“Love Hormone” Oxytocin May Block Alcohol Withdrawal Symptoms

By Join Together Staff | October 19, 2012 | 1 Comment | Filed in Alcohol,Research & Treatment


The hormone oxytoxin, known as the “love hormone” because of its role in social bonding, may help block symptoms of alcohol withdrawal, a new small study suggests.

Previous studies conducted in rodents have shown the hormone can block alcohol and heroin withdrawal symptoms, Time reports. If given before someone becomes addicted, oxytocin might prevent the development of tolerance and dependence, according to the magazine.

The new study, published in Alcoholism: Clinical & Experimental Research, included 11 people whose alcoholism produced withdrawal symptoms that were not severe enough to cause potentially life-threatening seizures.

During detox, people with alcoholism generally are given benzodiazepines, such as Valium (diazepam) or Ativan (lorazepam), to relieve withdrawal symptoms, including seizures. People who do not suffer seizures are given the drugs as needed, so the amount of benzodiazepines they take can be used as a measure of how severe their withdrawal is.

The study found participants given oxytocin through a nasal spray needed almost five times less lorazepam, compared with those given a placebo medication. They also experienced less anxiety. Oxytocin itself is not addictive, the article notes.

The researchers say their study is the first evidence that oxytocin may block alcohol withdrawal symptoms in humans. They add the results should be considered very preliminary, because the study was so small.

NEXT G.R.A.S.P. (Grief Recovery after a substance passing) GROUP SUPPORT IN BUCKS COUNTY

NEXT G.R.A.S.P. (Grief Recovery after a substance passing) GROUP SUPPORT
meeting:

Thursday, OCTOBER 4, 2012.
Meetings: First (1) and Third (3) THURSDAY of each month

Location: Southern Bucks Community Center @ Pro Act facility 1286 Veterans Highway Bristol Pa 19007
Time: 7:OO - 8:30 pm
Dave Chairperson: Newcomers- Open Forum

Contact: Barbara Hentosh (C) 215-264-6768 H) 215-428-1637
Pro-Act 215-788-3738 dial 0 INFORMATION
e-mail: graspbuckscounty@gmail.com
FYI: Please forward to anyone who may have lost a loved one to USE, MISUSE OR ABUSE of addiction.

HOPE FOR ADDICTION IN BUCKS COUNTY RECOVERY EVENT

COACH BINGO!!

Mark your calendars for Coach Bingo to be held Friday, November 2, 2012. Doors open 6:00pm Bingo begins at 7:00pm. Tickets $30.00 (Proceeds benefit the Hope for Addiction Foundation and St. Joseph's the Worker)

Admission fee includes 1 game packet for entire night (15 games)

Additional cards and 50/50’s will be available for purchase throughout the evening. Desserts, coffee and tea provided. BYOB permitted. Additional refreshments available for purchase.

Tickets are available at St. Joseph the Worker Rectory or call 215-547-5456

DEA Focuses on Drug Distributors in Fight Against Painkiller Abuse

By Join Together Staff | October 18, 2012 | Leave a comment | Filed inGovernment, Legal, Prescription Drugs & Prevention


The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) is focusing on drug distributors in an effort to fight prescription painkiller abuse, The New York Times reports. In the past, the agency has tried tactics including arresting doctors and closing pharmacies.

Drug distributors are now trying to limit their liability by monitoring their distribution pipeline more closely, and refusing to supply some pharmacy customers.

Earlier this year, the DEA charged drug distributor Cardinal Healthand four pharmacies with violating their licenses to sell controlled drugs. The DEA said Cardinal had an unusually high number of shipments of controlled painkillers to four pharmacies. The agency suspended Cardinal’s controlled substance license at its distribution center in Lakeland, Florida. The center serves 2,500 pharmacies in Florida, Georgia and South Carolina.

Cardinal no longer does business with a dozen pharmacies in at least four states, the article notes. Some of the drugstores unsuccessfully sued the company to resume shipments. Cardinal’s Chairman and Chief Executive, George S. Barrett, said the company has strengthened the criteria it uses in deciding whether to sell painkillers to a pharmacy. “We had a strong antidiversion system in place, but no system is perfect,” he told the newspaper. Cardinal has created a committee that evaluates pharmacies that order large amounts of narcotic drugs.

In August, Amerisource Bergen, the third-largest drug distributor in the United States, received subpoenas from the DEA and federal prosecutors seeking information on how the company monitors for possible diversions of opioids and other drugs with high potential for abuse.

Recovery Connections Reaching The World

You were part of something incredible this month, Joseph. More than 4,000 people pledged to do their part to end medicine abuse over the last month. Even more people had their eyes opened to this serious issue through our live events and online chats. In short, you helped us spark a movement to tackle one of the worst public health problems in America today. Don't waste this opportunity. We need to spread this campaign to the rest of your neighborhood. Download the Parents360 Rx Action Toolkit, part of our acclaimed PACT360 drug awareness program, and bring our movement to your community. Ever since we began PACT360, it's changed towns and cities nationwide. It's an integrated series of programs that bring together parents, police, community leaders and everyday citizens. The Rx Action Toolkit is one of PACT360's most successful features. The Toolkit is free, and it features everything you need to turn your concern into action. You can use it to make a short, effective presentation at your school, workplace, faith group or almost anywhere else. You've already shown how much you're willing to help. So be a leader -- you'll save lives, and we'll be here to help you do it. Get the Parents360 Rx Action Toolkit right now: http://my.drugfree.org/parents360-rx-action-toolkit Thank you for helping make The Medicine Abuse Project such a success. Best, Steve Pasierb President & CEO The Partnership at Drugfree.org

While Illicit Drug Use Decreases in Cities, Prescription Drug Abuse Climbs

By Join Together Staff | October 16, 2012 | Leave a comment | Filed inCommunity Related, Drugs & Prescription Drugs


While illicit drug use has decreased in most large American cities, prescription drug abuse has climbed, according to a new study.

The study evaluated emergency room visits related to drug abuse in 11 major metropolitan areas, and some smaller urban areas, from 2007 to 2009. The researchers found illicit drug use accounted for more emergency department visits than prescription drug abuse in 2007 (26 percent vs. 20 percent), for all metropolitan areas except Phoenix.

From 2007 to 2009, emergency departments reported an 8 percent drop in visits for illicit drug abuse, while visits for prescription drug abuse rose 2 percent, HealthDay reports. In 2009, illicit drug use accounted for 28 percent of ER visits, while prescription drug abuse accounted for 22 percent.

The findings were presented this week at the annual meeting of the American Society of Anesthesiologists.

“The harsh reality is prescription drug abuse has become a growing problem in our society,” study author Dr. Asokumar Buvanendran of Rush University Medical Center in Chicago, said in a news release. “We hope the results of this study will aid physicians in effectively treating patients who struggle with prescription drug abuse, as well as encourage widespread patient education about the safe use, storage and disposal of medications.”