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Capsule moments

FLU EPIDEMIC DURING AND AFTER WWI:

In the winter of 1917-18, there was a flu outbreak at a British military base in Etaples, France.  It was an area of 12 square kilometres and housed 100,000 soldiers. Winter viruses were common but this one appeared much different and more virulent.  It killed 10-20% of the population of the camp….mostly young people and it happened quickly usually within 48 hours.  Surviving soldiers went home after the war was over and many carried the virus with them and started infecting relatives and friends.   It was dubbed the “Spanish Flu” and it was probably the most lethal infectious disease in human history since the Black Death of he Middle Ages.  The Spanish flu killed more people than the 17 million people in WWI.  It’s strange how this is a barely noticed footnote to history and most people today hardly know about it.  There were no vaccines available 100 years ago but we do have them today.  I’m sure more people would get their flu shot if the Spanish Flu story was more recent.

E-CIGARETTES AND GUM DISEASE:

With the increasing popularity of e-cigarettes over the past few years, there is more and more research on the vaping products and their effects on the body.  While there is no doubt that getting your nicotine from vaping is a safer method than traditional tobacco, users are still inhaling a heated product.  The same researchers who noticed gum changes in vapers, also found that the flavouring chemicals in the product also played a role in damaging cells in the mouth. As well, nicotine itself is also known to contribute to gum disease.  This is a field of research that is growing and it is important that manufacturers of these vaping products list all ingredients they contain.

ALCOHOL CONSUMPTION:

The World Health Organization (WHO) did a study last year on per capita alcohol consumption around the world.  While we Canadians aren’t lushes, we placed fairly high on the list of boozers.  I was surprised to see the U.S. drank less but I guess that’s due to all that Bud-Light they drink….lots of volume but less alcohol. Interestingly, other countries that you’d think would place high on the list because of their alcohol culture, were lower than Canada except for France at 11.7 litres.  Countries like Spain, Italy and Greece were all lower while New Zealand and Australia were higher than Canada at 10.1 and 11.2 respectively.

MARIJUANA LEGALIZATION IN CANADA:

There is evidence that medical cannabis is having a positive impact on opioid abuse in places where the drug has been legalized for a while.  Now that it has been legalized here, the hope is that there will be much more research done on marijuana for various diseases and medical symptoms and that the results of these studies will make doctors more comfortable talking to their patients about it.  We need much more research on marijuana and methods of delivery of the drug. When it is smoked, there is no way to know just how much THC or CBD is being delivered per puff.  That is even more true for those consuming it via vaporizers or edible products.  It’s nearly impossible to get consistent