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Friday, July 31, 2009

Florida Battles Reputation as "Pill Mill" Capital

Authorities and legislators in Florida are grappling with the state's snowballing problem with illicit pain pill trafficking and abuse. Some experts posit that south Florida's high concentration of pain clinics and doctors may be the foundation of the problem. Other experts point to Florida's lag in developing sufficient prescription monitoring procedures in comparison to other states in the region.

With the introduction of OxyContin to Appalachia in the 1990s, several states reacted quickly, developing procedures for tracking the writing and filling of OxyContin and other similar medications. However, Florida, with an entrenched focus on battling cocaine use, failed to keep pace.

The growth of the problem is clear: Fatal overdoses involving oxycodone, the main component in brand-name pain killers OxyContin, Roxicet and Percocet, increased 20 percent from 2007 to 2008 in Broward and Palm Beach counties, according to state authorities. Last year, the two counties had 221 oxycodone-related overdose deaths. Last month, Governor Charlie Crist signed legislation aimed at regulating pain clinics more effectively.

(Source: www.sun-sentinel.com)

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Drug and Alcohol Rehab Blog

Wednesday, July 29, 2009

Prescription Drug Abuse on the Rise in Ohio

Prescription drug abuse is on the rise in Ohio, according to a report released this week by the Ohio Substance Abuse Monitoring Network. The report, called "Surveillance of Drug Trends in the State of Ohio," noted an increase in the abuse of prescription medication such as Vicodin and OxyContin, and a slight decrease in the use of cocaine and methamphetamines.

The report includes data from June 2008 to January 2009, collected in eight metropolitan areas. Report authors interviewed drug users, treatment professionals, police and crime lab officials to obtain information useful to the development of addiction prevention, treatment and recovery programs.

(Source: www.limiohio.com)

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Drug and Alcohol Rehab Blog

Monday, July 27, 2009

Florida Launches New Drug Control Strategy

This week, Florida released its 2009 Drug Control Strategy report. The report, which received applause from Governor Charlie Crist, establishes guidelines for policy recommendations for the administration. The recommendations are designed to promote health and drug abuse awareness among Florida's families and communities.

Governor Crist commented on the need for drug education and awareness in order to support family unity:

"As we celebrate Florida's record-setting year of adoptions this week, it is important to remain vigilant in our diversion efforts to help as many families stay together as possible. There is an undeniable link between drug and alcohol abuse and the abuse of so many of the children who end up in our state system. In many cases, drug abuse has been the root cause of neglect, abuse, poverty and despair that leaves these precious children without homes to call their own."

Lt. Governor Jeff Kottkamp, who oversees operation of the Governor's Office of Drug Control, echoed the governor's sentiment: "Substance abuse and addiction threaten the health and safety of Florida's children, families and communities. The dangers posed by illegal drug use, underage drinking, and prescription drug diversion and abuse require a bold and comprehensive response."

(Source: www.floridanewswire.com)

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Drug and Alcohol Rehab Blog

Friday, July 24, 2009

Drug-Related Crimes Cost West Virginia $333 Million

According to a report released this week, drug- and alcohol-related crimes cost West Virginia $333 million across fiscal years 2005, 2006, 2007, and 2008. The report analyzes the costs of crimes that are either directly or indirectly linked to drugs and/or alcohol.

The report, produced by the Prevention Resource Center for the governor-appoint Partnership to Promote Community Well-Being, shows rapidly increasing costs for 11 of 12 participating public agencies, including courts and law enforcement. Based on this trend, the report projects that West Virginia will be spending around $500 on drug-related crime by 2017.

The report concludes: "Substance abuse places an enormous financial burden on West Virginia's criminal justice system. The alarming fact is the burden will continue to grow unless urgent actions are taken to provide the continuum of care necessary to stem this growth."

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Drug and Alcohol Rehab Blog

Wednesday, July 22, 2009

North Boston Collects Unused Prescription Drugs

Recently, several communities in North Boston have implemented collection programs for unused prescription drugs. In response to a nationwide jump in teen recreational use of prescription drugs, several communities in the area decided to provide drug disposal sites where residents could safely drop off their unused prescriptions.

According to public health officials, setting up collection spots for outdated prescriptions is an effective method to help keep the drugs from ending up in the hands of teenagers.

As part of the collection effort, several postal service mail boxes have been refurbished and placed in the lobbies of local police stations as collection receptacles. Residents can drop unused prescriptions in these boxes 24 hours a day, seven days per week. The drug take-back programs are a collaboration among law enforcement, healthcare, public health, education, and community agencies.

Joan Whitney, director of substance abuse prevention in Gloucester, commented on the trend of prescription drug use: "The national statistics are astounding. The misuse of prescription drugs is the fastest growing category of misuse nationally, with teens admitting to abusing prescription drugs. We need to limit access and provide awareness."

(Source: wickedlocal.com)

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Drug and Alcohol Rehab Blog

Monday, July 20, 2009

Pain Relief Can Lead to Addiction

According to addiction experts, many people overuse or abuse prescription pain relievers because they mistakenly believe that prescription drugs are safer than street drugs like heroin, crack, or methamphetamines.

According to data from the Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP), non-medical use of painkillers resulted in approximately 8,500 deaths in 2005, and overdose deaths involving prescription pain medications jumped by about 114 percent between 2001 and 2005.

According to the ONDCP, prescription drug abuse is most common among young adults between the ages of 18 and 25. However, experts warn, people of all ages have the misconception that prescription drugs are not that dangerous.

Dr. Marvin Seppala, the chief medical officer at Hazelden, a drug and alcohol treatment center, comments: "I think people of all ages don't take medication as seriously as street drugs. There's sort of a naive belief they're safer. The truth is pain medications are in the same exact class as heroin, morphine -- they're very addictive."

In a 2007 study conducted by the Partnership for a Drug-Free America, 15.5 percent of teenagers reported abusing prescription drugs and a significant number reported obtaining prescription drugs from a friend or family member, from a household medicine cabinet, or at a party.

Experts also warn that older adults are vulnerable to prescription drug addiction. Dr. Steven Juergens, an assistant clinical professor of psychiatry at the University of Washington and a private addiction specialist in Bellevue, Wash., comments, "Often what happens is someone experiences discomfort, anxiety, or pain. They start being treated with medicine, and need more. They're caught in this hell of using the drugs illicitly, not seeing it as a problem. It takes a while to unravel that."

(Source: cnn.com)

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Drug and Alcohol Rehab Blog

Friday, July 17, 2009

New Study Suggests Possibility of Returned Brain Function After Meth Abuse

Meth abusers may be able to regain normal brain functioning after a sustained period of drug abuse; however, this process requires significant time. A new study from researchers at the University of California at Davis shows that it takes at least a year for former meth abusers to regain normal levels of impulse control, and that regaining other brain functions may take even longer.

Ruth Salo, author of the study and a UC Davis assistant professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences, commented on the findings and related implications for substance abuse treatment programs:

"Recovery from meth abuse does not happen overnight. It may take a year -- or even longer -- for cognitive processes such as impulse control and attentional focus to improve. Treatment programs need to consider this when monitoring recovering addicts' progress during their early periods of abstinence. I can confidently tell patients that the longer they stay in a structured rehabilitation program and remain drug free, the more likely it is that they will recover some important brain functions."

Ms. Salo and associates used a computer-based attention test to track the cognitive control abilities of 65 recovering meth abusers. Study participants had abstained from meth use for at least three weeks and not more than 10 years, and they had used the drug from 24 months to 28 years. Test results were compared to test results from 33 participants who had never used meth.

(Source: www.scientistslive.com)

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Wednesday, July 15, 2009

Aerosmith Drummer Releases Book on Addiction

The drummer for the world-famous rock band Aerosmith is releasing a new book about his struggles with addiction and depression. Joey Kramer's book, HIT HARD: A Story of Hitting Rock Bottom at the Top, recalls his battles with drug use, alcohol abuse, depression, and other self-destructive habits.

Word of Joey's troubles first reached the media and fans in 1997 during Aerosmith's sold-out world tour. A member of the band since it was founded in 1970, Kramer had experienced all the highs and lows of a rock-star lifestyle. He relates in the introduction to his book how he finally arrived at the beginning of recovery:

"I'd played my drums in front of eighty thousand screaming fans and passed out in my own puke. I'd toured in private jets, rode in limos. I also lived in rat-infested, shithole apartments, got caught in a burning car where I sustained third-degree burns all over my body, racked up hundreds of thousands of dollars of debt, and watched my father die a slow, agonizing death. But I had never felt anything like this depression that brought me to Steps. This time, there was only me and my pain, and I didn't see any way out."

(Sources: examiner.com, amazon.com)

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Drug and Alcohol Rehab Blog

Monday, July 13, 2009

Prescription Drug Abuse Up in Indiana

Prescription drug abuse is increasing at an alarming rate in Indiana, according to a new state report released last week. Eric Wright, director of the Indiana University Center for Health Policy, which wrote the report, commented: "It's probably the most important emerging drug-abuse trend in Indiana, as well as in the nation."

According to the report, which was compiled from pubic data sources, approximately 7.6 percent of Indiana residents have abused prescription drugs in the past year, compared to a national rate of 6.2 percent. Of all age groups, 18- to 25-year-olds have the highest rate of prescription drug abuse in the past year, at approximately 16 percent. The national average for the same age group is about 12 percent.

(Source: www.indystar.com)

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Drug and Alcohol Rehab Blog

Friday, July 10, 2009

NASCAR Driver's Positive Meth Test Disputed, Racing Suspension Lifted

This week a federal judge lifted NASCAR driver Jeremy Mayfield's racing suspension because of doubts about a drug test's accuracy. In May, Mayfield tested positive for meth use and was suspended from racing. Mayfield's attorneys have argued that the test was botched in several ways, and that the false positive has had a devastating impact on Mayfield's family and career.

Mayfield claims that the false positive occurred because he took prescribed Adderall (for Attention Deficit Disorder) and an over-the-counter allergy medicine (Claritin-D). The judge stated that the likelihood of a false positive in Mayfield's case was "substantial." NASCAR's lawyer warned that allowing Mayfield to return to racing could endanger other drivers and NASCAR fans.

(Source: www.thatsracin.com)

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Wednesday, July 8, 2009

Tobacco Use Highest Among Young Adults

Among all age groups, tobacco use is highest among young adults, ages 18 to 25, according to the most recent National Survey on Drug Use and Health. The survey, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, found that among 12- to 17-year-olds, 3.1 million, or 12.4 percent, had used a tobacco product in the month before the survey was taken in 2007.

Between 2002 and 2007, cigarette and cigar use decreased among young adults in that age group, while smokeless tobacco use increased.

This finding has increased concern about the fact that cigarette companies financially sponsor some popular youth organizations, including the nationally known 4-H organization. 4-H has been a symbol of wholesome living for more than 100 years, with one of the 4 Hs standing for health. However, over the last 10 years, the National 4-H Council has accepted over $25 million in funding from Phillip Morris USA. Phillip Morris USA is the maker of the Marlboro brand of cigarettes, which is the best-selling U.S. cigarette brand and a favorite among teens.

Paul G. Billings, a vice president of the American Lung Association, comments: "Tobacco companies are simply not an appropriate source of funding for youth organizations. The tobacco industry is looking for something in return for these donations, such as building their credibility and brand and improving their image. Tobacco companies are targeting kids for the next generation of replacement smokers. So youth organizations should not be looking to further the tobacco companies' credibility."

(Source: www.youthtoday.org)

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Monday, July 6, 2009

Florida Implements Controversial Cigarette Tax

The price of cigarettes in Florida has increase by $1.62 per pack in the last three months. Three months ago, a new federal tax of $0.62 per pack was applied by the federal government. This week, the State of Florida is adding $1 per pack with a new cigarette tax.

Lawmakers are hoping to encourage some smokers to quit, but expect that the higher tax will generate about $900 million a year to help treat smokers who have become ill. According to Eric Lindblom, policy research director for the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, cigarette consumption drops by about 6 percent among minors for every 10 percent increase in the price of a pack of cigarettes. Among adults, the same price hike causes a 3 to 5 percent drop in cigarette use.

(Source: www.miamiherald.com)

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Friday, July 3, 2009

Canadian Researchers Use Rats to Study Gambling Addiction

Researchers at Canada's University of British Columbia (UBC) have designed the first ever laboratory experiment that successfully models human gambling behaviors.

Researchers followed the habits of 32 rats over six months to test new treatments for gambling addiction. Researchers placed rats in chambers for half an hour every day. The rats would poke their noses into four holes, each leading to a different quantity of sweet pellets.

Catharine Winstanley, an assistant professor in UBC's Department of Psychology and study author, commented on the motivation for the study: "For most people, gambling is a harmless recreational activity, but for some it becomes a maladaptive obsession similar to drug addiction. We hope to find treatments to offer people who have this problem. This study is the first in hopefully many studies that looks at the biological basis of gambling."

(Source: www.canada.com)

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Wednesday, July 1, 2009

Alcohol Abuse on the Rise Among U.S. Soldiers

Recent Army statistics indicate that nearly twice as many U.S. soldiers today are either alcoholic or abuse alcohol than six years ago. Experts are blaming the rise in alcohol-related problems on repeated tours in war zones.

A report this week in USA Today quoted the new Army statistics, which indicate that 11 soldiers per 1,000 were diagnosed in the first half of 2009 with alcoholism or alcohol abuse problems -- up from 6.1 per 1,000 in 2003.

Another study, published in the March issue of American Journal of Preventive Medicine, indicated that more than four in 10 active-duty military personnel engaged in binge drinking during the month prior to the survey.

The survey authors wrote: "Binge drinking, defined as consuming four or more drinks on one occasion for a woman or five or more drinks on one occasion for a man, was reported by 43 percent of active-duty personnel during the past month, resulting in a total of ... 30 episodes of binge drinking per person per year."

The study also found that one in five members of the military engages in binge drinking more than twice per week, "putting themselves and others at substantially increased risk for a wide range of health and social problems."

(Source: AFP at www.google.com/hostednews)

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