Study Finds Treatment a Viable and Cost-Effective Option
Atlanta, GA 8/28/2008 09:42 PM GMT (FINDITT)
A study completed by the Justice Policy Institute shows that providing drug offenders with treatment is a more cost-effective way of dealing with substance addicted drug and nonviolent offenders than prison.
"Narconon Drug Rehab in Georgia was started as an alternative to incarceration," comments Mary Rieser, Executive Director. "Instead of incarcerating someone suffering from drug addiction, they did our program and did well. Drug addiction does not mean a life of suffering or incarceration. It can be succesfully addressed.
"Nationwide, studies by the nation’s leading criminal justice research agencies, including the RAND Corporation, the Center for Substance Abuse Treatment of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the Little Hoover Commission, the National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University have shown that drug treatment, in concert with other services and programs, is a more cost effective way to deal with drug offenders."
Drug treatment offers several benefits: It is cost-effective.
Drug treatment in prison—such as in-prison therapeutic community programming, or that
same program with community aftercare after the person leaves prison—yields a benefit of
between $1.91 and $2.69 for every dollar spent on them.
By contrast, therapeutic community programs outside of prison—typically work release facilities—yielded $8.87 ofbenefit for every program dollar spent. The reason for the difference versus in prison treatment programs was mainly due to higher program completion rates and lower recidivism. In writing of the non-prison therapeutic community option, WSIPP writes “the economics of this approach appear quite attractive.”
Other kinds of non-prison programs also yielded significant benefits. Community-based substance abuse treatment generated $3.30 of benefit for every dollar spent, while drug courts yielded $2.83 for every dollar spent. Treatment oriented intensive supervision programs yielded $2.45 worth of benefit for every dollar spent, and was far more cost effective than simple supervision alone.
RAND found that drug treatment is a more cost effective way of achieving the goal of reducing drug abuse than arresting and incarcerating our way out of our society’s drug problem.
This treatment-alternative-to-incarceration model saves large amounts of money—savings of up to $22,500 per offender per year. It reduces crime.
The ADAA reports that the people in its treatment programs commit fewer crimes.
“Arrest rates during treatment were substantially lower than arrest rates during the two
years preceding treatment, and completion of treatment was associated with the greatest
reductions in arrest rates.”
According to the federal NTIES report, offenders who went through treatment showed a
nearly two-thirds decline in overall arrests and an over 50% drop in drug possession
arrests. More importantly, criminal behavior—self-reported to NTIES by these former
offenders which did not necessarily result in arrest—also declined. “The results show
substantial, and statistically significant, reductions in both criminal behavior and arrests
after treatment, with a somewhat smaller decrease in the percentage of clients mostly
supported through illegal activities."
It reduces recidivism.
While research by the US Justice Department shows that while two-thirds of drug offenders leaving state prison will be re-arrested within three years (almost the same rate as for all inmates), and that nearly half of released drug offenders will be returned to prison either through a technical violation of their sentence—such as failing a drug test—or on a new sentence, the percentage of drug rehab clients arrested for drug possession declined by 51 percent while the percentage arrested for any charge declined by 64 percent. Changes in criminal behavior were larger, between seventy and ninety percent.
While imprisoning offenders may provide comfort to some in terms of public safety, it does
little to reduce the cluster of issues which will see these people cycle in and out of the
nation’s corrections system. What is needed is a solution less costly than building more
prisons and more effective at reducing recidivism. The good news is, the solution already
exists.
Call Narconon Drug Rehab in Georgia at 1-877-413-3073
"Many people witness the human side of drug addiction," comments Mary Rieser, Executive Director of Narconon Drug Rehab in Georgia.
"What they don't see are the ramifications of the lack of effective treatment for drug addiction.
"If you have a drug addict in the family get them into a drug addiction treatment facility now, or chances are they will wind up in prison." Narconon Drug Rehab in Georgia discloses these statistics on drug addiction:
The United States has the highest number of citizens locked up per capita than any other country in the world.
The greater percentage of those locked up are in prison because of drugs. We continue to fail our citizens when we lock them up for falling into a trap that is sometimes easier to fall into than to avoid.
When more people are searching the web for basic ways to cook methamphetamine and meth recipes than healthy diets, and prescription drugs are simple to obtain illegally on line, we have a problem.
And 7.2 million Americans will be incarcerated this year for lack of real answers to the problem.
An estimated 45 billion dollars will be spent on prisons this year in the US without a raised eyebrow from most politicians or taxpayers.
According to Join Together Tim Lynch of the Cato Institute, the latest figures “demonstrate that we have lost our way when our laws require such a massive amount of incarceration.
“When you lock up a bank robber, a child molester or a mugger, you’re removing a career offender from the street. When you lock up a drug dealer, he is immediately replaced. We tried this with alcohol during Prohibition and it didn’t work.”
There is hope though. Studies show that increases in admission to substance abuse treatment are associated with reductions in crime and incarceration rates. Our citizens are safest when there is effective treatment available.
The obvious solution is effective drug treatment. It is the only alternative to incarceration. Whether the incarceration is impending or the offender is not yet on the radar screen, any drug abuser is on a high speed highway to jail unless they are stopped by someone other than a cop.
"If you know someone who is abusing drugs get them into rehab. Don’t count on them to do it themselves – they need your help."
For information on drug addiction signs, call Narconon Drug Rehab in Georgia at 1-877-413-3073
While there are growing trends of prescription drugs being abused illegally, and children as young as 12 years old are raiding medicine cabinets to abuse medicine found there, effective steps can be taken to curb this trend. Narconon Drug Rehab in Georgia applauds the initiative taken by Broward County, Florida, as part of the National Medicine Abuse Awareness Month.
"We don't have to sit back and watch as drug abuse occurs in our homes or communities," comments Mary Rieser, Executive Director for Narconon Drug Rehab in Georgia. "Steps taken around the house, in your neighborhood, in your community, can make a big difference."
"Operation Medicine Cabinet" was an idea brought to reality by Sgt Lisa McElhaney of the Broward County Sheriff's Office in Florida. Shocked the increase of overdose deaths and drug addiction caused by medicines normally found in medicine cabinets, she came up with an idea to address this key drug diversion problem.
The Broward County Sheriff's Office, in conjunction with the United Way of Broward County Commission on Substance Abuse, contacted several retail pharmacy chains. They set up a voluntary prescription drug return, manned by sheriff's deputies, at strategic community s throughout the county.
The operation was simple: voluntarily bring in any unused pharmaceuticals to a community , drop them off, and receive a $5 gift certificate from the participating pharmacies. No questions asked.
Working in cooperation with the Sheriff's Office and United Way, CVS, Walgreens, and Wal-Mart participated in this landmark operation.
"This shows that we can all do something to prevent drug abuse," comments Ms. Rieser. "Whether organizing a operation such as 'Operation Medicine Cabinet', demanding that local convenience stores stop carrying drug paraphernalia, or educating our children, together we can do something about drug addiction and drug abuse. Congratulations to Sgt McElhaney and all those who helped."
For more information on drug rehabilitation, prescription drug abuse, or drug education, call Narconon Drug Rehab of Georgia at 1-877-413-3073.
Washington, D.C. - Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America (CADCA) and the Consumer Healthcare Products Association (CHPA) are pleased to lend their support to S.Res. 614, a U.S. Senate resolution designating August as National Medicine Abuse Awareness Month. Sponsored by Senator Joseph R. Biden, Jr. (D-Del.) and Senator Charles E. Grassley (R-Iowa), this initiative calls for community involvement and participation in efforts to educate parents about the dangers of medicine abuse among teens.
Recent studies have spotlighted medicine abuse, including the abuse of over-the-counter cough medicines, as an alarming trend among young people. Where OTC cough medicines are concerned, some teens are intentionally taking excessive amounts -- sometimes up to 50 times the recommended dose -- to get "high" from the active ingredient dextromethorphan. When used correctly, dextromethorphan-containing medicines have a 50-year history of being safe and effective. But when abused in extreme excess, dextromethorphan can produce dangerous side effects, especially when combined with alcohol, illicit drugs, or certain prescription drugs.
"Consumers have trusted the makers of over-the-counter medications with the health of their families for many years. National Medicine Abuse Awareness Month presents a timely opportunity to build community awareness and alert parents and teens that abusing medicine to get 'high' is very dangerous," said Linda A. Suydam, D.P.A., president of the Consumer Healthcare Products Association.
In recognition of this designation, CHPA and CADCA will be hosting town hall meetings nationwide with local anti-drug abuse advocates, substance abuse treatment experts, healthcare professionals, and policy makers. The town hall format offers opportunities for community residents to join the discussion and ask questions of the panelists.
"While surveys show that overall illicit drug use among youth is on a downward trend, unfortunately the rates of over-the-counter and prescription drug abuse are holding steady," said Gen. Arthur T. Dean, CADCA Chairman and CEO. "Designating August as National Medicine Abuse Awareness Month will help bring this issue to the radar screen, and I hope community organizations take advantage of this opportunity to raise awareness about this dangerous trend."
Town hall meetings scheduled during August include Seattle, Washington; San Antonio, Texas; and Miami, Florida. This designation, if passed into law, would mark the second annual National Medicine Abuse Awareness Month. In all, CADCA and CHPA have hosted a total of 13 town hall meetings nationwide since August 2007 as part of our campaign to prevent over-the-counter medicine abuse. Localities interested in hosting their own town hall meetings have access to all materials via DoseofPrevention.org. For more information on efforts to help curb cough medicine abuse, visit StopMedicineAbuse.org.
Researchers say that showing subliminal images of cocaine to addicts triggers activity in the limbic system, a part of the brain involved in emotional response.
In a study funded by the
"This is the first evidence that cues outside one’s awareness can trigger rapid activation of the circuits driving drug-seeking behavior," said NIDA director Nora Volkow. "Patients often can’t pinpoint when or why they start craving drugs. Understanding how the brain initiates that overwhelming desire for drugs is essential to treating addiction."
"We have a brain hard-wired to appreciate rewards, and cocaine and other drugs of abuse latch onto this system," noted researcher Anna Rose Childress of the University of Pennsylvania. "We are looking at the potential for new medications that reduce the brain’s sensitivity to these conditioned drug cues and would give patients a fighting chance to manage their urges."
The study was published in the Jan. 30, 2008 issue of the journal National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), researchers flashed images before addicts for just 33 milliseconds, then used functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to monitor their brain activity. PLoS One. This article summarizes an external report or press release on research published in a scientific journal. When available, links to the sources are provided above
Sleep-Driving: A Dangerous Side Effect of AmbienAmbien had become linked to traffic arrests and the strange phenomenon of sleep-driving. An article published in The New York Times dated March 8, 2006 ("Some Sleeping Pill Users Range Far Beyond Bed"), details the growing evidence that Ambien, the nation's best-selling prescription sleep pill, had been showing up with regularity as a factor in traffic arrests. Often those drivers later said they were sleep-driving and had no memory of taking the wheel after ingesting the drug. The article goes on to cite a Mayo Clinic study published back in 2001, which reported on five cases of bizarre behavior related to Ambien, including unusual nighttime eating, sometimes while sleepwalking. Such experiences, the article reported, led researchers to be persuaded that people could drive, without realizing it, after taking Ambien. Legal Help for Victims of Ambien's Side Effects Inquire about your Ambien lawsuit as soon as possible. Your individual state's law may limit your time to bring a legal claim to protect your rights. Your legal review is free, there is no commitment, and your case will be evaluated immediately. http://www.nytimes.com/imagepages/2006/03/08/business/20060308_AMBIEN_GRAPHIC.htmlSleeping Pill Prescriptions Related
Download Laura J. Liddicoat's PowerPoint Presentation to the American Academy of Forensic Sciences * The presentation refers to Zolpidem, which is the chemical name for Ambien.
Ms. Liddicoat, in Wisconsin, is among experts who suggest that Ambien may need a stronger warning label. Others arguing that case include doctors, Ambien users and defense lawyers.
"Doctors are handing out these drugs like Pez," said William C. Head, an Atlanta lawyer who is one of the nation's leading defense lawyers specializing in impaired-driving cases.
The F.D.A., which would have to order any labeling changes, says it is not aware of any pattern of problems with the drug. Still Ms. Cruzan, in response to a reporter's question, said the agency would look into unusual sleepwalking episodes.
Including the notifications from Sanofi, which as a matter of policy the F.D.A. declined to discuss, the agency did receive 48 "adverse event" reports in 2004 involving Ambien use without other drugs. They involved three cases of sleepwalking, six reports of hallucinations and one traffic accident.
Ambien's competitors — Lunesta by Sepracor and Sonata by King Pharmaceuticals — are not as widely used in this country, and do not seem to be cropping up with any frequency on police blotters. Ambien sales last year reached $2.2 billion, according to IMS Health. Among the three drugs, Ambien accounted for 84 percent of prescriptions dispensed.
A federal prosecutor was persuaded that Ambien played a part in a well-publicized case last summer involving not a car but an airliner. A US Airways flight from Charlotte, N.C., to London last July was diverted to Boston, after a passenger who had taken Ambien became "like the Incredible Hulk all of a sudden," according to his lawyer .
The man, Sean Joyce, a British painting contractor, became agitated, tore off his shirt and threatened to kill himself and fellow passengers, according to court documents. If convicted, Mr. Joyce could have faced a maximum sentence of 20 years in jail for interfering with a flight crew, according to his lawyer, Michael C. Andrews.
But under a plea agreement Mr. Joyce was sentenced to five days already served, after the prosecutor accepted his story that his eruption, which he said he could not recall at all, occurred as a result of taking one Ambien pill and drinking two individual-serving bottles of wine.
Many of the impaired-driving cases involve people who drank alcohol before taking Ambien. Mr. Cribb, for instance, said he had two beers with dinner before he took the drug and went to bed.
Sanofi-Aventis says that while sleepwalking may occur while taking Ambien, the drug may not be the cause. It also notes that the warnings with Ambien, including those in its television ads, specifically instruct patients not to use it with alcohol and to take it right before bed.
Alcohol has sometimes been shown to cause sleepwalking, and it can also magnify Ambien's effects, according to Dr. Mark Mahowald, director of the Minnesota Regional Sleep Disorders Center at Hennepin County Medical Center, who is also involved in Dr. Schenck's study.
In the past, the center has received grant funding from Sepracor, Lunesta's maker, but Dr. Mahowald said that none of the researchers currently received any funding from sleeping pill companies.
Ambien's alcohol warning is apparently ignored by many people. But Mr. Head, the defense lawyer, says he has concluded that no one should take Ambien the same evening they have been drinking alcohol. "Not even a toast," he said.
Mr. Head is now defending a man in Decatur, Ga., who, after having three drinks one night, said he took two Ambien and was in bed watching David Letterman's monologue on television. Without realizing it, the man says, he got back out of bed and behind the wheel and was arrested on multiple charges that included driving on the wrong side of the road.
Too many other people taking Ambien also evidently disregard the other label guidelines.
Ann Marie Gordon, manager of Washington State's toxicology lab, said that many of those arrested reported that they took Ambien while driving so it would "kick in" by the time they got home. "Hello — it kicked in before you got home?" Ms. Gordon said. "That's not a good thing. I'm amazed at the number of people who do that."
But misuse of the drug may not explain all the cases. The nurse near Denver took a single Ambien and went to bed, according to her lawyer, Mr. Boyer of Englewood, Colo. Mr. Boyer said that only when the woman returned home after her arrest did she discover a partly consumed bottle of wine on her counter — unopened when she went to bed, she said — leading her to suspect she had begun drinking after taking Ambien.
Research by Dr. Schenck and others elsewhere have found evidence that Ambien users engaged, unawares, in various middle-of-the-night behaviors. In a study published in 2001, researchers at the Mayo Clinic Sleep Disorders Center reported on five cases of unusual nighttime eating, sometimes while sleepwalking, in patients taking Ambien. The chief of physical medicine and rehabilitation for the VA North Texas Health System in Dallas, Dr. Weibin Yang, said he became aware of Ambien's potential side effects while at another hospital treating a 55-year-old patient after hip surgery.
The man, who had no history of sleepwalking, walked into a hospital corridor one night, where he urinated on the floor. On another night, he got out of bed and told nurses he was going to church. Dr. Yang said the patient was also taking other medications, but the sleepwalking stopped when Ambien was discontinued. The patient, he said, had no recollection of either event.
Dr. Yang said such experiences persuaded him that people could drive, without realizing it, after taking Ambien.
Meanwhile in South Carolina, Mr. Cribb, who has already pleaded guilty to driving under the influence, still faces a charge of leaving the scene of an accident. He says he has sworn off Ambien. "There has to be a stronger warning," he said, "about what this drug does to you."
Next time you can’t sleep you might want to call on the sandman or count sheep.Inviting the sleep butterfly into your dreams might cause more trouble than its worth.
Apparently many weary eyed individuals are turning to Lunesta as an alternative to Ambienand it is becoming one of the most highly searched for drugs on the web.With online pharmacies lining up to be the first to appear on the Lunesta search, chances are there is some abuse or curiosity about the high that Lunesta can provide.This drug recently showed up on the horizon and we need to pay attention.
Perhaps the popularity of the online pharmacy sales has to do with the fact that Lunesta can cause drowsiness and dizziness.Driving to the pharmacy for your next prescription could be dangerous.
It may be an alternative sleep med, but the overdose symptoms of sleepiness, blurred vision, headache, slow hear beat, seizures and unconsciousness sound a little too familiar.
Side effects of Lunesta include an irregular or fast heart rate, rash, flushing, hallucinations and eye pain.Difficulty breathing and closing of the throat are also mentioned along with headache and dizziness as side effects.
The other less serious side effects are actually more likely to occur than those mentioned.These include, headache, dizziness, weakness, nervousness, nausea and difficulty urinating.
Relax, take a deep breath and talk to your doctor about your general health.Maybe health problems are keeping you from sleeping.If problems at work are keeping you awake, maybe there is another way to address them that won’t create more problems in the long run.
If you see a butterfly trying to get in, shut the window and think it over.What kind of life do you want waiting for you in the morning and you are ready to greet the day?
In a series of undercover reports, News 12's Kristen Cosby questioned a number of local convenience store clerks about selling the roses in glass tubes that police tell us are being used to smoke crack.
But it was this exchange that drew a strong response from one viewer:
Kristen: Well, you know what they're used for, right?
Clerk: Not really I don't. To be honest with you I don't.
Kristen: I bet he knows what they're used for.
Customer: What?
Kristen: Those glass roses.
Customer: Crack pipes.
Chase in Hephzibah writes:
"Was it because he was black that she "bets he knows what they are used for"? What made her confident enough to bet that he knew? Is it because all black people know about crack and crack utensils? Would she have said the same thing if a young white boy or man was standing there? Would she have made the same bet?" -Chase/Hephzibah
Does everything have to be viewed in terms of black and white these days?
We all know there are plenty of white people who are using crack cocaine.
The point is, that guy just happened to be standing there...and he did know.
Obviously, the better way to phrase the question is: "What about you? Do you know what these things are used for?"
If he had been 70 years old, you can bet he would not have known.
It's about generation, not race.
Focus on that one exchange and you'll miss the whole point...
They're selling crack pipes in convenience stores!
And investigators say selling them does not make their job of fighting the drug problem any easier.
Spike in Methadone Prescriptions, Deaths August 18, 2008 News Summary
Methadone now ranks as the fastest-growing source of narcotic deaths in the country, and many experts believe lack of federal oversight and dangerous prescribing practices by physicians are largely to blame, the New York Times reported Aug. 17.
The number of methadone prescriptions increased by 700 percent from 1998 to 2006 -- a period during which the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) unwittingly labeled package inserts with a dangerously high dosage recommendation of up to 80 mg per day for a starting dose.
The FDA cut the recommended starting dose to 30 mg in late 2006, but some experts believe the FDA should also require physicians to take special classes on prescribing narcotics, a move the agency is considering.
A survey of active-duty veterans and National Guard and Reserve personnel has found that those who were exposed to combat in Iraq or Afghanistan are significantly more likely to engage in heavy drinking and report negative outcomes from drinking, Medical News Today reported Aug. 13.
Researchers led by Isabel G. Jacobson, M.P.H., of the Naval Health Research Center in San Diego examined data from the Millennium Cohort Study, looking at baseline health data collected from July 2001 to July 2003 and follow-up data from June 2004 to February 2006. A variety of inclusion and exclusion criteria generated a study sample of 48,481 individuals, 11.4 percent of whom were deployed to Iraq or Afghanistan and were exposed to combat there.
The researchers found that among active-duty personnel, deployed individuals were 31 percent more likely than non-deployed individuals to develop new-onset binge drinking at follow-up. Men were more likely than women to report new-onset or changes in binge drinking or alcohol-related problems (such as problems at work or school or inability to get along with others because of alcohol). But women were 1.2 times more likely to report new-onset heavy weekly drinking (defined as more than 7 drinks a week for women and more than 14 a week for men).
The first time Lauren, a suburban teenager in Connecticut, took a prescription pain killer, she says she was sick with strep throat during her freshman year in college and grabbed a Percoset from her parents' medicine cabinet. She never dreamed where that one pill would take her.
A few weeks later, she took an Oxycontin to help her sleep. The next day she took another. "Once I started, I never stopped," she said.
In less that two years, Lauren, who asked that her last name not be used because of privacy concerns, said she was spending $300 to $400 a day on pills. She stole jewelry from her mother and aunt in North Haven, an upper middle class bedroom community near New Haven, Conn., and passed back checks, racking up close to $20,000 in debt, according to her mother.
While on the Narconon Program I hat thought of all the people in my past that I use to hang out with and use with. I use to defend these "friends" to everyone who tried to convince me that they were no good.
Ive always thought that I had no family, but that my "friends" would always be there.
I now realize that Ive always had my family and those people who I thought were my "friends" were just a gateway and an excuse for me to drink.
I also realized the extent of the damage that my drinking had caused between my kids and family and myself. I know I cant change the past but I do know that I can work on today to make things better for our future. and I feel like I have sence enough to know now that my greatest support is my family.
A study has found that children who deal with hardships such as abuse, divorce or substance abuse in the home may be more likely to begin using alcohol at a young age, Reuters Health reported Aug. 11.
Researchers for the study of 3,600 Americans ages 18 to 39 were able to link earlier onset of drinking to five specific childhood experiences: physical abuse, sexual abuse, living with a family member with mental illness, substance abuse in the home, and parents' divorce or separation.
Adults who reported having any of these experiences were more likely to have used alcohol before the age of 15 and also were more likely to have used alcohol in order to cope with their problems. The researchers said their findings are important in identifying particularly problematic issues in childhood and in pointing to early activities that can shape drinking patterns well into adulthood.
Researchers led by Emily Rothman, Sc.D., of the Boston University School of Public Health, found in their analysis of adults who were current or former drinkers that childhood abuse had the strongest association with early drinking. The risk of starting drinking before age 15 was two to three times higher for children who had experienced abuse.
Having a family member with a mental illness or substance abuse problem was the factor causing the next highest level of risk for early drinking.
Rothman and colleagues emphasized that these factors do not increase the risk of early drinking as a coping mechanism for all young people, adding that a lack of adult supervision might be linked with children's early drinking experiences. This would be the case particularly for a parent with mental illness who might not be capable of monitoring a child's activities, they stated.
Study results were published in the August issue of Pediatrics
Narconon of Georgia offers Drug Education for children if you are intrested please call 877-413-3073 and ask for Gordy Weinand
When Kim Manlove and his wife discovered that their teenage son was abusing pot and alcohol, they did what they thought was right: They purchased commercially available drug-testing kits and began administering random urine screens at home. "We thought we'd be able to handle it on our own," recalls Manlove, 56, of Indianapolis. And for several months it appeared that their efforts were working. The drug tests, obtained on the Internet, consistently indicated that 15-year-old David was alcohol free and that his marijuana levels were decreasing, which they interpreted as a sign that he was quitting. Not so. Their son had switched to drugs that the tests couldn't detect, such as prescription pills and LSD. When his parents finally caught on, they enrolled him in treatment. "Things were beyond our capability," says Manlove.
David completed the program, but his desire to get high ultimately cost him his life, Manlove explains. Enticed by the notion that inhalants wouldn't register on his weekly, now professionally administered urine tests, David and his friends spent an afternoon huffing an aerosol (computer duster) and diving into a swimming pool because they'd heard the underwater pressure would heighten the rush. Instead, doing so triggered what's known as "sudden sniffing death syndrome," the gravest consequence of inhalants. David had a heart attack and drowned at age 16.
The Manloves' experience underscores some of the pitfalls of at-home drug testing, an increasingly popular practice among parents aiming to stop or prevent their child's drug use. And with countless test kits available, experts say that it's an increasingly difficult practice to resist--though parents should.
"I don't recommend that parents ever use home drug tests," says pediatrician Sharon Levy, director of the Adolescent Substance Abuse Program at Children's Hospital Boston. "[They're] going to be misled." The tests are often billed as preventive, but there's no evidence that they actually keep kids away from drugs, she adds. Levy's stance is echoed by numerous others, including the American Academy of Pediatrics, which issued a 2007 statement opposing home and school drug testing until further research is done. In hindsight, Manlove agrees: "I'd go straight to the professionals, no question," he says. "Shame" and "embarrassment" are the primary reasons that he and his wife didn't seek help sooner.
Here are seven reasons why experts say drug testing should be left to the professionals:
1. It can become a missed opportunity. Manlove, who now works as a substance abuse prevention specialist for the state of Indiana, believes that the six months that elapsed between he and his wife's initial discovery of David's drug use and their procuring outside help allowed a minor problem to become major. "That delay really worked against us," he says. "If we had sought professional help earlier, I think we would have had a better chance of preventing this outcome."
2. It's easy to cheat. With all the ways to cheat urine screens, says Levy, experts worry that parents could be falsely reassured by negative drug tests while their kid actually has a problem. "My clinical experience tells me that parents are fooled all the time," she says. Furthermore, Levy says parents aren't encouraged to watch their adolescents urinate--but some testing facilities can require that urine collection is witnessed by an observer to prevent tampering. "We do it under controlled circumstances, and we know the tricks of the trade," says Peter Rogers, a clinical professor of pediatrics at Ohio State University medical school who conducts substance abuse testing. That's why, he says, if a drug test is warranted, it should be handled by experienced professionals.
3. False positives can mislead you. Poppy seeds, cold medications, and even antibiotics in high doses can potentially cause false-positive results on certain types of tests, says Levy, leading parents to falsely accuse innocent teens of illegal drug use.
4. Some tests are confusing. Home kits can be difficult to navigate, says Levy, and to ask parents who have no experience with laboratory medicine to do them correctly is "tough." Moreover, she says, parents have to be pretty sophisticated to know the difference between similar-sounding drug types such as opiates (e.g., heroin) and opioids (e.g., oxycodone). Get the wrong kit, and your results could be meaningless. "Unless you have a really good indication of what your kid is using," says Manlove, "you're really just taking a shot in the dark."
5. They give you limited information. Most drugs clear the system pretty quickly, says Levy, so parents would have a tough time catching a child's occasional use.
6. And they can be costly. A package of home tests can be pricier than a visit to a medical professional. Manlove paid roughly $50 for a six pack of urine tests, though costs vary widely.
7. You're a parent, not the police. Some experts worry that the practice of home drug testing may damage the parent-child bond. "I'm not sure that's the relationship that parents want to have with their kids," says Rogers, who himself is the parent of a former teenage drug abuser (who's now a sober 21-year-old). "They shouldn't be policemen, just parents."
From:
Partnership for a Drug-Free America
405 Lexington Avenue, Suite 1601
New York, NY 10174
Tel: (212) 922-1560 | Fax: (212) 922-1570 www.drugfree.org
NEW YORK, NY – A new study released by the Partnership for a Drug-Free America reveals a troubling new insight into the reasons why teens use drugs. According to the 2007 Partnership Attitude Tracking Study of 6,511 teens (PATS Teens), the number one reason teens see for using drugs is to deal with the pressures and stress of school. In this nationally projectable study (margin of error +/- 1.6 percent), 73 percent of teens reported that school stress is the primary reason for drug use, indicating that teens' perceptions of motivating factors for using drugs are dramatically different than past research has indicated.
Deep Disconnect Between Teen Behavior and Parental Awareness
An accompanying 2007 Partnership study of parents' attitudes about teen drug use, released in June, showed that parents severely underestimate the impact of stress on their teens' decision to use drugs. Only 7 percent of parents believe that teens might use drugs to cope with stress.
"A wide disconnect exists between what teens are thinking and feeling and what parents believe about their teens when it comes to attitudes about drug use," said Steve Pasierb, president and CEO of the Partnership. "This is a pivotal opportunity for parents to understand what motivates today's teens to engage in this type of risky behavior, and to communicate the very real dangers and risks, while offering their kids support and guidance on dealing with pressure in a healthy way."
In previous PATS Teens studies, when teen respondents were asked to select from a number of reasons for using drugs, the number one reason (65 percent) selected was to "feel cool." The 2007 study was the first to offer the option of selecting school stress as a motivator, one which nearly 3 out of 4 teens (73 percent) strongly agreed with. This was followed closely by "feeling cool" (65 percent) and "feeling better about themselves" (65 percent).
Over the past decade, studies have indicated a steady changing trend in what teens perceive as the motivations for using drugs. The "to have fun" rationales are declining, while motivations to use drugs to solve problems are increasing.
Overall Teen Drug Use Declining; Prescription Drug Abuse Disturbingly High Among Nation's Youth
The 2007 PATS Teens study confirms that overall substance abuse remains in steady decline among teens. Marijuana use is in its tenth consecutive year of decline, down 30 percent since 1998 alone. Teen use of Ecstasy, inhalants and methamphetamine has continued a multi-year, significant decline, and use of both alcohol and cigarettes continue to decrease.
Teens' ongoing intentional abuse of prescription and over-the-counter medications remains a serious concern, as many teens mistakenly believe the abuse of medicines is less dangerous than abuse of illegal drugs.
According to the survey:
1 in 5 teens (4.4 million) has abused a prescription medication,
Nearly 1 in 5 teens (4.2 million) has already abused a prescription painkiller,
41 percent of teens think it's safer to abuse a prescription drug than it is to use illegal drugs.
"Teens continue to take their lives into their own hands when they intentionally abuse prescribed medications, said Pasierb. "Whether it's to get high or deal with stress, or if they mistakenly believe it will help them perform better in school or sports, teens don't realize that when used without a prescription, these medicines can be every bit as harmful as illegal street drugs."
Time To Talk Encourages Parents To Connect With Teens Via Text Messaging At Back-To-School
The study's release coincides with the Partnership's second annual "Time To Talk" Month, a family-focused parents' movement throughout August designed to help parents start and maintain open, honest dialogue with their kids about the risks of drugs and alcohol. Time To Talk supports and empowers parents and caregivers to have frequent and positive conversations with their teens to keep them healthy and drug free.
This year's Time To Talk effort prompts parents to adapt the technology teens use and reaching out to them with an encouraging text message at back to school time. Parents can join the Partnership's first-ever "Time To Text" initiative, an effort to motivate parents to open new lines of communication by learning to text message, starting with a back-to-school message as a reminder of support.
Parent visitors to TimeToTalk.org can learn to talk to their kids about drugs and alcohol in their own language by downloading a "Time To Text" guide offering tips on sending a message to their kid's mobile phone. Those who can't quite find the words can choose from several pre-written messages. Parents can also download a wallet card with shortcuts teens use when text messaging. The "Time To Text" guide is available at TimeToTalk.org.
PATS research consistently shows that kids who learn a lot about the risks of drugs at home are up to 50 percent less likely to use than those who do not. Yet, only 32 percent of teens report that they are getting this vital message from their parents.
Parents are encouraged to visit TimeToTalk.org in August for tips on talking to teens about school stress and helping them manage pressure.
Among the recommendations for parents are regular reminders to kids that they are loved and admired for who they are, not for their grades and achievements, making family time a priority, and having frequent discussions about the risks of drug and alcohol.
Time To Talk reaches parents and caregivers through the support of 2008 sponsors A&E Television Network, Comcast, King Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Major League Baseball Charities, Wyeth Consumer Healthcare and Yahoo!
For more information and the full PATS Teens Report visit www.drugfree.org
Join Together publishes selected press releases on recently published research related to alcohol and drug policy, prevention, and treatment. The views expressed are those of the organization issuing the release.
Mary Kate Olson called body guards instead of an ambulance when Keith Ledger’s body was found in his apartment by her masseuse.Since then there has been speculation and reports that Mary-Kate had refused to talk to Drug Enforcement.Now we learn, according to the Associated Press, that federal prosecutors in the U.S. attorney's office in Manhattan have decided not to pursue a criminal case into Ledger's drug-related death.Mary Kate is off the hook.Do we just all move on until we learn about the next public disaster with pharmaceuticals?A recent news summary from Join Together states:“The Florida Medical Examiners Commission says that autopsies show that prescription drugs kill three times more people in Florida than all illicit drugs combined.The New York Times reported June 14.Blame for the trend was laid at abuse of prescription drugs.The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration estimates the 7 million Americans abuse prescription drugs, more than the combined number of cocaine, heroin, hallucinogens, Ecstasy and inhalants.”
Interestingly enough, accountability or responsibility from big Pharma is rarely mentioned.Yet today, how to buy Xanax on line will be a more popular search term than healthy diet.With no regulation of internet purchasing of pharmaceuticals or “doctor shopping” on the horizon, we can’t put the blame squarely on anyone’s shoulders for any of these disasters.
Pharmaceutical abuse has turned into a social health problem – a problem perhaps worse in scope than many of the diseases these drugs were meant to cure.History will probably view this as a strange dark age, where thousands were killed by the things that were meant to cure them.
The only real “cure” at hand is social enlightenment and responsibility.At Narconon we provide drug education for families and organizations and have already seen some improvement in small sectors.Let us know how we can help your family or community.
When a retired U.S military man and his wife set their sights on Honduras as the place to settle several years ago, they did not know that one of their pleasure trips to the country would be interrupted by Hurricane Mitch and that they would soon meet victims not only of the hurricane, but of Resistol – contact cement.
They used, what was supposed to be a new pleasure boat, to rescue stranded victims of the hurricane. After months of helping their town and the surrounding areas rebound from the overwhelming destruction of Mitch, the couple came to recognize another significant problem in Honduras – the large number of orphaned and abandoned street children who turned to drugs and violence as a way of life.
Many kids were orphaned by Hurricane Mitch. Other children were left to fend for themselves by mothers, who overwhelmed by their circumstances, chose to put the oldest son on the street. A new generation of addicted criminals was born – sadly most of them children, being raised by other children.
As a way to cope with life on the street, most of the kids turn to contact cement or “shoe glue” for diversion. The high comes at the price of nosebleeds, rashes, headaches, kidney or liver trouble. These addicted kids are described as emotionless - almost animal like in behavior and engage in street violence with their conscience hidden beneath the glue high. The glue also deadens the heartache of abandonment and the cold or hunger of the streets.
Fortunately for many of these kids a sponsor of the orphanage approached Narconon of Georgia two years ago for help. Narconon staff assisted in setting up a sauna at the orphanage and trained the staff and physician in delivery of the Narconon Sauna detoxification program. Forty children have since graduated from that program, with more participants planned for the near future.
The results of the Sauna Detoxification program which consist of daily exercise, nutritional supplements and sweating were described as astonishing by several of the orphanage staff. As the glue left the bodies through sweat it could be smelled and as it came out, the children started visibly improving. Children who previously would not listen or even speak to adults were engaging in conversation and participating in classes on automotive repair and farming. They laughed and played – they had become children again. The number of children who ran away, back to the streets to get their glue diminished.
Narconons across the world continue to provide the Sauna detoxification program to drug abusers across the world as part of the full Narconon program. With its success rate at 70%, Narconon continues to give addicts their lives back. Thus the name – Narconon the New Life Program
Products like "Kronic Kandy" and "Pot Suckers" can no longer be sold to minors in Georgia, under a measure signed into law by Gov. Sonny Perdue this week.
WSB-TV reported May 7 that the new law bans the sale ofmarijuana-flavored candy to anyone under age 18 and sets fines of up to $500 for violations.
The measure, sponsored by Sen. Doug Stoner, will go into effect July 1. The group Vote Hemp said that the Georgia law is the first of its kind in the U.S.
How much does it cost to NOT invest in rehab? According to some studies between the cost to family and society one drug addict can cost up to 1/2 million dollars over a life time. With abuse precription drugs like OxyContin it is likely that this number will rise.
Addiction Carries a $5.8 Billion Price Tag in Oklahoma July 31, 2008 News Summary
Data from a 2005 task force report show that the direct and indirect costs associated with drug and alcohol addiction in Oklahoma outpace the entire cost of running the state government, the Oklahoman reported July 27.
The total cost of $5.8 billion a year to the state includes $1.4 billion in direct costs of treatment, prevention and incarceration activity related to addiction, and $4.4 billion in indirect societal costs resulting from premature death and other harms. According to the Oklahoma Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services, substance addiction contributes to 85 percent of all homicides, 80 percent of all incarcerations and 65 percent of all child abuse cases in the state.
State officials say the spending of more than $59 million in state and federal funds to combat addiction has generated some successes, such as a growing influence of drug court programs. But they add that the need is much greater than what present resources serve.
"I'd like for that to double," department deputy commissioner Caletta McPherson said of the current funding. "There are gaps in substance abuse services statewide that I'd like to see us be able to fill. … We need beds in all parts of the state for residential services, for adolescents and adults."
The treatment gap remains a staggering problem in Oklahoma and elsewhere in the country. While state officials estimated that in 2006 a total of 250,000 adults and 31,640 youths needed substance use treatment, the number of clients served in a typical fiscal year hovers around 20,000.
State corrections officials say the problem is particularly acute for low-income citizens. Many remain on long waiting lists for treatment in the community and may not even receive services if they are incarcerated, because of funding constraints in the justice system, said state corrections director Justin Jones.
In a series of undercover reports, News 12's Kristen Cosby questioned a number of local convenience store clerks about selling the roses in glass tubes that police tell us are being used to smoke crack.