Injected Opana Linked to Rare Blood-Clotting Disorder

By Join Together Staff | January 11, 2013 | 1 Comment | Filed in Community Related & Prescription Drugs

Health officials in Tennessee are reporting cases of a rare blood-clotting disorder in people who injected the painkiller Opana ER (extended release), after crushing the pills. Fifteen cases of the disorder were linked to intravenous drug abuse, and 14 were linked specifically to Opana ER.

The disorder, thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP), is usually seen in about one in 100,000 people, HealthDay reports. It causes blood clots to form in small blood vessels around the body. If untreated, the disorder can be fatal. None of the Tennessee patients died. Seven were treated for sepsis, which is potentially fatal.

Opana ER is meant to be taken orally. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) notes in its Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report that some people seeking euphoria-inducing effects crush the tablets to snort them or dissolve them for injection. A new formulation of the drug, designed to make it more difficult to crush or dissolve the tablets, was released in February 2012.

Dr. Leonard Paulozzi, a medical epidemiologist at the CDC, told HealthDay that snorting or injecting Opana allows the drug to enter the bloodstream more quickly. “Apparently, the amount of euphoria associated with the drug is associated with how fast the drug level rises in your bloodstream,” he said.

It is not known why the Opana ER might lead to the blood-clotting disorder, said Dr. David Kirschke, Deputy State Epidemiologist for the Tennessee Department of Health. The CDC is advising doctors who prescribe Opana, and pharmacists who fill prescriptions for it, to tell patients about the risks of the drug when it is used other than as prescribed.

In October, the Food and Drug Administration warned about the risk of developing TTP from injecting Opana ER.

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

Next free sessions start week of Feb. 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.

Choosing Substance Abuse Treatment Over Prison Could Save Billions: Study

By Join Together Staff | January 10, 2013 | 1 Comment | Filed in Drugs, Legal & Treatment

Sending substance-abusing state prisoners to community-based treatment programs instead of prisons could reduce crime and save billions of dollars, a new study concludes. The savings would result from immediate reductions in the cost of incarceration, and by subsequent reductions in the number of crimes committed by successfully treated offenders, which leads to fewer re-arrests and re-incarcerations, according to the researchers.

Almost half of all state prisoners abuse drugs or are drug-dependent, but only 10 percent received medically based drug treatment while they are incarcerated, according to Newswise. Inmates who are untreated or not adequately treated are more likely to start using drugs when they are released from prison, and commit crimes at a higher rate than those who do not abuse drugs, the article notes.

The researchers built a simulation model of 1.14 million state prisoners, representing the 2004 U.S. state prison population. The model estimated the benefits of substance abuse treatment over individuals’ lifetimes, and calculated the crime and criminal justice costs related to policing, trial and sentencing, and incarceration.

The model tracked individuals’ substance abuse, criminal activity, employment and health care use until death or until they reached age 60, whichever came first. They estimated the costs of sending 10 percent or 40 percent of drug-abusing inmates to community-based substance abuse treatment instead of prison.

In the journal Crime & Delinquency, the researchers found that if just 10 percent of eligible offenders were treated in community-based programs instead of going to prison, the criminal justice system would save $4.8 billion, compared with current practices. If 40 percent of eligible offenders received treatment, the savings would total $12.9 billion.

Jan. 26 - Feb. 1, 2013: Recovery Coach Training

CCAR Recovery Coach Academy at COA.wmv Last night, Kevin & Redneck described the CCAR Recovery Coach Academy at COA to COA's Board members and Directors. This video shows high points, and also gives some valuable insights into working with recoverees.  Some of this will surprise you, some will seem like common sense. But it's all designed to work. There is still space available and until Monday, Jan. 14, the early registration rate will be in effect.  To learn more about the Recovery Coach training, view a class schedule, read testimonials from others who have taken this training and/or register, click here.  For questions about the program, please contact CityofAngelsNJ@hotmail.com. Hurry! Space is limited and once we're full, we will cannot accept additional registrants. Do You Have These Items? It's something many people don't think about, but it makes a big difference: toiletries and personal care items for recoverees entering inpatient treatment. Many treatment centers do not provide shampoo, razors, towels and wash cloths, deodorant, toothbrushes & toothpaste, feminine products and other necessary items that we take for granted. Yet recoverees and/or their families are often unable to purchase these products. Enter COA and its volunteers. Several dedicated moms have begun assembling care bags for recoverees entering treatment. In addition to hygiene and personal care products, the bags include postcards with stamps so recoverees and write to their loved ones, and journals so they can begin recording their thoughts.    Also...COA is growing! We now have a new office in the Dwier Center for recoveree and family meetings. And we could use some additional lockers or cabinets in which to store COA merchandise, files and other important items. If you would like to contribute to the care bags or have lockers or cabinets that you would be able to donate, please contact Redneck at rednecksocmm@aol.com.   Linda's Article in Women of Faith Daily On January 7, Women of Faith Daily published COA vice chairperson Linda Molnar's story about her son's passing and her work with City of Angels. WOFD is a national publication with hundreds of thousands of readers.  To read Linda's inspiring article, click here.   Tidbits   COA hosts support group meetings for both addiction sufferers and their families every day of the week at the Dwier Center (392 Church Street, Groveville, NJ). This includes 12-step meetings, a Sunday night Spirituality Meeting and the popular Sunday morning Breakfast Club family support group. To check out our online calendar, click here.     For directions to the Dwier Center, click here.      The COA website now offers an Addiction News Feed with the latest studies, reports, new and other info on addiction. It's updated in real time with top 30 articles. To read the feed, click here.  New videos are up on the COA YouTube channel. To watch, click here.      Join COA's Pinterest community! To visit the boards, click here.          Keep current on COA activites - join the COA group on Facebook!  COA news is posted first on Facebook, and this page often has photos not available elsewhere. Click here to visit.   City of Angels NJ, Inc. is a non-profit organization that provides many services to addicts and their families including interventions, recovery support, Family Program, counseling services and more. All of our services are provided at no charge.

Living Free Everyday

Living Free Everyday

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!

Nuts and Bolts of Interfacing with Managed Care Organizations for Addiction Professionals   Wednesday, January 16, 2013 3pm-4pm EST (12pm-1pm PST)  More Information & Registration The Addiction Professional’s Mini Guide to Screening, Brief Intervention and Referral to Treatment (SBIRT)   Wednesday, January 30, 2013 12pm-3pm EST (9am-12pm PST)  More Information & Registration

Become a member of NAADAC to earn free CE credit for all NAADAC webinars & online courses (over 85 CEs): www.naadac.org/join

Florida NAADAC Conference: Treating Co-Occurring Disorders Join us on January 17, 2013 for a conference in Brooksville, FL, featuring Mary Woods.  As clinicians in the field of addictions we strive to provide the best quality care possible for our clients. Understanding the issues impacting treatment of those with co-occurring disorders is essential. This workshop is a skill-based training program that will increase the ability to provide effective care to this population. More Details AAPNY Conference: Meeting the Challenge through Education of the Addiction Professional Join NAADAC and the Association for Addiction Professionals of New York (AAPNY) on March 8th and 9th, 2013 for a two-day, two-track education forum in Riverhead, NY.  Earn 6.5 continuing education credits per day.  Trainers are presenting skills based, five-hour tracks to learn evidence based skills. Clinical Supervision presented by Tom Durham, PhD Co-Occurring Disorders presented by Gerry Schmidt, MA, MAC, LPC SBIRT: Guide to Screening, Brief Intervention and Referral to Treatment presented by Misti Storie, MS, NCC Relapse Prevention: Romancing the Brain in Recovery presented by Cynthia Moreno Tuohy, NCAC II, CCDC III , SAP Download the brochure Register online

NAADAC Master Calendar Find more addiction-related conferences, public policy events, regional meetings, and workshops in your area with the NAADAC Master Calendar.

25% Off Bookstore  NAADAC has many books, training manuals and independent study courses from which to choose, all 25% off! Hurry, sale ends January 15, 2013! Click here to browse store.