Life Preservation – June 21, 2019 – It’s a bold move, testing the limits of how far harm-reduction efforts should go in the face of the deadly opioid drug crisis sweeping London and much of Canada. A program in London is giving prescription narcotics to some of the city’s most vulnerable people — the drug users whose addiction puts them at imminent risk of infections and deadly overdoses. London Intercommunity Health Centre family doctor Andrea Sereda has been quietly prescribing opioids to a group of people struggling with addiction as a way to deter them from instead seeking out illegal…
Author: Leonard Buschel
Squirrels Gone Wild – June 20, 2019 – …when authorities in Limestone County, Ala., accused him of keeping an “attack squirrel” in a cage and feeding it methamphetamine so that it would stay aggressive. He had never planned on adopting a squirrel in the first place, but about a year ago, while he was working for a company cutting trees, the baby fell off of a branch. For the next six weeks, he woke up every two hours to feed him formula and make sure that the heating pad was working. Eventually, he trained the junior squirrel to use a…
Television Exaggerates! – June 23, 2019 – Actually, nearly the opposite is true. You wouldn’t know it from “Euphoria,” but today’s teenagers drink less than their parents’ generation did. They smoke less, and they use fewer hard drugs. They get in fewer car accidents and fewer physical fights. They are less likely to drop out of high school, less likely to have sex, and less likely to become pregnant. They commit fewer crimes. They even wear bike helmets. Across a wide range of classically risky teenage behaviors, today’s teenagers are getting tamer and more responsible, making better decisions and…
Stick with the Winners! – Powerful stories soften the hardest of hearts – this is what continues to motivate me. My mission is to collaborate with the best talent in the world, creating stories that entertain, stir debate and ultimately stimulate positive action. I have filmed in over 30 countries, worked with diverse cultures and witnessed some extremes of life. These experiences and a passion for social awareness have shaped my storytelling – bold, surprising narratives that leave audiences thinking and wanting more. I have pursued filmmaking since my early teens. After graduating in 2000 with a 1st Class Degree…
People First! – Not Profits – JUNE, 2019 – Portugal was once Europe’s worst country for drug misery and deaths. Now, it’s a public-health success story with a system that’s been copied by its European neighbours. In 1999, use of heroin, cocaine and other hard drugs was rampant. Approximately 100,000 Portuguese, or one per cent of the population, reported an addiction to hard drugs … Hundreds died every year, says Dr. Joao Goulao, the public health physician who has received much of the credit for helping turn the situation around. “It was devastating our people,” Goulao said. It was…
“One’s life has value so long as one attributes value to the life of others.” ―Simone de Beauvoir
BANKRUPT! – CREDITORS Capitol DecisionsCIT Group Inc.Columbus Properties, Inc.ConvergeOne, Inc.Copilevitz, Lam & RaneyDoubleTree by Hilton Washington, D.C. – Crystal CiFedEx Corp.Grace NeggieGRM Information Management ServicesIVR Technology GroupJ.P. Morgan Chase Bank, N.A.James HoodJustin CohenLeavitt PartnersMartin Williams DebtorFacing Addiction with NCADD Inc. 19 Fulton Street Suite 308B New York, NY 10038 NEW YORK-NY Tax ID / EIN: 13-1664053 fdba Facing Addiction, Inc. fdba NCADD, Inc. Represented ByLee Stein Attanasio Sidley Austin LLP 787 Seventh Avenue New York, NY 10019 (212) 839-5300 Fax : (212) 839-5599 Email: [email protected] TrusteeGregory M. Messer Law Offices of Gregory Messer, PLLC 26 Court Street Suite 2400 Brooklyn, NY 11242 (718) 858-1474 Us TrusteeUnited States Trustee Office of the United States Trustee U.S. Federal Office Building 201 Varick Street,…
Can you overdose on antidepressants? – June 19, 2019 – People with depression, chronic pain, or mood disorders may respond differently to each of these types of antidepressant. It can take a person some time to find an antidepressant that works for them. If a specific antidepressant is not having the desired effect, a person should speak to their doctor. It is never advisable to take a larger dosage than a doctor has prescribed. Taking too many antidepressants can lead to overdose. In severe cases, this may be life-threatening… Full Story @ MedicalNewsToday.com
Teens Lives Matter – May 30, 2019 – SSRIs and Suicidal Ideation in Teens Parents whose children are suffering from depression often ask doctors for advice about the safest antidepressant for teenagers. However, research shows that antidepressants may actually increase suicidal thoughts and behaviors in children, teenagers, and young adults under 25. The highest risk is in the first few weeks after an adolescent begins taking the drug, or after the dosage is changed. A review study looked at the question, how do SSRIs work? Researchers examined 24 studies involving 4,400 teens and young adults. The review compared the…
They’re Here To Stay – June 15, 2019 – As a health-care lawyer, Nelson has had a particularly good perspective on the opioid epidemic that’s decimated the country in the past 20 years. He’s represented drug-treatment programs reeling from patient overdoses, doctors who have prescribed opioids and caused overdoses, those who have refused to provide pills to patients, as well as those who have become addicted to pills themselves. After a breakup in 2008, a cousin gave Ashlee Krichmar, then 20, a Percocet. She’d never much liked them in the past — they made her sick — but that day…
Show Me The Honey – JUNE 12, 2019 – E! News previously obtained the court papers in which the institution claims that Bynes ‘was a client at our residential treatment center. Bynes was at our facility for 2 days receiving treatment.’ The monthly rate is of $37,000 and the company decided to ask her to also pay fees for two days, which would equal to about $2,467. Back in April, her lawyer, Tamar Arminak, told the news outlet that ‘Amanda is doing great, working on herself, taking some well-deserved time off to focus on her well-being after graduating the Fashion…
Thigh Will Be Done – June 14, 2019 – Fans saw de Lesseps fight with her “RHONY” costars over her struggle to stay sober on the most recent episode of the show during the cast’s trip to Miami, Fla. She previously told us that she was planning on sticking to mocktails on the trip, but that didn’t stop co-star Bethenny Frankel from attacking de Lesseps for not being grateful for her help. Full Story @ PageSix.com
Don’t Forget the Meth – June 13, 2019 – But state officials note that drug abuse problems seldom involve only one substance. And while local officials are grateful for the funding, the grants can be spent only on creating solutions to combat opioids, such as prescription OxyContin, heroin and fentanyl … According to the most recent data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 11 states — including California, Pennsylvania and Texas — have reported that opioids were involved in fewer than half of their total drug overdose deaths in 2017. Full Story @ NPR.org
Priming the Pump – May 19, 2019 – The comedian, who grew up in Union and lives in Hoboken, is currently serving four years of probation for heroin possession. He violated that probation two times in the space of less than two months by testing positive for cocaine and was jailed in January for nearly a week … Lange, who has struggled with drug addiction for decades, moving in an out rehab, spent eight years on “The Howard Stern Show,” from 2001 to 2009, before he was asked to take a break after a drug binge. After a 2010 suicide…
Blessing the Bereaved – June 13, 2019 – The Denver Post reports the Routt County Coroner’s Office says an autopsy determined the death last month of 37-year-old Austin Eubanks resulted from a heroin overdose. Officials say Eubanks was found by his father May 18 in his Steamboat Springs home. The coroner’s report says the death was an accident caused by “acute heroin toxicity.” The report says Eubanks had a history of opioid addiction and illicit drug abuse. Eubanks survived a gunshot wound but lost his best friend in the 1999 mass shooting at Columbine High School 13 miles (21 kilometers)…
On the Right Side of History – June 13, 2019 – “The vast majority of warrants that we’re spending our time on are low-level, public-health cases,” Assistant District Attorney David Angel said in an exclusive interview with this news organization. “What we’re trying to do is shift that back, so that the public-health cases are handled by the public-health system, and the public-safety cases that we’ll have left are handled by the criminal-justice system.” The new policy, expected to be implemented by the end of the summer, adds Santa Clara County to a small number of jurisdictions across the country…
When You Need a Helping Hand – June 15, 2019 – W.Va. (WSAZ) – A new organization hoping to change the narrative of addiction and spark compassion in hurricane launched with a big celebration Friday. People from the community came to Valley Park to commemorate the launch of “More Than Addiction” a group that highlights the stories of people impacted by the grips of drug addiction. The free celebration featured food, music, guest speakers, giveaways, and activities for the entire family to enjoy. The program was started in honor of co-founder Karla Hilliard’s younger brother. Full Story @ WSAZ.com
Netflix and Swell – June 10, 2019 – …increasing risks for high blood pressure, diabetes, depression and obesity. Dozing off to late-night TV or sleeping with other lights on may mix up your metabolism and lead to weight gain and even obesity, provocative but preliminary U.S. research suggests. The National Institutes of Health study published Monday isn’t proof, but it bolsters evidence suggesting that too much exposure to light at night could pose health risks. “Evolutionarily we are supposed to be sleeping at night, in a dark place,” said lead author Dale Sandler, a scientist with the National Institute of…
EMR’s Zen Mediation – June 14, 2019 – A federal judge has denied a Miami Electronic Health Records (EHR) developer’s request to withdraw the federal claims it filed against the owners of several Florida companies alleged to have copied its software design, stating it would be a “disservice” to the defendants in the case and “destroy subject matter jurisdiction.” According to the May 29 U.S. District Court Southern District of Florida filing, plaintiff Kipu Systems LLC filed a motion to amend its complaint and withdraw its federal claims against defendants ZenCharts LLC and others in a case involving a dispute…
We’ve all got our ups and downs – June 15, 2019 – The sheer numbers speak for themselves – anxiety is the new depression. The Anxiety and Depression Center of America notes these astonishing facts[1]: • Over 40 million Americans over the age of 18, more than 18% of the population, suffer from an anxiety disorder • Anxiety is the most common mental health disorder in the U.S. • Over 16 million Americans over the age of 18, about 7% of the population, have experienced a major depressive episode in the past year • Depression is the leading cause of…
MIND BLOWING – June 14, 2019 – For example, ingredients such as sugars, caffeine, nicotine, alcohol, sweeteners, and colourants will be prohibited from these products. The packaging, too, will be restricted with only plain, child-resistant packaging allowed so as not to appeal to younger people. The packaging will also be prohibited from containing elements that would associate them with alcoholic beverages, tobacco, or vaping products. “The amended regulations are the next step in our process to reduce the risks to public health and safety from edible cannabis, cannabis extracts and cannabis topicals and displace the illegal market for these products…
Men Need To Be Heard Too – June 16, 2019 – Therapy talks If you can afford private counselling it can be effective in managing mental health issues, but with so many different techniques and therapists out there, how do you know which one is right for you? “The most important thing is that your therapist is accredited and that you trust them and feel a connection to them,” says Natasha. “I recommend Counselling-directory.org.uk, which will give you a list of the accredited therapists in your area and their prices. Full Story @ TheSun.co.uk
Stick with the Winners! – Gary Stromberg co-founded GIBSON & STROMBERG, a large and influential public relations firm of the sixties and seventies. The company represented such luminaries as The Rolling Stones, Pink Floyd, Muhammad Ali, Barbra Streisand, Boyz II Men, Ray Charles, The Doors, Earth, Wind & Fire, Elton John, and Crosby, Stills, & Nash. He also spent time in the film business where he co-produced the motion pictures Car Wash (Universal Studios) and The Fish that Saved Pittsburgh (Lorimar/United Artists). He’s also written three books, The Harder They Fall (Hazelden Publishing) and Feeding the Fame (Hazelden) and a third book for McGraw-Hill Publishing, entitled Second Chances. He’s currently writing a fourth book, She’s Come…
Medically Assisted Tripping – June 14, 2019 – How is ketamine different from other antidepressants? Most depression drugs, including Prozac, are part of a class known as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, or SSRIs. They work by blocking the re-absorption of the neurotransmitter serotonin, increasing the supply available in the brain. Ketamine works on the neurotransmitter glutamate, which is considered crucial in learning and memory formation. While SSRIs can take weeks or months to take effect, ketamine has been shown to begin working in as little as a few hours, making it the first rapid-acting depression drug. Another psychedelic drug…
And Now Sobriety for Joy – June 17, 2019 – Megan (pictured during her drinking days) held down jobs and had a good social and family life, but she eventually realized she had to stop drinking … Megan’s unhealthy relationship with booze began as teenager. She spent most weekends binge drinking with her mates and things got worse in her twenties. Full Story @ DailyMail.co.uk
The Royal Plan – June 15, 2019 – “Action on Addiction was one of my very first patronages, and as such, it is very close to my heart. I’m hugely passionate about the support it provides, especially for parents, children, and families who suffer from, or through, addiction,” Middleton said during her speech, which was later shared online. “Having met so many people who’ve suffered from addiction, I have seen over and over again that, sadly, the root cause can so often be traced right back to the very earliest years of someone’s life. Trauma experienced in early childhood, in…
Stay Cool – June 17, 2019 – Mindstrong, a venture co-founded by a former director of the National Institute of Mental Health, promised something that no drug or talk therapy can provide: an early-warning system that would flag the user when an emotional crisis seemed imminent — a personal, digital “fire alarm.” For the past year, California state and county mental health officials, along with patient representatives, have met regularly with Mindstrong and another company, 7 Cups, to test smartphone apps for people receiving care through the state’s public mental health system. Officials from 13 counties and two cities…
It’s Hip To Be Square – June 15, 2019 – We all know what sobriety used to be: sober, in all meanings of the word. For those with a serious alcohol problem, it was a worthy decision, maybe even a lifesaving one. It could even be fun, when it wasn’t all amends and affirmations. But it had an air of privacy and quiet. This has changed. It seems not even sobriety will be saved from enjoying a made-for-Instagram moment, with new hashtaggable terms like “mindful drinking” and “sober curious.” … sobriety is something less (and more) than a…
Smoking! – June 17, 2019 – GFN was a diverse gathering of 600 delegates—directly impacted people, advocates and activists, scientists, clinicians and social workers, and industry representatives, who also attended an accompanying tech convention—from 70 countries on every continent except Antarctica … “In Australia, we have appalling laws about nicotine delivery,” said politician Fiona Patten, leader of the country’s Reason party. “Our reduction in smoking is pretty much stagnating. When I ask the minister of health about vaping regulation, I get told that vapes are ‘a gateway for children’, that they ‘renormalize smoking.’” As harm reductionists have long known, much…
The Dream is Over – June 15, 2019 – Financial burdens and lack of social support may explain why depression is on the rise among millennials. They’ve seen a 47% increase in major depression since 2013, according to a Blue Cross Blue Shield report. However, one in five don’t seek treatment — likely because they can’t afford it. Studies have found a correlation between indebted people and mental health problems. While this research, by its nature, can’t identify causality, the likelihood of having a mental health disorder is three times high among those unsecured debt, according to a meta-analysis,…