The Washington Post (7/28, Berger) reports that although “a purified version of ecstasy, or MDMA, Molly is commonly thought to be a safe drug,” the version “sold on the street often is laced with other substances — such as acetaminophen, amphetamines and ketamine, a compound used in anesthesia — that can be deadly in large enough doses.”

Related Links:

— “Molly, a form of MDMA or ecstasy, can cause fatal reactions,” Susan Berger, Washington Post, July 27, 2015.

HealthDay (7/28, Preidt) reports that research offers “insight into how Facebook use by young women can lead to poor body image and risky dieting.” The research, which is published in the August issue of the Journal of Adolescent Health, “included 128 college-aged women who completed an online survey about their eating habits and their emotional connection to Facebook…and whether they compared their bodies to friends’ bodies in online photos.” Investigators found that “women who had a greater emotional connection to Facebook were more likely to compare their bodies to their friends’ bodies and to engage in more risky dieting.”

Related Links:

— “Does Facebook Lead Young Women to Dangerous Diets?,” Robert Preidt, HealthDay, July 27, 2015.

In a nearly 3,200-word piece to appear in its Aug. 2 Education Life section, the New York Times (7/28, Scelfo, Subscription Publication) reports that across the US, “the suicide rate among 15- to 24-year-olds has increased modestly but steadily since 2007: from 9.6 deaths per 100,000 to 11.1, in 2013 (the latest year available from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention),” a trend also seen on US college campuses.

Now, “a survey of college counseling centers has found that more than half their clients have severe psychological problems, an increase of 13 percent in just two years.” The Center for Collegiate Mental Health at Penn State University has found that “anxiety and depression, in that order, are now the most common mental health diagnoses among college students.” Students with mental health problems may run into difficulty getting a leave of absence to work through their problems, which may deter them from seeking help.

Meanwhile, on the front of its Personal Journal section, the Wall Street Journal (7/28, D1, Linden, Subscription Publication) reports on an increase in self-harm behaviors, primarily cutting, among adolescents of both genders, as a coping mechanism for those who cannot deal with strong emotions. In some cases, dialectical behavior therapy may be helpful for teens who self harm.

Related Links:

— “Campus Suicide and the Pressure of Perfection,” Julie Scelfo, New York Times, July 27, 2015.

The Washington Times (7/25, Blake) reported that on July 24, the CDC released a report warning of “the risks of consuming marijuana-infused edibles like weed brownies and other snacks.” The CDC report “said…there’s ‘a potential danger’ that comes with consuming marijuana-infused edibles, evidenced by an incident last March in which a 19-year-old man jumped to his death from the fourth-floor balcony of a Denver, Colorado, hotel while high.” The Denver Post (7/25, Paul) also covered the story.

Meanwhile, HealthDay (7/25, Preidt) reported that adolescents “who have legal permission to use medical marijuana are 10 times more likely to say they’re addicted than those who get the drug illegally,” according to a study published in the August issue of the Journal of Adolescent Health. After looking “at nearly 4,400 high school seniors, including 48 who had medical marijuana cards, 266 who used others’ medical marijuana and those who bought the drug from street dealers,” researchers found that teenagers “who used medical marijuana were far more likely to report problems with addiction.”

Related Links:

— “Marijuana in edibles not risk-free, holds ‘potential danger,’ CDC says,” Andrew Blake, Washington Times, July 24, 2015.

In an editorial, the Washington Post (7/26) wrote, “The incarceration of mentally ill inmates is a national epidemic,” which is resulting in “pressure and proposals to divert some people charged with nonviolent and minor crimes to treatment rather than a cell.” While the Post acknowledges Montgomery County, MD has been “a laggard when it comes to devising innovative alternatives to warehousing the mentally ill behind bars,” it praises “key officials” for creating a task force to establish a mental health court to “channel some nonviolent offenders into community-based programs.”

Related Links:

— “A better option for the mentally ill,” Washington Post, July 25, 2015.