Alcoholism & Drug Abuse Weekly articles from December 2003

Alcoholism & Drug Abuse Weekly archives from December 2003

House-Senate conferees fund Bush's voucher treatment program: $100 million would go toward pioneering effort.
December 8, 2003... As part of a fiscal 2004 spending bill to fund the departments of Labor, Health and Human Services (HHS) and Education, members of the House of Representatives and Senate conference committees earmarked $100 million for President Bush's Access...

Fla. officials may be poised to enact prescription monitoring system.(prescription drug abuse prevention)
December 8, 2003... Faced with what one Florida anti-drug official calls "epidemic growth" in the abuse of prescription drugs, some public officials expressed confidence that legislators would pass a law this term establishing a prescription tracking system. ...

U.S. Supreme Court rules against recovering former employee: ruling unclear on applicability of ADA.(Raytheon Co. v. Hernandez employment discrimination case)
December 8, 2003... The U.S. Supreme Court ruling in the much anticipated Raytheon Co. v. Hernandez employment discrimination case came down to a matter of timing: Hernandez failed to raise a legal issue in a timely manner and was therefore barred from arguing it....

Small companies behind the curve on alcohol/drug policies.
December 8, 2003... Small business managers are less likely to believe that a drug or alcohol problem exists among their staff and are less likely to have drug-free workplace policies in place. These findings are the result of a survey conducted by RoperASW on...

Charles E. Maynard, founder and chief executive of The Providence Center, has announced plans to retire next June.(Names in the News)(Brief Article)
December 8, 2003... Charles E. Maynard, founder and chief executive of The Providence Center, has announced plans to retire next June, the Providence Journal reported. In 1968, the city of Providence, R.I., hired Maynard to open a clinic for children and adults...

Learning CD-ROM focuses on relapse management.(Resources)("Relapse Management: A Computerized Workbook" from Partnership for Recovery)(Brief Article)
December 8, 2003... Partnership for Recovery has announced the availability of "Relapse Management: A Computerized Workbook," an interactive multimedia educational program designed for people who have severe and persistent mental illness. The computer assisted...

Board game explores use, abuse and addiction.(Resources)(The Use, Relapse and Recovery Journey board game from Wellness Reproductions and Publishing)(Brief Article)
December 8, 2003... Wellness Reproductions and Publishing is offering The Use, Relapse and Recovery Journey board game designed to help teens and adults examine substance use, abuse and addiction. The game focuses on triggers, recovery concepts, relapse prevention...

Outside the Classroom raises $2.5 million in funding.(Business Notes)(Brief Article)
December 8, 2003... Outside The Classroom, developer of the AleoholEdu online prevention program, has raised an additional $2.5 million in venture capital funding, according to a company announcement. The funding will support market expansion and new product...

Low levels of alcohol may impair brain function.(Briefly Noted)(Brief Article)
December 8, 2003... As few as one or two alcoholic drinks may impair brain function, HealthDayNews reported. Researchers found that a blood-alcohol level of 0.01 percent can impair brain function. The findings are published in the Nov. 17 issue of the Proceedings...

Marijuana smoke poses threat to young lungs.(Briefly Noted)(Brief Article)
December 8, 2003... The White House Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP), the American Lung Association and the American Cancer Society are working to raise awareness of the dangers that cigarette and marijuana smoke pose to young people's lungs, PR...

Prevention program helps students avoid repeat violations.(Briefly Noted)(AlcoholEdu for Sanctions from Outside the Classroom)(Brief Article)
December 8, 2003... Outside the Classroom, the developer of the AlcoholEdu online prevention program, has introduced AlcoholEdu for Sanctions, a web-based interactive course for use with college students who have violated their schools' alcohol policies. The...

Popular websites restrict ads from unlicensed pharmacies.(Briefly Noted)(Brief Article)
December 8, 2003... Google Inc. has joined other websites in restricting ad sales to unlicensed pharmacies, the Associated Press reported. The company plans to establish a screening system to determine whether or not a pharmacy is properly licensed before selling...

Amendment would allow discrimination against addicts.(Briefly Noted)(Australian Disability Discrimination Act )(Brief Article)
December 8, 2003... A joint party meeting in Australia has endorsed amendments to the Disability Discrimination Act that would lift the prohibition on discrimination on the grounds of an addiction to a prohibited drug, AAP Information Services Pty. Ltd. reported....

Tobacco control programs can lower smoking rates.(Briefly Noted)(Brief Article)
December 8, 2003... Investing in state tobacco control programs can reduce smoking rates, according to findings published Nov. 18 in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute. Researchers evaluated the American Stop Smoking Intervention Study (ASSIST), which...

Most Americans oppose legalizing marijuana.(Briefly Noted)(Brief Article)
December 8, 2003... Most Americans are opposed to legalizing marijuana, according to the Gallup Poll Tuesday Briefing survey released earlier this month. In the poll, 64 percent of Americans said they thought that marijuana should remain illegal, while 34 percent...

Culture affects alcohol/health philosophy.(Briefly Noted)(Brief Article)
December 8, 2003... Culture may influence whether or not patients who visit the emergency room after drinking connect their injuries to alcohol use, Health Behavior News Service reported. Researchers found that emergency room patients who lived in "dry" cultures...

Boston mayor pushes clean needle initiative.(Briefly Noted)(Thomas M. Menino)(Brief Article)
December 8, 2003... Boston Mayor Thomas M. Menino is leading an initiative to permit over-the-counter sales of syringes in an effort to reduce the spread of HIV and hepatitis in the state, the Boston Globe reported. The initiative would repeal an existing law that...

Relapse rate high in Vietnam.(Briefly Noted)(drug addiction relapse)(Brief Article)
December 8, 2003... Most addicts treated in Vietnam' s rehabilitation facilities relapse within a year, the Agence France Presse reported. In the capital, Hanoi, about 90 percent of drug addicts sent to rehabilitation relapse within three years, with 70 percent...

Adolescent binge drinking may lead to memory loss.(Briefly Noted)(Brief Article)
December 8, 2003... Findings in the October issue of Alcoholism: Clinical & Experimental Research indicate that binge drinking during adolescence may lead to memory loss later in life, Health Day News reported. Researchers found that adult rats that had been...

Coming up.(upcoming addiction and recovery industry events)(Calendar)
December 8, 2003... CARF... The Rehabilitation Accreditation Commission will present, "CARF 101: Preparing for Successful Accreditation in Behavioral Health," Sept. 18 and 19 in Las Vegas, Nev. For more information, visit www.carf.org/ events.html. NAADAC...

In case you haven't heard ...(daily gym workouts may lead to exercise addiction)(Brief Article)
December 8, 2003... Researchers say that working out in the gym every day could lead to exercise addiction, The Daily Telegraph (London) reported. Scientists reported in Behavioral Neuroscience that parts of the brain involved in drug, alcohol and gambling...

Hazelden launches campaign to change employer attitudes.(Hazelden Foundation out to change employer views on substance abuse)
December 15, 2003... The Hazelden Foundation this month announced the launching of a nationwide educational campaign designed to change the way American businesses view addiction. Data released by the Minneapolis-based foundation show that nearly one in four...

Multicultural prevention curriculum found to reduce student drug use.
December 15, 2003... Middle school students participating in a multicultural curriculum intervention either prevented or delayed their first-time use of alcohol, tobacco and marijuana, and had better behavioral outcomes related to substance use. Findings from...

SAMHSA reports states adhering to Synar requirements: block grant funds remain unaffected by controversial law.(Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration )
December 15, 2003... States are doing a better job of curtailing underage tobacco sales as only Alaska failed to meet federal requirements, according to data released last week by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). The...

Injectable naltrexone decreases heavy drinking among men: no effect found for women.(Brief Article)
December 15, 2003... Findings from a Phase III clinical trial of Vivitrex (naltrexone for injectable suspension) found a significant reduction in the heavy drinking rate among men compared to placebo. In the overall study population, there was a 25 percent...

Survey finds reduction in risky youth behavior.(Brief Article)
December 15, 2003... A biennial report released this month found that students in Wisconsin are reducing their risky behaviors, including alcohol, marijuana and tobacco use. The survey of 2,121 students in 50 public high schools in the state showed reductions...

Seabrook House.(Names in the News)(Stephanie Patten and Melinda Judd join staff)(Brief Article)
December 15, 2003... Seabrook House, based in Seabrook, N.J., has hired Stephanie Patten, Ph.D., and Melinda Judd, LCSW, CADC, as clinical outreach representatives for its Clinical Outreach Initiative. Patten is a psychologist with 21 years of experience. Judd is a...

AdCare Hospital.(Names in the News)(Megan Nocivelli appointed community services representative)(Brief Article)
December 15, 2003... Megan Nocivelli has joined Worcester, Mass-based AdCare Hospital as a community services representative. Nocivelli has spent the past 11 years marketing the Anheuser-Busch Adventure Parks, most recently serving as the national partnership...

NAPHS offers training on staffing in patient programs.(Resources)(National Association of Psychiatric Health Systems )(Brief Article)
December 15, 2003... The National Association of Psychiatric Health Systems (NAPHS) will sponsor a two-hour "ask-the-expert" telephone training Jan. 29 from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. EST. Three nurse executives, who are also chief executives of their facilities, will lead a...

Papers to help businesses address substance abuse issues.(Resources)(Brief Article)
December 15, 2003... Drug Free Pennsylvania is offering a series of three Business Resource Papers designed to help businesses of all sizes address issues related to substance abuse. Covered topics include detecting substance abuse during the hiring process,...

Vermont may consider relaxing methadone restrictions.(Briefly Noted)(Brief Article)
December 15, 2003... State officials and legislators in Vermont are considering changes to state regulations that limit the availability of methadone, the Drug Policy Alliance reported. Paul Jarris, M.D., Vermont's Health Commissioner, told Vermont Public radio...

Brief counseling may help reduce drinking.(Briefly Noted)(Brief Article)
December 15, 2003... Brief counseling sessions may help patients with alcohol-induced liver disease reduce their drinking, Health Behavior News Service reported. Researchers found that heavy drinkers who participated in counseling sessions reduced their alcohol...

Methylphenidate (Ritalin) may reduce cocaine sensitivity.(Briefly Noted)(Brief Article)
December 15, 2003... Researchers at McLean Hospital have found that early exposure to methylphenidate (Ritalin) may reduce cocaine sensitivity. The researchers found that young rats that were given methylphenidate were less likely to find cocaine pleasurable as...

Grant supports unique HIV/AIDS prevention effort.(Briefly Noted)(Mount Sinai Hospital receives grant)(Brief Article)
December 15, 2003... The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has awarded Mount Sinai Hospital a $1.2 million grant to reduce the transmission of HIV in Chicago's West Side neighborhoods. The grant will fund a program designed to educate people...

Rise of amphetamines concerns United Nations.(Briefly Noted)(Brief Article)
December 15, 2003... Earlier this month, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) warned that the amphetamine epidemic in Southeast Asia may become the world's most severe drug problem, Agence France Presse reported. Narumi Yamada, UNODC senior program...

Exchange programs linked to decreased HIV prevalence.(Briefly Noted)(Brief Article)
December 15, 2003... Findings reported in the International Journal of Drug Policy show that needle exchange programs may be effective in reducing the spread of HIV, AAP Information Services Pty. Ltd. reported. Researchers observed that HIV prevalence decreased by...

N.C. officials push for tougher meth penalties.(Briefly Noted)(Brief Article)
December 15, 2003... Justice officials in North Carolina are pushing for tougher sentences for people who operate methamphetamine labs, especially for those who operate labs in households where children live, the Associated Press reported. Earlier this month, State...

$1,500 reward offered for information about illegal copying.(Manisses Communications Group Inc. offers reward for information about copyright infringement of Alcoholism and Drug Abuse Weekly)(Brief Article)
December 15, 2003... Manisses Communications Group, Inc. offers a reward of up to $1,500 to persons providing evidence of illegal photocopying, sending by fax, transmitting electronically or reproducing by any other means of Alcoholism & Drug Abuse Weekly. This...

Indiana alcohol rates exceed national average.(Briefly Noted)(Brief Article)
December 15, 2003... Although the percent of youth in Indiana who drink alcohol and smoke has declined, it is still above the national average, the Associated Press reported. Last year, 23.8 percent of 10th-graders in Indiana said they smoked cigarettes on a...

Report finds racial disparities in Seattle drug arrests.(Briefly Noted)(Brief Article)
December 15, 2003... A study commissioned by Seattle public defenders has shown that African American drug sellers in Seattle are more likely to be arrested than white offenders are, the Drug Policy Alliance reported. Between 1999 and 2001, African Americans were...

Protein may play role in Ecstasy overdose.(Briefly Noted)(lack of UCP-3 protein may help prevent hyerthermia in overdose)(Brief Article)
December 15, 2003... Researchers reporting in the journal Nature have identified a protein that may play a role in the overheating that can result from an Ecstasy overdose, the Associated Press reported. Researchers found that mice that lacked the protein UCP-3...

Coming up.(Calendar)
December 15, 2003... The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) will hold the seventh Annual Summit for Faith and Community-Based Organizations in partnership with the Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America (CADCA) National Conference...

In case you haven't heard ...(prescription drug abusers find more creative ways to acquire drugs)(Brief Article)
December 15, 2003... Police around the country are reporting that people addicted to prescription drugs are coming up with creative ways to access people's houses and medicine cabinets in their desperate search for drugs, USA Today reported. Some are posing as...

Prescribing of buprenorphine expected to increase gradually: SAMHSA heightens effort to overcome M.D. resistance.(Special 2004 Preview Issue)
December 22, 2003... Last year's federal approval of buprenorphine to treat opioid addiction was hailed as ushering in a new era of treatment by offering the service in the privacy of a doctor's office instead of a clinic or hospital setting. But doctors have been...

Voucher treatment initiative will infuse new dollars into programs.(Special 2004 Preview Issue)
December 22, 2003... 2004 should represent the first year in several where significant new federal treatment dollars will reach the state and community levels--at least in some states. President Bush's highly touted Access to Recovery initiative will come to...

Reform movement takes hiatus from diversion-to-treatment initiatives: group to focus on harm reduction, sentencing, medical marijuana.
December 22, 2003... Though the Drug Policy Alliance plans no large-scale efforts to get diversion-to-treatment referenda placed on state ballots in 2004, don't mistake silence for idleness. The drug-reform group will be working with local groups, state...

Federal government establishes new grant website: site will allow 'one-stop shopping'.( Department of Health and Human Services has new Website for applying to federal grant programs on substance abuse )
December 22, 2003... The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) this month unveiled a single, comprehensive website that will contain information about finding and applying for all federal grant programs. The website, grants.gov, makes it easier for...

FAVOR, NCADD could turn up intensity of advocacy.(Faces and Voices of Recovery; National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence; patient advocacy)
December 22, 2003... Building on the momentum established at the May 2003 Providence Summit on Addiction, 2004 promises to be an active year for grassroots advocacy in the addiction field. Last year's Providence Summit brought together leaders from 29...

Health care spending growth slowed in early 2003.(Briefly Noted)(Brief Article)
December 22, 2003... Health care spending growth slowed in the first six months of 2003, according to results released by the Center for Studying Health System Change (HSC). Health care spending growth per insured individual increased 8.5 percent in the first half...

Sixth-graders hit key stage in smoking decision.(Briefly Noted)(Brief Article)
December 22, 2003... Findings published in the American Journal of Health Behavior indicate that many sixth-graders progress toward smoking over the school year, Health Behavior News Service reported. Researchers found that the number of students who intended to...

Coming Up.(Calendar)
December 22, 2003... The National Crime Prevention Council and Youth Crime Watch of America will hold the Youth Crime Prevention Conference and International Forum, "Youth Raising the Standard," Feb. 14 to 17 in Arlington, Va. For more information, visit...

In case you haven't heard ...(parents vow to provide "Safe Homes" by not providing drugs or alcohol to teens)(Brief Article)
December 22, 2003... A growing number of communities in Maine are establishing "Safe Homes" lists, homes where parents have pledged not to provide alcohol or drugs to teens and not to allow parties in their absence, the Associated Press reported. The program was...