Republicans Who Oppose Mandatory Minimum Sentences Say They’re Costly, Ineffective

By Join Together Staff | March 20, 2014 | Leave a comment | Filed in Drugs,Government, Legal & Legislation

Republicans, who have traditionally taken a tough approach on crime, are increasingly opposing mandatory minimum sentences, The New York Times reports. They see the sentences as ineffective, as well as too costly and punitive.

Fiscal conservatives are looking to save billions of dollars in the federal budget by closing prisons and releasing inmates who no longer appear to pose a threat to society. Religious conservatives view sentencing reform as a way to offer compassion and to reunite families.

Many Republicans and Democrats agree mandatory minimum sentences should be reduced, the newspaper notes. Attorney General Eric Holder is pushing to eliminate mandatory minimum sentences for nonviolent drug crimes. He is joining with libertarian Republicans, including Senator Rand Paul of Kentucky, in this effort.

Last week, Holder testified in favor of changing federal guidelines to reduce the average sentence for drug dealers. He told the United States Sentencing Commission the Obama Administration supports changing guidelines to reduce the average drug sentence by about one year, from 62 months to 51 months.

The proposed changes would reduce the federal prison population by about 6,550 inmates over the next five years. Currently, half of the 215,000 inmates in the federal prison system are serving time for drug crimes.

Republicans and Democrats in the Senate are discussing combining two bills on sentencing reform. One would give judges more leeway to depart from mandatory minimum sentences in lower-level drug cases, reduce mandatory sentences for other drug offenses, and make the 2010 law that reduced the disparity between cocaine and crack-cocaine sentences retroactive.

A second bill would establish a skills training and early release system for people who are incarcerated, but who are considered to be at low risk for committing another offense.

Teen Inhalant Use Decreasing: Government Report

By Join Together Staff | March 20, 2014 | Leave a comment | Filed in Drugs &Youth

Fewer American teens are abusing inhalants, such as spray paint, glue and gasoline, according to a new government report. The number of teens ages 12 to 17 who used inhalants dropped from 820,000 in 2011, to about 650,000 in 2012.

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), which released the findings, defines inhalants as “liquids, sprays and gases that people sniff or inhale to get high or to make them feel good,” UPI reports.

“This downward trend of inhalant use in adolescents is very encouraging,” Pamela S. Hyde, administrator of the SAMHSA, said in a statement. “Nevertheless, we must all continue our efforts to raise awareness about the dangers and health risks of this deadly and addictive problem among our youth.”

When inhalants are breathed in through the nose or mouth in a variety of ways they are absorbed quickly through the lungs into the bloodstream and the user experiences a rapid but short-lived intoxication.

There are hundreds of household products on the market today that can be misused as inhalants. Examples of products kids abuse to get high include model airplane glue, nail polish remover, cleaning fluids, hair spray, gasoline, the propellant in aerosol whipped cream, spray paint, fabric protector, air conditioner fluid (freon), cooking spray and correction fluid.

These products are sniffed, snorted, bagged (fumes inhaled from a plastic bag), or “huffed” (inhalant-soaked rag, sock, or roll of toilet paper in the mouth) to achieve a high. Inhalants are also sniffed directly from the container.

Within seconds of inhalation, the user experiences intoxication along with other effects similar to those produced by alcohol. Alcohol-like effects may include slurred speech, an inability to coordinate movements, dizziness, confusion and delirium. Nausea and vomiting are other common side effects. In addition, users may experience lightheadedness, hallucinations, and delusions.

Compulsive use and a mild withdrawal syndrome can occur with long-term inhalant abuse. Additional symptoms exhibited by long-term inhalant abusers include weight loss, muscle weakness, disorientation, inattentiveness, lack of coordination, irritability, and depression.

MARCH 20 v 3 TWELVE STEPPING WITH POWER IN THE PROVERB



Avoiding a fight is a mark of honor;
only fools insist on quarreling.

STEP 10 - Continued to take personal inventory and when we were wrong promptly admitted it.

 

As I get older the more and more I realize the proverb is right . Why are we so hell bent on proving our point. Back in the day not so long ago I knew everything and you could not tell me nothing . You could have been a world renown expert and I would find a reason to argue. Its ok too want to be right but if you don't have all the facts you need to make your point and don't push the person your haggling with they will eventually see the truth if they are the one at fault . It is not your job to beat it into their heads . The truth will always win out ! When we are wrong we need to man up and admit it that is called maturity and that is what us sober folks do. It will keep your mind and heart free of negativity , resentment , anger , bitterness , and denial .These are all fatal triggers that can push anyone into relapse.




JAMES CHAPTERP 1 v 19 v20 Understand this, my dear brothers and sisters: You must all be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry.Human anger does not produce the righteousness God desires.

Teens will be teens. They sleep late, fail a test here and there or get uncharacteristically moody. But what if these behaviors are happening more often than usual, or all at the same time? You know your teen better than anyone, but it is important to know what to look for if you suspect he or she may be abusing medicine.

1. Health concerns. Keep an eye out for changes in your teen’s physical health, like constricted pupils, nausea or vomiting, flushed skin or dizziness. Look further into anything that seems strange.
    
2. Changes in behavior. The signs of medicine abuse aren’t always physical. Look for changes in behavior – like sudden changes in relationships with their family or friends, anxiety, erratic mood swings or decreased motivation. It’s no secret that teens can be moody, but be on the lookout for drastic differences in the way your child behaves.
    
3.  Home-related signs. If you’ve noticed belongings  disappearing around the house, or found some unusual objects appearing – like straws, burnt spoons, aluminum foil or medicine bottles – this could be a sign of medicine abuse. Count – and lock up – the medicine you have in your home and safely dispose of any expired medicine.
    
4. Trouble in school. Take note of how your teen is doing in school, including any change in homework habits and grades. A rapid drop in grades, loss of interest in schoolwork and complaints from teachers could be indicators that there’s a problem.
    
5. Things just seem off. You know your child better than anyone and you know when something’s not right. Trust your gut, and talk to your teen about your concerns. 

With one in four kids reporting abuse of prescription drugs in their lifetime, it’s important to take action right away if you do suspect medicine abuse. Don’t be afraid to talk – and listen – to your teen, work through things together and get help if necessary.

 

Vaporizers Gain Popularity Among Marijuana Smokers

By Join Together Staff | March 18, 2014 | 1 Comment | Filed in Drugs

A growing number of marijuana smokers are choosing to use vaporizers, which are similar to e-cigarettes, according to USA Today. The popularity of the devices is changing the way marijuana is packaged and sold in states where it is legal.

The vaporizers, known as “vape pens,” are compact and portable. Steve DeAngelo, a marijuana entrepreneur and activist who founded the Harborside Health Center medical marijuana dispensary in Oakland, California, says his dispensary does about half of its business in raw marijuana leaf or flowers. The rest are sold as edibles or concentrates, some of which are prepackaged for use in vape pens. “The percentage of raw (pot) flowers we sell has been dropping steadily,” he said. “The percent of extracts and concentrates … has been rising steadily.” Some vape pens use concentrated marijuana extractions, while others use marijuana leaves and flowers.

“This really portends the next generation of marijuana use,” John Lovell, a Sacramento attorney and lobbyist for the California Narcotics Officers’ Association and California Police Chiefs Association, told the newspaper. His group is concerned about the high-strength concentrates used in vape pens. Concentrates can be composed of as much as 80 percent or 90 percent THC, the psychoactive ingredient in marijuana.

Others are concerned that vape pens allow teens to smoke marijuana without being detected, because the pens leave no odor.

OxyContin Manufacturer Tests Tamper-Resistant Form of Hydrocodone

By Join Together Staff | March 18, 2014 | Leave a comment | Filed in Prescription Drugs & Prevention


The maker of OxyContin announced promising results from a study of a tamper-resistant form of hydrocodone, The Washington Post reports. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has been criticized for approving Zohydro ER (extended release), a pure form of hydrocodone that is not tamper-resistant.

Purdue Pharma, which manufactures OxyContin, said it will soon seek FDA approval for its version of an extended-release form of hydrocodone. The company says its version is difficult for a person to crush, in order to inject or snort the drug. In 2010, the company reformulated OxyContin to make it harder to crush or dissolve.

The new study showed a majority of patients with chronic low back pain treated once daily with the hydrocodone drug experienced at least a 30 percent improvement in pain intensity, compared with a placebo. Almost half achieved a 50 percent improvement.

“This is another step forward in our efforts to develop therapeutic options for use by chronic pain patients that are designed to be unattractive to drug seekers,” Gary L. Stiles, the company’s Senior Vice President of Research and Development, said in a statement.

Last week, West Virginia Senator Joe Manchin called on Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius to overrule the FDA decision to approve Zohydro ER. Late last year, Manchin and three other senators wrote to the FDA, saying they disagreed with the agency’s decision to approve the drug. In October, the FDA approved Zohydro for patients with pain that requires daily, around-the-clock, long-term treatment that cannot be treated with other drugs. Drugs such as Vicodin contain a combination of hydrocodone and other painkillers such as acetaminophen.

In December, the attorneys general from 28 states asked the FDA to reassess its decision to approve Zohydro.