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Dr. Sanjay Gupta: Why I changed my mind on weed – CNN.com.
I am always looking for perspectives from bright and influential people who are paving the road to resolution on how America’ deals with its menagerie of addictions. Here is another one. This piece aired Sunday, 8 p.m. ET August 11 on CNN by the esteemed Dr. Sanjay Gupta. His thoughts embody the compassion needed to deal with a nation that treats alcohol and drugs liberally on the one hand yet brutally stigmatizes and criminalizes a growing minority that fall of the cliff. I focus on that rather than the legalization of drugs. The web blog, moreover, promotes eventual legitimacy of addiction as a medically treatable disease backed by legislation. This has to coincide with the decriminalization of drug usage in order to embody a unified approach to accessible treatment free of fear and judgement.
COMPASS HEALTH CARE INC – Arizona Gives. From midnight on March 20 and continuing until 11:59 p.m., you can go online to http://www.AZgives.org to show support for Compass Health Care Inc., an Arizona addiction recovery organization making progress one recovery at a time. You can make a contribution to help. All online donations during this effort will go directly to support Compass Behaviorial Healthcare’s Vida Nueva, a non-profit recovery home for woman. Thank you CLICK TO DONATE
Motivational Interviewing (MI) theory and skill building for treatment professionals. MI seminar information link Contact Kathleen Sciacca via email @ ksciacca@pobox.com tel. 212-866-5935. This announcement is geared to treatment professionals and relates to addiction and dual diagnosis intervention and treatment. This is a three day seminar that takes place October 29, 30, and 31, 2012 @ the Hotel Beacon in New York City. Call or email for information. See link above for fees.
Here is one way your tax dollars are fighting drug abuse in America. Above the Influence is an advertising campaign in the U.S. by the National Youth Anti-Drug Media Campaign that includes broad messaging to focus on substances most abused by teens, and delivers both broad prevention messaging at the national level and more targeted efforts at the local community level. Here is an example of some of their ads. Think they help? It is funded by the Office of National Drug Control Policy. (ONDCP) In early 2011, The National Youth Anti-Drug Media Campaign will launch a monthly webinar series: Implementing Above the Influence (ATI) in Your Local Community.
It is easy to have high expectations for a teen coming home from some kind of treatment for their addiction, but what they need to know, is how important they are to their recovery — that failure is not the end and success is up to them. Substance use disorder creates stress for a family and there is no guarantee of the outcome of recovery without diligence. You know who your teen is. What comes after treatment is more work. Finding ways to deal with it are critical. There are resources everywhere and the web is a good place to start, even to find a meeting. There are also, ways for the whole family to just “be” that enhances the success of a teen’s recovery. To see a 9 point list of what I recommend for a family welcoming home an addicted loved one, CLICK HERE.
Moms United to End the War on Drugs & Students for Sensible Drug Policy
Rally & Vigil Join us to call attention to the devastation of the war on drugs and prohibition @ Chuco’s Justice Center, 1137 E. Rodondo Blvd., Inglewoood, CA, June 18, 2011 – all day – starting @ 1 pm
A New PATH /Los Angeles is co-sponsoring with SSDP an all day festival SATURDAY JUNE 18TH; collaborating with 27 other drug war activist and advocacy groups to present 2 panels of speakers, poetry readings, candlelight vigil – ending the evening with live music till midnight! For more information
Attention to all mothers of loved ones afflicted with addiction to prescription pain killers or heroin. Tom at Recovery Helpdesk is asking you to answer 5 questions. PLEASE CLICK HERE.
The legislation, introduced by Senator Jim Webb on March 26, 2009, was voted out of the Judiciary Committee Jan. 19, 2010 and awaits a final vote on the Senate floor. The Goal is comprehensive review of our criminal justice system with an establishment of a national commission with a 18 month time line. Here are the latest press releases on this bill from Mar. 9, 2010. That same day a photo shoot took place following Webb’s address to the international association of the Chief of Police. Finally for those who missed the bill’s introduction; here’s Webb’s 2009 address on the senate floor outlining his justification, where he talks about drugs, addiction, mental illness and incarceration. He points out that starting in 1980 we had 41,000 people in prison for drug offenses and now we have over 500,000 people in prison for drug offenses. He says we have 4 times as many mentally ill patients in prison than we do in mental institutions. We have gangs in 230 cities; not just on our borders! He talks about finding ways to reduce the population in prison and at the same time protecting our communities. We all need to stoke the fire under Senator Webb. Update by Mary S.
For millions of Americans, substance use progresses to a point where brief interventions are not sufficient to promote recovery Addiction treatment can be a critical—even lifesaving—resource in such situations, but only if it is readily available and of high quality. Making recovery possible is, therefore, key to effective drug control, and the Obama Administration’s Strategy focuses on: 1) Expanding addiction treatment in community health centers and within the Indian Health Service, 2) Supporting the development of new medications to treat addiction and implementation of medication-assisted treatment protocols and 3) The importance of domestic law enforcement, border control, and international cooperation. DOWNLOAD THE STRATEGY STATEMENT IN PDF
Lets hope it does all of that. The Obama administration has been talking about addiction in the context of being a medical problem which is a key definition. Once that understanding makes it mainstream, we can expect to end some of the incredible gut wrenching madness that families endure simply to save their loved ones from a fate worse that most can imagine. Check out Julia Negron’s poignant comment on the subject in Mom’s United…
Regarding the demoralizing “drug war”, leaders from Mexico, Brazil and Columbia have endorsed the Vienna Declaration which lists a range of harms stemming from the war on drugs, and notes that the criminalization of people who use drugs has resulted in record high incarceration rates, thereby placing a massive burden on taxpayers. The Vienna Declaration calls on governments and international organizations, including the United Nations, to take a number of steps, 2 of which are: 1) Endorsing and scaling up funding for the drug treatment and harm reduction measures endorsed by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations and 2) scaling up evidence-based drug dependence treatment options. Links by Mary S.
Unforeseen Benefits: Addiction Treatment Reduces Health Care Costs, July 2009. Report produced by the Open Society Institute.
Some significant facts that the report shows is that 165,000 hospital stays surveyed in 2004 were related to substance abuse, and a drop of 26% to 37% hospitalization occurred among patients receiving addiction treatment and counseling respectively.
Read the full report: Unforeseen Benefits right here.
A New PATH brings moms and addiction treatment advocates together. On Wednesday, April 28th, 6pm to 7:30pm at 220 W. Broadway, San Diego, CA., there is a rally and vigil to bring focus to the failed war on drugs and the destructive results of drug prohibition. If you live in Southern California, show your support. Download the PDF flier Moms Unite to End the War on Drugs
In 2010 A New PATH (Parents for Addiction Treatment & Healing is launching a campaign to stop the violence, mass incarceration and overdose deaths resulting from a failed war on drugs. We will be partnering with ParentsACT and Drug Policy Alliance, and linking organizations and individuals from San Diego to Orange County, Los Angeles, Santa Barbara, San Francisco and Sacramento in a massive collaborative effort to change our current policies of arrest and imprisonment to therapeutic strategies and regulation. Mothers are again uniting and leading the charge to end drug prohibition, just as they did with alcohol prohibition in the 1930’s. We must stop the pointless and punitive incarceration of drug users, and end the needless deaths created by the illegal drug trade. The campaign will start with a rally/vigil in San Diego in April and move up the State of California with events in key cities, and building to a rally in Sacramento in October 2010. To join the campaign, contact us at: anewpath@cox.net mailto:anewpath@cox.net or 619-670-1184 – Thanks! Gretchen
April 2010 marks the anniversary of 11 years of A New PATH’s advocacy work for therapeutic drug policies. This event will launch a campaign to stop the violence, mass incarceration and overdose deaths resulting from our current punitive and discriminatory drug policies. A New PATH! is partnering with other organizations such as Families ACT! and Broken No More!, as well as individuals from various areas of California in a massive collaborative effort to change our current policies of arrest and imprisonment to therapeutic strategies and regulation. Mothers are leading the charge to stop the pointless and punitive incarceration of drug users, and end the needless deaths created by the illegal drug trade. Bring signs and pictures of your loved ones whose lives have been damaged by the War on Drugs. Join us in demonstrating for change. For more information, please contact us at: anewpath@cox.net or 619-670-1184.
New TV show on addiction
Premieres March 17 @10/9c. Its called Addicted. link contribution by Mary S.
Tales of Addiction
“Once in a blue moon, I read a book that culminates in a poignancy by sharing a powerful experience. Tales of Addiction is one such book: Here is a story and message amidst all of our stories; here is hope set against great challenges in the world of addiction and recovery; here is a legacy of understanding. Tales of Addiction is not just a collection of deep insight and personal accounts of tearful relapse and recovery, it is craftsmanship. Author, Barbara Sinor is a well read specialist in a world coming to grips with the disease of addiction. She offers her own valuable background of relatedness and heartened familiarity. Artfully sharing all of this is the book’s strength. Like a tapestry, it works by holding the reader’s interest with unique tales smoothly interwoven with both a spiritual and intellectual thought process. 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. The reader feels her deep and intelligent reflection accompanying each precious contribution of struggle and uncertain recovery. Some make it; others may not, you begin to know this. You feel your own relatedness and in the last chapters, the reader enters the author’s space hearing the breaking news of a sudden culmination of one very special story and a legacy that lives on in her. Sinor’s book pushes forward with exigency and hope.
Tales of Addiction resonates a message to all impacted by the world of drugs and alcohol: It is a world of possibility and joy; it is a world of shocking sadness; it is a world of conquest. One poignant message from the book is that no matter what, a single addict’s life is still sacred and knowing this captures a moment in time. Sinor invites the reader to share in her well of knowledge, reputation and work in the field of addiction and recovery. She expresses touching wisdom gained from her own life experience while delivering generous individual contributions written by people like you and I. Tales of Addiction instills there is no right or wrong; there is the possibility of helping just one more person; there is the possibility of coming to terms with this single moment, just for today.” Bill Ford, http://www.dadonfire.net
Tales of Addiction “…gut-wrenching yet heart-warming narratives by people with long-standing addiction issues. Weaving the unedited stories into a theme of upliftment and hope are Dr. Sinor’s astute commentaries and observations….riveting…” Your can read the rest of her comments on this book scheduled to be published in 12 weeks from now on Dr. Sinor’s Blog and in this download PDF review
Addiction, Whats really Going On Many know the ins
anity of the addiction. This book published in 2009 looks inside a heroin treatment program. It addresses the important questions. …”It helps us understand the need for a “wake-up” call regarding drug and alcohol use … It declares a passion for client advocacy and discovering ways to deal with those addicted … It brings the reality of addiction out-of-the-closet…. Read it.
Casey Johnson daughter of Billionaire “Woody” Johnson (Robert Wood Johnson IV) found days after her death from possible drug related causes @ age 30 in her apartment. Casey has a history of drug problems. Prescription Addiction Radio’s January 10th radio show talks about drugs as a possible cause of death and ironically, a major Johnson family charity, The Partnership for a Drug Free America who may not be doing enough. Woody is owner of the New York Jets. His father, Robert Wood Johnson III founded the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and was CEO of the family company Johnson and Johnson Drug Company who has marketed the recalled, opiate based duragesic patch. The Robert Wood Johnson’s Foundation is also known for working to find solutions to problems with drug use in America.
Mrs. BONO MACK (for herself and Mr. PATRICK KENNEDY) submitted the following concurrent resolution, which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and which reflects the full nature of statistical evidence of what the impact of addiction is on our communities and America as a whole. Read House Resolution 115, 111th Congress. Library of Congress link provided by Mary Slivinski
Long, but current and informative. View the recently published World Drug Report 2009, on the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime’s website. Also, read a summary of the report here.
This in from Carlton F. “Perk” Clark, LCSW Psychotherapy & Organizational Development, LLC. “I’ve heard many stories about how particular insurance ‘coverage’ appears more like fraud when you learn that you have never had the treatment coverage you need. The Mental Health Parity Act http://www.psychod.com/MentalHealthParityQandA.pdf may change that.”
The Wellstone-Domenici Mental Health Parity Act appears to impact group insurance plans with 50 or more employees, possibly excluding smaller business employee and self employed plans from addiction treatment coverage after the effective date of 1/1/10 – Dadonfire
International Drug Policy Reform Conference, 11/12/09, Albuquerque, NM – link provided by JJ Moates
DJ AM’s “Gone Too Far” Addiction Series to Air on MTV.
WOW! DJ AM knew all too well about the daily struggle of drug addiction. The late celebrity spinner (born Adam Goldstein), who died of an accidental drug overdose in August at age 36, spent his last few months filming an MTV series called “Gone Too Far,” in which he spoke candidly about his own addiction, his 11 years of sobriety, and his desire to help other young addicts overcome their demons. Also check out MTV’s drug resource link. Submitted by Mary Slivinski
For the parents of teenagers and young adults lost in the world of addiction. For parents lost in their own relentless search for answers. Archived in the “Blogs and Resources” category drop-down menu:
Top 100 Blogs on Recovery • Oxycontin & Opiate Addiction • The Needle and the Damage Done, Thoughts from the mother of a heroin addict • Mom vs Heroin
One–Day Event September 19, 2009 Celebrating Recovery in Arizona – Free
The Art of Recovery – is a FREE to the public, one-day Phoenix event offering educational workshops, resources and solutions. It is part of the celebration of National Recovery Month. It is important to reach out to the families and loved ones of people seeking recovery – Many often have. Alcohol and drug problems are pervasive in every community, affecting everyone either directly or indirectly. Did you know?
• Over 200,000,000 people in the US are directly affected by addiction.
• 90% have no idea of what to do about it.
• More than 23,000,000 are addicts-alcoholics.
• In 2005 fewer than 4,000,000 addicts-alcoholics received treatment!
• The gap is 19,000,000 people who need treatment and can’t get help.
Read more about the expo @ http://www.artofrecoveryexpo.com/abouttheexpo.html
Here’s some breaking news on Mexico’s answer to the massive violence perpetrated upon its people by the drug cartel and the drug war. This article, Mexico Decriminalizes Small-Scale Drug Possession, announces an unprecedented move in decriminalization. Another article, Mexico’s New Drug Law Worries U.S., underscores worry by U.S. authorities. See also Blog of Freedom which was dadonfire’s source for this information as published on August 21st, 2009.
A link submitted by Mary Ann to contact U.S Senate by email supporting recovery. Check it out here and also in the side bar.
Right on Pastor Mike! Fitchburg, MA area – Pastor Mike offers counseling and Recovery Groups Tuesday evenings at home groups and is affiliated with the Crossroads Community Church, 839 Ashby State Rd., Fitchburg, MA 01420, Tel. 978-342-8637 – www.thecrossroadscommunity.com is the website and email is crossroads08@verizon.net. This is for people of this area seeking help for their addictions. Crossroads Community Church is a Christian community church. Connecting with Crossroads may be a positive option for those with addictions and struggling in their lives, to connect with others who have been successful with overcoming addiction.
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