Alcoholism & Drug Abuse Weekly articles from November 2004

Alcoholism & Drug Abuse Weekly archives from November 2004

AATOD meeting reflects on past gains, future challenges: Association celebrates 20 years in existence.( American Association for the Treatment of Opioid Dependence )
November 1, 2004... The American Association for the Treatment of Opioid Dependence (AATOD) held its conference last month in Orlando, Fla., marking the association's 20th anniversary. Speakers touched on an array of topics, including improving treatment access,...

NADCP director stresses commitment to methadone treatment.(ational Association of Drug Court Professionals)
November 1, 2004... While acknowledging the growing number of drug courts around the country, the chief executive of the National Association of Drug Court Professionals (NADCP) told attendees at the American Association for the Treatment of Opioid Dependence's...

Study examines methadone clinic/therapeutic community effort.
November 1, 2004... While research examining treatment of methadone maintenance patients in a therapeutic community environment presents challenges and opportunities, these patients exhibited better outcomes, according to presenters during a session at last...

Art therapy helps women with history of trauma and abuse.
November 1, 2004... Art therapy can be an effective tool for helping women in addiction treatment who have survived trauma and abuse, counselors at a Philadelphia-based Family Center told conference attendees at last month's American Association for the Treatment...

New guides on quality care, performance measurement.(Resources)(Joint Commission Resources )(Brief Article)
November 1, 2004... Joint Commission Resources (JCR), an affiliate of the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO), has published two new guides on quality care and performance measurement in behavioral health care. Issues in Provision...

Free copies of new sexual health pamphlets.(Resources)(Advertisement)
November 1, 2004... Journeyworks Publishing has added nine new titles to its library of sexual health materials. The new pamphlets cover important topics that may be difficult to talk about, such as How to Say No to Unwanted Sexual Attention, Abstinence: Share...

NIMH seeks proposals on integrated co-occurring strategies.(Call for Proposals)
November 1, 2004... The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) Adult Cross-Training Curriculum Project is soliciting applications from jurisdictions interested in developing integrated strategies to better identify and respond to the needs of adults with...

FASD center seeks proposals for juvenile court initiative.(Call for Proposals)(Fetal Alcohol Spectrums Disorders )
November 1, 2004... The Fetal Alcohol Spectrums Disorders Center for Excellence is seeking proposals from juvenile, dependency, or family court service units to mobilize and build capacity of local juvenile courts to develop and implement policies and procedures...

CMHC introduces new decision-support solution.(Business Notes)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2004... CMHC Systems, a provider of information technology and business solutions for behavioral and public health organizations, has announced the availability of ACCEOS (TM), a full-featured decision support solution. ACCEOS is designed to provide...

NIDA awards contract for preclinical studies.(Business Notes)(National Institute on Drug Abuse )(Brief Article)
November 1, 2004... Gene Logic Inc. has announced that it has entered into a multi-year agreement with the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) to provide preclinical safety and pharmacology studies focused on developing safe and effective medications for the...

Cincinnati coalition receives grant for drug prevention.(Briefly Noted)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2004... The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) has awarded the Coalition for Drug-Free Greater Cincinnati a $100,000 grant to expand community substance abuse prevention programs. The Coalition for Drug-Free Greater...

Brief counseling may reduce high-risk drinking.(Briefly Noted)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2004... Findings in the September/October issue of the Annals of Family Medicine suggest that brief counseling by a primary care physician may help reduce high-risk drinking among young adults, HealthDayNews reported. Researchers found that young...

Alcohol may increase risk of late-life dementia.(Briefly Noted)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2004... Findings in the Sept. 4 issue of the British Medical Journal suggest that drinking alcohol may increase the risk of developing late-life dementia among people who are genetically predisposed to Alzheimer's disease (AD), WebMD Medical News...

Austin sees record number of heroin deaths.(Briefly Noted)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2004... Officials believe that a potent strain of heroin is partly responsible for an increase in overdose deaths in Austin, Texas, the Associated Press reported. There have been 34 heroin deaths in Travis County this year, the highest number of heroin...

U.S. military may combat Afghan drug trade.(Briefly Noted)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2004... U.S. and Afghan officials may consider using military intervention to combat the growing drug trade in Afghanistan, the Boston Globe reported. Afghanistan produces about 75 percent of the world's opium and heroin. Profits from Afghanistan's...

Supreme Court to hear medical marijuana case.(Briefly Noted)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2004... The U.S. Supreme Court has agreed to hear a case that may determine whether or not the federal government can overrule state marijuana laws, the Drug Policy Alliance reported. The case, Raich v. Ashcroft, involves a California medical marijuana...

Coming up.(Brief Article)(Calendar)
November 1, 2004... The Association for Medical Education and Research in Substance Abuse (AMERSA) will hold its 28th Annual AMERSA National Conference, "Scientific Advances in Substance Abuse: Patients, Populations and Policy," Nov. 11 to 13 in Washington, D.C....

In case you haven't heard ...(Brief Article)
November 1, 2004... A recent article appearing in the Wall Street Journal Online indicated that corporations are getting tough on smokers. According to the article, Union Pacific Corp. has stopped hiring smokers in seven states as part of a pilot program to weed...

ONDCP launches plan to address synthetic drug abuse.(White House Office of National Drug Control Policy)
November 8, 2004... The White House Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) last month released the nation's first comprehensive strategy for reducing the production, trafficking, and use of synthetic drugs and the diversion of pharmaceuticals. The...

Pediatricians often underestimate substance abuse in adolescents: accurate diagnosis in less than 15 percent of cases.
November 8, 2004... Adolescents who have problems with substance abuse often aren't identified during routine pediatric visits, according to a study released in this month's Pediatrics. "We found that most pediatricians significantly underestimate the...

Montana approves medical marijuana use; Alaska rejects legalization of drug.(Brief Article)
November 8, 2004... Montana became the 10th state in the nation to approve the use of marijuana for medical purposes, such as chronic pain and nausea. Like the other 10 states, marijuana would only be available to patients through a doctor's prescription. ...

Smokers with psychiatric disorders consume most cigarettes.
November 8, 2004... Adults with nicotine dependence and/or psychiatric disorders consume 70 percent of all cigarettes smoked in the United States, according to the results of a National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) study. The study,...

Congress passes bill to support criminal justice collaboration.
November 8, 2004... Congress last month passed legislation to address the growing number of people with mental illnesses and substance abuse issues in the criminal justice system--a bill that they expect President Bush to soon sign into law. The Mentally Ill...

HHS awards Strategic Prevention Framework state incentive grants.
November 8, 2004... HHS Secretary Tommy G. Thompson this month announced 21 grants totaling $230 million over five years to implement the Strategic Prevention Framework State Incentive Grants to advance community-based programs for substance abuse prevention,...

Thresholds earns top honor for SA, MI program.(Briefly Noted)(Brief Article)
November 8, 2004... Thresholds, Illinois' oldest and largest psychiatric rehabilitation center, has received the Silver Achievement Award from the American Psychiatric Association in recognition of its residential program for treating people with substance abuse...

Sleep problems associated with cessation of heavy drinking.(Briefly Noted)(Brief Article)
November 8, 2004... Preliminary findings presented during the annual meeting of the Society for Neuroscience in San Diego suggest that heavy drinkers who quit using alcohol may experience trouble sleeping, Reuters Health reported. Researchers found that recovering...

N.J. cities to establish needle exchange programs.(Briefly Noted)(Brief Article)
November 8, 2004... New Jersey Gov. James E. McGreevey has signed an executive order that will allow some municipalities to establish syringe exchange programs, the Drug Policy Alliance reported. Under the executive order, Atlantic City, Camden and a third city...

Study finds no alcohol/bladder cancer link.(Briefly Noted)(Brief Article)
November 8, 2004... New research reported in the Sept. 15 issue of the Journal of the National Cancer Institute failed to find a link between alcohol consumption and increased risk of bladder cancer, Reuters reported. Researchers found no significant link between...

Mining officials address on-the-job substance use.(Briefly Noted)(Brief Article)
November 8, 2004... State and federal mining officials are working together to address drug and alcohol use in mines, the Associated Press reported. At a news conference late last month, state and federal officials said they would form a task force to analyze the...

Juvenile drug court loses funding.(Briefly Noted)(Brief Article)
November 8, 2004... The U.S. Department of Justice has informed a juvenile drug court serving Camden County, N.J., that it will not be receiving anymore funding, the Philadelphia Inquirer reported. The six-year-old drug court cost about $300,000 to fully operate,...

Coming up.(Brief Article)(Calendar)
November 8, 2004... The Employee Assistance Professionals Association (EAPA) will hold its 2004 Annual Conference, "Golden Opportunities: Strategies for Growth," Nov. 18 to 20 in San Francisco. For more information, visit www.eap-association.org. The National...

In case you haven't heard ...(Brief Article)
November 8, 2004... A 108-year old man has resumed smoking again, restarting a habit he ended nine years earlier because of the expense. But Walter Breuning of Great Falls, Mont. started receiving gifts of cigars from as far away as London after he said at his...

NCADD celebrates 60 years of leadership and service.(National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence)
November 15, 2004... The National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence, Inc. (NCADD), the country's leading voluntary advocacy organization, this year celebrates 60 years of promoting public education and policy reform on the problems of alcoholism and drug...

CRC Health expands its presence in Wash. state with three new centers.
November 15, 2004... The nation's largest private provider of addiction treatment services continued its expansion with the grand opening of a 350-bed opiate treatment center in Tacoma, Wash. last week to be followed by another clinic opening at year's end in...

RAND study identifies most effective needle exchange programs.
November 15, 2004... Drug addicts who participate in programs that allow them to exchange an unlimited number of clean syringes are less likely to reuse needles, reducing chances they will spread infectious diseases, according to a new RAND Corporation study. ...

HHS awards $4 million in prevention grants for young workers.
November 15, 2004... Health and Human Services Secretary Tommy G. Thompson last week announced 13 grants totaling $4 million over two years to provide substance abuse prevention programs for youth ages 16-24 who are transitioning into the workplace. The awards...

African Americans less likely to start smoking.(Briefly Noted)(Brief Article)
November 15, 2004... Findings in the November issue of the American Journal of Public Health indicate that African Americans are less likely to start smoking than whites, but that they are also less likely to quit smoking once they start, Health Behavior News...

Calif. lifts ban on food stamps for former drug offenders.(Briefly Noted)(Brief Article)
November 15, 2004... California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger has signed a bill to lift the federal lifetime ban on food stamps for people who have been convicted of drug possession, according to the Drug Policy Alliance. The measure, authored by Assemblyman Mark...

Energy drinks do not reduce alcohol effects.(Briefly Noted)(Brief Article)
November 15, 2004... Findings in Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research indicate that energy drinks, such as Red Bull, do not delay the depressive effects of alcohol, WebMD Medical News reported. Researchers surveyed clubbers in Brazil and found that...

FDA approves hydromorphone for pain management.(Briefly Noted)(Brief Article)
November 15, 2004... The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Palladone (hydromorphone extended-release) capsules for the management of persistent, moderate-to severe-pain in patients who need continuous analgesia with a high potency opioid for an...

Coming up.(Brief Article)(Calendar)
November 15, 2004... The Employee Assistance Professionals Association (EAPA) will hold its 2004 Annual Conference, "Golden Opportunities: Strategies for Growth," Nov. 18 to 20 in San Francisco. For more information, visit www.eap-association. org. The...

In case you haven't heard ...(Brief Article)
November 15, 2004... A stand-up comedian who grappled with addiction at a very young age is now performing an autobiographical one-man show "Addicted: A Comedy of Substance," the San Francisco Chronicle reported. Mark Lundholm remembers his first sip of beer--at...

Advocates get involved in expanding congressional caucus.
November 22, 2004... Advocacy groups encouraged by the formation this year of the first congressional caucus dedicated to promote awareness of chemical addiction issues and increase support for greater access to treatment are urging their members to talk to their...

Survey: nearly half in treatment have both alcohol and drug abuse issues.(Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration)
November 22, 2004... Nearly half of the 1.1 million Americans in drug and alcohol treatment on a typical day last year were treated for both drug and alcohol abuse, according to an annual census of facilities released this month by the Substance Abuse and Mental...

Study shows cocaine abuse impact on thought-processing.
November 22, 2004... A new study shows that chronic cocaine abuse is directly related to dysfunction in areas of the brain involved in higher thought and decision-making. The scientists who conducted the study suggest that the resulting cognitive deficits may...

Americans with Disabilities Act under judicial attack.(From the Field)
November 22, 2004... Andy Imparato is a disability leader who "gets it." The "it" being that addiction is a disability and that the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA) is the principal vehicle for protecting people in recovery/treatment against...

SAMHSA announces $16 million for Targeted Capacity Expansion Grants.(Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration)
November 22, 2004... The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) this month announced the availability of fiscal 2005 funds for Grants to Expand Substance Abuse Treatment Capacity in Targeted Area of Need. One of SAMHSA's services...

Coalition addresses abuse of performance-enhancing drugs.(Briefly Noted)(Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America)(Brief Article)
November 22, 2004... According to the Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America (CADCA), a recent study shows that one in 30 student-athletes are currently using steroids or other performance-enhancing drugs. The 2003 Monitoring the Future study reveals that 2.1...

Recovering alcoholics can overcome poor decision-making.(Briefly Noted)(Brief Article)
November 22, 2004... Findings in the journal Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research suggest that recovering alcoholics may be able to remain sober even if they have poor decision-making abilities, Health Behavior News Service reported. Researchers found...

New strain of mice alters study of nicotine addiction.(Briefly Noted)(Brief Article)
November 22, 2004... As reported in the Nov. 5 issue of the journal Science, a team of investigators, supported by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), has developed a new genetic strain of mice to study nicotine addiction. These "knock-in" mice are...

Gov. Schwarzenegger vetoes access to Canadian drugs.(Briefly Noted)(Brief Article)
November 22, 2004... Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger vetoed a handful of bills related to large-scale consumer purchases of prescription drugs from Canada, the New York Times reported Oct. 1, citing the bills as illegal under California law and lacking adequate safety...

Moderate alcohol intake shown to protect arteries.(Briefly Noted)(Brief Article)
November 22, 2004... A breakthrough study at Germany's Heidelberg University expands on the known benefits of consuming moderate amounts of alcohol. The study's results, published in the journal Heart, show that drinking up to a bottle of wine a week could not only...

Vermont kicks off Marijuana Registry Program.(Briefly Noted)(Brief Article)
November 22, 2004... Effective late October, Vermont residents who suffer from terminal cancer or AIDS, or the debilitating symptoms caused by AIDS, cancer, HIV or multiple sclerosis can log onto the website of the state's Department of Public Safety and apply for...

Mental health risks for heavy cannabis users.(Briefly Noted)(Brief Article)
November 22, 2004... Cannabis use in Australia is at a record high, surpassing the U.S., U.K. and much of Europe, according to the National Cannabis and Mental Illness Conference, which heard growing evidence of a link between heavy use and mental illness symptoms....

Cocaine users more susceptible to infection.(Briefly Noted)(Brief Article)
November 22, 2004... At the McLean Hospital Alcohol and Drug Abuse Research Center in Belmont, Mass., investigators supported by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) completed a study that could explain the high incidence of infectious disease among drug...

Coming up.(Brief Article)(Calendar)
November 22, 2004... The National Association of Addiction Treatment Providers (NAATP) and AdCare Educational Institute will present SECAD/2004, "An International Conference for Addiction Professionals," Dec. 1 to 4 in Atlanta. For more information, call (866)...

In case you haven't heard ...(Brief Article)
November 22, 2004... What's the bottom line for teens who smoke? Apparently, their wallets. According to a new study in the American Journal of Health Behavior, teens are less concerned with compromising their health than comprising their finances. The 351 Illinois...