Posts Tagged drug abuse

Drug Facts Chat Day on November 10!

Posted by Drug Free in Drug Facts on November 4th, 2009

It’s the third annual Drug Facts Chat Day on November 10, and students, teachers and scientists are getting ready for another round of interesting conversations on drug abuse.

Drug Facts Chat DayDrug Facts Chat Day, an activity sponsored by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), provides students and teachers an opportunity to get answers to their drug-related questions from experts in the field of drug abuse. The students create their user names (not necessarily their real names), view the live chat and send their questions for the NIDA scientists to answer.

Schools need to register to get an access code, which can be used by the students during the chat to log-in, submit questions and view answers. To make the chats extra fun, there will also be featured factoids and quizzes about drug abuse and addiction.

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Crisis Intervention – An Important Aspect of Drug Recovery

Posted by DrugFreeHomes in Drug Abuse Treatment, Drug Addiction, Drug Facts, Drug Rehabilitation, Drug Testing, Prescription Drug Abuse on October 24th, 2009

drug-interventions-services

The risk of relapse remains for most drug abusers throughout their life. Several factors might trigger relapse, crisis being one of them. Crisis is a painful event or situation that can disturb the normal functioning and emotional state of the individual. A crisis in an abstinent person’s life can push him back into the nasty cycle of drug addiction. But, every problem is not a crisis. The individual, in his course of recovery, learns to solve several problems on his own. But there are situations that cannot be solved with just his usual problem solving resources. It is during such situations that a professional help is required to deal with the situation and help the person continue with his recovery.

For a recovering drug user crisis may emerge from any of the following situations –

Family situations like lack of family support, separation, physical illness in the family, death of a close family member can give rise to crises for the abstinent user.

Interpersonal problems arising from difficulties in relationships within and outside the family can lead to crises. Positive emotions like a promotion, marriage, birth of a child could also act as crisis situations.

Personal and social situations involving problems resulting from the person’s previous drug use like legal action for some criminal action done before, ostracism from the community due to previous behavior are also potential causes of crisis.

Economic situations like losing a job, failure to repay debt, failure to find a job could also spark off a crisis.

Following a crisis, the person feels anxious, hurt, upset or angry. He might try to deal with the problem on his own or with the family members. But if he fails then the emotional problems might worsen and he might run the risk of relapse. This possibility usually lasts for 4 to 6 weeks and it is a critical period when he needs help to stay on his path of recovery.

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UK Anti-Doping Heads for a Start

Posted by DrugFreeHomes in Drug Abuse Treatment, Drug Addiction, Drug Facts, Drug Rehabilitation, Drug Testing, Prescription Drug Abuse on October 8th, 2009

anti doping

The first anti-doping body in UK is ready for a start from 14th December. The Sports Minister, Gerry Sutcliffe announced this initiative recently. UK Anti-Doping (Ukad) will be based at Cockspur Street in central London and will be headed by Chair David Kenworthy and Chief Executive Andy Parkinson. A well experienced senior team, who are being recruited, will also be a part of the body.

Two other novel initiatives that were also announced are – (i) A “Drug Cheats” hotline which may be used to provide information on doping or supply of banned substances in sports. (ii) An athletes’ committee which will enable Ukad to liaise with the athletes and understand the best ways to support them in future. The hotline will start operating after Ukad starts working. The number of the hotline has not been decided as yet but will appear in its website when Ukad begins to function.  

The Sports Minister said, “UK Anti-Doping will be up and running, as promised, by the end of the year. It is the latest step in our war on drug cheats and will ensure this country is leading the way on anti-doping. The integrity of sport must not be put at risk and fans need to be confident that the athletes they are watching are clean. With greater links with law enforcement agencies Ukad will help us catch cheats before they get to the start line.”

Mr.Sutcliffe also said that he had proposed the International Olympic Committee and the organizers of the 2012 Games that the athletes should agree to the terms of their rooms being searched anytime by anti-doping officials. This would be the first time that Olympic anti-doping officials will get the right to enter the athlete’s room unannounced and search them on suspicion of doping. But it is doubtful whether athletes will agree to it.

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Sports and Drugs (or should we say drug abuse?)

Posted by DrugFreeHomes in Drug Abuse Treatment, Drug Addiction, Drug Facts, Drug Rehabilitation, Drug Testing, Prescription Drug Abuse on October 6th, 2009

sports

Sports have been upheld as an alternative of drugs. Young people are encouraged to take part in sports activities since apart from being a constructive source of recreation, sports help to develop a sound mind in a sound body. But the irony is that drug abuse has been increasingly associated to sports – thanks to those who, in search of glory and fame, could do anything – even drugs just to be the winner. “What counts is not the winning but taking part,” is not acceptable. It is not just winning but the rewards that follow and this serves as the primary driving force to take drugs.

Drugs in sports act as performance enhancers. Such drugs, known as ergogenic drugs have been used by sports personalities for a long time. The instance of drug abuse has been reported since the start of the Olympics in Greece in 776 B.C. The competitors then were reported to have consumed certain chemicals that would increase their performance level and provide that extra edge over the others.

The problem of drug abuse became a threat to sports from the 19th century. Today doping is a common term that has affected all forms of sports – athletics, soccer, weight lifting, cricket and so on. I firmly believe that you don’t have to tax your memory to name some of the big names associated with sports of different sorts who have either been banned or atleast suspended for their misdemeanor.

Generally drugs are used for the following benefits:

  • Raising concentration level
  • Boosting up strength and power
  • Increasing endurance level
  • Speed acceleration
  • Enhancing aggressiveness
  • Improving fine motor co-ordination
  • Reducing anxiety, tremor and pain sensation

But the effects of ergogenic drugs could be extremely dangerous. Liver function, reproductive system, metabolic impairment and psychological effects are common. The anabolic steroids hinder the normal hormonal balance and feedback system.

Have faith on your capability, work hard and you can be the winner.

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Prescription Drug Abuse Needs Special Attention

Posted by DrugFreeHomes in Drug Abuse Treatment, Drug Addiction, Drug Facts, Drug Rehabilitation, Drug Testing, Prescription Drug Abuse on October 4th, 2009

prescription drug

The dangers associated with prescription drug abuse were brought to light in 2007 when a 24 year old man and a 13 year old girl overdosed within a spell of three months. Since then abuse of Rx drugs has reached alarming proportions. It is high time that the government pays special attention to the issue or else the loss that the country is sure to face in terms of youth potentials, is beyond imagination.

Inland Rep Mary Bono Mack told the members of the Western Hemisphere subcommittee that the nation’s domestic drug policy should give emphasis on the problem of prescription drug abuse – a problem which is growing beyond proportions. “Just because it’s sitting in the medicine cabinet doesn’t mean its safe,” she said before the subcommittee that had approved legislation that would create a commission to assess the effectiveness of U.S. counter-narcotics efforts.

The members of the legislation agreed to what Bono Mack said. Subcommittee Chairman Elliot Engel said, “For too long our country has been overly focused on the supply side of the drug trade, while paying far too little attention to what happens here at home.”

Bono Mack’s own son, Chesare is a recovering addict who first started taking Oxycontin, a painkiller, after the death of his father, former entertainer and Inland Rep. Sonny Bono. Chesare’s Oxycontin addiction later escalated to heroin addiction. This transition from prescription drugs to heroin is a common feature amongst this population.

A special drug-diversion unit is being formed by the Montana Department of Justice to fight against the growing problem in the state. The special unit will be funded by a $ 1.2 million stimulus grant through the U.S. Department of Justice. The team will comprise of six members – three investigators, a public outreach and education co-ordinator, a prosecutor and an administrative assistant. Their approach will include prevention, law enforcement and treatment.

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Myths About Pot Smoking

Posted by DrugFreeHomes in Other Addictions on September 30th, 2009

PotSmoking

Substance abusers who fail to abstain from chemicals despite several treatment efforts, generally think of switching over to some other forms of chemicals for harm minimization. Often we come across confused parents who try to make a deal with their children that, “if you stop using all other drugs you will be allowed to smoke only pot.” This is not really surprising since throughout the world marijuana is the most popular drugs because of its euphoric effects. The myths associated with marijuana are also responsible for its widespread acceptance. A good number of users and their family members believe that they are smoking herb – a natural product. Isn’t that a consolation!

But parents must be aware about the three common myths about marijuana use and then decide on their course of action.

#  Marijuana is not addictive. It does not create physical dependence. This is absolutely an incorrect notion since continued use of pot leads to physical dependence which is evident from the symptoms that are noticeable once the substance is withdrawn. Lack of appetite, poor sleep, fatigue, aggression are some of the withdrawal symptoms associated with the substance. 

# Marijuana is natural and thus good for health. All natural products are not safe for health. Mother nature also produces certain things which are detrimental for health. Marijuana affects the Central Nervous System specially the cognitive aspect of the brain. The effects, though subtle, are often irreversible. Short term memory is impaired, a slower processing speed leads to slowing down of the brains ability to solve problems. Prolonged usage in adolescence might lead to neuroplasticity.

# Marijuana is a natural healer for diseases that cause pain. Studies have shown that THC, the primary chemical in marijuana helps AIDS patients to gain weight and prevents cancer patients from experiencing nausea. Thus THC is filtered and extracted and used in different pills. But actual marijuana has at least 400 cancer causing chemicals apart from THC which might cause devastating effects when they react with THC in the body.

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