Commentary: Teen Alcohol Use — Parents Have More Influence Than They Think

By Jan Withers | April 20, 2012 | Leave a comment | Filed in Alcohol,Parenting, Young Adults & Youth


Underage drinking is in part a youth problem, but it’s also an adult issue. Over half of all high school age drinkers get their alcohol from an adult, according to SAMHSA’s National Survey on Drug Use and Health. Plus, half of those adults providing alcohol are parents or other family members.

Although adults can be part of the underage drinking problem, they can also be part of the solution. About three-quarters of teens say parents are the biggest influence on their decision on whether or not to drink.

Most parents want to do the right thing, but don’t know how. Part of that can be knowledge – one out of every five teens binge drink, but only one out of every 100 parents think their teen binge drinks. Sometimes parents take an authoritarian style of parenting that causes them to lose their ability to influence their teen through reason. While others take a hands-off approach, or allow their teen to drink under their supervision, which makes it even more likely that their teen will drink more when away from their parents.

Fortunately, Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) has teamed up with Dr. Robert Turrisi of Pennsylvania State University to create thePower of Parents handbook. Based on Dr. Turrisi’s research, this handbook gives proven tips on how to talk with your teens about alcohol in a productive, positive way. Parents who read the handbook and have the intentional conversation with their teens about alcohol can reduce underage drinking behaviors by as much as 30 percent. We encourage you to start the conversation this Saturday, April 21st, PowerTalk 21 day — the national day for parents to start talking with their kids about alcohol.

Here are some tips from Dr. Turrisi’s research:

1. Communicate before a problem starts. It’s important to have discussions before incidents happen – prior to any blaming, anger, or punishment.

2. Discuss rules and consequences. Explaining how and why you expect your teen to behave, should allow for rational discussion of a sometimes emotional issue. Still, it’s important to impart that you don’t want your teen drinking. Discuss and agree on consequences of broken rules.

3. Show you care. Sometimes a gentle touch can help show affection for your teen during this tough conversation. Telling your teen you love them and want them to be healthy and safe is the reason why it’s important to talk about the dangers of underage drinking together.

4. Pay attention. Even when life is stressful, it’s important to make time to listen to your teen, know where your teen is and what your teen is doing.

5. Share family activities, including events such as dinner, to build a bond with your teen.

6. Give and get respect. When your teen talks to you, it’s important to listen and reply respectfully, and to insist your teen do likewise.

7. Enforce consequences consistently. If your teen breaks the rules, stay calm and enforce the consequences you’ve agreed upon.

You can learn more or download the handbook atwww.madd.org/powerofparents.

Jan Withers, MADD National President

DEA DIVERSION CONTROL PROGRAM!

NATIONAL TAKE-BACK INITIATIVE
April 28, 2012
10:00 AM - 2:00 PM


The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) has scheduled another National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day which will take place on Saturday, April 28, 2012, from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. This is a great opportunity for those who missed the previous events, or who have subsequently accumulated unwanted, unused prescription drugs, to safely dispose of those medications.


Americans that participated in the DEA’s third National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day on October 29, 2011, turned in more than 377,086 pounds (188.5 tons) of unwanted or expired medications for safe and proper disposal at the 5,327 take-back sites that were available in all 50 states and U.S. territories. When the results of the three prior Take-Back Days are combined, the DEA, and its state, local, and tribal law-enforcement and community partners have removed 995,185 pounds (498.5 tons) of medication from circulation in the past 13 months.


“The amount of prescription drugs turned in by the American public during the past three Take-Back Day events speaks volumes about the need to develop a convenient way to rid homes of unwanted or expired prescription drugs,” said DEA Administrator Michele M. Leonhart. “DEA remains hard at work to establish just such a drug disposal process, and will continue to offer take-back opportunities until the proper regulations are in place.”


“With the continued support and hard work of our more than 3,945 state, local, and tribal law enforcement and community partners, these three events have dramatically reduced the risk of prescription drug diversion and abuse, and increased awareness of this critical public health issue,” said Leonhart.
Collection Site Locator:


Find a collection site near you. Check back frequently as collection sites are continuously being added.
Law Enforcement Agencies Only:


For law enforcement agencies that wish to host a collection site please call the POC in your area.
Take-Back Day Partnership Toolbox:


Here you will find a list of files that you can download to use for your own purposes.
General Public Inquiries:


Inquiries can be made at 1-800-882-9539.
News Releases
DEA’s Third National Prescription Drug Take-Back Event Collects 188.5 Tons (November 3, 2011)
Another Huge Turnout At DEA’s National Prescription Drug Take-Back Event (May 06, 2011)
Additional Resources
DEA would like to express our appreciation to the following.
Drug Disposal Information
FDA – How to Dispose of Unused Medicines
FDA – Disposal of Unused Medicines

ANNUAL MEETING

The RADARS System annual meeting encourages prescription drug abuse experts, representatives  from the pharmaceutical industry, medical professionals, and federal regulatory agencies to discuss  current trends in prescription drug abuse research and to develop strategies to ensure the safe and  proper use of prescription medications.  Meeting Summaries: 2011: Abuse Deterrent Formulations of Prescription Drugs 2010: Risk Management of Scheduled Drugs: Evaluation of REMS for Opioids 2009: Risk Management of Scheduled Drugs: Where Are We Now? Where Are We Headed? 2008: From Signals to Interventions 2007: New Developments in Prescription Drug Abuse Research RADARS System Annual Meeting Save the Date - April 24, 2012 Bethesda, MD

Walgreens to Pay $7.9 Million to Resolve Allegations Over Illegal Prescription Transfer

By Join Together Staff | April 23, 2012 | Leave a comment | Filed inGovernment, Legal, Marketing And Media & Prescription Drugs





The Justice Department announced that Walgreens has agreed to pay the government $7.9 million to resolve allegations the company gave people enrolled in government-run health programs $25 gift cards if they moved their prescriptions over to the pharmacy chain.


Providing such inducements to beneficiaries of government health programs violates federal law, CNN reports. Although Walgreens’ ads generally noted that such offers did not apply to people insured through Medicare, Medicaid and similar programs, the government said the company often ignored these exemptions.


“This case represents the government’s strong commitment to pursuing improper practices in the retail pharmacy industry that have the effect of manipulating patient decisions,” Stuart F. Delery, Acting Assistant Attorney General with the U.S. Justice Department, said in a news release.


The Department of Justice noted the claims settled by the agreement are allegations, and there has been no determination of liability.


In early April, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) searched six Walgreens stores and a distribution center in Florida in a crackdown on improper sales of prescription painkillers. Earlier this year, the DEA ordered two CVS pharmacies in Florida to stop selling controlled drugs. The agency was concerned CVS had failed to closely monitor sales of oxycodone.


The DEA has tried to tighten control on major national pharmacies to help prevent painkillers such as oxycodone from getting on the black market. The agency is investigating whether Walgreens allowed suspiciously large sales of prescription opioids, which might indicate the pills are being diverted..

Rockers In Recovery Music Festival

Dear RIR Friends, THE RIR MUSIC FESTIVAL NOVEMBER 2-4,2012  Venue  Location: CB Smith Park - Pembroke Pines,Florida   It's a Recovery Palooza , minus the drugs and alcohol, but add meetings and fellowship! RIR Music Fest  is a campout for ALL people in recovery or supporters of recovery. Tickets Go On Sale May 1, 2012   Early Bird Ticket Sales   Save $10.00 Per Ticket!!   Order by July 1, 2012     $60.00 - Three Day Ticket- after July 1, 2012 - $70.00 $40.00 - Two Day Ticket- after July 1, 2012 - $50.00   Order Tickets Here No Tickets Will Be Sold At Gate  If You Wish To Campout At The RIR Music Fest   *Separate Camping Reservations are Needed: Camping at CB Smith Park: This 299-acre site is one of Broward County Parks and Recreation's most diverse parks, as well as one of its most popular.  The park offers a large campground, a tennis complex, a family golfing center, and many other amenities.       View Map      View Prices Please contact C.B. Smith Park 900 N. Flamingo Rd. Pembroke Pines, FL 33028 Phone: 954-357-5170 or click here.             3 Days of Sober and Clean Fun  Mark Stein, Liberty Devitto ,Christine Ohlman,Ricky Byrd, Kasim Sulton, and Richie Supa RIR Music Festival Schedule   9am- 10pm Friday November 2, 2012: Recovery Speaker -  Full Range  Jimmy Stowe & the Stowaways Johnny B. and The Road Dogs     Sooner or Later RIR JAM   9am- 10pm Saturday November 3, 2012: Recovery Speaker -   Keep Coming Back Thrown Alive Black Finger The Chillbillies Selfish Steam RIR Band - Mark Stein(Vanilla Fudge), Liberty Devitto(Billy Joel) , Christine Ohlman(Saturday Night Live Band), Ricky Byrd(Joan Jett and the Blackhearts), Kasim Sulton(Todd Rundgren and Utopia), Richie Supa (Aerosmith and Richie Sambora) and special guests.  9am - 12pm- Sunday November 4, 2012:   Recovery Speaker -  Richie Supa Ricky Byrd Kasim Sulton Count Down Closing Ceremonies   We will be adding more bands to the lineup over the next month.      Rockers In Recovery (RIR) In The News         Sponsors and Vendors:  If your interested in becoming a sponsor or a vendor call954-826-4920 or Email  john@rockersinrecovery.com  no later then July 1st ,2012.

12 STEPPING TO RECOVERY DAILY THOUGHT!! 4-20-12

Step 2
We came to believe that a power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity.
In the natural progression of addiction, life degenerates.  In one way or another, many of us wake up one day to realize that we are living like an animal.  How true this is depends on the nature of our addiction.  Some of us may be living like an animal in terms of our physical surroundings.  Others of us may be a slave to our animal passions-powerful emotions that dehumanize us and others.  The fact that we are able to recognize our life as degenerate or insane proves that there is hope for a better way of life.  We are reminded of times when life was good, and we longed to have the goodness restored.  When we turn to God, who is powerful enough to help us build something better, we will discover that His power can restore us to sanity.




Courteous of Tyndale Life Recovery Bible

FRAT Presented By Livingrin!

The First Responders Addiction Treatment Program reaching out to police, firefighters, emergency personnel and combat veterans.

Alcoholism or other dependencies complicate the stress and physical and emotional trauma of dealing with life-threatening situations. Addiction is no stranger to "those who go in first."

A dependency might actually destroy a person's health, family life and career. On top of that, an individual also has to bear the unfair stigma that the addicted person "doesn't have enough will power," or "made the wrong choices." But we know (as does all of the medical community) that addiction is a disease with a medical and behavioral basis, requiring care, understanding and professional treatment.


Post-traumatic stress disorder is a major challenge for vets and responders. Prescribed pain medication can easily lead to dependency. There are so many factors, influences, and potential negative results. And addiction can also lead to suicide as an "option." (Police officers are found to be twice as likely as the general population to take this desperate course.)

Treatment works.Get help NOW for yourself, loved one, or somebody on the job.Meet the experienced program managers.



FRAT is based at Livengrin Foundation, founded in 1966 as a nonprofit treatment center in Bensalem, PA (outside Philadelphia). Livengrin provides a complete range of services for alcoholism and drug dependency, at a wooded rehab campus and six outpatient locations throughout the region. More than 100,000 people have come through its doors to begin a journey to recovery. Visit Livengrin

12 STEPPING TO RECOVERY DAILY THOUGHT!! 4/18/12

STEP 2
We came to believe a power greater than ourselves can restore us to sanity!
   Acknowledgement of your short comings and taking responsibility for the mess you made is the beginning of humility. GOD designed us with a free will not to run around and fulfill all our evil desires he gave us free will because he loves us and he is not an ogre or dictator forcing what he wants out of of us.If you force someone one to love you is that true love, no its not. My point God sits patiently by waiting for each one of us to go to him in humility admitting our helplessness and pains and sorrows. Living life away and apart from our Almighty Father can and will be hopeless cold lonely and exhausting. Sounds likes addiction! Call him daddy ask for him to forgive you and that you have missed him, share your heart with HIM. He has been at your side this whole time waiting and sharing everything you have been through hoping  for you to return, He is ready if you are.  
               

A Personal Experience With Bath Salts by Eliza Player

A PERSONAL EXPERIENCE WITH BATH SALTS BY ELIZA PLAYER

Written by Eliza Player on Tuesday, 03 April 2012. Posted in Voices in Recovery



When I started this focus on bath salts, almost all the information I had came directly from news stories, or other second hand sources. I began asking around for personal stories. I did not talk to anyone who had actually done the drug, but I did get a lot of personal experience from a friend whose son had taken the drug several times.

My friend’s son was no newcomer to the drug life, and he would take whatever he could get his hands on. His drug of choice was heroin, and he often mixed the opiate with cocaine or meth. My friend has seen her son under the influence of various substances, and she has witnessed his erratic behavior for years. But, she hates bath salts worse than any of them.

When her son first discovered bath salts, he decided to give them a try. (As many of us would have also done while still immersed in active addiction.) Almost immediately he was twitching and sweating, while he became increasingly paranoid. He became fixated on finding something in his bedroom to the point he was unable to control himself and the fixation. He tore his room apart, removing all the dresser drawers and searching all the drawers over and over again. He ended up splitting open the mattress and box spring, digging around inside looking for this item. His room was completely destroyed. He did not sleep for the next three nights.

Another time, her son became obsessed with electrical cords of all types: extension cords, USB cords, phonecords, phone chargers, and even the cords plugging the television into the wall. He went frantically around the house, pulling out all the cords he could find. They were on a big pile in the living room floor when my friend asked her son what he was doing. He told her he did not know.

On another incident, she recalls him crawling out of his skin. He paced around the house, peeking out the windows every five minutes, convinced the cops were looking for him. He picked his face until it was one big scab. The paranoia of the cops got more and more intense, so my friend decided to take him to a hotel, thinking he would be more comfortable there. The entire ride, he looked out the window, convinced the cops were following them. When they got to the hotel, the paranoia just got worse. He stayed up all night, searching the room for the “bugs” the cops had planted. When my friend woke in the morning, all the appliances had been pulled away from the walls; all the items in the kitchenette were pulled out and laid on the floor. There was not a piece of the room that had been left untouched.

The most severe incident her son had with bath salts occurred while he was living on the streets. He had very little money, so he bought bath salts. She thinks that he had become so susceptible to the drugs effects, and he immediately went into a psychotic episode. He stood out as the only white person in a gang-infested Latino area, eyes wide and crazed. He remembers mothers pulling their kids into the house when they saw him. He thought the cops had him surrounded, trying to Taser him, so he called 911. When help arrived, they took him to the hospital. It took a week to get him stabilized. The nurse told my friend her son was one of the lucky ones. The nurse had seen patients permanently damaged by bath salts; to the point they would never be able to live on their own again.

My friend asked her son why he would do it again when he had already suffered so much each time he took them. He told her he did not want to take them, and he had sworn he would never do them again. But something always changed to make him think it would be okay…just one more time. I have heard this story over and over again.

He is in treatment right now. We are all praying for him.

My friend also wanted to reiterate that bath salts and spice are not the same thing. I will actually delve into Spice a little tomorrow, explaining the difference in these synthetic drugs. These drugs are often lumped together in news stories, and even in some legislation. It is important for people to understand that these drugs are not the same. Spice is synthetic marijuana. Bath salts are more like synthetic meth, and they can easily cause hallucinations and psychosis. The danger of thinking the two are the same comes when one kid sees a friend on Spice, and then purchase bath salts, thinking it is the same. It is very, very different.

Amazing Race Co-Producer Believes She Was "Spared to Warn Youth About Drugs"

AMAZING RACE CO-PRODUCER BELIEVES SHE WAS "SPARED TO WARN YOUTH ABOUT DRUGS"

on Wednesday, 18 April 2012. Posted in Breaking News



Kathryne Fuller was left partially paralyzed after taking cocaine in her hotel room with co-worker Jeff Rice, while the two were working in Uganda, making arrangements for the television series, "The Amazing Race." The cocaine they ingested is believed to have been contaminated.

According to IOL News, Kathryne believes that God spared her life for a purpose- to teach young people about the dangers of drugs. She will be speaking from her hotel bed, for the first time since the incident seven weeks ago. She claims she is not an addict, and tried a line with her co-worker. She said this was only the second time she tried cocaine, and it left her paralyzed on her right side and confined to a wheelchair.

She was taken to the hospital after she was found unconscious, along with Jeff Rice. Jeff did not survive, and Kathryne was held in a Ugandan hospital for two weeks until she appeared in court and plead guilty to cocaine possession. Her father helped her get home to South Africa as quickly as possible, and he has been at her bedside since the incident.

She hopes she can help young people realize that even dabbling with drugs can be dangerous. Kathryne said, "All I know is God has got a plan for my life- whether it is to go and speak to young people about drugs or something like that. We took cocaine. It was my second time. Don't do drugs because as exciting as it may seem, it is really not worth it. I already know people who have stopped using drugs because of what happened."

Kathryne describes Jeff Rice as a recovered cocaine addict, who had not habitually used in the weeks up to the incident. She claims to have blacked out that night and has no memory of the incident. She was heavily sedated at the hospital, which she believes helped her deal with the trauma.

Kathryne Fuller claims she is feeling better, but she could remain in the hospital for months. There was a lot of nerve damage, and she had blood clots in her arms and legs, which caused the paralysis. She is now out of danger, regarding the threat of an aneurysm.

Kathryne hopes to eventually complete her masters degree in health promotion, and she plans to get back to work on her dissertation as soon as she can. She also plans to get back into her local church, from which she strayed in recent years. Kathryne Fuller now feels like her life serves a higher purpose.
Item Tag: cocaine, Jeff Rice, Kathryne Fuller, The Amazing Race

Free Family Seminar Presented by Livingrin "Was my child schmacked?"

Was my child schmacked?"

Free Family Seminar address the challenges of keeping adolescents from addiction





Did you see those "schmacked" Internet videos of teens from our area - seemingly celebrating drinking and drugs? Plenty of parents have wondered if their offspring were in those videos, or in any way tempting addiction and a host of bad choices.



For parents asking how to understand & help their teen, a free seminar offer information and reassurance.

Counselors and researchers will talk with parents, clinicians and educators in an informal, confidential setting.

10AM-Noon, Saturday April 28. Refreshments provided, with free parking and a private entrance.




Haverford Counseling Center

355-A W. Lancaster Ave. 19020.



No charge, but you can RSVP or get more information:

610-642-4604 x 302.

12 STEPPING TO RECOVERY DAILY THOUGHT! 4-17-12

STEP 2
  We came to believe a power grater than ourselves can restore us to sanity.


        In my addiction came embarrassment and shame ,and this usually happens when your caught in addiction.We do our best to cover stuff up with lies and half truths in a useless attempt to preserve our relationships.But in the end , our intimacy with others is destroyed.We need to be honest with our self and with others and work at reestablishing our relationship.Some of the devastation we leave behind can only be repaired once we have surrendered to GOD and start reading the instructions ,on how to to live(BIBLE).We must first realize what we have done this far hasn't worked that's why step 2 is a must for success.

Whip-Its Again Becoming Popular Among Teens, Experts Say

By Join Together Staff | March 28, 2012 | 2 Comments | Filed in Drugs, Young Adults & Youth


Whip-Its—small canisters filled with nitrous oxide—are once again becoming popular among teens and young adults as a recreational drug, ABC News reports.

According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), Whip-Its are the most popular inhalant among young adults.

“What makes them really popular is they’re easily accessible,” William Oswald, founder of the Summit Malibu drug treatment center, told ABC News. “You can get them at a head shop, you can get it out of a whipped cream bottle.”

Inhaling nitrous oxide, either from a whipped cream canister, or a nitrous tank, leads to a high that can last anywhere from a few seconds to a few minutes.

Many online retailers sell large quantities of Whip-Its, without asking the purchaser’s age or what they will be using the product for, according to the news report.

Inhalants such as Whip-Its can be deadly. Dr. Westley Clark, Director of the Center for Substance Abuse Treatment at SAMHSA, said inhaling nitrous oxide can cut off oxygen to the brain. This can cause severe consequences for the heart, nervous system and organs, he said.

Heroin Use Increasing Across Ohio

By Join Together Staff | March 28, 2012 | Leave a comment | Filed inCommunity Related & Drugs

Heroin use has increased so much in Ohio that users say it is “falling out of the sky,” according to a new report by state health officials. Children as young as 13 are starting to use the drug, they said.

Heroin’s popularity is increasing because it is seen as less expensive and easier to obtain than prescription opioids, according to theAssociated Press. Many heroin users responding to a state surveysaid increased demand for the drug was due to the reformulation of OxyContin, which makes it more difficult to abuse.

The report, released by the Ohio Department of Alcohol and Drug Addiction Services, said availability of heroin in Cleveland is considered to be at epidemic levels. The survey found an increase in heroin abuse across the state during the previous six months.

The state’s Department of Health reports that heroin-involved deaths increased from 16 percent (233) of all drug overdoses in 2008, to 20 percent (283) in 2009, to a high of 22 percent (338) in 2010.

At the Recovery Center in Lancaster, Ohio, an area considered to be the “hotspot” for heroin use in the state, most of the 360 patients are addicted to painkillers or heroin, according to CEO Trisha Saunders. She told the AP that most patients who are addicted to heroin started with painkillers. “They say, `I never thought I’d switch from taking a pill to putting a needle in my arm,’” Saunders said.

The Department of Justice 2011 National Drug Threat Assessmentfound increased heroin-related overdoses have been reported in cities in at least 30 states.

The report notes, “New users frequently overdose because they are unfamiliar with their tolerance levels; users resuming heroin use after prolonged absences often restart at their prior dosage level, even though their tolerance may have declined in the interim.”

New Technology Aims to Prevent Drunk Driving

New Technology Aims to Prevent Drunk Driving
By Join Together Staff | April 4, 2012 | 3 Comments | Filed in Alcohol &Research


Cars and trucks one day may have built-in blood alcohol detectors,The Wall Street Journal reports. Research on the Driver Alcohol Detection System for Safety (DADSS) is progressing more quickly than expected, and could be available within eight to 10 years, experts say.

The technology could be built into a vehicle’s dashboard or controls. It would check a driver’s blood alcohol level, and would not start if the level were above the legal limit. Researchers developing the system are working with the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).

The next goal would be to develop a commercially produced vehicle that could drive a drunk owner home, the article notes.

About one-third of drivers killed in car crashes have blood alcohol levels of 0.08 or higher, according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.

Devices called alcohol interlocks are already available to disable a car if the driver is intoxicated. They are primarily used for people who have been caught with blood alcohol levels above the legal limit. About 16 states require people convicted of drunk driving to install these devices in their vehicles. Drivers must blow into a tube to verify they are sober before they can start the car.

The new technology being developed would not require blowing into a tube. It could be embedded in a starter button or shift lever.

A proposed federal transportation bill would give the NHTSA’s alcohol detector program $24 million over two years. The fundingwould allow the agency to equip 100 or more cars with prototypes of the new alcohol detection devices. One device would measure alcohol in the driver’s breath, while the other would take a reading from the driver’s skin.

Scam Artists Sell Prescription Drugs Online, Then Use Information for Blackmail

By Join Together Staff | April 13, 2012 | Leave a comment | Filed in Marketing And Media & Prescription Drugs

Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) officials say criminal scam artists are selling prescription drugs online, then using customers’ personal information to blackmail them.

The scam artists pose as federal drug enforcement agents. They use DEA agents’ real names to call customers, telling them they can pay up and their name will be cleared, or else they will be charged as suspects in a criminal investigation and face jail time, according toABC News.

The victims say the calls sound authentic, because the person calling has their personal information. In one case in Fort Worth, Texas, fake DEA agents showed up at a victim’s house.

Thousands of people have called the DEA hotline for help, many of whom have paid the scammers. The DEA believes the operation is being run out of the Dominican Republic. The agency is working with the Dominican government to have 11 suspects extradited to the United States.

The DEA warned Americans to be wary of online pharmacies. “I think that’s one of the takeaways for people to understand, that buying over the Internet for controlled substances is highly suspicious, and they should be very cautious about trying to do that,” DEA agent Gary Boggs told ABC News.

Scientists Work to Make Prescription Painkillers “Unabusable”

By Join Together Staff | April 13, 2012 | Leave a comment | Filed inPrescription Drugs & Prevention


Scientists are working to make prescription painkillers and other commonly misused drugs “unabusable” by reformulating them, according to Nora Volkow, Director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse.

Pharmaceutical companies have an important role to play in fighting prescription drug abuse, by reformulating commonly abused drugs, she said at the National Rx Drug Abuse Summit in Orlando, Florida.

Purdue Pharma, maker of OxyContin, released a new version of the drug two years ago that is resistant to crushing and cutting, common ways in which the drug was tampered with to enhance its effect. It is now much more difficult to prepare for snorting or injecting, a company spokeswoman told the Orlando Sentinel.

Acura Pharmaceuticals has developed two methods to prevent tampering with pills, according to CEO Bob Jones. The company has incorporated a substance in pills that turns them into a gel when someone tries to dissolve the drug to inject, so that it will not go through a needle.

The company also has formulated pills so that they create intense nasal irritation when they are crushed and snorted. This formulation is incorporated into the drug Oxecta, an immediate-release oxycodone product, the article notes. Acura plans to use the formulation in other painkillers, Jones said.

Acura has developed technology that limits how much of the key ingredient in methamphetamine a person can extract from the nasal decongestant pseudoephedrine. The technology, which is not yet commercially available, cuts the yield in half.

Drug companies also are creating pills with the consistency of gummy bears, which are too soft to crush. Some drugs in development won’t work unless they come into contact with the stomach’s digestive enzymes, making them useless if they are snorted or injected.

'Tweaking memories' could help addicts avoid relapsing

'Tweaking memories' could help addicts avoid relapsingBy James GallagherHealth and science reporter, BBC News
Can memories of drug use be rewritten?
Continue reading the main story
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Brains may be wired for addiction
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Why anything can be addictive

Manipulating memories of drug use may help reformed addicts avoid a return to a life of drug abuse, according to scientists in China.

They said memories linking "cues" - such as needles or cigarettes - and the pleasurable effects of drugs caused cravings and relapsing.

Authors of the study, published in the journal Science, "rewrote" those memories to reduce cravings.

Experts said targeting memories could become a new avenue for treatment.

Repeatedly showing people drug cues without actually giving patients the drug is a part of some therapies for addicts. It can break the link between cue and craving in the clinic. But this does not always translate to real life.

The researchers at Peking University tried to rewrite the original memory so that it would be as if the link between cue and the craving never existed.Flexible memories

The work relies on the idea that a memory can become malleable after it is accessed, creating a brief window during which the memory can be "rewritten".
Continue reading the main story
“Start Quote


I'm quite excited by this research... It could be really important for treatment of addiction”Dr Amy MiltonUniversity of Cambridge

Twenty-two heroin addicts who had not taken the drug for - on average - 11 years, took part in the study.

They were initially shown a brief video to remind them of taking drugs - opening the memory window. Ten minutes later they watched more videos and looked at pictures of heroin drug use.

Other addicts were shown an initial video of the countryside, which would not open the window.

Tests 180 days later showed that levels of cravings were lower in those treated during the 'memory window' than in the other groups. These experiments were backed up by further tests on "addicted" rats.

The authors wrote: "The [memory] procedure decreased cue-induced drug craving and perhaps could reduce the likelihood of cue-induced relapse during prolonged abstinence periods."

Dr Amy Milton, who researches memory and addiction at the University of Cambridge, said: "I'm quite excited by this research."

She said it was "such a minor" difference from current therapies which "tapped into an entirely different memory process" and the reconstruction of the original memory.

"Full clinical studies are needed, but it could be really important for treatment of addiction," she said.

Dr Milton added: "There is no theoretical reason it couldn't apply to other addictions such as alcohol. That's obviously very exciting."

Submit your question to Chris Herren now.

Dear Joseph,

Inspirational, motivational, educational.

These are just a few words that could describe the amazing work by former professional basketball player and father Chris Herren, celebrating three and a half years in recovery from a drug and alcohol addiction.

The Partnership at Drugfree.org is honored that Chris will host the next "Meet The Parents Hour" -- a live Facebook Q&A chat -- to talk about substance abuse recovery on Monday, April 16 at 12 p.m. EDT/9 a.m. PDT.

To make sure everyone has the chance to ask his or her question, submit yours in advance, and Chris will do his best to get to it during the session.

Submit your question to Chris Herren now.

Chris struggled with drug addiction for much of his basketball career and ultimately realized his dreams by playing for the Boston Celtics in the NBA, only to lose it all to substance abuse.

But since losing one dream, he has been able to rise again with a new one; a life of sobriety.

Drug- and alcohol-free since 2008, Chris now travels the country sharing his story and the experiences that led him to recovery with the hopes of reaching one person or assisting a family who may be facing a loved one's addiction. He also runs The Herren Project, a nonprofit foundation established in 2011 that assists individuals and families struggling with addiction.

Don't miss out on this special opportunity to chat live with Chris Herren and hear his story. Submit your questions now and then visit our Facebook timeline on April 16 to take part in the live chat:

http://my.drugfree.org/questions-for-chris

We look forward to seeing you at our next "Meet The Parents Hour."

Thank you,

Tom Hedrick
Parent Support Leader
The Partnership at Drugfree.org

P.S. If you haven't Liked us yet on Facebook, do it now so you can participate in the live chat session.

ROCKERS IN RECOVERY

Dear RIR Friends,


"RIR Band members Ricky Byrd, Liberty DeVitto, and Christine Ohlman are off to Cleveland to prepare for the April 13 Rock n' Roll Hall Of Fame Pre-Induction Gala.


Ricky and Christine will also join Paul Shaffer and Carole King in inducting Don Kirshner at the April 14 induction ceremony, filmed for May 5 premier on HBO.


Watch for more information on the May 5 premier on HBO:

http://www.hbo.com/the-rock-and-roll-hall-of-fame-2012-induction-ceremony/about/index.html



Ricky Byrd, Liberty DeVitto, and Christine Ohlman along with the rest of the RIR Band looks forward to seeing everyone May 26, 2012 for the RIR 2nd Annual Concert and Picnic. Venue 1St Step Sober House of Pompano Beach. This concert and picnic is sponsored by Treatment Solutions Network and Miami Subs and Grill.



Meet The RIR Band: http://www.rirconcerts.com/rir-all-star-band/


Love & Peace,


John Hollis




RIR CONCERTS


If your interested in becoming a sponsor for the May 26 concert, please call John Hollis at 954-826-4920 or Email john@rockersinrecovery.com no later then May 1,2012.