Denver County Jail Substance Abuse Treatment Program Uses Peer Recovery Model

By Join Together Staff | January 22, 2014 | 3 Comments | Filed in Alcohol,Community Related, Drugs, Recovery & Treatment

The Denver County Jail uses a peer recovery model to help inmates take a more active role in their substance abuse treatment, The Denver Post reports. Participants in the program work together, along with clinicians, in day-long sessions to hold one another accountable for their choices. The program runs six days a week, from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m.

The jail is the only one in the state, and one of only a few in the nation, to use the Recovery in a Safe Environment program, the article notes. It has been running since 2011. Some inmates join voluntarily, while others are required to participate as part of their sentence. Last year, 208 men and 128 women participated in the program.

“The majority of the programming is run by inmates, which makes them more invested in the process and gives them an opportunity to take a more active role in their recovery,” Jamie Jackson, Program Administrator for the Denver County Jail, told the newspaper. “It really is a unique environment. Generally when you come to jail, you don’t ever want to show any type of weakness, but these men and women are letting their guard down.”

Even Low Blood Alcohol Levels Can Increase Risk of Car Crashes: Study

By Join Together Staff | January 22, 2014 | Leave a comment | Filed in Alcohol& Research


Drivers with blood alcohol levels well under the legal limit are more likely to be at fault for accidents, compared with the non-drinking drivers they hit, according to a new study.

The researchers from the University of California, San Diego analyzed data on more than 570,000 fatal auto accidents between 1994 and 2011, and concluded there appears to be no safe blood alcohol content (BAC) for drivers, Reuters reports. They looked at drivers’ blood alcohol levels, as well as indicators of which driver was to blame, such as who drove in the wrong lane or ran a red light.

The study, published in Injury Prevention, found drivers with a BAC of .01 percent were 46 percent more likely to be fully responsible for the crash than a sober driver. The legal driving limit in the United States is .08 percent. An adult man could generate a .01 percent BAC reading just by drinking half of one 12-ounce beer, the article notes. The more a person’s BAC increased, the greater their risk of being responsible for an accident, the study found.

In many European countries, the legal BAC is .05. The limits in Japan and Sweden are even lower.

In a news release, Phillips said, “We find no safe combination of drinking and driving – no point at which it is harmless to consume alcohol and get behind the wheel of a car. Our data support both the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s campaign that ‘Buzzed driving is drunk driving’ and the recommendation made by the National Transportation Safety Board, to reduce the legal limit to BAC .05 percent. In fact, our data provide support for yet greater reductions in the legal BAC.”

Black Media Groups Argue They Should Run Tobacco Company Corrective Ads

By Join Together Staff | January 22, 2014 | Leave a comment | Filed in Legal,Marketing And Media, Prevention & Tobacco

Two organizations representing black media outlets say tobacco company ads about the dangers of smoking, ordered by a federal judge, should run in their newspapers, and on their TV stations and websites.

The “corrective statements” will say the companies lied about the health effects of cigarettes. Earlier this month, tobacco companies and the federal government reached an agreement on the statements, which will disclose the health effects of smoking, including the fact that cigarettes kill an average of 1,200 people a day. Each tobacco company must publish a full-page ad in the Sunday edition of 35 newspapers, and on the papers’ websites. The ads also must air prime-time television spots on CBS, ABC or NBC five times a week for a year.

The Associated Press reports the National Newspaper Publishers Association and National Association of Black Owned Broadcasters filed a brief in the U.S. District Court in Washington, D.C., ahead of a Wednesday hearing on the case. They argue that the ads should run in their news outlets because the black community has been disproportionally targeted by tobacco companies and harmed by smoking.

The associations, which represent more than 120 publications and more than 200 radio and TV stations, said the list included in the judge’s order does not include media outlets in areas with very large black populations. The brief states these populations are “not only more susceptible to harm from tobacco usage, but were also intentionally and systematically targeted by (the tobacco companies) to be recipients of their illegal marketing campaigns.”

The tobacco companies said the request from the black media associations comes too late, because it has been more than seven years since the court ordered which newspapers and TV networks would be included in the order. The companies said they would consider the list of black media outlets if replacement newspapers are needed when the ads are set to run, the AP noted.

January 20 v 15 TWELVE STEPPING WITH POWER IN THE PROVERB

Gold there is, and rubies in abundance,

but lips that speak knowledge are a rare jewel.

STEP 12. Having had a spiritual awakening as a result of these steps, we tried to carry this message to others and practice these principles in all our affairs. Galatians 6:1-2 “Brothers, if someone is caught in a sin, you who are spiritual restore him gently. But watch yourself, or you also may be tempted. Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.”

This one is for all those who spend each and everyday giving back. Step twelve is I think my favorite because their is not a drug in the world that can match the feeling you get when you know you helped someone find God and sobriety. For those of you in recovery who give back , according to the Proverb you are just that a rare jewel , and for those of you still using if you find that rare jewel hold on tight , listen and work hard they will lead you into the promise land. Thank you to all my Brothers and Sisters who work tirelessly on themselves and others you are the true WINNERS in the game of life.

10 (More) of the Greatest Songs About Recovery | The Fix

10 (More) of the Greatest Songs About Recovery | The Fix

Don't Believe The (Marijuana) Hype | The Fix

Don't Believe The (Marijuana) Hype | The Fix