Alcoholism & Drug Abuse Weekly articles from July 2002

Alcoholism & Drug Abuse Weekly archives from July 2002

Overdose deaths force Maine to change methadone policies.(Brief Article)
July 1, 2002... Officials expand hours, limit take-home doses The Maine Office of Substance Abuse (OSA) and the state's four methadone maintenance clinics have changed their methadone take-home policies following a record number of overdose deaths in...

Proposition 36 advocates encouraged with initiative implementation after first year.(Brief Article)
July 1, 2002... While California officials have yet to weigh in with an official report, expected later this month, advocates of Proposition 36 marked the first anniversary of the landmark initiative by extolling the accomplishments of the program that diverts...

University at forefront of developing adolescent prevention models.
July 1, 2002... Two models are family-focused Two University of Miami (Florida) substance abuse prevention programs are using parental and family involvement, and communication and behavior management to help children and adolescents reduce drug use and...

U.S. Supreme Court approves random drug tests in high school.(testing of high school athletes)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2002... In a landmark decision, the U.S. Supreme Court last week approved an Oklahoma school district's policy of testing public high school students who participate in extracurricular activities. A Supreme Court decision in 1995 allowed random drug...

Names in the News.(Brief Article)
July 1, 2002... The American Society of Addiction Medicine's (ASAM's) board of directors has confirmed the appointment of Eileen McGrath, J.D., as the society's executive vice president and chief executive. McGrath most recently served as executive director of...

United Health is now Connect Care. (Business Notes).(Brief Article)
July 1, 2002... United Health, a behavioral health care management provider and subsidiary of Pikes Peak Mental Health, has changed its name to ConnectCare, according to a company announcement. In conjunction with the name change, the organization has...

Report asks employers to monitor health care quality. (Briefly Noted).(Brief Article)
July 1, 2002... Health care quality problems cost between $1,700 and $2,000 per covered employee per year, according to the Midwest Business Group on Health (MBGH). The Chicago-based employer group estimated that administrative inefficiencies and overuse,...

Supreme Court upholds right to second opinion. (Briefly Noted).(Brief Article)
July 1, 2002... The Supreme Court has upheld an Illinois law that grants patients the right to an independent second opinion when a health maintenance organization (HMO) denies them medical benefits, reported the Washington Post. The court said that the 1974...

Prevention programs may be needed in elementary schools. (Briefly Noted).(Brief Article)
July 1, 2002... Prevention programs may be more effective if they begin in elementary school rather than middle school, according to findings in the Journal of Adolescent Health. Researchers found that students who began using alcohol, cigarettes or marijuana...

Legislators say company violates settlement agreement. (Briefly Noted).(U.S. Smokeless Tobacco Co.)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2002... The results of a Massachusetts study indicate that UST, the holding company for U.S. Smokeless Tobacco Co., is violating a 1988 legal settlement by targeting children with its ads, said Rep. Henry Waxman (DCalif.) and Sen. Richard Durban...

Drug use increasing among young Europeans. (Briefly Noted).(Brief Article)
July 1, 2002... Drug use among youth ages 15 to 16 across Europe increased by more than 40 percent from 1995 to 1999, reported the United Nations Office for Drug Control and Crime Prevention (ODCCP). The increase was mainly a result of the doubling of drug use...

Group submits signatures for marijuana initiative. (Briefly Noted).(Brief Article)
July 1, 2002... Nevadans for Responsible Law Enforcement has turned in more than 107,000 signatures in an attempt to get a marijuana regulation initiative on the November ballot, according to the Drug Policy Alliance. The initiative would allow adults to...

Number of crack addicts soaring in Britain. (Briefly Noted).(Brief Article)
July 1, 2002... The number of crack cocaine addicts in Britain is soaring, reported the Daily Telegraph (London). The price of crack cocaine has dropped over the past 10 years, making it one of the most affordable and available drugs in the country. Figures...

Alcohol, drug programs received largest amount of RWJF funds. (Briefly Noted).(Robert Wood Johnson Foundation )(Brief Article)
July 1, 2002... The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation gave $487.7 million inthe form of more than 1,000 grants in 2001, up from $299 million in 2000, according to a review of the funder's annual report. Alcohol and other drug abuse programs were the largest...

Portuguese youth taking more drugs. (Briefly Noted).(Brief Article)
July 1, 2002... Adolescents in Portugal are taking more drugs at younger ages than in 1999, according to a study by the Portuguese Institute of Drugs and Drug Addiction. The survey showed that 14 percent of Portuguese youth have tried drugs by the time they...

Soros Foundation shifts away from addiction. (Briefly Noted).(Brief Article)
July 1, 2002... The New York-based Soros Foundation will shift its U.S. grantmaking focus from current priorities, including addiction treatment and drug policy, to justice issues by 2005 or 2006, reported the Chronicle of Philanthropy. The new focus will...

In case you haven't heard.(drugs and athletes)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2002... A recent article in Sports Illustrated created a firestorm by providing anecdotal evidence that steroid use among Major League Baseball players is rampant. The article, however, also exposed a practice that has existed for some time in...

SAMHSA awards $28 million to fund treatment capacity in local communities.(Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration )(Brief Article)
July 1, 2002... The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) announced last month the availability of funds for grants to expand or enhance substance abuse treatment capacity in local communities. This program, part of SAMHSA's...

Experts: acamprosate denial shouldn't slow Rx research.
July 15, 2002... Initially shocked that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) denied a New Drug Application for an anti-alcohol medication that seemed destined for approval, addiction field leaders last week turned to analyzing the FDA decision's implications...

Innovative drug court program offers early intervention, reunites families.
July 15, 2002... A California drug court program is helping parents reunite with children who have been taken into protective custody because of abuse related to substance use. The program uses immediate assessment and treatment intervention, frequent court...

House panel boosts Drug-Free Communities; media campaign hit.(Brief Article)
July 15, 2002... As Congress begins tackling next year's budget, a House subcommittee has reported out a hefty increase proposed by the Bush administration for the Drug-Free Communities Act for the fiscal year that begins in October. But the status of two...

Nevada voters will consider allowing small amounts of marijuana possession.(Brief Article)
July 15, 2002... If Nevada voters give their go-ahead in two separate elections, the state soon could move from once having one of the nation's strictest marijuana laws to allowing possession of small amounts of the drug. The Nevada secretary of state's...

Report: teens acting more responsibly about substances.(Brief Article)
July 15, 2002... High school students are acting more responsibly by avoiding tobacco and marijuana use, risky sexual behavior and other potentially dangerous activities, according to findings of a report announced last month by U.S. Department of Health and...

Findings on internal cues could yield strategies to combat relapse.(Brief Article)
July 15, 2002... Animal research published in the July issue of the Journal of Experimental Psychology: Animal Behavior Processes could help the addiction field design better treatment interventions that mitigate the threat of relapse. Building on prior...

Instrument automates analysis of drug test. (Business Notes).(Brief Article)
July 15, 2002... Avitar Inc. of Canton, Mass., has launched ORALscreen OSR, an instrument that automates the analysis of the ORALscreen rapid drugs-of-abuse test, according to a company announcement. ORALscreen OSR is a handheld instrument capable of reading...

Patient reports success with new addiction treatment. (Briefly Noted).(Brief Article)
July 15, 2002... CITA Biomedical Inc. of Beverly Hills, Calif., best known for its Ultra Rapid Opiate Detoxification (UROD) procedure, has announced that the first U.S. patient for its Detoxification and NeuroAdaptation (DNA) for Alcohol protocol has been...

Nonprofit seeks director of women and children's program. (Help Wanted).(Brief Article)
July 15, 2002... WestCare CA, a nonprofit behavioral health care and human-service organization, seeks creative and experienced applicants for the position of Director, Women & Children's Treatment Program. This position is responsible for the implementation...

In case you haven't heard.(Brief Article)
July 15, 2002... Last week's International AIDS Conference in Spain was the backdrop for a buzz of activity from the drug policy reform movement. One report published last week stated that injection drug use has become the leading cause of new HIV infections in...

Budget constraints force Connecticut to close down its drug court system.
July 22, 2002... While other states chip away at their drug court programs by closing a court here and a court there or by reducing budgets, Connecticut has possibly become the first state to eliminate its program altogether. As of Aug. 1, the six-year-old...

Senate committee restores funding for substance abuse prevention.
July 22, 2002... The U.S. Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education released its version of the fiscal 2003 federal budget for the three departments within its jurisdiction last week, and for the most part, the...

Pride survey gives hopeful sign of drug use trends.
July 22, 2002... The Pride survey, the first of the major youth drug use surveys to be released this year, gives a positive sign that the myriad of prevention efforts may be starting to pay off. After relatively stable drug use rates the past several years, the...

SAMHSA unveils Recovery Month ads; observance set for Sept.(Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration)
July 22, 2002... The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) last month released television and radio public-service announcements (PSAs) for this year's National Alcohol and Drug Addiction RECOVERY MONTH observance. Two distinct...

Bill aims to crack down on rave club owners, Ecstasy use.(Reducing Americans' Vulnerability to Ecstasy (RAVE) Act of 2002)
July 22, 2002... Legislation designed to crack down on rave promoters who seek to profit by putting teenagers at risk of using the drug ECSTACY and other club drugs has triggered both advocate support and opposition. U.S. Sen. Joseph Biden, Jr. (D.-Del.),...

The whole world is watching California. (From the Field).
July 22, 2002... Dr. Richard Rawson is a research scientist at UCLA's Integrated Substance Abuse Program. Recently, he was speaking before an international audience in Israel discussing the science of substance abuse treatment. He concluded his lengthy remarks...

Report: three million youths considered suicide in 2000.(2000 National Household Survey on Drug Abuse)
July 22, 2002... Nearly three million youths aged 12 to 17 -- particularly those who used alcohol or illicit drugs--thought seriously about suicide or attempted suicide in 2000, according to National Household Survey on Drug Abuse data released by the Substance...

Pressley Ridge Schools. (Names in the News).(Brief Article)
July 22, 2002... William "Clark" Luster has left his position as executive director of Pressley Ridge Schools, a treatment organization for troubled youth in Pittsburgh, reported the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. B. Scott Finnell of KidsPeace has taken over the...

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). (Names in the News).(Brief Article)
July 22, 2002... U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Tommy G. Thompson has named Julie L. Gerberding, M.D., M.P.H., director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and administrator of the Agency for Toxic Substances...

NASHP launches new Web site for state health policy makers. (Resources).(National Academy for State Health Policy)(www.nashp.org)(Brief Article)
July 22, 2002... The National Academy for State Health Policy (NASHP) has redesigned and expanded its Web site, www.nashp.org, to offer state policy makers an easy-to-use resource for information on access, cost-containment, children's health, Medicaid, patient...

Many youths associate risk behaviors with popularity. (Briefly Noted).(Brief Article)
July 22, 2002... Many young people associate cigarettes, marijuana and alcohol with popularity, and believe the substances are easily accessible, according to findings released by the Annenberg Public Policy Center. Researchers found that three out of four...

State efforts may reduce drinking and driving. (Briefly Noted).(Brief Article)
July 22, 2002... State activities designed to prevent driving under the influence (DUI) may reduce the incidence of drinking and driving, according to findings from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) published in the June issue of Injury...

In case you haven't heard.(drug use prevention plans in Thailand)(Brief Article)
July 22, 2002... Thailand has ambitious goals for cutting drug use among students. According to the Xinhua News agency, the Thai government plans to cut the number of student addicts nationwide by half within three months. The government estimates that there...

SAMHSA releases preliminary draft of co-occurring report.(Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration)
July 29, 2002... Addiction and mental health field leaders in recent weeks have had their first glimpse at a preliminary draft of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration's (SAMHSA's) report to Congress on co-occurring disorders. The...

Pew-funded effort seeks to expand coverage of alcohol treatment.(Pew Charitable Trusts)
July 29, 2002... A 27-month, $2.5 million project financed by the Pew Charitable Trusts will use many targeted efforts to help advance the cause of including alcohol treatment in health benefit plans. The coordinator of the new project is a former high-ranking...

National panel to address addiction discrimination.(Join Together)
July 29, 2002... A national policy panel made up of legal and judicial representatives, policy leaders, the science community, employee assistance professionals and others has formed to address discrimination against people seeking treatment for and recovery...

SAMHSA announces funds for peer services, youth treatment.(Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration)
July 29, 2002... The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) last week announced funding initiatives for three programs: peer-driven recovery support services; youth alcohol and drug treatment; and planning for treatment in American...

The Senate confirmed President Bush's nominee for surgeon general, Richard H. Carmona, M.D., by a unanimous vote last week. (Names in the News).(Brief Article)
July 29, 2002... The Senate confirmed President Bush's nominee for surgeon general, Richard H. Carmona, M.D., by a unanimous vote last week. Carmona, who served as both a trauma surgeon and deputy sheriff in Arizona, will replace David Satcher, M.D., Ph.D.,...

The Partnership for a Drug-Free America (PDFA) recently announced the appointments of Bill Beutel, Michael Eigner, Ruby Hearn, Ph.D., Jyll Holzman, and Alan Leshner, Ph.D., to its board of directors. (Names in the News).(Brief Article)
July 29, 2002... The Partnership for a Drug-Free America (PDFA) recently announced the appointments of Bill Beutel, Michael Eigner, Ruby Hearn, Ph.D., Jyll Holzman, and Alan Leshner, Ph.D., to its board of directors. Beutel worked as a broadcast journalist,...

The Caron Foundation, a not-for-profit addiction treatment provider, has announced that Robin Johnson has been named the president of Caron New York. (Names in the News).(Brief Article)
July 29, 2002... The Caron Foundation, a not-for-profit addiction treatment provider, has announced that Robin Johnson has been named the president of Caron New York. Prior to joining Caron, Johnson was the founder and chief executive of Sticky Networks, a...

RWJF program offers SA policy research grants. (Resources).(Robert Wood Johnson Foundation's Substance Abuse Policy Research Program)(Brief Article)
July 29, 2002... The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation's Substance Abuse Policy Research Program (SAPRP) is accepting letters of intent from those interesting in applying for grants. The program funds projects that focus on ways to reduce the harm caused by abuse...

Haworth Press announces new addiction journal. (Resources).(Journal of Teaching in the Addictions)(Brief Article)
July 29, 2002... The Haworth Press Inc., has announced the publication of the charter issue of the new Journal of Teaching in the Addictions, under the editorship of Michael J. Taleff, Ph.D. The journal is dedicated to addressing instructional/emotional issues...

Hazelden acquires prevention products. (Business Notes).(Hazelden Foundation)(Brief Article)
July 29, 2002... The Hazelden Foundation has acquired the educational prevention products inventory from Wisconsin Clearing House, according to a company announcement. The primary product lines are from the Mind Altering Drugs Series of 16 pamphlets and a...

Grant to fund study of homeless children. (Briefly Noted).(Brief Article)
July 29, 2002... Judith Samuels, Ph.D., a research scientist at the Nathan Kline Institute for Psychiatric Research (NKI) in New York, has received a 3-year grant of $476,078 per year from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Samuels and her team...

Britain reforms marijuana laws. (Briefly Noted).(Brief Article)
July 29, 2002... Britain's Home Secretary David Blunkett announced earlier this month that he would reclassify marijuana, currently a category B drug, as a category C drug, effective July, 2003, reported Reuters. The change will make possession of small amounts...

Counseling, medication may help African Americans to quit smoking. (Briefly Noted).(Brief Article)
July 29, 2002... Sustained-release bupropion (bupropion SR) combined with professional counseling may help lower-income African American adults who are trying to quit smoking, according to findings in the Journal of the American Medical Association. Researchers...

In case you haven't heard.(Brief Article)
July 29, 2002... The Associated Press reported last week that two America West pilots accused of being drunk while intending to fly a jetliner entered a 28-day treatment program days after they were arrested earlier this month. Thomas Porter Cloyd and...