May 2011 Archives

HEROIN STUFFED BIBLES INTERCEPTED

Article from: news.yahoo.com

May 31, 2011
A 31-year-old Indian national has been charged with importing $1.3 million of heroin concealed in bibles sent to an address in Renmark, in South Australia's Riverland.

Australian Customs officials said on February 20 an international mail parcel containing 29 Bibles was examined by border protection officers at the Sydney international mail gateway facility.

Eight of the Bibles were found to be hollowed out and contained packages wrapped in carbon paper and plastic.

"Further investigations revealed the packages contained approximately 900 grammes of a light brown granular powder which tested positive for heroin," a customs spokesman said.

Continue Reading: news.yahoo.com

EL SALVADOR GRAPPLES WITH UPSWINGING IN DRUG TRAFFIC (part 2)

Article from: npr.org

May 31, 2011
mexican cartels part2.jpgBy: Jason Beaubien

As Mexico's drug cartels come under sustained attack by President Felipe Calderon's forces at home, several of them have started outsourcing. Los Zetas and the powerful Sinaloan cartel have been expanding their operations in Central America, where security forces often lack the resources to confront them.

The World Bank warns that the Mexican cartels pose a huge threat to development in some of the poorest countries in the region, like El Salvador.

In a graffiti-marred section of the capital, San Salvador, a squad of national police called "The Hawks" is on patrol. The policemen ride in a battered pickup truck but carry high-powered assault rifles. They are rolling through an area controlled by the 18th Street gang.

Continue Reading: npr.org

YOUNG ATHLETES USE FEWER DRUGS, BUT MORE ALCOHOL

Article from: reuters.com

May 31, 2011
By: Genevra Pittman

(Reuters Health) - Teens who exercise and play team sports are less likely to be smokers or use marijuana and other drugs, according to a new study.

However, the results also showed that high school students on athletic teams drank more alcohol than their peers.

While the findings don't prove cause and effect, they could have important implications for preventing drug and alcohol abuse in young adults, the authors write in the journal Addiction.

Promoting exercise in young people and making sure that student athletes are targeted for alcohol prevention, for instance, would be important first steps in addressing the issue, said Yvonne Terry-McElrath, one of the study's authors from the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor.

Continue Reading: reuters.com

MEXICAN CARTELS SPREAD VIOLENCE TO CENTRAL AMERICA (part 1)

Article from: npr.org

May 31, 2011
mexican cartels part1.jpgBy: Jason Beaubien

Mexico's drug cartels are carving out new territory in Central America, in some of the poorest and most fragile countries in the hemisphere.

Mexican gangs are cutting clandestine airstrips in the Guatemalan jungle, laundering money in El Salvador and unloading boatloads of cocaine on the coast of Honduras.

The World Bank recently warned that narcotics trafficking poses one of the greatest threats to development in the region.

Drug Trafficking In Central America

The volume of drugs passing through Central American countries has risen in recent years. Shipments of cocaine and other drugs originate in Colombia and Venezuela, and travel by sea and air to Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua and other countries. Overland routes bring the drugs into Mexico and then to the United States.

Continue Reading: npr.org 

O'CALLAGHAN 'AVOIDED ASKING SON ABOUT DRUGS'

Article from: news.yahoo.com

May 31, 2011
o'callaghan.jpg
Speaking openly about his son's methamphetamine addiction this morning, Police Commissioner Karl O'Callaghan urged parents to ask difficult questions of their children.

Mr O'Callaghan's 29-year-old son Russell has pleaded guilty to attempting to manufacture methylamphetamine and is due to be sentenced in the Perth Magistrates Court on Wednesday.

He was arrested and charged on March 20 following a clandestine drug lab explosion at a unit in Carlisle, in Perth's south, in which he and four others suffered burns.

Speaking on ABC 720, Mr O'Callaghan said he did not ask the questions he should have when his son Russell first began to distance himself from work, family and friends.

Continue Reading: news.yahoo.com

TEACHER ARRESTED AFTER ALLEGEDLY PROVIDING DRUGS TO UNDERCOVER OFFICER

Article from: latimesblogs.com

May 31, 2011
By: Richard Winton

A schoolteacher has been arrested in a Ventura County Sheriff's sting operation at a Motel 6 in Camarillo, where the suspect allegedly provided drugs to an undercover deputy, authorities said.

Ashraf Boulos Hindi, a math teacher in the William S. Hart School District in Santa Clarita, was booked Saturday on suspicion of possession of narcotics and transporting drugs after he allegedly brought marijuana to the motel, authorities said. Deputies subsequently found cocaine at his residence.

A sheriff's investigator posing as a female seeking companionship through Craigslist.com began interacting with 29-year-old Hindi on May 28, authorities said. To further entice the "adult female," Hindi offered to bring cocaine, marijuana and alcohol to the motel, according to Ventura County Sgt. John J. Gleason.

Continue Reading: latimesblogs.com

SMUGGLED SUBOXONE BEDEVILS PRISON AUTHORITIES

Article from: nytimes.com

May 28, 2011
smuggled suboxone bedevils.jpgBy: Abby Goodnough

WINDHAM, Me. -- Mike Barrett, a corrections officer, ripped open an envelope in the mail room at the Maine Correctional Center here and eyed something suspicious: a Father's Day card, sent a month early. He carefully felt the card and slit it open, looking for a substance that has made mail call here a different experience of late.

Mr. Barrett and other prison officials nationwide are searching their facilities, mail and visitors for Suboxone, a drug used as a treatment for opiate addiction that has become coveted as contraband. Innovative smugglers have turned crushed Suboxone pills into a paste and spread it under stamps or over children's artwork, including pages from a princess coloring book found in a New Jersey jail.

The drug also comes in thin strips, which dissolve under the tongue, that smugglers have tucked behind envelope seams and stamps.

Continue Reading: nytimes.com

FEDERAL WARNINGS HIT MEDICAL POT BOOM

Article from: npr.org

May 28, 2011
federal warnings hit medical pot boom.jpgBy: Megan Hall

From California to Arizona, Colorado to Maine, states across the country are legalizing the sale of medical marijuana. Recent warnings from U.S. attorneys, however, are making local governments rethink their plans.

Seth Bock stands in what's supposed to be one of Rhode Island's first medical marijuana stores. His group was going to install grow lights and a ventilation system this week, but not anymore.

"We can't really invest any money into the carpentry and the building process until we know that this will go on," he says.

But that could take a while. Rhode Island Gov. Lincoln Chafee has put the program on hold indefinitely. The reason: a letter he received from the U.S. Attorneys' Office that said Rhode Island's so-called compassion centers could face federal raids, fines or criminal prosecution if they open.

Continue Reading: npr.org

'GREASE' ACTOR JEFF CONAWAY HAS DIED

Article from: cnn.com

May 27, 2011
jeff conaway.jpg
By: Alan Duke

Los Angeles (CNN) -- Actor Jeff Conaway, who was in the TV series "Taxi" and the movie "Grease," died Friday morning, his manager said.

While pneumonia was the cause of death, the doctor who treated him for drug addiction for years says it was his dependence on prescription painkillers that eventually cost him his life.
"Jeff was a severe, severe opiate addict with chronic pain, one of the most serious and dangerous combination of problems you could possibly interact with," Dr. Drew Pinsky said during a taping for Friday night's "Dr. Drew" on HLN.

"The pain seemed to be motivating him back to the opiates, and I told him for years that it was going to kill him," Pinsky said.

Continue Reading: cnn.com

ADDICTIONS AND ANSWERS: IS BEING "CODEPENDENT" THE SAME AS BEING AN "ENABLER"?

Article from: nydailynews.com

May 27, 2011
5.27.11(2).jpg
By; Dave Moore and Bill Manville

BILL: Frances G. writes us about Chris Herren, the one-time famous basketball star. "Wearing his Boston Celtics warm-ups," said a story on the Internet, "he'd hustle down to the player's parking lot to meet his drug dealer. Herren was a junkie, in need of a fix so bad that he marched directly to the locker room to get loaded on OxyContin."  What impressed Frances G. was that Herren's wife stuck with him.  "Dr. Dave and Bill," she says, "my husband is addicted to pain pills too. But people at Alanon told me not only was my husband 'powerless' over his addiction, but I was too. That no hope message made me feel I had to either quit Alanon, or get a divorce.  Are they right?"

DR.DAVE: Like a lot of wives (and husbands too) I meet in my practice, Frances is appalled by the idea that her spouse's addiction can turn her into an 'enabler,' using her love to extend the poisonous life of his disease.

BILL: Probably one of our most controversial columns was back in 2007, when you took Philadelphia Eagles Coach Andy Reid to task  for enabling his drug-addicted sons...

Continue Reading: nydailynews.com

COURTNEY LOVE'S 'HEROIN DRAMA' STARTED AT SHEEN'S HOUSE

Article from: ctv.ca

May 27, 2011
Courtney Love.jpg
Courtney Love says her "heroin drama" began after "shooting up" during a party at Charlie Sheen's house.

The Hole rocker -- who's had a high-profile addiction to drugs in the past -- claims she went to party at the former 'Two and a Half Men' star's home several years ago and started taking the class-A substance, resulting in her addiction to the illegal drug.

Continue Reading: ctv.ca

MADD: DISCUSS DRUNKEN DRIVING WITH KIDS (video)

Article from: myfoxtwincities.com

May 27, 2011
Screen shot 2011-05-27 at 9.17.53 AM.pngTalking to kids about the dangers of drinking can be tough, so FOX 9 News spoke with Lindsey Carlson, the youth programs specialist for Mothers Against Drunk Driving, to get some tips for parents.

Continue Reading: myfoxtwincities.com

THREE MARICOPA COUNTY COPS BUSTED FOR HUMAN, DRUG SMUGGLING

Article from: theroot.com

May 26, 2011
Joe_Arpaio.jpgBy: Nsenga Burton

You've heard the saying, "Those who cast stones should not live in glass houses"? Such is the case with Maricopa County, Ariz.'s Sheriff Joe Arpaio, who has been called the toughest sheriff in all of America. It seems that while he's chasing down so-called illegals, three police officers under his command have been up to no good.

New York's Daily News is reporting that three Arizona cops smuggled drugs and humans and laundered money for a vast narco-trafficking ring, all under the nose of the self-proclaimed "America's toughest sheriff," authorities said.

One of the moles, a female corrections officer, was carrying the love child of a cartel capit�n, and all three were accused of leaking sheriff's-office tips to help the ring guide smugglers, drugs and cash through the area from Mexico, authorities said.

Continue Reading: theroot.com

ALCOHOL-RELATED HOSPITAL ADMISSIONS AT RECORD HIGH

Article from: guardian.co.uk

May 26, 2011
Alcohol-related-admission-007.jpgBy: James Melkle

Alcohol-related admissions to hospitals in England have topped 1m in a year for the first time - and have more than doubled in less than a decade, NHS figures show.

Men comprised nearly two-thirds of admissions (63%), which rose by 12% between 2008/9 and 2009/10, according to statistics in a report by the NHS Information Centre. The admissions include alcohol-related falls and accidents as well as longer term damage including cirrhosis, cancers, heart disease and mental health problems. Prescriptions for treating alcohol abuse have also risen.

Continue Reading: gaurdian.co.uk

EX-PR. GEORGE'S OFFICER ADMITS GUILT IN CIGARETTE, ALCOHOL SMUGGLING SCHEME

Article from: washingtonpost.com

May 26, 2011
By: Ruben Castaneda

A former Prince George's County police sergeant admitted Wednesday in U.S. District Court in Greenbelt that he took part in a scheme to smuggle untaxed cigarettes and alcohol from Virginia to Maryland.

The guilty plea by Richard J. Delabrer, 47, is part of a sweeping, ongoing federal corruption probe targeting the activities of current and former county elected officials, appointed officials, police officers, developers and other business people.

Delabrer, who worked for the police department for nearly 23 years, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit extortion and to a federal firearms violation.

According to federal prosecutors, Delabrer and other members of the conspiracy paid an undercover agent more than $1.7 million for more than 17 million untaxed cigarettes.

Continue Reading: washingtonpost.com

SOME DRUNK DRIVING CASES PUT ON HOLD

Article from: timelive.com

May 26, 2011
5.26.11.jpgBy: Philani Nombembe and Grace Johnson

Drunk driving cases which relied on the Dr�ger device have been placed on hold in the Western Cape pending the outcome of the case.

Ekurhuleni Metro Police have chosen to return to conventional blood tests as a backup.

The court application was launched by the NPA last year to confirm the validity of the device amid "continuous efforts to cast doubt on the reliability of the machine". This, said the NPA, delayed drunk driving cases in the lowers courts.

The NPA is using Clifford Hendricks's drunk driving trial as a test case which yesterday continued before Judge Nathan Erasmus, who heard testimony from Dr Ju�rgen Sohege, an employee of the machine's German manufacturers.

Sohege told the court that 15000 devices had been sold around the world and 300 are being used in South Africa.

Continue Reading: timeslive.com 

PROPOSAL WOULD ALLOW HOME CONFINEMENT FOR MULTIPLE DUI CONVICTIONS

Article from: ctpost.com

May 26, 2011

By: Brian Lockhart

HARTFORD -- Drunken drivers convicted of multiple offenses will be eligible to serve their sentences at home under a bill passed by the state House of Representatives Tuesday.

That proposal, along with an early earned release program for inmates, was part of so-called implementer legislation intended to, as some lawmakers described, put meat on the bones of the two-year budget framework the governor signed into law earlier this month.

It was the first of around a half-dozen budget implementers the Democratic-majority House and Senate will act on prior to the legislative session's end on June 8.

The state corrections commissioner will be able to transfer convicted drunk drivers from prison to supervised home confinement, where they will be subject to electronic monitoring and have ignition interlock devices installed in their vehicles.

As he sought to close a $3.3 billion deficit, Democratic Gov. Dannel P. Malloy earlier this year proposed house arrest as a means of reducing the prison population.

Continue Reading: ctpost.com

THE PROBLEMS WITH DRUNKOREXIA (video)

Article from: kimt.com

May 25, 2011
Screen shot 2011-05-25 at 10.25.jpg
MASON CITY, IA - From campuses on the west coast to the east coast and right here in the Midwest, binge drinking amongst college students is nothing new.
However, the new trend of 'Drunkorexia' is becoming more popular and is beginning to put heavy drinkers in danger.

Jay Pedelty, Prevention Specialist with Prairie Ridge-Addictions said, "It's not a medical term we use here because it's not a medical or clinical term." 
It's still relatively young in existence and medical personnel have yet to see very many cases, but drunkorexia is becoming a serious concern.

Pedelty added, "This not eating so I'll have more effect from the alcohol, that may be an initial and deliberate act to feel more effect from the alcohol and it may become something that's a problem." 
Drunkorexia refers to the act of restricting food intake or calories by day so one can become more intoxicated at night without the fear of gaining weight from alcohol calories.

Continue Reading: kimt.com

BEER RELATED INCIDENTS CAUSE CONCERN FOR BASEBALL FANS

Article from: chronicle.augusta.com

May 25, 2011
It was "College Night" at the Milwaukee Brewers game and Aaron Gross knew what that meant.

Cheap tickets for sale. Cheap beer at the tailgate parties. Plenty of booze-fueled trash talk inside the stadium. And, eventually, some alcohol-induced insults leading to suds-soaked fisticuffs.

"I have no problem with heckling people, that's part of the game. But they were crossing lines," said Gross, who found himself -- along with his wife -- caught near a brawl. "It got unpleasant to the point where we left the game. The whole section was completely drunk and obnoxious. We left in the fourth inning, just said, 'That's enough.' "

While much of the boorish, and even criminal, behavior at the ballpark involves alcohol, expect the suds to keep on flowing. The business partnership between beer and baseball is as intertwined as the bond between pitcher and catcher.

There's an alcohol-related slant to many incidents involving unruly fans at baseball parks.

Continue Reading: chronicle.augusta.com


HAND SANITIZER CAN LEAD TO POSITIVE ALCOHOL TEST

Article from: msn.com

May 25, 2011
By: Rachael Rettner

Frequent use of alcohol-containing hand sanitizer won't get you drunk, but it may lead you to test positive in a urine test for alcohol consumption, according to a recent study.

In the study, 11 volunteers who had not consumed alcohol in five days prolifically applied a popular brand of hand sanitizer, Purell, to their hands. According to the manufacturer, 62 percent of Purell consists of ethyl alcohol. By day's end, the urine of eight of the subjects contained levels of an alcohol-breakdown product that would indicate the subjects had recently consumed alcohol.

You'd have to go through large quantities of the stuff before you needed to worry about a positive test result. Just how much? Participants applied one squirt of sanitizer to their hands every five minutes for 10 hours a day for three days. That's the equivalent of about 4 ounces (120 milliliters) per day, or an ounce more than the maximum bottle size you can carry on an airplane.

Continue Reading: msn.com

NATIONAL DRUG COURT MONTH DEMONSTRATES THAT DRUG COURTS ARE A PROVEN BUDGET SOLUTION

Article from: drugfree.org

May 25, 2011
Drug-Court-Graduates.jpgBy: West Huddleston

Whenever a judge enters the courtroom to take the bench, you'll typically hear a court officer proclaim: "All Rise!" For centuries, these two words have inspired a sense of awe and respect for our judicial process.

However, in drug court, "All Rise" means something more. Instead of an order, "All Rise" has become a promise -- a promise to help lighten the burden of addiction for those unable to overcome it alone. A promise to provide the treatment and accountability needed to put people back on track.

More than 2,400 drug courts nationwide are currently celebrating National Drug Court Month by bringing this promise to bear. By month's end, thousands of individuals who entered the criminal justice system addicted to drugs and facing incarceration will complete drug court and emerge as productive, taxpaying citizens. And as they rise out of the depths of addiction, their families and communities rise with them.

Continue Reading: drugfree.org 

BILL WOULD GRANT MONORS IMMUNITY FOR HELPING INTOXICATED FRIEND

Article from: whptv.com

May 25, 2011
The Pennsylvania State Senate has unanimously passed legislation Monday afternoon sponsored by Senator John Rafferty (R-Montgomery) that would provide immunity from prosecution for minors if they call 911 to help an intoxicated friend in an emergency situation. 

Senate Bill 448 would grant immunity to the first person to call 911 to report that another person needs medical attention when underage drinking is involved. The caller must provide their name to the 911 operator and must remain with the person until paramedics arrive. 

Rafferty, who has been an ardent supporter and author of tougher laws to prevent underage drinking, said his legislation is intended to protect public safety and prevent needless tragedies.

Continue Reading: whptv.com

PATRICK KENNEDY'S NEW CAMPAIGN / INSIDE THEB BRAIN

Article from: pressofatlanticcity.com

May 25, 2011
Former football players suffering the effects of too many concussions ... returning soldiers suffering from post traumatic stress syndrome ... drug addicts ... alcoholics ... people suffering from depression.

What do they all have in common? More than you might think.

To many in the scientific community, the answer is clear and getting clearer every day: Identifiable, biological abnormalities in the brain.

Others outside the scientific community, however, reject that disease model for many mental-health issues: Addicts and alcoholics don't have a disease, they say. They are just weak. The soldiers and football players are just "shaken up."

But Patrick Kennedy, a former member of Congress from Rhode Island, the son of the late U.S. Sen. Edward Kennedy - and a new resident of South Jersey - believes it is time for the nation to move beyond the dark ages regarding mental illness. It is time, he says, to recognize that the brain is an organ, and the diseases of that organ should not carry any more stigma than the diseases of any other organ in the body. And he's right.

Continue Reading: pressofatlanticcity.com

THE NEW FACE OF DRUG ADDICTION

Article from: cnn.com

May 24, 2011
the new face of drug addiction.jpgBy: CNN Congressional Producer Rachel Streitfeld

Washington (CNN) - The face of drug addiction has changed, and the government is working to adapt.
The 21st-century drug addict is more likely to get a fix from a medicine cabinet than from a needle. More than 5 million Americans misused prescription painkillers in a one-month period in 2009, according to a National Survey on Drug Use and Health from that year.

And a huge majority - more than 70% - of those prescription-drug abusers said they got the drugs from friends and relatives.

"We believe there are two unique reasons for the growth in prescription drug abuse - easy accessibility to the drugs and the diminished perception of risk," Gil Kerlikowske, the director of the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy, told a Senate Judiciary subcommittee Tuesday.
Kerlikowske joined a slate of witnesses to describe the skyrocketing addiction statistics and a host of federal and state initiatives designed to stem the tide - several of which are still in the planning stages.

Continue Reading: cnn.com

NANNY RISKS LIFE TO SAVE TODDLER'S LIFE FROM DRUNK DRIVER

Article from: thestir.com

May 24, 2011
pov9mbbyqs.jpgBy: Jacqueline Burt

Would your caregiver throw herself into the path of an oncoming pick-up truck to save your child's life? That's what Jennifer Anton did when a drunk driver was headed straight towards 20-month-old Tyler Jones' stroller. Anton pushed the stroller out of the way and took the hit herself, saving the toddler's life and sustaining seriously horrific injuries in the process. Essentially all of 25-year-old Anton's bones below the waist were shattered.

Seven people in total were hospitalized after 61-year-old Chicago Streets and Sanitation worker Dwight Washington veered off the road and into a group of pedestrians, a bottle of brandy on the seat next to him. Washington has been charged with four counts of felony aggravated driving under the influence and is being sued on the behalf of Anton and the child. Tyler's dad is calling Anton an "angel on this earth," an assessment that sounds pretty accurate to me.

Continue Reading: thestir.com

FAMILY STRUGGLES TO FIND SAFE HOME FOR SON WITH FETAL ALCOHOL SPECTRUM DISORDER

Article from: google.com

May 24, 2011
By: Michael McDonald

HALIFAX -- For the first 14 years of his life, his parents kept him in school and out of trouble.

Now they're struggling to keep him out of prison or an early grave.

The Nova Scotia youth, now 16, has a severe case of fetal alcohol spectrum disorder, a lifelong mental disability that affects those whose mothers drank alcohol during pregnancy.

He is impulsive, easily frustrated and has very little short-term memory, which interferes with his ability to learn. As well, he doesn't fully comprehend the consequences of his actions, leaving him vulnerable to those trying to take advantage of him.

Neither he nor his adoptive parents can be identified under the province's Child and Family Services Act.

Two years ago, his parents decided his increasingly violent behaviour had deteriorated to the point where they could no longer care for him in their home. He had punched holes in the wall, spat in their faces and, at one point, attacked a smaller boy who was visiting their home.

Continue Reading: google.com

LOCAL RESIDENTS FORM COMMUNITY COALITION

Article from: patch.com

May 24, 2011
local residents.jpgBy: Samantha Rupert

Bayport resident and parent Susan Schartner met with community members at the high school Thursday night to form a coalition, which plans to keep drugs and alcohol out of the hands of underage youth.

Schartner partnered with Blue Point resident Robin McKinnon, a prevention specialist at Long Island Prevention Resource Center, and Laurel Hoffman, the district's social worker, to create the coalition, which promises to battle the influx of drug and alcohol use by local teens.

"People want to make a change," Schartner said. "People want to keep our children safe and healthy against the use of alcohol and drugs."

According to McKinnon, there are 25 similar coalitions in Suffolk County communities. Some include East Islip, Babylon Village, and Huntington. She said so far coalitions have been very effective.

"It's actually one of the only things that will work to prevent drug and alcohol," McKinnon said.

Continue Reading:  patch.com

DRUG SEARCH AT HINGHAM HIGH DONE TO SEND A MESSAGE

Article from: boston.com

May 24, 2011
By: Jessica Bartlett

Hingham High Principal Paula Girouard McCann said today that a drug sweep last week was intended to send a message that the school must remain drug-free.

In an interview, McCann said the sweep on Friday had been preceeded by a few drug busts at the school.

"We did have some incidents but the general feeling was it was time to do it," she said of the drug search on Friday that found two Hingham High students with marijuana.

Cars, lockers, and a few select classrooms were searched by dogs trained to find illegal drugs, something done as a proactive measure to ensure students knew that, although small amounts of marijuana have been decriminalized in Massachusetts, drug use is still a serious issue, McCann said.

"We wanted to let people know that we were drug free," she said.

Continue Reading: boston.com

NEW HEPATITIS C DRUG APPROVED

Article from: wsj.com

May 24, 2011
By: Thomas Gryta

The Food and Drug Administration approved a new hepatitis C drug from Vertex Pharmaceuticals Inc., marking the second such drug to be approved by the agency in less than two weeks after years without new treatments for the viral liver disease.

Vertex's drug, called Incivek, joins Merck & Co.'s Victrelis. Both drugs have shown success in increasing the cure rates of the liver disease when added to current treatments, although Incivek has shown stronger effectiveness, simpler dosing and has a broader range of data.

Although the drugs work in similar ways, it is difficult to directly compare different clinical studies, and no head-to-head trials of the two have been conducted.

Hepatitis C is caused by a virus and can lead to liver failure, liver cancer and, in some cases, the need for a transplant. About 3.2 million Americans have the disease.

Continue Reading: wsj.com

RANGERS' BOOGAARD DIED OF ALCOHOL, OXYCODONE MIX

Article from: ap.org

May 23, 2011
rangers' boogaard.jpgBy: Amy Forliti

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) -- The death of Rangers enforcer Derek Boogaard was an accident, due to a toxic mix of alcohol and the powerful painkiller oxycodone. The Hennepin County Medical Examiner announced Boogaard's cause of death Friday, saying it was unclear exactly when the 28-year-old died. Boogaard was found dead in his Minneapolis apartment last Friday, five months after he sustained a season-ending concussion with the New York Rangers.

The medical examiner said no private data on Boogaard would be released, but a statement his family issued through the National Hockey League Players' Association indicated the 6-foot-7 Boogaard had been struggling with pain and addiction.

"After repeated courageous attempts at rehabilitation and with the full support of the New York Rangers, the NHLPA and the NHL, Derek had been showing tremendous improvement but was ultimately unable to beat this opponent," the family said. "While he played and lived with pain for many years, his passion for the game, his teammates, and his community work was unstoppable."

Continue Reading: ap.org

'SOBER SCHOOL' ACCREDITED, TO OPEN IN SEPT.

Article from: patch.com

May 23, 2011
Sober School.jpgBy: Tom Sunnergren

The Bridge Way School, a high school exclusively for students recovering from drug or alcohol addiction that will be the first of it
s kind in the city, has been granted accreditation by the state and will now officially open its doors in Sept. 2011. The accreditation came after three representatives from the Greater Philadelphia Association for Recovery Education (GPARE)--the organization that will run the school-- attended a licensing hearing in Harrisburg on May 13.

"Due to the hard work of many individuals, the Bridge Way School is now licensed to open," said GPARE executive director Rebecca Bonner in a press release. "I would like especially to thank GPARE's board for their passionate dedication, and our school staff, who has continued to believe in the dream through what seemed like countless bureaucratic delays."

Continue Reading: patch.com

BOB DYLAN ADMITS HEROIN ADDICTION IN NEWLY RELEASED 1966 INTERVIEW

Article from: rollingstone.com

May 23, 2011
Bob dylan.jpgBy: Andy Greene

In newly released audio from a March 1966 interview, Bob Dylan confesses to having a kicked a heroin habit while living in New York City. "I got very, very strung out for a while," he says in excerpts released by the BBC. "I kicked the habit. I had a $25 a day habit and I kicked it." He was speaking to New York Times writer Robert Shelton on a plane from Lincoln, Nebraska to Denver while on his legendary 1966 electric tour.

This may sound like a huge revelation, but Dylan has been telling journalists wild lies about his past since the earliest days of his career. He was particularly prone to fabricating stories in the mid-Sixties.  In another 1966 interview with Shelton, Dylan claimed to have worked as a prostitute when he first arrived in New York. "Sometimes we would make one hundred a night, really, from four in the afternoon until three or four in the morning," he said. "Cats would pick us up and chicks would pick us up. And we would do anything you wanted, as long as it was paid...I almost got killed...I didn't come down to the Village until two months later. Nobody knew that I had been hustling uptown."

Continue Reading: rollingstone.com

BUTTE COUNTY COALITION TAKES ON TEEN DRINKING

Article from: rapidcityjournal.com

May 23, 2011
Butte County.jpgBy: Collene Brunner

The Whatever it Takes Coalition is doing its part to tackle underage drinking in Butte County.
"Education is the big key," said Butte County Commissioner Steve Smeenk.

The group met recently to brainstorm potential solutions to the problem. Guests from several organizations included the Butte County Sheriff's Office, Belle Fourche Police Department, Butte County Commissioners, Belle Fourche City Council, Newell City Council, Belle Fourche school administration and students, Bureau of Reclamation, Game, Fish & Parks Department, Division of Criminal Investigation, Western Prevention Resources and other interested community members.

The topics discussed included pursuing a South Dakota Strategic Prevention Framework-State Incentive Grant (Underage Drinking). In July 2009, South Dakota entered into a five-year cooperative agreement with the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration Center for Substance Abuse Prevention to administer the grant. 

Continue Reading: rapidcityjournal.com

THE NEXT BIG STEP IN RECOVERY: COLLEGE GRADUATION

Article from: rutgers.edu

May 22, 2011
bigstepinrecovery.jpgBy: Lisa Intrabartola

Flashing cameras, beaming family members, flowing scarlet robes, and esteemed faculty members - all the pomp associated with a traditional college graduation filled Livingston Student Center's suite 101 on May 16. But the circumstance banding this group of eight graduates together is unique: They are roommates of Rutgers' Recovery Housing program, the first on-campus college housing in the country for students recovering from alcohol and drug addiction.
 
"At one point in your lives, you and your families were not sure if you would live or die, let alone graduate from Rutgers," said Lisa Laitman, director of the university's Alcohol and Drug Assistance Program (ADAP) since 1983. Laitman told the audience these graduates are proof that "it is possible to stay both clean and sober and graduate from college."

Donning teal and purple honor chords - symbolic colors of recovery and royalty and penance, respectively - each graduate stepped to the podium after being presented by a family member, sponsor, or friend. They thanked loved ones for everything from bailing them out of Rikers Island to supporting them in the wake of relapses, suicide attempts, coming out, and testing positive for HIV. And they expressed gratitude: for their sobriety, for the addiction that shaped them into who they are today, and especially for ADAP staff and Recovery Housing, without which they say this day would not have been possible.

Continue Reading: rutgers.edu

PRESCRIPTION DRUG ABUSE LEGISLATION NIXES 'PILL MILLS'

Article from: newarkadvocate.com

May 22, 2011
By: Russ Zimmer

Ohio now has a way to weed out "pill mills" from legitimate pain management clinics after Gov. John Kasich signed legislation Friday afternoon aimed at confronting the supply side of prescription drug abuse.

Abuse of medication, especially prescription pain relievers in the opiate family, has been called an "epidemic" by Kasich and the Ohio Department of Health. From 2004 to 2009, the latest state data available, an average of three to four people were dying every day from unintentional drug overdoses in Ohio.

Rep. Dave Burke, a pharmacist in Marysville, and his fellow Republican Rep. Terry Johnson, a Portsmouth doctor, sponsored the bill. Burke said the details of the implementation still need to be finalized and future actions on substance abuse treatment and prescriber and patient education need to follow.

"This bill is not the end," he said. "It's only the beginning, but ... today is the day we finally start doing something."

Continue Reading: newarkadvocate.com

MODESTO OFFICERS BUST "CLEAN AND SOBER" LIVING FACILITIES (video)

Article from: fox40.com

May 22, 2011
By: Andria Borba

From the outside, it looks like your typical home..."In actuality, it was a warehouse for people with disabilities and they were collecting the funds, the rent, but were not providing services they'd promised," says Sgt. Rick Armendariz.

Modesto police officers noticed they kept getting dispatched to a dozen homes for nuisance calls within the city. After a little digging, they discovered that the homes were actually billing themselves as "Clean and Sober" board- and-care facilities, but were operating far outside the law.

Neighbors say the homes, which can be plunked down in any neighborhood, were bringing unimaginable problems. Neighbor Diane Rieb says she often saw the residents of the board-and-care facility next door to her, "Running up and down the streets drunk, smoking pot in the backyard, screaming and yelling, fighting in the front yard."

Continue Reading: fox40.com

HERREN, CO-AUTHOR CHRONICLE RISE FROM ADDICTION

Article from: southcoasttoday.com

May 22, 2011
herrennba.jpgBy: Lauren Daley

"Basketball Junkie" is the kind of book screenwriters love:

They barely have to touch it to make it into a Hollywood blockbuster.

"Basketball Junkie," by Bill Reynolds and Chris Herren, is "The Fighter" set in Fall River instead of Lowell, set on the court instead of in the ring.

I could not put this book down. I read it in a day. I'm telling you now: This will be a movie someday.

Providence sports writer Reynolds, author of "Fall River Dreams," has collaborated with Chris Herren -- former Durfee High School basketball star, Denver Nugget and Boston Celtic -- to tell Herren's unbelievable tale:

Herren saw his dreams of being an NBA star wash out from under him as he slid further into the grips of alcohol, cocaine, Oxycontin, and eventually, heroin.

A high school star, Herren was courted by colleges around the nation. He was drafted to the Denver Nuggets and eventually played for the Boston Celtics. But nothing -- not even the NBA -- was more important to Herren than getting his next fix.

He hit bottom when he was found in Fall River, near death over the wheel of his car, a bag of heroin on the passenger seat.

Continue Reading: southcoasttoday.com

COUNCIL INTRODUCES ANTI-UNDERAGE DRINKING ORDINANCE (video)

Article from: patch.com

May 22, 2011
By Ariana Cohn

The Kinnelon Council introduced an ordinance that would allow police to charge underage drinkers for possessing or consuming alcohol on private property, but the council agreed to postpone voting on the ordinance for 60 days, giving the public enough time to review the ordinance and ask questions.

Under the current ordinance, police are able to charge underage persons who have consumed or are in possession of alcohol as long as they are on public property, such as a borough road. With the new ordinance, police would be able to charge an underage drinker, the first offense coming with a $250 fine.

Councilman Andrew San Filippo originally asked Thursday that the council table introducing the ordinance because he said he felt the public has misconceptions about what the ordinance stands to do (see video).

Councilman Jim Freda agreed that the council should table introduction of the resolution.

"I think the public does not understand this ordinance," he said. "I don't know why we need to rush into this."

During the council's work session meeting last week, Kinnelon Police Chief John Finkle presented the ordinance and asked that the council act on it immediately, but said that it was not dire that it be adopted before upcoming celebrations, such as prom and graduation.

Continue Reading: patch.com

THE BEGINNING OF THE END OF RESIDENTIAL DRUG AND ALCOHOL TREATMENT? (video)

Article from: abcnews.com

May 21, 2011
addictiontreatmentis.jpgBy: Stefan P. Kruszewski

In my specialty as an addiction psychiatrist, I have often advocated for residential treatment when unremitting drug and alcohol problems persist because other, less intensive, services have failed. That may soon change.

Over the past two years, I've witnessed a worrisome trend: the medicalization of addictions. Some of this makes no sense to me. Let me explain.

There have always been drug treatments for acute detoxification of drug and alcohol problems. The drugs have changed over the years, but the concept of providing a brief period of drug stabilization to prevent seizures or delirium or to mitigate psychosis has gone one unabated.

For instance, barbiturates were once used to minimize alcoholic delirium, but the barbiturates were replaced by benzodiazepines and, although still commonly in use, the benzodiazepines have been more recently supplanted or co-administered with anti-seizure drugs, like valproex or gabapentin. The endpoint has largely been the same: we will stabilize the patient over an acute period of rapidly changing health conditions (sweating, diarrhea, pulse, blood pressure, temperature, pain) and, once the detoxification has been successfully completed and the patient is comfortable and alert, we will begin a process of education and behavioral health techniques to foster a hoped-for drug free recovery state.

That is changing, however, in certain facilities in ways that I believe are destructive and counter-productive.

Continue Reading: abcnews.com

NEW 'BRAIN SURGERY TO CURE DRUG ADDICTS

Article from: eastday.com

May 21, 2011
A NEW surgical procedure in the brain could be a cure for drug addicts without injuring the vital organ, local medical authorities said yesterday.

With the new method, doctors from Renji Hospital managed to help a 24-year-old patient with a five-year history of drug abuse to remain clean for more than six years without a relapse. Usually, over 95 percent of addicts relapse within six months after quitting, due to the strong psychological dependency.

It is said to be the world's first reported successful case of treating drug addiction with a form of acupuncture through electrical stimulation in the brain, according to the latest edition of Biological Psychiatry, an international academic journal.

Doctors said the article is a good reference for health authorities to regulate and restart surgical treatment for drug addiction in China after the Ministry of Health banned a controversial surgical procedure that involved removing a small portion of the patient's brain, in November 2004.

"Unlike the surgery where a part of the brain is removed, our treatment is minimally invasive and just stimulates a part of the brain to block the addict's drug-induced psychological dependency," said Dr Zhou Hongyu of Renji Hospital's neurosurgery department. "Similar therapy has been used for many diseases, like Parkinson's, around the world and in China."

Continue Reading: eastday.com

STAFFER/EX-ADDICT: SUBSTANCE ABUSE PREVENTION, TREATMENT MATTERS

Article from: nashualtelegraph.com

May 21, 2011
exadictsubstanceabuse.cls.jpgBy: Dean Shalhoup

As all administrators, board members and advocates of state-funded social service agencies are doing these days, Phil Francoeur is spending every spare minute working on ways to convince state legislators how disastrous proposed state budget cuts would be to vital substance abuse prevention and treatment programs.

From his seat on the advisory board of Phoenix House, the Dublin-based residential substance-abuse treatment and recovery program, Francoeur said he has watched success story after success story emerge from the program's three campuses over the years and cringes at the thought of seeing many of the programs lost to funding cuts.

But much of the passion the 55-year-old Nashua native has for state-funded programs like the Phoenix House comes not from his role as an adviser. A one-time drug addict and trafficker who served several years in State Prison, Francoeur largely credits the Phoenix House's comprehensive, soup-to-nuts treatment approach for what he is today: Alive, clean, sober, employed, productive and happy.

"I've been clean and sober many times," Francoeur said recently in his small, cozy apartment in Milford, where he now lives with wife Doris. "Addicts do that a lot. But it never lasts."

Continue Reading: nashuatelegraph.com

THE DRUG DEBATE: THE PAIN OF ADDICTION (video)

Article from: wctv.tv

May 21, 2011
By: Lauren Searcy

Statistics show that more than 16 million Americans over the age of 12 have used prescription pain killers for non-medicinal purposes. Addictions to prescription medication can tear apart families causing emotional and financial stress, but where there's hope, there's recovery.

1,149 days. That's how long Stephanie Potter has been sober. ?Now she's a full time hair stylist, balancing a schedule of color and cuts with her daughter's activities and even taking college classes. But that's a far cry from where she was ten years ago.

"I was a sophomore in high school and i became addicted to Oxycontin. I was dating a guy who sold prescription medication and that's where my daily use began. Like, couldn't get out of bed if I didn't have it," said Potter.

Stephanie's struggle with addiction lead her to some scary places. She spent time in jail,, in and out of rehab, always looking for that next fix.

"What I felt was euphoric, an all is well with the world utopia like feeling and that is in essence what I was wanting from my real life and so my lack of happiness in my real life, you know, prescription pills gave me a substitute," added Potter.

"My life is so screwed and ruined with drugs and alcohol, yet I can't imagine living life without them," she said.

Stephanie may have been high in euphoric clouds but her family was suffering in a drug induced hell.

Continue Reading: wctv.tv


CAN A VACCINE STOP DRUG ABUSE?

Article from: economist.com

May 21, 2011
The idea of vaccinating drug addicts against their affliction is an intriguing one. In principle, it should not be too hard. The immune system works, in part, by making antibodies that are specific to particular sorts of hostile molecule. Such antibodies recognise and attach themselves to these molecules, rendering them harmless. Vaccines work by presenting the immune system with novel targets, so that it can learn to react to them if it comes across them again.

The problem is that the molecules antibodies recognise and react to are the big ones, such as proteins, that are characteristic of bacteria, viruses and other infectious agents. Small molecules, such as drugs, go unnoticed. But not for much longer, if Kim Janda of the Scripps Research Institute in San Diego has his way. In a paper just published in the Journal of the American Chemical Society, Dr Janda and his colleagues suggest how a vaccine against methamphetamine, a popular street drug, might be made. If their method works, it would open the possibility of vaccinating people against other drugs, too.

The idea of a methamphetamine vaccine is not new. The problem is getting the immune system to pay attention to a molecule that is such a small target. The way that has been tried in the past is to build the vaccine from several components.

Continue Reading: economist.com

FAMILY SUES FOUR LOKO MAKER OVER TEEN'S DEATH

Article from: msnbc.com

May 20, 2011
4 loko.jpg
By: Mary Wisniewski

CHICAGO -- The parents of a 15-year-old boy who died last fall after drinking a controversial beverage that combined caffeine and alcohol sued the Chicago-based manufacturer on Thursday.

The parents of John "Bo" Donald Rupp, III, sued Phusion Projects, maker of Four Loko, for their son's September 26, 2010 death, alleging that Phusion knew the product was dangerous and targeted underage drinkers.
The Rupps say that Bo became confused and drunk after drinking two cans of Four Loko, wandered into a highway in suburban Washington, D.C. and was hit by a car.

Phusion said it voluntarily removed the stimulants caffeine, guarana and taurine from Four Loko last November. The move came ahead of an expected crackdown by U.S. regulators.

The product, sometimes called "blackout in a can," comes in fruit flavors and brightly colored cans. One 23.5 ounce can is comparable to drinking five or six beers.


Continue Reading: msnbc.com

FORMER HOMELESS SACRAMENTO WOMAN FOUND SOCCER, HOPES OTHERS WILL TOO

Article from: sacbee.com

May 20, 2011
By: Carlos Alcal�

Lisa Wrightsman used soccer to turn her life around. Now she's using it to help others do the same.

Wrightsman, a standout at Sacramento State and in a semipro league, later fell to drugs, alcohol, homelessness and jail. Last year, however, she entered a Volunteers of America recovery program and discovered VOA's street soccer program at Mather.

She wound up going to Washington, D.C., to play with the Mohawks, VOA's men's team.

She was named most valuable player at a national tournament and sent to Brazil to represent the United States. When she got back, she was a changed woman, she said.

A newfound confidence earned her full-time work at TechSkills, where she'd been interning.

Watching the women she saw play in Brazil had been an eye-opener for her. "They were not serious players," she said, referring to their soccer background, not their motivation. She saw street soccer as something more than athletics. It is a movement about helping people get off the street.


Continue Reading: sacbee.com

PUBS MOVE ON VIOLENT DRUNKS

Article from: yahoo.com

May 20, 2011
Drunk bars.jpg
By: ABC

An industry accord aimed at curbing alcohol-fuelled violence and anti-social behaviour is spreading across Tasmania.

Liquor accords have been successful in northern Tasmania and now southern pubs are signing up to to tackle problems of violence and alcohol abuse in entertainment precincts.

The Liquor and Gaming Board wants to have six separate liquor accords in place by the end of the year

Burnie, Launceston and Circular Heads have been successfully running the accords where licensed venues and events work together with police and local government to curb alcohol-fuelled violence and anti-social behaviour.

Pubs and Clubs in Hobart and Glenorchy hope to have them in place by the beginning of August and Devonport is in the early stages of developing one.


Continue Reading: yahoo.com

IMPAIRED DRIVING REMAINS 'BLIGHT' ON SOCIETY

Article from: ottowacitizen.com

May 19, 2011
drivingremains.bin.jpgBy: Chris Cobb

Despite decades of public education and reams of compelling statistics, thousands of drivers across Canada continue to drive impaired.

Most get lucky . most of the time. They don't get caught or, more importantly, they don't kill or maim anyone.

Some do, though. The guilty plea of 24-year-old Jack Tobin, along with the facts about his case made public Tuesday, was evidence enough that the consequences are both devastating and permanent for all concerned when the luck runs out.

A drunken Tobin accidentally killed his good friend, Alex Zolpis, also 24, during a drunken revel on the top level of a ByWard Market parking garage in the early hours of Christmas Eve last year. He now faces jail time -"significant" time if the prosecuting Crown attorney gets his way.

On average, four Canadians are killed and 190 injured in impairment-related driving accidents each day.

By far the most vulnerable age group includes people aged 16 to 24: a group that includes Tobin and his friends.

"People continue to do it because they don't think they will get caught," says Denise Dubyk, national president of Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD), the country's most prominent advocate against impaired driving. "So they take the chance."

Continue Reading: ottawacitizen.com

METHAMPHETAMINE ADDICTION BECOMING MORE COMMON IN TREATMENT

Article from: publicbroadcasting.net

May 19, 2011
By: Angela Hatton

MURRAY, KY (wkms) - In Kentucky Police busted a record number of meth labs last year. The people arrested in those some 1000 busts either go to jail, or go into treatment. Since 2005, more meth addicts have gone into treatment. That was when the state passed the Recovery Kentucky Act, which opened up 500 free spaces for those wanting to go into rehab programs. In the latest installment in an occasional series, Angela Hatton reports on meth addiction and the recovery process.

J. D. was in his early twenties when he started using meth. J.D. is not his real name, but it's what we'll call him here. He was at work and some of his co-workers offered him the drug.

"They said, y'know, you want to try some of this? And uh, of course, I said sure. And, I guess the first time I done it I said, that's, y'know, that's something I want to do every day for the rest of my life. Uh, it was just such a good feeling. It made me feel stronger, and faster, and tougher."

J. D. says he used meth for over eight years, balancing his drug habit with his work schedule as best he could. He says he got pretty good at keeping a low profile by going out of town to buy ingredients and cooking meth at different locations to lower suspicion. J.D. says inevitably the longer he used, the more he had to take to stay high.

Continue Reading: Angela Hatton

'PATRICK KENNEDY - COMING CLEAN' BRINGS MENTAL HEALTH OUT OF SHADOWS (video)

Article from: cnn.com

May 19, 2011
In a CNN exclusive, chief medical correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta speaks with former U.S. Rep. Patrick Kennedy (D-RI) about his decision to leave Congress, his struggles with addiction and mental illness, growing up Kennedy, his father's legacy, and his new philanthropic mission.  These themes form the core of Dr. Sanjay Gupta Reports: Patrick Kennedy - Coming Clean, a new documentary that premieres Sunday, May 22 at 7:00p.m. ET.

Gupta, also a practicing neurosurgeon, talks extensively to Kennedy about his ambitious goal to fund research that leads to cures for a breadth of brain pathologies - including Alzheimer's disease, chemical dependencies, mental illness, and cancers.  Kennedy's new mission is to fund a "moon shot" medical research effort - similar in its extraordinary ambition and aspiration to the successful race to space his uncle, President John F. Kennedy, inspired more than a generation ago.

During the deeply personal and wide-ranging discussion, Kennedy speaks candidly about the stigma he felt growing up with depression as a member of his famously-accomplished family.  In addition, his more than 25 years of substance abuse have meant he's spent time in rehabilitation over a half dozen times.

Continue Reading: cnn.com

OLD HABITS DIE HARD: RISE IN NUMBER OF ALCOHOL AND DRUG ADDICTS OVER 50 IN THE U.S.

Article from: dailymail.co

May 19, 2011
oldhabitsdiehard.jpgThey are not your average alcoholics or drug addicts, and in fact if you looked around the room you would never guess that this is what binds them together.

But for the group of over 60s, they know that addictions know no age.

Gathered in a room at the Hanley Center, they tell of their struggles, of their low points and lapses, brushes with death and pain caused to families as they quietly share stories of their addictions.

One man said: 'I retired, I started drinking more.'

Another said: 'I lost my father, my mother, my dog, and it gave me a good excuse.'

A remarkable shift in the number of older adults reporting substance abuse problems is making this scene more common.

Between 1992 and 2008, treatment admissions for those 50 and older more than doubled in the U.S. That number will continue to grow, experts say, as the massive baby boom generation ages.

Peter Provet, the head of Odyssey House in New York, another centre offering specialized substance abuse treatment programs for seniors, said: 'There is a level of societal denial around the issue. No one wants to look at their grandparent, no one wants to think about their grandparent or their elderly parent, and see that person as an addict.'

231,200 people aged 50 and over sought treatment for substance abuse in 2008, up from 102,700 in 1992, according to the federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.

Continue Reading: dailymail.co

SALT LAKE GARBAGE TRUCKS WARN OF UNDERAGE DRINKING DANGERS

Article from: desertnews.com

May 19, 2011
garbagemessage.jpgBy: Jared Page

SALT LAKE CITY -- Scientific research has shown that alcohol affects teenagers' still-developing brains differently from adult brains and may harm that development.

And if you don't believe the scientists, ask your garbage man.

Salt Lake garbage trucks again have been turned into mobile billboards that will carry underage drinking prevention messages throughout the capital city.

Seventeen sanitation trucks have been wrapped with colorful, in-your-face slogans and images designed to encourage parents to prevent underage drinking by being actively involved in their kids' lives and setting clear rules against alcohol use.

"Parents are the best teachers of their children, and we really want parents to focus their attention on letting their children know that underage drinking is unacceptable," Mayor Ralph Becker said during a news conference Wednesday to unveil the newly decorated trucks.

Colorful images of brains have been painted on the white trucks, along with messages such as, "What parts of their brain don't your kids need?" and "The brain you save may be your kid's."

"Parents, reach out to your children," Becker said. "Talk to your children about the dangers of underage drinking, and do everything you can to try to prevent the horrible consequences we see all too often from underage drinking."

Continue Reading: desertnews.com

BUZZ KILL: BINGE DRINKING LINKED TO LEARNING PROBLEMS

Article from: msn.com

May 19, 2011
By: Amanda Chan

Binge drinking could have effects even after the buzz wears off -- it's associated with a decreased ability to learn verbal information, according to a new study.

College students who reported that they participated in binge drinking scored lower on a verbal learning test than college students who don't binge drink, the study said.

Researchers think that the results come from alcohol's toxic effect on the hippocampus, the brain region responsible for learning and memory. Previous research in animals has shown that this brain region is particularly sensitive to alcohol, said study researcher Maria Parada, a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Santiago of Compostela in Spain.

Binge drinking is defined as drinking five or more alcoholic drinks (or four or more, for women) during one occasion. Moderate alcohol consumption is considered having two drinks per day for men, or one drink per day for women, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The study will be published in August in the journal Alcoholism: Clinical & Experimental Research.

Continue Reading: msn.com

BATTLING ADDICTIONS WITH ENGINEERING ALGORITHMS

Article from: asu.edu

May 19, 2011
battlingaddictions.jpgBy: Allie Nicodemo

Chemical engineers are responsible for numerous scientific advances, ranging from affordable pharmaceuticals and super-strong synthetic fibers to environmental cleanup and recycling technologies. Most people don't associate engineers with advances in behavioral health, but new research shows engineers might have much to offer those fighting addictions and other behavioral disorders.

One of the leaders in this unlikely collaboration is Daniel Rivera, a professor of chemical engineering in the School for Engineering of Matter, Transport and Energy, one of Arizona State University's Ira A. Fulton Schools of Engineering. Rivera is also program director for ASU's Control Systems Engineering Laboratory. He and other engineering researchers are applying concepts from control systems engineering to behavioral health interventions.

"Experts in behavioral health have already realized that not only is it necessary to provide treatment over time, it has to be adapted to participant response. We're using ideas from engineering to optimize how to deliver adaptive interventions," Rivera says.

Continue Reading: asu.edu

UNHEALTHY SUBSTANCE ABUSE A RISK FACTOR FOR NOT RECEIVING SOME PREVENTIVE HEALTH SERVICES

Article from: medicalnewstoday.com

May 18, 2011
By: Gina DiGravio

Researchers from Boston Medical Center (BMC) and Boston University School of Medicine (BUSM) have identified unhealthy substance use as a risk factor for not receiving all appropriate preventive health services. The findings, which currently appear in BMJ Open, identify unhealthy substance use as a barrier to completion of mammography screening and influenza vaccination. 

Cancer and influenza are among the leading causes of mortality in the United States. Influenza is preventable, in part, through vaccination, and mortality from cervical, breast and colorectal cancer can be reduced through routine screening. Nevertheless, many eligible U.S. adults do not receive these recommended preventive services, in particular, low-income persons, racial and ethnic minorities, the uninsured and the foreign-born. 

Despite this knowledge, and the implementation of interventions targeting these groups, preventive services are still underused, which has led some to believe that high-risk "pockets" of the population may account for gaps in service receipt. 

"Persons with unhealthy substance use (for alcohol, the spectrum that ranges from risky use to dependence; for drugs, the spectrum from any illicit drug use, including prescription drugs to dependence), represent one such "pocket," said lead author Karen Lasser, MD, MPH, a primary care physician at BMC as well as an associate professor of medicine at BUSM. 

Continue Reading: medicalnewstoday.com

LEGAL HIGH BATTLE SHOWS NEED FOR DRUG POLICY RETHINK

Article from: guardian.co.uk

May 18, 2011
pills.jpg
By: Jeremy Sare

When it comes to the new wave of legal highs, our politicians are like Amish farmers blinking up at jet planes tearing across the sky. They are wilfully living "out of time" but certain of the virtue of their archaic methods.

The internet has revolutionised the drugs market. The impact of synthetic legal highs simply cannot be addressed through the traditional response of governments deploying greater enforcement, bellowing overblown messages to young people and offering an Elastoplast of treatment.

The Demos/UKDPC report Taking Drugs Seriously published today, for which I was a contributor, sets out clearly how legal highs have exposed the ancient Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 (MDA) as totally inadequate legislation. They propose a whole new range of regulatory controls for the 600 or so drugs (and growing) covered by the act. The report was described by Britain's most senior drugs officer, Chief Constable Tim Hollis, as "a timely and helpful contribution".

Continue Reading: guardian.co.uk


FAMILY HISTORY OF COMMON FORM OF ALCOHOLISM MAY INCREASE SENSITIVITY TO ALCOHOL

Article from: drugfree.org

May 18, 2011
By: Join Together Staff

People with a family history of a milder form of alcoholism show a greater response to alcohol, than people without this family history, a new study finds. This enhanced sensitivity to alcohol could increase the risk for developing alcoholism, the researchers say.

While it is already known that people with a family history of alcoholism are at greater risk of developing alcoholism themselves, the new study looked specifically at people with no history of drinking problems who had a family history of Type I alcoholism. This is a milder but more common form of alcoholism that is thought to have less of a genetic component than the more severe Type II alcoholism, HealthDay reports.

Continue Reading: drugfree.org

DETECTION OF DRUG TRAFFICKING AND OTHER CONTRABAND SMUGGLING IMPROVED BY ADVANCED CT WITH 3-D SCANNING

Article from: medicalnewstoday.com

May 18, 2011
By: Keri Sperry

With the high prevalence of drug abuse and trafficking in major cities throughout the world, one new study shows how advanced CT with 3D scanning can help radiologists better identify ingested or hidden contraband items more effectively. 

These advanced imaging techniques can help law enforcement officers fight international drug trafficking, identify medical complications caused by ingested drug packets, and reduce contraband smuggling within the penal system, said Dr. Barry Daly, lead researcher for the study. "Newer techniques for wrapping drug packets make them harder to detect on conventional x-rays. When abdominal radiographs are negative for contraband, but a strong suspicion for drug trafficking remains, our goal is to encourage law officers and medical workers to use CT with 3D scanning as part of their game plan." 

Continue Reading: medicalnewstoday.com

FIRST NATIONALLY ACCREDITED ADDICTION MEDICINE RESIDENCY PROGRAMS TO START JULY

Article from: drugfree.org

May 17, 2011
first nationall accredited addiction medicine residency program.jpgBy: Join Together Staff

On July 1, the first group of medical residents will start training in 10 newly accredited addiction medicine residencies around the country. The programs, accredited by the American Board of Addiction Medicine (ABAM) Foundation, will signal a new era in addiction medicine, says ABAM Foundation President Kevin Kunz, MD.

"The average primary care physician sees many patients with addictive disorders, but they often don't have anyone to consult with or refer to in order to help these patients," Dr. Kunz said. "The residencies will produce physicians with full training in addiction medicine to help with the care of these patients. Physicians who graduate from these residencies will be a vital component of the multidisciplinary teams that treat addictive disorders."

Continue Reading: drugfree.org

DRUG COURT MARKS 15 YEARS OF SUCCESS

Article from: lompocrecord.com

May 17, 2011
drug court marks 15 years.jpgBy: Mark Brown

Four years ago, you couldn't trust Monica Careyette.

"I'd steal your wallet and help you search for it," said Careyette, recalling the desperate measures she used to take to satisfy her addiction.

About a decade ago Careyette began dabbling in methamphetamine. When her nine-year relationship with her boyfriend dissolved, Careyette's downward spiral accelerated. She alienated her family and friends and turned to crime as she fell into the grip of a drug that took control of every fiber in her body.

Now 34, four years sober and mother to Madison, an effervescent 2-year-old daughter, Careyette is attending Hancock College and working part time. She has difficulty comprehending the kind of person she was with a meth pipe in her hand.

She is thankful that her family has embraced her sobriety and grateful that a son born during those lost years was adopted by a caring family. But most of all, she is thankful for her daughter and Santa Maria's Drug Court, a program that Careyette says was instrumental in transforming her life.

Continue Reading: lompocrecord.com

FORMER CELTICS PLAYER DISCUSSES DRUG ADDICTION IN NEW BOOK

Article from: patch.com

May 17, 2011
Chris Herren.jpgBy: Angela Lemire

Chris Herren, a basketball legend from Fall River, and a Portsmouth resident, realized his dreams by playing for the Boston Celtics in the NBA, only to lose it all to drug addiction.

At basketball-crazy Durfee High School in Fall River, junior guard Herren carried his family's and the city's dreams on his skinny frame. His grandfather, father and older brother had created their own sports legends in a declining city; he was the last, best hope for a career beyond the shuttered mills and factories.

Herren was heavily recruited by major universities, chosen as a McDonald's All-American, featured in a Sports Illustrated cover story, and at just 17 years old became the central figure in Fall River Dreams, a book about the 1994 Durfee team's quest for the state championship. 

Twenty years later, Herren was married to his high-school sweetheart, the father of three young children and a heroin junkie.

Continue Reading: patch.com

HEADLESS BODIES FOUND IN NORTHERN GUATEMALA DRUG REGION

Article from: bbc.co.uk

May 16, 2011
headless bodies found in northern.gif
The decapitated bodies of at least 25 men and two women have been found near Guatemala's border with Mexico.

The bodies were discovered on a ranch in Peten province, 500km (310 miles) north of the capital.

Police said the killings could be linked to a battle between drug gangs fighting for control of the area.

Mexican cartels are increasingly moving into northern Guatemala, an important transit point for drugs smuggled from South America to the US.

"This is the worst massacre we have seen in modern times," police spokesman Donald Gonzalez told Reuters.

Army spokesman Col Ron Urizar told the Spanish news agency, Efe, that dozens of soldiers had been sent to the Mexican border to prevent any suspects from fleeing the country.

Continue Reading: bbc.co.uk

SOBER REVELRY WELCOMES SAN FRANCISCO RACE KNOWN MORE FOR ITS BOOZY PARTIES THAN COMPETITORS

Article from: washingtonpost.com

May 16, 2011
Screen shot 2011-05-16 at 6.22.jpgBy: Associated Press

SAN FRANCISCO -- A handful of Elvises, some nudists and others donning salmon costumes were among those who turned out to party Sunday during the centennial Bay to Breakers footrace, despite a new zero-tolerance alcohol policy.

Moroccan Ridouane Harroufi won the annual race -- a 7.46-mile run from the city's Embarcadero neighborhood to the sea. Kenyan Lineth Chepkurui won for the women.

Over the years, Bay to Breakers has become more famous for its spectators' bacchanalian spirit than for its competitors. Racers turn out in proper athletic gear, as well as creative costumes. This year, some ran the route backward.

For its 100th anniversary, organizers and police vowed to crack down on excessive drinking, banning floats that often housed many kegs of beer and starting the race earlier.

Officials said the tougher rules on drinking were needed after a noticeable increase in alcohol-related ambulance requests and nuisance crimes like public urination.

Continue Reading: washingtonpost.com

PILOT SUSPECTED OF DRINKING PULLED FROM FLIGHT

Article from: msnbc.msn.com

May 16, 2011
MINNEAPOLIS -- An AirTran pilot suspected of drinking was arrested and removed from a flight at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport on Saturday.

AirTran says the captain was removed from the airplane and replaced with another pilot before the flight to Milwaukee. Airport spokesman Pat Hogan says a TSA manager smelled alcohol on the captain and called airport police. They gave the pilot a Breathalyzer test and found the captain's blood alcohol level at .05 percent -- above the limit of .04 percent for commercial pilots.

Continue Reading: msnbc.msn.com

ROB LOWE ON REHAB: 'IT WAS GREAT. I LOVED IT.' (video)

Article from: huffingtonpost.com

May 16, 2011
Rob lowe.jpgRob Lowe has been sober for just about 21 years, and in promoting his new book, "Stories I Only Tell My Friends," he has been very open in discussing both his substance abuse problem and his rehabilitation. Lowe, who checked into rehab after half a decade of partying that culminated in a sex tape scandal, spoke about that period with CNN's Piers Morgan; the "Parks and Recreation" star said that he has no desire to drink even a glass of wine -- because he couldn't drink just one. "That's how you know you're one of us," he said. Morgan led Lowe into speaking in detail about his rehab, which Lowe describes in his book as "one of the most exhilarating, liberating and exciting four weeks of my life. Scary yes... but unquantifiable relief." The star went even further on the show. "It was great. I loved it. Because I was ready. Problem is, people go into rehab and they're not ready," Lowe explained. "You want to get sober for your parents, you want to get sober for your job, you want to get sober for the cops, you want to get sober to protect your image. A lot of good reasons, by the way, but unfortunately, the only thing that works is that you have to want to get sober for you. 

Continue Reading: huffingtonpost.com

OVERDOSES OF POPULAR PAINKILLER SEND THOUSANDS TO ER EACH YEAR

Article from: medicalnewstoday.com

May 16, 2011
Overdose of the common household drug acetaminophen leads to more than 78,000 emergency department (ED) visits a year, and the majority of the overdoses are intentional, according to a new study from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 

It's a big problem and the study found three main causes among ED patients. 

"About 70 percent are for self-harm attempts, and 13 percent to 14 percent are kids getting into products," said lead study author Daniel Budnitz, M.D. "The other 16 percent are the adolescents and adults that generally fall into two groups: the younger adults that are misusing over-the-counter products because they are trying to get better pain control and don't understand the risks, and the older adults that are making some errors using the opioid combination products."

Consumers take acetaminophen - the active ingredient in Tylenol - to reduce pain or fever, as a single drug in tablets, capsules or liquid. Acetaminophen combines with other drugs in a variety of over-the-counter cold, flu and sinus medicines including Theraflu, Triaminic and Sudafed. Acetaminophen also appears in combination with an opioid - a narcotic- in prescription medicines like Vicodin (with hydrocodone) or in Percocet (with oxycodone).

Continue Reading: medicalnewstoday.com

TOWARD A VACCINE FOR METHAMPHETAMINE ABUSE

Article from: medicalnewstoday.com

May 16, 2011
Scientists are reporting development of three promising formulations that could be used in a vaccine to treat methamphetamine addiction - one of the most serious drug abuse problems in the U.S. The report appears in the Journal of the American Chemical Society. 

In the paper, Kim Janda and colleagues note that methamphetamine use and addiction cost the U.S. more than $23 billion annually due to medical and law enforcement expenses, as well as lost productivity. The drug, also called "meth" or "crystal meth," can cause a variety of problems including cardiovascular damage and death.

Continue Reading: medicalnewstoday.com

CANADIAN DRUG DEALERS EXPLOIT TINY U.S. AIRPORTS

Article from: ap.org

May 15, 2011
Sandusky Airport.jpgSANDUSKY, Michigan (AP) -- A Cessna airplane touched down about midnight, dropped a load of drugs and was back in the air in 90 seconds. Suddenly, the pilot of a U.S. border patrol helicopter hovering nearby turned on a powerful spotlight and tracked an SUV fleeing with hockey bags stuffed with 175 pounds (79 kilograms) of marijuana and 400,000 Ecstasy-type pills.

The bust by federal agents didn't happen on the southwestern border. It was in Michigan's rural Thumb region next to a soybean field. The remote airport here in Sandusky offers a smooth runway at any hour to anyone who needs it, a perfect landing spot for brazen drug smugglers who can cross the Great Lakes from Canada in minutes.

Beefed-up enforcement along the Mexican border has made smuggling more challenging for criminal cartels using the major southern routes, but drugs continue to flow across the porous northern border through airstrips like this one as officials look for new ways to fight back.

Continue Reading: ap.org

COMMON SENSE MIGHT NOT KEEP YOU FROM BEING CARDED

Article from: chicagotribune.com

May 15, 2011
By: Deanna Martin

INDIANAPOLIS--
A 2010 Indiana law that required everyone buying carryout alcohol to show identification, regardless of age, brought lawmakers piles of email criticism and plenty of ridicule from senior citizens frustrated about showing identification to buy a six-pack.

But a change in the law designed to add a shot of common sense might not keep Grandma from being carded the next time she stops to pick up some wine for dinner.

The revised law that takes effect July 1 requires that only those who appear to be younger than 40 show ID when buying alcohol. But some retailers who embraced the stricter provisions as a way to crack down on underage alcohol sales say they're not ready to give customers the benefit of the doubt.

"It was a good policy, it still is a good policy," said Mike Lange, operations manager at Cap N' Cork, a Fort Wayne-based liquor store chain that will continue carding everyone in the store. "People have gotten used to it now."

Continue Reading: chicagotribune.com

NIDA'S ADDICTION SCIENCE AWARD FOCUSES ON ALTRUISTIC DECISION MAKING

Article from: medicalnewstoday.com

May 15, 2011
A study of what influences decision making on issues whose consequences will only be felt by future generations won first prize in the annual Addiction Science Awards at this year's Intel International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF) - the world's largest science competition for high school students. The Intel ISEF Addiction Science Awards were presented at an awards ceremony Thursday night in Los Angeles. The awards were presented by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), part of the National Institutes of Health, and Friends of NIDA, a coalition that supports NIDA's mission. 

First place distinction went to Sarah Susie Pak, a 17-year-old senior at Roslyn High School in Roslyn Heights, N.Y., for her project Would You Do It for the Kids? Factors Involved in the Prediction of Intergenerational Preferences. The project was based on well-known phenomenon, called delayed discounting, in which people tend to discount the value of a reward that will be received at a later time vs. an immediate, but smaller, reward. Delayed discounting is abnormally high in people who are addicted to drugs and contributes to their impulsive risk taking behaviors, especially drug use. Pak's project identified generosity and patience as two key interacting factors that increase the likelihood that a person will make altruistic decisions that will primarily help future generations. 

Continue Reading: medicalnewstoday.com

FROM ADDICTION TO MOTHERHOOD: PROGRAM HELPS TURN LIVES AROUND

Article from: patch.com

May 15, 2011
from addiction to motherhood.jpgBy: Jessica E. Davis

Ashley Hinesley says she knew her life hit a low point when she found herself living behind a Dumpster at a Food 4 Less grocery store in Indio.

"That's where my addiction brought me,'' the former Palm Desert resident said, adding that she panhandled money to feed her crystal methamphetamine addiction, which started when she was 16.

But Hinesley left that life behind five months ago when she decided to stay sober for her unborn child. She checked into the ABC Recovery Center's Perinatal Program in Indio, which currently houses six women.

Making a daily choice to remain sober, she has vowed to keep custody of her healthy one-month old daughter, Allison Shalyce, who was named after two staff members at the center.

Her greatest wish for her daughter is simple: "To live a life where you never have to see me high. Just to grow up in a healthy, happy environment. I just don't ever want you to ever have to see me high."

Continue Reading: patch.com

AMERICAN CHIROPRACTIC ASSOCIATION RESPONDS TO PRESCRIPTION DRUG 'CRISIS'

Article from: chiroeco.com

May 15, 2011
May 13, 2011 -- The American Chiropractic Association (ACA) recently applauded federal efforts to curb prescription drug abuse following the U.S. government's announcement in late April that the problem had reached crisis level.

ACA encouraged patients and healthcare providers to explore drug-free, conservative approaches to pain management as a first-line defense against painkiller abuse.

The government's report, "Epidemic: Responding to America's Prescription Drug Abuse Crisis," notes that while the use of some illegal drugs has diminished, the abuse of prescription medications has sharply increased, particularly prescription opioid pain relievers such as Oxycontin and Vicodin.

The report reveals that unintentional opioid overdoses -- once almost exclusively limited to heroin abusers -- is today increasingly caused by prescription painkiller abuse.

Continue Reading: chiroeco.com

POLICE LAUNCH ANTI-DRUG USE COMPETITION

Article from: therecord.com

May 14, 2011
By: Melinda Dalton

WATERLOO REGION -- Few people who were around in the 80s can forget the image.
A sizzling frying pan, symbolizing drugs, cooked your metaphorical brain, an egg, as the Partnership for a Drug-Free America tried to drive home their message about the effects of drug use on the body.

While it was memorable, it wasn't entirely successful.

"Drug use actually increased because it sensationalized using drugs," said Alana Holtom, spokesperson for the Waterloo Regional Police.

So, if powerful imagery won't get the message across, what will?

Waterloo Regional Police are hoping the voices of youth themselves will persuade their peers to make wise choices when it comes to using or not using.

They've launched a new campaign, titled "It's Your Call," that asks teens to submit their message about drug-free lifestyles through written word, song, video or artwork.

"We're having the youth of Waterloo Region who are in the majority that don't use drugs, tell us why," said Holtom. "We're trying to put a positive spin on it and show that a lot of teens make healthy choices."


Continue Reading: therecord.com

BEATING HEROIN ADDICTION TRULY A MARATHON FOR PITTSBURGH MAN

Article from: pittsburghlive.com

May 14, 2011
runninghishigh.jpgBy Karen Price

Jon Kissel remembers little about the night passers-by found him unconscious on South Pugh Street in State College, overdosing on heroin.

He later learned he had no pulse and wasn't breathing when the ambulance arrived and that a shot of Narcan brought him back on March 28, 2009. Police took him from the hospital to Centre County Correctional Facility when he stabilized. He did not recall that he'd left the dealer's house with 192 bags of heroin in his pockets.

"I got to that point ... I don't know how I really got to that point, to be honest with you," Kissel said.

Today, it is hard to imagine Kissel, 27, was a junkie. Sitting in a North Side park not far from the Spring Hill neighborhood where he grew up and the Pittsburgh Marathon finish line he will cross on Sunday, he is sober.

He's nothing like the self-described actor who for years fed a different version of himself to his parents, professors, friends and employers, depending on what they wanted to hear and what he wanted to hide.

When he lived for the next fix, he bargained with the universe that once he graduated, got a real job or found the right girl, he would sober up.

Slender, built like the distance runner he has become, Kissel smiles when he talks about the joys of running barefoot or meeting "Born to Run" author Christopher McDougall, and how he believes running is the natural state in which humans are meant to exist.

Continue Reading: pittsburghlive.com

INTERNET GROWTH MAY BE ASSOCIATED WITH SPREAD OF PAINKILLER ABUSE

Article from: latimes.com

May 14, 2011
By: Marissa Cevallos

Add painkiller abuse to the list of vices for which the Web can potentially be blamed. A new study finds that admission to treatment facilities for prescription drugs has grown in step, roughly, with the spread of high-speed Internet. The association raises the possibility, the authors say, of whether the growth in online pharmacies is driving drug abuse.

Researchers from Massachusetts General Hospital and the University of Southern California culled data from states on the use of high-speed Internet and admission to substance-abuse facilities for drugs such as narcotic painkillers, stimulants, anxiolytics, and sedative-hypnotics (drugs that a government study showed were easily available online) between 2000 and 2007.

While admission for alcohol, heroin and cocaine grew minimally or declined in those seven years, the researchers calculated that for every 10% increase in Internet use, admission to treatment facilities grew by roughly 1% for narcotics, sedative hypnotics and stimulants. The results were published online Thursday in Health Affairs.

Continue Reading: latimes.com

GOOGLE NEAR DEAL IN DRUG AD CRACKDOWN (video)

Article from: wsj.com

May 14, 2011
By: Thomas Catan and Amir Efrati

Google Inc. is close to settling a U.S. criminal investigation into allegations it made hundreds of millions of dollars by accepting ads from online pharmacies that break U.S. laws, according to people familiar with the matter.

The Internet company disclosed in a cryptic regulatory filing earlier this week that it was setting aside $500 million to potentially resolve a case with the Justice Department. A payment of that size would be among the highest penalties paid by companies in disputes with the U.S. government.

Google gave few details in its filing about the probe, saying only that it involved "the use of Google advertising by certain advertisers."

The federal investigation has examined whether Google knowingly accepted ads from online pharmacies, based in Canada and elsewhere, that violated U.S. laws, according to the people familiar with the matter.

Continue Reading: wsj.com

UNDERAGE DRINKING ON FOOTBALL SATURDAYS: POLICE CRACKDOWN IN ANN ARBOR LED TO CRIME SPIKE

Article from: annarbor.com

May 13, 2011
annarborsaturday.jpgBy: Ryan J. Stanton

Ann Arbor officials now say a recent increase in crimes reported in the city can be attributed to a police crackdown on underage drinking and open intoxicants on University of Michigan football Saturdays -- not a growing criminal element.

Absent ramped-up enforcement efforts that led to hundreds of tickets, crime actually went down slightly last year, new reports from the Ann Arbor Police Department show.
The police department last month released a report showing total crimes in Ann Arbor increased by about 2.6 percent in 2010. The stats showed major crimes known as Part 1 crimes were down slightly, but lesser serious Part 2 crimes had gone up from 4,459 to 4,688.

Mayor John Hieftje, who points out crime has been on a downward trend in Ann Arbor for the last decade, said those 229 extra Part 2 crimes from last year are attributable to a grant-funded project to target underage drinking and open intoxicants on football weekends, and the number of tickets written for those offenses increased dramatically in 2010.

Continue Reading: annarbor.com

STUDY: ALZHEIMER'S DRUG IS EFFECTIVE IN CUTTING HEROIN DEPENDENCY

Article from: monstersandcritics.com

May 13, 2011
Taipei - Taiwan and US researchers have found that a drug used to treat Alzheimer's disease is effective in reducing heroin dependency, it was announced Friday.

The discovery was made by the National Cheng Kung University Hospital and the US National Institutes of Health (NIH), following ten years' research, Lu Ru-band, a psychiatrist at the Cheng Kung hospital, told a news conference.

The Cheng Kung hospital and the NIH have applied for patent for their discovery in the United States and the European Union, he noted.

According to the study, memantine, which is used to treat Alzheimers, is more effective in reducing heroin dependency than methadone, a narcotic pain-reliever similar to morphine.

In many countries, methadone is used as a pain reliever or as part of drug addiction detoxification and maintenance programmes.

'Methadone helps because a heroin addict can take one methadone pill daily instead of having to taking a heroin shot every few hours and run the risk of becoming infected with the HIV virus,' Lu said.

Continue Reading: monstersandcritics.com

COULD AN INTENSIVE, ABSTINENCE-BASED APPROACH SOLVE PRISONERS' DRUG ADDICTION?

Article from: Guardian.co

May 13, 2011
prisondrugaddiction.jpgBy: Mary O'Hara

Keith Wallace describes his early home life as "traumatic and chaotic". His mother had a psychiatric illness and, unable to cope, her five sons were taken into care. Describing the years he spent in care as "providing some much needed stability", Wallace says it just wasn't enough to give him the start in life he needed and he began using cannabis and drinking alcohol as a teenager as "an escape".

After leaving care he found a job, until his mid 20s when years of low-level drug and alcohol abuse evolved into addiction to crack cocaine. Age 25, Wallace had a breakdown, became homeless and began robbing houses to feed an increasingly pernicious crack problem. Frequent stints in prison followed. Before he knew it, desperate and lost, he was facing a long sentence. "I was at rock bottom. A physical and mental wreck," he says.

Fast forward to 2011 and Wallace, 47, now a freelance graphic designer - and drug free - says he feels like a man transformed, all thanks to an abstinence-based drug rehabilitation programme he undertook during his last spell in jail run by charity the Rehabilitation for Addicted Prisoners Trust (Rapt). For six months during 2007 he underwent an intensive "five days a week, morning and afternoon" abstinence-based course and on release was helped to adjust to life outside with a short stay in a residential facility run by the charity. "I didn't know it was possible to fight drug addiction until I did the Rapt programme," he says.

Continue Reading: Guardian.co

PRESCRIPTION PAIN DRUG MISUSE JUMPS 40% IN NEW YORK FROM 2002 TO 2009

Article from: drugfree.org

May 13, 2011
By: Join Together Staff

The rate of misuse of prescription pain medications jumped 40 percent in New York City from 2002 to 2009, according to the city's Health Department.

The department found that 4 percent of New Yorkers age 12 and older said they had misused prescription pain medicines in 2008 and 2009, The New York Times reports. One out of 10 students in grades 7 through 12 said they had used a prescription opioid for non-medicinal use at least once.

According to the report, opioids were involved in 25 percent of the city's accidental drug overdose deaths in 2009. The rate of opioid-related emergency room visits doubled between 2004 and 2009 in New York City, from 4,466 to 9,254.

Continue Reading: drugfree.org

ECSTASY ASSOCIATED WITH CHRONIC CHANGE IN BRAIN FUNCTION

Article from: medicalnewstoday.com

May 13, 2011
By: Leigh MacMillan

Ecstasy - the illegal "rave" drug that produces feelings of euphoria and emotional warmth - has been in the news recently as a potential therapeutic. Clinical trials are testing Ecstasy in the treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder. 

But headlines like one in Time magazine's health section in February - "Ecstasy as therapy: have some of its negative effects been overblown?" - concern Ronald Cowan, M.D., Ph.D., associate professor of Psychiatry. 

His team reports in the May issue of Neuropsychopharmacology that recreational Ecstasy use is associated with a chronic change in brain function. 

"There's tension in the fields of psychiatry and psychotherapy between those who think Ecstasy could be a valuable therapeutic that's not being tested because of overblown fears, and those who are concerned about the drug's potentially harmful effects," Cowan said. 

Continue Reading: medicalnewstoday.com

A SAFE PLACE TO DRINK, OR JUST GIVING UP? (video)

Article from: cnn.com

May 13, 2011
Screen shot 2011-05-12 at 3.29.30 PM.pngBy: Chris Welch

St. Paul, Minnesota (CNN) -- Nick Lott's clothes hang neatly inside his closet. His room is tidy and his bed is sharply made. He says it's "a blessing" that he even has his own room to keep clean.

"This is all I've got, really," Nick says. "It's clean, comfortable, safe -- that's a big thing."

His immaculate living quarters contradict his life, which was upended by his addiction to alcohol. And that's what brought him to St. Anthony Residence in the first place.

On the cinder-block wall next to his TV stand, Nick keeps a tally of how many days it has been since his last drink. At this moment, four days are crossed off the calendar.

About 60 late-stage alcoholics live at St. Anthony Residence in St. Paul, which is partly funded by the state of Minnesota, and operated by Catholic Charities.

Continue Reading: cnn.com

TEXAS HOUSE BANS MALT LIQUOR CONTAINING STIMULANTS

Article from: forbes.com

May 12, 2011
AUSTIN, Texas -- The Texas House has passed a ban on making and selling malt liquor containing stimulants, including caffeine and ginseng.

Approved Thursday, the measure won't apply to malt liquor where stimulates occur naturally.

Supporters say beverages that mix alcohol and certain stimulants have led to heart attacks and deadly car crashes.

Last year, the Food and Drug Administration warned four companies that make caffeine and alcohol drinks that their products were unsafe.

The sale of one, Four Loko, has been banned by at least 13 states through their alcohol control boards, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures.

Continue Reading: forbes.com

TEENS TALK TO PARENTS ABOUT PROM PERFECT

Article from: seasidesignal.com

May 12, 2011
Teens talk to parents about prom perfect.jpgBy: Rosemary Dellinger

Seaside High School Key Club members spent an hour at 94.9 FM's studio to create a local public service announcement to encourage parents to be an active part in making this year's local prom accident free. This is the third year SHS juniors and seniors took part in the nationwide Prom Perfect project.

Jessica Johnson, local Ameri-Corps coordinator worked with Oregon Partnership to fund the airtime on area radio stations along with assistance from the local Reduce Under Age Drinking Task Force.

The purpose of the program is to bring awareness to parents on the dangers of Prom Night drinking and to encourage parents to talk with their teens about having a "Prom Perfect" evening.

The Prom Perfect campaign began when three Washington County alcohol and drug prevention coalitions combined their efforts to fund the project. The focus became Prom Perfect Night because prom is considered a rite-of-passage and has a marked increase in alcohol and drug use throughout the season, but especially on Prom night. Research indicates an increase in alcohol intake or drug abuse also heightens the chances of an increase in risky behavior. The initial effort was to collaborate the efforts and reach a broad audience in helping teens make the right choices on Prom night.

Continue Reading: seasidesignal.com

DRUG ADDICTED CHILD - WHEN A PARENT HAS HAD ENOUGH

Article from: huliq.com

May 12, 2011
By: Roz Zurko

There is no pain greater than to watch your child fall deeper into addiction, except for having to bury that child if he dies from a drug overdose.

How to deal with an drug addicted child when you have had enough, is not the easiest question to answer. What is even harder is taking in the advice and putting it into action. The most painful journey a parent can take is watching a child slip deeper into the depths of addiction and not knowing what to do to help.

As your child's demeanor, personality and soul is fading away due to drug use, a parent's love is just not enough to make this stop. In your child's eyes, you are no longer the same parents that they loved for all these years. You are either their source of money for the drugs or an obstacle in their way of obtaining their drugs, with many parents switching from one to another.

The addicts main reason for doing anything is to get their hands on drugs. This is all part of the addiction cycle. The person you once knew is gone, with just glimpses of that little boy or girl coming through in fleeting moments. Love is not what it use to be coming from your addicted child, it is purposeful today, again a way of getting those drugs.

Continue Reading: huliq.com

PENNSYLVANIA CONGRESSMEN SEEK BAN ON 'BATH SALTS' DRUG

Article from: pennlive.com

May 12, 2011
bathsalts1.jpgPHILADELPHIA -- Two congressmen are pushing for a federal ban on synthetic drugs that are often marketed as bath salts and have been linked to violent episodes nationwide.

U.S. Reps. Charlie Dent and Pat Meehan, both Republicans from eastern Pennsylvania, took to the lobby of Children's Hospital of Philadelphia today to try to gain support for their effort to combat what they described as a growing public health crisis. The legislation would ban synthetic drugs such as those marketed as bath salts and plant food, which mimic the effects of illegal drugs.

"Many users assume the drugs are safe because they are, in fact, legal," Dent said of the chemicals designed to have effects similar to marijuana, cocaine, crystal meth, LSD and other drugs. "They are extremely dangerous."

Continue Reading: pennlive.com

HEROIN MAKES A COMEBACK IN MINNESOTA (video)

Article from: kare11.com

May 12, 2011
By: Jana Shortal

GOLDEN VALLEY, Minn. -- There are stories just under the surface of our city streets. Stories that defy the light of day. Stories that begin innocently enough, as they are the stories of kids that somehow took a wrong turn.

Kids, like Ashton.

"I started smoking pot and drinking, doing it to fit in. It was the thing to do," Ashton recalled of his entry into drug use.

Ashton started like many teens do, he started smoking marijuana and drinking beer. He said he thought it was no big deal and around his small town he was well liked, he was popular, an A-student. He was 13 years old.

"Having the drugs, I had what everybody wanted so I started selling weed by the 8th grade," Ashton said.

Ashton says he got even more popular while the drugs he sold, and used, got more intense.

By his mid-teens Ashton was arrested for felony possession of a narcotic and it was a wake up call; a wake up call that Ashton didn't answer.

Continue Reading: kare11.com

GOP BILL WOULD REQUIRE DRUG TESTING OF WELFARE RECIPIENTS

Article from: thenation.com

May 12, 2011
By: George Zornick

Late last week, Rep. Charles Boustany, a Republican representing a rural area of Louisiana, introduced without fanfare a bill that would require drug testing of anyone on--or applying to--the federal Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program.

TANF, formerly known as welfare until Bill Clinton and Newt Gingrich overhauled the program in 1996, provides cash assistance to low-income families with children. But as Greg Kaufman noted yesterday, the Clinton-Gingrich "reforms" resulted in a dramatic decrease in the proportional number of families eligible for help, because of many different barriers erected by states that dole out the assistance. Only 28 families out of every 100 in poverty receive TANF benefits.

Boustany's bill would create yet another obstacle for poverty-stricken families in need of help. It would require states to "implement a drug testing program for applicants for and recipients of assistance" under TANF. It is similar to a proposal by Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-UT) last summer that went nowhere in the Senate after many Republicans failed to support it.

Drug testing TANF recipients is already a popular idea in many states. The policy group CLASP says that 27 states have proposed mandatory, suspicionless drug testing for those who receive TANF benefits or other forms of public assistance.

Continue Reading: thenation.com

INTERNET USE LINKED TO TEEN DRINKING

Article from: foxnews.com

May 12, 2011
teendrinking2.jpgTeens who drink alcohol spend more time using the computer for activities such as social networking than do those who don't drink alcohol, according to a new study.

The study found a link between recreational use of the computer (for non-school related activities) and teen drinking.

The finding suggests certain online activities may influence teen drinking. For instance, it's possible references to alcohol on social networking sites or online advertisements may encourage teenagers to drink, the researchers say.

However, the study found only an association, and not a direct cause-effect link. This means it's impossible to tell which happened first: the computer use or the drinking. It could also be that teens who drink are prone to using the computer for longer periods of time.

Continue Reading: foxnews.com


ALCOHOL-RELATED ISSUES SPARK DEBATE

Article from: espn.com

May 11, 2011
BALTIMORE -- Orioles pitcher Jeremy Guthrie is your basic baseball renaissance man. He studied sociology at Stanford, served a two-year Mormon mission in Spain and speaks fluent Spanish. On his Twitter account, Guthrie describes himself as "a happily married, bicycle-riding, music-loving, shoe-collecting, world-traveling, Earth-conscious, pitcher in The SHOW."

Last week, after White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen received a $20,000 fine for leveling some umpire-related criticisms on Twitter and Atlanta pitcher Derek Lowe and Cleveland outfielder Shin-Soo Choo were arrested for driving under the influence, Guthrie dispensed some food for thought. In a concise 135 characters, Baltimore's resident Tweeting Bird compared the short-term repercussions of the three incidents:

JGuthrie46 Jeremy Guthrie
Tweeting about umps during game=$20,000 fine & 2-game suspension. Driving Under the Influence=$0.00 MLB fine. @MADDonline @ozzieguillen

In reflecting upon his comments several days later, Guthrie said he wasn't trying to mandate Major League Baseball policy -- merely pointing out what he perceived as "inconsistent" consequences of disparate actions. He said 99 percent of the fan response he received was supportive.

Continue Reading: espn.com

DDW: GASTRIC BYPASS SURGERY TIED TO ALCOHOL ABUSE RISK

Article from: doctorslounge.com

May 11, 2011
gastricbypass.jpgTUESDAY, May 10 (HealthDay News) -- Individuals who undergo gastric bypass surgery are at an increased risk of undergoing treatment for alcohol abuse postoperatively, according to research presented at Digestive Disease Week 2011, held from May 7 to 10 in Chicago.

Magdalena Plecka �stlund, M.D., of the Karolinska Institutet in Stockholm, Sweden, and colleagues evaluated 12,277 patients who underwent primary bariatric surgery between 1980 and 2006 and matched them for age and gender to a control group of 122,770 patients from the general population.

Compared to the general population, the investigators found that bariatric patients had significantly higher rates of inpatient treatment for psychiatric disease before and after surgery. The investigators also found that gastric bypass surgery was associated with a two-fold increased risk of inpatient treatment for alcohol abuse compared with restrictive surgery.

"Patients undergoing gastric bypass should be carefully counseled on alcohol consumption," �stlund said in a statement. "In addition, caregivers should be aware of the greater potential for alcohol abuse after surgery so treatment can be sought if problems arise."

Continue Reading: doctorslounge.com

30 STUDENTS ARRESTED IN PALM BEACH COUNTY DRUG STING THAT HAD COPS POSING AS TEENS

Article from: tcpalm.com

May 11, 2011
By: Alexia Campbell

An undercover drug sting that nabbed 30 Palm Beach County students last week is just the beginning of a long-term drug investigation that will expand to more high schools in the district, police said Monday.

The students arrested last week face expulsion, and most will be charged as adults for allegedly selling marijuana to kids near school campuses.

The nine-month investigation, dubbed "Operation D Minus," began in the fall at Park Vista, Royal Palm Beach and Jupiter high schools, School District Police Chief Jim Kelly said.

Undercover officers posed as students, attending classes for most of the school year and even doing homework, he said. They also befriended teens and bought drugs from them.

On May 2 and 3, police went into classrooms to arrest some of the students. Others were arrested at their homes. Most were charged with selling marijuana within 1,000 feet of a school. The operation also led to the arrests of students at William T. Dwyer High School and two who are home-schooled.

Continue Reading: tcpalm.com

MORE DRUG TESTING PROPOSED FOR CENTRAL SCHOOLS

Article from: greenwichtime.com

May 11, 2011
CENTRAL, La. (AP) -- In addition to having their hair tested for drugs if they are in extracurricular activities, students enrolled next fall in Central schools may also have to blow into a breathalyzer if they attend a school-sponsored event.

The Central School Board introduced Monday proposed revisions to its student drug testing policy.

It plans to vote on the changes at its May 24 meeting. The changes, if approved, would take effect at the start of the 2011-12 school year in August.

Superintendent Michael Faulk plans to make copies of the proposed changes and distribute them to students who have already expressed interest in taking part in extracurricular activities, including sports, band and cheerleading.

Continue Reading: greenwichtime.com

MADD TAKES 'WAIT-AND-SEE' STANCE ON NEW DUI INITIATIVE (video)

Article from: cbslocal.com

May 11, 2011
duimadd.jpgMIAMI  (CBS4) - Mothers Against Drunk Driving has adopted a 'wait-and-see' attitude toward a new Miami-Dade State Attorney's Office initiative which would keep first time 'non-crash' DUI offenders out of jail.

On Monday defense attorneys who were ready to put up a strong defense were greeted with a letter from state prosecutors about the new rules which would allow first time offenders who qualified to be enrolled in a substance abuse rehab program. If they successfully complete those programs, they would likely receive a reckless driving charge without a conviction on their record.

"Before today, there was no break for first-time offenders," said Justin Beckham, a DUI defense attorney in Miami. "There is no way to assess long term effects of this change. It's a good day for my clients."

"This is the first time we'll have it in Miami, and if it doesn't work, we should throw it out," said Janet Mondshein, Executive Director of Mothers Against Drunk Driving.

Mondshein wants to see how the program works over the next year.
"We want to make sure that someone who has offended, and who has gone through that program, if that person reoffends, we want to be able to track," said Mondshein.

Continue Reading: cbslocal.com

COUNTY SURVEY EXAMINES ATTITUDES TOWARD ALCOHOL

Article from: sbsun.com

May 11, 2011
By: Melissa Pinion-Whitt

SAN BERNARDINO - Residents feel underage drinking parties hosted by adults and the placement of liquor stores near neighborhoods promotes teen alcohol abuse, according to a county public health survey released this week.

The San Bernardino County Department of Public Health surveyed more than 700 San Bernardino residents between February and April. The results will be discussed at a town hall meeting - hosted by the Coalition for a Drug-Free San Bernardino - tonight at City Hall.

"We wanted to increase awareness. The other objective is to initiate some dialogue," said Amelia Lopez, a health education specialist with the county's alcohol and drug abuse prevention program.

People conducting the survey covered different sectors of the city, including community centers, churches, schools and city government. People providing input ranged from high school students to senior citizens.

Their input will be shared with the coalition panel, which includes representatives from local schools, police, substance abuse counselors, students and parents.

Residents cited a variety of issues leading to teen alcohol and drug abuse such as smoke shops that sell drug paraphernalia to adults who buy alcohol for children.

Apartment complexes are hot spots for drug and alcohol problems, according to 45percent of those surveyed. Public parks came in second at 34percent and specific neighhborhoods ranked third at 15percent.

Continue Reading: sbsun.com

NEW DRUGS FLOODING EUROPEAN MARKET

Article from: health24.com

May 11, 2011
New drugs are flooding the European market at an "unprecedented pace", the European drug monitoring centre and Europol warned in a joint report released in Portugal on Wednesday.

"New psychoactive substances are becoming widely available at an unprecedented pace," The European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA) and the EU's law enforcement agency said.

They noted that last year they were officially notified of 49 new drugs, a record number for a single year, via the EU early-warning system (EWS) on new psychoactive substances, up from 24 in 2009 and 13 the previous year.

The new substances include synthetic cannabinoids, synthetic cathinones, synthetic derivatives of well-established drugs, as well as one plant-based substance.

Continue Reading: health24.com

FTHS JUNIOR BRYAN EPSTEIN SELECTED FOR SADD LEADERSHIP COUNCIL

Article from: patch.com

May 11, 2011
SADD1.jpgFreehold Township High School junior Bryan Epstein has been named to the SADD  (Students Against Destructive Decisions) National Student Leadership Council for the 2011-2012 school year. Epstein was chosen from a nationwide pool of applicants and will join 10 other council members.

SADD is a national school-based, peer-to-peer prevention education organization. The group highlights prevention of many destructive behaviors and attitudes that are harmful to young people, including underage drinking, substance abuse, risky and impaired driving, and teen violence and suicide.

"Bryan's leadership and his work and dedication to issues affecting teens make him a great choice to join SADD National's Student Leadership Council," said Penny Wells, president and executive director of SADD. "We will now rely on Bryan to use his experiences on the state and local levels to help guide our organization as we work nationally to develop programs that will positively influence teens when it comes to choices about risky driving, alcohol and drug use, as well as other potentially destructive behaviors."

Continue Reading: patch.com

THE WORST KIND OF DRUNK DRIVERS (video)

Article from: msn.com

May 10, 2011
By: Hoda Kotb

Every night they are out there, somewhere, prowling the nations roadways, out of control and pushing more than a ton of steel.

Many never get caught so they do it again -- and again and again. Until one day, they ruin lives.

They are drunk drivers. And as bad as it is to drive drunk, and as dangerous as drunk drivers are to all of us on the roads, this story is about the worst kind of drunk driver: the repeat offender.

There are millions of them out there putting you in danger everytime you drive down the street.

Arrests, fines, convictions--nothing seems enough to stop these serial drunk drivers. We learned of one man from Iowa who's had 11 DWI convictions. Another, in New Mexico, has had 14.  And in Ohio, there were 18 DWIs for one chronic drunk driver--even though he hasn't had a license in 20 years.

One man says many of these drunk drivers are not just a nuisance or a tragic annoyance with a weakness for alcohol. He has one word to describe a repeat drunk driver who slammed into his world: murderer.

Continue Reading: msn.com

WARN KIDS ABOUT DRUG DANGERS AS EARLY AS FIFTH GRADE

Article from: freep.com

May 10, 2011
By: Alexia Elejalde-Ruiz

When his 15-year-old son announced that he wished to start drinking, J. David Hawkins peppered him with reasons underage drinking is dangerous -- and when that didn't work, he made him a deal:

If his son promised to refrain from alcohol for the next year, he wouldn't have to pay the additional $1,000 insurance premium the family would be charged for a new driver. The teenager agreed.

"It's a $1,000 bribe, but for me that's 365 days of not worrying about my son drinking," said Hawkins, founding director of the Social Development Research Group at the University of Washington.

By the time kids graduate from high school, 71% of them have consumed alcohol, 54% have gotten drunk at least once, 48% have tried illegal drugs and 25% have tried illegal drugs other than marijuana, according to an annual survey conducted by the University of Michigan.

The best thing parents can do, experts say, is try to delay a kid's initiation of substance use for as long as possible, as kids who start younger are more likely to have problems later in life.

Continue Reading: freep.com

QUESTIONS ACCOMPANY DRUG SUSPECT BACK TO VENEZUELA

Article from: ap.org

May 10, 2011
questionsaccompany.jpgCARACAS, Venezuela (AP) -- Colombia's extradition of alleged cocaine kingpin Walid Makled has Venezuelans asking about the huge payments he claims to have made to close associates of President Hugo Chavez and opposition leaders are demanding answers.

The allegations, lingering doubts and inquiries about millions of dollars in payments purportedly made to government officials and military officers has prompted the independent media to nickname him "Venezuela's Deep Throat."

Opposition leaders are asking if Chavez was aware of alleged dirty dealings, how Makled amassed a fortune estimated at roughly $1 billion in a decade, if investigators will try to answer the questions and whether any officials will ever go to trial.

Other Venezuelans want to know if Makled, who denies any wrongdoing, will be permitted to talk publicly about his case. The suspected drug smuggler has repeatedly demanded that his trial be televised and expressed interest in talking to Venezuelan journalists about the allegations against him.

Continue Reading: ap.org

THE DEPTHS OF DRUG USE - THE GOOD NEWS

Article from: lakestevensjournal.com

May 10, 2011
By: Pam Stevens

It reads like an oxymoron--"The depths of drug use --the good news" however, it is true that here in Lake Stevens our students seem to be well informed about what using drugs can and will do to them and their futures.

Within the walls of Cavelero Mid High School they have only seen a small percentage of tobacco and marijuana use. Harder drugs aren't tolerated and the students have gotten the message.

"We haven't seen it and we're pretty hard on them," Lake Stevens Police Officer Jim Barnes said. Barnes is the school's resource officer as well. "I know that has changed. The new administration has really cleaned things up."

At Lake Stevens High School, Intervention Specialist Steve Pitkin spends his day building relationships with students and helping them understand the effects of drug use. Pitkin received national recognition for his work with students in the area of substance abuse prevention when he was named "Teacher of the Year" last October by the Sundt Memorial Foundation.
The Foundation's mission is to influence the hearts and minds of kids by inspiring them to choose a natural high instead of turning to drugs.

Continue Reading: lakestevensjournal.com

FLORIDA TARGETING 'PILL MILLS'

Article from: wsj.com

May 10, 2011
By: Arian Campo-Flores

MIAMI--Florida's legislature passed a bill that aims to crack down on the notorious "pill mills" that have made the state the epicenter of illegal prescription-drug sales in the country.

The bill, which passed both the House and Senate unanimously on Friday, stiffens penalties for doctors who overprescribe medication and for individuals who improperly set up pain-management clinics. It also tightens reporting requirements to a soon-to-be-created drug-monitoring database.

Republican Gov. Rick Scott, who had been lambasted by critics in and outside of the state for his opposition to the database, plans to sign the measure into law, said spokesman Brian Burgess.

"To demonstrate his commitment to fighting the pill-mill problem," Mr. Burgess added, the governor made an appearance in the House chamber as lawmakers debated the bill on Friday night.

Pill mills--dubious storefront operations that dispense painkillers like oxycodone without conducting medical examinations of buyers--have proliferated in Florida in recent years. Law-enforcement officials say the problem has stemmed in part from poor regulation.

Continue Reading: wsj.com

FIRST-OF-ITS-KIND HEROIN PREVENTION PROGRAM LAUNCHED

Article from: patch.com

May 10, 2011
firstofitskind.jpgBy: Joe O'Donnell

The Robert Crown Center for Health Education (RCC) held a press conference Monday in Hinsdale to introduce a heroin education and prevention project that, according to Illinois Consortium on Drug Policy director Kathie Kane-Willis, is the first of its kind in the U.S. and will address a deadly drug trend that has become more common in DuPage County.

Kane-Willis' organization is partnering with the RCC, 21 Salt Creek Ln., on the Reed Hruby Heroin Prevention Project and the director was one of five speakers at the conference.

"As our research continues to show, there are no programs--none--that focus exclusively on heroin," Kane-Willis said of nationwide drug-prevention initiatives. "Few of the existing programs mention heroin at all."

According to RCC CEO Kathleen Burke, the project emphasizes education and prevention. It is currently in the research phase, the first of three one-year phases. The RCC will develop the content of the program in the second phase and RCC educators will launch the developed strategy and evaluate its effectiveness in the third phase.

Continue Reading: patch.com

GRADUATION SHOULDN'T BE OPEN INVITATION TO DRINK

Article from: lcsun-news.com

May 10, 2011
By: Charlotte Tallman

With high school graduations right around the corner, it's a good time to put appropriate guidelines regarding drinking into place, and make plans to offer an alcohol free environment to teenagers. Start by talking to youth about alcohol.

Research shows parents do make a difference, and when they talk, their kids listen. It is important to talk to your children about the dangers of alcohol while listening what they already know about alcohol, alcohol abuse and how available alcohol is in their lives. By assessing the situation, parents can better prepare to answer questions and teach youth how to say no. Listen carefully without interrupting. Not only will this approach help your child to feel heard and respected, but it can serve as a natural lead-in to discussing alcohol topics.

Youth should know drinking alcohol under the age of 21 is illegal and buying alcohol for teens is a 4th degree felony in New Mexico. Between April 2010 and April 2011, The Las Cruces Police Department and Do-a Ana County Sheriff's Office made a combined 289 arrests for minors in possession of alcohol (MIP), and of those arrests, 149 were youth under the age of 17.

Continue Reading: lcsun-news.com

FROM PRISON TO COLLEGE: A STORY OF ADDICTION AND REDEMPTION

Article from: lacrossetribune.com

May 10, 2011
storyofaddiction.jpgBy: K�ri Knutson

It's Friday morning and Bill Westerman is up bright and early. He has a final at 8:50 a.m. in Behavior Modification, a subject he's more than a little familiar with.

Once he was a drug addict. For six years, he was a prison inmate at Oshkosh Correctional Institute.

Now eight years clean, the 41-year-old is a senior majoring in psychology at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse.

He once counted down the days to his release. Now he's counting down the days to a December graduation.

"There are a lot of days I can't believe I was in prison," Westerman said.

And then there are days he can't believe he's out.

Continue Reading: lacrossetribune.com


PAIN PILL ADDICTS USE HEROIN WHEN MONEY GETS TIGHT, DRUG STUDY SAYS

Article from: middletownjournal.com

May 10, 2011
By: Katie Wedell

The over prescription of opioid medications -- like OxyContin, Vicodin, Percocet and methadone -- is not only leading to increased overdose rates on those drugs, but may be leading to an increase in heroin use, according to a annual statewide study of drug trends.

The Ohio Substance Abuse Monitoring Network's annual report, which compiles information from eight regions in the state, shows that heroin use has increased in the past six months in Dayton and statewide. The report attributes the spike in part to the wide availability of opioid prescriptions, which often lead to addiction and then heroin use when pills become too expensive.

The report, distributed by the Ohio Department of Drug and Alcohol Addiction Services, covers June 2010 through January 2011. The findings are based on interviews with treatment providers, active and recovering drug users, and law enforcement officials as well as crime lab data and coroners' reports.

Continue Reading: middletownjournal.com

ECSTASY IMPURITY LEADS TO DESIGNER DRUG RISE

Article from: abc.net.au

May 9, 2011
Ecstasy impurity leads to designer drugs.jpgBy: Cassie White

A new study has found ecstasy use in Australia and internationally is gradually dropping, largely due to a decrease in the purity of the drug, which makes it less effective, consequently denying users bang for their buck. Professor Michael Farrell, who led the University of New South Wales National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre study, says 56%t of the 700 people surveyed reported a significant drop in the drug's purity.

He says that figure is up from 9 per cent of users who reported the same thing in 2009.

"People stop using when [the drugs] don't deliver the effects that they want from them and they'll spend their money on something else," he said.

"That's particularly true if they're regular users."

The study also found 16 per cent of those surveyed are using synthetic drugs such as mephedrone, and Professor Farrell is warning their use needs to be monitored.

Continue Reading: abc.net.au

BUDGET CUTS THREATEN FUTURE OF DRUG, ALCOHOL TREATMENT PROGRAMS

Article from: eagletribune.com

May 9, 2011
By: Jillian Jorgensen

A year ago, Jesse Welch was doing any drug he could get his hands on. Today, the 16-year-old is clean and sober -- and afraid the programs that helped him turn his life around could be in jeopardy due to budget cuts.

Welch spent five months at the long-term residential treatment facility known as Phoenix House, where he was sent after three months at the Youth Development Center, the state's juvenile jail.

"When I first went there, I was aware of all the problems that substances were causing in my life, but I didn't really have the will to do anything about it," he said. "even though it was affecting all the people who cared about me the most."

Welch was living on the streets or at friends' houses, instead of at his family's Derry home, so that he could keep doing drugs. But Phoenix House helped him realize he didn't have to live that way anymore.

Continue Reading: eagletribune.com

DEPECHE MODE'S DAVE GAHAN RECOGNIZED FOR HIS COMMITMENT TO SOBRIETY

Article from: hollywoodreporter.com

May 9, 2011
davegahan1.jpgBy: Shirley Halperin

The intersection of rock and roll and recovery was the focus of a benefit concert and dinner held at Los Angeles' Club Nokia on Friday night.

The seventh annual MusiCares MAP Fund benefit honored Depeche Mode singer Dave Gahan and Warped Tour founder Kevin Lyman, both recovering addicts, for their efforts on behalf of sobriety. Aerosmith frontman and American Idol judge Steven Tyler presented Gahan with the Stevie Ray Vaughan award. Concert promoter Gary Tovar introduced Lyman, recipient of the MusiCares From the Heart Award.

Established in 1989 by The Recording Academy, MusiCares provides emergency aid for music professionals in times of need, often in the form of financial assistance to help with basic living costs and medical expenses. The organization also focuses heavily on addiction and treatment, as evidenced by the event's dry bar.

Continue Reading: hollywoodreporter.com

TOLERANCE A RECIPE FOR DRUG MISERY

Article from: smh.com

May 9, 2011
Stathi Katsidis lived faster than 99 per cent of Australians. He rode racehorses for a living. He took illegal drugs. He was reckless and self-indulgent. He didn't make it past 31. At lunchtime on October 18 last year, Katsidis and his fiancee began drinking at Brisbane's Hamilton Hotel.

As they lingered, Katsidis began taking drugs. By evening, with friends back at home, he had taken fantasy, and ecstasy, and cocaine, and crystal meth. He had also kept drinking. The binge lasted 12 hours before he passed out on his couch. Katsidis was found dead in the morning.

The coroner's report, obtained by Brisbane's Courier-Mail and released at the weekend, found he had nine times the lethal limit of fantasy in his system. His blood alcohol level was three times over the legal limit.

A victimless crime? Katsidis left behind a young son, a distraught fiancee, and the more than 1000 people who attended his funeral. He didn't have to steal to pay for his drugs but so many addicts do, creating real victims of real crimes. Tens of thousand of them.

Continue Reading: smh.com

INVESTMENT IN SUBSTANCE ABUSE TREATMENT IS ONE WORTH MAKING

Article from: newsok.com

May 9, 2011
By: Terri White

Few things are more heart-wrenching than a loved one, full of promise and potential, falling into the world of addiction. For some, this descent into darkness happens in the blink of an eye. For others, it's a slow, progressive process taking years. The result is the same, when this disease goes untreated: death, imprisonment, car accidents, suicide, unemployment, child neglect, and other harrowing incidents that shatter lives, dreams and families.

The truth is that addiction is as much a medical condition as heart disease, diabetes or cancer. Addiction has been recognized by professional medical organizations as a chronic, progressive and fatal disease of the brain.
Some argue that substance abuse is a "choice." Initially, it is a choice, but it's a choice made by 12-year-olds. Let me repeat that: The average age Oklahomans take their first drink is 12. How many of us think we made our best choices at that age? If someone is prone to addiction, continued use alters the developing brain in ways that, within a few years, it is no longer a choice -- it is a disease named addiction.

Continue Reading: newsok.com

THE PRESCRIPTION DRUG EPIDEMIC: A FEDERAL JUDGE'S PERSPECTIVE

Article from: drugfree.org

May 9, 2011
judgeamul1.jpgBy: Judge Amul Thapar

It will come as no surprise to anyone reading this that we have a prescription drug problem in the United States. As I see it, however, we are not devoting our attention to the real root of the problem. Yes, we have prosecuted the drug-dealing doctors, pain clinics and pharmacies. Yes, we have taken on the middle-men (or women) between the doctors and the users. And yes, we have offered help to the addicts. But the real victims are their children, and they have gone overlooked.

I sentence pill peddlers every month. They tell me the same story in nearly every case: Good person gets hurt, gets prescribed pain killers, gets addicted, loses job, and starts dealing to sustain his habit. "A doctor prescribed it so it can't be bad for you," they thought. And more often than not, they have kids. Kids who lost their parents to drugs and will now lose them again to jail. With broken homes and terrible role models, they, too, are likely to turn to drugs.

Continue Reading: drugfree.org

MEXICO CAPTURES SUSPECTED DRUG GANG LEADER

Article from: usatoday.com

May 9, 2011
MEXICO CITY (AP) -- Federal police have captured a suspected drug gang leader in a central Mexican state where relentless violence prompted hundreds of citizens to set off in a days-long protest march that arrived in the capital Sunday.

Jose Zarco Cardenas, 22, had recently begun heading operations in Morelos state for a gang that broke off from the Beltran Leyva cartel following the death of leader Arturo Beltran Leyva in December 2009, the Public Safety Department said in a statement Sunday. He was arrested in Mexico City on Friday along with an alleged accomplice.

His capture was announced just as thousands of people were marching into Mexico City to protest gang violence in Morelos, which borders the Mexican capital. The marchers, who set off Thursday, are led by a Mexican poet whose son was killed by suspected drug traffickers in the Morelos capital of Cuernavaca. They were expected to arrive in Mexico City's Zocalo square Sunday afternoon.

Continue Reading: usatoday.com

QUEZON CITY MOVES TO ERADICATE DRUGS

Article from: mb.com

May 9, 2011
By: Chito Chavez

MANILA, Philippines -- In a serious bid to eradicate drug addiction in the city, Quezon City Mayor Herbert Bautista and local officials will undergo drug testing to officially launch the Quezon City Anti-Drug Abuse Advisory Council (QCADAAC) plan of action for 2011 dubbed as "Drug Free QC.''

QCADAAC Director Roderic Dumas and the council's drug operatives will also be among those who will submit voluntarily to drug tests to underline the city's unrelenting efforts to win the war against the drug menace.

Vice Mayor Belmonte, Chairperson of QCADAAC, said that submitting to drug tests will be a good start of an honest to goodness campaign against illegal drugs and their deleterious effect.

She noted that drug tests will also be conducted at the grass root level that includes barangay tanods, who are the front liners in monitoring, securing and reporting of drug-related matters and maintaining peace and order in their respective communities.

Continue Reading: mb.com

NFL CONSIDERS FORCING NEW TESTING STANDARDS

Article from: nytimes.com

May 9, 2011
NFL.pngBy: Judy Battista

The N.F.L. has talked to the World Anti-Doping Agency about overseeing testing of players for performance-enhancing drugs if a federal appeals court forces the league to stop the lockout and put in place rules for operating the league this season, an N.F.L. official briefed on its planning said.

That could even eventually include blood tests for human growth hormone, which have never been administered to N.F.L. players but which the league has in recent years said it wants to include in the next collective bargaining agreement, the official said.

The N.F.L. and the players union have resisted third-party administration of drug testing, the protocol and penalties of which were negotiated as part of the collective bargaining agreement.

But without an agreement in place, and with the decertified union unable to negotiate on behalf of players, the N.F.L. would be able to unilaterally impose a drug-testing program and penalties -- much as it could impose rules related to the salary cap and free agency -- although it could be subject to challenge by players in court. But the N.F.L. contends that without a union to provide checks and balances, a third party overseeing the program may be necessary for credibility and transparency.

Continue Reading: nytimes.com

PURDUE JOINS LARGER EFFORT TO CURB BINGE DRINKING

Article from: jconline.com

May 9, 2011
By: Taya Flores

A pervasive drinking culture among college students is no secret.
Nationally, 40 percent of college students engaged in binge drinking at least once during the past two weeks, according to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism.

Binge drinking -- or consumption of five consecutive drinks for men or four for women in about two hours -- puts people at risk for injuries, alcohol poisoning, sexually transmitted diseases, sexual assault and liver disease.

The drinking culture at Purdue University isn't far behind the national average -- 37 percent of students have participated in binge drinking, said Lee Gordon, assistant vice president for student affairs at Purdue.

To help curb irresponsible drinking behavior on campus, this month the university joined 13 other colleges and universities in the Learning Collaborative on High-Risk Drinking, a new effort of the National College Health Improvement Project. The project was founded in 2010 by Dartmouth College President Jim Yong Kim.

Other institutions involved in the collaborative include Boston, Cornell, Duke, Frostburg State, Northwestern, Ohio, Princeton and Stanford. Additional institutions will be accepted until May 20.

Continue Reading: jconline.com

MOTHERS DAY PLEA TO END THE WAR ON DRUGS

Article from: alternet.org

May 8, 2011
By: Joy Strickland

As a mother, I have had a close encounter with prohibition violence. My son was killed with a friend in a random crime committed by two juveniles involved in gang activity and illegal drug use. Holidays are a constant challenge after a loss, and Mother's Day can be especially difficult after the loss of a child. But this Mother's Day holds special promise.

During our first fourteen years, Mothers Against Teen Violence worked valiantly, implementing school-based prevention and mentoring programs. But an NPR interview with Judge James P. Gray of Orange County, California three years ago, convinced me that MATV should be actively engaged in ending the drug war. Subsequently, we began the process of rebranding our organization, developing a three point plan for drug policy reform

The first tenet of our plan is effective prevention targeting children and teens. Our youth need age appropriate information based on science so that they can make good choices about drugs; and they need parents that model responsible use of recreational and prescription drugs.

Continue Reading: alternet.org

MEMORIAL FOCUSES ON DRUG, ALCOHOL ADDICTION

Article from: kodiakdailymirror.com

May 8, 2011
kodiakfocus.jpgBy: Louis Garcia

Stories of addiction, loss and redemption took center stage Thursday night at a community memorial forum in the Kodiak High School commons.

The stories shared painted a very real and sad picture of what it means to become addicted to drugs and alcohol.

Alcohol, for some, is something to have with a friend, at a party or over a dinner. Some people drink responsibly -- others run into years of addiction.

Christian Trosvig is one such man. At the age of 18 he got into trouble twice with police for driving while intoxicated after he began drinking to socialize in Kodiak. Those were just the first repercussions in a battle against alcohol.

"Being a hard-headed young man, I was in complete denial that I had any problem with alcohol whatsoever," Trosvig said. "I pushed the blame on everyone else; it was never my fault."

He went through many programs and pitfalls. Eventually he bought his own fishing boat in 1999. On one fateful night in 2005 he and his brother had some drinks during dinner -- leading to one of Trosvig's worst moments.

Continue Reading: kodiakdailymirror.com

PARENTS MUST TEACH CHILDREN ABOUT '100 DEADLIEST DAYS'

Article from: erstarnews.com

May 8, 2011
Police and sheriff's deputies in many area communities have a new tool to prevent teenagers from drinking in their homes.  Parents have reasons to worry about their under-age children drinking during "the 100 deadliest days for teens."

Those 100 deadliest days are from prom time to Labor Day, according to Wright County Judge Steve Halsey.

Parents also should be aware of recently enacted social host ordinances now in effect in 58 cities and 12 counties.  This law makes it a misdemeanor for anyone to host an event where under-age drinking takes place.

After proms and around graduation, students go to house parties. Parents who allow house parties, thinking it's better to have kids drink at home than being somewhere else drinking and driving, better be aware of this law.

Those parents or people under age who host parties where they know alcohol is served to under-age persons may think they'll just get a slap on the wrist.

Continue Reading: erstarnews.com

THIRD ANNUAL SKATE AGAINST DRUGS THIS SATURDAY

Article from: bangordailynews.com

May 7, 2011
Skateboarding3rd.jpgWith live music from fifteen bands and a skateboard competition providing the backdrop, Bangor Region Public Health and Wellness, the Maine Office of Substance Abuse, Old Town YMCA, WHSN, and Spanky's Pizza, are sponsoring the 3rd annual Skate Against Drugs at Bangor Skatepark on Saturday, May 7 from 11 am to 6 pm.

"With on-site services and information ranging from HIV testing and overdose prevention to career opportunities and addiction recovery support, this is no ordinary event," states organizer Tim Shaw, Youth Liaison and Overdose Prevention Specialist for Bangor Region Public Health and Wellness.

"This is a chance for people to have fun and receive some very important information at the same time," he adds.  "There are a wide range of resources available to people in this community and Skate Against Drugs has proven to be a great way to connect people with them."

Continue Reading: bangordailynew.com

WOMEN MORE LIKELY TO LEAVE SUBSTANCE ABUSE TREATMENT CENTER AFTER NEW TOBACCO-FREE POLICY

Article from: news-medical.net

May 7, 2011
When a new tobacco-free policy was instituted at an Ohio women's substance abuse treatment center, both smokers and non-smokers were more likely to leave treatment early in the first few months after the policy change, a new study found.

The results don't mean treatment centers shouldn't try smoking bans, according to the researchers, but they do highlight the challenges involved with implementing a new policy that goes against years of conventional thinking.

Researchers found that the number of patients who completed a program at the women's treatment center decreased 28 percentage points - from 70 to 42 percent - following the center's implementation of a tobacco-free policy.

"Following the implementation of the new policy, clients were significantly less likely to complete treatment than they were prior to the adoption of tobacco-free policies," said Thomas Gregoire, co-author of the study and associate professor of social work at Ohio State University.

Continue Reading: news-medical.net

CURB TO 'DRUG PIPELINE' SOUGHT

Article from: toledoblade.com

May 7, 2011
Curb-to-drug-pipeline-sought1.jpgBy: Tom Troy

A federal law proposed by U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown (D., Ohio) would require states to take a tougher stance in the fight against Medicaid fraud involving prescription drugs.

Mr. Brown said Wednesday he introduced a bill targeting "doctor-shopping and pharmacy-hopping" that allows drug abusers and drug dealers to obtain pain medications such as Oxycodone, either to use illegally or to sell.

Medicaid, the taxpayer-funded program for medical care for the poor, paid the bill for $820 million worth of prescription drugs in Ohio last year.

The legislation focuses on the fraudulent use of Medicaid cards to obtain and fill prescriptions for addictive pain medications.

"When criminals defraud the Medicaid system to fuel prescription abuse, it's a one-two punch to the stomach of Ohio taxpayers," Mr. Brown said.

Mr. Brown said drug abusers and drug dealers use their Medicaid cards to visit multiple doctors or pharmacies. Law enforcement officials have pointed to a rising tide of prescription drug abuse and accidental overdoses.

Continue Reading: toledoblade.com

NIDA'S TOP DOC HONORED FOR LEADING-EDGE ADDICTION RESEARCH

Article from: medscape.com

May 7, 2011
By: Fran Lowry

Nora Volkow, MD, director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), who was one of the first scientists to demonstrate that addiction is a disease, is the recipient of the Joan and Stanford Alexander Award in Psychiatry by Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas.

The award was established in honor of Stuart C. Yudofsky, MD, who is professor and chair of the Menninger Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Baylor College of Medicine. Dr. Yudofsky was also the first recipient of the Alexander Award.

The award is given annually. Last year's recipient was Nobel Laureate Eric R. Kandel, MD, of Columbia University in New York City, who received the 2000 Nobel Prize in Physiology and Medicine for his research into basic molecular mechanisms underlying learning and memory in the brain.

Continue Reading: medscape.com

NEW ARKANSAS LAW CRACKS DOWN ON UNDERAGE DRINKING (video)

Article from: ky3.com

May 7, 2011
By: Sara Forhetz

BAXTER COUNTY, Ark.--  Arkansas authorities are about to get a new and powerful tool to crack down on underage drinking.

A new law on the books takes effect at the end of July.

Right now in Arkansas, a young person cannot be charged with minor in possession unless they are actually caught holding a drink in their hand, caught in the act, so to speak.

But come July 27, that will change.

?A new law now on the books, that the Baxter County sheriff has really been pushing for, says that if a minor is caught with any alcohol in their system they can be picked up and charged with minor in possession.

Officers say it makes their job a lot easier, and they believe it will certainly have a big impact on the number of young people choosing to drink.

"Young people are smart and creative and so when they go.. and we put parties under surveillance, they will not walk around with alcohol in their possession.  They'll take a drink and they'll set it down and walk away," said Baxter County Sheriff John Montgomery.

Continue Reading: ky3.com

PRESCRIPTION DRUG TAKE BACK: 14,000 POUNDS OF PILLS COLLECTED IN COLORADO

Article from: huffingtonpost.com

May 6, 2011
prescription drug take back.jpgBy: Matt Ferner

Under the guidance of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, 100 national and regional law enforcement agencies began collecting old or unused prescription drugs in the last weekend of April as part of their massive Take Back campaign. The program has turned into a huge success with a total 14,114 pounds of prescription drugs collected in Colorado alone.

The collection allowed citizens to drop off their expired or unwanted prescription medications that were gathering dust in their homes. The Take Back campaign was created to not just keep over-the-counter drugs out of the hands of addicts but also for the environment since the pills or fluids can eventually seep into the ground water if simply thrown in the garbage.

Continue Reading: huffingtonpost.com 

BILL REQUIRING WELFARE RECIPIENTS TO TAKE DRUG TESTS HEADED TO GOVENOR

Article from: miamiherald.com

May 6, 2011
bill requiring welfare recipients to take drug tests.jpg
By: Jodie Tillman

TALLAHASSEE -- Applying for welfare benefits in Florida? Soon you'll need to get drug tested.

A measure requiring the tests passed the Senate on Thursday and is headed to Gov. Rick Scott, who called it one of his legislative priorities.

"It's fair to taxpayers," Scott said after the vote. "They're paying the bill. And they're often drug screened for their jobs. On top of that, it's good for families. It creates another reason why people will think again before using drugs, which as you know is just a significant issue in our state."

Scott already signed an executive order requiring random drug testing of state workers.

HB 353 requires all adult recipients of federal cash benefits -- the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program -- to pay for the tests, which are typically around $35. The screen would be for all controlled substances and applicants would have to disclose any legal prescriptions.

Recipients who test positive for drugs would lose their benefits for a year. If they fail a second time, they lose the benefits for three years. Parents who test positive must designate another adult to receive benefits on behalf of their children.

Continue Reading: miamiherald.com

MLB, MLBA DISCUSS ALCOHOL POLICY (video)

Article from: mlb.com

May 6, 2011
By: John Schlegel

Major League Baseball and the MLB Players Association reportedly have discussed implementing an alcohol policy as part of the new Collective Bargaining Agreement currently being negotiated.

Six Major League players have been arrested for allegedly drinking and driving this calendar year -- including two in recent weeks. While those incidents have brought the issue to the forefront, several reports this week suggest a program to address problems with alcohol abuse has been a discussion point between MLB and the union for some time now.

Currently, there is no specific system of punishment from the league if a player is arrested for driving under the influence one or more times, nor is there a league-operated treatment program for alcohol abuse.

Along with performance-enhancing drugs, marijuana, cocaine and other "drugs of abuse" are covered in the Joint Drug Prevention and Treatment Program currently in effect. Alcohol abuse is not included in that program.

However, both sides of the negotiating table appear determined to create change that will protect players and avert situations that could cause great harm to others.

Continue Reading: mlb.com

HEALTH REFORM FOR ADDICTION TREATMENT COULD END DISCRIMINATION AGAINST MILLIONS: REPORT

Article from: prnewswire.com

May 6, 2011
Health Reform for Addiction Treatment.jpg
By: Jim Gogek Consulting

SAN FRANCISCO, May 5, 2011 /PRNewswire-iReach/ -- The California Society of Addiction Medicine (CSAM) urged state leaders to begin adopting effective addiction treatment standards under national health care reform to ensure that millions of Californians finally get the care they need.

CSAM President Timmen Cermak, M.D., released Unique Opportunity: Expansion of Substance Use Disorder Treatment Within Reach Through Health Care Reform at a recent hearing of the California Assembly Select Committee on Alcohol and Drug Abuse in Sacramento. The white paper outlines basic medical standards that state lawmakers and regulators must implement for public and private health insurance under national health care reform, which requires that all health plans include treatment for substance use and mental health disorders among their basic benefits. Recent federal parity legislation now assures that these disorders are covered in the same way as all other medical benefits.

"California's budget crisis is decimating state funding for addiction treatment, but health care reform provides the opportunity to make sure that treatment is expanded to nearly everyone who needs it through public and private insurance," Cermak said. "The long history of systemic, institutionalized discrimination against people suffering from addictive disease can finally be ended through health care reform."

Continue Reading: prnewswire.com

EXPERTS SAY ALCOHOL MARKETING ENCOURAGES HARMFUL DRINKING

Article from: pharmpro.com

May 6, 2011
By: Pan American Health Organization

Efforts by alcoholic beverage makers to boost sales by appealing to younger drinkers contribute to drinking patterns that are harmful to health, said experts at a panel discussion on ?Alcohol, Chronic Noncommunicable Diseases and Public Health,? held this week at the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO).

While alcoholic beverage makers say their ads are aimed only at consumers who are at or over the legal purchase age, research shows that viewing of alcohol ads by under-age youths has increased by nearly 70 percent over the past decade, said David Jernigan, associate professor at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.

In addition, some of the fastest-selling categories of alcoholic beverages--such as ?alcopops,? alcohol energy drinks, and whipped cream alcohol drinks--are purchased disproportionately by younger drinkers. Some of these drinks contain the equivalent of as much as five servings of alcohol in a single can. At the same time, younger drinkers are much more likely than older drinkers to consume large quantities of alcohol over short periods of time, a pattern that significantly increases the risk of injuries and ill health effects.

Continue Reading: pharmpro.com 

CONSERVATIVE PAIN MANAGEMENT A FIRST-LINE DEFENSE AGAINST PRESCRIPTION DRUG ABUSE CRISIS

Article from: businesswire.com

May 6, 2011
ARLINGTON, Va.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The American Chiropractic Association (ACA) applauds federal efforts to curb prescription drug abuse following the U.S. government's announcement in late April that the problem has reached crisis level. ACA encourages patients and health care providers to explore drug-free, conservative approaches to pain management as a first-line defense against painkiller abuse.

The government's report, "Epidemic: Responding to America's Prescription Drug Abuse Crisis," notes that while the use of some illegal drugs has diminished, the abuse of prescription medications has sharply increased, particularly prescription opioid pain relievers such as Oxycontin and Vicodin. It points out unintentional opioid overdoses--once almost exclusively the fate of heroin abusers--are today increasingly caused by prescription painkiller abuse.

"This new report shows that while sometimes the use of these powerful drugs may be necessary, their overuse and abuse can lead to deadly consequences. The chiropractic profession offers non-drug interventions for pain relief," said ACA President Dr. Rick McMichael. "We urge health care providers, whenever possible, to recommend drug-free conservative care interventions for their patients before prescribing medications that may be associated with harmful side effects. It's critical that patients know their options."

Continue Reading: businesswire.com

RECOVERY CENTRE TAKES A TOUGH LOVE APPROACH TO ADDICTION

Article from: vancouversun.com

May 5, 2011
recoverycenter.jpgBy: Gerry Bellett

Theologians will advise you can't parley with the Devil and remain unscathed and neither, according to the operators of Burnaby's Charlford House, can you trifle with addiction.

So in this 15-bed Stabilization and Transitional Living Residence for women -the mouthful Fraser Health bureaucrats invented to avoid calling it a recovery centre -there are no compromises with drugs or booze, no softer, gentler way, no harm-reduction cop-outs, just the blood, sweat and tears of abstinence.

And for that, Trish LaNauze, executive director of Charlford House, makes no apologies.

"Our program is traditionally based, rooted in the 12-Step program [of Alcoholics Anonymous] which is 76 years old this year. And there's a reason it's successful," she said.

Continue Reading: vancouversun.com

CALDERON URGES MEXICANS NOT TO ABANDON DRUGS BATTLE

Article from: bbc.co

May 5, 2011
calderonurges.jpgPresident Felipe Calderon has made an impassioned appeal to all Mexicans to support his government's four-year crackdown on drug cartels.

There was no option to withdraw from the fight against the drug cartels, Mr Calderon said in a televised speech.

His call came on the eve of a four-day silent march for peace which is due to reach the capital over the weekend.

The march was called by Javier Sicilia, whose son was murdered in March in an attack blamed on drug gangs.

"Your understanding and your support, the support of the whole of society, is essential, because some people, in good or bad faith are trying to stop the government's action," Mr Calderon said in a televised address late on Wednesday.

Mr Calderon rejected the idea that the operation he launched in December 2006, which has seen thousands of troops and extra police deployed against drug gangs, should end.

Continue Reading: bbc.co

REQUIRING COLLEGES TO REPORT UNDERAGE DRINKERS TO PARENTS

Article from: whptv.com

May 5, 2011
requiringcolleges1.jpgInformation is from the House Democratic Communications Office:












State Rep. Sid Michaels Kavulich, D Lackawanna/Luzerne/Susquehanna/Wyoming, has introduced a bill that would require colleges to report to the students' parents or legal guardians when their underage children are caught consuming alcohol. Failure to do so could result in a fine of up to $10,000.

"Underage drinking is against the law. Unfortunately, we know it happens on college campuses despite the schools' best efforts to curb it," Kavulich said. "Getting parents involved would give our colleges one more tool in fighting underage drinking."

It's Kavulich's hope that his H.B 1073 would raise awareness of the problem of underage drinking, not just on college campuses, but among high school and middle school students as well.

Continue Reading: whptv.com

CONCORD PRIVATE EYE DETAILED 'DIRTY DUI' STINGS

Article from: sfgate.com

May 5, 2011
duisting1.jpgBy: Justin Berton

A Concord private eye at the center of a Contra Costa County law enforcement scandal admitted that he hired female decoys to drink with men he was targeting in stings that led to their drunken-driving arrests, according to a transcript of his interview with detectives.

"It all centered around the introduction of the decoy to the subject," Christopher Butler said, according to a partial transcript of the March 17 interview obtained by The Chronicle. "It had to be what I referred to as seamless. ... And it shows that, yeah, I was very careful in how these things went down. No one just plowed into a bar, called the guy and said, 'Hey, meet me at this bar and let's go drinking.' "

Butler, 49, a former Antioch police officer, made the statements during a nine-hour interrogation with detectives from the Contra Costa County district attorney's office and state Department of Justice.

Continue Reading: sfgate.com

OVERDOSE RISK FOR YOUNG CHILDREN ON PRESCRIPTION PAIN DRUGS

Article from: webmd.com

May 5, 2011
By: Denise Mann

Infants and young children who require prescription pain medications may be at risk for overdose because of dosing errors.

About 4% of children under age 3 who are taking prescription painkillers may be getting too much, according to new research slated to be presented at the Pediatric Academic Societies annual meeting in Denver.

The risk of overdose was highest among children aged 2 months or younger and tended to decrease with age.

Researchers led by William T. Basco, MD, associate professor and director of the division of general pediatrics at the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston, analyzed data on 149,791 prescriptions for painkillers that were dispensed for children aged 0 to 36 months. This included 19 prescription narcotic drugs.

Overall, 14.9% of prescriptions were considered overdoses based on the quantity dispensed by the pharmacist. On average, overdoses contained about 53% more medicine than indicated, the study showed.

Continue Reading: webmd.com

MUSKEGON ALCOHOL LIABILITY INITIATIVE USING FACEBOOK TO TEACH CONSEQUENCES OF UNDERAGE DRINKING

Article from: mlive.com

May 5, 2011
facebook.pngBy: Megan Hart

The Muskegon Alcohol Liability Initiative will use Facebook to try to teach high school students the consequences of underage drinking, and especially drinking and driving.

High school students who visit the "Facethebook Muskegon" page and answer a question by May 31 are entered for the chance to win an Apple iPad. Students and parents also can post their opinions about topics related to alcohol use and abuse.

"We need to get them drawn in," Muskegon ALI co-chairman and Norton Shores Police Lt. Jon Gale said.

Gale said surveys have shown area high school students don't understand the legal consequences of possession of alcohol by a minor, driving while intoxicated and providing alcohol to minors.

'They don't understand what the laws are," he said. "They don't understand the consequences. The fines are a very small part of it."

Muskegon ALI -- a partnership between police and public health leaders funded by the National Office of Drug Control Policy's Drug Free Communities program -- distributed 7,000 brochures explaining the laws to students at all of Muskegon County's high schools. The brochures also touched on the other consequences of underaged drinking, like losing college scholarships or being kicked off sports teams.

Continue Reading: mlive.com

GRANT OFFERS VISALIA'S POLICE A TOOL TO FIGHT UNDERAGE DRINKING

Article from: visaliatimesdelta.com

May 5, 2011
By: Eric Woomer

For the last year, a $39,000 grant has helped Visalia officers combat the sale of alcohol to minors. Less than two months until that grant runs dry, the department is hoping to get another grant that will help continue their fight.

In a county plagued by underage drinking and alcohol-related mishaps, the mission set forth by Visalia officer Brent Abbott and his DUI team is important, he says.

The team patrols bars, clubs, restaurants and any establishment that sells alcohol. They also respond to parties that have been reported as serving alcohol to minors. The grant pays officers overtime to conduct sweeps and decoy operations, which sends a person under 21, but at least 18, into a business to try to buy alcohol.

Those volunteers look young and are required to show an identification if asked.

"Most learn their lesson the first time. Some don't," Abbott said. "Our goal isn't to shut down a business, it's to get compliance."

Continue Reading: visaliatimesdelta.com

DOCTOR LAMENTS FEDERAL RESTRICTIONS ON DRUG TREATMENT FOR ADDICTION

Article from: tulsaworld.com

May 4, 2011
doctorslament1.jpgBy: Shannon Muchmore

A prescription drug has helped many Oklahomans kick an addiction to opiates such as prescription painkillers, but its availability is constricted by federal regulations.

The drug buprenorphine, marketed as Suboxone, can be difficult to get for those wanting to get over a drug habit in Tulsa, doctors who prescribe it said.

Carla, 26, started abusing drugs as a teenager. She used marijuana and meth at first and then moved to prescription painkillers. Eventually, she was using heroin.

The Tulsa World agreed to withhold her last name because of the stigma associated with drug abuse.

Carla tried a methadone clinic while visiting her sister in California, but it didn't seem to help her.

She went back to the drugs, but then one day she couldn't move her legs to walk to work because her withdrawal was so severe. She went to a rehab clinic, but she left when she finished detoxing.

She saw posters about buprenorphine at the rehab clinic, so she went to see Dr. William Yarborough, an internal medicine specialist at the University of Oklahoma-Tulsa, who put her on it. That was two years ago, and Carla has been clean since.

Continue Reading: tulsaworld.com

CONFERENCE SHEDS LIGHT ON SUBSTANCE ABUSE AMONG ELDERLY (video)

Article from: wabi.tv

May 4, 2011
By: Diana Bosch

Northport - Armand, a recovering addict, says substance abuse treatment gave him a second chance at life.??

Very grateful, happy to be alive to have a chance and know that recovery is possible.??

He attended the 6th Annual University of Maine Geriatric Colloquium this year's conference focused on an issue not easily seen by the public substance abuse in seniors.

??Event organizer Lenard Kaye says 17 to 20 percent of older adults experience a substance abuse problem sometime in their lives one of the big issues among elderly individuals is between mis-use and abuse.

"So many older adults take 4 and 8 and 12 and up to 20 prescription drugs a day so it's easy to mismanage them,"

??Presenter Mark Publicker says dramatic lifestyle changes such as retirement and the death of a loved one can lead older men and women to prescription drugs and alcohol.

??"All addiction effects the way the brain thinks but in particular with older people that effect is more damaging."

Continue Reading: wabi.tv

TOOL MAY ALLOW DOCTORS TO ASSESS METH IMPACT ON BABIES EXPOSED BEFORE BIRTH

Article from: drugfree.org

May 4, 2011
A new assessment tool may allow doctors to evaluate the impact of methamphetamine on babies exposed in the womb. The tool may help identify which babies will go on to develop problems due to exposure to the drug, according to a new study.

Medical News Today reports that doctors at the Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University and Women & Infants Hospital in Providence, RI, looked at the effects of prenatal exposure to methamphetamine in 185 newborns and compared them with 195 newborns who were not exposed to meth, but were exposed to alcohol, tobacco or marijuana before birth.

Continue Reading: drugfree.org

MUSICIAN SHARES SAD BALLAD OF ADDICTION WITH TEEN BOYS

Article from: columbian.com

May 4, 2011
musicianshares.jpgBy: Zachary Kaufman

Singing the blues can be tough when, on the inside, you don't feel a thing.

Lisa Mann said she spent years that way -- playing music for pay and not really caring about it. A bass player since age 11, she was gigging by her teen years -- playing in the band, regurgitating punk or rock or top-40 pop or whatever style was bringing in the fans.

"I would have ideas, too," she said. "I wanted to make my own record. I wanted to have my own band. But I never finished anything. I couldn't finish writing a song. I couldn't get it together."

Why not? Alcohol and drugs. They dulled her focus, clouded her mind, dampened her ambition. "When I was drinking and using, I would think, 'Someday, I'm gonna do this,'" she said. "'Someday I'm gonna have my own band, make my own records. When the conditions are right.'"

Conditions never were right, of course, until Mann made them right.

Continue Reading: columbian.com

ADDICTION WARS: DANGEROUS AND LEGAL

Article from: thedenverchannel.com

May 4, 2011
By: Wayne Harrison

denver -- You've heard it before: "Say no to drugs." Most of us think of crack, pot and heroin, when we think harmful and addictive. But, three of the most dangerous drugs are legal and often deadly.

You can snort them, smoke them, and even shoot them into your veins. There are about as many ways to take a drug as there are drugs out there.

Chasity Stacy has tried them all.
 
"I started doing crack cocaine with my mother when I was 13," Stacy said.

She also used marijuana, heroin, ecstasy, and LSD -- sometimes spending more than $250 a day to get her fix. She stole to buy her drugs and ended up serving 13 months in prison.

"I didn't want to use, but I didn't know how not to use," Stacy said.

Stacy was one of more than 21-million Americans addicted to illegal drugs. But drug expert Mike Gimbel says it's not the illegal drugs that are the biggest problem.

Continue Reading: thedenverchannel.com

CHINA: DRUNK DRIVING ACCIDENTS FALL SHARPLY AFTER AMENDMENT LAW IMPLEMENTED

Article from: english.cri.cn

May 4, 2011
China has seen a sharp drop in road accidents caused by drink driving over the long weekend, after a newly amended law took effect Sunday imposing harsher punishments on drunk drivers.

According to the traffic management authority of the Ministry of Public Security on Tuesday, the number of drink driving-related road accidents over the past three-day holidays dropped 27.6 percent year on year, with the death toll decreasing 54.6 percent.

The amended Road Traffic Safety Law took effect Sunday, the second day of the International Labor Day holidays.

The law now states that convicted drunk drivers will lose their driving licenses for five years.

The amendment also states that drunk drivers who cause a serious accident could lose their licenses forever.

Continue Reading: english.cri.cn

CABLE TYCOON'S FAMILY WILL DONATE MILLIONS FOR ALCOHOL ADDICTION RESEARCH

Article from: thespec.com

May 4, 2011
cabletycoon1.jpgBy: Mark McNeil

St. Joseph's Healthcare will announce a multimillion-dollar gift on Tuesday for alcohol addiction research and treatment from the family of Owen Boris, the founder of Mountain Cablevision.

Boris died three weeks ago at the age of 77. In the months leading up to his death, he and family members were planning numerous philanthropic donations including the announcement Tuesday for a "chair" at St. Joseph's Healthcare Hamilton's new $1.3-billion mental health facility that is being built on the Mountain.

Boris' daughter, Jackie Boris-Work, said the donation -- expected to be $6 million -- is in memory of her brother Peter, who suffered from alcohol addiction and died in 2009 at age 44.

The announcement was timed to be part of the Canadian Mental Health Association's Mental Health Week.

Continue Reading: thespec.com

SCIENTISTS CONTINUE QUEST FOR VACCINES TO TREAT ADDICTION

Article from: foxnews.com

May 4, 2011
Frustrated by the high relapse rate of traditional addiction treatments, scientists worldwide were working on a strategy that recruits the body's own defenses to help addicts kick drug habits, The Wall Street Journal reported Tuesday.

The new approach uses injected vaccines to block some addictive substances from reaching the brain. If a vaccinated addict on the path to recovery slips and indulges in a drug, such as tobacco or cocaine, no pleasure will result.

Medications currently available to treat addictions typically work by mimicking a drug in the brain -- for example, methadone stands in for heroin and the nicotine patch for cigarettes. Other medications block activity in the brain's reward system. Alkermes' once-monthly Vivitrol injection does this for alcoholics and opioid addicts, while Pfizer's Chantix pills block the brain's pleasure receptors activated when people smoke.

Continue Reading: foxnews.com

SADD GROUP AT ALLEN EAST PLANS ENTIRE DAY OF PREVENTION ACTIVITIES

Article from: adaherald.com

May 4, 2011
Students at Allen East High School will be fully immersed in prevention activities on Friday, May 13, to help them understand the dangers of drugs and alcohol, distracted driving, bullying, dating violence, and more.

Kelly Prichard, Advisor for both the Student Council and Students Against Destructive Decisions, explained that the entire high school - grades 9 through 12 - will be participating in several different activities on that day. In the morning before lunch, students will attend many programs concerning topics like human trafficking, alcohol abuse, ATV safety, bullying, and distracted driving. Members of the SADD organization will lead these programs.

After lunch, the Student Council is hosting Walk A Mile in Her Shoes, an event to raise awareness about dating and domestic abuse as well as raise funds for Crossroads Crisis Center of Lima. The event will begin at 12:50 p.m. in the high school gym, and then move to the parking lot.

During this event, boys in the high school will walk a mile wearing high-heeled shoes to show support for abuse prevention. They will get sponsors, and walk the mile with their classmates and teachers cheering them on. The group would be excited to see representation from the community there to show support as well. Members of the community are welcome to attend this event, sponsor a student or even join the walk with a minimum of $25.00 sponsorship.

Continue Reading: adaherald.com

A DEADLY ADDICTION, TEENS HUFFING FREON FROM AC UNITS (video)

Article from: kplctv.com

May 4, 2011
By: Melissa Correa

CHESTERFIELD, VA (WWBT) - While you sit in your home with your air conditioner running, you could be feeding a teen's deadly addiction. Kids, right here in our area, are huffing chemicals from air conditioning units to get high.

It's disgusting. An addiction that chips away at brain cells is captured in homemade videos posted on YouTube. Teens out of control, caught on camera chasing a short-lived high by inhaling chemicals used to cool your home.

Wayne Frith with S.A.F.E. Chesterfield is working to keep this from becoming a disturbing trend.

We asked him to tell us why people would do something like this?  "Essentially it gives you the high of being intensely drunk on alcohol," explained Frith.  "Except it delivers that high in a matter of less than two seconds."

"You could die on the first try," said mother Mona Casey.

Continue Reading: kplctv.com

SCHOOL NURSE: IT'S NOT OK TO GIVE TEENS ALCOHOL FOR PROM AND GRADUATION

Article from: drugfree.org

May 3, 2011
Prom1.jpgBy: Mary Burch

Prom and graduation should be a time of pure joy for high school seniors and the people who love them. But every year, this season can also be a time of sadness for too many families. That's because along with these important milestones come many opportunities for underage drinking and driving.? ?

Each year, communities across the country mourn the deaths of teenagers involved in a car crash that resulted from underage drinking at a prom or graduation party. A survey of more than 2,500 high school juniors and seniors conducted in 2010 found that 90 percent believed their peers are more likely to drink and drive on prom night and 79 percent believe the same is true of graduation night. However, only 29 percent of teens say that driving on prom night is very dangerous; 25 percent believe the same is true for graduation night.

Adults have to take the lead in making sure that teens don't get hold of alcohol on these occasions and in educating teens about the dangers of drinking and driving. Parents, of course, are the most important adults in a teen's life and so must play a key role in making sure their kids don't drink and drive.

Continue Reading: drugfree.org



SCOTLAND: WHY 'SUPER-SIZE' LAW WILL COMBAT DRUG USE

Article from: scotsman.com

May 3, 2011
By: Mel Brown

The war on drugs is over:we lost. The numbers speak for themselves. Scotland's prisons hold 8000 inmates. Our police officers number 17,000, but our 55,000 drug addicts outnumber the police by more than three to one.

This is why there are constant calls for radical change to drugs policy. And by radical, I meant the decriminalisation or the legalisation of drugs.

Home Secretaries and their officials know this would be political suicide. But for 30 years they have scratched their heads and drawn a blank.

Similarly, they know that the heavy cost of drug addiction to both the economy and society is becoming unbearable.

I am an advocate of evidence-based policy. And what the evidence tells me is that, in general terms, without massive state support, the scale of today's drugs problem simply could not be sustained.

There are three crucial factors.

Continue Reading: scotsman.com

PRESCRIPTION FOR ADDICTION: GOVERNMENT SPENDS MILLIONS EACH YEAR HELPING MICHIGAN DRUG ADDICTS GET THEIR FIX

Article from: mlive.com

May 3, 2011
michigandrugs1.jpgBy: Gus Burns

Addiction to prescription drugs is skyrocketing in Michigan, and the number of people receiving state-paid methadone as a maintenance drug is keeping pace.

Michigan spent $6.5 million on methadone treatment in the 2009 fiscal year, 22 percent more than the year before. Another $3.25 million to $5.2 million was spent on counseling methadone patients, said Phil Chvojka, department specialist of the Contract Division for the state Department of Community Health.

The number of opiate addicts -- including heroin, morphine and other opiate-based prescription medicines -- who received state-subsidized treatment climbed from 8,758 people in 2000 to 19,806 people in 2010, according to Community Health data.
 
At the rate opiate addiction is climbing, the methadone clinic Victory Clinical Services in Carrollton Township likely will reach its capacity of about 400 patients within a year, said director David Blankenship.

Continue Reading: mlive.com

2ND ANNUAL DRUG TAKE BACK DAY A SUCCESS (video)

Article from: wfmz.com

May 3, 2011
More than seven million Americans abuse prescription drugs according to a National Survey on Drug Use and Health.

Now the Drug Enforcement Agency and local authorities are helping get some of those drugs off the street.

The goal is to get expired, and unused prescription drugs out of home medicine cabinets.

This is the second year for the national event, National Take Back Day, and organizers say it's a huge success.

"We have an awful lot of medications here today. Everything is going extremely well," said Vicky Kistler, the director of Health for the Allentown Health Bureau.

Continue Reading: wfmz.com

SCREENING FOR ALCOHOL USE DISORDERS IMPORTANT, SIMPLE

Article from: internalmedicinenews.com

May 3, 2011
By: Naseem S. Miller

WASHINGTON - When it comes to screening patients for alcohol use disorders, the small check box on the patient history form sometimes fails to tell physicians what they need to know about the patient's alcohol use, experts said at the annual meeting of the American Society of Addiction Medicine.

That's partly why Dr. Keith A. Nichols screens all of his adolescent and adult patients for alcohol use disorders beyond the patient history form in his private family practice in upstate New York. Often, Dr. Nichols' questions lead to a conversation.

"Do not stop at taking history," Dr. Nichols said. "Delve into and find out if there's a problem. Don't take the person's snap response. People in general aren't offended if you ask them. In fact, you get a lot of people who are grateful if you help them."

Because of the key role alcohol plays in a variety of problems, diseases, and injuries, early identification is critical, said John P. Allen, Ph.D. Why? "Because the chances of treating problem drinking are likely most favorable before the drinking becomes more ingrained," said Dr. Allen, associate chief consultant for addictive disorders at the Veterans Health Administration's (VHA's) Office of Mental Health Services.

Continue Reading: internalmedicinenews.com

INMATE DRUG AND ALCOHOL TREATMENT IN HIGH DEMAND

Article from: billingsgazette.com

May 3, 2011
alcoholtreatment.jpgBy: Joan Barron

CHEYENNE, Wyo. -- The demand for beds to treat prison inmates for drug and alcohol addiction reflects the scope of the problem among criminal offenders.

At the Casper Re-Entry Center, 100 beds are designated for one-year lockdowns and intense therapeutic treatment programs for inmates.

"And we're always full," said Jim Piro, deputy director of treatment for the center.

As soon as the program graduates a class, the Wyoming Department of Corrections transports more inmates to the Casper facility, usually the next day.

"So we stay full," Piro said.

The inmates who enter the intense treatment program are high-risk offenders based on their substance abuse histories.

Continue Reading: billingsgazette.com

MORE HIV INFECTIONS LINKED TO INJECTION DRUG USE IN EAST AFRICA, REPORT FINDS

Article from: globalhealth.org

May 3, 2011
A growing number of HIV infections in East Africa are linked to injection drug use (IDU), according to a new report from the Center for Strategic and International Studies, VOA News reports (DeCapua, 4/29).

CSIS sent a team to study the issue in Kenya and Tanzania "to better understand the dimensions of the IDU-driven HIV epidemic in those two countries and to look at how U.S.-supported programs through PEPFAR are helping shape a response," according to a report summary (4/29).

Report co-author Lisa Carty, deputy director at the CSIS Global Health Policy Center, said, "Globally, we know that [injection drug use] is quite a serious problem. And we know that one in every three new infections is attributable to injecting drug use. We know that in Eastern Europe, Central Asia, the former Soviet Union, it continues to be the major driver of the epidemic there. What we're seeing happen on a parallel track is that in many countries, where the new HIV incidence is starting to stabilize and level off, that the proportion of IDU-related infections is continuing to increase," VOA News reports.

Continue Reading: globalhealth.org

THE COUNSELOR'S CORNER: YOUR QUESTIONS ABOUT ADDICTION AND RECOVERY

Article from: huffingtonpost.com

May 2, 2011
By: Carole Bennett

The two-year anniversary of my first blog for The Huffington Post is quickly approaching, so I want to take this time to thank not only HuffPost for giving me the opportunity to write about addiction and recovery, but also you, my readers. Hopefully I have been helpful and encouraging as you navigate those murky waters of addiction.

I have been privileged to receive many questions regarding your loved ones' substance abuse issues. Though they are not long enough for me to write an entire blog, they merit comment and are poignant and thoughtful. Hence, I am adding a new series called "The Counselor's Corner: Your Questions About Addiction and Recovery."

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OKC MOTHER AND SON TO SHARE HIS ADDICTION STORY

Article from: newsok.com

May 2, 2011
motherandson.jpgBy: Ken Raymond

The day her son overdosed on mouthwash and over-the-counter pills, Patti Mellow reached a painful realization.

Her adopted son, Spencer, lay in an Oklahoma City hospital bed, his teeth blackened by the purgative he'd been given to make him empty his stomach.

"He looked like a skull," Patti Mellow said. "He looked like death."

And his medical chart, visible at the foot of the bed, contained a term she'd never let herself use, a label she'd never admitted was true. Her precious son, it said, was a "drug addict."

"I thought he was going to die," she recalled. "That's when I gave up and gave it to God. ... Spencer had to decide if he was going to get sober. He had to feel the spirituality. I couldn't do that for him.

"I had to say, 'If he's dead next week, I'll bury him. That's all I can do.'"
Spencer Mellow, now 24, survived. His parents told him he could live on the streets or get help. He entered a residential treatment program and has been sober for three years.

Continue Reading: newsok.com

UNDERAGE DRINKING; SUICIDE PREVENTION (video)

Article from: ksl.com

May 2, 2011
In this Sunday Edition, KSL's Bruce Lindsay talks with Utah Attorney General Mark Shurtleff who is calling for consequences for the makers of alcoholic beverages aimed at children.

Also, a new report finds Utah has the 9th-highest suicide rate in the nation. A mother shares her story and a representative from Utah's National Association of Mental Health offers insight.

Segment 1: Underage drinking

Attorney General Mark Shurtleff called on the Federal Trade Commission this past week to take stronger measures to stop underage drinking. That appeal followed his broadside a few days earlier against the Pabst Brewing Company for selling what he calls "binge in a can."

Shurtleff feels Pabst's "Blast" is mocking regulators.


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ULTRALIGHT PLANES USED TO SMUGGLE DRUGS OVER MEXICO-US BORDER

Article from: abclocal.com

May 1, 2011
ultralight.jpgSAN DIEGO (KABC) -- As an alleged drug kingpin is extradited from Mexico to the U.S., officials say smugglers are using "ultralights" to transport drugs.

Alberto Benjamin Arellano-Felix, the alleged leader of the violent Arellano-Felix drug cartel, was arrested in 2002 and has been fighting extradition for years. He has now been extradited from Mexico to the U.S. to stand trial.

Long-reputed to be one of the most notorious multi-national drug trafficking organizations, the Arellano-Felix Organization controlled the flow of cocaine, marijuana and other drugs through the Mexican border cities of Tijuana and Mexicali into the United States, authorities said. Its operations also extended into southern Mexico and Colombia.

Continue Reading: abclocal.com

HELP - AND HOPE - FOR COLLEGE STUDENTS WHO DRINK

Article from: gainesville.com

May 1, 2011
By: Kimberly Moore Wilmoth

Joan Scully was a sophomore at the University of Florida when she woke up one morning after drinking and using drugs so heavily that she had blacked out and couldn't remember anything from the night before.

"It was part of the way I drank," said Scully, adding that she had her first alcoholic blackout when she was just 11 years old. "I was with a lot of people I didn't know," she recalled of that night in college. "I did some drugs I'd never done before. When I woke up, I was afraid."

Scully was at a fork in her personal road. She had seen what drinking and drug use had done to her father and some of her siblings. She had also seen her father go into a recovery program and come out clean and sober.

So she picked up the phone, dialed for help and the next day attended her first 12-step program meeting, which incorporates 12 things a person has to do to recover.

That was Jan. 21, 1986, and she hasn't had a drink or done drugs since. Now, the 46-year-old is a clinical coordinator at UF's Florida Recovery Center, which offers in-patient and out-patient treatment for people who are like Scully once was.

Continue Reading: gainesville.com
 

NZ: NEW LAW TO BAN DRINKING AND DRIVING OUTRIGHT

Article from: iol.co

May 1, 2011
glassandkey1.jpgBy: Thabiso Thakali

Drivers may soon be banned from drinking any alcohol before getting behind the wheel.

"We are going to do away with the alcohol limit. We are drafting a document and we will put it out for public comment on the zero alcohol limit proposal," said
John Motsatsing, chief director of road transport regulations in the Department of Transport.

"Irrespective of how many drinks you have had, you cannot judge if you are over or above the alcohol limit because you are not an expert," he said.

"Why, therefore, can we not say 'no drinking at all' if you are driving?"

At least 203 people were killed in road accidents over the Easter weekend, according to the Road Traffic Management Corporation (RTMC).

It is estimated that almost half of the people injured in weekend road accidents are in public hospitals as a result of the abuse of alcohol.

In metropolitan roadblocks, one in 10 drivers tested was above the legal alcohol limit, said Ashref Ismail of the RTMC.

Continue Reading: iol.co



UNDERAGE DRINKING CARRIES HEALTH CONSEQUENCES

Article from: knoxnews.com

May 1, 2011
By: Dr. Martha Buchanan

This is an exciting time of year for teenagers. Many are looking forward to prom and graduation and all the excitement surrounding those events. Parents usually get involved, too, if only from the financing or budgeting point of view or to take embarrassing pictures.

As a physician, I also would encourage parents to get involved in another aspect of your teen's coming-of-age rituals: the health risks of underage drinking. Sometime before prom, have a frank family discussion about alcohol use, because teen drinkers are particularly susceptible to addiction and the brain damage alcohol can cause. One night of reckless behavior could have lifelong consequences.

The teenage brain continues to develop through a young person's early to mid-20s, making their brains more vulnerable to the harmful effects of alcohol. Teen drinkers are more likely to suffer nerve damage in their brains than those who abstain from alcohol. When comparing the brain structure of teens who drink and those who do not drink, drinkers show more nerve tissue damage than their non-drinking counterparts.

Continue Reading: knoxnews.com

PORING OVER WVU'S BEER SALES PROPOSAL

Article from: pittsburghlive.com

May 1, 2011
wvubeer1.jpgBy: Tony Dobies

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. -- In his effort to get approval for beer sales at football games, West Virginia athletic director Oliver Luck has sold local officials on the idea that doing so would improve fan behavior and curb binge drinking.

"Tailgating in many areas has gotten out of hand," said Morgantown Mayor Bill Byrne, who has been critical of the university's fan-behavior problems. "This may be a way to say to people, 'Hey, you don't need to be overindulging out in the parking lot. You can go into the stadium and have a beer with your friends.' "

Luck has proposed selling beer in the stands at Milan Puskar Stadium but also eliminating the university's halftime pass-out policy. That allows spectators to leave the stadium and return at any time in the second half. Many fans have used the opportunity to attend tailgate parties, Luck said.

University president James P. Clements supports Luck in his endeavor, saying his presentation to the university's Board of Governors on April 8 "made a lot of good sense."

Continue Reading: pittsburghlive.com

CONCERN OVER UNDERAGE ALCOHOL SALES AT SELF CHECKOUT (video)

Article from: abclocal.com

May 1, 2011
By: Michael Finney

Alcoholism prevention experts are concerned that the growing automation of the supermarket checkout is making it easier for underage teenagers to buy alcohol. 7 On Your Side's Michael Finney has the results of a hidden camera investigation.

If you look anywhere near the age of 21, chances are you'll be carded before making any alcohol purchase. But how does that work when everything is automated?

The grocery industry has no hard numbers but estimates one out of five transactions is done at self checkout scanners in grocery stores where they're available.

The Fresh & Easy chain just opened in the Bay Area and is 100 percent self checkout.

"We have over 2.3 million youth that are drinking in California every year and self checkout is too easy of a way for them to beat the system," says Bruce Lee Livingston of the Marin Institute, an alcohol industry watchdog.

Continue Reading: abclocal.com

KENYA: BATTLING ADDICTION

Article from: standardmedia.co

May 1, 2011
Alcohol, drug and substance abuse was largely associated with boys and men, but today girls and women have been caught up in this downward spiral, causing anguish to their loved ones, writes Njoki Chege.

Alcohol and drug abuse is a major problem in Kenya today. Unfortunately, most of those affected are young people while the pushers of alcohol, drugs and other harmful substances are wealthy individuals and corporations whose main driving force is profit, with complete disregard to the wellbeing of the users.

According to the National Campaign Against Drug Abuse Authority (Nacada), the most commonly abused drugs in Kenya are alcohol, tobacco, bhang (marijuana), glue, miraa (khat) and psychotropic drugs.

With alcohol and substance abuse comes wanton behaviour that includes neglect of self, violence, crime and sexual promiscuity that leads to an upsurge of sexually transmitted infections including HIV and Aids. The availability of the harmful commodities coupled with negative peer pressure makes it difficult to curb the problem. In many cases, parents and guardians lack the skills to intervene.

Continue Reading: standardmedia.co
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