Alcoholism & Drug Abuse Weekly articles from September 2008

Alcoholism & Drug Abuse Weekly archives from September 2008

College presidents call for a debate on lowering the drinking age to 18.
September 8, 2008... A group of 129 college presidents is asking that there be a discussion about lowering the drinking age to 18. In a statement drawn up in July and made public late last month, the group, which calls itself the Amethyst Initiative, has launched a...

NSDUH: prescription drugs, older users are trouble spots.(national survey on drug use and health)(Survey)
September 8, 2008... Prescription drug abuse is rising but all other drug abuse is going down among young people, according to the 2007 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) released last week. Among the 50-59 year old age group, however, drug use...

NOMs changing from management tool to rating tool--for now.(national outcome measures )
September 8, 2008... National Outcome Measures (NOMs) were originally developed as a joint project by the National Association of State Alcohol and Drug Abuse Directors (NASADAD) and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) with the...

ONDCP reports keen interest among schools in drug testing.(Office of National Drug Control Policy)
September 8, 2008... Although random drug testing of students in middle and high schools remains highly controversial and far from universally accepted among addiction professionals, federal officials continue to point to data indicating that school systems...

Many Florida counselors likely to pursue gambling credential.
September 8, 2008... Florida is now one of about a dozen states with a specialized credential for counseling professionals who treat gambling addictions. The certified gambling addiction counselor (CGAC) credential, available in the state as of Sept. 1, is expected...

Vancouver's Insite looking at off-site animal therapy.(BRIEFLY NOTED)(Portland Hotel Society)(Brief article)
September 8, 2008... The Portland Hotel Society, which operates Vancouver's Insite safe injection site and the Onsite detox facility, is considering building an "Offsite" recovery facility that would include animal therapy with horses, the Globe and Mail reported...

Study tracks alcohol sales to underage, intoxicated in sports stadiums.(BRIEFLY NOTED)(Brief article)
September 8, 2008... Underage drinkers--even if intoxicated--can buy alcohol in the stands, if not the concession booths, of sports stadiums, according to a study by researchers at the University of Minnesota School of Public Health. Sports stadiums' overall sales...

Vivitrol added to Medicare drug list.(Brief article)
September 8, 2008... Vivitrolhas been added to the list of Competitive Acquisition Program (CAP) for Medicare Part B Drugs and Biologicals effective Oct. 1, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services announced last week. An updated CAP drug list will be available...

Phoenix policemen cleared of criminal wrongdoing.(STATE WATCH)(Brief article)
September 8, 2008... Prosecutors have cleared Phoenix, Arizona police of criminal wrongdoing in the case of Carol Gotbaum, who died one year ago of asphyxiation while chained to a police bench. The Associated Press reported on August 21 that the New York City...

Texas Rep. Madden receives the 2008 ASAP award.(STATE WATCH)(Association of Substance Abuse Programs)(Brief article)
September 8, 2008... Rep. Jerry Madden (R-Plano) received the 2008 Association of Substance Abuse Programs' (ASAP) Lone Star Award for his contribution to "fundamental changes in how we deal with addiction issues in Texas," said Lisa Poynor, Legislative Chair of...

Northern Mariana Islands establishes SAPT Awareness Month.(STATE WATCH)(substance abuse prevention team)(Brief article)
September 8, 2008... Gov. Benigno R. Fitial of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI) has designated September Substance Abuse Prevention and Treatment Awareness Month: "SAPTember." This year's theme is "Join the Voices for Recovery: Real People,...

Mark G. Mishek.(NAMES IN THE NEWS)(appointment)(Brief article)
September 8, 2008... Mark G. Mishek is the new president and CEO of the national non-profit Hazelden, appointed by the Hazelden Board of Trustees on August 25. Mishek is a Minnesota native with 30 years of experience in health care, including extensive executive...

Antonio Morgan-Lopez, Ph.D.(NAMES IN THE NEWS)(Brief article)
September 8, 2008... Antonio Morgan-Lopez, Ph.D., a research quantitative psychologist at RTI International, has been awarded the Enoch Gordis Research Recognition Award, named after the former director of the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism...

Coming up ...(Calendar)
September 8, 2008... The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) will sponsor the Third National Conference on Women, Addiction and Recovery, "Inspiring Leadership, Changing Lives," on September 15-17 in Tampa, Fla. For more information,...

In case you haven't heard ...
September 8, 2008... The Associated Press reported on August 23 that Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez has not been discreet in his ill regard for President George Bush. Most recently, in a televised speech on August 22, Chavez expressed his hopes that President...

Call to action, rally boosting parity's last chance in this Congress.
September 15, 2008... Last week addiction and mental health groups across the country conducted a national call-in day asking members of Congress to bring proposed parity legislation to a vote. And this week there will be a rally on Capitol Hill. One reason for the...

GAO: weak controls at ONDCP raise concerns in DFC grantee selections.(Government Accountability Office)(Officials at the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy)(Drug-Free Communities)
September 15, 2008... Poor coordination between the federal agencies overseeing the Drug-Free Communities Support Program raises questions as to whether public funds devoted to the popular program have been properly safeguarded, an analysis from the U.S. Government...

CDC: tragic results of excessive drinking by American Indians.(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)(Report)
September 15, 2008... The death rate from excessive drinking is twice as high among American Indians and Alaskan Natives (AI/ANs) as it is among the overall U.S. population, according to a report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The report,...

SAMHSA seeks comments on proposed match for SBIRT grants.
September 15, 2008... The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) is proposing to require a 20% match for the Screening, Brief Intervention, Referral, and Treatment (SBIRT) grant of the Center for Substance Abuse Treatment (CSAT)--$2 for...

Non-opioid drug for opioid withdrawal enters clinical trials.
September 15, 2008... A new drug, called AV411 for now, will be tested on heroin addicts for its ability to prevent withdrawal symptoms. The trial, announced last week at a meeting sponsored by Avigen, the drug's developer, will be conducted by the New York State...

Hallucinogenic herb salvia popular among youth and fuels research.(BRIEFLY NOTED)(Brief article)
September 15, 2008... The hallucinogenic herb salvia is popular among the country's youth, reported The New York Times on September 8. "Sally D" or "Magic Mint" can be legally purchased online. While there is no evidence that salvia is addictive, Florida and...

College students believe prescription drugs less dangerous than cocaine.(BRIEFLY NOTED)(Brief article)
September 15, 2008... In the first study to examine college students' perceptions of the harmfulness of non-medical use of prescription pain killers and stimulants, Amelia Arria, Ph.D. found first-year students believed occasional use is less risky than cocaine but...

FDA holds public hearing on pediatric use of OTC cough and cold drugs.(BRIEFLY NOTED)
September 15, 2008... The Food and Drug Administration has announced an October 2 public hearing to obtain input regarding over-the-counter (OTC) cough and cold drugs marketed for pediatric use. The hearing will take place in Beltsville, MD. The agency is also...

SAMHSA awards $66 million for SBIRT programs.(BRIEFLY NOTED)(screening, brief intervention, referral and treatment)(Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration )(Brief article)
September 15, 2008... The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) announced on September 5 it will fund 15 cooperative agreements to support Screening, Brief Intervention, Referral and Treatment (SBIRT) projects. The states of West...

SAMHSA funds opioid treatment program accreditation grants.(BRIEFLY NOTED)(Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration)(Brief article)
September 15, 2008... The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) announced on September 9 three grants totaling roughly $3 million over three years to support opioid treatment programs (OTP) by reducing the cost of accreditation education...

Internet addiction receives attention at University of Montreal.(BRIEFLY NOTED)
September 15, 2008... The director of the new institute on addiction at the University of Montreal, Louise Nadeau says that internet addiction is an emerging public health threat. Nadeau cites a lack of reliable research or clinical data on compulsive internet use,...

Montana seeks better ways to manage pain.(STATE WATCH)(Conference news)(Brief article)
September 15, 2008... At the second annual Montana Pain Initiative Conference last week, attendees heard about drug diversion, pain management, and overdoses. Conference organizer Kaye Norris said, "Our goal is to achieve a state of ideal pain management." Montana...

South Carolina considers insurance surcharge for smoking employees.(STATE WATCH)(Brief article)
September 15, 2008... The South Carolina Budget and Control Board has proposed charging state employees who smoke an additional $25 per month to be covered by state health plans or HMOs. Seven states currently have such programs, wrote the Morning News on August 26...

EDC announces new Center for Application of Prevention Technologies.(BUSINESS)(Education Development Center Inc.)(Brief article)
September 15, 2008... EDC, Inc. announced on September 2 it has been awarded a contract by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration's Center for Substance Abuse Prevention (SAMHSA/CSAP) to operate a new integrated Center for the Application of...

SAMHSA Strategic Prevention Framework State Incentive Grant Program.(CALL FOR APPLICATIONS)(Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration )
September 15, 2008... The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) is calling for applications for its Strategic Prevention Framework State Incentive Grant Program. SAMHSA expects to award roughly $38.1 million for about 20 awards in FY...

Coming up ...(Calendar)
September 15, 2008... The Association for Medical Education and Research in Substance Abuse (AMERSA) will hold its 32nd National Conference on November 6-8 in Washington, D.C. For more information, visit www.amersa.org/conf.asp. The International Council on...

In case you haven't heard ...
September 15, 2008... An elephant from the Yunnan province of China may be the most newsworthy graduate of a methadone detoxification program. The Xinhua news agency reported on September 4 that illegal traders lured the four-year-old bull elephant and kept him...

Adolescent painkiller use may increase risk of addiction, heroin use.(Report)
September 22, 2008... Prescription opiate abuse is not only increasing among adolescents, but it predisposes them to becoming addicted as adults, according to animal research published earlier this month. Furthermore, clinicians report that prescription opiates are...

Women's component of NASADAD offers guidance document for state systems.(National Association of State Alcohol and Drug Abuse Directors)
September 22, 2008... A new guidance document developed by the Women's Services Network under the National Association of State Alcohol and Drug Abuse Directors (NASADAD) is designed both to highlight existing gender-specific treatment standards in state systems of...

Treatment funds in Illinois caught in apparent stalemate.
September 22, 2008... In the midst of treatment program staff cutbacks resulting from Illinois' 40 percent cut this summer (see ADAW, July 28), there's a glimmer of hope: earlier this month the House came back into special session and voted 113-0 to restore the $55...

Substance abuse: a 12-step primer for change.(FROM THE FIELD ...)
September 22, 2008... As we move towards the Presidential election and change continues to be the candidates' overarching clarion call, there has been little, if any, discussion about changing the devastating trajectory of substance abuse, a road that takes many...

Experimental compound effective in alcohol-addicted rats.(BRIEFLY NOTED)(pyridomorphinan)(Brief article)
September 22, 2008... The University of California San Francisco reported on September 12 that its Ernest Gallo Clinic and Research Center has completed a trial of a compound that may be a promising candidate for a treatment for alcoholism. Naltrexone-derived...

Communities dense with alcohol outlets put children at risk.(BRIEFLY NOTED)(Brief article)
September 22, 2008... "Impoverished and disorganized neighborhoods may have a limited ability to deal with the negative effects related to high densities of alcohol outlets," explained researcher Bridget Freisthler in a Pacific Institute for Research and Evaluation...

New drug target candidate for cocaine addiction/overdose.(BRIEFLY NOTED)(Brief article)
September 22, 2008... An "anti-cocaine" medication has been a major research priority, write Chang-Guo Zhan and colleagues at the University of Kentucky. In their recent study report the researchers describe the design of a "high-activity mutant" of the human blood...

West Virginia University launches prescription drug addiction hotline.(STATE WATCH)(Brief article)
September 22, 2008... "Prescription drug abuse is a silent epidemic that is wreaking havoc on communities throughout the state," said Carl R. Sullivan, M.D., medical director of addiction services at West Virginia University (WVU). Between 1999 and 2004, overdose...

Ting-Kai Li, M.D.(NAMES IN NEWS)(Brief article)
September 22, 2008... Ting-Kai Li, M.D., director of the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) announced on September 18 that he will step down from his position and retire from Federal service, effective October 31, 2008. Li has been director...

Bernard Murphy, Ph.D.(NAMES IN NEWS)(Brief article)
September 22, 2008... Bernard Murphy, Ph.D., has been elected President and CEO of the Pacific Institute for Research and Evaluation (PIRE), effective September 1, the group announced September 2. Murphy has been with PIRE since 1995, first as Staff Director on the...

SAMHSA Strategic Prevention Framework State Incentive Grant Program.(CALL FOR APPLICATIONS)(Brief article)
September 22, 2008... The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) is calling for applications for its Strategic Prevention Framework State Incentive Grant Program. SAMHSA expects to award roughly $38.1 million for about 20 awards in FY...

No drug abuse, underage drinking or smoking allowed on YouTube.(Brief article)
September 22, 2008... New community guidelines posted by YouTube to users this month ban "videos showing bad stuff like animal abuse, drug abuse, under-age drinking and smoking, or bomb making." There are other rules too, but that phrase pretty much sums up the new...

Coming up ...(Calendar)
September 22, 2008... Sponsored by the Washington State Division of Alcohol and Substance Abuse (DASA), the 2008 Co-Occurring Disorders Conference will take place on September 29-30 in Yakima, Washington. Visit http://casat.unr.edu/dasa for more information. ...

In case you haven't heard ...
September 22, 2008... While nicotine nasal spray is one of the most effective forms of nicotine replacement among adult smokers attempting to quit, it has not been a hit with teens, a new study finds. As reported in the September issue of Pediatrics, Michael...

Financial peril, bailout plan cause advocates to temper future hopes.
September 29, 2008... With each passing day last week adding more questions about the mechanics and the long-term effects of a massive plan to revive the U.S. financial system, advocates in the addiction field chose their words carefully when projecting how their...

Congress passes bill to restore key disability rights to addicts and alcoholics.
September 29, 2008... Almost lost in the frenzy over the pending bailout of the financial industry and the tortuous path of parity was significant legislation passed Sept. 17 by the House of Representatives (H.R. 3195) that strengthens the rights of people in...

Both houses pass parity bill, but in different forms.
September 29, 2008... Both houses of Congress have passed the exact same parity bill, but the House of Representatives passed it by a vote of 376 to 47 on Sept. 23 as a stand-alone bill, and the Senate passed it 93-2, also on Sept. 23, as an amendment to the tax...

Seabrook House program gets grant for HIV testing, prevention.
September 29, 2008... The MatriArk Family Program at Seabrook House has received a five-year, $400,000 federal grant to provide HIV testing and education to patients and their family members. The award, called "Targeted Capacity Expansion Program for Substance Abuse...

Celebrating youth recovery from substance use disorders.(FROM THE FIELD ...)
September 29, 2008... September marks National Recovery Month for all Americans affected by Substance Use Disorders (SUDs). This annual focus on recovery from alcohol and drugs is usually organized by and for adults. Much less attention is paid to youths in...

Illinois treatment funds restored.(Late-Breaking News)(Brief article)
September 29, 2008... The Illinois Senate voted last week to restore $55 million to the state's alcohol and drug treatment budget. Originally vetoed by Gov. Rod Blagojevich, the money was part of a $219 million supplemental budget bill to restore other programs also...

A&E Network launches Recovery Project.(BRIEFLY NOTED)(Brief article)
September 29, 2008... Inspired by a surge in public interest created by its documentary series Intervention, the A&E Network on Sept. 20 announced the Recovery Project, a multi-year initiative designed to "raise awareness that addiction is a treatable disease and...

Mixed response to NASCAR's new drug testing policy.(BRIEFLY NOTED)(National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing)(Brief article)
September 29, 2008... NASCAR has announced a new substance-abuse policy of mandatory pre-season testing and random tests throughout the year for all drivers, over-the-wall crew members and officials. This replaces a policy of in-house testing on the basis of...

Study offers 'bigger picture' of Oregon's meth problem.(STATE WATCH)(Brief article)
September 29, 2008... Using a unique research method incorporating information from multiple sources, Oregon State University associate professor Daniel Sudakin, M.D., said he is able to provide a "bigger picture of what's going on across the state." OSU reported on...

Police officers from NH sea coast form Substance Abuse Task Force.(STATE WATCH)(Brief article)
September 29, 2008... The local Substance Abuse Task Force for the Greater Seacoast Region, comprised of police officers from Newton, Raymond, Hampton and Windham, will convene for the first time on September 30, reported Seacoast Online on September 17. The task...

Two new resources from NIDA.(RESOURCES)(Brief article)
September 29, 2008... The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) has introduced Drug-Pubs, its new research dissemination center, making materials related to drug abuse and addiction available to audiences including advocacy groups, health professionals, teachers...

Elias A. Zerhouni, M.D.(NAMES IN NEWS)(Brief article)
September 29, 2008... Elias A. Zerhouni, M.D., the director of the National Institutes of Health, on September 24 announced he will step down at the end of October to "pursue writing projects and explore other professional opportunities," according to NIH. Zerhouni...

Mark Weber.(NAMES IN NEWS)(Brief article)
September 29, 2008... Mark Weber, Director, Office of Communications at the Substance Abuse and Mental Heath Services Administration (SAMHSA) has been detailed to the position of Principal Senior Advisor in the Immediate Office of the Administrator, effective...

Coming up ...(Calendar)
September 29, 2008... The Association for Medical Education and Research in Substance Abuse (AMERSA) will hold its 32nd National Conference on November 6-8 in Washington, D.C. For more information, visit www.amersa.org/conf.asp. The International Council on...

In case you haven't heard ...
September 29, 2008... Mothers may wield control over their children's choices in a way they never imagined. Iowa State University (ISU) researchers have found that self-fulfilling prophesy is a powerful force in teens' decision making about alcohol use. "When...