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!

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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.”