For Problem Drinkers, Depression Often the Result of Heavy Drinking

By Join Together Staff | February 12, 2013 | 1 Comment | Filed in Alcohol, Mental Health & Research

Depressive symptoms in problem drinkers often are the result of heavy alcohol intake, a new study suggests.

The 30-year study included nearly 400 men, about half of whom were at increased risk for drinking problems because their fathers were alcoholics, MedicalXpress reports. Over the course of the study, about 41 percent of the men with alcoholic fathers developed alcohol abuse or dependence. Almost 20 percent suffered at least one bout of major depression, the article notes.

Among men with alcohol problems, almost one-third of major depressive episodes appeared only when the men were drinking heavily. The study appears in the Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs.

“I don’t know that the average person realizes that heavy drinking can induce mood problems,” lead researcher Marc A. Schuckit, MD, of the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine, said in a news release.

Dr. Schuckit noted that depression caused by heavy drinking is treated differently from major depressive episodes with other causes. He said the symptoms of depression caused by heavy drinking can be the same as those seen in people who are not heavy drinkers. However, if the symptoms develop in the context of heavy drinking, they are likely to disappear within several weeks to a month after the person stops drinking, and rarely requires antidepressants.

Doctors should consider alcohol use disorders as a potential cause of depression, Dr. Schuckit said. He found no evidence that people with a history of major depression were at increased risk for developing alcohol problems. “If you’re an alcoholic, you’re going to have a lot of mood problems,” he said. “And you may be tempted to say, ‘Well, I drink a lot because I’m depressed.’ You may be right, but it’s even more likely that you’re depressed because you drink heavily.”

Teens with ADHD More Likely to Have Substance Abuse Issues

By Join Together Staff | February 12, 2013 | Leave a comment | Filed in Drugs, Mental Health, Research & Youth

Teenagers with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) are significantly more likely to have substance abuse issues and to smoke cigarettes, compared with their peers without a history of the disorder, according to a nationwide study.

The study found when teens were an average of 15 years old, 35 percent of those with ADHD said they used one or more substances, compared with 20 percent of teens without a history of the disorder, Science Daily reports. Ten percent of teens with ADHD experienced significant problems from their substance abuse, compared with 3 percent of those without ADHD.

The researchers found by age 17, about 13 percent of those with ADHD experienced marijuana abuse or dependence, compared with 7 percent of those without the disorder. Daily cigarette smoking was also higher among teens with the disorder in this age group—17 percent, compared with 8 percent among teens without ADHD.

Both teens with and without ADHD had high rates of alcohol use, the study found. Teens who were treated with ADHD medication had similar substance abuse rates, compared with those who were not being treated for the disorder.

The findings appear in the Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry.

“This study underscores the significance of the substance abuse risk for both boys and girls with childhood ADHD,” lead author Brooke Molina, PhD, of the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, said in a news release. “These findings also are the strongest test to date of the association between medication for ADHD and teenage substance abuse.”

Molina added, “We are working hard to understand the reasons why children with ADHD have increased risk of drug abuse. Our hypotheses, partly supported by our research and that of others, is that impulsive decision making, poor school performance, and difficulty making healthy friendships all contribute.”

Bipartisan Group of Senators Introduce Bill to Strengthen Mental Health Care

By Join Together Staff | February 12, 2013 | Leave a comment | Filed in Addiction, Community Related, Healthcare, Legislation & Mental Health

A bipartisan group of senators has introduced a bill that would strengthen the nation’s mental health care system, and improve access in communities, according to The Washington Post. The bill, the Excellence in Mental Health Act, would require about 2,000 federally qualified community behavioral health centers to provide substance abuse treatment and 24-hour care.

Facilities that met federal criteria could bill Medicaid for their services, which would greatly expand access to treatment, at an estimated cost of $1 billion over the next 10 years, the article notes.

According to the advocacy group National Council for Behavioral Health, the bill will allow greater access to services and treatments needed by people with mental illnesses and addictions, to keep them healthy and safe in their communities.

“Behavioral health has long been left out of the federal dictionary,” Linda Rosenberg, president and CEO of the National Council for Behavioral Health, said in a news release. “As a result, mental health and addiction providers cannot receive the critical federal funds that support other safety net providers. They share the unique responsibilities of the safety-net — but none of the supports.”

She added, “Over the 30 years I’ve worked in behavioral health, I have heard an untold number of stories about real people who need care, but go without. I’ve seen ERs so mired down by the needs of people with mental illnesses and addictions that it interferes with their ability to serve their primary function. I’ve talked with family members who have knocked on every door and still don’t know where to get help for their loved ones. The Excellence in Mental Health Act would help right this wrong.”

Colorado Legislature Gears Up to Debate Drugged Driving Limits

By Join Together Staff | February 11, 2013 | 3 Comments | Filed in Community Related, Drugs & Legislation

The Colorado legislature is gearing up to debate where to set the limit on how much marijuana can be in a person’s system before they are considered to be driving under the influence, according to The Denver Post.

The debate is likely to include evidence from two conflicting studies, the article notes. An analysis of nine studies, published in the British Medical Journal, found driving under the influence of marijuana is associated with an increased risk of a motor vehicle crash, especially for fatal collisions. The analysis found driving under the influence of marijuana was associated with almost twice the risk of a motor vehicle crash, compared with unimpaired driving. The studies in the analysis included nearly 50,000 people.

A second study suggests marijuana-limit laws do not impact traffic fatalities.

The debate on drugged driving laws comes in the wake of Colorado’s passage of a recreational marijuana law in November. Currently it is illegal to drive while under the influence of marijuana in Colorado, but prosecutors must prove impairment in every case, the article notes.

One bill that will be considered by the legislature sets the marijuana limit at 5 nanograms of THC—the active marijuana ingredient—per milliliter of blood. Under the bill, a person with at least 5 nanograms of THC would not automatically be convicted, and could try to argue that they were not impaired, even if they hit the 5-nanogram limit.

Recent research conducted by scientists from the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) suggests the 5-nanogram standard may be too high to capture drivers impaired by marijuana. Marilyn Huestis of NIDA, who conducted a study on marijuana use and psychomotor function, says active THC quickly falls below the 5-nanogram limit within 24 hours. “The level of 5 nanograms per mil is pretty high,” she recently told the Seattle Post-Intelligencer. “We know that people are impaired at lower levels than 5, but the balancing act is trying to find a number that can reliably separate (the impaired from the not-impaired), which is almost impossible to do.”

PRO-ACT Family Addiction Education Program helps families address drug and alcohol addiction



Next free sessions start week of March 5 at various locations in five counties



Each month PRO-ACT (Pennsylvania Recovery Organization–Achieving Community Together) hosts a free Family Addiction Education Program to help individuals and families recognize and address an addiction problem in a spouse, parent, child or other loved one. Led by trained volunteers who have been in the same situation, these information and support programs begin the first week of each month and run one evening a week for three consecutive weeks. Each session lasts two hours.



Programs are offered at several locations throughout the five-county southeast Pennsylvania region:

· Tuesdays—From 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. in Media and Northeast Philadelphia.

· Wednesdays—From 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. in Pottstown; from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. in North Philadelphia; and from 7 p.m.to 9 p.m. in West Chester.

· Thursdays—From 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. in Northern Liberties; 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. in Bristol and Colmar



Sessions are free and confidential—first names only. Pre-registration is required. To register, call 800-221-6333, weekdays 9 a.m. through 5 p.m., or visit www.proact.org and click the Family Addiction Education Program link.

Amy Winehouse's Legacy

Mitch Winehouse may have lost his daughter Amy to addiction, but as he tells The Fix, he's doing his best to prevent similar tragedies in other families.

Mitch and Amy Winehouse Photo via

By McCarton Ackerman

01/29/13

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• Amy Winehouse's Addiction Detailed in Father's Book
• Amy Winehouse, 1983-2011
• Amy Winehouse, Singer of Stormy Genius, Finally Succumbs to Her Demons

On July 23, 2011, the music world—and beyond—was dealt a crushing blow when Amy Winehouse died from alcohol poisoning after binge drinking. But while fans were mourning, Amy’s father Mitch immediately sprang into action by starting the Amy Winehouse Foundation, an organization designed to prevent the effects of drug and alcohol misuse on young people in the UK. The foundation has crossed over into the US and now offers music scholarships for disadvantaged youth; it will also hold the first annual Amy Winehouse Foundation Inspiration Awards and Gala on March 21 in NYC, where Tony Bennett will serve as the honoree and Jennifer Hudson and Nas will perform. 

Mitch has also released the memoir Amy, My Daughter and is carrying on her musical legacy with his own album, "Rush of Love"—with the proceeds from both ventures going directly to the foundation. In an exclusive interview with The Fix, Mitch speaks about the accomplishments of the foundation, parenting a child who’s addicted and the importance of early intervention.

How did the Amy Winehouse Foundation first come about? 

I was in a hotel room in New York when I first got the news that Amy passed away and one of the first things that entered my head was “Foundation, foundation, foundation.” But I had no experience with this and when we started to create it, we realized you can’t just start one up. It was a steep learning curve and continues to be.

We launched in the UK in September 2011, but we’re really just starting here in the US. In the UK, we’re helping a number of grantees and have joined up with a homeless charity called New Horizon that feeds hot meals to 60 young people a day. We’re also working on creating drug and alcohol education projects and, starting in April, we’ll go into 45 schools and speak with the kids.

Nobody chooses to be an addict. Amy didn’t choose to be an addict.

What is the foundation hoping to accomplish?

Our mission is to help disadvantaged young people so we’re looking to do that in all forms. In the US, we’ll have a slightly different aim and focus more on providing music scholarships. We just donated $25,000 to the Brooklyn Conservatory of Music. Amy was half-American and her mom was born in Brooklyn, so it made sense for one of our first US grants to be given out here.

But in the UK, there is no drug education in schools whatsoever. And what about the kids who suffer from self-esteem issues? What do they do when they’re being pressured to drink or do drugs by their peers? What if they’re being bullied or bullying themselves? It’s an issue that goes beyond drugs and alcohol and there are enough people working in recovery in Britain who could be of assistance with this. The service that we’re providing is completely unique to the UK.  

Did Amy have issues with drugs as a child or did those develop in adulthood?

To be honest, that all happened so long ago that I don’t want to look back on it. She dealt with her drug problems successfully and was clean for the last three years of her life. What she was suffering from was alcohol addiction. And she really was just one step away from winning that battle, but it wasn’t meant to be. 

Having a child who’s an addict can’t be easy.

It’s the most difficult thing that you can imagine. If you talk to three clinical psychologists, they’ll give you three different answers about the best approach. Some say hard love, others say soft love, another says tough love. And when people are in the midst of an addiction, they find it difficult to relate to their families and often separate themselves completely. Luckily, Amy didn’t do that with us. You just have to let them know you love them and care about them.

It’s such a difficult situation for families both in the UK and the US, though, because, unless you have the resources to send your child to private treatment, it’s a three-year waiting list. And we did have the means to send Amy to all these different places, but so many people don’t.  

In your memoir, you talked about needing a holiday from her. A lot of parents of addicts often feel guilty admitting that it can be exhausting. 

It’s exhaustion, it’s boring and it’s repetitious. I really wanted that to come across in the book. One day she’s clean and hasn’t done any drugs, the next day she’s using again. It would get better and then we’d be back to square one. It was important for me to try and convey that feeling of helplessness and boredom. 

Did you reach out to any support groups? 

There are a few voluntary organizations in the UK with a family focus, so I did attend those. And what I found is that most parents are in the same boat. They think they’re on their own and genuinely don’t know what to do because if you can’t afford treatment, you pretty much are left on your own to figure it out.

What message do you hope to convey with the foundation and your work in addressing addiction? 

Nobody chooses to be an addict. Amy didn’t choose to be an addict. 100 percent of people suffering from addiction didn’t imagine it would end up this way. It’s an illness and should be treated as such. If someone has appendicitis in the US and they don’t have private insurance, they’ll still get an operation and the hospital will pick up the bill. The same principle should apply with treating addiction. 

I also want to stress the importance of early intervention in school education programs, as well as reintegration into society once addiction has happened. Instead of being a burden on society, addicts should be allowed to earn their own money and rejoin the community. It’s not rocket science.  

McCarton Ackerman is a freelance writer currently residing in Brooklyn. His work has appeared in Time Out New York, The Huffington Post, abcnews.com and usopen.org, among others. He has also written about Carré Otis and Celebrity Rehab, among many other topics, for The Fix.

"Wet" and Wild: PCP's Horror Show | The Fix

"Wet" and Wild: PCP's Horror Show | The Fix

Fewer Teens Receiving Substance Abuse Prevention Messages From Media

By Join Together Staff | February 8, 2013 | Leave a comment | Filed in Alcohol, Drugs, Marketing And Media & Youth

The percentage of teenagers who receive substanced abuse prevention messages from the media in the past year dropped from 83.2 percent in 2002, to 75.1 percent in 2011, according to a new government report.

Teens also received fewer school-based prevention messages, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) found. Such messages reached 78.8 percent of teens in 2002, and 74.5 percent in 2011. An estimated 40 percent of teens did not talk with their parents in the past year about the dangers of substance abuse, Newswise reports.

A recent SAMHSA report found teen attitudes about the risk of substances such as alcohol and marijuana have changed in recent years. From 2002 to 2011, the percentage of teens who perceived great risk from heavy drinking increased from 38.2 percent to 40.7 percent. During that same time, there was a drop in binge drinking among teens, from 10.7 percent to 7.4 percent.

The report found the percentage of teens who perceived great risk from marijuana use once or twice a week dropped, from 54.6 percent in 2007, to 44.8 percent in 2011. Teens’ rate of past-month marijuana use increased during that time, from 6.7 percent to 7.9 percent.

“To prevent substance abuse among our adolescents, our young people have to know the facts about the real risks of substance abuse, and we’re not doing a very good job of that right now,” SAMHSA Administrator Pamela S. Hyde said in a news release. “It is time for all of us – the public health community, parents, teachers, caregivers, and peers – to double our efforts in educating our youth about substance use and engaging them in meaningful conversations about these issues, so that they can make safe and healthy decisions when offered alcohol or drugs.”

Relatives of Painkiller Overdose Patients Speak at FDA Hearing

By Join Together Staff | February 8, 2013 | 1 Comment | Filed in Government, Healthcare, Prescription Drugs & Prevention

Relatives of patients who overdosed on painkillers told federal regulators Thursday they want changes on the labels of narcotic painkillers, The Wall Street Journal reports. Pain patients concerned such action could limit their access to the medications spoke against the proposed changes.

They spoke at a Food and Drug Administration (FDA) hearing on the use of opioids in the treatment of chronic pain. The FDA said it wants to gather scientific evidence on issues including diagnosis and understanding of patient pain, understanding and adhering to the labels of pain-treating products, limiting opioid prescriptions and use, and abuse and misuse of opioid medicines.

The FDA is considering a petition by Physicians for Responsible Opioid Prescribing, a group of doctors and pain specialists, to include a recommended upper daily dose on the medications’ label, and to limit opioid treatment to 90 days, the article notes. The doctors’ group is also recommending that opioids be indicated for severe pain, not moderate pain, except in cancer patients.

Last month, a FDA advisory panel voted to strengthen restrictions on hydrocodone combination drugs, such as Vicodin. The panel recommended the FDA make the drugs more difficult to prescribe. If the FDA accepts the panel’s recommendation, it will be sent to the Department of Health and Human Services, which will make the final decision.

Illegal Street Sales of Take-Home Doses of Methadone on the Rise

By Join Together Staff | February 8, 2013 | 2 Comments | Filed in Community Related, Drugs, Prescription Drugs & Treatment

Illegal street sales of take-home doses of liquid methadone, prescribed to treat opioid addiction, are on the rise, according to law enforcement officials in Indiana, Kentucky, Virginia and West Virginia.

The diverted methadone has been tracked to clinics operated by CRC Health Corp., the article notes. CRC, owned by Bain Capital Partners, is the largest U.S. provider of methadone treatment, according to Bloomberg. Last year it operated 57 clinics in 15 states, Bloomberg reports.

Former employees say the company’s clinics are chronically understaffed, which makes it easier for take-home methadone to be abused. Former counselors say their heavy workload did not allow them to adequately counsel patients.

The clinics provide take-home packages, some with just one dose, and others containing as many as 30 doses. Police and prosecutors say in the small towns where the company has clinics, methadone has surfaced in criminal cases.

CRC Chief Executive Officer R. Andrew Eckert said take-home dosing can help keep patients on methadone, and off illegal drugs, by not making them come to the clinic every day for treatment. “Our mission is to help these individuals, but sadly, we cannot report 100 percent success,” he said. “No treatment provider can.”

Philip Herschman, Chief Clinical Officer of CRC, told Bloomberg the company follows specific and rigid state and federal rules when it decides which patients may obtain take-home doses. The company conducts spot-checks, in which it calls back patients to clinics, to account for their take-home bottles, he said. If a patient tests positive for any illicit substances, take-home doses are suspended immediately, he added.

State regulatory records show this is not always true. The records also indicate CRC’s clinics have not met staffing standards on more than 50 occasions.

Commentary: Hazelden Responds to America’s Opioid Epidemic

By Marvin D. Seppala, MD | February 8, 2013 | 1 Comment | Filed in Addiction, Healthcare, Prescription Drugs & Treatment

Too many people are hooked. Too many are dying. The problem is too big to ignore.

Over the past decade, America has experienced a rampant rise in the number of people addicted to prescription painkillers, heroin and other opioids. We truly face an epidemic.

According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), the death toll from prescription painkillers has increased from 3,000 overdose deaths in 1999 to 15,500 in 2009. The CDC also reported almost 500,000 opioid-related emergency room visits in 2009, and found that about 12 million Americans reported nonmedical use of prescription opioids in 2010.

At Hazelden, we are on the front line of this crisis, which is hitting youth particularly hard. At our youth facility in Plymouth, Minn., opioid addiction increased from 15 percent of patients in 2001 to 41 percent in 2011.

The problem deserves a vigorous response. That’s why Hazelden has introduced a new treatment protocol specifically for opioid-dependent patients.

The new protocol builds on our traditional care in two ways: by weaving the specific features and challenges of opioid addiction into all aspects of treatment, and by incorporating certain medications. We now assess opioid-dependent patients to determine the need for medication assistance. Some patients get none, particularly those who refuse it or whose addiction is less severe. Some receive buprenorphine/naloxone. Others utilize extended-release naltrexone. In all cases, medication is adjunct to, and never a substitute for, our usual evidence-based approach, which includes: psychological and psychiatric care; Twelve Step-based individual and group therapy; lectures; and a focus on peer, family and recovery community support for additional structure and accountability. All of those care components, in turn, now have an opioid emphasis. For example, we provide opioid-specific groups, lectures and individual therapy to our opioid-dependent patients.

Buprenorphine — an opioid itself — is a partial agonist, meaning its effect is significantly less than the full agonists to which so many are addicted, such as morphine, Vicodin® and heroin. It’s a safe and proven means of helping people recover from their opioid of choice on the way to complete abstinence. Taken daily, buprenorphine inhibits craving, improves treatment retention, reduces relapse and improves support group attendance. Naltrexone, our other available medication, is an opioid antagonist. Injected once a month, it blocks the brain’s opioid receptors, eliminating the ability for opioids to produce intoxication or reward.

The adjunctive medication assistance helps address this population’s hypersensitivity to physical and psychic pain, which puts them at higher risk of leaving treatment early, relapsing and accidentally overdosing. While abstinence remains the ultimate goal, medication helps to ensure patients stay in treatment long enough to acquire new information, establish new relationships and become solidly involved in recovery.

Research shows medication-assisted treatment is both effective and safe. As such, it has been endorsed by health regulators and policy advocates throughout America. In our view, medication taken to treat the disease of addiction is not unlike pain medication given to post-surgery patients: if used as directed, under the care of a physician and not as a means of intoxication, it greatly assists in recovery.

One of Hazelden’s values is to “remain open to innovation.” Another is to “continue a commitment to Twelve Step fellowship.” This new program reflects those values and, as a response to the opioid epidemic, offers additional hope, healing and health to those who need it.

Marvin D. Seppala, MD

Marvin D. Seppala, MD, is Chief Medical Officer at Hazelden, and an adjunct Assistant Professor at the Hazelden Graduate School of Addiction Studies. His responsibilities include overseeing all interdisciplinary clinical practices at Hazelden, maintaining and improving standards, and supporting growth strategies for Hazelden’s residential and nonresidential addiction treatment programs. Dr. Seppala obtained his M.D. at Mayo Medical School in Rochester, Minnesota, and served his residency in psychiatry and a fellowship in addiction at University of Minnesota Hospitals in Minneapolis. He is author of Clinician’s Guide to the Twelve Step Principles, and Prescription Painkillers: History, Pharmacology and Treatment, and a co-author of When Painkillers Become Dangerous, and Pain-Free Living for Drug-Free People.

NAADAC Institute Education Update Don't miss these great opportunities to earn CEs, advance your professional life and enhance your practice through live seminars, independent study or online! Defining Addiction Recovery Wednesday, February 13, 2013 3pm - 4pm EST (2 CST/1 MST/12 PST) More Information & Registration The word "recovery" is often used, but what does it really mean?  This webinar will highlight the emergence of recovery as an organizing paradigm for addiction treatment, outline the challenges in defining recovery and related concepts, review samples of work to date to define recovery, and discuss areas of emerging consensus and continued contention in defining recovery.

Upcoming Recovery-Oriented Webinars:   What Does Science Say? Reviewing Recovery Research Thursday, February 28, 2013 12 - 1:30pm EST (11 C/10 M/9 P) More Information & Registration Defining Recovery-Oriented Systems of Care (ROSC) Wednesday, March 13, 2013 3 - 4pm EST (2 C/1 M/12 P) More Information & Registration The History of Recovery in the United States and the Addiction Profession Tuesday, March 26, 2013 12 - 1:30pm EST (11 C/10 M/9 P) More Information & Registration The Role of Peer Recovery Support Specialists (PRSS) in the Addiction Profession Tuesday, April 23, 2013  12 - 1:30pm EST (11 C/10 M/9 P) More Information & Registration   Including Family & Community in the Recovery Process Wednesday, May 8, 2013 3pm - 5pm EST (2 C/1 M/12 P) More Information & Registration Exploring Techniques to Support Long-Term Addiction Recovery for Clients & Families Thursday, May 23, 2013 12pm - 2pm EST (11 C/10 M/9 P) More Information & Registration Collaborating with Other Professions, Professionals & Communities Tuesday, June 4, 2013 3pm - 4pm EST (2 C/1 M/12 P) More Information & Registration www.naadac.org/education/webinars Presenter: William (“Bill”) White is a Senior Research Consultant at Chestnut Health Systems, past-chair of the board of Recovery Communities United and a volunteer consultant to Faces and Voices of Recovery.  He has a Master’s degree in Addiction Studies from Goddard College and has worked full time in the addictions field since 1969 as a streetworker, counselor, clinical director, trainer and researcher.   Bill has authored or co-authored more than 400 articles, monographs, research reports and book chapters and 16 books.  His book, Slaying the Dragon - The History of Addiction Treatment and Recovery in America, received the McGovern Family Foundation Award for the best book on addiction recovery. Price: Education is FREE to all professionals   CE Credit:  Members of NAADAC receive 1 CE for FREE after successfully passing an online CE Quiz.  Non-members of NAADAC receive 1 CE for $15.   On Demand: Watch previously recorded NAADAC webinars for free and gain CE credit. This webinar will be recorded and posted to our website: www.naadac.org/education/webinars   Unavailable for the live event? Continue to register for the event and do not attend. You will automatically receive links to the archived webinar, PowerPoint slides, CE Quiz and more after the webinar.   Become a member of NAADAC to earn free CE credit for all NAADAC webinars & online courses (over 75 CEs): www.naadac.org/join Every two years, different regions have the opportunity to select the leaders who will represent them and help determine the direction of the association. NAADAC is now accepting nominations for four Regional Vice President (RVP) positions.  Learn more

Featured NAADAC Approved Education Provider TN Affiliate Training Join the Southeast Tennessee Association for Addiction Professionals (SETAADAC) for its 3rd Annual Continuing Education Conference on Friday, February 8, 2013 from 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM (EST).  This all day event in Chattanooga, Tenn,  includes a networking breakfast and 6 hours of continuing education. Lunch will be provided and free on-site parking is available. Learn more   Forward to Friend Like on Facebook Follow on Twitter Join LinkedIn Group Update Profile

Copyright © 2013 All rights reserved. NAADAC, The Association for Addiction Professionals 1001 North Fairfax Street, Suite 201 Alexandria, VA 22314 Phone: 703.741.7686 Fax: 703.741.7698 Website: www.naadac.org Email: misti@naadac.org

Drinking and Drugs in Video Games | The Fix

Drinking and Drugs in Video Games | The Fix

Study Links Lower Drinking Age With Increased Risk of Binge Drinking

By Join Together Staff | February 7, 2013 | Leave a comment | Filed in Alcohol, Legal, Research, Young Adults & Youth

The ability to legally buy alcohol before age 21 is associated with an increased risk of binge drinking later in life, a new study suggests. The study included more than 39,000 people who started drinking in the 1970s, when some states allowed people as young as 18 to purchase alcohol.

People who lived in states with lower minimum drinking ages were not more likely to consume more alcohol overall, or to drink more frequently, compared with those in states with a legal drinking age of 21. However, when they did consume alcohol, they were more likely to drink heavily, Science Daily reports.

“It wasn’t just that lower minimum drinking ages had a negative impact on people when they were young,” lead author Andrew D. Plunk, PhD, of Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, said in a news release. “Even decades later, the ability to legally purchase alcohol before age 21 was associated with more frequent binge drinking.”

Plunk found the effect of the minimum legal drinking age was greatest among men who did not attend college. “Binge drinking on college campuses is a very serious problem,” he said. “But it’s also important not to completely forget about young people who aren’t on college campuses. In our study, they had the greatest risk of suffering the long-term consequences linked to lower drinking ages.”

Even decades later, men who grew up in states with a legal drinking age less than 21 were 19 percent more likely to binge drink more than once a month. Among those who did not attend college, the risk of binge drinking more than once a month rose by 31 percent.

The study appears in the journal Alcoholism: Clinical & Experimental Research.

From The Partnership of Drugfree.org

Dear Joseph,

Thank you. The stories that have been posted on The Hope Share are giving others hope. A precious thing, when it comes to addiction.

You can keep this chain of hope going. Please add a comment to someone’s story today to remind others that they are not alone. A few words of encouragement – an “I understand” or “I know what you’re going through” can go a long way, inspiring others to keep working on their recovery.

Launching The Hope Share has been a labor of love for me. We wanted to create a place where people everywhere could share their stories and feel supported. Where together, we could dispel the stigma of addiction and provide hope to those suffering.

Please comment on a story today and offer inspiration to someone. 

 

Because of you, we are changing lives. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.

Sincerely,

Kristi Rowe  
Director 

The Partnership at Drugfree.org

P.S. If you’ve submitted your story but don’t see it yet on The Hope Share, please be patient. We’ve been inundated with stories, and I promise it will be published soon! In the meantime, please comment on someone's story and give them hope.

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Sharing Your Story

By Doug Fields

Therefore, go and make disciples of all nations...

Matthew 28:19a

If we really want to live life differently and to accelerate spiritual growth, we must learn to care for other people’s spiritual condition.

When I use the word care, I’m referring to something deeper than simply being nice. Nice is nice. I appreciate it when someone opens the door for me or pulls out my chair. But caring for others involves something much more than being nice. I want to challenge you to learn to care for someone’s spiritual condition, to care about his connection with God, to care enough to make sure she knows about the good news of forgiveness and eternal life.

I know it’s not popular these days to talk about evangelism. Many Christians don’t even like that word anymore. But, I’m not asking you to do anything fanatical. In fact, if it’s easier for you, I want you to put aside the word evangelism if there’s too much negative baggage connected to it.

Instead, I’m inviting you to fall increasingly in love with God. That’s the plan. Fall in love with all His majesty and glory and goodness. Get to know the Savior as never before. When that happens, Scripture says that the love of Christ will compel you (2 Corinthians 5:14). When we know God intimately, that gives us a new power to care for the spiritual condition of others. Then, as God gives you opportunity, simply share your transformational story with others, where they can be exposed to an option that can move them from stuck to starting anew, with a Power that is greater than their own.

The important thing to remember is that people are hurting and can benefit from hearing of your experiences with Jesus. People in pain need to hear that they’re not alone and that someone else has made it out from underneath the pile. People who are lonely need to hear about how you’ve found community. People who live without a relationship with God need to hear that life is so much better when they discover it’s not all about them—it’s about God. People who are caught in a lifestyle of sin and darkness need to hear the story of someone who lived there and found the light.

Sharing personal stories about Jesus reveals the power of God. You don’t have to be a perfect Christian, have everything together, or know all of the answers. God invites you to be in the process—and perhaps, along the way, help someone else get a fresh start. When that happens, hold on…you’re in for a spiritual growth ride of your life.