Alcoholism & Drug Abuse Weekly articles from October 2005

Alcoholism & Drug Abuse Weekly archives from October 2005

Preventing suicide in treatment facilities: Err on the side of caution.(Brief Article)
October 3, 2005... Suicides, fortunately, are a rarity in substance abuse treatment facilities. With adolescents, a volatile population under normal circumstances, this is a particular concern, especially given the incidence of co-existing depression and...

Film 'Methadonia' raises controversy in treatment field.
October 3, 2005... When filmmaker Michel Negroponte set out to make a documentary about methadone treatment, he never really intended it to be a documentary, with scientific backup and clinical reality. And that is at the root of the controversy over this film,...

NIDA calls for more pilot trials on medications for substance abuse.
October 3, 2005... The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) has called for the first time for funding applications specifically for pilot clinical trials for pharmacotherapies for substance abuse. NIDA intends to commit about $4 million in the fiscal year...

What to say when your child asks: did you ever do drugs?(From The Field ...)(Column)
October 3, 2005... If you have young children, you've probably been warned to prepare an answer to a key question: Where do babies come from? But another question that's just as important may hit even closer to home: Did you ever use alcohol or other drugs as a...

Will pain prescribing controversies bring a closer tie to doctors?
October 3, 2005... Is this a "teachable" moment for physicians on the subject of addictions treatment? Some high profile prosecutions of physicians and high volume media discussion about law enforcement actions on pain prescribing ("The War on Doctors")...

Family medicine doctor becomes researcher to study AA intervention in hospitals.
October 3, 2005... Richard Blondell, M.D., a family practitioner and associate professor at the Department of Family Medicine, State University of New York at Buffalo, has been driven for years by one idea: the Alcoholics Anonymous model of intervention with...

Ala. county fights to maintain federal drug grant.(Briefly Noted)(Brief Article)
October 3, 2005... The Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America (CADCA) is currently helping sixty-three communities regain federal drug grants, reported the Decatur Daily September 25. When Morgan County, Alabama lost its status as a Drug Free Communities...

NJ Gov. steps up fight against tobacco.(Briefly Noted)(Brief Article)
October 3, 2005... Acting Gov. Richard J. Codey recently made New Jersey the first state in the nation with a statewide ban on smoking in college dormitories. With just months left in his term, he has plans to further reduce the impact of tobacco, particularly on...

Demand high at Stockton methadone programs.(Briefly Noted)(Brief Article)
October 3, 2005... When the Alternative Treatment Services methadone treatment clinic in French Camp, Calif. closed its doors in September, hundreds of heroine addicts were shuffled onto waiting lists at the remaining four programs in Stockton County, reported...

Coming up ...(conferences and meetings)(Brief Article)(Calendar)
October 3, 2005... Haymarket Center will present the 2005 Autumn Workshop Series from Sept. 10-Nov. 5 at Haymarket Center, Chicago. Topics include:"Cannabis Dependence: Withdrawal and Recovery;""Advanced Training in Clinical Supervision;" and "Substance Abuse...

On Sept. 22 the second annual "America Honors Recovery" Awards luncheon, held by the Johnson Institute, honored the following eight individuals for their recovery from addiction or for their contributions within their communities.(Names in the News)(Brief Article)
October 3, 2005... On Sept. 22 the second annual "America Honors Recovery" Awards luncheon, held by the Johnson Institute, honored the following eight individuals for their recovery from addiction or for their contributions within their communities: Jay Davidson,...

In case you haven't heard ...
October 3, 2005... More than skin-deep: People who lie in the sun--or in tanning parlors--aren't just looking for beauty and flirting with skin cancer. They are addicted to ultraviolet light. That's the message from Richard Wagner Jr., M.D., a dermatologist who...

Opioid detox study shows buprenorphine improves retention rate for teens.
October 10, 2005... Teenagers usually have to go through opioid withdrawal "cold turkey," but a new study may help to change that. In the first randomized controlled trial evaluating the combination of pharmacological and behavioral treatments for adolescents...

Funding for Katrina: a benefit or a threat for treatment field?(Hurricane cost offsets)
October 10, 2005... First, there was concern that there wouldn't be enough money to pay for the substance abuse treatment needs incurred by Hurricane Katrina. Now, there's concern that Katrina will take money away from other substance abuse treatment initiatives...

New meth bill introduced as Souder lambastes the Administration again.
October 10, 2005... At the end of September, the Methamphetamine Caucus in the House of Representatives introduced a bill, which it hopes will move quickly, to strengthen enforcement against the drug. Days later, one of the most influential members of that...

Reclaiming futures, youth by youth.(From the Field ...)
October 10, 2005... Nationwide, almost two-thirds of the two million teens in the juvenile justice system have drug or alcohol problems. Yet, too many communities lock these young people away instead of helping treat their addictions and deeper issues that led to...

Laws aimed at denying benefits to drug offenders affect only a small percentage: GAO.(Government Accountability Office)
October 10, 2005... Over the past two decades Congress has passed a number of laws to keep drug offenders from receiving various federal benefits under various circumstances. Different restrictions have been placed on educational grants, food stamps, welfare,...

Bennington, VT seeks substance abuse program.(Briefly Noted)(Brief Article)
October 10, 2005... It is estimated that roughly 10 percent of Vermont residents suffer from substance abuse, reported The Associated Press September 20. For addicts living in the rural community of Bennington, the nearest outpatient treatment programs are over...

Survey shows support for sobriety checkpoints.(Briefly Noted)(Brief Article)
October 10, 2005... On the eve of its 25th anniversary, Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) released the results of its MADD/Nationwide Insurance Survey Conducted by Gallup, which indicated that Americans "continue to show overwhelming support for high-visibility...

Combat Meth Act added to 2006 spending bill.(Briefly Noted)(Brief Article)
October 10, 2005... After unanimous senate approval, the Combat Meth Act of 2005 (S. 103) has been added to the FY 2006 spending bill for the Departments of Justice, Commerce and Science, a proposal put forth by Senators Richard Shelby (R-Al.), Jim Talent (R-Mo.),...

New study says drug use precedes depression.(Briefly Noted)(Brief Article)
October 10, 2005... While it is theorized that adolescents suffering from depression often "self-medicate" with drugs, alcohol or sexual experimentation, a new study turns this notion on its head, reported The Associated Press September 20. Researcher Denise Dion...

Faces and Voices of Recovery.(Names in the News)
October 10, 2005... The 21-member Board of Directors of Faces and Voices of Recovery, the Washington, D.C.-based addiction recovery advocacy campaign, recently elected several new officers: Merlyn Karst, Advocates for Recovery, Denver, Colo. (Chair); Carol McDaid,...

Video highlights from Faces and Voices summit.(Resources)(Brief Article)
October 10, 2005... Over three days in September, Faces and Voices of Recovery held its Rising! Recovery in Action Summit, bringing together people in recovery, their family members and friends, and allied organizations, reported the Washington, D.C.-based...

Coming up ...(Brief Article)(Calendar)
October 10, 2005... The Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America (CADCA) in partnership with the Multijurisdictional Counterdrug Task Force Training Program (MCTFT) will sponsor a satellite broadcast titled "Show me the money! Finding resources for anti-drug...

In case you haven't heard ...
October 10, 2005... Under a Connecticut rock: He was ridiculed on the internet and on news stories for what he did with the bag of marijuana: hide it under a rock within full view of the police station on his way to court to appear on assault charges. Observers in...

Federal government looks at regulating substance abuse in coal mines.(The Workplace)
October 17, 2005... In the most significant expansion of federal regulatory activity into workplace substance abuse since the 1980s, the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) is looking into the extent of alcohol and drug use by miners, and ways to control...

Survey: people still unsure whether alcoholism is disease or moral weakness.
October 17, 2005... The ambivalence about alcoholism apparently continues, according to findings of a recent survey. More than 40 percent of adults in this country said they have encouraged a loved one to get help for an alcohol problem. On the other hand, 63...

Anxiety and alcohol consumption linked in animal study.
October 17, 2005... In a finding researchers hope will one day lead to an alcoholism treatment in humans, a study has found that "CREB," a protein involved in a variety of brain functions, seems to be related to lower anxiety and lower alcohol-drinking behaviors...

Katrina legislation would help substance abuse treatment.
October 17, 2005... Recently, bills were introduced in Congress which contain provisions that would help people affected by Hurricane Katrina to access substance abuse treatment services. On September 15, Sen. Charles Grassley (R-Ia.) introduced "The...

Ebay bans pseudoephedrine sales.(Briefly Noted)(Brief Article)
October 17, 2005... Ebay company spokesman Hani Durzy announced that the online auction site has banned the sales of all pseudoephedrine- and ephedrine-containing products, reported the Oregonian September 30. Oregon is one of several states that have placed...

Florida faces shortage in treatment professionals.(Briefly Noted)(Brief Article)
October 17, 2005... As demand for substance abuse services continues to climb around the nation, Florida struggles to keep treatment centers staffed, reported the Daytona Beach News-Journal on October 3. Inadequate salaries and rising expenses have led many to...

Study finds brain differences in teens who abuse alcohol.(Briefly Noted)(Brief Article)
October 17, 2005... A study report published in the September issue of the journal Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research suggests that certain areas of the brain are smaller in adolescents who abuse alcohol, compared with those teens without drinking...

Link strong between depression and dependence, not abuse.(Briefly Noted)(Brief Article)
October 17, 2005... A recent analysis of data from the years 2001-2002, called the National Epidemiologic Survey of Alcohol and Related Conditions (NESARC), found that among those with lifetime diagnoses of major depressive disorder (MDD), 40.3 percent had an...

SAMHSA awards support jail diversion programs.(Briefly Noted)(Brief Article)
October 17, 2005... The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) announced October 7 that it will award $7.2 million in grants over three years in an effort to divert individuals with mental illness away from incarceration and into...

Iowa's methamphetamine restrictions pay off.(Briefly Noted)(Brief Article)
October 17, 2005... An Iowa law has been credited with reducing significantly the number of clandestine methamphetamine labs in the state, just four months after it went into effect, reported the Britt News-Tribune October 6. Apparently, the number of illegal labs...

Nancy Lane, Ph.D. is the new chief operating officer for Value-Options' public sector programs.(Names in the News)(Value-Options)(Brief Article)
October 17, 2005... Nancy Lane, Ph.D. is the new chief operating officer for Value-Options' public sector programs. Her role will include the oversight and direction of all administrative, medical, clinical and quality initiatives, and support for nationwide...

Drug-prevention pamphlet for parents.(Resources)(Brief Article)
October 17, 2005... November will initiate the latest phase of MetLife's parenting skills campaign, and the organization will be airing drug-prevention messages created in cooperation with the Partnership for a Drug Free America. In addition to educating parents...

Coming up ...(Calendar)
October 17, 2005... The American Society of Addiction Medicine (ASAM) will hold the ASAM State of the Art in Addiction Medicine, "Addiction Across the Lifespan" Oct. 27-29, 2005 in Washington, D.C. The course features the most recent findings in addition research...

In case you haven't heard ...(Brief Article)
October 17, 2005... It wasn't the snakes... The mystery of a Naples, Florida man found dead in his home last summer, surrounded by 40 caged poisonous pet snakes, has been solved. According to lab tests released by the count coronor, he died from an overdose of...

Rewards for negative urine tests increase treatment retention.
October 24, 2005... Giving out even small rewards for drug-free urine samples improves treatment retention, according to results from a randomized multi-site study based on stimulant abusers. The study had some limitations, including no long-term follow-up; also,...

Non-professional peers help with recovery.
October 24, 2005... When peers help people in recovery stay in recovery, they have a credibility that treatment professionals don't have, says Cathy Nugent, project officer for the Recovery Community Services Program (RCSP). A grant program of the Substance Abuse...

Trial of new methamphetamine treatment under way at UCLA.(University of California, Los Angeles )
October 24, 2005... It's too soon to say whether a combination of outpatient therapy and medications called Prometa will help methamphetamine addicts recover. The therapy is being put to the test in a multi-site, double-blind placebo controlled study sponsored by...

New study highlights need for treatment for teen opioid addicts, and difficulty of finding research subjects.
October 24, 2005... As the prevalence of opioid addiction in adolescents continues to rise, and buprenorphine is becoming established as a maintenance medication for adult opioid addicts, it was inevitable that the glaring need for medication-assisted treatment...

Maryland AG publishes ideas for fighting prescription drug abuse.(Briefly Noted)(Brief Article)
October 24, 2005... A recent report from the State of Maryland Office of the Attorney General includes some disturbing statistics regarding the prevalence of prescription drug abuse in the state. According to CESAR, from the University of Maryland, diversion of...

Professional help plus AA could improve treatment.(Briefly Noted)(alcohol abuse)(Brief Article)
October 24, 2005... A new study touts the benefits of a two-pronged approach to treating alcohol abuse, reported Health Behavior News Service. Researchers with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and Stanford University found that those with alcohol...

Club membership depends on staying drug-free.(Briefly Noted)(Brief Article)
October 24, 2005... Florida's Polk County school district will soon kick off an inventive new club aimed at reducing substance abuse among high school students, reported the Ledger. In her presentation to the school board, the district's Senior Manager of...

Unique program trains school staff on substance use.(Briefly Noted)(Brief Article)
October 24, 2005... New Jersey Human Services Commissioner James Davy last week announced $1.2 million in funding to grow the state's "school-based youth services program." One unique aspect of the expansion is a seminar series to train school counselors to better...

Mass. to join movement in recovery schools.(Briefly Noted)(Brief Article)
October 24, 2005... Massachusetts will soon follow just a handful of other states in establishing a "Recovery High School" to serve 30 to 50 students who want to remain drug and alcohol free. (Nationally, there are 25 such schools, roughly half in Minnesota.) The...

NAADAC.(Names in the News)(Association for Addiction Professionals)(Brief Article)
October 24, 2005... Andrew Kessler is the new Director of Government Relations for NAADAC, the Association for Addiction Professionals (NAADAC). Kessler has worked in health and science policy, and with the American Psychological Society and Physicians for Social...

Coming up ...(Calendar)
October 24, 2005... The Oregon Partnership NW Regional Conference will sponsor "From Science to Practice: Preventing Underage Drinking," on Nov. 3-5 in Portland. SAMHSA Administrator Charles Curie will present. Visit the Oregon Partnership website at...

In case you haven't heard ...
October 24, 2005... From alcohol to marijuana to OxyContin, presiding over a state court in Kentucky gave one judge a clear insight into the history of the intransigence of addictions, whether to legal or illegal substances. District Judge William G. McCaslin,...

Federal government gives $7.2 million in grants for drug tests on students.
October 31, 2005... The federal government has just announced grants totaling $7.2 million for the purpose of conducting random drug testing of students. This is the second listing of the Department of Education's Student Drug Testing Demonstration Grants; the...

National meeting on co-occurring disorders planned.(Veterans re-entry)
October 31, 2005... Troops haven't begun returning from Iraq en masse yet, but when they do, treatment providers better be prepared. Of returning veterans already treated in Veterans Administration (VA) facilities for mental disorders, 10 percent had a primary...

SAMHSA issues new TIP on medication-assisted treatment.(Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration issues Treatment Improvement Protocol)
October 31, 2005... The first thing you need to know about the most recent Treatment Improvement Protocol (TIP) from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) is that "medication assisted treatment" (MAT) consists of three medications:...

Groups call for specific references to substance abuse in disaster relief law.
October 31, 2005... Fifteen organizations on substance abuse and mental health have written to Congress asking that substance abuse be given its own distinct emphasis in a law on disaster relief efforts. The groups expect that the examination of what needs to...

Canada pilots prison addiction units.(Briefly Noted)(Brief Article)
October 31, 2005... Roughly 80 percent of Canada's federal prison inmates have substance abuse problems, reported the Canadian Press October 9. A 2003 pilot program assessing 246 male offenders in New Brunswick, Ontario, Alberta and Quebec prisons found that...

Substance use programs get their own trauma unit.(Briefly Noted)(Brief Article)
October 31, 2005... The Texas Department of State Health Services will fund two new programs at El Paso's Thomason Hospital, reported the El Paso Times October 18, reducing the hospital's costs for trauma cases associated with substance abuse. Over four years, $3...

Sale pending for CRC Health Group.(Brief Article)
October 31, 2005... In a transaction that will affect stockholders but not patients or staff, the largest provider of substance abuse treatment in the country will have a new owner next year, if all goes according to plan. Cupertino, California-based CRC Health...

Proposed cigarette tax plan to fund healthcare.(Briefly Noted)(Brief Article)
October 31, 2005... An undisclosed legislative source told the Boston Globe recently that the Massachusetts legislature is considering a proposal to raise the cigarette tax by 60 cents or begin to tax alcohol to create funds for expanded health coverage. United...

Professional training on dual diagnoses.(Resources)(Brief Article)
October 31, 2005... Ohio State University is sponsoring a DSM-IV-TR Training Review, "Diagnosing Mental Illness and Substance Disorders," on December 12-16. The training is designed for CCDC II/III candidates for LCDC with a need for diagnostic training, and...

The State Association of Addiction Services (SAAS).(Call for Applications)
October 31, 2005... The State Association of Addiction Services (SAAS) is accepting presentation applications for its first SAAS National Conference, July 9-12 in Chicago. Topics might include organizational challenges in adopting medication assisted therapies;...

Coming up ...(conferences and meetings )(Brief Article)(Calendar)
October 31, 2005... The Department of Criminal Justice Sciences will collaborate with the Department of Agriculture, the Mennonite School of Nursing and Project X at Illinois State University to sponsor a conference titled "The Impact of Methamphetamine on...

In case you haven't heard ...
October 31, 2005... Marijuana from the drug store: Despite the U.S. Supreme Court's ruling this summer that the federal government can prosecute medical marijuana users, California, which has allowed medical marijuana use since 1996, is not giving up. The Santa...