1.877.392.3342

Paris Hilton Arrested for Felony Cocaine Possession

September 2nd, 2010

Another celebrity is in trouble with the law. Paris Hilton was arrested last Friday in Las Vegas after a police officer smelled marijuana smoke from the SUV driven by her boyfriend. When the officer stopped Hilton and Cy Waits, he found cocaine in Hilton’s purse. 

Hilton, 29, was arrested on suspicion of felony cocaine possession. Waits was arrested on misdemeanor suspicion of driving under the influence of alcohol and drugs.

Hilton was released on bail a few hours later. If convicted, Hilton would receive probation. Any violation of that probation would result in Hilton serving anywhere from one to four years in Nevada state prison.

Become a fan on Facebook  or  follow us on Twitter

For more information about alcohol and drugs, visit our site.

Tags: , , , ,
Posted in Uncategorized | No Comments »

Drinking Affects Sleeping and Other Bodily Functions

September 1st, 2010

Chronic drinking can disrupt a good night’s sleep and disrupt other circadian clock functions. Researchers from Taipei Medical University found that patients struggling with an addiction to alcohol had lower levels of the messenger ribonucleic acid molecule in circadian clock genes.

This finding supports the relationship between dysregulation of these key genes and drinking in humans.

Alcohol dependency is related to circadian rhythm dysfunction such as sleep problems and mood changes. This study is important because the (study) authors used a clinical sample, instead of animal models, to look into circadian dysregulation in alcohol dependency patients.

Become a Fan on Facebook  or  Follow us on Twitter

 

 

 

For more information about alcohol and drugs, visit our site.

Tags: , , ,
Posted in Uncategorized | No Comments »

Run for Recovery – Raising Money for Addiction Treatment

August 31st, 2010

A man from Pasadena, California is raising money for addiction treatment by running. And running. The “Run for Recovery” will take Robin McGeough, 46, about 225 miles in ten days along the scenic Pacific coast. 

McGeough is a recovering alcoholic. Nineteen years ago, while drunk, McGeough was mugged in San Francisco and thrown out a window. The fall shattered both his feet.

“That’s when I bottomed out,” McGeough said. “My mother had to spoon-feed me during recovery, and doctors told me I’d probably never walk normally again, and that I’d have to use a cane. This is the miracle. Today I’m running. It’s a gift, and I want to give back to others.”

McGeough is now the program director for the 12-bed Charter Oak Recovery Center, a residential treatment center in Covina, California.

“I got involved in running to develop calm and spiritual healing, and I worked my way up to where I could do marathon runs. It got me to thinking, how can I do something extra to help?” 

Last year, McGeough did his first fundraising run and raising $4,800 for local addiction treatment programs.

This run is the equivalent of one marathon a day for 10 days.

McGeough said he likes stopping and talking with people about the importance of addiction treatment.

Become a fan on Facebook  or  follow us on Twitter

For more information about alcohol and drugs, visit our site.

Tags: , , ,
Posted in Uncategorized | No Comments »

Drug and Alcohol Addiction Considered “Dirty” and “Evil”

August 30th, 2010

A new study published by the UK Drug Policy Commission discovered that 87 percent of people aged 16 to 19 had “expressed negative views about drug addiction.” This is compared to 64 percent of people over 65 years old who had a negative view about drug addiction.

The study brought attention to the stigmatizing attitude that prevails about drug addiction. A survey of 23 recreational drug users aged 16 to 19 in London found that 21 of them used words like “dirty” “evil” and “disgusting” to describe heroin use around them.

A Canadian research study had found that decreasing the stigmatization of drug addiction could have both positive and negative effects. 

“The Canadian researchers concluded that while it would be beneficial for problem users in reducing barriers to treatment, there is the possibility that it could lead to greater drug user among young people,” said the UK Drug Policy Commission review.

Become a fan on Facebook  or  follow us on Twitter

For more information about alcohol and drugs, visit our site.

Tags: , , ,
Posted in Uncategorized | No Comments »

Lindsay Lohan Completes 23 of 90 Day Alcohol Rehab

August 27th, 2010

Lindsay Lohan was released Tuesday night from court-ordered rehabilitation at UCLA Medical Center in Los Angeles after only 23 days of treatment for addiction. Judge Marsha Revel ordered Lohan to complete 90 days in rehabilitation. Physicians at UCLA Medical Center, however, believed that Lohan should be released from treatment. The physicians did not specify why they believed an early release would be beneficial to Lohan. 

Lohan entered treatment after spending two weeks in jail in July for a probation violation for a 2007 drug case.

Become a Fan on Facebook  or  Follow us on Twitter

For more information about alcohol and drugs, visit our site.

Tags: , , ,
Posted in Uncategorized | No Comments »

Kennedy’s Wife Arrested and Charged with DUI

August 26th, 2010

Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s wife has been arrested and charged with driving under the influence of drugs. This arrest comes one month after Mary Richardson Kennedy’s license was suspended after her guilty plea to driving under the influence of alcohol.

New York state police said Kennedy was initially pulling over Saturday for speeding on the Taconic State Parkway. Kennedy had told the police she was on her way to a yoga class. Kennedy was allegedly going 82 miles an hour. At the time, the police suspected Kennedy was using prescription medication. 

Last month, Kennedy pleaded guilty to a lesser charge in her May DUI case. As a result, Kennedy avoided any jail time.

Become a fan on Facebook  or  Follow us on Twitter

Find more information about alcohol and drug addiction

Tags: , , , ,
Posted in Uncategorized | No Comments »

Prescription Drugs Biggest Drug-Related Threat to Health and Safety

August 25th, 2010

Abuse of prescription drugs is the biggest drug-related threat to the health and safety of Floridians. The 2009 Florida Medical Examiner’s Report revealed that overdoses from prescription drugs kill seven Floridians each day. This is five times greater than deaths from all illegal drugs combined.

The explosion of pain clinics in Florida has contributed to the problem. Many of these are “pill mills” where drugs are traded for money. Florida has become popular for drug-seekers from other states to come and get a supply of prescription drugs. 

According to the 2008 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, 70 percent of people who abuse prescription drugs get their supply from their friends and family. Other patients receive their prescription drugs from one physician. Many others “doctor shop” to receive their prescriptions for pain medication. Stolen, forged or counterfeit prescriptions are a common way addicts get their supply of prescription drugs.

In January, Florida convened a Statewide Prescription Drug Task Force made up of several state agencies and charged them with finding solutions to the problem. In conjunction with federal agencies, the Task Force has accelerated their attack on the criminal activity that often surround prescription drug use. 

A law, SB 2272, was passed that granted greater authority for health officials to regulate the pain clinics in Florida. The Prescription Drug Monitoring Program will begin in December. It will allow physicians to look at their patient’s prescription history. As a result, potential “doctor shoppers” will be discouraged.

Tags: , , ,
Posted in Uncategorized | No Comments »

Natural Cures to Alcoholism

August 24th, 2010

An extract of the kudzu vine being developed to treat alcoholism may also help to treat cocaine addiction. Tests on rats showed the drug could stop them from giving themselves cocaine. Kudzu is an old remedy for alcoholism. The vine is native to Asia and has spread across the southeastern United States after being imported to control soil erosion.

The extract can also prevent relapse after rats are weaned off cocaine. Researchers found that it works by raising levels of a compound called tetrahydropapaveroline or THP. Cocaine cravings make levels of the brain chemical dopamine increase and THP interferes with this increase.

Tags: , , , , ,
Posted in Uncategorized | No Comments »

Addiction to Pain Medication – Or Dependency for Relief?

August 23rd, 2010

Thirty-one of 75 patients hospitalized for opioid detoxification told physicians they first became addicted to drugs legitimately prescribed for pain. Another 24 patients started their addiction with prescription pills from a friend or a parent’s medicine cabinet. The remaining 20 patients said they became addicted on street drugs.

This information was reported to physicians at the University of Buffalo. Ninety two percent of the patients in the study said they eventually purchased drugs off the street, primarily heroin, because it is cheaper and more effective than prescription drugs.

They told the physicians that they continued using drugs because they “helped to take away my emotional pain and stress,” “to feel normal,” or “to feel like a better person.”

The information will be used to train medical students and residents at the University of Buffalo School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences and practicing physicians to screen for potential addiction among their patients, and to direct patients to a treatment program if necessary.

Tags: , , , ,
Posted in Uncategorized | No Comments »

College Alcohol Abuse Continues to Grow

August 21st, 2010

College alcohol abuse is a growing problem. The number of alcohol-related deaths among college students was 1,800 in 2005, up from 1,400 in 1998, according to a report by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. The report also found that college students are driving drunk and binge drinking.

Mark Wolfson, a professor of social sciences and health policy at Wake Forest University School of Medicine, said that although the number of students abstaining from alcohol has grown, binge drinking among college students is increasing.

“It’s clear a lot of them are now drinking to get trashed,” Wolfson said. “I think a lot of people in the field feel there’s been a cultural change where now, students drink to get loaded. It really is a serious public health program.”

Become a fan on Facebook or Follow us on Twitter

Tags: , , ,
Posted in Uncategorized | No Comments »

« Older Entries