the drug."There appears to be a substantial association between cannabis use disorder and the increased risk of first-time adverse cardiovascular events," said lead researcher Dr. Anees Bahji, a clinical assistant professor of psychiatry at the University of Calgary, in Alberta. "Individuals who have been diagnosed with cannabis use disorder should be aware of this potential risk to their cardiovascular health."The findings also...