As a rational human being I do not see how legalizing marijuana for any reason will not increase the need for drug classes and drug counseling. Both California and Colorado have seen huge increases in the use of marijuana since the drug has proliferated through “medical” dispensaries.

It was back in 1979 that Keith Stroup, the head of the National Organization of Marijuana Laws (NORML), told the Emory University school newspaper, The Emory Wheel, that "We are trying to get marijuana reclassified medically. If we do that, (we'll do it in at least 20 states this year for chemotherapy patients) we'll be using the issue as a red herring to give marijuana a good name."

Seriously, unless you have AIDS or glaucoma there would appear to be no way to give marijuana a good name.

Keep in mind, the American Medical Association has found ZERO medical value in marijuana.

Is it really any surprise that NORML -- the nation's oldest marijuana legalization organization -- published in their weekly newsletter the sweeping assertion that "medical marijuana has no discernible impact on marijuana use."

The NORML studies miss the mark, by failing to take into account the actual implementation of medical marijuana laws. For example, California did not have "dispensaries" until 2003, seven years after the law was enacted. And Rhode Island, the state used in the Brown study, had about 1,500 people in the entire program, so it's not a revelation that the state would not see any significant effect on teens.

My guess is that medical marijuana will significantly increase all forms of drug use in this country.

Time will tell, with further study and analysis, how medical marijuana is affecting attitudes and use rates in the long term.

Why Do You Need Weed?

What of course is never talked about is how medical marijuana programs in states that have gone full steam ahead actually work. Rarely mentioned is the fact that, for example, according to a 2011 study in the Journal of Drug Policy Analysis that examined 1,655 applicants in California who sought a physician's recommendation for medical marijuana, very few of those who sought a recommendation had cancer, HIV/AIDS, glaucoma, or multiple sclerosis.

One study, analyzing over 3,000 "medical marijuana users in California, found that an overwhelming majority (87.9%) of those queried about the details of their marijuana initiation had tried it before the age of 19, and the average user was a 32-year-old white male. 74% of the Caucasians in the sample had used cocaine, and over 50% had used methamphetamine in their lifetime. Hardly any had life-threatening illnesses.

It's time to get the legalization lobby out of the business of medical marijuana and instead focus our attention on scientists developing non-smoked marijuana-based medications for the truly ill. That would make this issue no longer the sick joke that it is today.

In the meantime drug classes will see a sharp rise in the number of students and marijuana will become even more prevalent than it already is.

source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com

To what do you attribute to the recent rash of drug-addicted babies? From coast-to-coast hospitals are finding babies born already addicted to drugs.

I can tell you one thing – it is not all the hormones they are putting into our food. I believe it is prescription medication.

The neonatal unit isn't supposed to be a drug rehab ward.

But the drugs their mothers took are causing more newborns in the Sacramento, California area to spend their first days of life suffering through the pains of withdrawal.

From 2008 to 2010 submitted by hospitals to the state, the number of infants suffering withdrawal in the four-county area has doubled since the start of the decade.

Doctors diagnosed 156 local newborns with neonatal withdrawal syndrome from 2008 to 2010.

The syndrome generally occurs when mothers use drugs, particularly opiate painkillers, for an extended period during pregnancy. Its symptoms are similar to what addicts often experience when stopping a drug: sweating, fever, restlessness, poor appetite, vomiting and tremors.

Poor little babes, this is no way to enter a cold world.

While the syndrome is more prevalent, it is still rare, affecting one of every 450 local births in 2010.

More babies – about one of every 80 born in the region – are affected in some way by maternal drug use but do not suffer withdrawal symptoms. That figure, which experts say underestimates the problem, has grown at a moderate pace for years, and doctors have reported a shift from cocaine toward narcotics.

What is the culprit? Clinicians blame the rise in newborn drug withdrawal on increased use – and abuse – of prescription painkillers.

Nationally, reports of neonatal withdrawal syndrome increased from 7,500 to 12,000 from 1995 to 2008, or seven times faster than the growth in total births. The report said that "an indeterminate part" of the rise is due to "more liberal use of prescription opiates."

Pregnant mothers often realize that abusing drugs could harm their infants, but cannot kick the habit. Thirty-four-year-old Jennifer Hohnholz of Rancho Cordova said she smoked crack cocaine in 2009 while pregnant with her third child.

Hohnholz's child was born healthy but tested positive for drugs. The child was adopted and Hohnholz, who is now clean, hasn't seen her since.

Hohnholz, the former addict, went through a drug treatment program and got clean. She recently completed a certificate in office administration, and is looking for work.

She gave birth to a healthy son, Jaden, 17 months ago.

Drug classes and treatment do work. Regardless of your situation or what drug you are addicted to drug education is crucial to healthy babies and a productive society.

Source: http://www.sacbee.com

Drug abuse is on the rise among our nation’s youth. The two main drugs that have seen the highest increase in use are marijuana and prescription medications. The key to stopping long-term drug problems is to continue to try and educate youth and convince them not to even try drugs, alcohol and even cigarettes.

Native American Troubles

A national survey asking about use of alcohol and 9 drug classes, including marijuana, inhalants, heroin and prescription painkillers (2005-2008) revealed that there many problems. The study included youth ages 12 to 17.

About 37% of Native American teens reported using alcohol in the past year. Those numbers compare to other races in that 35 percent of whites and 32 percent of Hispanics, 31 percent of mixed race, 25 percent of blacks and 19 percent of Asians reported using alcohol.

With respect to drug use the survey found that about 31 percent of Native Americans used in the past year, compared with 23 percent of those who considered themselves mixed race and 20 percent of whites, the research found. About 19 percent of black, 18 percent of Hispanic teens and 12 percent of Asian teens said they used drugs in the past year.

Marijuana is still the drug of choice. Prescription painkillers like OxyContin and Vicodin have replaced inhalants as the second most commonly.

The study showed that about 8 in a hundred teens met the criteria for substance abuse disorder, which means their use escalated, caused legal problems or interfered with other activities.

It is not surprising that heroin users were the most-likely to form an addiction, but we all know marijuana use and abuse is quite addictive as well.

If you or someone you care about has a drug or alcohol issues please seek help immediately. There are also online drug and alcohol classes and minor in possession classes too.

source: http://www.businessweek.com/news/2011-11-15/black-and-asian-teens-have-lowest-rates-of-drug-and-alcohol-use.html

What comes to mind when you think of women in Saudi Arabia? I bet drug addiction is not one of the images you imagined.

According to a director of the anti-drug department (who knew Saudi Arabia even had one) the country’s women are becoming victims of drug abuse.

Brig. Gen. Abdullah Al-Jameel said women were victims of abuse in most drug cases registered by his department. They have become victims of drug abuse after being lured into it either by their husbands or any one of their relatives who are drug addicts or traffickers. Among women, those who are employees or have a fixed income are more susceptible to drug abuse.

Al-Jameel also pointed out that the drug mafia was flourishing following the recent political turmoil and turbulence in the neighboring Arab countries. Drug smuggling and trafficking is considered a major crime in the Kingdom, where offenders may receive the death penalty if convicted.

While underscoring the fact that Saudi Arabia is one of the main targets of drug traffickers, the official reaffirmed that the Kingdom has the potential and capability to confront any challenges posed by the international drug mafia.

There is no doubt that mafia activities flourish when there is political turmoil or instability in any country. The government is working toward combating the trafficking.

Al-Jameel claims The Kingdom is a main target of drug gangs.

A majority of women inmates at prisons in the Eastern Province are those who have been detained in connection with immoral and drug related cases. In most drug cases registered there were women who had become victims of exploitation either by their husbands or any of their relatives. This is more obvious in the case of women with employment or financial resources. There are also some cases in which women are misused as drug carriers.

Sometimes it is interesting to see that drug abuse is a global problem. Without much knowledge of the Arab world and day-to-day activities you ten to stereotype the region as sober. Hopefully the Saudi government will hold drug classes and try to educate the public on the dangers of drugs and alcohol. Obviously the threat of punishment or death is not working.

Source: http://arabnews.com

As a counselor for drug awareness classes I discussed the tragic demise and death of pop diva Whitney Houston with my students last weekend. Both Houston and Michael Jackson dies in the past year or so from drug overdose. Both had long histories of drug and substance abuse and both mixed all kinds of drugs.

Bankrupt

It is hard to believe that someone could fritter away $150 million. Mike Tyson, another celebrity with a long history of substance abuse too, managed to do it.

Houston’s fortune disappeared under a mound of white powder.

At her peak in the 1980s and ’90s, Whitney was the golden girl of the music industry — and one of the world’s best-selling artists. But her descent into a drug-addled hell saw the hits dry up — and her millions swallowed up by ruthless dealers.

Who Lives Like This?

Whitney famously denied using crack when she was interviewed on TV in 2002, saying: “I make too much money to smoke crack. But she would eventually admit to abusing cocaine, marijuana and pills — while her powerful voice was ruined by the effects of smoking crack pipes.

Sign, Signs Everywhere are Signs!

Houston was rushed to hospital in 2003 with blood gushing from her nose, later emerging with a bizarre bandage on her face. And the full extent of her spiral into squalor and degradation emerged in 2006 with the publication of shocking photos showing the disgusting state of her bathroom after a drug binge.

Drug gear, including a crack pipe and cocaine-encrusted spoons, was strewn across the filthy room. In a brutally honest interview with TV chat queen Oprah Winfrey three years later, Whitney finally admitted for the first time that she had become addicted to crack in the 1990s after marrying fellow pop star Bobby Brown.

She even admitted she spent seven months living in her pajamas while hooked on the killer drug.

Whitney told how she and Brown would get off their heads smoking cannabis laced with crack.

Houston admitted that her drug problems began to spiral out of control after finishing the film “The Bodyguard” with Kevin Costner in.

Houston twice went into rehab before telling Oprah she was drug-free in 2010.

In 2006 she faced eviction from her £4million home after running up almost £500,000 in mortgage arrears and unpaid taxes.

Just five years earlier, Whitney had signed what was then the biggest record deal in music history — a $100 million six-album contract with Arista/BMG.

What a tragic story. Hopefully her death will serve as a beacon to others suffering from addiction. Whether it was Whitney Houston’s $150 million, a middle class businessperson blowing $250,000 or a working-class citizen losing $5,000 on drugs, addiction take their toll on all who abuse.

Source: indepthafrica.com

Drug addiction does not merely affect the user. Friends and family members as well as colleagues also are affected when someone they are close to abuses drugs. In addition to both in class and online drug classes there are other things families can do to cope with a drug-addicted loved one.

Families affected by substance abuse and addiction often are caught unaware, with no idea how to deal with the problems they face. There is no road map for dealing with a family member suffering from drug and/or alcohol abuse or addiction, but there are strategies to keep in mind that can help.

Following are a few tips I like to offer in my drug education classes:

• Act Quickly: If you suspect a family member has a problem with drugs and/or alcohol. Express your concerns and contact an addictions professional for guidance and direction. It is not true that a person must "hit bottom" before he or she can get help.
• Look for Signs: Signs of a drug or alcohol problem include difficulty meeting expectations at school or work, behavioral changes, change in friends, secretive behavior, legal problems, diminished personal hygiene, relationship problems, friends who negatively impact individual.
• Get Help for Yourself: Seek help for yourself through a counselor or support group such as Al-Anon.
• Establish Rules: Don't be afraid to establish rules for teens and young adult children, and hold them accountable to following them.
• Keep Track: Keep a record of behaviors and incidents that disrupt your household or use in the event that the affected individual denies such incidents occurred.
• You May Need a Pro: If the individual's behavior becomes intolerable to the point that it's affecting the safety or well-being of other family members, seek advice from a professional about putting the individual out of the home.
• Follow Through is Key: When setting rules and establishing consequences for rules not followed, be prepared to follow through. Acting early and decisively maximize the possibility of positive outcomes for your loved one and you. 

All of these will help when dealing with someone battling addiction. The key is to not keep it a secret. Seek help. A good drug class is a place to start. If you prefer to maintain anonymity there are online drug classes too.

source: http://readingeagle.com/article.aspx?id=362181

Interesting infographic on Prescription Drugs.

Created by: MedicalBillingandCodingOnline.org

I am sure you have heard the saying “where there is smoke there is fire.” UFC heavyweight Dave Herman has to defend him against charges of smoking marijuana according to mmajunkie.com.

Herman is rethinking the crowd he hangs out with between fights. He claims he didn’t smoke the weed, but was recently around those who used the drug, which may have caused him to fail a pre-fight drug

I don’t buy a word he says, claiming that he sees people smoking marijuana every day. He even uses the argument that it is legal in California.

I don’t know about you, but I don’t see people smoking weed every day!

Herman tested positive for marijuana but tested clean for steroids and other performance-enhancing drugs.

How serious is this guy? He claims he knows he should be staying at home while training for a fight, but that gets boring so he has to go hang out with people smoking marijuana. Give me a break!

Herman should start by taking a drug class. He should also not hang around people who smoke. Do you think he ingested second-hand smoke, or do you agree that where there’s smoke there’s fire?

Despite little if any crackdown on the illegal drugs already popular, makers of synthetic drugs seem to create a new one every day. The dangerous thing about these drugs is parents are the last to learn about them. These drugs are hitting hard as early as 5^th and 6^th grade!

Last week I blogged about a number of horrific cases involving crystal meth. I also blogged about the dangers of all the new synthetic drugs flooding the market. The latest scare is called “shake and bake.”

The science involved in creating the chemical compound continues to evolve, including an easier recipe called "Shake and Bake" that is available on the Internet.

More Horror Stories

Last month, an Oklahoma woman was arrested as she walked around a Wal-Mart store — for six hours before she was noticed — mixing ingredients for Shake and Bake.

In one of the recent attacks by meth users, Danielle Mailloux received a nine- month sentence in Bakersfield Tuesday for stabbing her 6-week-old infant in the back and cutting her along her abdomen, jaw and neck during a binge. The baby survived.

In Oklahoma, authorities charged Lyndsey Fiddler with second-degree manslaughter after an aunt found her infant daughter in a washing machine thudding off balance in the spin cycle. The aunt told authorities that Fiddler had been up for three days using meth.

In Albuquerque, N.M., last month Liehsa Henderson, high on meth, claimed to be God and told police God wanted her son to die after allegedly stabbing him in the neck with a screwdriver. The boy survived.

Perhaps the most gruesome story was when Fresno police found Aide Mendez dead on the bathroom floor of her home. Her children — 17-month-old Aliyah Echevarria and Isaiah Echevarria, 3 — were in the bathtub. Mendez's cousin was dead in the kitchen. She had shot each in the head. The children's father remains hospitalized with stabbing and gunshot wounds.

Police recovered 10 grams of meth, $8,000 and scales — and the iPad the young mother used to videotape herself smoking meth.

These stories are things that are not created by Hollywood. These happen every month, every week, every day. There needs to be more education, drug classes and counseling. The drugs produced today don’t ruin days or weeks, they ruin lives.

Source: CBS News

A day does not pass where a horrific tale of drug abuse wrenches my heart. If you are weak and cannot handle extreme stories of sadness, read no farther. Should you care to glimpse yet another tragic situation in the capital of crystal meth, read on. Trust me these are disturbing.

Sick, Sick, Sick

Let’s begin by stating this is a story from CBS News about the dangers of crystal meth. That was the drug responsible when a 23-year-old Fresno, California woman fatally shot her two toddlers and a cousin, critically wounded her husband then turned the gun on herself. It turned out the mother had videotaped herself smoking meth hours before the shooting.

In family photos, the children are adorable, the mother pretty. They lived in a large apartment complex near a freeway with neatly clipped lawns and mature trees. The father was recently laid off from a packing house job.

Less than two days later a Bakersfield mother was sentenced for stabbing her newborn while in a meth rage. An Oklahoma woman drowned her baby in a washing machine in November. A New Mexico woman claiming to be God stabbed her son with a screwdriver last month, saying, "God wants him dead."

The Central Valley of California is a hub of the nation's methamphetamine distribution network, making extremely pure forms of the drug easily available locally.

This is an extremely addictive and dangerous drug. I am sure you have been told this before.

Chronic use of the harsh chemical compound known as speed or crank can lead to psychosis, which includes hearing voices and experiencing hallucinations. The stimulant effect of meth is up to 50 times longer than cocaine so users stay awake for days on end, impairing cognitive function and contributing to extreme paranoia.

Most law enforcement agencies don't keep statistics on how many homicides, burglaries and thefts are meth-related, but those responding to the National Drug Intelligence Center's 2011 survey said the drug is the top contributor to violent crimes and thefts.

Authorities say the science involved in creating the chemical compound continues to evolve, including an easier recipe called "Shake and Bake" that is available on the Internet. Last month, an Oklahoma woman was arrested as she walked around a Wal-Mart store — for six hours before she was noticed — mixing ingredients for Shake and Bake.

In one of the recent attacks by meth users, Danielle Mailloux received a nine- month sentence in Bakersfield Tuesday for stabbing her 6-week-old infant in the back and cutting her along her abdomen, jaw and neck during a binge. The baby survived.

"It's not illegal because we don't want people to feel better. It's illegal because it makes good people do crazy things," said Mailloux's defense attorney, Mark Anthony Raimondo.

These stories are absolutely sickening. This is one of the worst drugs because it is so easy to manufacture and is so inexpensive. More drug classes are needed to keep kids from ever starting this junk!