Often in life one bad thing begets a string of others.  That is why it is best to try and do the right thing every time.  Treat our fellow man with love, kindness and respect. Following is a sad story that has affected many lives.

A young man said that he was sexually assaulted as an altar boy by two Philadelphia priests and that he soon turned to drugs for relief according to the Huffington Post.

So far the policeman’s son has been in and out of rehab 23 times trying to battle his addictions to heroin, painkillers and other drugs.  He started smoking marijuana at age 11.

The 23-year-old testified that parish priest Edward Avery twice raped him after Mass in 1999, when he was a 10-year-old altar boy.

He also had been raped by his fifth-grade teacher from the parish school.

The next part is sick skip if lighthearted

The priest was a freaky dude, making Avery put on church music and do a striptease in a small anteroom inside St. Jerome's Church in northeast Philadelphia in 1999, then engaged in mutual oral sex and masturbation. He said he once had to use his shirt to wipe the priest's semen off of him before walking home.

Start again here

He said his 14-year-old brother – who did not know about the alleged abuse – introduced him to marijuana and alcohol at a party that summer. He got high nearly every day for 10 years.

There is a lot of sickness and negativity out there.  Drugs and alcohol are the scourge of society.  Mandatory Pennsylvania drug classes might be a possible and partial solution.

With so many celebrities entering rehab and numerous others dying from drug abuse it begs to ask the question as to whether celebrities are more prone to addiction than the rest of us. What do you think? 

While experts do not believe celebrities are wired any differently, they do logically point out that celebs have the opportunity and resources and that is why they are more prone to do drugs.

Wendy Williams

Daytime talk-show host Wendy Williams was hit hard by the death of Whitney Houston. Williams, like Houston, suffered from a serious addiction to cocaine. Whiel Houston never could kill her demon Williams walked away from her secret cocaine addiction years ago because she wanted a better life, because it was breaking her parents' hearts and because she knew that otherwise she was headed to an early grave.

Williams admits that the crack pipe was once her best friend. She claims she has been sober for more than 15 years.

The 47-year-old Williams, a former radio star whose three year-old talk show has been renewed for two more years and is syndicated in more than 150 markets, started dabbling in drugs when she was in college, but later fame and success didn't prevent her escalating habit.

Williams is another success story. Hopefully she will remain sober and help keep America’s next generation from ever trying drugs.

If you're interested in reading the rest of this series, be sure to catch Part 1, Part 2, and Part 3!

Sir Richard Branson has long been outspoken on his views and opinions regarding drug use, abuse and enforcement. Once again he makes headlines by saying he believes drugs should be legalized.

The founder of the Virgin Group who has been involved in some crazy things over the years, including attempting to circle the globe in a balloon and selling space travel to the affluent is all for legalizing drugs. This according to the Daily News.

The British billionaire believes punishment fails to stem drug abuse, and is calling on countries to decriminalize drug use and eliminate criminal penalties on narcotics consumers.

Branson has been involved in the anti-drug movement for many years. He serves on the Global Commission on Drug Policy, which has among its member’s former presidents of Colombia, Brazil and Switzerland. His group released a scathing indictment about the ineffectiveness of the war on drugs. The report went so far as to dismiss the threat of prosecution as a deterrent for drug use.

Portugal Lead by Example

One of Branson’s favorite examples is Portugal which abandoned criminal prosecution for drug use in 2001. Portugal’s Institute on Drugs and Drug Addiction has reported that the percentage of drug addicts in newly diagnosed HIV patients dropped to 22 percent in 2008 from 40 percent in 2002. Illicit drug use is linked to the spread of HIV, due to factors such as sharing needles.

The billionaire business owner was asked the difficult question about his workers’ productivity falling behind if marijuana was legalized. His response was to attack the alcohol and tobacco industries claiming both hurt productivity more than marijuana.

It is time to think outside the box on this war on drugs. Obviously what we currently are doing is not working. However, I certainly do not condone legalizing drugs. I think the answer lies in prevention – more drug classes and counseling.

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.

I had always thought it was just me that drug and alcohol abuse are much worse today than for previous generations. I know previous generations had issues as well. But the abundance, accessibility and affordability of a plethora of drugs has made society a much more drug-induced state.

Need Drug Classes Now

Drug education classes now will save billions later in drug treatment costs. It is estimated that the need for substance abuse treatment services for older Americans is expected to double by 2020.

Especially disturbing is that this prediction comes on the heels of a recent study sponsored by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) showing that the rate of illicit drug use among 50 to 59 year-olds has increased 3.1 percent in the past eight years.

Substance abuse among Baby Boomers poses many challenges for individuals, families and society.

As Baby Boomers enter a transitional stage in their lives, new stressors, such as financial strain, grieving the loss of a parent or age-related health issues, make them more prone to depression and anxiety As a generation that grew up in a time when recreational drug use was commonly accepted, Boomers are reverting to substance abuse as a way to cope with stress and change.

As a member of this illustrious group I can attest that my generation has serious issues with addiction. I refuse to blame a society that has made drugs so easy to get and use. I blame decay in morals and ethics. I blame a society that is not doing what it can to make the world better for our children and their children.

source: http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/substance-abuse-on-the-rise-among-baby-boomers-131132528.html

With prescription medication abuse becoming a problem of epidemic proportions a solution has to be found soon. I have attended numerous conferences and seminars where we discussed what education and legal remedies could slow down this problem. The consensus is that a combination of drug classes and counseling, with greater legal and political enforcement will be the answer.

Kentucky is trying to legal path by cracking down on doctors who overprescribe pain medications.

Kentucky legislators are going after the doctors who act as “pill mills.” I for one think this is a great first step. It is an initiative that all states should implement. Harsh penalities for doctors, including jail sentences will keep them from just trying to get the easy buck with prescriptions.

These drug-dealing doctors are no better than dealers selling marijuana and cocaine.

They are attempting to set up a program to identify suspicious prescribing activity.

Drug overdoses are the leading cause of death for some age groups in Kentucky, where 16.1 percent of adults ages 18 to 25 have used prescription drugs for non-prescribed purposes, according to federal drug-abuse statistics. Kentucky residents have a slightly higher prescription abuse rate with 6.5 percent of all Kentuckians having abused prescription drugs, compared to the national average of 5 percent.

They also are advising the board to take data provided by the state's Kentucky All Schedule Prescription Electronic Reporting system, known as KASPER, which tracks scheduled narcotics, and going after doctors who overprescribe pain medications. The board has countered that the data it gets from KASPER does not provide enough detailed information to determine whether a doctor is overprescribing.

One of the key problems with Kentucky’s prescription medication data board, KASPER, is that less than 25 percent of physicians use it. The state must make it mandatory that if you are going to prescribe medication, you must submit the information to KASPER.

He said another push was likely to license and regulate pain clinics. Previous attempts have failed in the legislature. 

It is an unfortunate reality but our country is bilked out of billions of dollars every month. From funds disappearing in Afghanistan to FEMA and Medicare fraud, the lack of oversight, combined with a myriad of other factors, including drug abuse and thievery, has created a real stink hole for the US Government.

The Government Accountability Office (GAO) has discovered a serious and growing public health problem" of fraud and prescription drug abuse in Medicare Part D. This reported by nurse.com.

Legal and Subsidized?

One of the real kickers here is that unlike addiction to heroin and other drugs that have no accepted medical use, addiction to some controlled substances can be financed unknowingly by insurance companies and public programs.

The report by the GAO, the independent and nonpartisan (hard to believe any could exist in Washington, right) congressional watchdog, examined prescriptions for 12 classes of frequently abused controlled substances and two classes of frequently abused non-controlled substances. It found that in 2008, about 170,000 Medicare beneficiaries (1.8% of beneficiaries receiving those 14 categories of drugs) acquired the same class of frequently abused drugs, primarily hydrocodone and oxycodone, from five or more medical practitioners during 2008 at a cost of about $148 million (about 5% of the total cost of those drugs).

Sickening Stats

Of the 170,000 Medicare beneficiaries who received prescriptions from five or more practitioners, about 120,000 (71%) were eligible for Part D benefits based on a disability, according to the GAO. Approximately 122,000 (72%) received a Medicare Low-Income Cost-Sharing Subsidy.

The problem is that federal law does not authorize Part D plans to restrict individuals' access to drugs, "leaving little recourse for preventing known doctor shoppers from obtaining hydrocodone, oxycodone and other highly abused drugs.

I am glad that the GAO recommended that  Medicare should consider additional steps such as a restricted recipient program for Medicare Part D that would limit identified doctor shoppers to one prescriber, one pharmacy or both for receiving prescriptions. Another step could be the sharing of information about identified doctor shoppers among Part D drug plan sponsors to prevent beneficiaries from circumventing the program by switching plans.

If they implement a proper plan it could help fund more drug classes and rehabilitation as our country tries to avoid being subdues by prescription drug abuse.

It seems like prescription medications are getting stronger and more addictive all the time. One of the few things I have not been addicted to I nevertheless understand the mind of an addict and the body and mind can be tempted easily into addiction.

But are there people out there who cannot exist on a current cocktail of the most high-powered pain killers on the planet?

Drug companies are working to develop a pure, more powerful version of the nation’s second most-abused medicine, which worries me that it could spur a new wave of abuse.

The new pills contain the highly addictive painkiller hydrocodone, packing up to 10 times the amount of the drug as existing medications such as Vicodin. Four companies have begun patient testing, and one of them — Zogenix of San Diego — plans to apply early next year to begin marketing its product, Zohydro.

If approved, it would mark the first time patients could legally buy pure hydrocodone. Existing products combine the drug with non-addictive painkillers such as acetaminophen.

Critics say they are especially worried about Zohydro, a timed-release drug meant for managing moderate to severe pain, because abusers could crush it to release an intense, immediate high.

Ponder This

Do we really need more potent painkillers? I respectfully ask my readers who need heavy-duty painkillers to chime in. If you do, let us know if you think you are addicted to your pain medication. There is a difference between really needing it to control pain and needing it because you like the way it makes you feel.

Celebrities and drugs go hand-in-hand. It is an unfortunate reality but adolescents with an inordinate amount of money and access to drugs they often make the poor decision. Such is the case with Disney star Demi Lovato.

These past few years were not easy on Lovato. Back in October 2010, Lovato left her music tour and entered rehab for what her camp cited then as emotional and physical issues.

Her rep released a statement at the time, "Demi has decided to take personal responsibility for her actions… she is doing just that."

Lovato was not seeking treatment for substance abuse but for self-injury and an eating disorder. 

In February's issue of Seventeen magazine, Lovato tells the explicit truth behind her emotional breakdown and rehab stay in a shocking interview. Lovato admits to drug and alcohol abuse for the first time and stays she was suffering emotionally. 

"I'm not gonna lie. I was self-medicating. I was doing things like drinking and using [drugs], like a lot of teens do to numb their pain."

This is the first public admission of substance abuse from the 19-year-old Sonny with a Chance star. Previous reports of Lovato's alleged cocaine use surfaced around the time she entered rehab. Life and Style claimed they spoke with eyewitnesses who saw Lovato use cocaine and alcohol while in Texas in December 2009. 

Lovato checked out of rehab in late January 2011. Since she left treatment, Lovato has been extremely vocal about her struggles and desire to be emotionally and physically healthy.

Demi Lovato is extremely grateful to those who supported her decision to enter treatment. Demi explains she and good friend Miley Cyrus hit some rough patches during Lovato's recovery process but remain close. Best-friend Selena Gomez has always stuck by her side. 

Hopefully Lovato has learned from her past poor choices and will stay clean and sober the rest of the way. Seeking help and getting sober was a great first step.