Health
The Fast-Changing Chemistry of New, Dangerous Drugs
Illicit labs are creating new synthetic drugs at breakneck speed. Dangerous, untested compounds are reaching users long before health agencies know they exist. Older drugs are regularly modified to create novel threats. Ecstasy is a prime example.
The party drug MDMA has been illegal since 1985. Its molecular structure can be drawn like this:
But what if you could add one atom to this molecule to change both the experience of taking the drug and its legal status?
You can. A single oxygen atom changes the molecule to methylone, which provides an Ecstasy-like euphoria.
This simple change had a profound consequence. When methylone reached the U.S. market in 2010 the drug could be sold legally in corner stores and smoke shops as “bath salts.”
But methylone wasn’t the end of the story. Illicit chemists now use methylone’s structure as a template for modern-day alchemy. New drug laws push them to invent new variants, which emerge in the illicit drug market with untested potencies and effects — a vicious cycle that has been impossible to contain.
These chemists are located in unregulated labs around the globe, from big enterprises in China and India that produce drugs and their precursor compounds in huge volumes, to single-person and small domestic operations that cut and package drugs for retail sale. Some of the most-used drugs, such as fentanyl, are mixed in Mexico and exported north.
Waves of Bath Salts
Methylone was an early example of a class of drugs known as synthetic cathinones, which continue to proliferate.
Beginning in 2010, emergency rooms began seeing agitated patients who were violent, paranoid and psychotic after ingesting synthetic cathinones sold as bath salts. Poison control centers received a few hundred calls about the drugs in 2010. The following year had over 6,000 calls.
When methylone was finally banned in 2011, unregulated chemists simply tweaked the molecule to evade the ban, creating new drug formulas. The Drug Enforcement Administration noted in 2019 that “as one synthetic cathinone is controlled, another unscheduled synthetic cathinone appears in the recreational drug market.”
Examining the drug on a molecular level shows how illicit chemists try to increase potency and heighten the effect in a user’s brain.
As cathinone molecules become more potent, they also become more addictive. “Because they hijack the dopamine system in the brain — the salience and reward system in the brain — they’re going to be extremely addictive,” said Dr. Michael Baumann, director of the Designer Drug Research Unit of the National Institute on Drug Abuse. “There’s a reason why chemists would design these.”
Experts confirmed that the molecules described in this article are well known among illicit chemists, who have moved on to newer structures. “These are not rudimentary chemists,” Dr. Baumann said. “They’re actually ahead of us.”
Nitazenes, the ‘Frankenstein Opioids’
Another class of drugs has been following a similar pattern. When China banned all variants of fentanyl in 2019, illicit chemists began to research non-fentanyl opioids and rediscovered nitazenes, drugs developed in the 1950s as alternatives to morphine but never approved for medical use. Chemists modify the molecules — which are more complex than cathinones — in similar ways to increase potency.
“This is trial and error,” said Dr. Alex Krotulski, director of the Center for Forensic Science Research and Education, of the efforts. “They’re pushing the envelope to make more and more potent drugs.”
By the end of 2024, at least 22 nitazene molecules had been identified. New variants are prized because of their inexpensive production costs, high potency and vague legal status, according to a 2023 paper.
Ohio’s attorney general was referring to nitazenes when he warned that “Frankenstein opioids are even more lethal than the drugs already responsible for so many overdose deaths.”
China banned nitazenes in July 2025, a move that may cause production to shift to other countries. In the meantime, illicit chemists searching through patents and research papers may stumble on another class of legal molecules to tweak and modify.
“It’s so much more dangerous today, the drugs are so much more potent,” said George W. Hime, assistant director of toxicology at the Miami-Dade Medical Examiner. “Someone out there is playing chemistry.”
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Fully dressed in her elegant wedding gown before her ceremony, a determined bride made a surprise visit to her hospitalized mother just hours before getting married.
The heartfelt moment came after it was clear her mother’s medical condition would unfortunately prevent her from attending the big day in person, Caters News reported.
Laetitia Obry of Gonsans, France, refused to let the difficult circumstances steal a family milestone from them.
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Her journey was filmed by her sister, Oceane, who captured the bride as she traveled for two hours to get to the hospital to be with her mom.
Despite the tight schedule, Obry was determined to spend some precious moments with her mother before heading to her wedding.
Daughter Laetitia Obry of Gonsans, France, shown with her husband-to-be, said that despite the length of the trip and the tight time frame, there was no way she was missing the chance to see her mom on her wedding day. (Caters)
The touching footage shows Obry entering her mother’s hospital room in full bridal attire — prompting an immediate and emotional reaction from her mother, who was seated in a chair.
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The room filled with overwhelming joy as the pair embraced and shared a heartfelt, unforgettable moment together, the video shows.
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Obry said that although the journey was long and the actual visit was too brief, it was a moment she simply could not miss on one of the most important days of her life, Caters reported.
The bride, dressed in her wedding gown, made a surprise visit to her hospitalized mother just hours before her wedding ceremony after her mother was unable to attend the big day. (Caters)
This moving video resonated deeply online, prompting viewers to share their own experiences.
One user recalled a similar story.
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“My mother was hospitalized too,” wrote the commenter.
Another user said her mother was hospitalized, too. “She cried, pleaded and begged the doctors to let her leave for just a few hours for my wedding,” the person shared. (iStock)
“She cried, pleaded and begged the doctors to let her leave for just a few hours for my wedding.”
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The writer went on, “They finally agreed after she signed a medical waiver. Because of that compromise, she was able to stay until the cake cutting before returning to the hospital like Cinderella before midnight. It was magical.”
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Higher levels of vitamin C were linked to healthier brain structure in older adults, suggesting a potential role for nutrition in brain aging.
That’s according to new research from Japan, published in the journal PLOS ONE.
The observational study included 2,044 participants living in Hirosaki City, Japan, who were originally included in a study exploring dementia and heart disease risk. The average age was 69, and 61% of them were female.
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The researchers measured the participants’ vitamin C levels using blood samples and performed MRI scans to calculate the volume of gray matter and white matter in their brains.
Even after accounting for external factors like age, smoking habits, diabetes and other lifestyle behaviors, they found that those with lower vitamin C levels appeared to have lower brain tissue volumes and weaker structural network patterns.
Higher levels of vitamin C levels were linked to healthier brain structure in older adults, suggesting a potential role for nutrition in brain aging. (iStock)
“Our study demonstrates that older adults with higher blood levels of vitamin C tend to have better-preserved brain structure (gray matter) and stronger connections within the default mode network (DMN), a crucial brain network involved in memory and cognitive function,” Tomohiro Shintaku, MD, PhD, assistant professor in the Department of Radiology Graduate School of Medicine at Hirosaki University, told Fox News Digital.
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“While diets rich in vitamin C are known to lower the risk of cognitive decline, our study is the very first to demonstrate a direct association between actual blood plasma vitamin C levels and the structural connectivity of the DMN,” he added.
This network is often affected by conditions such as Alzheimer’s disease and depression, according to the researchers.
The researchers measured the participants’ vitamin C levels using blood samples and performed MRI scans to calculate the volume of gray matter and white matter in their brains. (iStock)
The vitamin C measurement was more accurate than studies that relied on dietary estimates, the researchers noted.
“What I found most fascinating is that we could detect such clear associations between a single nutritional factor (vitamin C) and large-scale brain networks in a robust cohort of over 2,000 older adults,” Shintaku said. “It highlights how significantly our everyday dietary habits might impact brain structure.”
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The study underscores the importance of obtaining vitamin C from the daily diet, as humans cannot synthesize it on their own, the researchers noted.
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“Our findings suggest that maintaining optimal vitamin C levels through a healthy diet — rich in citrus fruits, berries, tomatoes and green leafy vegetables — could be a simple yet powerful way to support brain health as we age,” Shintaku said.
Those with lower vitamin C levels appeared to have lower brain tissue volumes and weaker structural network patterns. (iStock)
The study did have some limitations, the researchers noted.
“Because our study is observational and cross-sectional, we can only show an association, not a cause-and-effect relationship,” Shintaku told Fox News Digital. “Other limitations include relying on a single blood measurement per participant.”
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Other external factors, such as dietary intake, body mass index and socioeconomic variables, could have played a role in the outcomes.
Also, the link was relatively modest compared to established risk factors like high blood pressure and blood sugar, the researchers noted.
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Findings from other, larger studies, including UK Biobank research with more than 9,000 people, suggest that vitamin C is just one of several factors that may influence brain health.
Because the participants were almost all older Japanese adults, the findings may not be generalized to other populations.
“It is best viewed as a signal that vitamin C status may be one piece of a much larger brain-health picture.”
“This study found an association between higher plasma vitamin C levels and MRI markers of brain health, including gray matter volume and connectivity in the default mode network, which is involved in several cognitive functions,” Dung Trinh, MD, an internal medicine physician and founder of the Healthy Brain Clinic, commented to Medical News Today.
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“That said, the study does not prove that vitamin C prevents cognitive decline or that taking supplements will improve brain health. It is best viewed as a signal that vitamin C status may be one piece of a much larger brain-health picture.”
Ultra-processed foods linked to dementia risk
Amen Clinics Associate Medical Director Dr. Eboni Cornish joins ‘Fox & Friends First’ to discuss a study revealing a 58% higher dementia risk and 46% increase in cognitive impairment from consuming ultra-processed foods.
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Veteran New York news anchor Bill Ritter revealed Friday that he has been diagnosed with early-stage Alzheimer’s disease, bringing an end to his more than two-decade run behind the WABC-TV anchor desk.
Ritter, 76, who has anchored the station’s 6 p.m. newscast in New York City since 2001, revealed during Friday’s Eyewitness News broadcast that it would be his final night anchoring the program.
“After a series of tests, my doctors have told me I have Alzheimer’s,” Ritter said during the broadcast.
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“It’s early-stage Alzheimer’s, and they say the treatments I’m getting are keeping it at bay, for now,” he continued. “But there is no guarantee, because there’s no cure yet for Alzheimer’s.”
Veteran New York news anchor Bill Ritter announced that he has been diagnosed with early-stage Alzheimer’s disease and is stepping away from the WABC-TV anchor desk. (Linda Rosier/NY Daily News Archive via Getty Images)
“So, unless someone finds an amazing cure, and soon, tonight will be the last newscast I anchor,” he added.
According to ABC7, Ritter joined WABC-TV in 1998 after an extensive journalism career that included work at the Los Angeles Times, local television stations in California and positions with ABC News.
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He began anchoring the station’s 11 p.m. Eyewitness News broadcast in 1999 and was added to the flagship 6 p.m. newscast in 2001. He also anchored the station’s 5 p.m. broadcast for several years.
Bill Ritter has anchored WABC-TV’s 6 p.m. newscast in New York City since 2001. (Heidi Gutman/Disney via Getty Images)
ABC7 reported that Ritter will remain with the station in a new role focused in part on reporting about Alzheimer’s disease and other neurological conditions, as well as their impact on patients and families.
“For decades, Bill Ritter has covered and led New Yorkers through the stories that matter most,” WABC-TV General Manager Marilu Galvez said in a statement.
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“A defining presence at ABC7, he has done so with exceptional insight, integrity and, most of all, heart, earning the love and respect of viewers and colleagues alike,” she continued.
“While he is stepping away from daily anchoring, he will continue to be an integral part of our ABC7 family, including sharing personal updates and providing resources to help others impacted by Alzheimer’s better understand the disease and the resources available to them.”
Bill Ritter, Eyewitness News Anchor, WABC-TV, speaks onstage at the ROAR Forward Summit at Hearst Tower on November 19, 2024 in New York City. (Craig Barritt/Getty Images for Hearst)
“Bill is strong, brilliant, and resourceful, and we look forward to his continued reporting on Eyewitness News,” Galvez added.
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani responded to Ritter’s announcement by wishing the veteran broadcaster and his family “strength in the days ahead.”
“For decades, Bill Ritter has been a trusted presence in New Yorkers’ homes, helping us make sense of the news that shape our city,” Mamdani wrote on X. “
“His courage in sharing his Alzheimer’s diagnosis will help countless families facing the same challenge feel less alone,” he continued. “Wishing Bill, his loved ones, and everyone affected by Alzheimer’s strength in the days ahead.”
Ritter’s colleagues also reacted to his announcement.
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WABC-TV reporter Lucy Yang paid tribute to Ritter’s professionalism and dedication during his decades-long career at the station.
“For decades, I’ve reported for his show and even filled in, anchored w him,” she posted on X. “He never gave less than 110% I salute you. I thank you. And I will pray for you.”
Lee Goldberg, the station’s chief meteorologist, said Ritter’s influence would continue long after he stepped away from the anchor desk.
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“He preaches be kind, take care of each other, & we’re all in this together,” Goldberg said on X. “Now, in addition to doing these things for himself & his loving family, he’ll build on his legendary legacy by helping millions who share his battle.”
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“You’re a saint, and my hero @billritter7,” he added. “Love you.”
Ritter also noted during the broadcast that his father died of Alzheimer’s disease in 1998 after battling the illness for years.
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