Arrest and Prescription Drugs

December 11th, 2011

The Office of National Drug Controls issued a study and it is called Arrestee Drug Abuse Monitoring ADAM II.  One of the unique things about this study is that they are the only federal survey that backs up their information with a urine test.   That is how they gathered their information.

When they did the survey they had 4,700 males in the age group of 18 years and older and these arrestees were involved in the criminal justice system.  They were booked in jails in some of the larger cites of the US.

The drug test were for any substance and it showed that drug use among arrestees ranged from 52% in Washington DC to 83% in Chicago.  Some were tested for multiple drugs in their system.  This survey was done in 2010 so we can safely say that these figures are most recent.  It shows that for males under the age of 21 the use of meth and cocaine is declining and positive tests for prescription drugs and heroin is increasing.  These arrestees are being booked with Opioids in their blood stream.  From all this information we are confirming the national surveys that indicate a large increase in prescription drug abuse across all age groups.

One Sheriff told reporters that he sees an increase of Oxycodone and heroin use in men under the age of 21.  So what kind of effect does this have for this sheriff?  Every year he has about 40,000 drug users who are booked into his jail.  This really works his nursing staff because they work around the clock every day treating withdrawal symptoms of these arrestees.  That is an additional burden to the county.  Most all of their medical budget goes to treating the effects or after effects of the drug abuse.

In this nation we are having a serious drug problem.  It is affecting us in all walks of life.  We need to get educated about drugs.  Something can be done about it.  If you or someone you love needs help from a drug treatment facility, we can help.  Contact our drug abuse help line now and get connected with a long-term drug rehab with a proven track record.  Call 1-877-340-3602.

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Drugging our Foster Children

December 6th, 2011

Yesterday morning Diane Sawyer on ABC world news broke with an exclusive story how the federal government has not done enough to oversee the treatment of America’s Foster children.  Well done Diane Sawyer.  There was a Government Accountability Office report and it gave information on the overuse of the most powerful mind-altering drugs on nearly 425,000 foster children.  They looked at five states, Florida, Massachusetts, Michigan, Organ and Texas.  So they now know that thousands of foster children were being prescribed psychiatric medications at doses higher than the maximum levels approved by the FDA and we are only talking about these five states.  Now that it has come to our attention, thanks to ABC World news, we will probably find many more foster kids who are being drugged.  Why do you suppose they would drug these children?  To test their drugs maybe or when a child is not having “good” behavior then people want to drug them.  Drug them so they can be quiet and be still.

According to this report children in foster care are more likely to be given mind altering drugs.  This report looked at children in the Medicaid program and they found foster kids were more likely to be prescribed five or more psychotropic drugs at an age and a dose that exceed the maximum FDA approved levels and this has serious health risk.  Experts are saying there is not good reason for these children to be taking these drugs.

A 12 year old from Texas was put on up to five drugs at a time while in foster care.  They had diagnosed him with bipolar disorder.  The drugs had an effect on him that made him irritable and exhausted he had actually loss his appetite.  Listen to what he had to say at a senate hearing just recently.  “put me in a lights-out mode 15 minutes after I’d taken them”   “ I think putting me on all of these stupid meds was the most idiotic thing I experienced in foster care, and the worst thing someone could do to foster kids, I was upset about my situation, not bipolar or ADHD.”  There are statements from senators and other officials that are observing that the government has not done enough to monitor the program.  That is very obvious.  I know if we dig even deeper you will find someone is lining their pockets with millions of dollars at the cost of the sanity of these children.  Have we gone so far down in this society that these children should be treated like this.  Thanks to ABC world news this is getting the right coverage it deserves.  As a society we have to educate ourselves about drugs and we have to educate ourselves what the officials of this country are doing to US the citizens. If you or someone you love needs help from a drug treatment facility, we can help.  Contact a counselor at our holistic treatment center by calling 1-877-340-3602.

 

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Policeman and Painkillers

December 6th, 2011

A young boy looks at a police officer and has great dreams of being, “just like him when I grow up” and that is a very good dream to have.  Police Officers work hard each day to keep our communities safe from reckless people and people with intentions to commit crimes.  This young child goes to the academy and gets to put on a uniform and then he is out on the streets.  What will he run into?  There will be crimes that he has not seen before.  He has to answer to his boss as well as the public.  Policeman work very hard each day and they have low pay so is it any wonder that after being on the force for many years they may come up with the idea to help criminals, you know “be on the take”  .  Stamfordadvocate.com reported just recently about the arrests of 20 people in drug trafficking ring that smuggled tens of thousands of prescription painkillers through Florida and Westchester County airports.  It seems there was a drug trafficker who made more than 65 trips via car or airplane from Florida to Connecticut in less than a year and he was carrying up 8,000 pills of painkillers each trip.  When he was caught he became a cooperating witness and so that is how the police officers and TSA agents were identified and arrested.  They had taken gift cards or cash bribes for helping this trafficker travel through airport security.

That my friend is an example that represents a very small percentage of what policemen do each day.  They do put up with crimes that a mostly drug related.  It has to be very frustrating for them because addicts can be destructive and most times don’t care what they are doing to their families and society.  They can’t care they only have their next fix on their mind.  Theweek.com reported that the number of Americans killed each year by drugs is on the rise largely due to prescription substances that are perfectly legal.

A day for a police office may go like this.  One call is family disturbance because the wife does not want her drunken husband to beat her anymore.  Call number two can come from the local pharmacy because someone broke in last night and stole several boxes of painkillers and other prescription drugs.  Call number three is to an apartment complex where someone suspects that their neighbor is cooking up some meth and can they please investigate.  That is how their day goes.  He deals with people all day and most of the calls are drug related.  Whether it is painkillers, alcohol, heroin, cocaine.  Police officers need help to get the message out that doing drugs is not the answer to life’s problems.

The real answer to drug abuse is to help people to never do them in the first place.  And if they do start abusing drugs, they need help with their prescription drug addiction.

If you or someone you love has a drug problem, call our toll-free hotline now at 1-877-340-3602.

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Prescription Drugs: How Pervasive Are They?

November 29th, 2011

There was a ladies group who would gather for a friendly Bridge game each week.  One of the ladies was found to be fooling in her purse and was asked, “What are you looking for?”  The answer was she was looking for the Ritalin.  She had a prescription but it was for her son.  She was however taking it.  These cute little pills make me focus better and so I can play better.  She had taken her son to the doctor because the school counselor had advised it to help him focus better.  She tried this little pill to see what kind of effect her son is experiencing.  What she found was a pill that is classified by the DEA as a Schedule II narcotic.  It made her feel good so she took it along with her son.  His grades by the way got better but what she did notice was that he had developed an attitude of aggression.  She was on the third prescription that was filled.  She had decided to take her son off these pills but did not want to stop herself.

This is all too common stories we are getting from many places.  Ritalin is a drug that nearly 5 percent of American children between the ages of 6 and 17 are taking because they were diagnosed with ADHA.  There has been much speculation given by authors that ADHA was being over-diagnosed and that Ritalin, and the other amphetamine-like drugs, was being prescribed in many cases to children who would respond well to family therapy and other programs at home and at school.

Let’s go back to our mother.  She is now very happy that she found something that will help her get her work done because she has more energy and does focus better.  She now tells herself that she has ADHA and has had it all along and that is where her son got it.  The things we tell ourselves to keep using a drug.  What she is doing is using this drug as speed because my friend that is what it is.  It is a stimulant.  What we have here is a suburban mother who feels like she found an answer to make her happy and what we actually have here is an addict in the making.  This answer to her problem will soon become her problem.

If you or someone you love has a problem with prescription drug addiction, call our hotline now.  Our drug rehab’s phone number is 1-877-340-3602.

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Drug Use Reaches Highest Level

October 27th, 2011

There was a survey done by the national Survey on Drug Use and Health in 2009 and it showed that  drug use in the United Sates has gone up to its highest level in 8 years.  It was found that 8.7 percents of Americans ages 12 and older which is about 21.8 million people, said they used illicit drugs.  That stands for a 9 percent increase in the 2008 rate.  This increase was because of the increase of marijuana which is one of the most commonly used drugs.  When someone is using they usually report it as marijuana being the drug.  What a wakeup call for this nation.  All of the stratagies of the past that have helped are not doing the job now.  Getting educated is the answer.  So it is up to parents, teachers, coaches and community leaders to find a way to get it across to our young folks that using drugs is dangerous.  They really do not get the fact that it can hurt their bodies.  Drug abuse can ruin their school grades or their jobs.  Officials are saying that the rise in drug abuse goes along with a decrease in prevention messages targeting young people.  They need to get the message out that these drugs are harmful.  Teenagers are not thinking that drugs are harmful they are thinking they are cool.  There are also a number of students who are getting their regularly prescribed drugs for ADD so this gives them the message that drugs are helpful.  The drug helps you pay attention in school and keep the study habits going good.  What are we teaching our young children?  The message is drugs are an answer.  No wonder there is an increase in drug use in this country.  The users of this prescription drug called Ritalin are very likely to start using stronger drugs and they can absolutely become distributors to their friends.  So parents pay attention if your child comes home with a study problem don’t bring him to the doctor to get a prescription.  Get him some help with his study, like finding out what he doesn’t understand.  If you or someone you love needs to get drug-free contact NARCONON Louisiana at www.drugabusesolution.com or call 877-340-3602.  They will help you withdraw and detox from drugs and /or alcohol in a safe and natural way.  Counselors are with you 24/7.

 

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Prescriptions Drugs Cause of Deaths

September 18th, 2011

Did you know that Prescription drugs attributed 45% of the cause of deaths where the street drug abuse combined attributed only 39%.  That is eye opening.  In 2005, 4.4 million teenagers in the ages of 12 to 17, in the US admitted to taking prescription painkillers, and 2.3 million took a prescription stimulant such as Ritalin.  @.2 million abused over the counter drugs such as cough syrup.  The average age for first time users is 13 to 14.  We really need to get educated and educate our kids.  It seems like destruction is going on out there.

Depressants, opioids and antidepressants are responsible for more overdose deaths than the other hard core drugs in the street like cocaine, heroin and amphetamines combined.  That is a staggering figure.  Where are these kids getting the prescription drugs?  In the US Most deaths use to take place in inner cities in African-American neighborhoods, but they have now been overtaken b white rural communities.

According to the national Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University, teens who abuse prescription drugs are twice as like.ly to use alcohol.  Five times more likely to use marijuana and 12 to 20 times more likely to use illegal street drugs.  They actually think these prescription drugs are safe and they start there and work their way up to more dangerous illegal drugs.

I know some of the teens share their Ritalin with each other at school.  They are actually excited when mom takes them to the doctor to get help with their study behavior.  Now they can get their “speed “.

Education is what is needed.  These teens have no idea what they are doing to their bodies.  They have no clue that they are starting a life with drugs that maybe will lead to more serious drugs and then a very unhappy life.

If you or someone you love needs to get drug-free, call us now at 1-877-340-3602.  A certified drug abuse counselor is standing by to assist you.

Prescription drug addiction doesn’t have to be a fact of life.  Do something now.  Reach out for help.

 

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Antidepressants Abused

September 11th, 2011

We will talk about one category of prescribed drugs that are sometimes abused.  Antidepressants.  These include Prozac, Paxil, Celexa, Zoloft, Effexor and Remeron.  You can get these prescribed drugs in multi colored capsules and tablets.  If you or a friend are on these drugs you can get certain effect like:  Insomnia, Irritability, Nervousness and anxiety, Violent thought and actions, Agitation, Suicidal thoughts or suicide, Tremors, and Hostility.  Wow!  Why would anyone want to take these drugs?  Just reading the effects makes me shiver.  But wait there is more:  Sweating, Irregular heartbeat, Aggression, Criminal behavior, Confusion, paranoia, Hallucinations, psychosis, an inner irritation, inability to sit still.  Wait a minute, what do these do for you.  What is the purpose one would get on these drugs?

Because you are depressed.  Well, I would rather be depressed than all of those things listed above.

One study found that 14% of the young people taking an antidepressant became aggressive and even violent.  An example of this is a 12 year old boy developed violent nightmares about killing his classmates, then being shot himself.  The dream continued to feel “very real” after awakening, and for days he experienced dreams of killing that seemed increasingly real.  He became acutely suicidal until the drug was stopped.

The study gave several other examples of extreme and irrational behavior from individuals on these drugs.  But wait isn’t that being depressed and isn’t that why they took the medication in the first place.

Withdrawal symptoms of antidepressants include suicidal thoughts, aggression, anxiety, depression, crying spells, insomnia, dizziness, vomiting, headaches, tremors, and electric “zap” sensations in the brain.  All of that says to me is I will never put that drug in my mouth to poison my system.

If you or someone you love needs to get drug-free, call our hotline at 1-877-340-3602.  It’s important to get the facts about prescription drug abuse.  We can help.

 

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Prescription Drug Abuse: A Serious Problem

September 4th, 2011

When we take a look at prescriptions Drug use we find out that it is a serious problem with teens and young adults.  National studies show that a teen is more likely to have abused a prescription drug than an illegal drug.  After all they see their parents have many of them in their cabinets.  Their mom takes one each morning just to get the day going and one to sleep at night.  So it must be Ok!!

Many teens think prescriptions drugs are safe, why do they think that?  Well, their doctor prescribed them so they must be safe.  He knows what I am doing.  Teens don’t realize that taking them for a no-medical use to get high or “self-medicate” can be just as dangerous and addictive as taking illegal street drugs.

If you look closely at this situation you will find there are very serious health risks in taking prescription drugs.  This is why you should be taking them only under the care of a doctor.  So your doctor should be closely monitoring them so you can avoid addiction or other problems.

Many pills look the same.  It is extremely dangerous to take any pill that you are uncertain about or was not prescribed for you.  Each person has different body chemistry.  So if you have a pain killer and your friend has a headache don’t just give it to him.  His body is different than yours.  This prescribed medicine for you may not do well in his body.  Even if it was OK for you it could be very risky and even fatal for someone else.

I know of some teens that take the drugs from their mom’s cabinet and don’t tell her.  She may have a prescription for anxiety like Valium.  I know this looks very interesting to you but it could be harmful to you.  Prescription drugs are only safe for the individuals who actually have the prescriptions for them and no one else.

If you or someone you love needs help from a prescription drug abuse treatment program, call us now.  Our toll-free hotline is 1-877-340-3602.

 

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What Is The Real Answer To Drugs?

August 28th, 2011

The real answer is to get the facts and not to take drugs in the first place.

Let’s get some other truths about drugs.  They are basically poison.  If you take a large amount the effects are worse.  If you take a small amount the drug acts like as stimulant because it speeds you up.  If you take a larger amount the drug acts as a sedative because it slows you down.  Now, if you take an even larger amount it poisons you and even kills you.

Any drug will do this to you.

You know what else a drug can do that is harmful?  They affect your mind.  They can change your perception of what is going on around you.  Then your actions may be odd, irrational, inappropriate and even destructive.

You have many sensations in your body some are desirable and some are not.  What drugs do is block off these sensations, all of them.  So if you take a drug to stop a headache or some pain you are also wiping out ability and alertness and your thinking is not straight.

When you take medicine you are trying to make your body work better.  These drugs are intended to speed things up or slow things down and change something in your body.  We need to take drugs sometimes because we get sick.  They are still drugs and if you misuse them they can kill you.  So when you take medicine use them they way you are suppose to or they can be as dangerous as illegal drugs.

If you or a loved one needs to be drug-free, contact our prescription abuse treatment hotline.  Dial 1-877-340-3602 and a counselor will help you immediately.

 

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Teens and Prescription Drug Abuse

August 25th, 2011

According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, 400,000 teens and young adults (ages 12-25) were beginning to abuse prescription medications in the 1980′s. Come 2000, a shocking 2 million teens and young adults (ages 12-25) were abusing prescription drugs.

New abusers of tranquilizers, intended for those with anxiety or tension disorders, increased by 50% from 1999 to 2000. In just one year, the number of abusers increased that much.

According to a study done in Wisconsin and Minnesota, 34% of students diagnosed with ADHD, reported that they had been asked to sell or trade their prescription drugs, notably Ritalin and Adderall.

According to Health Day News, a recent study has found that more than one in five teens who have been prescribed a medication, such as Ritalin or OxyContin, are abusing their prescription drugs. In addition, they are more likely to sell or give their pills to other students and to abuse other drugs.

Generally, as the number of prescription drugs given to teens increases, so does the number of abusers. Overall, prescription drug abuse is on the rise and experts do not know why. One of the most obvious possible reasons is that doctors are prescribing more medications today than ever before.

Another reason is that prescription medications are not taken as seriously as illegal drugs. Therefore, parents will leave left over medication in the bathroom cabinet and not monitor their teenagers’ medications. Many parents assume a teenager is responsible enough to take their pills when they are needed. Unfortunately, some teens become addicted and overuse and abuse these prescription drugs.

In addition, online pharmacies have made it easy for people (including those underage) to acquire prescription drugs without a doctor’s prescription.

Prescription drug addiction and abuse is a serious problem that requires drug rehab for proper, efficient, and professional assistance. For assistance, you can call us toll free at 1-877-340-3602.

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