The U.S. Senate has passed a bill targeting the sale of synthetic marijuana and the chemicals found in bath salts. The legislation would close loopholes that have allowed makers of these drugs to circumvent local and state bans against their sale.The federal law would also prevent buyers from crossing local and state jurisdictional lines to purchase the drugs.
Many teens today have been told by their peers that, unlike underage drinking and marijuana use, using and sharing prescription drugs is legal. But the truth is just because you get them out of your mother's medicine cabinet, doesn't make it legal to use, carry or give away those pain pills. Read more...Related Information:
On Jeffrey writes, "November 7, 2009 I decided that I wanted to die. I was alienated from my wife (still am) because of a suicidal rage I was in a week prior because of excessive drinking. I drank all week and for some reason I decided that November 7 would be my last day on earth." Read more...More Recovery Stories:
Sometimes teens can get the impression that "everyone" is drinking, smoking or doing drugs if most of their friends are doing so. The truth is the majority of teens go through high school without any using or abusing any substances. When teens realize that most of their peers are not doing drugs, it can be a deterrent. Read more...Related Information:
They rarely miss work and other obligations because of their drinking, although it does happen occasionally, and they usually excel at their jobs and careers. Typically, they are clever and witty individuals who are successful in many areas of their lives. But they drink at levels that would incapacitate most people. Read more...Related Information:
If you have been a long-time or heavy drinker and quit, you will probably feel some uncomfortable withdrawal symptoms initially, but soon you will begin to feel the benefits of no longer poisoning your body. As Robin explains, you will just simply start feeling better. When you quit drinking after years of alcohol abuse, not only will your body begin to reverse the effects of the excess alcohol on your body, you will simply feel better. Read more... Related Information:
Drivers who smoke marijuana within three hours of getting behind the wheel are much more likely to get into a serious vehicle crash than drivers who are not under the influence of either drugs or alcohol. A study of almost 50,000 vehicular collisions found that smoking weed is almost as dangerous as driving with an blood alcohol concentration of 0.08.The findings were the result of reviewing ten separate research studies on the effects of marijuana in 49,411 auto collisions.
Prom night can be one of the social highlights of your high school years, but it can also be the most dangerous. School officials and parents can only do so much to make the event safe, it's up to you to make the choices that will keep you safe and get you home unharmed.The decisions that you make between now and the end of the school year could affect the rest of your life.
When the manufacturers of the powerful painkiller OxyContin changed its formula in 2010 to make the drug more difficult to abuse, they had no idea the move would kick off a huge surge in the use of heroin throughout the United States. While abuse of OxyContin has significantly decreased in the past two years, the use of heroin has almost doubled.Law enforcement agencies are finding large amounts of heroin in areas where previously it was never much of a problem.
Pain patients who use prescription pain patches and also have small children in the home need to take special precautions to prevent possible illness and death. As a result of reports of children becoming seriously ill or dying from accidental exposure to skin patches containing the pain reliever fentanyl, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has issued a safety alert. Most of the accidental exposures have involved children less than two years old.The FDA alert warns patients, caregivers and healthcare professionals about the proper storage and disposal of fentanyl patches.
The annual Monitoring the Future survey brought mixed results for parents and health officials concerned about preventing youth substance abuse. Alcohol and cigarette use is at a historic low among 8th, 10th and 12th graders, but marijuana and prescription drug use has increased.Cigarette smoking has declined, but use of alternate tobacco products remains at high levels.
We have known for a long time that alcohol consumption at a level lower than the legal limit for being under the influence can impair a driver's abilities. Now a massive study of fatal traffic crashes has found that there is no safe level of alcohol consumption for drivers.Auto crashes produce more severe injuries even when drivers have only trace amounts of alcohol in their systems.
The 23rd Partnership Attitude Tracking Study (PATS) is out and it's not good news for parents who hope their children make it through high school without doing drugs. The latest survey indicates that smoking weed is becoming more acceptable behavior among teens and heavy marijuana use is now at disturbingly high levels.Heavy use of marijuana - smoking 20 or more times a month - has increased 80 percent since 2008, the study shows.
One of the reasons Alcohol Awareness Month is held in April is because it is the beginning of the prom and graduation season, a time when celebrations can turn dangerous for underage drinkers. Many communities conduct anti-drinking campaigns during the month aimed at curtailing alcohol use before, during and after the special events.
Perhaps for the first time, we may have an accurate estimate of how many people in the United States are currently in recovery for an alcohol or drug problem. A national survey conducted by the Partnership at DrugFree.org and New York State Office of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Services (OASAS) indicates that 10 percent of all adults over age 18 in the U.S. consider themselves to be in recovery.That means an estimated 23.5 million Americans have found sustained recovery from involvement with drugs and alcohol that they once considered problematic.
A 27-year-old California woman, who pleaded guilty to manslaughter after her 5-month-old son died from her methamphetamine-tainted breast milk, has been sentenced to six years in prison. Maggie Jean Wortman could have faced up to 11 years for the death of her infant son.It is believed to be the first time a woman in California has been convicted of manslaughter by breast feeding.
One of the question most often asked by visitors to the About.com Alcoholism / Substance Abuse site is whether or not a drunk driving charge is a felony. The answer is that most of the time, a DUI is not a felony, but there are some circumstances under which drunk driving can rise to the level of a felony offense. Read more...More About Drunk Driving:
Growing up in an alcoholic home can affect children in ways they may not even realize. For Jaie, it took a string of failed relationships and three divorces before she realized that her attitude might be part of the problem. Read more...More Recovery Stories:
Children who are born with fetal alcohol syndrome are likely to develop a wide range of secondary conditions, problems that they were not born with, but can acquire as a result of having FAS. These include mental health problems, disruption of education, legal problems, inappropriate sexual behavior, drug and alcohol problems and problems with daily living. Read more...More About Fetal Alcohol Syndrome:
Marijuana withdrawal symptoms may not be as severe as withdrawal from alcohol or other drugs, but they can be intense enough to cause someone trying to quit to relapse to relieve them. This can be a problem for someone who is court-ordered to stop smoking or anyone who needs to quit to keep or get a job. Read more...More About Marijuana Withdrawal:
Do you know what SR-22 insurance is? How about "enhanced BAC penalty" or "ignition interlock?" If you or someone you know has been arrested for drunk driving, chances are you may begin to encounter some legal terms for the first time. Here are definitions to many of the terms associated with drunk driving laws in the United States.More About Drunk Driving:
If you found illegal drugs in your child's room, would you be able to recognize them? Would you know the difference between harmless allergy medication and dangerous stimulants or sedatives? These photo galleries show the most commonly abused illegal, prescription and over-the-counter drugs. Read more...Related Information:
Still today many people believe that if they are abstinent they are in 'recovery.' But research has shown it takes more than just abstinence to maintain a long-lasting sober lifestyle. Therefore, health officials have devised a working definition of 'recovery' that reflects other facets. Read more...Learning to Live a Sober Life:
Recovering alcoholics and addicts can easily find themselves substituting one addiction for another, becoming compulsively involved in other activities. Although those activities may be otherwise healthy and productive, such as work or exercise, they can hamper recovery if they become a transfer of addictions. Read more...Related Information:
When you have someone close to you who is an alcoholic or is addicted to drugs, the experience can provoke a rollercoaster of emotions, from frustration and anger to sadness and depression. Many times, for the loved ones of alcoholics, our attitude and approach to the problem can actually create more problems for ourselves. Here are suggestions for 10 things you might want to stop doing if you are involved in a relationship with an addict or alcoholic. Read more...Help for Family Members:
Today college spring break no longer resembles a 1960 movie with Connie Francis singing "Where the Boys Are" on the beach. It's more like watching MTV bikini contests or an episode of "Girls Gone Wild." Today, spring break presents a wide variety of dangers for college students targeted by marketing efforts that promote dangerous drinking and sex. Read more...Related Articles:
The scientific evidence keeps mounting. Women who drink alcohol run a much greater risk of developing breast cancer than those who do not drink at all. The amount of alcohol consumed and the frequency of the drinking doesn't seem to matter, the risk is still increased. Read more...Alcohol and Cancer Risk:
If you were to find marijuana in your child's room would you be able to recognize it? If you came across a growing marijuana plant, would you be able to identify it? These photos of marijuana in various forms might help you know marijuana when you see it. Read more...More About Marijuana:
A Missouri pharmaceutical company is developing a new form of allergy and cold medication that law enforcement officials say could be a game changer in the fight to curb the illicit manufacture of methamphetamine. The new drug Tarex, to be marketed under the name Releva, cannot be used to make meth, the company claims.The new form of pseudoephedrine could be on the market as early as this summer.
You may have heard that prescription drug addiction in the United States has grown to the point that it has officially been declared at epidemic levels. Young and old people from all parts of the country are consuming literally tons of pills each year. But exactly what drugs are they abusing? Read more...Related Information:
Antabuse works by causing a severe physical reaction if alcohol is consumed while taking the drug. The longer the drug is taken, the more effective it becomes and the more severe the reaction. Studies show that long-term use of Antabuse is very effective in helping people to quit drinking altogether. Read more...Pharmaceutical Treatments:
The latest research indicates that teen abuse of prescription and over-the-counter medication has not increased, but seems to be leveling off. Unfortunately, that is not necessarily good news with 17% of high school students admitting to abuse of prescription drugs in their lifetimes.Of greater concern to health officials is the role that parents may be playing in teen's decision to begin using prescription drugs to get high or alter their mood.
Research shows that brief interventions conducted in the emergency room, when people seek help for alcohol-related injuries or illnesses, can be very effective in reducing harmful drinking. As Lynda says in her personal recovery story, a trip to the E.R. made a big difference in her life. Read more...More Recovery Stories:
A new method of making methamphetamine is so volatile that hospital burn units have become so overwhelmed with injured patients - many without insurance - to the point that some of the unit have been forced to shut down. The new 'Shake and Bake' method of producing meth in a 2-liter soda bottle has exploded in the face of thousands of victims, according to a survey by The Associated Press.Up to one-third of all burn patients in hospitals in the top meth-producing states are would-be meth makers.
People decide to quit drinking for a wide variety of reasons, usually because of some negative consequences. Visitors to the About.com Alcoholism / Substance Abuse site used our Reader Response tool to share their reasons for quitting. Some of their answers may be surprising. Read more...About Treatment:
Sleeping Aid Only Drug in Kerry Kennedy's System... Jenna Jameson Pleads Not Guilty to DUI... Justin Blackmon Pleads Guilty to DUI... Michigan Suspends Fitzgerald Toussaint After DUI... Lions Release Aaron Berry After Arrests... 3 Doors Down Bassist Todd Harrell Gets DUI... More... Read more...Photo: © PhotoXpress.com
Users of the drug ketamine, known by the street name 'special K,' face an increased risk of urinary and bladder control problems and abdominal pain. The more ketamine they use and the more often they use it, the greater the chance of developing urinary tract issues, a British study has found.Ketamine users can experience pain in the lower abdomen, painful urination, blood in their urine and problems controlling their bladders, the researchers found.
Although legalization activists and many marijuana users believe smoking pot has no negative effects, scientific research indicates that marijuana use can cause many health problems. Marijuana is the most commonly used illicit drug in the United States. When smoked, it begins to effect users almost immediately.More About Marijuana:
Law enforcement agencies across the nation now have a federal law to help them with their battle to get dangerous synthetic drugs off the shelves in their communities. President Barack Obama signed into law legislation that will make "fake marijuana" and "bath salts" drug compounds illegal throughout the country.The so-called "legal drugs" are now illegal everywhere in the United States.
This week, Feb. 12-18, 2012 marks the National Association for Children of Alcoholics (NACoA) observance of Children of Alcoholics week to celebrate the recovery of children of all ages who have found recovery from the loss and pain experienced in their childhood. This year's theme is "A Celebration of Hope and Healing" which offers hope for those who are sill adversely impacted by parental alcohol or drug addiction.The observance of Children of Alcoholics Week is important because the NACoA estimates that 25% of all children in the United States are affected by or exposed to a family alcohol or drug problem.
Those effects can include physical illness, emotional disturbances, behavior problems, lower educational performance, and susceptibility to alcoholism or other addiction later in life, the NACoA says.
For more information about Children of Alcoholics Week and a list of tools and resources for related activities, visit the NACoA website.
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Can an extract from the kudzu plant reduce binge drinking? Researchers at the Behavioral Psychopharmacology Research Laboratory at McLean Hospital have found that one particular extract can help drinkers cut back the number of drinks they consume and slow down the speed at which they drink them.The advantage of using the kudzu extract over other available pharmaceutical treatments, is there are no adverse side effects, the scientists say.
Sleeping Aid Only Drug in Kerry Kennedy's System... Jenna Jameson Pleads Not Guilty to DUI... Justin Blackmon Pleads Guilty to DUI... Michigan Suspends Fitzgerald Toussaint After DUI... Lions Release Aaron Berry After Arrests... 3 Doors Down Bassist Todd Harrell Gets DUI... More... Read more...Photo: © PhotoXpress.com
All illicit drugs have a set of paraphernalia associated with them - tools that drug users use to carry, process or administer the drugs. These pictures can help identify various paraphernalia associated with illicit drug use. If you suspect someone is using drugs, finding any of these items could signal a problem. Read more...Related Information:
Today is National Alcohol Screening Day, a part of Alcohol Awareness Month. Do you or someone you know have a drinking problem? How does their drinking stack up to "normal" or the recommended guidelines for alcohol consumption? Answer these 20 questions to help determine if their drinking patterns are safe, risky or harmful.Related Information:
You wake up with your head pounding from the sound of the alarm. The light from the window is actually painful. You are dizzy and slightly nauseated. You have a major hangover. What is a hangover? What causes all those different symptoms? And most importantly, what can you do about it? Read more...About Binge Drinking:
If you went to a residential alcohol and drug rehab program, what aspect of the experience did you find most helpful? What feature was the most important to you? What was the biggest advantage of going to a residential alcohol and drug rehab? Read more...More Reader Responses:
We hear all the time about things that we can do to improve our overall health - go on a diet, start an exercise program or start taking some vitamin or supplement. But sometimes the best way we can improve our chances of achieving better health is to stop doing something.With this in mind, our About.com Health Guides have come up with their lists of "10 Things to Stop Doing" that can improve your health and well-being.
Since it was first published, Valerie's story of her near brush with death and ultimate survival has inspired many others suffering from alcohol-related liver disease and their families. Six years after it was first published, we heard from Valerie again with a update on how her life turned out after receiving Last Rites twice. Read more...More About Liver Disease:
Driving while under the influence of drugs is dangerous, and it doesn't not matter if the driver is doing illegal drugs, abusing prescription drugs or taking some drugs exactly as prescribed. There is a reason for those warning labels on many medications about not operating machinery while taking the drug. Some drugs can affect your driving skills. Read more...Related Information:
At the peak of its popularity in the 1970s and 1980s, cocaine began to influnce many aspects of American society and some of the street names for the drug reflect how widespread that influence became. Of course, other slang terms used for the drug seem to have no base in logic at all, except to cover up the topic of the conversation. Read more...More About Cocaine:
