Drug Used to Prevent Spasms May Help Prevent Cocaine Relapse
 

By Join Together Staff | April 2, 2014 | Leave a comment | Filed in Drugs, Research & Treatment

The drug baclofen, used to prevent spasms in patients with spinal cord injuries and neurological disorders, may be able to help prevent relapses in people treated for cocaine addiction, a new study suggests.

Baclofen can help block the impact of the brain’s response to “unconscious” drug triggers, even before a person begins craving cocaine, according to the researchers from the University of Pennsylvania. This mechanism has the potential to prevent a relapse of cocaine addiction, MedicalXpress reports.

The findings will be published in the Journal of Neuroscience.

“The study was inspired by patients who had experienced moments of ‘volcanic craving,’ being suddenly overcome by the extreme desire for cocaine, but without a trigger that they could put their finger on,” researcher Anna Rose Childress, PhD said in a news release.

The study included 23 cocaine-dependent men, who had used cocaine on at least eight of 30 days before screening. They stayed for up to 10 days in a supervised inpatient drug treatment facility. Twelve men received baclofen, and 11 received a placebo. They were shown images, including pictures of cocaine, for very brief periods while their brains were scanned. They were also shown pictures of non-drug objects and scenes for longer periods. The subjects were aware of seeing the non-drug pictures, but not the “ultra-brief” pictures of cocaine.

The cocaine pictures were shown so quickly that the brain could not consciously process them, but the scan could still measure the earliest, subconscious effects of the pictures on the brain, the researchers said.

Participants who were treated with baclofen showed a significantly lower response in the reward and motivational circuits of the brain when they were shown the cocaine pictures versus the non-cocaine pictures, compared with participants in the placebo-treated group.

APRIL 2 v 11 TWELVE STEPPING WITH POWER IN THE PROVERB
 

Wise choices will watch over you.
Understanding will keep you safe.



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





Steps one through twelve are wise choices . Step ten is good for producing understanding , humility , accountability , and most important responsibility for your actions. This step will also produce forgiveness which in turn brings peace to your life and your relationships and God knows we need that . Work the steps and receive the promises offered in the Proverbs. My poor choices kept me afraid , restless , depressed , anxious and addicted in fear of danger all the time .Wise choices lead me to God , Steps , forgiveness , joy and peace and I am no longer afraid of my future .





Matthew 6:14-15
If you forgive those who sin against you, your heavenly Father will forgive you. But if you refuse to forgive others, your Father will not forgive your sins.
by Joseph Dickerson 

      Like us on Facebook                        www.RecoveryWalks.org                       Follow us on Twitter

Saturday, September 20, 2014  Penn's Landing, Philadelphia Click here to see the video from last year

PLEASE HELP US TO RAISE FUNDS FOR  PRO-ACT RECOVERY WALKS! 2014    Whether you're an individual, a team captain, a team member, or just "thinking about it," there is something you can do NOW to begin raising funds. We need your help not only to defray the expenses of the Walk but, importantly, so that PRO-ACT can continue to serve the recovery community with our advocacy efforts and services designed to help people access and sustain long-term recovery. A contribution to PRO-ACT Recovery Walks! is a good investment! We will use more than 80 cents of every dollar you raise or donate to: Eradicate discriminating public policies Increase awareness of the benefits of recovery Honor providers of a wide range of treatment and recovery services Provide hope to those still suffering with substance use disorders Mobilize the recovery community to work toward increased funding for research, quality treatment and recovery support services Honor those who haven't survived this chronic disorder

We're Offering Two Prizes for Team Captains The First Prize will be awarded to the Team Captain whose team raises the most in donations. They will earn: The honor of throwing out the first pitch at the 2015 National Recovery Month Baseball Game! A pre-game tour of Citizens Park for four (4) people Four (4) complimentary field-level seats Their picture on Phanavision An electronic disc showing them throwing the first pitch in September 2015  Deadline for the winning team donations total is the day of Recovery Walks 2014, September 20. The winning total will include all donations made up to and including the day of the Walk. The names of the winning team captain and team will be announced from the stage on September 20. Congratulations to last year's winner, Christina Reice, on the left, who is very excited that she'll be throwing out the first pitch at the Phillies vs. Miami Marlins game on September 12 (we'll be selling tickets shortly). Her team, The 12-Step Fighters, on the right, worked very hard to push their total ahead of every other team so that Christina could win. The Second Prize of a $100 Gift Card will go to the Team Captain of the largest registered team on September 20.

RAISING FUNDS Your first step could be to write out a list of everyone you know: family, friends, neighbors, co-workers, classmates, book club members, community officials, teachers, etc. Each contact you have during any day can be an opportunity for you to talk about the Recovery Walk--you'll find that many of them have been touched in some way by substance use disorders.  Whether you ask in person or by phone, email or letter, the sooner you ask the easier your fundraising process will be. You could even make copies of the Recovery Walk flyer (click here) and add a personal note to it. It's very important to describe the purpose of the Walk, how the funds will be used, and not make an assumption that someone can't or won't donate.  Remember to tell everyone that their donations are tax deductible! Persevere--do you know that the average person needs to be asked SIX times before they make a donation? Many people from past annual walks have been touched by the support they received when they shared their story. Let people know that it's not only OK to talk about substance use and recovery, but by breaking the silence we can reduce the stigma surrounding addiction and recovery so those who struggle will find the strength they need to seek help. Recovery is real. Over the years, we have learned creative ways to supplement your donation gathering. Be sure to look through the Team Captain's Walk Kit for plenty of ideas and other useful information (click here to access it and copy as you wish). What To Do With Collected Donations As September 20 (the day of the Walk!) approaches, and you have gathered all the donations you can, there are a few ways for you to turn in your collection to PRO-ACT: If you are a team member, turn them in to your Team Captain. If you are a Team Captain or an individual: You can turn them in at any of The Council's locations (click here) You could convert them into a check or money order, payable to The Council of Southeast PA, and mail it to The Council of Southeast Pennsylvania, Inc., 252 West Swamp Road, Unit 12, Doylestown, PA 18901. If you wish, you can turn in your collection through making a donation and charging the amount you owe to your credit card (and keeping the cash) here  Bring the donations to the Recovery Walk in Penn's Landing on September 20 and turn them in at the Donations Booth.

REGISTER to walk, form a TEAM,  SPONSOR the event, make a DONATION, join the HONOR GUARD, or volunteer to help by clicking HERE

Zohydro Sales Banned in Massachusetts
 

By Join Together Staff | April 1, 2014 | 1 Comment | Filed in Community Related, Government, Legal, Legislation & Prescription Drugs


The pure hydrocodone drug Zohydro ER (extended release) will be banned in Massachusetts, Governor Deval Patrick has announced. He cited a public health emergency stemming from opioid abuse, Reuters reports.

“The introduction of this new painkiller into the market poses a significant risk to individuals already addicted to opiates and to the public at large,” Governor Patrick said in a news release.

Zohydro is designed to be released over time, and can be crushed and snorted by people seeking a strong, quick high. It was approved for patients with pain that requires daily, around-the-clock, long-term treatment that cannot be treated with other drugs. Other hydrocodone drugs on the market, such as Vicodin, also contain acetaminophen.

In a statement, Zogenix said, “We believe Governor Patrick’s ban on Zohydro ER only serves to unfairly restrict patient access to the only hydrocodone pain reliever available for long-term, daily, severe chronic pain patients who are obtaining relief with short-acting hydrocodone combination products, but who are at risk for potentially fatal liver toxicity due to their daily intake of acetaminophen. Ultimately, the ban on the prescription medication will add to patient suffering in the state.”

In December 2012, a panel of experts assembled by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) voted against recommending approval of Zohydro ER. The panel cited concerns over the potential for addiction. In the 11-2 vote against approval, the panel said that while Zogenix had met narrow targets for safety and efficacy, the painkiller could be used by people addicted to other opioids, including oxycodone.

Last week, Zohydro’s manufacturer, Zogenix, announced it will assemble an oversight board designed to spot misuse of the drug.

The FDA’s decision to approve Zohydro has been criticized by some legislators and public health groups. FDA Commissioner Margaret Hamburg has received letters protesting the decision from 28 state attorneys general and four senators, among others. Law enforcement agencies and addiction experts predict approval of the drug will lead to an increase in overdose deaths.

More States Soften Approach to Low-Level Drug Use
 

By Join Together Staff | April 1, 2014 | Leave a comment | Filed in Community Related, Drugs, Legal & Legislation

A growing number of states are changing their approach to low-level drug users, emphasizing treatment instead of incarceration, according to The Washington Post. The change is a result of both reduced budgets and shifting views on drug use.

One-third of states have Good Samaritan laws, designed to prevent drug overdose deaths. The laws grant limited immunity to people who seek help for someone who has overdosed. In addition, 17 states have expanded access to the overdose antidote naloxone. The treatment, sold under the brand name Narcan, has been used for many years by paramedics and doctors in emergency rooms. It is administered by nasal spray. The medication blocks the ability of heroin or opioid painkillers to attach to brain cells. The U.S. Office of National Drug Control Policy says it is encouraging police departments to carry Narcan.

At least 30 states have modified penalties for drug crimes since 2009. Many of these states have repealed or reduced mandatory minimum sentences for lower-level drug offenses, the article notes.

“States in particular are starting to make much bigger distinctions between personal use and commercial activity,’’ said Adam Gelb, Director of the Pew Charitable Trust’s Public Safety Performance Project. He noted some states have recently increased penalties for large-scale drug sales, while reducing them for drug possession.

The federal government is also changing its approach to low-level drug crimes. Earlier this month, U.S. Attorney General Eric 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, the article notes. Currently, half of the 215,000 inmates in the federal prison system are serving time for drug crimes.

APRIL 1 v 32 v 33 TWELVE STEPPING WITH POWER IN PROVERB




For simpletons turn away from me—to death.
Fools are destroyed by their own complacency.
But all who listen to me will live in peace,
untroubled by fear of harm.”



STEP 2 - Came to believe that a Power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity.



Choose death or peace ! It is that simple and it comes down to a choice. For a long time I ran the streets and I ran hard acting a fool choosing the choice of premature death you might as well say I was living death , my life was worthless and meant nothing to every one around me I caused pain and sorrow . Step two is the way but you must cry out to the one and only GOD . He is the creator of you , heaven and earth . The Proverb is His simple instruction the step is the key . Peace is what I have because I choose the one and only true GOD creator of heaven earth . I live or at least try to live the way He tells me to live. Today what do you choose His way PEACE or your way DEATH



Exodus 19 v 5 Now therefore, if you will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then you shall be a peculiar treasure to me above all people: for all the earth is mine: