Heena Sharma Blog

Exposure to cannabis can alter the genetic profile of sperms in men, and possibly affect the children too, a recent study suggests. As legal access to marijuana continues to expand across the U.S., more scientists are studying the effects of its active ingredient, tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), in teens, adults and pregnant women.    Experiments in rats and a study with 24 men found that THC appears to target genes in two major cellular pathways and alters DNA methylation , a process essential for normal development. "What we have found is that the effects of cannabis use on males and their reproductive health are not completely null, in that there's something about cannabis use that affects the genetic profile in sperm," said Scott Kollins, senior author of the study. The study defined regular users as those who smoked marijuana at least weekly for the previous six months. Their sperm was compared to those who had not used marijuana in the past six month

Graphic warning labels on cigarette ads, which contain images such as bleeding, cancerous gums and lips, can effectively deter children from smoking, a study has found. Such labels cancel out the effect of ads that prompt children to think of smoking as cool, rebellious and fun, according to a study published in the journal Health Education Research. "This study suggests the value of graphic warning labels extends beyond just getting people to have more negative feeling about smoking," said Jeff Niederdeppe, an associate professor at Cornell University in the US. "It also seems to have the added benefit of reducing the influence of 'social cue' ads that entice young people to want to smoke in the first place," said Niederdeppe. Researchers studied the graphic warning labels' effect on 451 adult smokers and 474 middle schoolers in rural and urban low-income communities in the Northeast. Read More Business Standard