Study Tests Safety of Drug Treatment for Meth Addiction

By Join Together Staff | April 3, 2013 | 2 Comments | Filed in Addiction, Drugs, Research & Treatment

Researchers at UCLA are studying a drug they hope will treat methamphetamine addiction, The Huffington Post reports. In a small study, the drug, Ibudilast, appeared to be safe and eased meth addiction.

The study included 11 people addicted to meth who were not seeking treatment. Some received the drug, and others got a placebo. The trial was the first of three phases of human testing required by the Food and Drug Administration for approval. It was meant to evaluate the safety of the drug taken in combination with meth, the article notes.

“Very preliminary results would indicate that Ibudilast may dampen craving and improve cognitive functioning,” said Dr. Aimee Swanson, co-investigator on the trial and research director at the UCLA Center for Behavioral and Addiction Medicine.

There are currently no drugs approved to treat meth addiction, the article notes. Counseling, in-patient rehabilitation or 12-Step groups often are not effective in treating meth addiction, Swanson said.

“When we see people come to participate in the trial, it’s really their last resort,” Swanson said. “Many of them can no longer hold down a job, they have strained relationships with family members. Gone went the cars, gone went the business, gone went the house, gone went the kids. The main focus of this person’s life is using meth.”

Swanson noted Ibudilast may prevent activation of central nervous system cells called glial cells that have been linked to drug dependence. “When you’re on meth, your whole brain is saying, ‘I need meth,’” she said. “If you could block meth from interfering with glial, it would allow the messages that you would like to be sending and receiving to actually get to your brain.”

The study took place in a hospital unit, which participants were not allowed to leave for three weeks. They received intravenous injections of meth two to three times per week while they were treated with Ibudilast.

The researchers will now move on to further testing, which will be funded by the National Institute on Drug Abuse, according to the article.

Prescription Drug Abuse Experts Meet to Discuss Options for Stopping Epidemic

By Join Together Staff | April 3, 2013 | Leave a comment | Filed in Advocacy, Prescription Drugs & Prevention

Experts are meeting this week to discuss how to stop the epidemic of prescription drug abuse, according to the Orlando Sentinel. They include leaders from government, the pharmaceutical industry, and public health and safety groups.

At the National Rx Drug Abuse Summit in Orlando, Florida, R. Gil Kerlikowske, Director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy, said the number of people who abused prescription drugs dropped from 7 million people in 2010, to 6.1 million in 2011. Prescription drug use by young adults ages 18 to 25 is also on the decline, the article notes.

Margaret Hamburg, Commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration, said a key step in reducing prescription drug abuse is the development of abuse-deterrent formulas.

Speakers also talked about the need to strengthen state prescription drug monitoring programs. These systems should be actively analyzed, and used in real time, to prevent patients from doctor shopping, they noted.

Thomas Frieden, Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said the nation needs a holistic approach to prescription drug abuse, which includes a combination of education, social changes, law enforcement, the healthcare industry and government working together.

Drug-Related Deaths Continue to Increase in the United States

By Join Together Staff | April 2, 2013 | Leave a comment | Filed in Prescription Drugs

Drug-related deaths increased 3 percent in 2010, and preliminary figures indicate the upward trend continued in 2011, the Los Angeles Times reports. The increase was largely driven by prescription painkillers such as oxycodone and hydrocodone.

“While most things are getting better in the health world, this isn’t,” said Tom Frieden, Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which released the new figures. “It’s a big problem, and it’s getting worse,” he told the newspaper. “The data supporting long-term use of opiates for pain, other than cancer pain, is scant to nonexistent. These are dangerous drugs. They’re not proven to have long-term benefit for non-cancer pain, and they’re being used to the detriment to hundreds of thousands of people in this country.”

In 2010, overdose deaths involving prescription painkillers increased to 16,651. That represented 43 percent of all deadly overdoses.

Frieden advocates the use of computerized drug monitoring systems that track prescriptions for painkillers and other commonly abused narcotics.

Almost One in Five High School Age Boys in U.S. Have Received ADHD Diagnosis

By Join Together Staff | April 2, 2013 | Leave a comment | Filed in Mental Health, Prescription Drugs, Treatment & Youth

Almost one in five boys of high school age, and 11 percent of school-age children overall, have received a medical diagnosis of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in the United States, according to new government data.

Many doctors are concerned that ADHD diagnoses and medication are overused in children, The New York Times reports.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) 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.

The findings come from a CDC study of children’s health issues, which included interviews with more than 76,000 parents nationwide.

About two-thirds of those diagnosed with ADHD receive prescriptions for stimulant drugs such as Adderall or Ritalin. These drugs, while they can be very effective in treating the disorder, also have the potential for addiction, anxiety and even psychosis, the article notes.

The American Psychiatric Association is soon expected to change the definition of ADHD, in order to allow more people to receive the diagnosis and treatment, according to the newspaper.

A growing number of high school students are using ADHD drugs to help them get better grades. Teens get them from friends, buy them from student dealers, or pretend to have ADHD in order to get prescriptions. Abusing these drugs can lead to mood swings and depression, heart irregularities and extreme exhaustion or even psychosis during withdrawal, according to medical experts. There is little evidence about the long-term effects of young people abusing these stimulants.

CDC Director Dr. Thomas R. Frieden told the newspaper, “We need to ensure balance. The right medications for ADHD, given to the right people, can make a huge difference. Unfortunately, misuse appears to be growing at an alarming rate.”

“Celebrating Families” program for women in recovery and their children (ages 3-18).

Good Morning!

Time is running out!!   Please encourage your clients, friends or family to register for the “Celebrating Families” program for women in recovery and their children (ages 3-18).  It is very important that anyone interested contact Diane Catherwood to complete registration for participation!  I have included the attached flyer here again for you to pass along.  Space is limited!

“Celebrating Families” consists of 13 weekly sessions and includes a FREE family meal.  There will also be lots of giveaways and incentives throughout the program cycle, as well as FREE social activities outside the program sessions.

“Celebrating Families” is a program to help strengthen families and break the cycle of addiction to the next generation.  Some of the topics include: Healthy Living, Communication, Feelings & Defenses, Chemical Dependency Affects the Whole Family, Goal Setting, Healthy Boundaries, and more!

If you have any questions, please contact me any time.

Thank you,

Jessica Schwartz

Community Development Coordinator

The Council of Southeast Pennsylvania, Inc.

252 West Swamp Road, Unit 12

Doylestown, Pennsylvania 18901

Phone: (215) 345-6644 ext. 3122

Fax: (215) 348-3377

(800) 221-6333 - 24 Hour Information Line

jschwartz@councilsepa.org

 

Parents: Talk to Your Teens About Drinking Before They Start College

By Join Together Staff | April 1, 2013 | 1 Comment | Filed in Alcohol, Parenting, Prevention & Youth

Parents who discuss drinking with their teens before they start college can influence their children’s drinking behavior once they are at school, a new study suggests.

A parental talk can reduce the chances that light drinkers will become heavier drinkers, and increase the odds that teens who already drink heavily will reduce their drinking or stop, Time.com reports.

Effective strategies can include discussing why some teens drink and others don’t, and the potential dangers of drinking too much, the article notes.

The study included 1,900 students and their parents, who were surveyed in the summer before the teens started college, and again in the fall of the teens’ freshman and sophomore years. The parents were divided into four groups. One group was given a handbook to guide discussions. The book provided tips on starting casual and nonjudgmental conversations, as well as information on the risks of underage drinking.

A second group used the handbook, as well as “booster” discussions. A third group did not talk about drinking with their children until they had already begun school, and a fourth group was not given any instructions on talking with their children about drinking.

Before the study began, 51 percent of students described themselves as nondrinkers, 30 percent said they drank heavily on some weekends, and 15 percent drank moderately on weekends. An additional 5 percent said they were frequent, heavy drinkers. After 15 months of college, only 25 percent were nondrinkers and 29 percent were heavy drinkers.

Students whose parents talked to them about drinking before they left for school were 20 times more likely to have healthier drinking patterns, including not drinking at all, than they were to stay heavy drinkers 15 months later.

The researchers found parental talks were effective only if they took place before students left for college.

The study appears in the Journal of Studies of Alcohol and Drugs.