December 23 v 29 v 30 TWELVE STEPPING WITH POWER IN THE PROVERB

Who has woe?
Who has sorrow?
Who has contentions?
Who has complaints?
Who has wounds without cause?
Who has redness of eyes?
 Those who linger long at the wine,
Those who go in search of mixed wine.

STEP  1 : We admitted we were powerless over our addictions and dysfunctional- behaviors, that our lives had become unmanageable.

What can I add to that . The proverb just described alcoholism and addiction spot on. The answer Step one , and keep moving forward and don't stop ! With a sincere Step one a lot of hard work and a lot of prayer the self induced symptoms described in the Proverb will go away .

December 21, 2013

Help Support the Advancement of the Addiction Profession!

Hi Joseph, If you or your loved one struggled with addiction or substance abuse, what would you do? If you’re like most in our community, you go to a qualified addiction professional. Why? Because you know you’ll receive the absolute top-notch care and be treated like a real person, by a dedicated, compassionate health professional. Addiction professionals play a vital role in the lives of those suffering with addictions or substance use disorders. The NAADAC Education and Research Foundation (NERF) continuously strives to strengthen the health and vitality of individuals, families and communities through the advancement of the addiction profession and is funded primarily by contributions from individuals supporting our work. Through contributions from people like you, NAADAC is able to: Provide professional development for addiction professionals through in-person and online trainings, webinars, credentialing, workshops, publications, and conferences; Advocate for better wages, compensation, and benefits for addiction professionals, loan forgiveness, and the continued specialization of the addiction profession; and Collaborate with state affiliates, federal agencies, and other groups to address the emerging issues regarding the Affordable Care Act, the new parity regulations, and requirements specific to electronic records. Your gift supports our commitment and dedication to addiction professionals and the people they help and allows NAADAC to continue its important role in sustaining quality health care services and protecting the well-being of the public. Donating is easy! You can make your tax-deductible donation online, by phoning our office at 888.548.0497, or by sending a check made out to “NAADAC Education and Research Foundation” to NAADAC at 1001 N. Fairfax St., Ste 201, Alexandria VA 22314. Please consider making as generous a gift as you can! As addiction care advances, NAADAC is committed to keeping addiction professionals at the cutting edge – for you, for your loved ones, for every person in the community. Please help to make this possible with your contribution. Your donation will make a world of difference. I promise you. Thank you so much for your help. Sincerely, Cynthia Moreno Tuohy, NCAC II, CCDC III, SAP Executive Director NAADAC, the Association of Addiction Professionals

December 21 v 23 TWELVE STEPPING WITH POWER IN THE PROVERB

Whoever guards his mouth and tongue
Keeps his soul from troubles.
STEP ELEVEN :
Sought through prayer and meditation to improve our conscious contact with God as revealed in the Bible, praying only for knowledge of His will for us and the power to carry that out.

The main reason I chose step eleven to go with the Proverb is the mention of His power to carry it out. My mouth was constantly spewing venomous words aimed to seek and destroy. The proverb mentions trouble for the soul ! My very words were my greatest weapons when I was out running the streets. Manipulation and deceit were my way of surviving and getting what I wanted. My only problem was my life represented everything evil in the world and after many years of living that way death to me what have been a sweet release. Step one taught me that I was powerless until I found the only one who can truly help me and you out of the mess we made. If you are at step eleven than you know very well that some divine help had to of gotten you out of the hell we once lived in. My mouth is still spewing words but they are words that heal and bring love and encouragement and it is only by GODS power and Grace that I can continue step eleven and realize the verse from the Proverb is true. When we speak we must speak as the very oracles of GOD.
KNOW THE TRUTH AND THE TRUTH SHALL SET YOU FREE !

Former NFL Player Reggie Rogers Died from Substance Abuse

Courtesy of the FIX
Photo via


Reggie Rogers, a once highly-touted standout who struggled with lifelong dependency on drugs and alcohol, died on October 24, 2013 in Seattle, WA. But just this week, the King County Medical Examiner’s office determined that the cause of death was due to a deadly combination of cocaine and alcohol in his system.

The Seattle native was a standout two-sport athlete at the University of Washington, where he was an All-American defensive lineman from 1984-86. He also shined for three seasons on the men’s basketball team. In 1987, he was picked by the Detroit Lions seventh overall in the draft, but only played six games in his rookie season before stepping away to allegedly undergo treatment for chemical and alcohol dependency. The following year, Rogers struck another vehicle while driving under the influence and killed three teenagers. He was subsequently waved by the Lions and later sentenced to 16 months in prison after a conviction for vehicular homicide.

Rogers attempted a comeback with the Buffalo Bills and Tampa Bay Buccaneers, but ultimately left football for good in 1992. He was again involved in a drunk driving incident when he was charged with a hit-and-run in Washington in 2008. It was his fifth DUI in the state, dating back to his college days.

Rogers has long been considered to be one of the NFL’s biggest busts in the sport's history. And apparently, substance abuse ran in the family. His brother, Don Rogers, a safety with the Cleveland Browns, died in June 1986 from cocaine poisoning.

Commentary: Rapper Macklemore Takes on Prevention

By Theodore Caputi | December 20, 2013 | 1 Comment | Filed in Addiction, Marketing And Media & Prevention


A famous rapper is helping make prevention cool.

A few weeks ago, a friend of mine shared some new songs with me. He explained the songs were written and performed by a rapper named Macklemore. After listening to just one song, I was encouraged.

Macklemore, a 30-year-old male artist with a history of drug and alcohol use, doesn’t brag about getting drunk or high; rather warns young people about the realities behind addiction, and urges his listeners to learn from his mistakes.

I suggest you listen to the song “Otherside” by Macklemore on YouTube. His message is clear: addiction is a real danger, and drug use can ruin or end the user’s life.

The lyrics in “Otherside” narrate the story of a young man who innocently begins using cough syrup in order to emulate a famous rapper. The man in the narrative becomes addicted to the drug and Macklemore vividly describes his pain, hopelessness and eventual death. Macklemore then tells teens that they don’t need to use drugs to live out their dreams or emulate their idols. After all, far more drug users become addicts than famous musicians.

He illustrates messages the prevention community has made an effort to communicate for decades:

Thinking ‘I would never do that, not that drug’
And growing up nobody ever does

Until you’re stuck
Looking in the mirror like I can’t believe what I’ve become

Swore I was going to be someone

And growing up everyone always does

We sell our dreams and our potential

To escape through that buzz

Months later I’m in the same place

No music made, feeling like a failure

And trust me it’s not dope to be twenty-five

And move back to your parent’s basement

What was most surprising to me is that Macklemore isn’t just “some guy.” He is one of the most famous and well-respected rappers of our time. His last album, “The Heist,” went platinum.

That’s right — thanks to Macklemore, my generation is paying to download songs about prevention.

Macklemore’s lyrics continue to surprise me; I suppose the number of rap songs that I was accustomed to glorified alcohol, drugs, sex, and violence, and had left me quite jaded. But now that I’ve taken some time to read about Macklemore, it’s hardly surprising that he would be the rapper to deliver such an important message. In his latest album, Macklemore’s song “Starting Over” includes a more personal narrative about recovery and relapse. If you ask me, that’s a pretty powerful message for a Platinum album.

With role models and visionary leaders like Macklemore, our generation has the potential to tackle “the big issues.” Let’s hope prevention is one of them.

Theodore Caputi is a student at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. While in high school, he founded and directed a non-profit organization called the Student Leader Union, which fosters student leadership and community engagement. He is currently a policy intern at the Treatment Research Institute, where he also serves as a member of the Institutional Review Board.

PHOTO CREDIT: Wikimedia Commons; Macklemore- The Heist Tour Toronto Nov 28; The Come Up Show

Eight Federal Inmates Convicted of Crack Cocaine Offenses Have Sentences Commuted

By Join Together Staff | December 20, 2013 | Leave a comment | Filed in Drugs, Government, Legal & Legislation

President Obama on Thursday commuted the sentences of eight federal inmates who had been convicted of crack cocaine offenses, The New York Times reports. Six of the inmates were sentenced to life in prison. All eight inmates will be released in 120 days.
The inmates likely would have received much shorter terms under current drug laws and sentencing rules, the article notes.
While powder and crack cocaine are two forms of the same drug, until recently, a drug dealer who sold crack cocaine was subject to the same sentence as a dealer who sold 100 times as much powder cocaine.
The Fair Sentencing Act, enacted in 2010, reduced the disparity from 100 to 1 to 18 to 1, for people who committed their crimes after the law took effect. As a result, many defendants who are caught with small amounts of crack are no longer subject to mandatory prison sentences of five to 10 years. Those convicted of crack-cocaine crimes tend to be black, while those convicted of powder-cocaine offenses tend to be white.
In a statement, President Obama said, “Commuting the sentences of these eight Americans is an important step toward restoring fundamental ideals of justice and fairness. But it must not be the last. In the new year, lawmakers should act on the kinds of bipartisan sentencing reform measures already working their way through Congress. Together, we must ensure that our taxpayer dollars are spent wisely, and that our justice system keeps its basic promise of equal treatment for all.”
A bill under consideration by Congress would make changes to crack cocaine mandatory minimum sentences in the Fair Sentencing Act of 2010 retroactive. This would allow approximately 8,800 federal prisoners who were sentenced before August 3, 2010, to mandatory minimum terms for crack cocaine crimes to petition the court for a sentence in line with the Fair Sentencing Act, according to the advocacy group Families Against Mandatory Minimums.

Alcohol-Related Car Crashes More Likely on New Year’s Eve Than Christmas

By Join Together Staff | December 20, 2013 | Leave a comment | Filed in Alcohol

Fatal car crashes are more likely to be caused by alcohol on New Year’s Eve, compared with Christmas, according to the National Safety Council.

Bloomberg reports between 2007 and 2011, over the New Year’s holiday period—6 p.m. December 31 through 11:59 p.m. January 1—there were an average of 108 traffic deaths a day, with about 42 percent linked to alcohol. In contrast, there were 93 alcohol-related deaths between 6 p.m. December 24 and 11:59 p.m. December 25, with 35 percent linked to alcohol.

This year, the group estimates that during Christmas, there will be 105 traffic deaths and 11,200 injuries requiring a medical professional, and 156 traffic deaths and 16,700 injuries during New Year’s.

“The difference between the two holidays is that everybody on New Year’s Eve is going out to parties and at their parties, they’re having the alcohol,” Capt. Nancy Rasmussen, Chief of Public Affairs for the Florida Highway Patrol, told Bloomberg. Christmas is more of a “stay-in-the-house, do-the-family thing, so there’s less drinking,” she added.

Traffic deaths are more likely during the July 4, Memorial Day and Labor Day weekends than New Year’s, Thanksgiving or Christmas, the article notes. These warmer-month holiday periods average 140 traffic deaths each per day.

The National Safety Council advises drivers not to get behind the wheel even if they think they’re “just a little buzzed.” Designate a non-drinking driver, or take a cab, and refuse to ride with an impaired driver, even if it’s a friend or spouse.

Kentucky Bill Aims to Strengthen Heroin Treatment, Penalties
 
By Join Together Staff | December 20, 2013 | Leave a comment | Filed in Community Related, Drugs, Legislation & Treatment

Kentucky lawmakers will soon consider a bill that would make the opioid overdose antidote drug naloxone more available, while stiffening penalties for high-level drug dealers. The bill also would expand anti-drug education, the Courier-Journal reports.

Kentucky Medicaid would be required to pay for a broad array of substance abuse treatment options for people seeking opioid addiction treatment. Kentucky Attorney General Jack Conway said he thinks this provision will give an incentive for more organizations to provide treatment for heroin addiction.

The proposed law would increase penalties for high-volume drug traffickers, and allow them to be charged with homicide, according to a news release.

Van Ingram, Director of the Kentucky Agency for Substance Abuse Policy, said heroin accounted for 36 percent of the 639 overdose deaths in the first nine months of 2013 in Kentucky, compared with 3 percent in 2011.

December 20 v 22 TWELVE STEPPING WITH POWER IN THE PROVERB

Do not say, “I will recompense evil”;
Wait for the Lord, and He will save you.

STEP 5 :Admitted to God, to ourselves, and to another human being the exact nature of our wrongs.

Recompense - to repay; remunerate; reward, as for service, aid, etc.
At the age of ten something very traumatic happened to me at the hands of a family member.Being that young  I was unable to handle or understand why or how could this happen.From that point until I reached thirty two years of age, my life was ruled by anger resentment and fear.Dealing with people was something I was unable to do until I discoverd drugs and alcohol. No body was going to hurt me again ,at least so I thought.Ninety five percent of my time was spent of thinking of ways to get even (recompense ) with every single person that harmed me. This way of living poisioned everthing I did ,bitterness and misery were the only true friends I had , and they were taking the life right out of me. Living this way was not living at all and thankfully it did not end there for some it does ,but for us lucky few I took step one and found GOD. After thirteen years of twelve stepping I can sit here and finally realize the Proverb is true and I can share my step five with you.

December 19 v 5 TWELVE STEPPING WITH POWER IN THE PROVERB

A false witness will not go unpunished,
And he who speaks lies will not escape.

STEP 10 :
Continued to take personal inventory and when we were wrong promptly admitted it.

Lying is one of the most destructive things we can do to ourselves and to our loved ones.Some cannot tell the truth ! My problem with this one , I like to exaggerate a story add facts and gorey details to make it more interesting. My wife calls me on it all the time . I literally have to stop myself and think before my mouth takes off and I am telling tall tales. Punishment mentioned in the Proverb is what we do to our character and our relationships. Some one told me Lying is like weaving a web and once caught in the web their is no escape.Think about it ,If you have watched an insect caught in a spider web how much it struggles too get it free but it can't. Our lies are a snare and we bound by them not just that they set the course of our lives .I want to be known for honesty and integrity ,not the lying ,thieving monster I used too be. Sincerely following step ten and applying it to everyday life will keep you out of the web.

Synthetic Marijuana Added to Defense Department Drug Testing

By Join Together Staff | December 18, 2013 | Leave a comment | Filed in Drugs, Military & Prevention

The U.S. Defense Department will start randomly testing service members for synthetic marijuana, the Air Force News Service reports.

“The message we’re getting out now is that when you participate in our random urinalysis program, synthetic marijuana products or synthetic marijuana will now be tested along with our other drugs,” Army Lt. Col. Tom Martin, who heads the department’s drug testing program, said in a news release. “It’s been known in the general population, both in the medical community and various media reports, that synthetic marijuana drug use is a serious health concern.”

He said that while the military generally has a much lower level of drug use than society at large, synthetic marijuana, also known as K2 or Spice, “still poses a significant risk to both the safety and readiness of our force.”

The military also randomly tests service members for marijuana, cocaine, methamphetamine and Ecstasy, as well as prescription drugs including oxycodone, hydrocodone and benzodiazepines.

“Any service member who tests positive for either an illicit drug or misuse of a prescription drug falls under any actions deemed appropriate under the Uniform Code of Military Justice, as well actions that are appropriate as deemed by their commander,” Martin said.

Efforts to educate members of the U.S. military about the dangers of synthetic drugs, coupled with improved drug testing, are starting to have an effect, the Navy Times reported in November. The Navy and Marine Corps reported a drop in members using Spice and bath salts.
The Defense Department first began responding to use of synthetic drugs in the military in 2010. The department banned the compounds, and began to develop tests for them. In 2012, the military started an awareness campaign about synthetic drugs.

A message from Jennifer Hansen, founder of Serenity House.

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Hi Joseph!  I'm Jennifer Hansen & I need your help... Serenity House alumna, Kelly M., tells her poignant story: “I chose to live a life of on-again, off-again drug abuse for over 20 yrs. That addiction cost me the loss of my home, marriage, children, and career. Not even the death of my step-sister to an overdose of prescription drugs, or having a mother whose job with the county medical examiner’s office involved investigating drug overdose deaths, was enough to make me want to stop using. There were many people who cared about me, but I never had the self esteem, knowledge, confidence, discipline, or commitment to do what was necessary to end my self-destructive behavior. After numerous inpatient and outpatient treatments in multiple recovery programs, I was able to successfully complete my second drug treatment at Hansen House and moved into the Serenity House. It was at Serenity House that I received the tools to overcome my addiction. Serenity House, with its caring structure, encourages residents to reconnect with family. Children can stay overnight with their mothers in a safe, monitored and supportive environment. It is due to the programs offered and the dedicated staff at Serenity House that I was finally able to realize I did have the ability within myself to stop using drugs and start living a clean life. Today, I am employed at Hansen House trying everyday to help people like me regain and maintain their sobriety.”  Wishing You a Happy Holiday and a Healthy & Prosperous 2014!     Please consider making a donation to the Serenity Houses for Women & The Randy Scarborough House for Men, our three sober-living homes in South Jersey. Your gift will help us to provide our residents with the tools necessary to live happy, healthy & responsible lives in recovery.   DONATE HERE! We also can use the following items in good condition: Bath Linens Kitchen Utensils Bed Linens Cleaning Supplies Volunteer opportunities available! For more information, please call Nina Soifer at 609.965.3700, ext.16. Thank You for Your Support!

follow on Twitter | Like Us on Facebook | forward to a friend  Copyright © 2013 The Hansen Foundation, All rights reserved. You are receiving this email because you are a friend of The Hansen Foundation. Our mailing address is: The Hansen Foundation 523 S. Leipzig Ave. PO Box 1020 Cologne, NJ 08213 Add us to your address book  unsubscribe from this list | update subscription preferences | view email in browser

December 18 v 13 TWELVE STEPPING WITH POWER IN THE PROVERB

He who answers a matter before he hears it,
It is folly and shame to him.

STEP 6 : Were entirely ready to have God remove all these defects of character.

Really, I am not to sure about that step six. I have better words for it, instead of folly and shame its called flying off the handle and its your fault, no matter how hard you try to explain yourself. You give me three words and I will create a new story in my head. Once created then I will proceed to become attorney, judge and jury, verdict GUILTY. Too many times, I have placed my foot in my mouth and made an A.... of myself. GOD is more than willing to step six me, my problem is there is some stuff I just don't want to let go of and this certainly is one of my defects of character. 


FOR MORE OF TWELVE STEPPING WITH POWER IN THE PROVERB ,THE LATEST RECOVERY NEWS ,UPCOMING EVENTS AND COMING SOON TREATMENT CENTER OF THE MONTH.
VISIT : www.joseph-recoveryconnections.blogspot.com

Addiction to Prescription Opiates and Heroin Addressed by New Resource

By Josie Feliz | December 12, 2013 | 1 Comment | Filed in News Releases

~ National Nonprofit Launches Innovative Tool to Help Parents Understand Lifesaving Benefits of Medication-Assisted Treatment for Opiate Addiction ~


NEW YORK, NY, December 12, 2013 – The Partnership at Drugfree.org, a national nonprofit working to find evidence-based solutions to adolescent substance use, today launched a comprehensive new digital resource that helps parents better understand the potential life-saving benefits of medication-assisted treatment. The advanced online tool is comprised of videos, testimonials and an e-book to help parents make an informed choice when they are looking for treatment options to help a teen or young adult recover from an addiction to prescription pain medications, heroin or other opiates.

Prescription (Rx) drug abuse continues to be one of the nation’s most concerning drug problems and one that the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and Prevention classifies as “an epidemic.” Abuse of Rx medicines, and abuse of long-acting prescription opioids in particular, remains at unacceptably high levels among teens and young adults across the country.

In 2012, nearly one million Americans, ages 12-25, were abusing or dependent on prescription pain relievers (primarily) or heroin. Many of these individuals, or their families, are unaware that medication assisted treatment can be a powerful tool in achieving sustained recovery from opioid addiction – and especially in avoiding the drift from pain reliever addiction into heroin use that the CDC has recently documented.

With heroin use in the U.S. on the rise, and overdose deaths due to prescription and illegal opiates at record levels, it is essential that those struggling with opioid addiction, their parents, families and healthcare providers, be made aware of the availability of these potentially lifesaving medications.

“Abuse of prescription pain products is arguably the most urgent public health issue facing families today, and we’re particularly concerned because this behavior frequently starts in adolescence – when 90 percent of all addictions begin. Unfortunately, too many young people who abuse prescription pain medicines are progressing to street heroin as pills become harder to obtain or tamper with,” said Steve Pasierb, President and CEO of The Partnership at Drugfree.org. “As The Partnership advocates for better, more available adolescent treatment, we must help parents understand that while there is no one treatment that’s right for every child, medication-assisted treatment should be considered in their decision-making process.”

“Opioid addiction and overdoses affect increasing numbers of Americans and are now among the biggest public health problems of our time, said Dr. Hillary Kunins, Assistant Commissioner, Bureau of Alcohol and Drug Use – Prevention Care and Treatment, New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene. “Medication-assisted treatment is highly effective in treating opioid addiction, and preventing overdoses.”

What Is Medication-Assisted Treatment?

The Food and Drug Administration has approved three drugs to treat opioid addiction: methadone, buprenorphine and naltrexone. When used as detoxification medications, methadone and buprenorphine can reduce withdrawal symptoms and cravings for opioids. When used as maintenance medications, they suppress withdrawal and cravings and actively contribute to a reduction in nonmedical opioid use. Naltrexone is a maintenance medication and blocks the intense “high” effects that opioids are known to have in the user. These medications have undergone rigorous safety and potency checks, much like maintenance medicines for other diseases like hypertension or diabetes.

“Medication-assisted treatment for opioid dependence is a science-based and proven-effective option for teens and young adults. It should be administered with age appropriate psychosocial therapy and drug testing,” said John Knight, MD, a leading pediatrician at Harvard Medical School specializing in the diagnosis and treatment of adolescent substance abuse and the Director of the Center for Adolescent Substance Abuse Research at Children’s Hospital in Boston.

He continues, “Unfortunately, it has been subject to controversy and stigma. Yet the neuroscience of addiction and cravings helps explain why, when properly used and overseen, medication-assisted treatment can be truly life saving for adolescents, young adults, and their families. I see it working all the time. When kids come into treatment, their lives are just chaotic. Parents are desperate – they don’t know what to do or where to turn. The most important thing is to bring stability into the situation, and the best way to do that is with medication.”

Multimedia Resource Breaks Down Complex Path to Addiction and Recovery for Families in Crisis

An integral part of taking a fresh look at the issue is the medication-assisted treatment e-book, which provides a detailed plan of action for getting treatment for a child or loved one, based in science, research and medicine. It helps inform parents and caregivers about medication-assisted treatment options, especially when many are not aware that medication can be an important part of successful recovery.

Added Pasierb, “Medication-assisted treatment is addressing an urgent need and can help treat prescription opioid addiction effectively. In much the same way that insulin in an effective tool in diabetes care, it establishes medicine as a legitimate component in achieving recovery. Families can, and should, insist that their treatment providers, doctors and therapists examine – or in some cases, rethink – their stance on these potentially life-saving medications.

The new multimedia resource, located at drugfree.org, was also developed in collaboration with leading clinicians in the field of treating substance abuse, including Dr. Edwin A. Salsitz, Medical Director, Office-Based Opioid Therapy at Beth Israel Medical Center; Dr. Herbert Kleber and Dr. Stephen Donovan of the New York State Psychiatric Institute at Columbia University; and Dr. Josh Hersh, Suboxone Certified Physician, Staff Psychiatrist at Miami University Student Counseling.

Addressing methadone, buprenorphine and naltrexone and the characteristics specific to each, as well as the appropriateness of each medication in the treatment of older teens and young adults, it also features videos of doctors, parents and their teen or young adults, who have first-hand experience with medication assisted-treatment.

“While different options work for different people, for us, medication-assisted treatment saved our daughter’s life and gave us our daughter back,” said Carol Allen, a mom who utilized the new resource from The Partnership to find help for her daughter’s addiction. “It allowed her to stop thinking constantly about the drugs she was abusing and helped her focus on returning to a healthy lifestyle. Together with the love and support from her family, my daughter is now living a productive life.”

This resource was made possible through an unrestricted grant from Reckitt Benckiser. To learn more about medication-assisted treatment options, visit www.drugfree.org/medication-assisted-treatment.

Watchdog Group Slams Alcohol “Social Responsibility” Campaigns
 By Celia Vimont | December 17, 2013 | 2 Comments | Filed in Alcohol & Marketing And Media


Alcohol companies’ “social responsibility” campaigns increase brand loyalty and positive perceptions of the products, without reducing alcohol-related harms, according to a critic of the industry.

“These campaigns provide alcohol companies with a great deal of PR opportunities, and make them look like a credible public health source with regulators, legislators and the public—it’s a huge problem,” says Sarah Mart, MS, MPH of the industry watchdog group Alcohol Justice. She spoke about the campaigns at the recent American Public Health Association annual meeting.

Recent social responsibility campaigns have included advertising and products associated with causes such as HIV/AIDS, LGBT equality, breast cancer, and natural disasters such as earthquakes and hurricanes.

During Breast Cancer Awareness Month in October, a number of alcohol companies run campaigns to associate their products with the issue, including Mike’s Hard Pink Lemonade in support of the Breast Cancer Research Foundation and the Chambord “Pink Your Drink” campaign.

Belvedere Vodka promotes its special edition red bottle to raise proceeds for the Global Fund, which finances programs to fight HIV/AIDS in Africa. The Absolut Pride campaign for LGBT equality featured a limited-edition rainbow-striped bottle of vodka.

Last year, following Hurricane Sandy, Anheuser-Busch packaged more than a million cans of emergency drinking water for residents impacted by that and other natural disasters. The cans were labeled “donated by Anheuser-Busch,” and included the company logo.


Sarah Mart, MS, MPH

“These companies take out ads calling attention to these campaigns,” Mart says. “At the end of the day, they do this to increase the value of the brand and to increase profits as well.”

Young people see these campaigns on Facebook and Twitter, which capitalize on people’s personal connection with the issue, Mart notes.

In addition to social responsibility campaigns, alcohol companies also benefit from “drink responsibly” campaigns, she observes. Last year, Alcohol Justice released a report about those campaigns, which concluded the evidence is that “drink responsibly” messages are not shown to be effective policies to reduce alcohol-related harm.

Alcohol Justice reviewed “drink responsibly” messages in print ads in the September/October 2011 issues of 41 magazines with a high proportion of youth readership. They analyzed frequency, location, size, and content of beer, spirits and alcopops brand ads found in those publications, and compared the size of “drink responsibly” messages, if present, in the ads. They found 94 percent of the ads contained “drink responsibly” messages, but many blended into backgrounds so they were difficult to see, or were tiny in relation to the size of the entire ad.

“‘Drink responsibly’ and ‘social responsibility’ campaigns are a conflict of interest in a variety of ways,” said Mart, who wrote the report. “With the so-called social responsibility campaigns, the alcohol company produces a product that contributes to harm – breast cancer or HIV, for example – and then capitalizes on that harm to increase positive feelings about the product. It’s a never-ending cycle. While it works very well for the company, it does not work well for public health.”

Attorneys General Urge FDA to Require Abuse-Deterrent Versions of Painkillers
By Join Together Staff | December 17, 2013 | 1 Comment | Filed in Government, Prescription Drugs & Prevention


Attorneys General from 42 U.S. states and territories are urging the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to require drug companies to ensure generic prescription opioids have abuse-deterrent features.

Some brand-name painkillers, such as OxyContin, already have abuse-deterrent features, the Lexington Herald-Leader reports. The attorneys general said they are concerned that as generic versions of opioids become available, the drugs’ manufacturers will not incorporate abuse-deterrent features. Some drug companies have resisted adding the features because of the cost, the article notes.

In a letter to FDA Commissioner Margaret Hamburg, the attorneys general wrote that they “respectfully request that the FDA provide clear and fair regulatory standards for the incorporation of abuse-deterrent technologies into generic opioids.”

“Requiring abuse-deterrent formulations for generic opioids is a common sense improvement that provides us another important tool to help fight this epidemic,” Kentucky Attorney General Jack Conway said in a news release.

Last week, the attorneys general from 28 states asked the FDA to reassess its decision to approve Zohydro ER (extended release), a pure form of the painkiller hydrocodone. In a letter to Commissioner Hamburg, the attorneys general said they believe the approval of Zohydro ER “has the potential to exacerbate our nation’s prescription drug abuse epidemic because this drug will be the first hydrocodone-only opioid narcotic that is reportedly five to ten times more potent than traditional hydrocodone products, and it has no abuse-deterrent properties.”

Broken up by Divorce

Broken up by Divorce

December 17 v 25 TWELVE STEPPING WITH POWER IN THE PROVERB
A foolish son is a grief to his father,
And bitterness to her who bore him.


STEP : 8 Made a list of all persons we had harmed, and became willing to make amends to them all.

These two verses from today's Proverb and Step 8 have really got me thinking about my past. Some of us are lucky to still have their moms and dads . My poor Dad , I cant imagine the sleepless nights I caused him ,how much embarrassment my dad suffered from the neighbors every time the police came looking for me. The arguments I must have caused between mom and dad and the strain that I put them under , wow I cant believe this ones got me tearing up. I have said sorry ,but I was not specific , I just automatically assumed they got it. This ones got me and I will have to write them a letter so I can get it all out. Contemplating all the pain I have caused others I now know it was Mom and Dad who have suffered the most. Though I put them through a living hell on earth they never gave up on me and that is a debt I could never repay.

Rise in ADHD Diagnoses Linked to Drug Company Promotion of Treatments
 
By Join Together Staff | December 16, 2013 | Leave a comment | Filed in Healthcare, Prescription Drugs & Youth


The dramatic rise in the diagnosis of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) coincided with a two-decade campaign by drug companies, aimed at doctors, educators and parents, to promote pills to treat the disorder, according to The New York Times.

Almost one in five boys of high school age, and 11 percent of school-age children overall, have received a medical diagnosis of ADHD in the United States. Earlier this year, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found an estimated 6.4 million children ages 4 to 17 had received an ADHD diagnosis at some point. This represents a 16 percent increase since 2007, and a 53 percent increase in the past 10 years.

Dr. Keith Conners, a leader in the fight to legitimize ADHD, is very concerned about the increase in diagnoses. He notes the number of children on medication for the disorder has risen to 3.5 million, from 600,000 in 1990. He called the increase “a national disaster of dangerous proportions.”

“The numbers make it look like an epidemic. Well, it’s not. It’s preposterous,” he told the newspaper. “This is a concoction to justify the giving out of medication at unprecedented and unjustifiable levels.”

The drug industry is now focusing its efforts on adult ADHD, which could become even more profitable than the children’s market, the article notes.

While ADHD is acknowledged to be a legitimate disability that can interfere with success at school, work and personal life, many critics say the effort to treat every child with signs of ADHD has led to too many receiving the diagnosis and medication.

According to the article, drug company marketing portrays ADHD as including relatively normal behavior, such as carelessness and impatience, and has often exaggerated the medications’ benefits.

The Food and Drug Administration has cited every major ADHD drug, including Adderall, Concerta, Focalin, Vyvanse, Intuniv and Strattera, for false and misleading advertising since 2000.

December 16 v 9 TWELVE STEPPING WITH POWER IN THE PROVERB

A man’s heart plans his way,
But the Lord directs his steps.

STEP 3 :  Made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of God as revealed in the Bible.

Before the twelve steps and my faith in God my heart was full of brokenness and pain..No matter how hard I tried to live life right ,I would just mess it up . Alone and helpless is what I felt every time I tried to get sober . My plans were evil ,always trying to get even with society for all the wrong in my life . My resentment , anger , and pride blinded me to the fact that even though God was there , I did not need Him . My life became desperate ,everything I owned I lost ,homeless is where my plans left me. With the last ounce of life left in me , I cried out to Him and took step one . Realizing in a moment of clarity for the first time in my life , I needed God and to my surprise  , He was with me the whole time but in my blindness I just could not see or feel Him. No I can't explain it but at that moment of surrender all the pain , sorrow, guilt , shame and fear that was choking the life out of me suddenly released me. For the very first time in my life I felt free .My heart felt complete ,and I  knew it was time for step three .That was thirteen years ago and the Lord is directing my steps .My life now is not perfect but it is good and I look forward and feel so blessed with getting the opportunity with every new day. The Proverb is true and Step 3 is a must and I pray and work tirelessly in a hope that you will discover GOD and get set free as I did.