Weekly ATOD & Advocacy Recap week ending November 7, 2014

The content of this email does not represent the official views or policies of NCADD of Middlesex County, Inc. The content has been collected from a variety of sources and is provided for informational purposes only. The appearance of external hyperlinks does not constitute endorsement by NCADD of the linked web sites, or the information, products or services contained therein. If you do not wish to receive this email in the future, simply respond to it and stating “DELETE ME” in the subject line.

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A Family’s Truth about Marijuana Depends on the Family

What is the truth about marijuana? As long as I’ve been an adult I’ve known people who smoke marijuana, and they certainly don’t fit the stereotype of skater dude or hippie holdover. Please click here to read more.

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FDA Hearing Yields Little Consensus on Abuse-Deterrent Opioids

After 2 days of public hearings addressing ways to make it more difficult to abuse opioids, no clear consensus emerged. Please click here to read more.

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Almost 1 in 5 Americans Plagued by Constant Pain, Survey Suggests

Older people, women more likely to struggle on daily basis, researchers note

Almost one-fifth of Americans do daily battle with crippling, chronic pain, a large new survey reveals, with the elderly and women struggling the most. Please click here to read more.

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A new way to help meth addicts stay clean: antibodies

Designing medications and immune therapies that blunt a drug addict's high and help him kick his habit is a promising idea. And someday soon it is expected to yield actual medications for addiction. But there's a fundamental problem with prescribing an addict a daily medication that makes it impossible to get high: when the urge to use overwhelms the urge to quit — as it so often does — the struggling addict can easily discontinue the medication and go back to his illicit habit. Please click here to read more.

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Not all Fun and Games: Drinking and Drug Abuse in College

College is often students’ first real taste of independence. They are living on their own, in charge of their own schedule, and making new friends. At the same time, they are focused on building a strong academic foundation that will help them to secure a career upon graduating. The pressure to succeed coupled with the desire to be social can be immense. Finding a balance is necessary for maintaining good health. Please click here to read more.

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High rate of insomnia during early recovery from addiction

Insomnia is a "prevalent and persistent" problem for patients in the early phases of recovery from the disease of addiction—and may lead to an increased risk of relapse, according to a report in the November/December Journal of Addiction Medicine, the official journal of the American Society of Addiction Medicine. Please click here to read more.

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Marijuana-Legalization Supporters See Next Battleground in California

Victories in Oregon, Alaska, and Washington, D.C., Bolster Legalization Movement. Please click here to read more.

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DEA Agent Explains What It's Like To Infiltrate Mexican And Colombian Drug Cartels

Anti-drug agents are usually extremely cautious about spilling the beans on their secret world, which lies somewhere between espionage, police work and battlefield. Please click here to read more.

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‘Uber for Pot’ Eaze Raises $1.5 Million to Deliver Medical Marijuana

Mobile apps enable nearly anything to be delivered directly to your door. Now you can add marijuana to the list. Please click here to read more.

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Weekly ATOD & Advocacy Recap week ending October 10, 2014

The content of this email does not represent the official views or policies of NCADD of Middlesex County, Inc. The content has been collected from a variety of sources and is provided for informational purposes only. The appearance of external hyperlinks does not constitute endorsement by NCADD of the linked web sites, or the information, products or services contained therein. If you do not wish to receive this email in the future, simply respond to it and stating “DELETE ME” in the subject line.

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Rush to quality: Fla. probe of sober homes fuels interest in best-practices summit

The fallout from an ongoing investigation into insurance fraud and related practices in South Florida's recovery homes and primary treatment centers is having a beneficial effect for leaders of the national association promoting standards of operation for sober residences. Please click here for more.

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Stoners on the job: Nearly 10% of Americans went to work high

A new report has found nearly 1 in 10 Americans are showing up to work high on marijuana. Mashable.com conducted the survey in partnership with SurveyMonkey, and found 9.7 percent of Americans fessed up to smoking cannabis before showing up to the office. Please click here for more.

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New App Helps Guide Treatment for Alcohol Withdrawal

A 42-year-old investment banker arrives at the emergency department with complaints of nausea, vomiting, anxiety, and tremor. He drinks alcohol every day—often at business lunches, and at home every evening. Worried about his health, he decided to quit drinking and had his last scotch 24 hours before coming to emergency. Please click here for more.

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Reversing the effects of binge drinking on mental health

Alcohol binge drinking is bad at any age. But binge drinking if you're young and have a mental health issue is a recipe for disaster. Please click here for more.

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U.S. Online Gambling Market Could Hit $5.2 Billion By 2020: Morgan Stanley

According to research from Morgan Stanley, the online gambling industry in the United States could hit $5.2 billion in 2020, if there are at least 20 states to have legalized the activity by then. Right now, just Nevada, New Jersey and Delaware have legal online gambling. New Jersey’s industry yields more than $10 million a month; Nevada’s is about $1 million a month, and Delaware’s has reached as high as $240,000 for a single month. Please click here for more.

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U.S. heroin deaths double in link to prescription painkillers: CDC

The over-prescribing of painkillers is fuelling nearly 17,000 annual deaths from overdoses in the United States as well as a rise in heroin use, according to a study released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Please click here for more.

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The online illicit drug economy is booming. Here’s what people are buying.

In October 2013, the FBI shut down Silk Road, a thriving online black market where, with a bit of technical know-how, you could to purchase things like illicit drugs, forged documents and weapons. Think Amazon, but for drugs and other not-so-legal things. The FBI may have hoped that shutting down Silk Road would take a bite out of illicit drug sales online. But if anything, it appears the opposite has happened. Please click here for more.

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When a Client Has a Drug AddictionThe adviser eventually fired the client after his repeated lapses.

When a client has a drug addiction, it often becomes an adviser’s problem, too. Just ask Karen McIntyre. She had lost a client who unexpectedly died due to medical negligence, but the late client’s 40-year-old husband stayed on. The man eventually received over a million dollars from a malpractice claim. Please click here for more.

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 Is Marijuana Harmful?
As decriminalization efforts take off, scientists aim to understand marijuana's adverse health effects.
As more states consider decriminalizing marijuana, the scientific and public health communities are beginning to catch up with answers to some of the tough research questions about broad usage of the drug in the general population. Please click here for more.

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 What a Pain! FDA Fires Back At Critics of its Zohydro Policy
After months of intensifying criticism over its decision to approve the Zohydro ER prescription painkiller, the FDA is trying to push back. Please click here for more.

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 Schools Key to Reaching Kids With Mental Health Needs, Experts Say
Schools can play a crucial role in helping the 10 percent to 20 percent of children worldwide who would benefit from some form of mental health treatment, experts say. Please click here for more.

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 Hardly anyone uses heroin. So why do we keep freaking out about it?
Heroin deaths are on the rise, according to the Centers for Disease Control. The overdose death rate from heroin doubled in two years, from 1 death per 100,000 population in 2010 to 2.1 deaths in 2012. These statistics are alarming, and they are likely to add to a collective heroin freak-out that's been ongoing since at least February this year, when Philip Seymour Hoffmann overdosed on heroin and some other drugs. But it's important to keep these numbers in context. Please click here for more.

Weekly ATOD & Advocacy Recap week ending September 19, 2014

The content of this email does not represent the official views or policies of NCADD of Middlesex County, Inc. The content has been collected from a variety of sources and is provided for informational purposes only. The appearance of external hyperlinks does not constitute endorsement by NCADD of the linked web sites, or the information, products or services contained therein. If you do not wish to receive this email in the future, simply respond to it and stating “DELETE ME” in the subject line.

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Scientists develop new method for detecting illegal ‘bath salts’ drugs

Scientists have developed a new method for identifying illegal “bath salts”, synthetic drugs recently banned in the United States. Similar to amphetamines, users experience an initial euphoria followed by terrifying hallucinations, paranoia, depression. The drugs also cause violent outbursts, leading to hospitalization and in some cases suicides. Rest of this article is here.

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Opinion - Why Research Is Biased Against Pot to Focus on Its Harm and Not Its Benefits

If you think Big Tobacco was bad, wait till you get a whiff of Big Marijuana

Is America’s scientific research biased to focus on the harmful effects of drugs? That was one of the questions at the heart of a congressional hearing this summer seeking to understand more comprehensively the scientific evidence related to marijuana. And it was how Dr. Nora Volkow, director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse, found herself being grilled by Rep. Gerald Connolly, D-Va. Rest of this article is here.

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Workforce Drug Test Positivity Rate Increases for the First Time in 10 Years

The percentage of positive drug tests among American workers has increased for the first time in more than a decade, fueled by a rise in marijuana and amphetamines, according to an analysis of 8.5 million urine, oral fluid and hair workplace drug test results released today by Quest Diagnostics (NYSE: DGX), the world's leading provider of diagnostic information services. Rest of this article is here.

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Is This the End of Medical Marijuana?

Marijuana perception among U.S. citizens is rapidly changing. For the first time ever last year, according to a poll from Gallup, more respondents were in favor of legalizing marijuana than were opposed to its legalization. Yet, there are still few more controversial issues than whether or not to allow marijuana to be used for medical purposes. Rest of this article is here.

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Mental health: Tailor informed-consent processes

The enduring mental-health consequences of armed conflict, natural disasters and forced migration are increasingly recognized. But clinicians and the people they help often come from different backgrounds, each unfamiliar to the other. This can result in tensions, inappropriate health services and misleading research. Rest of this article is here.

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Colleges Brainstorm Ways to Cut Back On Binge Drinking

It's early Friday night, and Frostburg State University police officer Derrick Pirolozzi is just starting the late shift. At a white clapboard house he jumps out of his SUV to chat with four students on the front steps. Rest of this article is here.

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More needs to be done to address addiction in US

This month marks the 25th anniversary of National Alcohol and Drug Addiction Recovery Month, and over the last 25 years, we have taken important steps to help the millions of Americans who struggle with addiction. Rest of this article is here.

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Coming Soon to Theaters Near You: E-Cigarettes

SmokeStik's Product Placement in 'Cymbeline' Has Far-Reaching Implications for Hollywood and Big Tobacco.

A new film adaptation of William Shakespeare's "Cymbeline" stars Ethan Hawke and takes place in the present day. It even gives one lead character a very current accessory: an electronic cigarette. Throughout the movie, actress Milla Jovovich puffs away on an e-cigarette called a SmokeStik. In one scene, signs for the brand hang in a convenience store next to condoms and calling cards. Rest of this article is here.

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Stop Glamorizing Drugs and Smoking in Movies and Songs

In the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s, depictions of cigarette and drug use in films and songs was common – who can forget the iconic image of Audrey Hepburn with her cigarette holder in “Breakfast at Tiffany’s.”  We can only guess at the social impact of these depictions, since there weren’t as many good scientific studies of this issue back then. Rest of this article is here.

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Kids' Perception Of Parents' Favoritism Counts More Than Reality

We all know which kid Mom and Dad liked best, and odds are you're thinking it's not you. But does that really make a difference? It can, researchers say, but not always the way you might think. Less-favored children are more likely to be using drugs, alcohol and cigarettes as teenagers, according to researchers at Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah. Rest of this article is here.

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Is Marijuana More Addictive Than Alcohol?

So you’re considering a move to Colorado to live a lifestyle that includes the local (herbal) refreshments. But you don’t want to end up like some sort of burnout. You intend to maintain your weapons-grade professional trajectory, balancing it alongside a rigorous weekend mountain-biking regimen. You plan to toke, that is, in moderation. Rest of this article is here.

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