Friday, April 12, 2013
Thursday, April 11, 2013
Celebrities and Civil Rights Leaders Ask Obama to Change Drug Laws
More than 100 entertainers, civil rights leaders and other
notable citizens have signed a letter to President Obama, asking him to
change the nation’s drug laws. The group is urging him to replace jail
sentences with intervention and rehabilitation for non-violent drug
offenders, the Associated Press reports.
They asked the president to form a panel to deal with clemency
requests, and to support a measure to let judges waive mandatory minimum
sentences.
“The greatest victims of the prison industrial complex are our nation’s children,” the letter
states. “Hundreds of thousands of children have lost a parent to long
prison sentences for non-violent drug offenses, leaving these children
to fend for themselves. Many of these children end up in the criminal
justice system, which comes as no surprise as studies have shown the
link between incarceration and broken families, juvenile delinquency,
violence and poverty.”
Celebrities who signed the letter include Scarlett Johansson, Kim
Kardashian, Will Smith, Jennifer Hudson, Nicki Minaj and Susan Sarandon.
The letter was also signed by civil rights leaders and advocates such
as Harry Belafonte, Julian Bond, Dr. Benjamin Chavis and Rev. Jesse
Jackson. Hip-hop magnate Russell Simmons helped assemble the group, the
AP notes. Some religious leaders, politicians, music industry
executives, academics, business leaders and athletes also added their
names.
Majority of Americans Say Doctors Should Have Limits on Pain Medication Prescribing
A new poll finds 52 percent of Americans say doctors should
have limits on the amount and dosage of pain medication they are
allowed to prescribe. Almost half of those surveyed said prescription
drug addiction is a major U.S. health problem.
The poll
was commissioned by the advocacy group Research!America, which is using
the results to encourage better research on chronic pain, The Hill reports.
“We need to better understand addiction,” Research!America President and CEO Mary Woolley said in a statement.
“We shouldn’t shy away from research on new pain treatments based on
fears of abuse. The suffering is simply too great. More robust
investment in research and the engagement and support of policy makers
and health care providers are essential to developing effective
strategies to reduce the prevalence of addiction.”
The group found 18 percent of respondents believe chronic pain is a
major health problem, but 63 percent know someone who has taken
prescription medication for severe pain.
Wednesday, April 10, 2013
Party Drug Called “Benzo Fury” Presents Dangers, Rat Study Suggests
A party drug known as “Benzo Fury” can have dangerous
consequences, a new study of rodents suggests. It has both stimulant and
hallucinogenic effects, Reuters reports. The drug is a synthetic, laboratory-designed substance.
Benzo Fury can be purchased online, and is popular in Britain and the
United States, the article notes. Researchers at Britain’s University
of Roehampton found the drug produced an effect on the brains of rats
that was similar to hallucinogenic, addictive drugs such as cocaine or
amphetamines. It may lead to high blood pressure by constricting blood
vessels, the researchers said.
“It’s in the combination of these stimulant and hallucinogenic
properties that the greatest danger lies,” said lead researcher Jolanta
Opacka-Juffry. She presented her findings at the British Neuroscience
Association conference in London. She added, “It’s possible that the
reason these drugs are so popular is because they are seen as safer than
their illegal counterparts,” so it is “important to challenge such
assumptions.”
Commentary: Alcohol Awareness Month: Help for Today, Hope for Tomorrow
Alcohol is the number one drug problem in the United States
and it impacts every single person in our country, either directly or
indirectly. Each April since 1987, the National Council on Alcoholism
and Drug Dependence, Inc. (NCADD) has sponsored NCADD Alcohol Awareness
Month to increase public awareness and understanding, reduce stigma,
encourage individuals and families to seek help and to engage local
communities in bringing attention to alcoholism and alcohol-related
problems.
This April, NCADD has chosen the theme, “Help for Today, Hope for
Tomorrow.” During the month of April, NCADD’s national network of
affiliates as well as schools, colleges, churches, and countless other
community organizations will sponsor thousands of activities that create
awareness and encourage individuals and families to get help for
alcohol-related problems.
Why is Alcohol Awareness Month so important?
18 million people age 18 and older have an alcohol use disorder.
Alcohol causes about 80,000 deaths per year. It is the third leading preventable cause of death in the U.S.
Alcohol costs our society $225 billion in lost productivity, health care, accidents, etc.
One in four children grows up in a home with an alcohol problem.
18 million people age 18 and older have an alcohol use disorder.
Alcohol causes about 80,000 deaths per year. It is the third leading preventable cause of death in the U.S.
Alcohol costs our society $225 billion in lost productivity, health care, accidents, etc.
One in four children grows up in a home with an alcohol problem.
Of particular concern to NCADD is alcohol use by young people because
it is extremely dangerous. Alcohol is directly associated with traffic
fatalities, violence, suicide, educational failure, alcohol overdose,
prescription drug overdose, unsafe sex and other problem behaviors.
Annually, over 6,500 people under the age of 21 die from alcohol-related
injuries and thousands more are injured.
Here are some specific facts as they relate to young people and alcohol:
Those who begin drinking before age 15 are four times more likely to develop alcoholism than those who begin at age 21.
More than 1,700 college students in the U.S. are killed each year—almost five per day—as a result of alcohol-related injuries.
Underage alcohol use costs the nation an estimated $62 billion annually.
Those who begin drinking before age 15 are four times more likely to develop alcoholism than those who begin at age 21.
More than 1,700 college students in the U.S. are killed each year—almost five per day—as a result of alcohol-related injuries.
Underage alcohol use costs the nation an estimated $62 billion annually.
Reducing underage drinking requires a cooperative effort from
parents, schools, community organizations, business leaders, government
agencies, the entertainment industry, alcohol manufacturers/retailers
and young people.
Alcohol awareness is essential for the health of our country. As a
nation, we need to wake up to the reality that for some, alcoholism and
addiction develop at a young age and that intervention, treatment and
recovery support are essential for them and their families. And, as a
result of NCADD’s work and countless others, millions of individuals and
families are living life in recovery.
For more information about NCADD Alcohol Awareness, visit the NCADD website at: www.ncadd.org.
Robert J. LindseyPresident/CEO of NCADD
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