One of the primary problems with medicinal marijuana is those using it and operating motor vehicles. If you are a non-pot smoker or marijuana user, how much tolerance do you have for people using THC and driving? Not much I bet.

The fact is both users of medicinal marijuana and recreational marijuana are driving under the influence regularly.

How do you tell if someone is too stoned to drive?

Keep in mind - driving while impaired by any drug is illegal in all states!

Most convictions for drugged driving now are based on police observations, followed later by a blood test, according to the Huffington Post.

The goal of course is to establish a field-sobriety test that can indicate whether a person is stoned at the time of the incident, or merely has residual THC in their system.

Of course, the problem is that marijuana stays in the blood long after the high wears off a few hours after use, and there is no quick test to determine someone's level of impairment – not that scientists haven't been working on it.

A solution needs to be found and quickly. Marijuana causes dizziness, slowed reaction time and drivers are more likely to drift and swerve while they're high.

Proposed solutions include setting limits on the amount of the main psychoactive chemical in marijuana, THC that drivers can have in their blood. But THC limits to determine impairment are not widely agreed upon.

The “legal limit” varies from state-to-state. Two states place the standard at 2 nanograms per milliliter of blood. Others have zero tolerance policies. And Colorado and Washington state are debating a threshold of 5 nanograms.

But several factors can skew THC blood tests, including age, gender, weight and frequency of marijuana use. Also, THC can remain in the system weeks after a user sobers up, leading to the anxiety shared by many in the 16 medical marijuana states: They could be at risk for a positive test at any time, whether they had recently used the drug or not.

Researchers envision a day when marijuana tests are as common in police cars as Breathalyzers.

We have some of the world’s greatest scientists. While this may not be the most pressing issue in medicine, there should be a priority placed on finding a Breathalyzer-type solution to test for marijuana.

Good dental hygiene is critical to the overall health of the human body. Don’t believe me? Google it!

As reported in the Post and Courier, The destruction of the oral cavity is just one of the many harmful and lethal effects of methamphetamine. One of the visual signs of a meth addict is the destruction of the teeth and gums.

The nasty-looking tooth decay known as "meth mouth" is a strain on recovering addicts and on the budgets of the of prisons and state governments across the country.

Meth use, combines with poor dietary habits and self-neglect contribute to patients' stained, rotten and crumbling teeth.

How does this happen? Research indicates meth abuse alters the level of acidity in patients' saliva, a factor that compounds their often severe dental problems.

Poor personal hygiene, teeth clenching and grinding and excessive cravings for sugary drinks accelerate decay among meth mouth patients.

Why is a lot of saliva important? Because saliva can wash away harmful bacteria that causes decay. Lack of saliva means bacteria remain on the teeth. And saliva that is too acidic fails to adequately "buffer" or protect teeth from decay.

A pair of studies have shown that meth addicts had less saliva than the non-addicts. The drug users' saliva was more acidic and their ability to neutralize acid in the mouth "was significantly less" than the control group.

If continued studies reveal similar results the net effect could be great as health providers eventually could incorporate them into treatment plans by prescribing medications that make saliva less acidic. Doing so could make standard reconstructive treatments, such as bridges and crowns, less likely to fail.

Meth is a horrible, horrible drug. As a recovering drug addict who suffers addictions to a variety of drugs, I can attest that this one is one of the worst. If you or someone you care about has a meth problem, please seek help ASAP. If you prefer to maintain anonymity, there are online drug classes too.

I have long espoused that celebrities certainly should not be role models.  In the past week two “celebrities,” have been arrested for possible drug-related offenses.  One of the two may get off (pun intended) without a drug charge claiming it was mental illness rather than drugs that caused a complete public breakdown.

The Shame! Or Mental Illness?

For those of you in the film industry you most-likely have heard the name Jason Russell. His mini-documentary KONY 2012 is making waves around the world. It tells the story of Ugandan despot Joseph Kony, who has created an army out of hundreds of thousands of kidnapped children. The video has had more than 80 million views in just a few weeks.

Perhaps the stress and pressure of making such a film was too much for the director who seemed to have snapped. In San Diego on St. Patrick’s Day, Russell was caught nude and masturbating, pounding the pavement with his fists out in public.

Supposedly it was due to stress and dehydration, but police bought the story and released him to a local hospital with no charges pressed. Something seems a little fishy. I would bet drugs were involved somewhere in the day.

80s Singer Arrested Too

El DeBarge was not lucky enough to escape prosecution for a drug-related offense in Encino, California this past weekend. As reported in the LA Times, the singer from the 80s band of the same name was arrested on suspicion of drug possession with intent to sell and booked on suspicion of possession for sale of drugs.

El DeBarge, best known for the Grammy-winning song "Rhythm of the Night" in the mid-1980s as part of his family's group DeBarge.

Drugs are evil.  If you or someone you love has a drug problem please seek help ASAP.  If you prefer anonymity there are online drug classes too.

In case you were wondering, crystal meth is a very bad drug. It ruins lives and kills people. Some of the victims are completely innocent.

Back in the 1960s people learned it may be bad to smoke cigarettes while pregnant. That proved to be true. How do you think doing meth affects a fetus? Of course, that question was rhetorical.

Meth is a stimulant drug that wreaks havoc on the nervous system, causing brain changes that could cause anxiety, mood problems, and violent behavior. CBS news reports of a new study that says pregnant moms who use meth can pass some of these behavioral problems onto their kids.

It was the first study to examine meth use and its impact on a pregnancy. It followed 330 youngsters ages 3 through 5 who hailed from areas of the West and Midwest where meth use is most common.

The Study

Mothers were recruited shortly after giving birth in Des Moines, Honolulu, Los Angeles, and Tulsa. All had used meth during pregnancy. To test for evidence in the babies, the facility used stool samples. Effects in children exposed to the drug were compared with those whose mothers didn't use meth through behavioral checklists filled out by moms or caregivers. Both groups were high-risk children, with many living in disadvantaged homes.

The study revealed that by age 3, scores for anxiety, depression and moodiness were slightly higher in meth-users' children, with differences persisting at age 5. The older children who'd been exposed to meth also had more aggression and attention problems similar to ADHD, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.

It is sad to say that more than half of the meth-using moms in the study also used the drug after giving birth. These women were also more likely to use other drugs during and after pregnancy and to be single mothers.

Currently there are about 1.2 million Americans age 12 or older saying in 2009 that they had abused meth at least once in the previous year.

Methamphetamine has stronger effects on the brain so it may be more likely to cause lasting effects in children. It is estimated that fewer than 1 percent of pregnant women are users.

This is a perfect example of why some people should have to have a license to procreate. How can anyone knowingly take such strong drugs and substances knowing there is a good chance it will affect their unborn child? The answer is someone who is extremely self-involved and selfish – AKA an addict! Perhaps these women need California Drug Classes?

The latest rehabilitation effort for first-time drug and alcohol offenders are drug classes and drug courts. While many have questioned their effectiveness, the proof is out there – drug classes work!

For those of you unfamiliar with the system, drug court is a rehabilitation program of sorts. The program is an alternative to serving jail time for drug sentences. Typically, the offenders would serve as many as 12 years, but instead they serve a year to 18 months.

One of the youngest to complete the program was Sean Riley, 20, who already had five counts on his rap sheet before drug court.

Believe it or not, his five counts are fairly low compared to other graduates. The average number of drug-related arrests for the 100 graduates is 20 prior to entering drug court, with some as high as 40.

Drug court is about making people face the consequences of their actions. Sometimes going to jail and usurping more public resources is not the right answer. Drug courts combined with drug classes and counseling is yet another attempt to look outside the box to solve one of the biggest problems facing America today.

It seeks to address the problem that got them in trouble with the criminal justice system to begin with while still requiring them to live up to their responsibilities as a citizen.

To complete drug court, the focus becomes beating drug or alcohol addiction. The program is difficult with an attrition rate between 40 and 80%.

However, the reward for completing the program is grand. Once they complete the program, whatever charge landed them in drug court is dismissed from their record.

The program is paid through client fees from the people taking the class and from drug money seized by the state in drug cases. The goal in fighting the addiction behind the arrests is that the program in the long run will equal fewer prisoners and save taxpayer dollars.

This appears to be one of the few bright spots in our “war on drugs.” We need to continue to try and fight the addiction. If you kick the addiction, you find a healthy, productive member of society.

Source: http://www.carolinalive.com/news/story.aspx?id=732624

Drugs are a global problem. In no place is it more prevalent than Russia.

As reported in the New York Times, it is common knowledge that illicit drug use in the Russian Federation has reached critical proportions. It is also common knowledge that people who use drugs are among those most at-risk of infection with H.I.V. And it is common knowledge that since the beginning of the H.I.V./AIDS epidemic three decades ago simple tools such as Medication Assisted Therapy (methadone, buprenorphine) and clean needle-exchange services have proven very effective in decreasing drug abuse and reducing risk of infection with H.I.V., Hepatitis C and other diseases.

Russians Shoot Up

Russia has one of the world’s highest levels of injecting drug use. There are almost 2 million injecting drug users, and over 1.6 million opiate users. The number of HIV users has grown from 100,000 people to over a million in the last 10 years in Russia. Today there are over 1 million, and injecting drug users represent some 78 percent of all H.I.V. cases in the country.

This means that more than one third of all injecting drugs users are H.I.V.-positive — with peaks at three-quarters in some cities — and three-quarters of them are also living with the Hepatitis C virus. The human cost is devastating, and the social fallout is appalling: Russia now accounts for two thirds of the Eastern Europe and Central Asian H.I.V. epidemic, the fastest growing in the world.

Russia restricts such measures as needle and syringe exchange programs. The new National Drug Strategy proclaims a “zero-tolerance” approach to drug use in a country that already incarcerates enormous numbers of young people for substance use — and does so without drug treatment for those who need it.

These policies fuel poor treatment, discrimination and vulnerability to disease among drug users. They are contrary to WHO and U.N. recommendations, and go against the “E.U.-Russia Roadmap on the Common Space of Freedom, Security and Justice,” which emphasizes the principles of nondiscrimination and respect for human rights. They also contradict the 2001 Declaration of Commitment on H.I.V./AIDS and the 2006 Political Declaration on H.I.V./AIDS, both of which have been signed by the Russian Federation.

Yet the policies implemented by the Russian authorities have resulted in desperate situations for most of the people who use drugs in the country.

Russia’s national policies have driven drug use underground, and only made people who inject drugs harder to reach — with only 25 percent of them having access to anti-retroviral treatment. Drug offenses now account for 20 percent of the prison population.

Russia has the means to enshrine health as a human right. Combination prevention is the future. For injecting drugs users, this means clean needles and syringes, Medication Assisted Therapy for those who want drug treatment, and access to anti-retroviral therapies for all H.I.V.-positive drug users. That combination works.

The country cannot stop trying to educate and rehabilitate their drug users. Nobody wants to stay addicted to drugs. Nobody wishes their addiction on their children or those they care about. Russia must continue to provide drug classes and work toward reducing use.

Most psychologists will tell you that kids should not spend too much time in front of a screen. When we were kids this was not a problem. With no video games or cable TV we didn’t have to worry about too much screen time.

Parents already panicky about the amount of time their teenage children spend online may now have something new to worry about: All those hours spent Web surfing, chatting, gaming, texting and posting to Facebook could be a warning sign of substance abuse, according to a new study in the March issue of the Journal of Addiction Medicine.

Internet use Could Lead to Substance Abuse

According to ABC News, Greek researchers found that teenagers with “pathologic” Internet use were more likely to admit to drug abuse. As excessive Internet use increased, so did the likelihood of substance abuse. The study also linked substance abuse and excessive Internet use to such personality traits as nonconformity, aggressiveness, recklessness and impulsiveness.

The study surveyed 1,271 students between the ages of 14 and 19 on the Aegean island of Kos about their Internet use, substance use and personality. To determine who was “Internet addicted,” the researchers administered a 20-question “Internet addiction test” that asked how often the students stayed online longer than they’d intended, how often their grades or studies slipped because of the amount of line spent online, how often they’d “yell, snap or act annoyed” if someone bothered them while they were online.

When they compared the mean values of “illicit substance abuse” among the teenage participants, the researchers found that those who reported substance abuse had “significantly” higher mean scores on the Internet addiction test, and that those scores were important predictors for substance use, either past or present.

When is your kid an Internet Addict?

Parents might wonder when they should start to worry about their “Internet addict” kids. At what point does mere gadget fixation morph into something more “pathologic” or “addictive”? And what is “pathologic” Internet use?

There’s no agreed-upon answer. Internet addiction is not a recognized formal diagnosis, and holds no place in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders — the psychiatrists’ “bible” — although Internet addiction could make it into the appendix of the manual’s new edition as a special disorder that requires more research, according to the American Psychiatric Association.

For now, medical practitioners turn to the symptoms of other addictive disorders, such as gambling and substance abuse — compulsiveness, lack of control, failed attempts to cut back, disregard for obvious negative consequences — to diagnose Internet addiction.

And before parents freak too much over this latest heady headline notching up the danger in the Internet zone, they should keep in mind that while this latest study found links between drug use, Internet use and personality type — that’s all they are.

Nevertheless, it is good to monitor your kids’ screen time. A little extra time off the screen now could keep them from having to take a drug class later on.

How many musicians have to die from substance abuse before a more concerned effort is made to keeping them off of drugs and alcohol?

Treating musicians with substance abuse issues is among the goals of MusiCares, according to the LA Times. Realistically, however, no one can force troubled artists to get help.

Whitney Houston’s death last month on the eve of the Grammy awards still has fans and the music industry reeling, but it holds an extra measure of resonance to those whose primary mission is helping struggling musicians put their lives back on track.

The Irony

The singer's death at age 48 came just a few hours after the closing notes of the Recording Academy's MusiCares Person of the Year tribute in Los Angeles, the major fundraiser for the organization's foundation created more than two decades ago to help musicians in need — many of them like Houston wrestling with substance or alcohol abuse issues.

Though the cause of Houston's death is still under investigation, one of the many questions prompted by it and the passing of pop stars as varied as Amy Winehouse, Michael Jackson and Elvis Presley is this: If celebrities who have access to every resource available can't get help, what hope is there for the majority of people who haven't experienced the smallest fraction of their success?

The fact is you can't reach an addict when he's not ready. I've been through the struggle. To an alcoholic, I like to think it's a self-diagnosed disease: Nobody can tell you you're an alcoholic until you tell yourself.

Who Can Help the Stars?

Music industry veterans who've dealt closely with issues stemming from substance abuse say that though stars may be able to afford the highest quality treatment options out there, their fame and fortune can also can leave them more isolated from the tools they need to overcome their addictions. As a result, celebrities may frequently find themselves in the position of choosing, or being pressured, to continue self-destructive habits just to keep career momentum.

Many longtime associates of Jackson and Presley complained about being unable, in the stars' final years, to penetrate the circle of handlers they'd surrounded themselves with.

MusiCares provides "safe harbor" rooms at various special events where musicians in recovery can go to avoid relapsing. There also is a growing contingent of "sober companions," whose job is to look out for their clients' sobriety in the face of the many temptations surrounding them.

There are successes, but those stories usually don't generate nearly as much attention as the high-profile failures.

If Houston's death contributes to a broader understanding of addiction and substance abuse, her legacy might include more than the million-selling recordings she left behind.

Addiction can affect anyone. No human being is immune to addiction issues if they use drugs or alcohol. If you or someone you care about may have a drug or alcohol problem, please seek help immediately. There are also online drug classes.

Is it just me or do NFL wide receivers get into more trouble than other position players? The Cincinnati Bengals seem to have more than their fair share of players with drug and other legal problems.

Bengals receiver Jerome Simpson could receive a 60-day jail sentence after pleading guilty to a drug-related felony charge according to ESPN as part of an agreement with prosecutors, further clouding his future in the NFL.

The four-year veteran is a free agent after completing his contract with the Bengals. His guilty plea could bring a suspension from the league, which would make him less attractive on the free-agent market.

A Whole Lot of Weed

This drug case began back in September, when a package containing approximately two pounds of marijuana was delivered to his home in northern Kentucky.

The package had been tracked by agents from California. Authorities later searched Simpson's home and found approximately another pound of marijuana. He was indicted on a felony charge of marijuana trafficking.

The agreement also calls for three years' probation, 200 hours of community service and drug treatment.

The agreement stipulates that there is no evidence Simpson was dealing marijuana. Simpson’s attorney said Simpson had the marijuana for personal use ( 3 pounds of it) and was probably sharing it with friends.

The agreement allows for Simpson to be on a work-release program -- leave jail during the day to work -- but the judge will decide if that's appropriate.

The second-round draft pick from Coastal Carolina caught 53 passes for 758 yards and four touchdowns last season as a complement to rookie Pro Bowl receiver A.J. Green. His grandest moment -- a flip over a defender to score a touchdown -- became a staple of NFL highlight films.

Simpson had one of the SportsCenter highlights of the year in the NFL last season when he did a heels-over-head flip over Arizona linebacker Daryl Washington at the goal line and landed on his feet in the end zone during a 23-16 win on Dec. 14. Simpson raised both arms in triumph, like a gymnast who had just stuck a landing.

Simpson is one of four Bengals either arrested or indicted since last July, along with linebacker Rey Maualuga, running back Cedric Benson and cornerback Adam “Pacman” Jones

Maualuga has pleaded not guilty to a misdemeanor assault charge resulting from an altercation at a downtown Cincinnati bar on Feb. 5. It's his second court case in two years. Maualuga pleaded guilty to drunken driving after police in northern Kentucky said he hit a parking meter and two parked cars in January 2010.

The NFL fined Maualuga two game checks and made him forfeit a two-week share of his signing bonus for violating its conduct policy with the drunken driving case. As a repeat offender under the policy, Maualuga could face a suspension next season, depending upon the outcome of his latest case.

Benson, who is a free agent and is unlikely to return to Cincinnati, was charged with misdemeanor assault last July for an altercation with a former roommate in Texas. He served five days in jail there before the start of the season, and was suspended for one game by the NFL.

Jones, who also is a free agent, pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge of disorderly conduct for a disturbance at a downtown bar last July. He was sentenced to a year of probation and community service. Jones has repeatedly been suspended during his seven years with the league, and faces more discipline if he signs with a team.

Wow, a bunch of bad apples on the same team. The Bengals should probably institute a mandatory Ohio drug class for all of its players.

College life has always had some element of drugs and alcohol. Some campuses certainly are more prone to drug and alcohol issues. It is high time (pun intended) that universities start taking steps to discourage the rampant use of drugs and alcohol on their campuses.

One of the schools recently hit hard by drug troubles is Texas Christian University in Ft Worth, TX.

The TCU Horned Frogs are the local sweethearts. The school and its sports teams have been the center of their community, almost always in a positive light.

Fans flock to football games even if they didn't attend the private school. People across Tarrant County wear purple to support the Frogs. Young boys want to play ball like LaDainian Tomlinson and Andy Dalton. Nearby businesses tout TCU and sell purple fan gear. You get the picture.

It was not a pleasant day when the school announced a major drug investigation uncovered serious drug problems at the school and on the football team. Four football players were arrested for selling drugs.

The arrests sent a tough message to college students everywhere: There is zero tolerance for drug dealing. Leaders and campus police at several universities said that even if the public expects drug use on campuses, officers have a responsibility to enforce the law.

The drug sting toll sat at 19 people accused, including 15 students. Four of the 15 students arrested were football players. It was later reported that five football players had tested positive for marijuana and failed a Feb. 1 test initiated by coach Gary Patterson.

Ten of those arrested are accused of selling 1/4 ounce to 5 pounds of marijuana.

Three people were arrested on suspicion of selling controlled substances, three on suspicion of selling both marijuana and a controlled substance, and one on suspicion of selling fake LSD and marijuana. One person, who was not identified, was arrested on suspicion of marijuana possession.

I would bet that they could put a drug sting on virtually any campus in America. Maybe some football programs would survive, but drugs are so pervasive in society and on campus that all schools are guilty. What do you think the answer is? Do you think that mandatory drug classes would help?

Source: http://www.star-telegram.com/2012/02/19/3745958/campuses-take-tough-stance-on.html