Methamphetamine continues to cause problems across our country, and its use and addiction often seem to be raging out of control. Some states are cracking down or putting into place some preventative measures that will hopefully help curb the use of this illegal drug.

Effects of Meth Abuse

Meth is used by people from many different walks of life. In fact, 10 million people in the United States have tried it at least once. The drug, known for the high it produces and the ability to speed up the user, is common in party scenes. It can keep the addict going all week long if they want. But meth has some awful side effects. First of all, it is one of the more addicting substances there is, and many people quickly find themselves caught off guard by the addiction it causes. Meth abuse also causes memory loss, psychotic behavior, and heart damage, among other things. Methamphetamine addiction can easily lead to unemployment, child abuse, and other crimes.

Increasing Meth Labs

Even with all the negatives associated with methamphetamine, it is still growing in popularity. One reason for this is how easily people can get their hands on this drug. It is common in nearly every community, and it can be made in home labs. The home manufacturing of meth has been simplified over the years to a one bottle process, making use of ingredients that can all be purchased legally. Meth labs, however, are dangerous to the makers, as well as their neighbors. There is always the risk of fire and explosion, and meth labs can endanger nearby water supplies with their chemicals.

Statewide Tracking System

Some states are making the pursuit and raid of meth labs a priority. Alabama has assembled task forces to search out meth labs and to enforce a meth prevention program. They are also implementing a tracking system that will monitor the purchase of a key ingredient for home meth labs, pseudo-ephedrine. The database tracks who is buying this ingredient and how much they have bought in the past, in the hopes of investigating those that buy large amounts. The tracking system is being used in 11 states already, and some more are currently considering it. As long as retailers join and work with this kind of system, it could help, and already has helped decrease meth production in some areas.

Meth Treatment

Because of its addictiveness, methamphetamine easily takes over lives, so that to the addict, nothing but the drug matters anymore. This makes treatment of this drug addiction difficult. The grip it takes on a person’s mind and their memory makes it hard for the patient to get past it, and detoxing from this drug is a struggle. Treatment of meth addiction is possible, and the right facility can help make sobriety a reality. But a lot of lives would be saved if more preventative programs were put in place. It’s better to avoid using drugs at all than to waste the years, money, and peace of mind on an addiction like this.

Sources

Web-based system tracks meth chemical purchases

Methamphetamine abuse and addiction

Meth The powder devil

Five years ago our nation’s most costly natural disaster took place, and unfortunately many people are still trying to recover. Hurricane Katrina made landfall this week in 2005, killing 2,000 people and displacing more than 250,000 others. While New Orleans suffered the worst attack because of the city’s massive flooding, the southern part of our country, from Louisiana to Florida, was affected.

The hurricane naturally caused much devastation, injury, and death, but even after surviving the initial blow, residents have found the recovery process to be brutal, and mental illness and substance abuse have been some of the results.

Mental Illness among Victims

Anxiety is a huge concern among Katrina survivors, as well as depression and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). The hurricane was traumatic, the flooding was overwhelming, and the loss of homes, schools, and churches was disturbing. Then there was the death of loved ones that many endured. Trauma like this can be expected to cause mental disorders such as anxiety, PTSD, and depression. Feelings of helplessness can really affect the mind, and many people initially felt the toll caused by the devastation.

But long term effects are also plaguing residents. Many lost jobs and have not been able to find new employment. Deserted neighborhoods can still be found, some people still don’t have real homes, and frustrations with insurance and finances are often a daily struggle.

Substance Abuse a Result of Mental Illness

Alcoholism and drug abuse are more common when depression or PTSD are present. Someone who has experienced a shocking event or who daily struggles with feelings of depression often finds substance abuse to be the way they can make it through the day. The mind-numbing drugs or alcohol help them forget their worries, and they become the crutch people begin to rely on. But the effects of drugs and alcohol will eventually catch up to a person and then they are left with substance abuse or addiction on top of all their other troubles.

Help for Hurricane Victims

The way to deal with stress and worry is not to take up drinking or experimenting with drugs. These will only make it worse. What will help these residents is solid advice and counseling from a professional. The residents of Louisiana also need to have some assurance that they will be able to get back on their feet again. Louisiana’s “Road Home” program was made to provide financial aid to hurricane victims, and the Louisiana Spirit Recovery program was a temporary project to help with stress management among residents. We shouldn’t forget about the hurricane victims, or assume they are ok because it has been 5 years. Those with ongoing struggles still need the support and programs to continue to help them rebuild their lives, and to maintain a healthy state of mind.

Sources

Katrina Five Years After: Hurricane Left a Legacy of Health Concerns

Hurricane Katrina Exacts Another Toll: Enduring Depression

A Look Back to 2005: President Bush and Katrina

While drug abuse can occur anywhere, among any group of people, different drugs tend to be more prevalent in certain circles. This makes sense because people often do the drugs that are easiest for them to get their hands on, or experiment with what friends or co-workers are using.

As odd as it may sound, it seems that even Wall Street professionals follow the crowd at times when it comes to drug abuse. A list of drug test data was recently compiled that showed trends among investors. While cocaine used to be high on the list of Wall Street users, it has dropped in popularity. Found in 16% of positive tests in 2007, in 2008 it was only found in 7% of positive tests. The drug of choice now, by far, is marijuana, coming in at 80% of positive tests. Amphetamines are also growing in popularity, up to 10% in 2008 from 3% a few years ago.

Wall Street is a place of fast-paced business, long hours, and grueling responsibilities. It might not surprise us to hear that even these kinds of professionals are sometimes taken over by substance abuse. For these men and women, it usually begins as a feeling of entitlement. They have huge paychecks and successful jobs, they endure hard work and stress; therefore they deserve to treat themselves to some drugs now and then. But the stress doesn’t end, and in fact it builds, and these business people go from occasional user to addict.

Ignoring a Drug Problem

The overall incidence of drug abuse for Wall Street professionals doesn’t seem to be that high, compared to national averages. In a country where 3.6% of the workforce tests positive for drugs, only 2% of the investment industry failed drug tests last year. This doesn’t necessarily mean these business people use drugs less than other workers. It simply means they are getting caught less often. Random drug tests are not as common on Wall Street as they are in many factory settings, for example. And given the power and money that Wall Street investors hold, some employers simply deny that their workers have a problem. If the employee is holding their own and staying productive, some employers will be careful not to cause a stir, even if it means looking the other way when they know an employee is using drugs.

Getting Help

The personality of many investment bankers may be prone to addiction. These are the risk-taking controllers who are under a great deal of pressure. But they are also the kind of people that will do their best to balance an addiction with a full time job. They are hard working, love to live a fast-paced life, and they don’t easily quit.

But it is necessary for even these people to get help for an addiction. There are many detox and rehab facilities that have programs specifically designed to help business men and women. Luxury rehab facilities are often able to whisk the person away, treat them, and get them back to their office in no time. It is important, however, for these professionals to dedicate enough time to recovery and that they continue to work at sobriety after they return.

Sources

Pot Soars on Wall Street, Real Estate Investors Just High All the Time

Wall Street Pee Tests Expose Startling New Drug Trend: Less Coke Snorting, More Pot-Smoking

Wall Street Drug Use: Employees Giving Up Cocaine for Pot and Pills

Drug abuse is common in veterans of any war, but these days we are seeing an increase in substance abuse among veterans from the current wars. In fact, more than 7.1% of veterans (18 million people) had a substance abuse disorder from 2004-2006. Substance abuse is seen most often among younger veterans of current wars, and among those who experienced combat during deployment. Many of these veterans are not getting the help they need for their substance abuse.

Drug Abuse Among Veterans

Veterans form a special group of people; those that willingly put themselves in danger in order to help others. We must all be appreciative to our service men and women for the sacrifice they make for our freedom. But maybe we should be doing more for their welfare, including making sure they get the treatment they need before, during, and after they complete their mission.

PTSD

The trauma that our soldiers witness and experience often has lasting effects. Mental health disorders afflict 25 to 30% of Iraq and Afghanistan war veterans. Much of this is due to head injuries or from the stress of combat, which causes Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). These kinds of mental health issues are often connected to drug abuse or alcoholism. Veterans, like all of us, often begin to abuse substances because it makes us feel good and forget our problems and our mental distress.

Prescription Painkillers

Other veterans are placed on prescription painkillers or other medications to treat chronic pain resulting from combat. More than half of Iraq and Afghanistan veterans have a painful condition that could be treated with prescription opioids. These prescription drugs are widely abused among veterans.

Funding for Research and Programs

The NIDA and other federal agencies are setting aside funding for programs that research the needs of veterans with substance abuse issues, as well as the treatment of these addictions. Prevention, as always, is the key, and programs that focus on it will also be considered for funding.

The Millennium Cohort Study is one such project that is researching and testing prevention and treatment techniques. This study has created a partnership between government agencies, public health entities, and researchers all coming together to help provide treatment for our veterans. More projects like this should be created in order to come up with real solutions to this problem.

Other approaches and studies are also being carried out to meet the needs of veterans. The University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences is using a grant to research the effectiveness of the VA’s guidelines on prescription painkillers. The protocol for treating PTSD is being reviewed by another group. Other studies for the benefit of veterans include behavioral interventions for dual diagnoses, and virtual reality treatment of PTSD and substance abuse.

In whatever way possible, our country needs to come up with real solutions for prevention and treatment, so that we can meet the needs of those individuals that have given so much for us.

Sources

A Research Update from the National Institute on Drug Abuse

UAMS to study prescription drug abuse by war veterans

UAMS to study prescription drug abuse among war vets

Alcoholism has so many negative consequences for everyone that comes in contact with it, that it has ruined many people’s lives. Alcoholics themselves suffer from health problems such as liver disease and mental health issues. Loss of job, friends, and family create an emotional strain on the alcoholic. Financial problems may also be present.

Alcoholism also has profound effect on the family of the alcoholic, particularly the children. These little victims often go unnoticed or dismissed because they are young and “should be able to bounce back”. But studies show that the effects of a parent that is an alcoholic are often long-lasting, affecting even the adult life of the child.

Consequences for Children of Alcoholics

Depending on the age of the child of an alcoholic, there may be different problems that occur. Younger children may become confused about their home life and the role their parents and older siblings begin to assume in the family. Often, these kids are fearful, untrusting, and unable to emotionally connect with others, even into adulthood. If the child of an alcoholic is older, they may experience low self-esteem, depression, fear, and guilt that they are to blame. These older children may keep to themselves, or they may lash out and get into trouble at school. It is common for children of alcoholics to have problems in school, because of lack of motivation, difficulty relating to friends or teachers, and truancy. The stress at home causes kids to have difficulty concentrating and performing well in school.

Even with all the information that clearly shows the negative effects of alcoholism on children, some people still think their actions as an alcoholic have little impact on the lives of others. How many times haven’t we heard; “It’s my life, I can do what I want. I’m not hurting anyone else”? But lots of people do suffer, and children of alcoholics have to endure a particularly unstable childhood.

Physical and Emotional Abuse

The physical abuse that occurs in some alcoholic homes is the most obvious way many children of suffer, but it is not the only way. Emotional abuse and neglect are also very traumatic. So is living in fear, not having a parent they can rely on, or having to lie to cover up for a parent’s mistakes. These experiences all change who a person is, and it is not fair to the children in a family to allow alcoholism to continue.

This is such a far-reaching problem that there are many support groups for children of alcoholics or grown children of alcoholics. Anyone that has been adversely affected by a parent’s alcoholism should make use of these groups to help with healing.

It is important for anyone struggling with alcoholism to get help, but especially those that have children. These kids can still have a chance at a healthy life if they are given a more normal upbringing. Having a parent that they can depend on helps children grow up to be happy and healthy adults.

Sources

Alcoholism and Its Effect on the Family 

Childhood adversity can shorten lifespan

ChildLine Receives Number of Calls from Kids Reporting Parents’ Drinking Habits

’100 children a week’ call ChildLine about parents’ drink and drug abuse

Everyone seems to have their own theory about how to improve our country’s border security. Maybe the ones to ask are the residents living in border towns that live and experience the effects of illegal entrants and drug smugglers everyday.

Most of us in areas far removed from the Mexican border know our country has had a hard time regulating who gets across the border and who is kept out. Illegal entrants, illegal drugs, and drug dealers are constantly finding their way into the U.S. But beyond these basic facts, we may actually know little of the everyday lives of those fighting to secure the borders, and of those living near the border zone.

Transporting Drugs across the Border

For example, in places like Nogales or Rio Rico, stories are common of encounters with people and drugs that were smuggled across the border. Residents all know about “throw away” cars, which are purchased by drug smugglers, who leave the title in the previous owner’s name. The cars are used to smuggle drugs across, but go undetected for some time because they are in the former owner’s name.

Locals also know about the shuttle service that still flies under the radar and regularly transports people and drugs farther into the country, and how horses are used to carry drugs across. Border residents know about stash houses, which are rented with the purpose of storing hordes of drugs until they can be moved throughout the country. Many people also see the desperate situation some of the illegal entrants find themselves in. Dropped in the desert, the illegal immigrants travel to these towns looking for food or shelter.

Border Patrol is the arm of law enforcement set up to manage areas like the ones in Arizona. They have come under fire recently for being too harsh and for racial profiling. Others see Border Patrol’s dealings as ineffective. Some people just want our country to provide basic aid to those illegal immigrants that find themselves in trouble, but to crack down on the drug smugglers.

Partnering with Residents in the Border Zone

If our country is serious about keeping drug smugglers and their supplies out, more needs to be done on our southern border. Especially now, with the dangers of the drug cartels looming closer and becoming more violent, we should take a close look and learn from locals who live in the high traffic areas. The drug trafficking has to stop, and law enforcement should use all of its resources to carry this out. In the future, it will be important to build positive relationships with the residents of border towns. Instead of the continual clash between Border Patrol and residents in the border zone, a partnership could be very beneficial to everyone.

Sources

Horses play a vital role in American border security

Life on the border — the residents of Nogales, Rio Rico and Tubac

Drug smugglers’ horses entered in rehab

Performance enhancing drugs are not just for humans anymore, apparently. Two horses at a local fair in Connecticut tested positive for anabolic steroids this summer. These steroids, which are used to increase muscle mass and condition the body, were detected during random tests on the fair’s horses. The drug tests are being done in more and more locations throughout the country, as fair officials want to ensure horses are not mistreated, and also that the competitions are honest. In the case of the two Connecticut horses, owners and horses have been banned from future contests for one year.

Kentucky Officials Make New Policy

Other horse events are cracking down even more with drug testing and penalties. Officials of Kentucky racing have recently set up new regulations for this year’s Breeders’ Cup World Championships at Churchill Downs. The new rules would allow any horse that is going to compete, including those from out-of-state, to be tested for a variety of drugs. Among the drugs they will be testing for are blood-doping agents, nerve-blocking venoms, and growth hormones. Many of these drugs are the same ones used by human athletes, and can be hard to detect. Regulators have been pushing for the pre-competition testing because they feel it will catch more offenders than the old regulations. Some of these drugs, which increase the strength and speed of horses, can only be detected within a day or two of administration, while the results can last for weeks or months.

Punishments for Offenders

If performance enhancing drugs are such a part of sports today that it is now spilling over to animal competitions, do we really have much control over the situation? The variety of drugs and the new derivatives that are being created are a big part of the problem. Money and energy are constantly being pumped into coming up with new tests to detect new drugs, and still, the offenders are one or two steps ahead of officials. Is there a better way to deter people from doping for sports or competitions? Would stricter punishments be more effective? An athlete that is caught with drugs in their system is banned from their sport for a few games, and usually pays a fine. Either the punishments aren’t tough enough, or people don’t think they will get caught, because they keep doing the drugs. Fines are usually slaps on the hand for pro-athletes and their multi-million dollar salaries.  What if doing drugs would essentially end a player’s career? Would they still take the risk?

Kentucky racing officials have proposed a 10 year ban and $50,000 fine to owners whose horse fails the drug test. Opponents believe the length of time for the ban is way too long, and would essentially mean the horse and owner team would be out of competitions for good. But maybe doping owners will be deterred by the strict punishment, and maybe this is all it will take to clean up horse racing. Wouldn’t it be nice if we could find an easy solution to end doping by human athletes?

Sources

Draft horses test positive for anabolic steroid

Drug tests bar North Stonington horses from fairs

Out-of-competition drug testing proposed for Ky. racing

In this economy, it is difficult enough for many people to keep their job, let alone trying to keep a job while fighting an addiction. Imagine how tough it is for the millions of people in our country doing just that. 80% of all alcohol abusers have either full or part-time jobs. 73% of illicit drug users are also employed, as well as many prescription drug addicts. We know there are a lot of people that abuse substances during work, and many more that come to work high, coming off a high, or hung over.

Functioning Addicts

Substance abuse really has a negative effect on our workforce’s productivity. Yet many addicts are able to keep their job. Despite absenteeism or lowered productivity at times, they hang on to their position, even in an economy where many others are desperate for work. Sometimes people are fired because of an addiction if their job performance slips, but statistics show that functioning drug addicts or alcoholics in the workplace are common.

Leaving Work to Get Help

The message is getting out there, however, that there is help for addiction, and substance abuse is now sometimes viewed as a chronic medical condition by employers. In general, an employer can’t fire someone for having an addiction problem, especially if they are seeking treatment. EAPs are set up to help employees that want help for a substance abuse problem. But, of course, if the employee is absent or late for work, or slacks off on their performance, they are going to have a hard time hanging on to that job.

An employee that needs time off to get treatment must generally be permitted to do so. It is often difficult, however, for employers to sift through what they are legally obligated to permit when it comes to an employee with an addiction. Therefore, someone that is looking for treatment should first of all know their rights as an employee, and secondly, do the best they can at their job in order to avoid creating a cause for termination.

Working after Sobriety

We know that staying employed and keeping busy during or after recovery is usually beneficial. It helps keep a patient motivated and busy, and the structure a job provides is often helpful. But keeping or getting a job after treatment is not easy. An employer usually has many qualified applicants to choose from, and going with the one with the addiction would be taking a huge chance that they are able to stay sober.

Recovering addicts should use all the resources available to them to get treatment and to hang on to a job. There are laws and programs designed to help people that are newly sober that are looking to enter the workforce again. During or after treatment, a patient looking for work may be able to enter the workforce through connections at the treatment facility. From the beginning, EAPs should be considered and made use of, and employee’s legal rights should be reviewed, in order to give the newly sober individual the best chance at success.

Sources

$3.6 million grant awarded to study decisions of drug users

Tough economy poses challenge for addicts

Can depression hurt an economy?

The latest debate in Washington regarding drug laws is that former law was too strict when it comes to crack and cocaine. Actually, the message coming across is that laws that were set up in the past unfairly punished African Americans for possessing drugs.

The dispute began in 1986, when lawmakers decided that crack was more dangerous than powdered cocaine. At that time, the Anti-Drug Abuse Act set mandatory minimum sentences for those in possession of drugs. Crack, the drug often to blame for street violence in inner city neighborhoods, was given a minimum sentence of five years for possessing five grams of the substance. Powder cocaine, on the other hand, was only assigned a mandatory five years once 500 grams were possessed.

Racial Accusations

Because crack, the less expensive form of cocaine, is often used by African American males, the Anti-Drug Abuse Act of 1986 put more blacks than whites in prison, and gave them longer sentences for their crimes. But it seems like a stretch to say that this law unfairly targeted African Americans. Crack, at the time, was the more dangerous drug; it was more closely connected to street-trafficking and gang violence, and it wreaked havoc on inner city neighborhoods. It was also becoming readily accessible to youth. Instead of accusing the signers of the 1980’s law of being racially motivated, we should consider the benefits of the law. For instance, the 1986 law attempted to keep crack dealers out of neighborhoods that had been devastated by the drug, and many African American youth and families directly benefited from the absence of crack users near their homes.

However, not everyone sees the old law in this light. White House spokesman Robert Gibbs even went as far as to say that revisiting the old law “demonstrates the glaring nature of what these penalties had done to people and how unfair they were.” But is it too callous to say that those that were dealing and possessing crack (black, white, Latino, or otherwise) broke the law, and therefore were rightly punished?

Law Reform Debate

In order to make this law more just in the eyes of opponents, the White House reformed the laws and relaxed the penalty for crack possession. Now, a person doesn’t get the mandatory sentence until they possess 28 grams of crack. However, the Fair Sentencing Act, signed by President Obama on Tuesday, still allows for a disparity between crack and powder cocaine users, and is still being debated by many. Some argue that the punishment for crack is still too high and should be equal to that of powder cocaine. Some people still think that there are too many African Americans being locked up for drug dealing.

But others think mandatory minimum sentences in general are not helpful. Each case should be reviewed separately, and harsher punishments should be handed down to those that supply and deal the drugs. Most importantly, we need to look at the pros and cons of incarceration. Research has clearly shown that to stop the drug/prison cycle, you need to provide help and treatment for those convicted of drug abuse. Prison alone is not the answer. If someone is caught involved with a drug crime, punishment is most likely in order. But to get the person back into society someday, they need real treatment for their drug problem.

Sources

President Obama signs bill reducing gap in cocaine sentences

Race and the Drug Laws

A step toward racial fairness in cocaine penalties

Drug sentencing reform doesn’t go far enough

Some people will do anything to get high, including stealing and taking animal medications. Veterinary clinics have been broken into throughout recent years for their stocks of medications, by desperate people trying to get their hands on some drugs, any drugs. It sometimes doesn’t even matter to an addict what they are injecting or popping – as long as they think it might give them a high, they will try it.

In the last 15 years, vet clinics have had to tighten down their storage practices of controlled substances. Human drugs like Ketamine, Morphine, Buprenorphine, and Diazepam are commonly used also in animal medicine. Addicts have now started to break in and raid the drug cabinets, which, until recently, may not have even been locked up very securely.

Dangers of Animal Drugs

Many of the veterinary controlled substances are exactly the same as the human ones, but there are sometimes differences, which at times can be deadly. The strength is likely to be different – for example, a veterinarian treating a horse or a cow will have stronger meds than human doctors. If a person is searching for drugs to get high on, they aren’t necessarily thinking of their own safety. They are not going to sit and figure out the dosage needed for their body weight. In fact, more is usually better in the mind of someone coming off a high. Mixing drugs can also be common, as well as injecting something they aren’t even familiar with.

Burglaries in the last few weeks have been particularly disturbing and dangerous. Thieves in Calgary last week stole, among other controlled substances, some vials of Euthasol, the drug used to euthanize animals. If someone mistakenly got a hold of it and decided to inject it, it would be immediately fatal. Other medications designed specifically for animals can be just as harmful.

Abusing Veterinary Prescription Pills

Humans also sometimes abuse animal prescription medications. More and more animals are being maintained on things like Valium and Phenobarbital pills to manage pain or seizures, or as a sedative. Just as addicts go from doctor to doctor, requesting more pills, so some people take their pet from vet to vet. Since the animal can’t communicate how much pain they are or are not in, it can become very difficult to prove that a person is just on a pill hunt for themselves.

It is unfortunate that drug addiction has gotten so bad that not even animal medicine is safe from drug abusers or dealers. Many vet clinics have developed stricter ways of recording their controlled substance usage and storage. Many vets have also begun to look more closely at pets that are on prescription pain pills, because the danger of these getting in the wrong hands is real.

 Sources

Burglar found sleeping inside vet clinic

Police issue warning after euthanasia drug stolen from Calgary vet clinic
Dangerous drugs stolen during vet clinic break-in