The Estate News & Blog

If you or someone you care about has recently used MDMA—also known as ecstasy or Molly—you may have questions beyond just how long its effects last. While the feelings of euphoria typically fade within hours, MDMA can remain in your system much longer, raising concerns about drug tests and potential health risks.

When someone drinks heavily for a long time, the damage goes far beyond what we can see. One of the most serious conditions linked to chronic alcohol misuse is called wet brain—a life-altering neurological disorder that impacts memory, coordination, and mental function. Understanding what a wet brain is and how to recognize it could make the difference between early treatment and irreversible harm.

In the United States, over 46 million people aged 12 and older meet the criteria for a substance use disorder, according to the National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH). Yet, more than 94% of those individuals did not receive any treatment. The growing crisis of opioid addiction, in particular, has claimed the lives of more than 100,000 Americans in a single year, largely due to alcoholism and fentanyl-related overdoses.

Alcohol withdrawal can be life-threatening. Medical professionals rely on tools to evaluate and manage it safely. One of the most important tools is the CIWA-Ar, short for Clinical Institute Withdrawal Assessment for Alcohol, Revised. This tool helps healthcare providers assess the severity of alcohol withdrawal and guide appropriate treatment.

The liver is one of the most resilient organs in the human body. When damaged by alcohol, it has the remarkable ability to repair itself over time. For men recovering from alcohol use, understanding the signs your liver is healing from alcohol can offer hope and motivation during the healing process.

Alcohol poisoning is a critical, life-threatening condition caused by consuming a large quantity of alcohol in a short time. It occurs when the body becomes overwhelmed and can no longer process the alcohol effectively, leading to dangerously high blood alcohol levels. This impacts core functions such as breathing, heart rate, body temperature, and consciousness.

Alcohol affects how the body controls blood sugar and insulin. When you drink alcohol, your liver focuses on breaking it down, which slows down glucose production and release. This can cause changes in blood glucose and insulin levels, especially in people with metabolic issues or diabetes. These changes make it harder to keep blood sugar stable. 

In recent years, the United States has faced a growing public health crisis involving opioids. Among the most alarming trends is the contamination of marijuana with fentanyl, a potent synthetic opioid that is 100 times more potent than morphine. Marijuana laced with fentanyl poses a severe risk of overdose, addiction, and even death.  This article explores the dangers of fentanyl laced marijuana, how to tell if your weed is contaminated, and what steps you can take to protect yourself and others. 

Drug screening is a vital process used by employers, medical professionals, and legal authorities to detect the presence of illegal drugs and prescription medications in the body. Among the various methods, urine drug testing remains the most common due to its ease of use, accuracy, and ability to detect a wide range of substances. Understanding the types of drug tests, what affects turnaround time, and how false positive drug results can occur is essential for anyone undergoing or administering drug screenings. 

Pupil size normally changes with light—getting smaller in bright conditions and larger in the dark. But when pupils stay unusually large in normal or bright light, it can be a sign that something is affecting the nervous system.