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Friday, May 3, 2013
for malpractice and liability insurance for individuals and agencies.
Jon Bon Jovi to appear with Christie today at 'Good Samaritan' drug overdose bill signing
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on May 02, 2013 at 6:00 AM, updated May 02, 2013 at 10:39 AM
Jon
Bon Jovi, who appears in this photo with his wife Dorothea Hurley at
the White House Correspondents' Association after-party Sunday, will
accompany Gov. Chris Christie today when he signs a bill shielding from
prosecution people who report a drug overdose.
PATERSON — When Gov. Chris
Christie signs the Good Samaritan Overdose Prevention Act at a drug
treatment facility in Paterson today, Jersey rocker Jon Bon Jovi will be
at his side.
Bon Jovi has lived through the trauma of a child suffering a drug
overdose. Six months ago, authorities found 19-year-old Stephanie
Bongiovi unresponsive following a heroin overdose in her Hamilton
College dormitory in upstate New York. Police later arrested her on drug
possession charges.
The Sayreville-raised musician and philanthropist has spoken publicly
about the experience, telling Katie Couric on her talk show in March he
had no idea his daughter had a drug problem. "The problem is much more
prevalent than I know. I cannot get over how many people I've met that
said 'my son' or 'my daughter' … There is a lot of pressure on kids
these days," Bon Jovi said, according to published accounts of the
interview.
"She's doing great and I appreciate everyone's thoughts and prayers.
I'm just blessed she's healthy and whole, and we'll get through it," he
added.
Christie is signing a bill that allows people to call 911 to report
someone has overdosed on drugs, without the fear of getting themselves
arrested for drug possession.
Only six months ago he had vetoed the bill, saying it didn't focus
enough on prevention and deterrence. But a group of families whose loved
ones had died from drug overdoses pleaded with the governor and the
legislature to find a compromise. They had testified at committee
hearings that overdoses often occur in the presence of other drug users,
but medical assistance is summoned only half the time because
bystanders fear arrest.
On Monday, Christie and the legislature approved a new bill that
provides immunity to 911 callers under most circumstances. But they
combined it with another measure that makes naloxone, an FDA-approved
remedy for drug overdoses, available to spouses, parents or guardians
who could be taught to administer the drug in an emergency.
Christie and Bon Jovi are first expected to tour Turning Point’s
facility at the Barnert Medical Arts Complex this afternoon before the
bill signing, according to the governor's office.
Thursday, May 2, 2013
Contact Urban Outfitters to Stop Selling Products that Promote Prescription Drug Abuse
Urban Outfitters, the national retail store popular with teens, is currently selling pint glasses, flasks and shot glasses made
to look like prescription pill bottles. These products make light of
prescription drug misuse and abuse, a dangerous behavior that is
responsible for more deaths in the United States each year than heroin
and cocaine combined. Medicine abuse has increased 33 percent over the
past five years with one in four teens having misused or abused a
prescription drug in their lifetime. Combined with alcohol, the misuse
and abuse of prescription medications can be especially dangerous,
making the Urban Outfitter Rx pint and shot glasses and flasks even more
disturbing.
As
recent research from The Partnership at Drugfree.org shows, teens and
parents alike do not understand the health risks associated with the misuse and abuse of prescription drugs.
In fact, more than a quarter of teens mistakenly believe that misusing
and abusing prescription drugs is safer than using street drugs.
Tongue-in-cheek
products that normalize and promote prescription drug abuse only serve
to reinforce the misperception about the dangers associated with abusing
medicine and put more teens at risk.
Ask Urban Outfitters to remove these products from their stores and website immediately.
Feel free to use the information above to help make your point.
CONTACT INFO FOR Urban Outfitters:
Send an e-mail to:
Richard A. Hayne; CEO & Chairman
Write a letter:
Urban Outfitters, Inc.
5000 South Broad St
Philadelphia, PA 19112-1495
5000 South Broad St
Philadelphia, PA 19112-1495
Sign the Facebook Causes petition by clicking here.
When you take action, reply to this e-mail to let us know - and please forward this message to a friend or colleague.
Join us and make your voice heard!
The Partnership at Drugfree.org
Tuesday, April 30, 2013
Government Hasn’t Made Progress on Most Drug Control Goals: Report
The Government Accountability Office (GAO) found the
federal government has not made progress on most goals for reducing drug
use, which were outlined in the 2010 National Drug Control Strategy, UPI reports.
The strategy included seven goals, including reducing drug use among
12- to 17-year-olds by 15 percent. There has been no progress on this
goal, primarily because of an increase in teens’ use of marijuana, GAO
reported. Teens have decreased their use of other drugs, the report
noted.
The GAO noted programs designed to prevent and treat drug abuse are
spread over 15 federal agencies, some of which provide overlapping
services. “These programs could provide or fund one or more drug abuse
prevention or treatment service that at least one other program could
also provide or fund, either to similar population groups or to reach
similar program goals,” the report stated. “Such fragmentation and overlap may result in inefficient use of resources among programs providing similar services.”
Many prevention and treatment programs that GAO surveyed did not
report coordination efforts, according to the report. The office noted
40 percent of surveyed programs said there was no coordination with
other federal agencies on drug abuse prevention or treatment activities.
The Office of National Drug Control Policy has said it will work with
agencies administering federal programs that provide drug abuse
prevention and treatment activities to enhance coordination, according
to the article.
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Greetings,
Please see the attached PRO-ACT Philadelphia Recovery Community Center Calendar for May and flyers for upcoming events.
Please see below for programs that you may be interested in:
Recovery Enhancement Classes:
Recovery
Management often requires certain life skills necessary for becoming
successful and productive members of society. We have developed 10
recovery enhancement classes designed to help remind or
even teach the recovering person for the first time, how to develop and
use these skills while managing their recovery.
This series of
classes will run from 5/2/13 until 7/11/13. If a person completes all
ten classes by 7/11/13, the participants will receive a
certificate of completion and a graduation ceremony. Please note
that the certificate of completion and graduation ceremony is limited to
the Thursday evening classes only. Space is limited to the first twenty
people. Please call and register today.
If you have any questions or concerns, feel free to call us at 215-223-7700.
Now view the new film Trailer
CLICK HERE to view the Trailer
for this powerful film
Order tickets
HERE
or call Kristin at 215-345-6644 ext 3114
VIP Reception and film: $75
Film: $15 (at door if available $20)
Act now!
Don't wait until tickets are sold out!
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Friday, April 26, 2013
Thursday, April 25, 2013
Wednesday, April 24, 2013
Parents of Young Adults Addicted to Heroin Seek Greater Access to Health Records
The parents of two young adults who were addicted to heroin
are advocating for families to have greater access to their children’s
health records. They say parents’ input is needed because of the nature
of addiction, and young adults’ limited decision-making capabilities.
Maureen Fitzpatrick says current health care regulations prevented
her from helping her daughter, Erin, receive the treatment she needed.
Erin, 21, is undergoing treatment for heroin addiction, and is waiting
for a court date to face burglary charges, the Associated Press
reports. Erin refused long-term addiction treatment at the age of 16.
Her drug test results were not disclosed to her family, so they did not
know to seek addiction treatment for her.
Fitzpatrick wants to change federal legislation requiring a minor’s
written consent to disclose drug or alcohol treatment to parents. “It’s
been doors closed in our face,” she said. “And I really blame some of
these laws for not allowing me to get my daughter the care she needed.”
Gregg Wolfe’s son Justin died of a heroin overdose at the age of 21.
Gregg is calling for a change to the Health Insurance Portability and
Accountability Act, so that young adults’ mental health or addiction
treatment records can be shared with their parents while they remain on
the family’s health insurance. Wolfe says he did not know Justin was
using heroin until after he died. Justin had told his doctors and his
therapy group about his heroin use, but the information was not shared
with his father because Justin was a legal adult.
Margo Kaplan of Rutgers University, who specializes in health law,
said she is concerned about changing privacy laws, which are designed to
protect young patients from possible abuse. “It’s important to note
that weakening these protections will also affect minors with far less
supportive parents — minors who want to seek help, are getting
treatment, but only feel safe doing so if they can do it without their
parents being notified,” she said.
One-Fourth of Teens Have Misused or Abused Prescription Drugs at Least Once: Study
One-fourth of teens have misused or abused a prescription
drug at least once in their lifetime, a 33 percent increase over the
last five years, a new study finds. One in eight teens say they have
taken Ritalin or Adderall when it was not prescribed for them, according
to the study by The Partnership at Drugfree.org and the MetLife
Foundation.
The Partnership Attitude Tracking Study
(PATS) found parents and caregivers have lax attitudes and beliefs
about teen medicine abuse. Almost one-third of parents say they believe
prescription stimulants such as Ritalin or Adderall, used to treat
attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), can improve a teen’s
academic performance, even if the young person does not have ADHD.
Of teens who said they abused prescription medications, 20 percent
did so before age 14. One-third of teens say they believe “it’s okay to
use prescription drugs that were not prescribed to them to deal with an
injury, illness or physical pain.” The study found 27 percent
incorrectly believe that misusing and abusing prescription drugs is
safer than using street drugs.
“These data make it very clear: the problem is real, the threat
immediate and the situation is not poised to get better,” Steve Pasierb,
President and CEO of The Partnership at Drugfree.org, said in a news release.
“Parents fear drugs like cocaine or heroin and want to protect their
kids. But the truth is that when misused and abused, medicines –
especially stimulants and opioids – can be every bit as dangerous and
harmful as those illicit street drugs.”
Tracey and Jeff Gerl of Cypress Texas thought they had adequately
warned their son, Nick, about the dangers of drugs. Yet he started
smoking marijuana at age 12. He and his friends took prescription drugs
such as Ritalin, Xanax and codeine from their parents’ medicine
cabinets. His parents realized something was wrong when Nick was 14, and
sent him for substance abuse treatment, where he stayed for 7 ½ months.
He has been sober for a year. Tracey Gerl says she should have trusted
her intuition when she first thought Nick might be using drugs. She told
the Associated Press, “If it doesn’t seem right, it’s not. Don’t ever be naive to think it’s not my kid.”
The new study puts the spotlight on the issue of teen abuse of ADHD
medication, according to Alain Joffe, MD, MPH, Director, Student Health
and Wellness Center at Johns Hopkins University and Former Chairman,
American Academy of Pediatrics Committee on Substance Abuse. “We need to
make sure that children and adolescents receive a thorough assessment
before being placed on stimulant medications, and that if medication is
prescribed to a child, it should only be as one component of a
comprehensive ADHD management plan,” he said. “We don’t really know what
long-term effects these ADHD medications will have on the
still-developing brains of adolescents who do not have ADHD. We do know
they can have significant side effects, which is why they are limited to
use with a prescription.”
Teen abuse of prescription painkillers such as OxyContin and Vicodin
has remained stable since 2011. The study found 16 percent of teens
reported abusing or misusing any prescription pain relievers at least
once in their lifetime, and 10 percent said they did so in the past
year.
Parents are much more likely to talk to teens about marijuana or
alcohol than prescription drugs. Teens reported that during the last
conversation they had with their parents about substance abuse, only 16
percent said they discussed the misuse or abuse of prescription
painkillers, and 14 percent discussed any type of prescription drug. In
contrast, 81 percent said they have discussed marijuana and 80 percent
have discussed alcohol.
JUST RELEASED: 2012 Partnership Attitude Tracking Study
One in Four Teens has Misused or Abused an Rx Drug at Least Once in their Lifetime
One in Four Teens has Misused or Abused an Rx Drug at Least Once in their Lifetime
The
Partnership at Drugfree.org and MetLife Foundation released our 24th
annual survey on teen drug and alcohol abuse this morning.
This
year’s national study data on American teens confirms that one in four
teens has misused or abused a prescription (Rx) drug at least once in
their lifetime – a dramatic 33 percent increase over the past five
years. The new data from the Partnership Attitude Tracking Study (PATS)
also found a significant rise in misuse or abuse of prescription
stimulants, with one in eight teens (13 percent) now reporting that they
have misused or abused the Rx stimulants Ritalin or Adderall in their
lifetime.
Contributing
to this disturbing trend in teen medicine misuse and abuse are the lax
attitudes of parents and caregivers. They are missing key opportunities
to effectively communicate the dangers of Rx medicine misuse and abuse
to their kids, while not safeguarding and disposing of their medications
properly at home.
Steve Pasierb, President and CEO of The Partnership at Drugfree.org, added:
“This
new data is not about blaming parents. Rather, it’s an urgent call to
action for them to use their immense power to help curb this dangerous
behavior. It’s about missed opportunities to protect their kids by
having direct conversations with them about the health risks of misusing
and abusing medicines – and to then moving to safeguard the medicines
in their own home. Parental apathy on this issue is contributing to the
problem. Yet the same data show year in and year out that kids who learn
a lot about the risks of drug use at home are up to half as likely to
use as kids who don’t get that life-changing gift from their parents.”
Tuesday, April 23, 2013
Report Outlines Dangers of “Cinnamon Challenge”
Teens who take the “cinnamon challenge,” swallowing a
tablespoon of the spice in 60 seconds without drinking any liquid, can
end up with lung damage, according to a new report.
The cinnamon challenge became popular last year among teens, who made
more than 50,000 YouTube clips of themselves trying the stunt,
according to USA Today.
The immediate effects of the challenge include coughing, choking and
burning of the mouth, nose and throat. These effects usually are
temporary.
However someone who tries to swallow a large quantity of cinnamon may
develop long-lasting lesions, scarring and inflammation of the airway,
or lung damage, doctors from the University of Miami Miller School of
Medicine write in the journal Pediatrics.
Last year, the American Association of Poison Control Centers issued a warning
about the cinnamon challenge. In the first three months of 2012, poison
control centers received 139 calls about cinnamon. Of those cases, 122
were classified as intentional misuse or abuse. At least 30 people who
took the cinnamon challenge required medical attention, including
ventilator support for collapsed lungs.
Report author Steven Lipshultz said teens with asthma are particularly at risk from ingesting large amounts of dry cinnamon.
“Given the allure of social media, peer pressure and a trendy new fad, pediatricians and parents have a ‘challenge’ of their own in counseling tweens and teens regarding the sensibilities of the choices they make and the potential health risks of this dare,” Lipshultz wrote. “Parents should be reminded that their advice matters in countering peer pressure. Further, schools and pediatricians should be encouraged to discuss with children the ‘Cinnamon Challenge’ and its possible harmful effects.”
“Given the allure of social media, peer pressure and a trendy new fad, pediatricians and parents have a ‘challenge’ of their own in counseling tweens and teens regarding the sensibilities of the choices they make and the potential health risks of this dare,” Lipshultz wrote. “Parents should be reminded that their advice matters in countering peer pressure. Further, schools and pediatricians should be encouraged to discuss with children the ‘Cinnamon Challenge’ and its possible harmful effects.”
Researcher Uses Virtual Reality to Reduce Addiction Cravings
A Duke University researcher is studying whether virtual
reality can be used to reduce cravings in people who are addicted. The
goal is to help them develop coping strategies that they can use in the
real world, Popular Science reports.
A person using virtual reality for addiction treatment is hooked up
to a simulator, and enters a virtual environment with one of their
triggers, such as a crack pipe or bottle of alcohol. Someone in the
scene offers them their drug of choice. Researchers slowly add cues to
the virtual environment, or change the situation, based on the patient’s
history.
A voice tells the person to put down the joystick and look around the
room without speaking, to allow their craving to dissipate. The voice
asks them to rate their cravings periodically.
The research is spearheaded by Zach Rosenthal, who receives funding
from the National Institute on Drug Abuse and the Department of Defense.
He uses virtual reality to trigger a reaction, and then teaches
patients to cope with it. The method is called cue reactivity, which has
long been used for treating phobias.
Dr. Rosenthal believes virtual reality is more effective than showing
someone a real-life trigger, such as a lighter or empty bottle, in a
lab setting. His hope is that creating a virtual world that is similar
to the patients’ environment will help them transfer the lessons to the
real world.
Rosenthal has been using virtual reality to treat substance abuse in veterans.
The soldiers have post-traumatic stress syndrome. The program trains
veterans’ minds not to respond to cravings when they are faced with
temptations such as alcohol or drugs. Veterans participating in the
research receive cellphone calls several times daily that transmit a
tone to remind them about the steps they have learned to deal with their
cravings.
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