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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.

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.

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.

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.”

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Doctors Questions Alcohol Energy Drinks

August 20th, 2010

Alcoholic energy drinks are popular among high school and college students. The drinks create problems since the alcohol impairs decision making, while the caffeine makes one alert, but not quick to react.

“It destroys your coordination and judgment,” said Dr. Dave Roberts, an emergency room physician at North Florida Regional Medical Center. Many are asking why these drinks are even on the market.

“I don’t – and my colleague don’t – believe there’s any place for an alcohol-energy drink, especially because they’re marketed toward younger people,” said Dr. Bruce Goldberger, professor and director of toxicology at the University of Florida’s College of Medicine.

Goldberger and four other medical professionals have sent a letter to Florida’s attorney general to say the “consumption of caffeinated alcoholic beverages has been associated with increased risk of serious injury to oneself and to others as the result of driving while intoxicated, sexual assault and other dangerous behavior”, including alcohol poisoning.

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Is the Addiction Disease Curable?

August 19th, 2010

A new study has identified a protein that may act as the trigger controlling the addictive pull in the brain. The hope is that this will result in new addiction therapies. 

The results from the study strongly suggest that methyl CpG binding protein 2 (MeCP2) interacts with microRNA to control a person’s drive to use cocaine. 

“The study shows that MeCP2 blunts the amount by which microRNA 212 is increased in response to cocaine,” said Paul Kenny, an associate professor in the Department of Molecular Therapeutics at The Scripps Research Institute in Florida.

“We have previously shown that mR-212 is very protective against cocaine addiction. Therefore, the conclusion is that MeCP2 may regulate vulnerability to addiction in some people through its inhibitory influence on mR-212. Without this influence. The expression of mR-212 would be far greater in response to cocaine use, and the risk of addiction would likely be lower.”

One of the primary goals of drug abuse research is to understand why certain people turn from casual to addictive drug use.

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Drinking While Pregnant

August 18th, 2010

The Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Canada are recommending that physicians should ask women about their alcohol use. The recommendations are based on a two-year review of international scientific evidence by an expert committee convened by the SOGC

 

“There are a lot of women asking is it safe to have a few drinks in pregnancy or not, and there are many conflicting reports around the world to say yes or no,” said SOGC president Dr. Ahmed Ezzat. “So there are many, many questions and there haven’t been clear guidelines for healthcare workers to advise these women or to counsel them about it.” 

 The new guidelines encourage health providers to talk to women about their alcohol use and to provide counseling or referrals to treatment if necessary.

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George Michael Charged with Marijuana Possession

August 17th, 2010

 

George Michael has been charged with marijuana possession and driving while unfit through alcohol or drugs after an incident in north London last month. Michael, 47, was arrested on July 4 after allegedly crashing his Range Rover into the front of a photo shop in Hampstead.

Michael, whose real name is Georgios Panayiotou, was formally charged when he reported to a police station in Camden. He was later released on bail. He will appear in court on August 24.

Top 10 Most Addictive Drugs

August 16th, 2010

1.) Nicotine

Smoking tobacco causes chemical and structural changes in the brain. An increasing number of brain receptors become sensitive to nicotine and in turn, require more nicotine to function. This is what causes addiction and nicotine withdrawal when a person attempts to quit smoking.

2.) Alcohol

The human body can become dependent on alcohol. Many people are predisposed to alcohol abuse because of a family history. Other factors like environmental  causes and personality can also contribute to an addiction to alcohol.

3.) Caffeine

Caffeine addiction is real. Coffee, tea, soda and energy drinks all contain caffeine. Withdrawal symptoms can occur 12 to 24 hours after quitting and symptoms may include headache, depression, lethargy, nausea and muscle pain or stiffness.

4.)Marijuana

Marijuana use produces relaxation, increased hearing and taste and euphoria. Negative effects of marijuana use can include panic attacks, paranoia, lack of coordination and difficulty performing tasks. Users of marijuana find it tough to quit and may experience anxiety, irritability and insomnia while trying to quit.

5.) PCP

Phencyclidine is also known as PCP or angel dust. It creates feelings of euphoria. It can also cause hallucinations and lead to kidney failure, heart arrhythmias, seizures or death. PCP was first developed as a painkiller but was not approved because of its mind-altering side effects. Many PCP users are not conscious of the dangerous effects of using the drug.

6.) Cocaine

Using cocaine provides a feeling of euphoria. There is a marked feeling of increased energy, less inhibition and stimulation of the central nervous system. Cocaine use can eventually cause social withdrawal, depression, memory loss and mood swings.

7.) Amphetamines

In the 1960s, amphetamines were used to fight fatigue and treat mild depression. Amphetamines are a very addictive class of drugs. The drug is a stimulant that can be found in lower doses of over-the-counter medication, sometimes used in appetite suppressants or to help keep people awake. Abuse of amphetamines in high doses can cause regular users to suffer from irritability, restlessness and tremors.

8.) Inhalants

The abuse of inhalants has become a huge problem, especially among teenagers. Inhalants are found in cleaning fluids, paints, model glue, hairspray, spray paints, gasoline and aerosol cans. The use of inhalants can cause brain damage, liver or kidney damage, convulsions, nerve damage and sudden death.

9.) Heroin

Heroin is a highly addictive drug. Heroin addicts can overdose, and often die. Withdrawal from the drug must be done under medical care. The drug is often injected so there is a significant risk in the sharing of needles. This raises the likelihood of contracting a bloodborne virus like hepatitis or HIV.

10.) Oxycodone

Oxycodone is a prescription pain medication. It is a highly addictive drug. Those who are addicted to oxycodone may experience bursts of energy but also depression or nervousness.

Alcohol Taxes Save Lives

August 13th, 2010

A new study from the University of Florida found that adjusting the alcohol tax to account for inflation since 1983 would save 600 to 800 people each year. That is the number who die each year from diseases caused by chronic heavy drinking. The last time the Florida legislature increased the alcohol taxes was in 1983.

“Previous studies conducted in the United States and other countries have clearly shown that increasing alcohol taxes is associated with reduced overall consumption of alcohol as well as reduced heavy drinking. This new study shows that increasing taxes on alcohol also influences the death rate from liver cirrhosis, pancreatitis, gastric diseases, some cancers, and cardiovascular diseases caused by heavy alcohol use,” said study author Mildred M. Maldonado-Molina, Ph.D

 

The study did not include deaths from car accidents, crime and violence associated with alcohol use, and therefore understates the total health effects on taxing alcohol purchases.