Sharp rise in emergency
department visits involving ADHD medications
A new report shows that the number of emergency department
visits involving attention deficit /hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) stimulant
medications more than doubled from 13,379 visits in 2005 to 31,244 in
2010. The study by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services
Administration (SAMHSA) finds that the greatest rates of increase in emergency
department visits involving ADHD stimulant medications occurred among those
aged 18 and older, while the level among those under 18 remained largely
unchanged during this period. The number of emergency department visits
involving ADHD medications among those aged 18 to 25 rose from 2,131 in 2005 to
8,148 in 2010. Similarly the number of such visits increased from 1,754 to
6,094 among those aged 26 to 34, and from 2,519 to 7,957 among those over age
35 in the same period. The number of emergency department visits
involving ADHD medications that were used non-medically also nearly tripled
during this period – from 5,212 in 2005 to 15,585 in 2010. In 2010
non-medical use of ADHD medications accounted for half of all emergency
department visits involving ADHD medications. In 2010 there were 2.3
million emergency department visits related to the misuse of all drugs.
Differences in the rates of emergency room visits related to the non-medical
use of ADHD medications also narrowed considerably between males and females
during this period. In 2005, 3,770 of these emergency department visits
involved males compared to 1,439 involving females. By 2011, 8,650 of
these visits involved men while 6,932 involved females. “ADHD
medications, when properly prescribed and used, can be of enormous benefit to
those suffering from ADHD, but like any other medication they can pose serious
risks – particularly when they are misused,” said SAMHSA Administrator Pamela
S. Hyde. “This study indicates that a better job has to be done alerting
all segments of society – not just the young – that misuse of these medications
is extremely dangerous.” One of the goals of SAMHSA Strategic Prevention
Framework Partnerships for Success program is to address prescription drug
misuse and abuse among persons aged 12 to 25. States throughout the
nation are using the resources and information provided by this program to
raise awareness in their communities about on the potential risks of misusing
prescription medicines and what can be done to help prevent it. The
report, entitled Emergency Department Visits Involving Attention
Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder Stimulant Medications, is based on findings
from the 2011 Drug Abuse Warning Network (DAWN) report. DAWN is a public
health surveillance system that monitors drug-related morbidity and mortality
through reports from a network of hospital across the nation.
The complete survey findings are available on the SAMHSA Web site at: http://www.samhsa.gov/data/2k13/DAWN073/sr073-ADD-ADHD-medications.htm .
The complete survey findings are available on the SAMHSA Web site at: http://www.samhsa.gov/data/2k13/DAWN073/sr073-ADD-ADHD-medications.htm .
Teens’ Decision to Have First Drink Influenced by Best Friends, Study Suggests
Teenagers’ decision to have a first alcoholic drink may be influenced by their best friends, a new study suggests. Researchers found having friends who drink and who have access to alcohol is the most important factor in predicting when a teen starts drinking. The influence of best friends was stronger than a teen’s own history of troubled behavior or family history of alcoholism, the study found. “When you start drinking, even with kids who come from alcoholic families, they don’t get their first drinks from their family,” researcher Samuel Kuperman of the University of Iowa said in a statement. “They get their first drinks from their friends. They have to be able to get it. If they have friends who have alcohol, then it’s easier for them to have that first drink.” The nationwide study included 820 teens ages 14 to 17. Less than half of the participants had an alcohol-dependent parent. The researchers found among teens who reported trying alcohol, almost four in 10 said their best friends also drank. Kuperman told Live Science that having most of one’s best friends drink doubles a teenager’s risk for having a first whole drink. The researchers note that starting to drink before age 15 increases the risk of alcohol abuse. The findings appear in the journal Pediatrics.Emergency Departments Report Jump in Visits Linked to Buprenorphine
Emergency departments reported a significant rise in the number of visits related to the opioid addiction medication buprenorphine between 2005 and 2010, according to a new government report. The number of buprenorphine-related visits rose from 3,161 in 2005, to 30,135 in 2010, according to Medical News Today. The figures come from a report by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). Buprenorphine was approved by the Food and Drug Administration as a treatment for opioid addiction in 2002. It prevents opioid misuse without any withdrawal effects. Buprenorphine use has greatly increased in the past few years. In 2005, 5,656 physicians prescribed the drug to 100,000 patients. By 2010, more than 18,500 doctors prescribed the medication to over 800,000 patients. According to a SAMHSA news release, the overdose risk and abuse potential of buprenorphine is thought to be lower than other treatments for opioid addiction, such as methadone. However, buprenorphine can cause serious harmful effects, particularly if it is taken improperly, or for non-medical uses. Half of buprenorphine-related emergency department visits in 2010 involved the non-medical use of the drug. Of these visits, 59 percent also involved the use of other drugs such as benzodiazepines, pain relievers and illicit drugs.
Commentary: The Public Health
Approach to a Balanced Drug Policy
Since I
was sworn in as Deputy Director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy
(ONDCP) last November, my days have been a whirlwind of new names, new faces
and new ideas. Although I have spent two decades in the field of substance
abuse prevention, treatment and support, the past two months have shown me that
the field is thriving, and more exciting work lies ahead—not just for me, but
for all of us. Before joining ONDCP, I served as Director of the Bureau of
Substance Abuse Services in the Massachusetts Department of Health. There, I
was proud of the work we did to integrate substance abuse treatment and
prevention into primary care. Doing so not only improved services, but
increased efficiency and lowered costs. We also established a treatment system
and recovery support for adolescents, a group that—as we all know—can be at
high risk for substance abuse and deserves our steadfast support. Before the
Affordable Care Act (ACA) became Federal law, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts
implemented similar, statewide healthcare legislation that established coverage
for substance abuse treatment. During the implementation process, I learned
many valuable lessons that I plan to draw upon as we move forward with national
implementation of the ACA and its far-reaching implications for the treatment
of substance use and mental health issues. Over the past year, we heard a lot
from Director Kerlikowske about the importance of a balanced, public health-driven
approach to substance use disorders in America. During President Obama’s first
term, we saw the creation of the first-ever Recovery Branch in ONDCP and an
emphasis on brief medical interventions to identify risky substance use and
prevent disorders from developing. This historic support for recovery services
at the national level, along with support for integrating primary care and
substance abuse prevention and treatment, truly represents the way forward for
America’s drug policy. As the excitement of the New Year and the Inauguration
recedes, we look forward to the changes the next four years will bring. The
challenges we face in the field will require strong collaboration between the
public health and law enforcement communities. In my home state of Massachusetts,
we saw the benefit of that kind of collaboration first-hand. The police
department in Quincy began carrying naloxone kits after confronting one of the
highest overdose rates in the state. Over the past two years, officers in
Quincy have used these kits to reverse 112 overdoses, turning the tide on a
deadly trend, and building a model for future collaborations between public
health and public safety. Success like this gives me hope that those of us in
prevention will continue to develop new ways to reduce drug use and its harmful
consequences. I look forward to everything the New Year and the new
Presidential term have to offer. Michael
Botticelli, Deputy Director of the Office of
National Drug Control PolicyNew Category of “Alcohol Use Disorder” May Not Improve Alcoholism Diagnosis
The soon-to-be-released update of psychiatry’s diagnostic manual, DSM-5, combines problem drinking and alcoholism into a single condition known as “alcohol use disorder.” A new study suggests these changes may not improve the diagnosis of alcoholism, Time.com reports. The updated DSM is scheduled to be released in May. Researchers at Virginia Commonwealth University studied more than 7,000 fraternal and identical twins, who answered questions about their drinking habits, to see if the new diagnostic definition would change diagnoses, compared with the current definition. They found the changes are unlikely to result in a less accurate diagnosis, but they do not represent a clear improvement above the current diagnostic criteria, researcher Alexis Edwards, PhD, said in a news release. The current DSM includes “alcohol abuse,” which applies to people with short-term and less severe problems, such as college students who binge drink, and “alcohol dependence,” which has become synonymous with alcoholism, the article notes. “(I)t is not clear that the proposed diagnostic changes will result in a more accurate diagnosis,” the study’s authors write in the journal Alcoholism: Clinical & Experimental Research. “(A)t best, one group of low severity cases will be replaced by another; at worst a group of individuals who exhibit more severe problems will be excluded from the DSM-5 diagnosis, while less severely affected individuals will meet diagnostic criteria.” Some experts are concerned that people who binge drink in their late teens and early adulthood could be seen as mild alcoholics. According to Time.com, about 40 percent of college students engage in binge drinking frequently enough that they might qualify for the new diagnosis, but only 5 percent of graduates over 26 are current alcoholics. Dr. Allen Frances, who chaired the task force that wrote the earlier edition of the DSM, said, “The DSM-5 decision to lump beginning drinkers with end-stage alcoholics was driven by researchers who are not sensitive to how the label would play out in young people’s lives.”DEA Official: Doctors Not Taking Abuse of Hydrocodone Combination Pills Seriously
A top Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) official said this week the high rates of abuse of hydrocodone combination pills demonstrate physicians aren’t taking the risks of these medications seriously. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is holding an advisory meeting this week to consider a proposal by the DEA to more tightly control prescriptions of drugs containing hydrocodone, such as Vicodin. “This drug has got a hold of this society and it’s killing us,” Joseph Rannazzisi, deputy assistant administrator in the DEA’s Office of Diversion Control, said Thursday at the FDA meeting. “There’s so many prescriptions out there and I’ll tell you why. The medical community, in my humble opinion, is not taking this drug seriously.” The DEA has asked the FDA to limit prescriptions of hydrocodone combination pills and cough suppressants to a 90-day supply, Bloomberg reports. Currently, doctors can write prescriptions with five refills within six months. The DEA proposal would also prevent physician assistants and nurse practitioners from prescribing the drugs. Hydrocodone combination products include less potent painkillers, such as acetaminophen or ibuprofen. They are currently considered Schedule III controlled substances. Pure hydrocodone is a Schedule II drug, which is more tightly controlled. The DEA is asking the FDA to reclassify hydrocodone combination products as Schedule II drugs. The FDA advisory panel is scheduled to vote today on a recommendation about hydrocodone combination drugs.Emergency Room Visits for ADHD Drugs More Than Doubled from 2005 to 2010
Emergency room visits involving attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) drugs more than doubled from 2005 to 2010, according to a new government report. The number of visits involving ADHD medications that were used non-medically almost tripled during this period. The report by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) found in 2005, there were 13,379 emergency room visits related to ADHD drugs. Such visits jumped to 31,244 in 2010, Newswise reports. Non-medical use of ADHD medications rose from 5,212 in 2005, to 15,585 in 2010. Other pharmaceutical drugs were involved in nearly half (45 percent) of emergency room visits involving ADHD stimulant medications and about one fifth involved illicit drugs (21 percent) or alcohol (19 percent). The report found emergency room visits for nonmedical use have not increased among children and adolescents, but they have increased among adults aged 18 or older. “ADHD medications, when properly prescribed and used can be of enormous benefit to those suffering from ADHD, but like any other medication they can pose serious risks – particularly when they are misused,” SAMHSA Administrator Pamela S. Hyde said in a news release. “This study indicates that a better job has to be done alerting all segments of society – not just the young – that misuse of these medications is extremely dangerous.”CRC finds combination treatment with Vivitrol promotes longer stays
One of the largest providers of opiate treatment services on a daily basis in the U.S. is finding that a combination of the injectable medication Vivitrol and counseling that focuses on the chronic nature of addiction is preventing patients’ premature discharge from treatment. The combination strategy is proving so effective that it has led to an arrangement in which CRC Health Group can proceed with its treatment protocol for Aetna health plan members in three states without having to seek reauthorizations from the managed care company every few days during inpatient treatment. Rest of the article is available here.Medication-assisted treatment is working
By necessity, many of us in the addiction treatment field have developed some special expertise in the management of opioid dependence over the past five years. An opiate epidemic is sweeping our nation, with some states hit particularly hard. Ohio has been one of those states. Since 2009, annual deaths in Ohio from unintentional overdose (usually involving opioids) have exceeded the number of deaths occurring on our highways. Four people (most under the age of 30) die every single day in Ohio as a result of unintentional overdose. If four young people in Ohio died from meningitis every day, there would be an uproar of unimaginable proportions. Read the rest of the story here: http://www.addictionpro.com/article/medication-assisted-treatment-working
The State of Mental Health
Among U.S. Adolescents
Research shows that approximately one in five adolescents
has a diagnosable mental health disorder, a leading cause of disability among
this age group. In January 2013, Child Trends is issuing three briefs in its
Adolescent Health Highlights series focusing on adolescent mental health:
- The Mental Health Disorders brief presents the warning signs of mental disorders; describes the types of mental disorders and their prevalence and trends; discusses the consequences and risk of mental disorders; presents treatment options and barriers to accessing mental health care; and provides mental health resources.
- The Access to Mental Health Care brief describes barriers to treatment of adolescent mental health disorders; discusses the connection between insurance status and access to mental health treatment; and explains funding for adolescent mental health services.
- The Positive Mental Health: Resilience brief presents key research findings on characteristics that are associated with resilience; describes program strategies that promote resilience; discusses links between resilience and avoidance of risk-taking behaviors; and provides helpful resources on the topic of resilience.
Adolescence is a time in life when many mental health
disorders first arise. These briefs highlight several facts about mental health
and adolescents:
·
More than half of all mental disorders and
problems with substance abuse (such as binge drinking and illegal drug use)
begin by age 14.
·
The most prevalent mental disorder experienced
among adolescents is depression, with more than one in four high school
students found to have at least mild symptoms of this condition.
·
The mental health needs of adolescents are often
first identified in schools, where students spend so much of their time.
·
Adolescents who are resilient find ways to
reduce the negative effects of stress on their lives, such as getting regular
physical exercise, avoiding substance abuse, and practicing relaxation
techniques.
The briefs include strategies and approaches to reducing
mental health disorders among adolescents. Early intervention or prevention can
be an effective way to address potential mental disorders before they reach the
stage requiring treatment. The
Child Trends DataBank includes brief summaries of well-being indicators,
including several that are related to mental health and mental health
disorders. Child Trends launched the Adolescent Health Highlights series in
2012 to review research about adolescent health, including trends, and to
highlight promising approaches for improving adolescent health.
Smoke-Free Laws Lead to
Fewer Children Hospitalized for Asthma Attacks: Study
British researchers say there appears to be a link between
smoke-free laws and a drop in the number of children hospitalized for asthma
attacks. Their study found a 12.3 percent decrease in hospital admissions for
childhood asthma attacks in the first year after smoke-free laws were enacted
in Britain. The law prohibits smoking in enclosed public places and workplaces,
according to Reuters. Before the law went into effect, hospital admissions for
children with severe asthma attacks were rising by 2.2 percent annually.
Admission rates began to drop immediately after the law went into effect, the
article notes. The trend was seen in boys and girls of all ages, in both
wealthy and poor neighborhoods, and in urban and rural areas. This change was
equivalent to 6,802 fewer hospital admissions in the first three years after
implementation of the smoke-free law, the researchers wrote in the journal
Pediatrics. Lead researcher Dr.Christopher Millett of Imperial College London School
of Public Health noted in a news release, “There is already evidence that
eliminating smoking from public places has resulted in substantial population
health benefits in England, and this study shows that those benefits extend to
reducing hospital admissions for childhood asthma. Previous studies have also
suggested that the smoke-free law changed people’s attitudes about exposing
others to second-hand smoke and led more people to abstain from smoking
voluntarily at home and in cars. We think that exposing children to less
second-hand smoke in these settings probably played in important role in
reducing asthma attacks.”
Calls for international
consensus on alcohol consumption
Psychologists from the University of Sussex have called for unified alcohol consumption guidelines after discovering different countries have significantly different approaches. The researchers studied government suggestions on drinking in 57 countries, including all 27 in the EU. Dr Richard de Visser and Nina Furtwangler saw a "remarkable lack of agreement" in terms of recommendations on harmful or excessive alcohol intake on a daily and weekly basis, and also when behind the wheel of a car. The study, which was published in this month's Drug and Alcohol Review, also found there is no harmony when setting guidelines for the different sexes, with Dr de Visser stating there is no international agreement on how much women should drink in comparison to men. He said researchers were shocked by the wide variation in guidelines. "In some countries, the weekly maximum is simply seven times the daily maximum, whereas in others there is an explicit statement that drinkers should have at least one alcohol-free day a week," said Dr de Visser. The findings have led to calls for internationally-agreed standard definitions of alcohol units and consumption guidelines to promote responsible drinking. Dr de Visser and his colleagues discovered that some countries mentioned standard drinks but did not classify them in grams of ethanol. Additionally, eight countries in the EU do not offer readily accessible guidelines. Of the countries which allowed motorists to have alcohol in their system, there was a 10-fold disparity between the least generous, Panama, and the most generous, United Arab Emirates. Dr de Visser admitted guidelines do not always have the desired effect on alcohol moderation. However, he said there are people out there who do want to stick to recommendations. "Agreed guidelines would be useful for international efforts to reduce alcohol-related harm by increasing people's capacity to monitor and regulate their alcohol consumption," added Dr de Visser.
Psychologists from the University of Sussex have called for unified alcohol consumption guidelines after discovering different countries have significantly different approaches. The researchers studied government suggestions on drinking in 57 countries, including all 27 in the EU. Dr Richard de Visser and Nina Furtwangler saw a "remarkable lack of agreement" in terms of recommendations on harmful or excessive alcohol intake on a daily and weekly basis, and also when behind the wheel of a car. The study, which was published in this month's Drug and Alcohol Review, also found there is no harmony when setting guidelines for the different sexes, with Dr de Visser stating there is no international agreement on how much women should drink in comparison to men. He said researchers were shocked by the wide variation in guidelines. "In some countries, the weekly maximum is simply seven times the daily maximum, whereas in others there is an explicit statement that drinkers should have at least one alcohol-free day a week," said Dr de Visser. The findings have led to calls for internationally-agreed standard definitions of alcohol units and consumption guidelines to promote responsible drinking. Dr de Visser and his colleagues discovered that some countries mentioned standard drinks but did not classify them in grams of ethanol. Additionally, eight countries in the EU do not offer readily accessible guidelines. Of the countries which allowed motorists to have alcohol in their system, there was a 10-fold disparity between the least generous, Panama, and the most generous, United Arab Emirates. Dr de Visser admitted guidelines do not always have the desired effect on alcohol moderation. However, he said there are people out there who do want to stick to recommendations. "Agreed guidelines would be useful for international efforts to reduce alcohol-related harm by increasing people's capacity to monitor and regulate their alcohol consumption," added Dr de Visser.
Soon, alcohol vaccine for
immediate hangover
In a bid to tackle the growing problem of alcoholism, a new vaccine that gives alcoholics an immediate and heavy hangover will soon be tested in India after preclinical trials in Chile, researchers say. The preclinical trial preludes the phase one clinical trial in India, when doctors will inject people with the vaccine for the first time. If all goes well, the vaccination could be available as soon as two years from now, Santiago Times quoted Dr Juan Asenjo, director of the Institute for Cell Dynamics and Biotechnology at Universidad de Chile, as saying. The vaccine, which would be effective for between six months and a year, works by sending a biochemical message to the liver telling it not to express genes that metabolise alcohol. Normally, the liver turns alcohol into the hangover-causing compound called acetaldehyde which is then broken down by a metabolising enzyme. If someone who's been vaccinated tries to drink alcohol, they will immediately experience severe nausea, accelerated heartbeat, and general discomfort. Once the vaccine has been administered it cannot be reversed, the report said. Asenjo thinks that although the vaccine is not a cure-all, it could provide an important first step. "People who end up alcoholic have a social problem; a personality problem because they're shy, whatever, and then they are depressed, so it's not so simple. "But if we can solve the chemical, the basic part of the problem, I think it could help quite a bit," Asenjo said. Asenjo said if all goes well, the vaccination could be available as soon as two years from now. The vaccine could affect hundreds of millions of alcoholics worldwide. "If it works, it's going to have a worldwide impact, but with many vaccines one has to test them carefully. I think the chances that this one will work are quite high," said Asenjo. In other words, the vaccine ups the ante on hangovers in order to discourage consumption.
In a bid to tackle the growing problem of alcoholism, a new vaccine that gives alcoholics an immediate and heavy hangover will soon be tested in India after preclinical trials in Chile, researchers say. The preclinical trial preludes the phase one clinical trial in India, when doctors will inject people with the vaccine for the first time. If all goes well, the vaccination could be available as soon as two years from now, Santiago Times quoted Dr Juan Asenjo, director of the Institute for Cell Dynamics and Biotechnology at Universidad de Chile, as saying. The vaccine, which would be effective for between six months and a year, works by sending a biochemical message to the liver telling it not to express genes that metabolise alcohol. Normally, the liver turns alcohol into the hangover-causing compound called acetaldehyde which is then broken down by a metabolising enzyme. If someone who's been vaccinated tries to drink alcohol, they will immediately experience severe nausea, accelerated heartbeat, and general discomfort. Once the vaccine has been administered it cannot be reversed, the report said. Asenjo thinks that although the vaccine is not a cure-all, it could provide an important first step. "People who end up alcoholic have a social problem; a personality problem because they're shy, whatever, and then they are depressed, so it's not so simple. "But if we can solve the chemical, the basic part of the problem, I think it could help quite a bit," Asenjo said. Asenjo said if all goes well, the vaccination could be available as soon as two years from now. The vaccine could affect hundreds of millions of alcoholics worldwide. "If it works, it's going to have a worldwide impact, but with many vaccines one has to test them carefully. I think the chances that this one will work are quite high," said Asenjo. In other words, the vaccine ups the ante on hangovers in order to discourage consumption.
“Mom, You’re A Junkie!” Explaining the Disease of Addiction to Children
A couple of weeks ago during the Mob Wives Season 3 premiere, Renee Graziano admitted to her friends (sure, I use that word loosely) that she’s struggling with addiction. Then, during last week’s episode, the VH-1 reality star sat down with AJ (her teenage son with ex-husband and mobster Junior Pagan) to talk with him about her problem with substance abuse and her decision to go to an addiction treatment center. Ultimately, AJ told his mother he’d support her in whatever she did to get better; if you watch much of the show, you know AJ reacts to most things like a frustrated, still going-through-some-growing-pains teenager, but eventually he always comes around to his mom’s side. Thus, his initial reaction to Renee’s addiction was definitely that of someone who hadn’t been properly educated about alcohol and drug addiction. Interesting reading. Click here for the rest of the story.Communities Start to Organize Against Heroin
Communities across the country are beginning to organize town hall meetings, support groups and campaigns to discourage the growing use of heroin, The Christian Science Monitor reports. Heroin, once mainly seen in poor urban areas, is now increasingly used by young people in wealthy suburbs, small cities and rural towns, according to the newspaper. “You would have to go pretty remote to find a place that didn’t have this,” Kathleen Kane-Willis of Roosevelt University in Chicago, who has tracked heroin use since 2004, told the newspaper. “It’s just everywhere.” Rest of the story is here.Many Parents Not Concerned About Children’s Misuse of Narcotic Pain Medicines
A survey of parents finds just one-third are very concerned about the misuse of prescribed narcotic pain medicine by children and teens in their community, according to HealthDay. Only one-fifth are very concerned about the misuse of these drugs in their own families. The national survey of more than 1,300 parents with children ages 15 to 17 was conducted by the University of Michigan Mott Children’s Hospital. According to the findings, 38 percent of black parents, 26 percent of Hispanic parents, and 13 percent of white parents are very concerned about the misuse of narcotic painkillers in their own families. Misuse of these medicines has been shown to be three times higher among white teens than black or Hispanic teens, according to the researchers. They found 41 percent of parents favor a policy that would require a doctor’s visit to obtain refills on these medications. About half said they do not support a requirement that unused pain medicines be returned to a doctor or pharmacy. According to the survey, 66 percent of respondents strongly support requiring parents to show identification when they pick up narcotic painkillers for their children, and 57 percent strongly support policies that would ban obtaining prescriptions for the medicines from more than one doctor. “Recent estimates are that one in four high school seniors have ever used a narcotic pain medicine. However, parents may downplay the risks of narcotic pain medicine because they are prescribed by a doctor,” Sarah Clark, Associate Director of the Child Health Evaluation and Research Unit at the University of Michigan, said in a news release. “However, people who misuse narcotic pain medicine are often using drugs prescribed to themselves, a friend or a relative. That ‘safe’ prescription may serve as a readily accessible supply of potentially lethal drugs for children or teens.”FDA Panel Votes to Toughen Restrictions on Hydrocodone Combination Drugs
A Food and Drug Administration (FDA) advisory panel voted Friday to strengthen restrictions on hydrocodone combination drugs, such as Vicodin. The panel recommended that the FDA make the drugs more difficult to prescribe. Supporters of the panel’s recommendation say it could help reduce addiction to painkillers, The New York Times reports. The agency is likely to adopt the panel’s proposal, the article notes. The panel made the recommendation in a 19-to-10 vote. Opponents were skeptical the proposal would be effective against prescription drug abuse. They also were concerned the changes would make it more difficult for patients in chronic pain to obtain relief. At the two-day FDA hearing about the proposal, opponents noted it would require frail nursing home residents to make a trip to the doctor’s office to obtain pain prescriptions. The proposal forbids refills without a new prescription, as well as faxed prescriptions and those called in by phone. Distributors of the drugs would have to store the drugs in special vaults. Nurse practitioners and physician assistants would be banned from prescribing the drugs. Some panelists said the proposal could have the unintended effect of increasing abuse of other drugs, such as heroin. “Many of us are concerned that the more stringent controls will eventually lead to different problems, which may be worse,” said Dr. John Mendelson, a senior scientist at the Addiction and Pharmacology Research Laboratory at the California Pacific Medical Center Research Institute in San Francisco. The FDA convened the panel at the request of the Drug Enforcement Administration. If the FDA accepts the panel’s recommendation, it will be sent to the Department of Health and Human Services, which will make the final decision.Study Finds Persons Who Fill Buprenorphine Prescriptions Have Higher Rates of Medical Conditions Associated with Pain and Comorbid Psychiatric Disorders
Patients who fill buprenorphine prescriptions have higher rates of medical conditions associated with acute and chronic pain, according to a study of three large insurance claims databases. The most frequently diagnosed medical disorders among patients who filled buprenorphine prescriptions for Subutex®, Suboxone®, or buprenorphine hydrochloride sublingual were back problems (42%), other connective tissue disease (24%), and other non-traumatic joint disorders (20%), compared to less than 10% for each of these disorders among patients not filling a prescription for buprenorphine. In addition, buprenorphine patients were significantly more likely to fill prescriptions for other opiate agonists, antidepressants, benzodiazepines, muscle relaxants, and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs in the 6 months prior to their buprenorphine initiation and had significantly higher rates of mood and anxiety disorders (see figure below). According to the authors, these findings suggest that “the population currently receiving buprenorphine treatment is complex” and that “these patients would benefit from integrated treatment that addresses their needs in a coordinated and comprehensive manner”
TV Liquor Ads May Promote Drinking in Young Teens, Study Suggests
Young teens appear to be susceptible to the persuasive messages in television alcohol ads, a new study suggests. The ads influence some young teens to drink more and experience drinking-related problems later in adolescence, the researchers found. The study found beer and liquor ads can promote drinking as early as seventh grade, HealthDay reports. The more exposure to ads the teens had, and the more they enjoyed watching them, the more alcohol they drank by 10th grade. Early drinking is associated with alcohol-related problems such as fighting or academic decline by 10th grade, the researchers note. “This study provides evidence that exposure to alcohol advertising in seventh grade and liking those alcohol advertisements on television is associated with higher levels of drinking in the eighth and ninth grades,” lead researcher Jerry Grenard of Claremont Graduate University in California told HealthDay. “Parents and schools should teach children about the design of persuasive messages in the media to help them avoid undue influence by the media on their behaviors.” The study included almost 4,000 seventh graders, who were asked about their alcohol use, and exposure to liquor advertising. The researchers followed the students through 10th grade. The findings appear in the journal Pediatrics.U.S. Not Meeting Goals on Reducing Smoking, CDC Reports
The United States is not on track to meet the government’s goal of reducing cigarette smoking prevalence to 12 percent by 2020, according to a new report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). An estimated 443,000 people die from cigarette smoking each year, the CDC report states. The CDC’s Tobacco Control State Highlights 2012 finds Utah had the lowest adult smoking rate, 11.8 percent, while Kentucky had the highest rate, 29 percent. The U.S. median was 21.2 percent, the Los Angeles Times reports. Tobacco use results in 5.1 million years of potential life lost annually, according to the CDC. Overall, the percentage of American adults who smoke has declined, and they are smoking fewer cigarettes per day. Smoking is much more common among those who live in poverty and those with less education. Last week, a study published in the New England Journal of Medicine found smokers lose at least 10 years of life expectancy, compared with those who have never smoked. Quitting before age 40 can reduce the excess risk of death associated with smoking by about 90 percent.
Sex and Meth: Cross-Addiction Finds a High-End Niche
"Sexual
disorders and behavioral addictions will be one of the top two mental health
issues of the coming decade." Those words from Robert Weiss, a licensed
clinical social worker who has been treating sex addicts for 22 years.
Three years ago, Weiss merged his private practice with Elements, an umbrella
company which owns a range of treatment centers, including Promises Malibu. Read
the rest of the story here.Major League Baseball Investigates Report of Performance-Enhancing Drug Sales
Major League Baseball (MLB) has announced it is investigating claims that several high-profile players were sold performance-enhancing drugs by a clinic in South Florida, according to Reuters. The Miami New Times reported several players had allegedly been sold human growth hormone, testosterone and anabolic steroids. The newspaper said a former employee of the clinic had handwritten medical records showing links between players and banned drugs. Two of the players, Alex Rodriguez of the New York Yankees and Gio Gonzalez of the Washington Nationals, have denied the allegations, Reuters notes. Texas Rangers’ Nelson Cruz was also named in the article. In a statement, MLB said, “We are always extremely disappointed to learn of potential links between players and the use of performance-enhancing substances. These developments, however, provide evidence of the comprehensive nature of our anti-drug efforts. Through our department of investigations, we have been actively involved in the issues in South Florida…We are in the midst of an active investigation and are gathering and reviewing information. We will refrain from further comment until this process is complete.” Earlier this month, MLB and its players union announced they had reached an agreement to conduct in-season blood testing of players for human growth hormone. Players will also be tested for synthetic testosterone, which is increasingly popular because it washes out of the body fairly quickly after being used.Prepaid Card Designed to Help Those in Recovery From Addiction Manage Money
Three men who met while in recovery have developed a prepaid card designed to help others who are recovering from addiction manage their money, the New York Daily News reports. They have launched the Next Step Prepaid MasterCard, a reloadable card designed for people in recovery, and for those who are financially supporting them. The card gives family members and guardians control over funds, while teaching people in recovery how to manage their money, the article notes. “When I left treatment, I spent hundreds of dollars on stupid things like Starbucks, just to fill a void,” said company co-founder Eric Dresdale, who started drinking in high school. The primary account holder of the Next Step card is the parent or caregiver. The person in recovery receives a companion card, which can be used to make purchases. The card cannot be used at an ATM machine, or to get cash back at a store. It is not accepted at bars, casinos or liquor stores. “The truth is, if someone wants to buy drugs they will find a way,” Dresdale told the newspaper. “But we act as a hurdle from achieving that goal.” Addiction specialist Dr. Paul Hokemeyer thinks the card can be a useful tool in recovery. “I think it’s a great tool to teach patients boundaries and limits,” he said. The card’s activation fee is $9.95, and has a monthly maintenance fee of $14.95, compared with $3 to $5 for many other prepaid cards.Gene Mutations Linked With Increased Risk of Dying From Cocaine Abuse
New research suggests people with common genetic mutations have an almost eightfold increased risk of dying from cocaine abuse. The mutations affect the chemical messenger dopamine in the brain. Dopamine is vital to the functioning of the central nervous system. Cocaine blocks transporters in the brain from absorbing dopamine, HealthDay reports. The mutations are found on two genes. The Ohio State University researchers found about one in three white people who died of cocaine abuse had these genetic mutations. A different combination of mutations affects the risk of dying from cocaine abuse in black people, the researchers noted in a news release. The study appears in the journal Translational Psychiatry.Generic drug makers allowed to profit off of drug abuse
During this presidential inauguration week, our nation reflects on President Barack Obama’s first term and speculates as to how the president’s second term will be distinct. It is unthinkable that the president and vice president might have abandoned for their second term the national priority of reeling in “obscene” profits, but shockingly, this appears to be the case. Addressing unjust profiteering prevailed as a major national theme during the Obama-Biden administration’s first four years in office. Occupy Wall Street camp-outs sought to liberate the masses from powerful, corporate greed. House Democrats proposed up to a 100 percent tax on oil company earnings above a government-dictated limit. Obama and Biden won re-election on their relentless calls to increase taxes on high incomes because, as the president stated, “at a certain point, you’ve made enough money.” Read more here.The following falls into the category of…what will they think of next?
Ireland in uproar over call for 'drink-driving
permits' to combat depression
Permits
allowing people to drink alcohol then drive should be issued to make it easier
for those in isolated, rural areas to visit the pub, according to a motion
passed by a local government in Ireland. Kerry County Council, which governs an
area with a population of more than 120,000, is to formally ask the Irish
government to allow some drivers to have the equivalent of up to three pints of
beer. The motion -- passed by five votes to three with seven abstentions –--
said this would “greatly benefit people living alone looking at four walls and
restore some bit of social activity in local pubs and may also help prevent
depression and suicide.” If you want to read the rest of the story, click
here.
VT plans new DUI court to treat repeat offenders
State
officials have opened up a new front in their “aggressive war” on recidivism
with a plan to curb repeat drunken driving offenses by treating what Gov. Peter
Shumlin says is often the underlying cause: alcoholism. “The evidence suggests
that the folks who are involved in DUIs, and particularly repeat DUI offenses,
are addicted to alcohol,” Shumlin said during a news conference Monday morning
in Montpelier. “Alcohol remains, and alcohol addiction remains, one of the
great killers on our highways.” Of the 77 people killed in car crashes in
Vermont in 2012, 23 died in crashes involving an intoxicated driver, according
to the Governor’s Highway Safety Program. Like other drug courts, DUI treatment
court would target an addiction that is fueling crime, Shumlin said. Windsor
County State’s Attorney Robert Sand, whom Shumlin asked to lead the initiative,
said similar efforts in Vermont and in other states have succeeded in reducing
recidivism rates. Rest
of the story is available here.High School’s Mandatory Drug Test Policy Gets National Notice
Rockhurst High School in Kansas City Begins Testing in August
Rockhurst High School in Kansas City, Mo., approved a mandatory
drug testing policy for all students in early January. Less than a month
later, national news media outlets want to know
how the Jesuit institution wants to engage in such drastic procedures. KSHB reveals school principal
Gregory
Harkness has taken calls for interviews from media outlets around the
country and will be a part of a CNN interview within a week of the television
station's piece. Read
the rest of the story here.
Speedballing: Why Crack Cocaine and Heroin are Mixed
Measure out a hit of heroin. That’s to kill the withdrawal. To stop the shakes and the nausea you feel every day. So you can move again. So your head loses its hammers. The opiate’s absence is enough to make you cry and move from corner to corner with $10 worth of $1 bills and small change, even with police out. Take to the powder with metal and a flame. Parcel out the same amount of crack. Cut with citrus. No lumps. Lumps are a vein’s enemy, the heart’s too. Mix with what you cooked. Tremble in anticipation. Don’t miss a vein. Find a good juicy one high up the body, one that hasn’t folded away. Don’t you dare waste by missing. What if they’re crap drugs? Inject.Doctor your formula over time. Keep life in balance. The rest of this story is available here.
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