Ways of Destroying Drug Evidence Vary Across the Country

/BY JOIN TOGETHER STAFF

May 28th, 2014/

Methods for destroying drug evidence vary across the country, according to The Wall Street Journal. Law enforcement officials use facilities including hospital incinerators, foundries and crematories.

There are no uniform rules for burning evidence. Some local governments allow more flexibility than others, the article notes. Waste incinerators that burn pharmaceuticals are covered by federal standards, but those used only to burn illegal drugs are exempt. Many local governments have environmental and safety rules that can apply to destroying drug evidence.

In Ohio, troopers used to destroy thousands of pounds of seized drugs at factories, where they were vaporized in molten steel. That practice ended when companies became concerned the drugs could potentially affect the quality of their product and produce emissions. “If we’re throwing 940 pounds of marijuana into the vat, you know, it flares up,” said Captain David Dicken, of the State Highway Patrol’s Ohio crime laboratory. The agency switched to a paid contract with a company that handles hazardous materials.

Contractors destroy illegal drugs seized by U.S. Customs and Border Patrol, or turn them over to other agencies, such as the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), which destroys marijuana at incinerators approved by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The DEA burns other illegal drugs at its labs.

Because of strict environmental regulations in California, law enforcement is supposed to burn illegal drugs at EPA-approved energy plant incinerators. In the Detroit area, state police use a metal forging plant’s furnace. In Pennsylvania, state police burn their own evidence, while in New York, police use an outside contractor. Some authorities in West Virginia use fire pits.

MAY 28 v 24 TWELVE STEPPING WITH POWER IN THE PROVERB

Anyone who steals from his father and mother

and says, “What’s wrong with that?”

is no better than a murderer.

STEP 8 - Made a list of all persons we had harmed, and became willing to make amends to them all.

First of all asking mom and dad once a day to float you a loan with no intention of paying it back is not a loan it is stealing . As our parents get older they lose their ability too work . This is especially true with Grandparents ! Moms and Dads who exercise tough love and throw your lazy butts out of the house ,does not mean I am moving in with Mom Mom and pop Pop so you can continue getting high . Your parents and Grand parents are the only people on this planet who truly give a crap about you ,but even they can get to the point of no more of your addictive behaviors . Parents and Grand Parents ,cut em off ! Step eight was an opportunity for me to make it right with Mom and Dad , I could never pay back all the money I have taken , but I can be their for them . They are both in their eighties now and I must be there for them ,not because I owe it to them but because they never gave up on me and I am the luckiest guy in the world too still have them here and I can make it up to them. For those of you unlucky enough not too have them here can still give back by volunteering at a nursing home . There are many Moms and Dads who are dropped off and forgotten about 

Deutoronomy 21-18;21

“If a man has a stubborn and rebellious son who will not obey the voice of his father or the voice of his mother, and, though they discipline him, will not listen to them, then his father and his mother shall take hold of him and bring him out to the elders of his city at the gate of the place where he lives, and they shall say to the elders of his city, ‘This our son is stubborn and rebellious; he will not obey our voice; he is a glutton and a drunkard.’ Then all the men of the city shall stone him to death with stones. So you shall purge the evil from your midst, and all Israel shall hear, and fear.

By Joseph Dickerson

    

Football Players Would Face Suspension for First DUI Offense Under New Policy

/BY JOIN TOGETHER STAFF

May 27th, 2014/

Under a new policy of the National Football League (NFL), players would face a one-game suspension and a fine of one game check after their first DUI offense, CBS Sports reports. Currently, players face a fine of two game checks, but no suspension for a first offense.

Players would receive the suspension and fine if they were deemed legally responsible for their DUI offense, the article notes. The National Football League Players Association (NFLPA) also backs the new policy, according to CBS Sports.

The policy would only be implemented as part of an agreement that included testing for human growth hormone (HGH). There is disagreement about who would handle player appeals of HGH testing.

New York Senator Requests $100 Million in Federal Funding to Curb Heroin Trade

/BY JOIN TOGETHER STAFF

May 27th, 2014/

U.S. Senator Chuck Schumer of New York is asking the federal government to allocate $100 million to curb the heroin trade in his state. Seizures of heroin in New York this year have already surpassed those of any previous year since 1991.

Schumer wants the money to be given to the federal High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas program, according to the New York Daily News. The program will help law enforcement authorities in New York and New Jersey better assess the region’s heroin trafficking patterns, he said. Schumer also hopes the funds will help local and federal agencies to share information.

“Now everyone saw what happened with the crack epidemic. Our society ignored it for too long. It’s got its tentacles deeply into our young people, and took a decade to get rid of it,” Schumer said. “We cannot wait that long for heroin. We cannot wait till the heroin problem becomes an epidemic.”

The funds would be part of an upcoming Senate Appropriations bill, Newsday reports. Schumer said the money will help fight against Mexican and South American drug cartels, which are supplying heroin to the New York area. The Office of the Special Narcotics Prosecutor in New York City seized 288 pounds of heroin in the first four months of 2014. “For a while we thought the heroin scourge had ended, but it’s back and it’s stronger than ever,” he said.

New York City has become a hub for the heroin market along the East Coast, according to law enforcement officials. It is sold in New York to users all along the East Coast, in glassine envelopes costing between $6 and $10. About one-third of heroin seized by the Drug Enforcement Administration nationwide since October was found in New York State. In previous years, New York heroin seizures have accounted for about one-fifth of the total.

While Many Doctors Voice Zohydro Concerns, Some Say it Has Benefits

/BY JOIN TOGETHER STAFF

May 27th, 2014/

While many addiction medicine experts say they are concerned the new long-acting painkiller Zohydro will worsen the prescription drug abuse epidemic, some doctors say the drug has benefits, The Wall Street Journal reports.

Only about 1,000 doctors have prescribed Zohydro so far, according to the newspaper.

Doctors who have started prescribing Zohydro say it provides long hours of pain relief and a steadier level of medication in the bloodstream, compared with short-acting painkillers. The drug is a pure form of the painkiller hydrocodone. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved Zohydro ER (extended release) in October 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. Zohydro ER became available in March.

In December 2012, a panel of experts assembled by the FDA voted against recommending approval of Zohydro ER. The panel cited concerns over the potential for addiction. Zohydro is designed to be released over time, and can be crushed and snorted by people seeking a strong, quick high. The opioid drug OxyContin has been reformulated to make it harder to crush or dissolve, but Zohydro does not include similar tamper-resistant features.

Some doctors say that while short-acting painkillers can be helpful for acute pain from procedures such as dental extractions, they have drawbacks. They may wear off after three or four hours, even though they are often prescribed to be taken every four to six hours. Some patients may become over-sedated after they take a short-acting painkiller, but are undertreated for pain as it wears off.

Patients taking short-acting hydrocodone products and additional acetaminophen may end up with liver damage from excess acetaminophen, the article notes.

The Council of Southeast Pennsylvania, Inc.                                                   and           Pennsylvania Recovery Organization --      Achieving Community Together (PRO-ACT)  Recovery in Our Communities May 27, 2014      Like us on Facebook                                   www.councilsepa.org                       Follow us on Twitter Information and Recovery Support Line 24/7: 800-221-6333     When one door closes, another opens, but often we look so long at the closed door that we do not see the one that has been opened for us.    Helen Keller RAYS OF HOPE   VOLUNTEER PROFILE Janie M: "Every Cloud Has A Silver Lining" Janie is a woman in recovery who seeks a spiritual path. She came to volunteer at PRO-ACT in April 2013 and has stayed ever since. Initially, Janie came to volunteer in order to stay at a recovery house. Gradually, Janie adopted PRO-ACT as family.  She has expanded her volunteer commitment by designing a discussion group entitled, "Every Cloud Has A Silver Lining." Her group promotes positive thinking, optimism, and hope. Most days you will find Janie as a welcoming face at the front desk of our Southern Bucks Recovery Community Center in Bristol.   Read Janie's Reflections on Positivity and Gratitude.  IMPROVE ACCESS TO TREATMENT FOR VETS AND OTHERS Speak Up and Change The Culture The VA Health System's delays in treating chronic illnesses has been a problem for decades.  According to Veteran Nick McCormick of the Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America,  "There really seems to be a system-wide culture that accepts this substandard efficiency in terms of [delay in] care."  So why is Washington finally taking notice? Because it is alleged that Vets have died due to the delays in treatment, and people are speaking up.  Read more.  There is a strong similarity between delays in the VA Healthcare System and how our Nation treats the chronic disease of addiction.  Despite enactment of parity laws in 43 states including Pennsylvania, many individuals and families suffering from addiction cannot access the treatment they are entitled to by law and their health insurance policy.  This is because there are financial incentives to deny coverage, and enforcement of state parity laws is difficult due to stigma.  It is time to speak up for recovery and change a culture that accepts substandard care.  Those who suffer from the disease of addiction and their families deserve better.  To file a complaint for unfair denial of coverage under a health insurance policy, contact the PA Insurance Dept. at 877-881-6388, ext. 2 or file a complaint online by clicking here.  You can also read this article for some practical tips on how to advocate with your insurance provider.  THE COUNCIL'S INFORMATION/RECOVERY SUPPORT LINE     Problem with Addiction?   Call The Council For Information, Recovery Support or Interventions. The Council's free confidential service connects you to a live Alcohol and Other Drug Information Specialist 24/7.  The Council can answer your questions and direct you to reliable resources.  It is still up to you to advocate with your owninsurance provider.  However, The Council will help you understand the problem and navigate the system to access the care and support you need.  Whether you need information, recovery support or an intervention, call The Council.  To learn more call 800-221-6333 24/7, or read about this great free resource here.     Some Upcoming Events June 6, 2014:  Volunteer Orientation for Central Bucks RCC: 1-4pm  Contact Rick at 215-345-6644, x 3151 or email him at petrolawicz@councilsepa.org.  June 11, 2014: Hope, Help & Healing Fundraising Breakfast, Spring Mill Manor, Ivyland, PA 18974. For more information about our Campaign to raise community support for Prevention, Recovery Supports and Advocacy, visit our website Hope, Help and Healing Fundraising Breakfast  or contact Michael here. September 12, 2014: 7:05 pm. Recovery Night at the Baseball Game, Phillies vs. Marlins, Citizens Bank Park. Click here for tickets.  September 20, 2014: PRO-ACT Recovery Walks! 2014, Great Plaza, Penn's Landing, Philadelphia. Click here to register and get more information. Employment Opportunities: Please click here

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