iPrevent – JUNE 17, 2019 – Many parents of a child dealing with depression are familiar with Wright’s feeling of incoming tragedy. Suicide is the second-leading cause of death in the U.S. for people aged 10 to 34, and more than 47,000 Americans killed themselves in 2017, according to the American Association of Suicidology. Approximately one in five teenagers experience some form of severe mental disorder, yet despite the prevalence of mental health issues, it’s still treated as “something mystical,” Wright says. “We don’t say ‘we think he has a tumor, so we’re going to give a drug to treat…
Author: Leonard Buschel
Can They Give Back The Dead? – June 14, 2019 – OHIO – The approach, if approved, would create dueling negotiating systems as state governments are also in collective settlement negotiations with the drug industry. The unified approach on behalf of municipalities would also help the manufacturers and distributors by defining a finalized group of entities benefiting from a settlement, said Joseph Rice, a South Carolina-based attorney representing local governments in the complaint. “If you’re a corporation trying to address this problem, you need to get closure, you need to put it behind you,” Rice said in an interview…
Changing Deck Chairs in the Cancer Ward? – JUNE 16, 2019 – Dr. Stephen Gawne, my dad’s primary care doctor at Edward Hines Jr. Veterans Administration Hospital, said he can’t point conclusively to any medical data showing that switching to nicotine pods has helped improve my dad’s health. However, he does say Juul helped him because it got him to stop smoking. “Smoking cigarettes is the absolute worst as far as I’m concerned, so you gave him a great gift,” he told me. E-cigarettes may pose their own long-term health risks, the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine has…
Money Motivates… – June 15, 2019 – OASAS will not renew its contract with J-CAP after it expires on June 30 unless it affiliates with another drug treatment program, according to a lawsuit against J-CAP filed last week by two employees. The inpatient rehab program serves up to 192 people, some of whom are sent by the court system. The situation is so dire that the state told J-CAP to stop accepting new patients about a month ago, according to workers. Some employees have been laid off or demoted to part-time. Full Story @ NYPost.com
They carried Dakota, a dog she adopted… – JUNE 14, 2019 – Grieb started the long walk in Fort Kent, Maine, on July 28, 2018, after she had suffered a relapse. When she arrived at the Southernmost Point buoy at the water’s edge in Key West, Mayor Teri Johnston presented her with a key to the city. Supporters met her with banners bearing the photos of nearly 500 people who have overdosed. “I just hope this can inspire people, you know, that are dealing with addiction and grief,” Grieb said. “I’ve been struggling with both of those things for years…
Where No One Wants Wrinkles – June 6, 2019 – The move compounds Beverly Hills’ already-strict regulation of tobacco and nicotine use, which includes bans on smoking in apartment complexes, on public sidewalks and in city parks, among other areas. The sale of flavored tobacco products is already prohibited by the city. Mirisch said he hopes that by removing tobacco products, including popular e-cigarettes, from store shelves, the city can prevent kids from developing a nicotine habit … “Children will not be interested in starting, and (smoking) won’t be looked upon as cool or anything but damaging and bad,” Mirisch…
What a Meth – June 17, 2019 – Man issued trespassing warning after being spotted in doctor’s coat at hospital … South Florida plastic surgeon kidnapped, tortured with blowtorch … Attorneys request release of doctor accused of murder due to mental incompetence … The Pembroke Pines psychiatrist was arrested Friday by Drug Enforcement Administration agents. Federal authorities said McClean was illegally dispensing and using methamphetamine. McClean, who surrendered his license to write prescriptions in March, is being held on a $150,000 surety bond. He appeared in court without a lawyer, asked for a public defender and is expected back in…
This Story Never Gets Old – June 15, 2019 – AA was founded in 1935 by William Wilson and Robert Smith in Akron, Ohio. Years later, Wilson wrote to Jung acknowledging his “critical role in the founding of our Fellowship.” Jung’s unusual influence came largely through his unsuccessful treatment of Rowland Hazard, an investment banker and former state senator from Rhode Island who, in the late 1920s, found himself slipping ever deeper into uncontrollable drinking. In Wilson’s words, Hazard had “exhausted other means of recovery from his alcoholism” when he consulted Jung. … According to correspondence between Hazard and his…
“While they were saying among themselves it cannot be done, it was done.” —Helen Keller
A Change Is Gonna Come – JUNE 13, 2019 – That’s not to say that having this conversation is inconsequential: We needed to bring opioid addiction into the light. But with 400,000 overdose deaths in the last 20 years and more than 70,000 in the last year alone, it’s time to take dramatic action to save lives and make recovery attainable for anyone who wants it. The opioid pandemic is in a unique policy position. It is one of the few political issues in our public sphere about which Democrats, Republicans, and independents agree. Which is why, despite my left-of-center…
You’re Not Alone – June 7, 2019 – O’Neill sent a note to all officers and civilian employees of the NYPD, saying in part “before you can take care of others, it’s imperative that you first take care of yourselves. Seeking help is never a sign of weakness — it’s a sign of great strength.” The deaths of both cops comes after News 4 highlighted growing concerns among members of law enforcement regarding officers taking their own lives. An I-Team survey of police across the country found 78 percent experienced critical stress on the job, with 68 percent saying…
Cook Meat, Not Meth – JUNE 06, 2019 – Gabriel Rucker, whose restaurants Le Pigeon and Canard are about a mile away, read a preamble and then opened the only West Coast chapter of Ben’s Friends, an alcoholism and addiction support group for those in the restaurant industry. Rucker talked about the stress of working over the Memorial Day weekend, and the discussion soon broadened to familiar issues of long hours, difficult kitchen situations, wage concerns and the toll the job takes on family life. The thread of not drinking or using drugs wove through the conversation like kitchen…
All Shook Up – June 4, 2019 – “You may read this and wonder how, after losing people close to me, I also fell prey to opioids,” wrote Presley, whose father had an opioid addiction and ex-husband Michael Jackson died of an overdose. She explained, “I was recovering after the [2008] birth of my daughters, Vivienne and Finley, when a doctor prescribed me opioids for pain. It only took a short-term prescription of opioids in the hospital for me to feel the need to keep taking them” due to their dangerous addictiveness. Presley described it as “a difficult path to…
Buy Curious? – June 8, 2019 – Their sales of alcoholic beverages have been declining, big alcohol companies, ranging from Heineken to AB InBev (the owner of popular beer brands such as Budweiser), see an opportunity: They’re investing in non-, or low-alcohol drinks. So too, startup investors and entrepreneurs are hoping to cater to the “sober curious,” people who for the sake of wellness are reevaluating their relationships with alcohol and how often they drink. The emergence of sober bars is one of the signals that investor Anu Duggal points to when talking about the trend of not drinking. Duggal,…
This should tell us something… – June 7, 2019 – While the exact outlines of the study haven’t been determined, it could examine the social factors leading to tobacco and nicotine use, the diseases and health effects of tobacco versus e-cigarettes and other nicotine devices, and exposure to second-hand smoke or vapor, according to a news release. Meharry is conducting a national search for a scientist to oversee the Center for the Study of Social Determinants of Health … The center plans to convene annual meetings in Washington D.C. and in Nashville about the smoking epidemic in low-income and minority…
It’s an inside job – June 7, 2019 – “My mother was so beautiful and so tiny, I always felt clunky around her, and then my dad was always surrounded by supermodels,” she continued, “I was short, and you feel uncomfortable in your skin anyway at that age.” Turning to anorexia and bulimia, Kravitz continued to struggle with these illnesses as the years went on. And when she took on the role of Marie, an anorexic woman in the movie The Road Within, her struggles became even worse. She confessed, “It was f***ed up, man. You could see my rib…
Implants for all? – June 6, 2019 – But less lofty issues are also at play. Dr. O’Neil is competing with an American company, BioCorRx — which once operated under a similar name as his clinic, Fresh Start — to introduce a naltrexone implant in the United States. In the process, Dr. O’Neil has courted publicity for his invention, which he says is superior and lasts longer … This year, the National Institute on Drug Abuse, part of the National Institutes of Health, awarded Columbia University $6.8 million over the next two years to begin clinical trials of the…
Drugs can be dangerous! – MAY 28, 2019 – The researchers studied 13- to 25-year-olds. They defined psychosis as hallucinations, delusional disorder, schizophrenia spectrum disorder, major depressive disorder, bipolar disorder with psychotic features or unspecified psychosis … Although the risk is low, the data come at a time when prescription rates and diagnoses of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder are on the rise. Two researchers published in the JAMA Network Open this past August said that in a 20-year period they “found a significant increase in the prevalence of diagnosed ADHD.” It’s not clear whether more children have ADHD or more…
Who need pubs… – June 8, 2019 – The current data on cocaine showed that both the number of seizures and the volumes seized are at an all-time high in Europe, supposedly due to ‘increased availability’. Another factor listed is the ‘Uberisation’ of the industry, thanks to a rise in users ordering drugs at the click of their smartphone. This means smaller groups are able to access the competitive market, and are able to distribute drugs more easily. “These new methods appear to reflect to some extent the type of disruption seen in other areas facilitated by the common…
Stick with the Winners! – Maria Gray, LMFT, NMP, CGP is a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist providing psychotherapy to individuals and groups. Prior to becoming a therapist, Maria had a long, successful career as a technology consultant. One day, during a break from a busy corporate job, she became inspired while attending a yoga retreat in Costa Rica. After returning from the trip revitalized and invigorated, she applied to graduate school and earned a Master of Arts degree in Clinical Psychology from Antioch University. Maria’s approach combines a relational style with somatic psychotherapy. She has a specific focus on trauma and addictions and is…
Everybody’s Doing It – June 8, 2019 – The issue of drug use has long been an issue in political campaigns. In 1992, U.S. presidential hopeful Bill Clinton famously said he tried marijuana while at Oxford University but “didn’t inhale.” The remark became the subject of derision, including by then-Sen. Barack Obama, who said in 2006: “When I was a kid, I inhaled … That was the point.” But as the Conservative leadership campaign heats up, it remains unclear how party members will receive the news. The favorite on betting markets is Boris Johnson, a former foreign secretary and the…
“The only truth is music.” – J. Kerouac – JUNE 7, 2019 – Kiedis penned the lyrical content to the album, all stemming from various places like his relationship with drugs, the wild times he lived with the band, personal relationships, and even the film “Life is Beautiful” by Roberto Benigni. Upon the album’s release, “Around the World” was named the second single off of Californication, though could not live up to the level set by “Scar Tissue.” The third single to make it off of Californication was “The Otherside,” which Kiedis says he wrote based on the perspective of…
Benzos for Benji? – June 9, 2019 – If you think your dog looks stressed out, it might be your own stress levels that are affecting your pet pooch. Swedish researchers studied 58 dogs—33 Shetland Sheepdogs and 25 Border Collies—as well as their owners. The dogs selected were balanced for sex, breed, and activity level. Both dog and owner personality was assessed through standardized personality questionnaires, with owners filling out the Dog Personality Questionnaire on behalf of their pet. Hair cortisol is a good way of measuring long-term trends in stress levels, as hair grows slowly (about 1cm per month)…
Born Inside – June 4, 2019 – Two-thirds of them are mothers of young children; an unknown number are pregnant. Many of them have substance use disorders with a significant history of trauma and mental health problems. Some have been incarcerated solely for the alleged crime of substance use during pregnancy, and many have lost custody of their children because there aren’t enough treatment centers for women and their kids. Incarceration rates in the U.S. are growing faster among women than among men, and black women are imprisoned at twice the rate of white women. With the country in…
Damned if you do… – June 6, 2019 – Despite it’s positive push by addiction treatment doctors as a road to recovery from an opioid addiction, Buprenorphine is considered an opioid, a Class 3 narcotic in the eyes of the federal government. Pain management medications like Oxycodone are considered Class 2, and heroin is considered a Class 1. “We will be doing enough when not a single American dies of a drug overdose,” said Brian Moran, the new US Attorney for Western Washington told KOMO in an April interview. He admits he’s not well versed in addiction treatments, but he…
Promotion and Attraction – JUNE 7, 2019 – A news conference Wednesday at the state Capitol featured state officials, lawmakers and 19 “recovery stars’’ who were introduced to applause from family members, friends and community leaders. House Speaker David Ralston, a Republican from Blue Ridge, told the audience that “the joy and enthusiasm is just contagious. We embrace a message that has been too long coming – the redemptive power of recovery.’’ … “It’s never too late to ask for help,’’ he said. Ralston said Georgia is harnessing more government funding for treatment, recovery and mental health programs. “We have…
Occupational Hazard – June 7, 2019 – Construction workers may be particularly prone to abusing prescription painkillers — which often leads to illegal drug use — because of the physical demands of their jobs and the fact that many of them are getting older. “It was eye popping. It was clear we had to do something,” Petrucelli said before addressing some 200 workers at a hotel under construction in Boston’s booming Seaport district Wednesday morning. “No one talks about this, but it permeates our industry.” Full Story @ DailyReporter.com
Execution Capitol of America – June 7, 2019 – In 2015, a Good Samaritan bill reached the governor’s desk with near-unanimous support. Abbott had the power to prevent opioid overdose deaths with his signature, but instead vetoed the bill.In his accompanying statement, he said it did not do enough to prevent misuse of the Good Samaritan defense by “drug abusers and drug dealers.” Two new Good Samaritan bills – Senate Bill 305 and House Bill 2432– were refiled this session. But four years and thousands of opioid overdose deaths later, not much changed in the governor’s office. Abbott signaled continued…
Influence This! – June 7, 2019 – Solace Vapor said it plans to terminate its relationship with the social media influencer who was accused of improperly marketing the company’s products on social media. “All of Solace Vapor’s internal packaging, marketing and nicotine warnings are compliant with FDA standards,” the company said in a statement to ABC News. We will be reviewing and terminating any and all 3rd party influencers who may not be compliant with our marketing policies.” The move continues the FDA’s crackdown on what both Sharpless and his predecessors have called an “epidemic” of e-cigarette use by…
Work and Love – June 2, 2019 – The women of the nonprofit create handmade and custom handbags from “upcycled” materials. Through an apprenticeship program that leads to full-time employment, the women learn valuable skills that can lead to economic independence and successful pathways toward maintaining sobriety … The handcrafted and custom bags can be ordered from the organization’s website, www.unshattered.org. The women of Unshattered welcome wholesale accounts, and handcrafted bags can also be purchased at select boutiques and pop-up events throughout the country. Full Story @ DailyFreeman.com