Judge Gray speaks out on failing drug laws.
Dadonfire is looking at all sides of the issue in this rather interesting you tube video. “Six Groups Who Benefit from Drug Prohibition”
Sheryl Letzgu
s McGinnis is not just another parent who lost a child to drugs
She collected accounts of 39 other parents who experienced similar loss and published, I am Your Disease: The Many Faces of Addiction. Two years later Sheryl published, Slaying the Addiction Monster which illustrates her own all-inclusive look at the world of drugs and addiction and its personal impact. Knowing how insidious the disease of addiction is; often luring our children, she wrote the book, The Addiction Monster and the Square Cat, geared to tweens from age 10 and up. Drug addiction touches many people. It is a bigger problem that most care to admit. People like Sheryl are waking up America.
Drug demand is not just a problem with street dealers. As pain clinics compete for your Rx needs; (3) are under fire for feeding a Florida black market of narcotics, stretching half way across the U.S. Read Cracking Down on South Florida Pill Mills and Federal, Local Agents Raid 3 Palm Beach County Pain Clinics. Listen to LIVE online radio Sunday @ 9-11PM, EST Prescription Addiction Radio . Larry Golbom and Tom Kertscher of the Journal Sentinel discuss the deadly impact of legal drugs. Credits: News links by JJB ♦ Ad links by Keith
Who best to talk about the drug war than, Oliver North. 
Made famous in the Iran-Contra scandal, he knows drug trafficking, albeit “contra”versial. North faults Obama’s efforts for not fighting the war head-on as the Obama Administration coordinates efforts with Mexico taking on the drug war, less directly. While, Mexican citizens deal with violence, U.S. citizens deal with addiction, fueling demand. Sen. Jim Webb’s efforts is a proposal that seeks to reduce demand through widespread treatment starting in our jails. America’s addiction to heroin, methamphetamines and marijuana is fueling this war. Reducing drug demand is a beneficial place to start. links by M. Slivinski
S
eeing the obvious in the world of “insidious” addiction is like trying to see a forest through its trees. Those who have felt the impact of an addict in their family knows how elusive the answers can be, let alone, the right questions. Simple answers to basic questions makes a big difference. Joe Herzanek has the answers to the 10 Toughest Questions Families and Friends Ask About Addiction and Recovery. His 22 minute video lays it out in plain language. Joe speaks from his own experience. After three decades of sobriety, he still spends his personal and professional life helping others take that first step. In 2007 he wrote a widely received book that tackled the biggest nagging question; Why Don’t They Just Quit. Now he offers the rest of the answers to the ten toughest questions in the video you shouldn’t miss. Check out some excerpts. Joe and his wife, Judy Herzanek founded The Changing Lives Foundation and its blog; Why Don’t They Just Quit. They both share a common bond in striving to make a difference by spreading the message that people do recover.
Tales of Addiction resonates a message to all impacted by addiction
Barbara Sinor progressively weaves the details of her life and practical wisdom in-and-out of the book’s logical succession and its acumen of the disease of addiction. Read the rest of the review of this great book.
Tom @ Recovery Help Desk talks about suboxone (subs) dos and don’ts and its controversy and a Mom agonized about finally supporting it for her son, presumably an opiate addict. Her blog is called “A Mom’s Serious Blunder” Check out the links and discussion. Suboxone like any treatment is a tool. It takes a commitment. There are many stubborn young knucklehead addicts that use it as a crutch, take sub vacations and use other opiates intermittently. They are the toughest to deal with and fuel the controversy.
If you 
haven’t heard, National Geographic is presenting a TV series every Monday called Border Wars. The series provides a little insight into the drug and human trafficking across our southern border.
From CNN via VBS.TV: “…it was Thatcher who signed off on a program that meant heroin addicts would be given access to free, sterile needles …after she’d closed down the mines, docks, and factories. …unemployment and heroin addiction have always made fine bedfellows. See the rest of the video @ vbs.tv
The popula
r online encyclopedia, Wikipedia puts US drug policy in a nutshell. Changing it might best be explained in CBS’s, A New Era For US Drug Policy. Here are two big efforts to watch in 2010 that will impact this. First off, S714, The Criminal Justice Commission Act of 2009 will impact addiction treatment in Jail and effect de-criminalization of use. Secondly, Obama’s 2010 policy strategy for 2010 , handled by the ONDCP will impact recovery efforts. You direct input can be facilitated by the DPA’s legislative toolkit. Check out a blog called TRANSFORM for further insights and a website called OVERCRIMINALIZED.COM which tracks S714.
The frustration of a parent dealing with a teen and drugs is well known. Here is a PDF report that might help : Adolescent Brain Development and Drug Abuse. To make matters worse, 5 million adolescents suffer from clinical depression and 70% are undiagnosed. The numbers for drug & alcohol abuse are worse.; 10% of the 1.4 million American teens with SUD get treatment…” read the article here. Courtesy of “The Drug and Alcohol Scene”
Crackonomics
collects opinions on US drug policy that may interest you to know. I also found a youtube video by Crackonomics call Unintended Consequences. An effort initiated by Senator Jim Webb is a realistic chance at substantively improving drug and prison policy through legislation. The National Criminal Justice Commission Act of 2009 will finalize important recommendations this year, which means we need to keep up the pressure for sane drug policy by contacting our lawmakers.
This Sunday, 9-11 PM EST, Prescription Addiction Radio Show talks about topics in the world of addiction and recovery. Dadonfire airs approx. 9:30EST to update on the website. Go to The Prescription Addiction Radio.com Click on WGUL860 AM and go to Sunday Schedule to listen.
In “Pain Clinic Legal Dope House?”, CNN’s Campbell Brown exposes a flourishing practice of licensed Florida “Pain” Doctors supplying drug addicts and drug pushers with legal prescriptions of dangerous narcotic drugs like oxycontin. Granted some are legit; but 50 million Americans (one in 5) have abused pain meds. New laws are expected to take up to 2 years to effect this practice.
Book Review: When Painkillers Become Dangerous. What Everone Needs to Know About Oxycontin and Other Prescription Drugs, Drew Pinkskey
“When Painkillers Become Dangerous” was written in 2004 and published by Hazelden. This book is worth a fresh look. It is an exceptional resource on drugs, addiction and recovery. Drew Pinskey (Doctor Drew), the lead author provides one of the clearest explanations of how addiction develops that I have read. He partners with five other very noteworthy authors. Marvin Seppala dissects treatment and recovery. Robert Meyers and John Gardin explain intervention, the prolific William White presents a historical overview of all drugs and their particular addictive characteristics while Stephanie Brown relates the insidiousness of addiction as a family problem. Anyone looking for a resource written by top experts in clear language will benefit from reading this.
Book excerpt from What’s Left of Us by Richard Farrell.
Richie is a recovery advocate from Lowell, Mass; one of original source cities for heroin. His book is a portal into the life of an addict.
Joseph A. Califano, departing chairman of The National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse responds to Obamas state of the union address in his own 2010 address on cost issues and real problems. View his speech HERE
Vancouver: ‘Drug Central’ of North America is notable take on drug presence at the site of the Winter Olympics. Check it out. Also check out Stephen Bamber’s site Art of Life Itself which featured this BBC piece.
Methadone Information and Side Effects
“Known as “Methadone hydrochloride,” Methadone is a narcotic pain reliever, analgesic used to treat moderate to severe pain with people who have not responded to pain relievers. Its main uses also include being given to patients who are battling narcotic addiction or in maintenance treatment of narcotic drug addiction…” Article by Jesse Herman of drugwatch.com - see article HERE
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