Americans’ Use of Cocaine Drops, While Marijuana Use Increases: Report

By Join Together Staff | March 11, 2014 | Leave a comment | Filed in Drugs

Americans’ cocaine use fell by about half from 2006 to 2010, while their use of marijuana jumped by more than 30 percent, a new report concludes.

The report, by the RAND Drug Policy Research Center, estimated Americans spent $100 billion annually on cocaine, heroin, marijuana and methamphetamine between 2000 and 2010, according to HealthDay. During the decade studied, heroin use remained fairly stable. Use of methamphetamine increased sharply during the first half of the decade, and then decreased.

In 2000, Americans spent much more on cocaine than on marijuana, but that spending pattern had reversed by 2010, the article notes. The report does not cover the recent increases in heroin use, or the effects of laws in Colorado and Washington state that have legalized recreational use of marijuana.

“Our analysis shows that Americans likely spent more than one trillion dollars on cocaine, heroin, marijuana and methamphetamine between 2000 and 2010,” lead researcher Beau Kilmer said in a news release. He noted the increase in marijuana use appears to be related to a rise in the number of people who said they use the drug every day or almost every day.

The figures for marijuana use come from the National Survey on Drug Use and Health, while estimates for use of cocaine, heroin and methamphetamine are largely based on information from the Arrestee Drug Abuse Monitoring Program (ADAM). The federal government recently stopped funding for ADAM, the researchers note. They say it will be much more difficult to track the abuse of these drugs in the future.

Drug Testing for Welfare Recipients Still Under Consideration in Some States

By Join Together Staff | March 11, 2014 | Leave a comment | Filed in Community Related, Drugs & Legislation

Legislators in a number of states are continuing to pursue measures that would deny welfare benefits to people who use illegal drugs, according to USA Today.

In December, a federal judge in Florida ruled the state’s drug-test requirement was unconstitutional. Florida’s law required welfare applicants to undergo mandatory drug testing. Judge Mary S. Scriven of the United States District Court in Orlando ruled the testing requirement violated the protection against unreasonable searches.

State legislators around the country are considering drug-testing bills they hope will withstand legal challenges, the article notes. Some measures would require written tests designed to spot people who abuse drugs, while others would deny benefits to people with recent drug convictions.

Alabama, Indiana and Mississippi are among the states where drug-testing measures have advanced in state legislatures with overwhelming majorities. Some legislators say they support drug testing to encourage people who use drugs, while on public assistance, to get help. Others say they want to save money, or to make sure tax dollars do not subsidize drug use.

“Some states have gotten smarter,” said Jason Williamson, a staff attorney with the American Civil Liberties Union, which opposes drug-testing laws. “There are certainly ways that a state could formulate one of these programs that would make it very difficult to challenge.”

MARCH 11 v 2 TWELVE STEPPING WITH POWER IN THE PROVERB

Pride leads to disgrace,

but with humility comes wisdom.

STEP 1.  I admit that I am powerless over the effects of my separation or lack of fellowship with God, and that my life has become unmanageable.

Pride will never allow you to commit this step freely . It will be at the bottom of a dirty , smelly , awful pit where pride will loosen its grip and humility will begin to help you back up on your feet again . That is the way it was for me thirteen plus years ago . The Proverb is right , I was a disgrace to myself my family and the world. It does not matter who you are , we have to realize we don't know everything and NO we cannot control every situation and everyone in our lives to get what we want. Humility will find its way in even if it has to break you down to the point of desperation and losing it all ,that is where the real healing begins and that is when God can step in and take his rightful place in your life.

Jesus said I am , The truth ,The life , The way no one comes unto the Father except through me !

Daily Quote

"Forgiveness is the economy of the heart... forgiveness saves the expense of anger, the cost of hatred, the waste of spirits." - Hannah More

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

Next free sessions start week of April 1 at various locations in five counties

When someone is addicted to drugs or alcohol, the disease affects the entire family. 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.to9 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 visithttp://councilsepa.org/programs/pro-act/family-education-program/.

MARCH 10 v 18 TWELVE STEPPING WITH POWER IN THE PROVERB

Hiding hatred makes you a liar;
    slandering others makes you a fool.

  STEP 5 -We admitted to God, to ourselves, and to another human being the exact nature of our wrongs. Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. (James 5:16)

I need to work on the slandering .When your in the middle of the crowd it is so easy to jump on the bashing wagon . Start practicing walking away ! Someone asks you where you going ,you tell em talking about people behind their backs is wrong and you want no parts of it .When you do get caught by the person you were talking about be honest ,you know Step five. If you don't have something nice to say then don't say nothing at all!