How to Care for Your Hands

The evidence on marijuana and anxiety is also mixed. Some studies show that marijuana use leads to increased feelings of anxiety. But there are other randomizedcontrolled studies of cannabidiol, or CBD, that find CBD reduces anxiety on social stress tests.

Researchers don’t understand the mechanisms that connect marijuana use, depression and anxiety. They hypothesize that marijuana use causes a neurobiological chain of events that can lead to mental health problems. But mental health symptoms could also be related to the psychosocial aspects of marijuana use; for example, lower educational attainment is also associated with a risk of depression and anxiety.

Researchers did find a strong, clear relationship between marijuana use and psychosis, a condition where the mind loses some contact with reality. Heavy, more frequent marijuana users and those who begin using marijuana earlier in life are at a greater risk for psychosis.

Taken together, these data paint a cautionary picture on marijuana use with some clear take-home messages: There is evidence that marijuana, especially when started at a young age and used frequently, leads to mental health problems and affects the user’s educational attainment and employment options. The strongest evidence shows that marijuana use can lead to psychosis, and may also contribute to depression and anxiety and affect cognitive function.

Visit Cornell University’s Bronfenbrenner Center for Translational Research’s website for more information on our work solving human problems.

Family Budget Coaching Program Now Available for Families and Individuals

Cornell Cooperative Extension of Warren County is now offering a free, confidential Family Budget Coaching Program to community residents. The one-on-one sessions are available to individuals and families who want to improve their financial literacy, set goals, create a savings plan, reduce debt, and get a better handle on finances. The trained coaches will offer sessions either via Zoom or in-person in Glens Falls, Warrensburg, and Johnsburg.

Washing our hands is one of the effective ways of preventing the spread of COVID-19, particularly after using the restroom, coughing, sneezing, or blowing your nose. However, frequent handwashing can lead to red, itchy or even cracked skin.

“We’ve seen a huge uptick in Utah of dry skin as concern about COVID-19 has arisen,” says Aaron Secrest, MD, PhD, a University of Utah Health dermatologist. “Utah is not an ideal state for people’s skin, even at the best of times, with the climate, high altitude, very little humidity, and a lot of outdoor activities.”

Here’s how Secrest suggests you wash and care for your hands, not only during this crisis, but every day:  Wash your hands with soap and lukewarm water for at least 20 seconds.  Moisturize your damp hands immediately after with a cream moisturizer, the type you squeeze out of a tube. Pat your hands dry, then rub a pea-sized amount of moisturizer over your hands such as Eucerin,

Cetaphil or CeraVe.  Avoid lotions you pump out of a bottle. Pump lotions are loaded with alcohol that dry out skin, Secrest says.  Choose fragrance or dye-free moisturizers. They are less irritating for your skin.  When soap and water aren’t readily available, use hand sanitizer that is at least 60% alcohol. Be sure to apply moisturizer immediately afterward since alcohol can dry out the skin.  Over-the-counter hydrocortisone creams can soothe dry and cracked skin.  Before bed, apply cream; then wear cotton gloves that will protect your hands while you are sleeping.

If symptoms of dry skin persist or are worrisome, consult a dermatologist virtually.

Did you know? Using moisturizer after washing your hands does NOT negate your handwashing efforts, according to the American Academy of Dermatology. In addition, there is NO evidence that using hand sanitizer makes you more vulnerable to infections or viruses.