Chicago Lawsuit Alleges Drug Companies Contributed to Prescription Drug Epidemic
/By Join Together Staff
June 4th, 2014/



A lawsuit filed by the city of Chicago against five drug companies alleges they contributed to the nation’s prescription drug abuse epidemic through deceptive marketing of their opioid painkillers, Reuters reports.

“For years, big pharma has deceived the public about the true risks and benefits of highly potent and highly addictive painkillers in order to expand their customer base and increase their bottom line,” Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel in a statement.

The lawsuit was filed Tuesday against Purdue Pharma, Cephalon, Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Endo Health Solutions and Actavis. The suit alleges the companies aggressively marketed opioid painkillers as rarely addictive, while misrepresenting the drugs’ benefits for treating common pains and concealing the risk of addiction, overdose and death.

Emanuel said the result has been a dramatic increase in opioid addiction and overdose in Chicago and other cities across the country. The city said it is not seeking to ban opioid painkillers, but wants to end the companies’ allegedly deceptive marketing practices so doctors and patients can make informed decisions.

According to the lawsuit, the companies violated Chicago city laws against consumer fraud, misleading advertising and submitting false claims to the city employee health insurance plan, the article notes. The city wants to recover the companies’ profits from the alleged illegal marketing, and is also seeking civil penalties and punitive damages.

Last month, two California counties sued the same five companies, accusing them of causing the country’s prescription drug abuse epidemic.

U.S. House Measure Would End Federal Interference in State Medical Marijuana Laws
/By Join Together Staff
June 4th, 2014/

A measure passed by the U.S. House of Representatives last week would end federal interference in state medical marijuana laws. Under the measure, the federal government could not spend funds to stop states from implementing their own medical marijuana laws, Reuters reports.

The amendment passed as part of a bipartisan funding bill. It now moves to the Senate for consideration, the article notes.

The amendment was offered by Representative Dana Rohrabacher of California, who called its passage “a victory for states’ rights, for the doctor-patient relationship, for compassion, for fiscal responsibility.”

In a news release issued last month, Rohrabacher said, “Patients and providers currently run the risk of having a federal SWAT Team-like police force raid their home or their place of business because of consumption of a plant. The militarization of the police force in order to prevent grandma from smoking an herb that will ease her pain during her last days on this earth is the type of thing that ought to make every conservative shudder.”

While medical marijuana is legal in 21 states, the drug is still outlawed by the federal government. The Obama Administration has indicated it is willing to allow looser enforcement, the article notes. It recently provided banks with federal guidelines for conducting banking transactions with legal marijuana sellers, enabling a legalized marijuana industry to operate in states that approve it.

JUNE 4 v 24 TWELVE STEPPING WITH POWER IN THE PROVERB
Put away from you a deceitful mouth,
And put perverse lips far from you.

STEP 7 - Humbly asked God to remove our shortcomings



The Proverb is asking a lot . It is a scary thing when you get so entrenched with life's issues
that you cannot even tell when your telling the truth or not . Getting sober and staying in your old self is worse than a blind man walking across a highway during rush hour . Sometimes we cant change these behaviors if we refuse to accept constructive criticism . We need to take our mistakes make change , grow , and mature . Step 7 is important because there are some behaviors that are so ingrained we would never be able to get rid of on our own. The best thing we can do in any situation especially when are buttons are being pushed is keep our mouths shut and walk away . Easier said then done but our sanity and sobriety are worth it .


James 3 v 6 The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole body, sets the whole course of one’s life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell.

By Joseph Dickerson

The Council of Southeast Pennsylvania, Inc.                                                   and           Pennsylvania Recovery Organization --      Achieving Community Together (PRO-ACT)
Recovery in Our Communities June 3, 2014      Like us on Facebook                                   www.councilsepa.org                       Follow us on Twitter Information and Recovery Support Line 24/7: 800-221-6333 Knowledge of what is possible is the beginning of hope. George Santayana RAYS OF HOPE  Volunteer Profile: Cindy Hilton on "MY MEANINGFUL LIFE" "I always felt as though I never fit in or was truly loved. I ran away at the age of 14 and continued running until the age of 48, always trying to escape myself. My life became a long, lonely road of self-destruction...On January 14, 2014, I ended up in yet another psychiatric facility. Broken, desperate, and suicidal, I still felt blessed for a moment of clarity: acceptance set in that I was the problem. I was graced with the willingness to change... The process of working on me had finally begun."  The Council and PRO-ACT are honored to present to you Ms. Cindy Hilton, June's Volunteer of the Month at the Southern Bucks Recovery Community Center in Bristol, PA. Read more of Cindy's Story. RECOVERY IS A PROCESS AT OUR CENTERS Bundle of Services Provided To Sustain Long-Term Recovery Long-term recovery involves much more than simply "not using." Many who struggle with substance use disorder also struggle with housing, education, employment, life skills, mental health issues and more. As explained in this recent SAMHSA Report, overcoming these challenges requires a bundle of supports and services.  The Council's Recovery Community Centers fulfill this role, offering a tremendous array of recovery support services. At our Centers, individuals and families can meet with Certified Recovery Specialists and PRO-ACT's Ambassadors for Recovery. There are also many workshops and support groups including Gateway To Work; Family Education; Recovery Toolkit; Morning Devotions; YOGA; Stress Management; Self-Esteem and more. To join a Center's mailing list, volunteer for PRO-ACT or learn details, contact a Recovery Center directly. CBRCC, Doylestown:  Rick at 215-345-6644, x 3151 or click here. SBRCC, Bristol:  Karen at 215-788-3738, x 100 or click here. PRCC, 1701 W. Lehigh Ave Philadelphia:  She-Ria at 215-223-7700 or click here.  PRTC, 444 N 3rd St., Philadelphia:  Kim at 215-923-1661 or click here HOPE, HELP AND HEALING FUNDRAISING BREAKFAST Support Prevention, Recovery Supports and Advocacy This fundraising event is to raise community awareness and support for our mission to reduce the impact of addiction. Proceeds will support countywide prevention projects for schools; recovery support services at our Recovery Community Centers; and advocacy for removal of barriers to long-term recovery.  Our "Hope, Help and Healing Fundraising Breakfast" is on June 11th from 8-9 am at Spring Mill Manor in Ivyland, PA. To learn more, please visit our website here. You may also make a donation online by clicking the "donate" button below.   For more information, attend an open house at our Southern Bucks Recovery Community Center in Bristol, PA, on Wednesday, June 4th, from 7-8 pm. Or contact Michael Harper, Assistant Director, at 215-345-6644 or click here. Some Upcoming Events "Meet The Council" Open Houses:  June 4th, 7-8 pm at SBRCC in Bristol or on June 18th, 8-9 am in Doylestown. Contact Michael Harper at 215-345-6644 or click here. Thursdays in June: 5-7 pm.  Recovery Enhancement Workshops on Anger Management, Self-Esteem and Decision Making. PRCC,  215-223-7700. June 17 and 25:  5:30-7:30 pm. Group Leadership Training. PRTC 215-923-1661 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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Donations help us to reduce the impact of addiction for more individuals and families. The Council is a 501(c)(3) organization.

Suboxone Diversion Concerns Some Experts
/By Join Together Staff
June 3rd, 2014/



Diversion of the opioid addiction treatment Suboxone concerns some experts, who say in some cases it may be a gateway drug to heroin or opioid use, The Christian Science Monitor reports.

Suboxone, which contains the drugs buprenorphine and naloxone, is being sold on the street along with heroin and prescription painkillers, according to the newspaper.

“The benefits of the appropriate medical use of Suboxone probably far outweigh the potential for abuse,” said Eric Wish, Director of the Center for Substance Abuse Research at the University of Maryland. “But those benefits will be jeopardized if we don’t take care of this abuse issue.”

In contrast to methadone, which is only dispensed at clinics, Suboxone can be prescribed by certain physicians for at-home use. The Food and Drug Administration has approved a generic version of Suboxone and a generic version of buprenorphine without naloxone.

Suboxone can be life-saving, by helping to prevent opioid overdoses, some experts note. After Maryland expanded access to buprenorphine, heroin overdose deaths dropped from 312 in 1999, to 118 in 2009.

Physicians who want to prescribe buprenorphine must get a waiver from the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, take an eight-hour training course, and prescribe the drug to no more than 100 patients at one time. Patients prescribed the drug must be given regular urine tests, and are supposed to attend counseling. Doctors must keep detailed records showing the patients are taking buprenorphine as directed.

Some patients sell some or all of their buprenorphine on the street. In some cases, they use the proceeds to buy heroin. While some people buy buprenorphine to medicate heroin withdrawal symptoms, others start with buprenorphine and move on to stronger opioids.

Nationwide police seizures of buprenorphine rose from 90 in 2003, to more than 10,500 in 2010. The number of emergency room visits related to the drug rose tenfold over five years, reaching more than 30,000 in 2010. More than half of the incidents involved nonmedical use of buprenorphine.

JUNE 3 v 1 v 2 TWELVE STEPPING WITH POWER IN THE PROVERB

My son, do not forget my law,

But let your heart keep my commands;

For length of days and long life

And peace they will add to you.

STEP 11 Sought through prayer and meditation to improve our conscious contact with God, as we understood Him, praying only for knowledge of His will for us and the power to carry that out. 

Get sober , follow God and find peace ! That is not a bad deal ! I lived for myself in addiction ,had nothing but shame sorrow pain guilt anger fear and the list goes on .This is your choice insanity or sanity ! Follow God read His book (Bible ) and work the steps.

Psalm 118:5

In my anguish I cried to the LORD, and he answered by setting me free

By Joseph Dickerson