He "Could Have been Somebody"-Crack Cocaine Took Care of That

Fighting back from cocaine addiction
Once a Kansas Basketball Star, now he's trying to rebound for good.

BY BOB LUTZ
The Wichita Eagle

WICHITA (AP) -- There might still be a happy ending to Greg Williams' story. There might not.

So many times he has made promises. And so many times he has slipped back into the despair that has made his life an insufferable combination of crack addiction and jail time.

He'll be 45 next month and he's tired. His once-strong legs, which helped carry him to basketball acclaim as an All-City and All-State player at Southeast High from 1978-80, are shot.

Literally.

Twice, in drug deals gone bad, he was shot in his left leg. Another time, he was run over in a parking lot. When the driver realized Williams was still alive, he ran over him again.

Williams is borrowing time.

There is another reason to get clean now, beyond the normal reasons of just living a productive life. It's Williams' biggest incentive yet.

It's a 3-month-old boy. Little Greg is in protective custody, fighting to overcome the crack cocaine that was in his body at the time of his birth. His mother, too, is an addict, lost on the streets.

Williams has been there. He's trying, yet again, to find his way back.


Williams' story started out well. He grew up in northeast Wichita, under a sturdy roof and with two loving parents.

His dad, Henry, worked at Cessna. His mother, Willia, worked for the Wichita school district.

Williams was a soft-spoken kid who could run faster than any of his friends and jump as if he had springs under his feet. He grew to love basketball, the sport he dreamed about. He just knew he would end up in the NBA one day, though he never developed a quality outside shot.

He was a 6-foot-5 center. It worked in high school. It worked for a year at Barton County Community College. But it stopped working at the Division I level, at Lamar University in Beaumont, Texas.

Williams found fleeting success in two Lamar seasons and left school before his senior year. He had just broken up with his childhood sweetheart.

Basketball hadn't worked out. His girl was gone.

In the mid-1980s he managed a Jiffy Lube store on East Kellogg but he didn't enjoy getting up in the morning like everybody else and going to a job he didn't much care for.

Nobody recognized him anymore, the way they did when he played basketball. He couldn't get his former girlfriend out of his mind.

''I think at that point I decided I was tired of being a nice guy,'' Williams said. ''I had the attitude that nice guys finish last.''

At first, it was innocent. A puff on a marijuana cigarette here. Another there.

He reintroduced himself to the wrong people, and they led him down a bad path.

Williams started selling marijuana, making some extra money. It was easy.

''Then the guy I was selling for suggested I might do better selling cocaine,'' Williams said.

He didn't have the strength to resist. He was driving the same car he had in high school, a 1973 Buick Regal with a tattered interior and chipped paint. He was embarrassed, especially since some of his old friends had become successful, had new cars and expensive jewelry.

Williams spent a couple of years just selling. He didn't dare use the stuff himself. It scared him.

Then he made the mistake of caring.

Two of his crack customers, a couple, had their electricity turned off at their home. They couldn't afford to feed their babies, or buy diapers. Everything they made went to cocaine.

''You never give a drug addict money, because they're not going to use it for anything other than drugs,'' Williams said. ''So I'd go downtown and pay for their light bill. I'd go to the store and buy the diapers or the food.''

Williams couldn't understand how these people became so dependent on crack. He told them it would never happen to him. And he proved it by using crack a few times.

For a while, he was OK. He could function.

''I'd go home,'' he said. ''I wouldn't touch the money in my bank accounts.''

Then, one day, Williams stopped functioning.

''It grabbed me by the throat and it hasn't let go for 20 years,'' Williams said.

Williams has been in and out of jail more times than he can remember -- more than a dozen times.

He was recently released from the Sedgwick County Jail and is serving four months at the county's residential and service center under conditions of his parole.

He was clean for a couple of years, from 2004 until last summer. But his addiction pulled him down again -- a probation violation landed him back in jail.

Williams has lived on the streets. He's lived in dingy motel rooms. He's lived with friends who really didn't want him living with them.

And at other times he has had good-paying jobs, able to support himself while, at least temporarily, resisting the monster.

He has never been able to hold a job for long because when the appetite for crack surfaces, it cannot be satisfied.

He burglarized to sustain his habit. He deceived friends. He took advantage of people who were trying to help him.

Every time he was caught and thrown into jail, he promised to change. His words lost their worth.

You've heard about how addicts must reach rock bottom before they can start to lift themselves. The question becomes: How low is rock bottom?

Sometime in the early 1990s, Williams was shot as he struggled for the gun of the person to whom he was selling drugs.

He had never felt such pain. He thought he was going to die as the bullet passed through his lower leg and came out the other side.

That wasn't rock bottom, though. He didn't even consider changing his life because he didn't feel capable.

In 1999, Williams' father died. Henry Williams ran a disciplined household. He insisted that his sons go to church and live by what they learned.

At the time of Henry's death, Williams was in jail in Hutchinson. He received the news from the prison chaplain.

Williams was allowed to go to his father's funeral. Wearing shackles and looking, in his mind, like a mass murderer. Just the memory of that day made Williams' baritone voice waver and his feet to tap nervously.

''I was humiliated,'' he said.

But not even that was rock bottom. When Williams got out of jail, he went right back to drugs.

''I remember once a police officer in town stopped me and said he had heard that a gang I was having some problems with was out to kill me,'' Williams said. ''And I said, 'Man, don't worry. If they kill me they'll be doing me a favor.' It's a living hell out there. I hated every day that I woke up and had to live the way I had to live.''

So it's different now.

That's what Williams says, at least.

There is a baby involved. His baby.

In 2004, Williams did what people had told him he could never do. He got clean.

He found a good job, working in management for a modeling agency. The owner took a chance by hiring Williams, but it was working out.

He was responsible and focused. And he was back in church, a place he felt safe.

Williams had money in his pocket. He bought a nice car and a nicer truck. He rented his own place.

And he met a girl. A young woman who had done some modeling. They hung out, went to movies.

Williams thought he might have gotten past his addiction. But he was fooled.

When people noticed that his weight was again falling, they asked questions. He lied, even to his boss.

Williams began smoking marijuana last summer, soon after getting off of parole. His girlfriend, who would become his wife, smoked, too. But she was also into narcotics, he said. And she was eager to try crack, even though she was pregnant.

It wasn't long before the addiction was in full swing, for both.

Soon, he was consumed by crack again.

"I couldn't believe I went back to that," he said.

Williams was soon back in jail. And the only reason he is out now, living in the county's residential center in Wichita, is because if he violates probation again, he'll serve close to 10 years.

Without a chance for parole.

There will be custody issues involved with Gregory Jr.

Williams knows his criminal record will be a factor and those wanting to put the baby up for adoption will have lots of ammunition.

''On paper, I know I've been a horrible person,'' Williams said.

Williams was in the delivery room when his son was born. He has heard that his former wife -- who could not be reached for this story -- is still fighting her addiction and will not be involved with the baby.

But he wants to be.

''There has to be a reason I'm still alive,'' he said. ''Or that I'm not buried in the penitentiary system

"I'm going to show the court system, the SRS system, everyone, that I can be the best dad in the world. All I can do is hope and pray.''

Being a nice guy isn't so bad, Williams has learned.

He played basketball in the City League at a time when the stars included Ricky Ross, Antoine Carr, Aubrey Sherrod, Greg Dreiling, Karl Papke and others. It was the signature era of City League basketball and Williams was front and center.

He averaged 23.6 points and 12 rebounds as a senior after averaging 16.7 points and 10 rebounds as a junior. He was never in trouble.

All these years later, he still thinks he could have made something bigger of himself through sports.

But the bad decisions made all of Williams' should'ves and what-ifs irrelevant.

This might be his last chance.

Addiction News Archives

The Treatment Hotline has begun compiling a list of "noteworthy" news relating to addiction. If you happen to collect such a thing (I just write...), pass it on and let's get it archived.

Addiction News Archive...like a Smithsonian for Junkies....

PB

Addiction and Recovery News

Around the corner at the Dawn Farm, Jason Schwartz of Addiction and Recovery News relays a story stating: Injection Drug Use Up Among Younger Heroin Treatment Clients.

He goes on to challenge one of the articles unsubstaniated conclusions and I have to agree...Assuming that there is less of a stigma now in regards to needles and HIV as a possible reason that more teenagers are "going to the neck" is pretty pathetic.

And is it coincedence or conspiracy that this "rising" number of young IV drug users don't live in Florida?

Maybe it's time for a "Scared Straight" survey. Lock the kids up over at Guantanemo untill they tell the truth.

Jeb?

Teen drug abuse in Florida drops-Again!

SUBSTANCE ABUSE
Teen drug abuse in Florida drops

TALLAHASSEE - (AP) -- Teenage illegal drug use in Florida declined again this year, Gov. Jeb Bush said Tuesday as he announced the results of an annual survey of middle-and high-school students.

The Florida Youth Substance Abuse Survey assessed lifetime drug usage and current usage among sixth- through 12th-graders across the state.
''We have worked to strengthen substance abuse prevention, and we have seen significant progress,'' Bush said.

''Progress is being made,'' he added, ``but the work is not done.''

There has been a decrease in the use of heroin, Ecstasy and LSD, as well as in the use of cigarettes and alcohol, the survey found.

Alcohol is the most common substance of abuse among youth.

It was the fifth straight year that most types of drug use by Florida teens have dropped. The survey showed nearly a third of the respondents used alcohol, 11.4 percent said they'd used marijuana and 10.6 percent said they smoked cigarettes.
All other drug usage was negligible.

On the surface...Great! How about a reality check...

Think. Think back to your Junior High School Days. And now imagine a survey as its passed around the class. A written survey. You're 13, 14, maybe 15. You're stoned or drunk or tripping. And now, because your teacher asked you to, you're going to TELL THE TRUTH???

As a teenager I didn't need a reason to lie...but this sure as hell would have given me one. Hell, I was paranoid when I wasn't stoned.

So I'm to belive that drug use among teenagers in Florida has decreased...BECAUSE THEY SAID SO???

Sorry. Not today...

PB

Methamphetamine Myths

Methamphetamine Myths

Sometimes the right information can turn on some lights. Read this carefully, it may just brighten you.

As methamphetamine continues to spread across the U.S., the crystalline powder attracts new users in new areas. Various myths about meth may have helped alert the community to the problem and have even prompted Governmental action. Regardless, these myths have also misled uncountable Americans, including various law enforcement and substance abuse professionals. And that's just the tip of the iceberg.

This takes us to Meth Myth #1: Methamphetamine is the nation's number one drug issue.

It is true there may be places where police, courts, child protective and emplacement agencies, drug programs, and hospitals see more meth-related cases than for any other drug. For them, this may be their dominating drug problem on a stated day. Usually that would be my conclusion, too. But national figures put this into perspective. Three years ago, methamphetamine admissions to community treatment programs ranked just 6th at 7.7 percent of such admissions. (Alcohol led with 23 .2 percent, followed by alcohol plus another drug at 18 .7 percent,).[1] Two years ago, a little over half a million Americans aged 12 years and older reported meth use in the previous month. They were in the group of 19 .2 million past-month users of illicit drugs. At the same time about half of Americans 12 and older are current alcohol drinkers. [[2]]

Myth #2: Methamphetamine use is prospering among teens.

Meth use may be increasing among some teen subgroups (e.g. gay youth; agricultural youth) . Nationally, however, use among 12- to 17-year-olds has actually declined as the standard age of first use has risen to 22 .1 years of age.[3] Use has decreased among high school students as well, although one researcher observed that "it's possible that use is increasing among high school dropouts, who are not captured in the survey, and among young adults."[4] Federal data for 2002, 2003, and 2004 show the prevalence of past-year meth use among 12- to 17-year-olds at 0.7 percent.[5]

Myth #3: Even one-time meth use leads to addiction. Experts approximate that it takes from 2 to 5 years to establish methamphetamine addiction, but concede reports of meth addiction occurring in less than one year of habitual use.[6] Addiction is by and large the outcome of chronic use, leading to increased tolerance, higher and more frequent dosages, and changes in ingestion methods.[7] The extreme euphoria meth users report may leave many who did not plan to proceed using the drug eager to repeat the experience.

Myth #4: Babies born to meth-using women suffer grave, lingering problems. Some corroboration indicates that meth use during pregnancy may result in some birth abnormalities or learning disabilities.[8] Even so, knowledge about the effects of prenatal exposure to meth remains minimal. Women planning for motherhood should refrain from all forms of substance abuse, but incendiary, stigmatizing phraseology like "meth babies" and "ice babies" should also be rejected.[9]

Myth #5: Methamphetamine is a major threat to children. Children in the care of adults who make, use or sell methamphetamine are at risk for being neglected or abused; their presence where the drug is being made puts them in harm's way. But not all meth-involved adults neglect or abuse their children and most users do not make the drug themselves. Far more children are at peril because they live in households where there is alcoholism. In 2003, an estimated 1,300 U.S. meth lab incidents involved a child being exposed to poisonous chemicals, and 724 children were removed from such sites.[10] But during the identical span "more than 6 million children lived with at least 1 parent who misused or was dependent on alcohol or an illicit drug." [11]

Myth #6: Methamphetamine addicts do not react to treatment. Many states report meth treatment success rates ranging from 60 to nearly 90 percent:[12] Among Iowa's publicly funded programs, 65 .5 percent of meth clients were good 6 months after discharge.[13] The Matrix Model, now marketed by the Hazelden Foundation, and based on earlier cocaine treatment models, has also reported high rates of success in treating meth addiction.[14] In San Diego, The Stepping Stone, serving gay people, instituted a Sexual Behavior Relapse Prevention pilot program to broaden patient retention, decrease client recidivism, and curtail HIV-infection from drug- or sex-linked relapse. At 6-month and 1-year follow-ups, noteworthy improvement on all three measures was reported for meth clients on the pilot-study track.

As it has been noted, methamphetamine is a hideous drug. The price for the exceptional euphoria it can create can be even more extraordinary for those who use it. It's manufacture and trafficking bring violence and environmental devastation and produce great risks for anyone who happens to be close at hand. At the same time, meth myths and misinformation help only to misdirect inadequate resources and muddle efforts to recognize and respond to authentic methamphetamine problems.

Hopefully you have found this article interesting at least, and possibly even helpful. Just maybe you were able to get something out of it. Thanks for taking the time to read it.


[1] The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration/Office of Applied Studies. 2003 Treatment Episode Data Set. As referenced by NIDA. March 2005. InfoFacts: Treatment Trends.

[2] The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration/Office of Applied Studies. Updated October 2, 2005. NSDUH 2004. Appendix H, Selected Prevalence Tables, Table H.3—Types of Illicit Drug Use in Lifetime, Past Year, and Past Month Among Persons Aged 12 to 17: Percentages, 2002–2004.

[3] The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration/Office of Applied Studies. The NSDUH Report: Methamphetamine Use, Abuse, and Dependence: 2002, 2003, and 2004: Highlights. http://oas.samhsa.gov/2k5/meth/meth.cfm

[4] Johnston, L.D.; O’Malley, P.M.; Bachman, J.G.; Schulenberg, J.E. December 19, 2005. Teen drug use down, but progress halts among youngest teens. University of Michigan News and Information Services: Ann Arbor, MI.

[5] The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration/Office of Applied Studies. September 16, 2005. The NSDUH Report: Methamphetamine Use, Abuse, and Dependence: 2002, 2003, and 2004, In Brief.

[6] The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration/Center for Substance Abuse Treatment. 1999. Treatment Improvement Protocols: TIP 33: Treatment for Stimulant Use Disorders, Chapter 2.

[7] National Institute on Drug Abuse. April 1998, Reprinted January 2002. Research Report Series: Methamphetamine Abuse and Addiction.

[8] Volkow, Nora, M.D., Director, NIDA. April 21, 2005. Testimony Before the Subcommittee on Labor, Health, and Human Services; Education; and Related Agencies. Committee on Appropriations, U.S. Senate.

[9] Lewis, D., M.D., Brown University. July 25, 2005. Meth Science, Not Stigma: Open Letter to the Media. Join Together Online.

[10] Office of National Drug Control Policy. February 6, 2004. "Fighting Methamphetamine in the Heartland: How Can the Federal Government Assist State and Local Efforts?"

[11] The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration/Office of Applied Studies. June 2, 2003. The NSDUH Report: Children Living With Substance-Abusing or Substance-Dependent Parents.

[12] National Association of State Alcohol and Drug Abuse Directors. May 2005. Fact Sheet: Methamphetamine.

[13] The Iowa Consortium for Substance Abuse Research and Evaluation. September 2004. Outcome Monitoring System: Iowa Project: Year Six Report.

[14] Hazelden Foundation. The Matrix Model Family of Products.

The Dr. Phil House: Heroin Twins

Heroin Twins, The Intervention, Part 2: "Twin sisters are on the brink of death in a gritty, in-your-face look at the realities of drug addiction, homelessness and prostitution that should be a wake-up call to all parents. Sarah and Tecoa, 25, had a typical childhood, filled with love and all the outward signs of a normal, happy family — until their parents divorced and their beloved stepfather exited their lives. Sarah and Tecoa say they turned to drugs and sex while in their teens, to fill the void left when they became fatherless, and their lives have been in free fall ever since. Now, Sarah lives minute to minute on the streets, consumed with her quest for heroin and crack cocaine, and selling her body to pay for her drugs. Tecoa is currently clean, but not by choice. She’s been in jail, unable to do anything but think about drugs. She’s also six months pregnant. Joani, a former Dr. Phil guest and recovering addict herself, found Sarah on the streets and documented her days and nights for a month. "

Czech Republic leads Europe in marijuana, meth-amphetamine use

We have a Winner! It seems that the Czech Republic leads all of Europe in marijuana, and meth-amphetamine use..

Prague Daily Monitor, Czech Republic - Nov 23, 2006… world is on the rise. In the Czech Republic, the addiction to pervitine has been a long-term problem. The report also mentions Slovakia …

AddictionRandom

Children admitted to hospital for alcohol abuse up by 20%

THE number of children admitted to hospital with alcohol-related conditions has risen by more than 20 per cent in the past five years, it was revealed today. (Source: Scotsman.com News - Health)

British binge-drinking taking toll on young

AFP - Britain's notorious "binge-drinking" habit -- drinking purely to get very drunk -- has fueled a 20 percent rise in alcohol problems among the young in four years, new figures revealed. (Source: Yahoo! News: Health News)

Fears over rise in child drinking

The number of under-18s admitted to hospital in England with alcohol-related illness jumps by 20%. (Source: BBC News | Health | UK Edition)

WOW...Am I the Only Person Who Didn't Know?

Blog Addiction Treatment

I mean I knew...at least the basics. I knew there were literally hundreds of thousands of blogs that had never been touched by human hands, their only purpose was to serve their masters and plenty of G-G Ads.

But an entire blog dedicated to a single keyword phrase thats not even used or worth much? The implication is that if it's worth it to put up this P.O.S. while taking advantage of high paying "drug rehab" terms like, well...Drug Rehab, think of how many million of these fake alcohol and addiction sites there must be!

A little math tells me that if I'm in the fake addiction website business, and have software that will do the posting for me, I'm rich within a year. I don't need trafic! I need more blogs! A couple hundred blogs about alcoholism, addiction, recovery and drug treatment that average just 2-3 bucks a day and I'm livin' large in Baja!

Yeah, well..maybe you could.

I couldn't.

It would be like living off of littering. Sober.

And what sort of stand-up, rightous, hundred percent addict could do that???

Lethal Drug Combo Killed Son Of Anna Nicole Smith

Lethal Drug Combo Killed Son Of Anna Nicole Smith

This story got more press than the "war" in Iraq for almost 3 full days.

man, are we f***ed up or what?

Crystal-Meth Reclassified in U.K.

Officials have moved to reclassify crystal methamphetamine as a Class A controlled substance, the highest restrictive class, The Guardian reported.

The Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs recommended the reclassification to Home Secretary John Reed, prompted in participation by the finding of a small number of neighbouring methamphetamine labs. British officials are watching the drug guardedly after seeing meth addiction whisk across the U.S. and Australia. Numerous experts foretell that meth use, now restricted mainly to gay clubgoers, will become commonplace in Great Britain within the next few years.

Immediately following, the Class A assignment gives the law run to aim both meth abuse and meth labs; as a Class B drug, meth is not the angle of any concerted police movement. Even if rates of use in the U.K. stay low at present-day, reclassifying crystal meth could maintain preemptive value in enabling police resources to be directed towards the drug as part of the tactic to centre on class A drugs.

Injectable Alcoholism Medication Approved

The FDA has approved Vivitrol (naltrexone) as a one time-a-month injectable medication for the treatment of alcoholism. Naltrexone has been used as a tablet, which is taken everyday.

The drug suppresses alcohol cravings by blocking neurotransmitters which stimulate alcohol reliance. In addition, although the drug is typically well tolerable, liver impairment is one of the conceivable side-effects for patients on high doses. It is not indicated for patients with acute hepatitis or liver failure caused by alcoholism. Patients treated with injectable Vivitrol will also be given addiction counseling and support, say the makers. The new product will be accessible in the USA in June, say the makers.

A stage III trial run showed patients taking 380 mg of Vivitrol and receiving psychosocial support experienced considerably fewer incidences of massive drinking bouts compared to patients given a placebo and psychosocial support.
Written by: Christian NordqvistEditor: Medical News Today
That concludes this special report.

Prescription abuse

Statistics may be true, but drug abuse still runs rampant through our region in the form of prescription drug abuse. Abuse of prescription pain medication and anti-anxiety agents have taken the place of the more traditionally abused chemicals.

Opioid-based pain relievers such as OxyContin, Dilaudid, Percocet, and Lortab, are easily obtained by simply visiting their family physician or the local emergency room. These medications are frequently abused and highly addictive.

The body becomes dependent on the addictive painkillers and the user goes through severe withdrawal when deprived of them. Often the fear of these withdrawal symptoms, and the addiction itself will drive these users to obtain the medication any way they can, legally or illegally.

Another highly abused prescription medication in our region is benzodiazepines. These medications, often referred to as “nerve-pills,” or “benzos” are causing many to become hopelessly addicted.

Often, drug abusers will combine the opioids with the benzodiazepines to enhance their euphoria, but this combination has led to many accidental overdoses and death. Benzodiazepines such as Valium, Xanax, Klonopin, and Ativan also cause withdrawal symptoms when abruptly stopped. The most prevalent withdrawal symptom from benzodiazepines is increased anxiety, reinforcing the patient’s belief that they cannot go without medication.

The purpose of this letter is to increase awareness of this type of substance abuse and to ask local physicians to be more diligent in screening patients for substance abuse behavior. Requests for early refills, numerous reports of lost or stolen medication, and frequent emergency room visits asking for pain medication should all raise red flags.

Pharmacists could help identify problem patients by reporting “doctor-shopping,” and odd behaviors such as insisting on paying cash for a controlled medication when they have insurance.

We are aware that there is no way to stop the abuse of prescription medication altogether. We do, however, believe that those who provide the prescription can make an impact on availability.

Simple proactive steps such as pill counts, urine drug screens, and recognizing drug-seeking behavior may help identify those who abuse or misuse their medication. Once abuse or misuse has been identified, then detoxification and substance abuse counseling can be offered.

— Alina Vrinceanu, MD; Roger Hamm, LPN

Southern Highlands Community Health Center, Princeton, WV

How does alcohol-use affect people?

How does alcohol-use affect people?

You've heard the news. "Wine with dinner benefits heart." "A couple of shots a week and you'll live to 100." How about some FACTS?

While research suggests that small amounts of alcohol might have beneficial cardiovascular effects, researchers agree that heavier drinking can lead to health problems. In fact, 100,000 Americans die from alcohol-related causes each year. Short-term effects include memory loss, hangovers, and blackouts. Long-term problems associated with heavy drinking include stomach ailments, heart problems, cancer, brain damage, serious memory loss, and liver cirrhosis.

Question: Raise your hand if you've ever seen seomeone literally "blow-up"...their skin filled with fluid, eyes yellow, legs 3 times the noraml size. Quite a site. Hope it won't be a relative of yours...

Heavy drinkers also markedly increase their chances of dying from automobile accidents, homicide, and suicide. Although men are much more likely than women to develop alcoholism, women's health suffers more, even at lower levels of consumption.

Drinking problems negatively impact mental health. Alcohol abuse and alcoholism worsen existing conditions such as depression and induce new problems like loss of memory, depression, or anxiety. Not to mention loss of job, car, house and family...

Alcohol problems don't just hurt the drinker. According to NIAAA, more than half of Americans have at least one close relative with a drinking problem. Spouses and children of heavy drinkers are more likely to face family violence; children are more likely to suffer physical and sexual abuse and neglect and to develop psychological problems. Women who drink during pregnancy run a serious risk of damaging their fetuses. Relatives and friends can be killed or injured in alcohol-related accidents and assaults.

Sound like fun to you?

Well, it sure was to me. You see I'm allergic to booze.

I steal your girlfriend, your DVD player and then I break out...in handcuffs.

Thanks for reading and come back soon-No Preaching. Promise.

PB

Drug Addiction News:

Drug Addiction News:

Drug bill combats addiction
From: www.rockymountainnews.com

"Treating drug addicts, rather than just putting them in prison, will save Colorado money and give addicts a chance to rebuild their lives, a House panel decided Monday."

Drug addiction bill has ties to Park
From: www.sherwoodparknews.com

"Sherwood Park News To force a crystal meth-addicted youth into a detox centre today, they must have either committed a crime or become wards of the province."

Drug use is worse on teen brains
From: www.vagazette.com

"WILLIAMSBURG -- Adolescents who start with cigarettes and alcohol are more likely to progress to hard drugs. They're also more prone to addiction and could suffer the effects of aging sooner."

Drug rehab trial turns to motions in Ossipee Court
From: www.citizen.com

"OSSIPEE The jury in the fraudulent drug rehab center trial spent little time in the courtroom Tuesday as lawyers for both sides argued various motions before the judge, including motions by defense attorneys to dismiss the case."

Alberta legislature gives 2nd reading to forced drug treatment bill
From: news.yahoo.com

"EDMONTON (CP) - The horror of crystal meth addiction in teenagers seems to be easy to agree on - it's how best to fight it that's causing trouble for Alberta legislators."

Easy Drug Access Not Big Cause of Docs' Relapse
From: www.jointogether.org

"Depression, mental illness, or having a family history of addiction have more to do with relapse among doctors in recovery than does easy access to drugs, HealthDay News reported March 22."

Drug Testing and Deception

Slate has a story this week about the failure of school drug testing . It reports that the largest studies of the issue do not support randomly testing students or testing those in extracurricular activities as a way of reducing drug use. The article highlights the involvement of former drug czar Robert DuPont--a long-time drug warrior --in flawed research frequently cited...

Links You Can Click

Orange County Drug Treatment

Cocaine and Crack Addiction Information

Alcoholism Treatment Support and Help

Referrals for Alcoholism and Drug Addiction

SCIENCE OF ALCOHOLISM AND ADDICTION IS GREATER THAN FICTION

SCIENCE OF ALCOHOLISM AND ADDICTION IS GREATER THAN FICTION

NEW YORK, NY -- In the wake of publicity surrounding James Frey's book, A Million Little Pieces, the Medical/Scientific Committee of the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence (NCADD) would like to reaffirm that alcoholism and drug addiction are diseases -- primary, chronic, yet treatable diseases from which people can and do recover. NCADD is the nation's oldest advocacy organization dedicated to providing information, education, help and hope to the general public regarding alcoholism and other drug dependence and its Medical/Scientific Committee is comprised of recognized experts in the field of alcoholism and addiction. Regrettably, Mr. Frey's book has presented some serious misconceptions about the science of alcoholism and addiction and has minimized the unequivocal progress that has been made in the past decade in understanding and treating these diseases.

About Substance Abuse Addiction

What are some of the commonly abused prescription drugs?

Although many prescription drugs can be abused or misused, there are three classes of prescription drugs that are most commonly abused:

Opioids, which are most often prescribed to treat pain; CNS depressants, which are used to treat anxiety and sleep disorders; Stimulants, which are prescribed to treat the sleep disorder narcolepsy, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and obesity.

What are opioids?

Opioids are commonly prescribed because of their effective analgesic, or pain-relieving, properties. Medications that fall within this class - sometimes referred to as narcotics - include morphine, codeine, and related drugs. Morphine, for example, is often used before or after surgery to alleviate severe pain. Codeine, because it is less efficacious than morphine, is used for milder pain. Other examples of opioids that can be prescribed to alleviate pain include oxycodone (OxyContin), propoxyphene (Darvon), hydrocodone (Vicodin), and hydromorphone (Dilaudid), as well as meperidine (Demerol), which is used less often because of its side effects. In addition to their pain-relieving properties, some of these drugs - for example, codeine and diphenoxylate (Lomotil) - can be used to relieve coughs and diarrhea.

About Cocaine Addiction

Cocaine Addiction News:

Abdullah Says Drug Addiction Problem At Dangerous Level From: www.bernama.com "KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 23 (Bernama) -- Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi said the drug addiction problem in the country has reached a dangerous level."

Drug Court wins top praise
From: www.miami.com

"The U.S. drug czar paid a visit to Miami-Dade's Drug Court to tout its success in turning around the lives of nonviolent, first-time offenders with addiction problems."

Curing cocaine addiction
From: news8austin.com

"The total social cost of overall drug addiction is as much as $1 trillion a year in the United States, Brodie said. He hopes, however, one drug in particular could turn things around."

Legislator pushes for new drug laws
From: badgerherald.com

"A series of 10 witnesses gathered at the Capitol Wednesday to hold an informational hearing on the illegal drug methamphetamine, advocating for the proposal of legislation to prevent addiction. State Rep. Scott Suder, R-Abbotsford, chairman of the Assembly Criminal and Homeland Security Committee, organized the hearing. Current treatment of methamphetamine addiction has created concerns.

" DOHERTY TESTED ANTI-ADDICTION IMPLANT
From: www.contactmusic.com

"Recovering rocker PETE DOHERTY took heroin just hours after leaving rehab, to test a new anti-addiction implant he has been given. The former LIBERTINES frontman ended a two-week stay in a London hospital on Saturday (19FEB05) and doctors proclaimed him clean and free of the drug."

JOHN HELPED WAINWRIGHT OVERCOME DRUGS ADDICTION
From: www.contactmusic.com

"SIR ELTON JOHN helped cult singer-songwriter RUFUS WAINWRIGHT overcome his drug addiction. The ROCKET MAN helped the American star get clean and recommended rehabilitation centre the Hazelden in Minnesota, America, where Wainwright spent a month detoxing and undergoing therapy a couple of years ago."

Addiction Helpblog

Addiction Helpblog

What Is Alcoholism...Really?

A short introduction to a subject many thousands of readers have been affected by and want to learn more about.

In response to a growing demand for quality content on Alcoholism, we commissioned a group of expert writers to create this article. Let's get right into the content.

Alcoholism, also known as alcohol dependence, is a disease that causes a person to be so physiologically dependent on alcohol that this dependence interferes with work, relationships or school. Alcohol abuse does not include an extremely strong craving for alcohol, loss of control over drinking or physical dependence, but it can be just as devastating to your life. Whether you have alcoholism or abuse alcohol, your problem can affect your quality of life and your career and can damage your relationships.

As you've seen from the article you're reading, we have tried to compile the very best resources from across the Internet on this topic - build the ultimate destination that'll attract you and others interested in the subject.

Alcoholism and alcohol abuse can be factors in violent crimes, teen pregnancies and date rape. As many as 13 million people in the United States may have a problem with alcohol. Short-term physical effects of alcohol use include: Distorted vision, hearing and coordination. Altered perceptions and emotions. Impaired judgment. Bad breath. Hangovers. Long-term physical effects of heavy alcohol use include: Loss of appetite. Vitamin deficiencies. Skin problems. Sexual impotence. Memory loss. Digestive-system disorders such as ulcers, inflammation of the pancreas, gastritis (inflammation of the stomach) and cirrhosis (liver damage). Central and peripheral nervous systems damage, including blackouts, hallucinations, tremors, alcohol withdrawal syndrome and death. Damage to unborn children (from even moderate drinking), including birth defects, mental retardation, learning problems and fetal alcohol syndrome. Psychological and interpersonal problems, including impaired thinking and judgment, changes in mood and behavior, child abuse, impaired social relationships, and marital, scholastic, job-related, legal, and financial problems

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