Alcoholism & Drug Abuse Weekly articles from February 2004

Alcoholism & Drug Abuse Weekly archives from February 2004

GAO urges risk management plans for controlled substances.
February 2, 2004... Abuse and diversion problems related to the narcotic painkiller OxyContin have led a federal agency to recommend that pharmaceutical companies submit plans that contain strategies for identifying potential abuse problems for controlled...

Fast-growing CRC Health acquires methadone provider: company to seek role in national issues.
February 2, 2004... CRC Health Group, Inc., the nation's largest for-profit provider of residential and outpatient addiction treatment services, announced in December the acquisition of National Specialty Clinics, Inc. (NSC), one of the most prominent providers of...

Fiscal strain has state rethinking policy on drug offenders.
February 2, 2004... Minnesota's tough stance against drug offenders, stemming from policies adopted in the 1980s and '90s, has caught up with the economic realities of the day. In a report last month to the state legislature, a state commission said that...

County's efforts give head start to young children.(From the Field)
February 2, 2004... Salinas Community Center in John Steinbeck country was the kickoff venue of an ambitious initiative to create solid, operational bridges between Monterey (Calif.) County's child welfare and alcohol/drug service systems. MCSTART (Monterey...

NAADAC seeks trainers for new academy.(Call for Applications)
February 2, 2004... NAADAC--The Association for Addiction Professionals is soliciting applications from experienced trainers to become members of a new NAADAC Trainers Academy. NAADAC is seeking applicants with skills and expertise in special populations, clinical...

Kit available for Alcohol Screening Day.(Resources)
February 2, 2004... The 2004 National Alcohol Screening Day is offering a kit, "Alcohol and Your Health: Where Do You Draw the Line?" to registered sites. The kit includes a video and educational materials that address the full range of alcohol use disorders and...

CSAP offers free prevention courses.
February 2, 2004... The Center for Substance Abuse Prevention's (CSAP's) Prevention Pathways website offers free prevention courses for professionals and the public. The site includes courses designed to provide continuing education credits for professionals, as...

Health plans going along with provider demands.(Briefly Noted)
February 2, 2004... Contract disputes between health plans and providers have cooled down in recent years, according to recent findings released by the Center for Studying Health System Change (HSC). The balance of power has shifted to providers, especially...

Vermont seeks housing for drug court participants.(Briefly Noted)
February 2, 2004... Officials at Vermont's first drug court, which opened earlier this month, are considering renting apartments to provide drug court participants with a place to stay, the Associated Press reported. The officials say they need a place for...

U.K. report recommends targeting heroin users.(Briefly Noted)
February 2, 2004... Prime Minister Tony Blair has received a report that recommends making heroin use a crime similar to heroin possession, the Independent (London) reported. A confidential Downing Street report recommends introducing the offense of drug use with...

China to add psychologists to 're-education centers'.(Briefly Noted)
February 2, 2004... China hopes to have one certified psychologist at every re-education through labor institution for drug addicts by the end of the year, the Xinhua News Agency reported. The Ministry of Justice will help administrators become certified by...

Females may be at greater risk of cocaine addiction.(Briefly Noted)
February 2, 2004... Findings in Neuropsychopharmacology suggest that women may be at greater risk, than men of becoming addicted to cocaine, AAP Information Services Pty. Ltd. reported. Researchers found that female rats that had free access to cocaine were more...

Lawmakers in New Mexico support anti-meth legislation.(Briefly Noted)
February 2, 2004... A bipartisan group of lawmakers in New Mexico have announced their support for anti-methamphetamine legislation, the Associated Press reported. One measure would allow prosecutors to charge people with child abuse if children are present in a...

Maryland sees increase in methadone deaths.(Briefly Noted)
February 2, 2004... Maryland has seen a dramatic increase in methadone overdose deaths over the past six years, the Associated Press reported. According to figures from the state Office of the Chief Medical Examiner, 29 people died from methadone intoxication in...

Researchers identify gene that may influence alcohol risk.(Briefly Noted)
February 2, 2004... Researchers reporting in the journal Alcoholism. Clinical and Experimental Research have found a gene that appears to increase the risk of alcohol dependence, the San Antonio Express-News reported. Researchers involved in the Collaborative...

Ogilvy & Mather officials charged with offenses.(Briefly Noted)
February 2, 2004... Last month, a federal grand jury charged two top executives at Ogilvy & Mather Worldwide with conspiracy and filing false claims, saying that they padded bills submitted to the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) for the...

Coming up.
February 2, 2004... 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 ...
February 2, 2004... A "reality" advertising campaign will follow a New York City resident named "Bob" as he attempts to quit smoking. Sponsored by the American Legacy Foundation and the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, the campaign will...

Budget crisis halts planned expansion of N.J. drug courts.
February 9, 2004... New Jersey's plans for the expansion of its drug court program this year have come to a halt due to budget constraints facing the state. The delay has raised concerns among officials over the future of the state's successful drug court program...

Review of ONDCP campaign shows gap in parental monitoring.
February 9, 2004... An evaluation of the National Youth Anti-Drug Media Campaign has found that while there is evidence of some favorable campaign effects on parent behaviors, including-talking with children about drugs, evidence that the campaign has influenced...

Study: urban, suburban students use drugs at same rate.
February 9, 2004... Drug use and delinquency rates are similar in urban and suburban public schools, according to a study published last month by the Manhattan Institute for Policy Research. The study's findings debunk the notion that suburbia might somehow...

SAMHSA: adolescent admission rise due to marijuana.
February 9, 2004... Forty-nine percent more youths entered substance abuse treatment facilities in 2001 as compared to 1992, primarily because of a surge in marijuana admissions, according to a study conducted by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services...

Study: SA services reduce abuse and neglect of children.
February 9, 2004... A statewide study in New York found that abuse and neglect of children drops significantly when substance abuse services are provided to parents of children served by child welfare agencies. A Preliminary Report on the Temporary Assistance...

CADCA offers free training for American Indian communities.(Resources)
February 9, 2004... The Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America (CADCA) in conjunction with White Bison, a national American Indian organization, will sponsor a free training Feb. 23 to 25 in Denver. The three-day training will focus on strategic planning for...

Elite files patent on second resistance technology.(Business Notes)
February 9, 2004... Late last month, Elite Pharmaceuticals, Inc. filed a U.S. patent application on an opioid abuse resistance technology to be used with narcotic analgesics such as OxyContin, the company announced. The resistance technology is designed to make...

PsychTemps, ABE announce joint venture.(Briefly Noted)
February 9, 2004... PsychTemps, Inc. and the American Board of Examiners in Clinical Social Work (ABE) have announced a joint venture to promote employment opportunities for advanced clinical social workers. ABE, a national credentialing body for advanced-level...

Court: anonymous tip sufficient to test inmate.(Briefly Noted)
February 9, 2004... A state appellate court in New Jersey has ruled that prison officials may force inmates to undergo drug testing based on anonymous tips, the Philadelphia Inquirer reported. The three-judge panel said that the practice should be allowed "in...

Researchers to develop tool to measure adolescent gambling.(Briefly Noted)
February 9, 2004... A team of researchers is developing an instrument to measure gambling behavior among Canadian teens, Canada Newswire reported. The researchers plan to develop and test the Adolescent Problem Gambling Index (APGI) over the next two years. In the...

Court: city may not require random testing of firefighters.(Briefly Noted)
February 9, 2004... The Arizona State Supreme Court has ruled that a city's policy of requiring random drug testing of fire fighters violates the firefighters' Fourth Amendment privacy rights, the Associated Press reported. The ruling overturned an earlier Arizona...

N.C. attorney general outlines steps for fighting meth.(Briefly Noted)
February 9, 2004... Last month, North Carolina Attorney General Roy Cooper unveiled his recommendations for combating methamphetamine in the state, the Associated Press reported. Cooper said his first priority would be to increase penalties for possessing and...

AlcoholEdu for High School introduced nationwide.(Briefly Noted)
February 9, 2004... Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) and Outside The Classroom have introduced AlcoholEdu for High School. The online prevention program is designed to reduce underage drinking by helping students make safer decisions about alcohol. It provides...

Medication may help with cocaine addiction.(Briefly Noted)
February 9, 2004... Findings reported in the Journal of Clinical Psychiatry suggest that baclofen, a medication used to treat spasticity, may help people overcome addiction to cocaine, the Medical Post reported. Researchers found that baclofen stopped the release...

CDC survey finds highest smoking rates among Indians.(Briefly Noted)
February 9, 2004... A survey by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) found that the highest smoking rates were among American Indians and Alaska natives, Reuters reported. The survey revealed that 40 percent of adult American Indians and Alaska...

Researchers find 'addiction switch'.(Briefly Noted)
February 9, 2004... Researchers reporting in the online edition of Nature Neuroscience have found an "addiction switch" in the brain that may be manipulated pharmacologically, the United Press International reported. The researchers found that receptors in a part...

Caron, Albright College to award 4-year scholarship.(Briefly Noted)
February 9, 2004... The Caron Foundation and Albright College in Reading, Pa. have formed a partnership to select a Caron alumnus to receive a $10,000 per year scholarship for four years at Albright College. Eligible candidates must have at least one year of...

Coming up.
February 9, 2004... The Florida Alcohol and Drug Abuse Association and the Florida Juvenile Justice Association will sponsor an Adolescent Treatment Issues Conference, "Youth in Turmoil: Improving Practice to Transform Lives," Feb. 23 and 24 in Tampa, Fla. For...

In case you haven't heard ...
February 9, 2004... Teenage anti-smoking activists in Canada have asked Ontario government officials to assign a "restricted" rating on movies that show tobacco use, reports the Toronto Star. The rating would prevent people under the age of 18 from seeing movies...

Administration's budget proposes treatment, research increases: field is pleased with proposed 2005 budget allocations.
February 16, 2004... The federal budget proposal for fiscal 2005 reveals increases for drug and alcohol treatment through President Bush's Access to Recovery voucher initiative and the Substance Abuse Prevention and Treatment Block Grant (Performance Partnership...

Pa. insurers fight policy that vests authority in doctors.
February 16, 2004... The insurance industry in Pennsylvania has challenged in court a state policy notice that says that a physician's referral to substance abuse treatment services trumps the determination of a managed care firm. A petition filed last month...

Report: performance measures could lead to better treatment.(Health Plan Employer Data and Information Set)
February 16, 2004... Initiatives in both the private and public sector are holding payers accountable for timely and effective substance abuse treatment, an important step in improving the quality of treatment nationwide, according to a January primer from the...

RWJF program helps states expand treatment access.(Robert Wood Johnson Foundation)
February 16, 2004... Courtesy of a Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) program, fifteen states are receiving tools to analyze their treatment systems and identify appropriate strategies to expand service capacity. Resources for Recovery. State Practices That...

HHS to develop national smoking quitline network.(Resources)(Brief Article)
February 16, 2004... U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Tommy G. Thompson has announced plans for a national network of smoking cessation quitlines. This year HHS will establish a new toll-free telephone number that will serve as a single...

Partnership offers information on cough medicine abuse.(Resources)(Brief Article)
February 16, 2004... The Partnership for a Drug-Free America is offering information on teen abuse of cough medicines. Parents and other caregivers can access information and resources about dextromethorphan (DXM), an ingredient in many cough medicines, through the...

Task force to address methamphetaminein S.D.(Briefly Noted)(Brief Article)
February 16, 2004... South Dakota Gov. Mike Rounds has appointed a task force to address methamphetamine in the state, the Associated Press reported. The 33-member task force includes representatives of law enforcement, child welfare, health, education, drug and...

SAMHSA awards grant to study club drugs.(Briefly Noted)(Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration)(Center for Behavioral Research and Services)(Brief Article)
February 16, 2004... The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) has awarded the Center for Behavioral Research and Services (CBRS) at Cal State University, Long Beach (CSULB) a $341,221 grant to study club drug use, the university's...

Parental permission needed for Minnesota survey.(Briefly Noted)(Brief Article)
February 16, 2004... Parental permission is now required for the Minnesota Student Survey, which asks students about sex, drugs, violence and other issues, the Associated Press reported. Federal rules require written permission when a survey includes questions...

Coming up.(Brief Article)(Calendar)
February 16, 2004... The Technical Assistance and Policy Analysis Center for Jail Diversion, a branch of the National GAINS Center for People with Co-occurring Disorders in the Justice System, will offer a workshop, "Successfully Working with Adults with Mental...

In case you haven't heard ...(Brief Article)
February 16, 2004... Rhode Island officials are charging a substance abuse coordinator employed by the state's Department of Elderly Affairs with obtaining money under false pretenses for barely reporting for work while getting paid for a 35-hour a week position,...

Methadone-related deaths not linked to treatment centers.(Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration )
February 23, 2004... A recent increase in the number of methadone-related deaths around the country is not caused by methadone diverted from methadone treatment programs, according to a panel of experts convened by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services...

Budget cuts force reinvention of Connecticut's drug court program; state "mainstreams" courts to save money.(drug intervention docket)
February 23, 2004... After an 18-month hiatus, Connecticut has reconstituted its drug court program, although in a form that will be less segregated from the criminal court docket than the original program was. The state legislature last fall appropriated...

Report: five million parents have alcohol problems.(Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration)
February 23, 2004... A new report from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) shows that almost 5 million alcohol-dependent or alcohol-abusing parents have at least one child living at home with them. These parents were more...

Rape incidents higher at heavy drinking college campuses.
February 23, 2004... Rape is more common on college campuses with higher rates of binge drinking--and alcohol use is a central factor in most college rapes, according to a study released this month. One in 20 (4.7 percent) women reported being raped in college...

Hamilton County Alcohol and Drug Addiction Services Board.(Names in the News)(Brief Article)
February 23, 2004... Shawnrita McCants and Donna Saunders have joined the Hamilton County Alcohol and Drug Addiction Services Board. McCants, the agency's new Multi-Agency Community Services Information System (MAC SIS) Administrator, previously served as a...

Ohio Department of Alcohol and Drug Addiction Services (ODADAS).(Names in the News)(Brief Article)
February 23, 2004... Merissa A. McKinstry has joined the Ohio Department of Alcohol and Drug Addiction Services (ODADAS) as its legislative liaison. McKinstry replaces Robert Field, who was recently appointed as executive director of the newly-created Ohio Chemical...

Hazelden publishes treatment curriculum.(Resources)(Danya International, Inc.)(Brief Article)
February 23, 2004... Danya International, Inc., a Silver Spring, Md.-based health communications firm, has developed a research-based addiction treatment curriculum, Living in Balance: Moving from a Life of Addiction to a Life of Recovery. The curriculum, published...

Prescription monitoring plan makes progress in S.C.(Briefly Noted)(Brief Article)
February 23, 2004... A House budget panel in South Carolina has approved a measure to monitor prescription drug sales, the Associated Press reported. Under the measure, the State Department of Health and Environmental Control would maintain a database of what drugs...

Committee questions NIH hiring practices.(Briefly Noted)(Brief Article)
February 23, 2004... Rep. James C. Greenwood (R.-Pa.) is questioning a hiring practice used by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to pay doctors and scientists higher salaries than are normally allowed under the standard government payroll system, the...

Florida panel issues report on preventing Medicaid abuses.(Briefly Noted)(Brief Article)
February 23, 2004... A Senate panel in Florida has recommended increasing state officials' authority to crack down on prescription drug abuses in the Medicaid system, the South Florida Sun-Sentinel reported. The Senate Select Subcommittee on Medicaid Prescription...

People worldwide (age 15 and older) reporting past year drug use, 2000-2001.(Briefly Noted)(Brief Article)(Illustration)
February 23, 2004... Millions of People Marijuana 162.8 Amphetamine-Type Stimulants 42.0 Cocaine 14.1 Heroin ...

EU warns of hepatitis C crisis.(Briefly Noted)(Brief Article)
February 23, 2004... The European Union's drug monitoring agency has warned that hepatitis C infections may overwhelm member states' health budgets, the Agence France Presse reported. More than one million people in the European Union are infected and the number...

Multiple sex partners linked to other risky behaviors.(Briefly Noted)(Brief Article)
February 23, 2004... Findings in the American Journal of Health Behavior indicate that teenage girls who have sex with multiple partners in a short period of time may be more likely to engage in other risky behaviors, Health Behavior News Service reported....

China's strong drug policies did not prevent increase.(Briefly Noted)(Brief Article)
February 23, 2004... The number of drug users in China increased despite the country's stern policies for drug-related crime, Agence France Presse reported. Figures from the Ministry of Public Security indicated that the number of drug users had risen from about 1...

African Americans vulnerable to lung disease.(Briefly Noted)(Brief Article)
February 23, 2004... African Americans may develop lung disease faster from smoking than white smokers do, Newswise reported. Researchers found that African American patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) presented with the disease at an earlier...

Youth more likely to hear alcohol ads.(Briefly Noted)(Center on Alcohol Marketing and Youth)(Brief Article)
February 23, 2004... The Center on Alcohol Marketing and Youth (CAMY) at Georgetown University found that more than a quarter of the radio ads for alcohol aired in the summer of 2003 would not have been in compliance with the industry's revised marketing codes that...

Coming up.(Brief Article)(Calendar)
February 23, 2004... The Ben Franklin Institute will hold a Summit for Clinical Excellence, "Innovations in Addiction Treatment & Behavioral Health Care," March 11 to 14 in Savannah, Ga. For more information, call (800) 643-0797 or visit www.BFIsummit.com. ...

In case you haven't heard ...(Kentucky United Methodist Home for Children & Youth)(Brief Article)
February 23, 2004... A Kentucky man is walking across the United States to raise money for a drug prevention program at the Kentucky United Methodist Home for Children & Youth in Versailles, Ky. Dewey Sanders, 67, has received over $20,000 in pledges to support his...