A frontline perspective on opioids: shifting user demographics and drug sources

A small child empties a prescription bill bottle on to a counter.

By Jenna Finley, Biology and Life Sciences editor Editor’s note: this post is the second in a two-part series by Jenna Finley on Canada’s opioid crisis. Check out Part 1 here. The characteristics of the opioid epidemic have evolved over time. The people who take these drugs, the sources of the drugs, and even their […]

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Why does getting enough sleep matter?

By Dorottya Harangi, Health, Medicine & Veterinary Science co-editor When I was at university, I had friends who pulled all-nighters before every exam. As someone who loves her sleep and would never dream of skipping a night of rest, it was such a foreign concept to me. What are the consequences of being sleep-deprived and […]

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Participating in clinical trials contributes to scientific breakthroughs

By Amanda Scanga, Science in Society co-editor As a master’s student working on a clinical trial, I can say with confidence that participants are crucial to our research. The data they provide is imperative for driving discoveries and getting new treatments on the market. If you have ever wanted to make impactful contributions to science […]

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A frontline perspective on opioids: mechanisms of addiction

By Jenna Finley, Biology and Life Sciences Editor The first opioid overdose call I ever did was when I was a paramedic student. Lights and sirens on, we barreled into this nice suburban home to find a young man, almost as young as me, lying on the ground. The fire department had beaten us to […]

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How does wildfire smoke affect our health?

By Michael Limmena, Health, Medicine & Veterinary Science editor The year 2021 was one of British Columbia’s biggest wildfire seasons in our lifetimes. Between April and September of that year, the province saw about 1,600 wildfires that burned approximately 8,700 square kilometres. Although the wildfires occurred in BC, the smoke from the wildfires spread throughout […]

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