Excessive Alcohol Use Costs $223.5 Billion Annually, CDC Reports

By Join Together Staff | August 14, 2013 | Leave a comment | Filed in Alcohol

Excessive alcohol use costs the United States $223.5 billion annually, according to a new study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Binge drinking accounts for more than 70 percent of these costs.
“It is striking to see most of the costs of excessive drinking in states and D.C. are due to binge drinking, which is reported by about 18 percent of U.S. adults,” report author Dr. Robert Brewer, alcohol program lead at CDC, said in a statement.
CBS News reports the median state cost associated with excessive alcohol use was $2.9 billion; about $2 of every $5 was paid for by the government. Alcohol-related costs totaled almost $32 billion in California, compared with $420 million in North Dakota.
The authors concluded costs due to excessive drinking largely came from losses in workplace productivity, healthcare expenses and costs resulting from criminal justice expenses, motor vehicle crashes and property damage. The report found underage drinking accounted for $24.6 billion, or 11 percent, of the total excessive drinking costs.
The findings are published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine.
In 2012, the CDC released a report that found 38 million American adults are binge drinkers, and most of them are ages 18 to 34. Binge drinking is defined as men who have five or more drinks in one sitting, and women who have four or more drinks at one time.
The CDC recommends a number of strategies to reduce alcohol-related costs, including increasing alcohol taxes, limiting the number of alcohol retailers in certain areas and holding retailers liable for selling alcohol to obviously intoxicated people or minors who cause death or injury to others.

WISDOM FROM THE PSALMS

August 14

Psalms 103:12
As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us.
A woman asked God for forgiveness for a sin she had committed. He granted her pardon, but she had a tough time forgetting what she had done. She just couldn't let go of her guilt. In desperation she returned to God to ask His forgiveness once more. When she asked Him to remember what she had done, He said, "I can't remember what you're talking about. It never happened. Once sin is forgiven, it is dropped into the sea of forgetfulness, and it is no more. Go your way. No one condemns you; not even I."

It is not that God has a bad memory, but that His love is so complete and boundless that He will not retain the memory of something we ask to be forgiven for. He erases the sins from our slate, and we start fresh. As far as the east is from the west, that is how far God removes our sin from us.

Prayer: Though I don't deserve Your loving care and forgiveness, Lord, I conti nually thank You that You give it to me so freely. Help me to accept it graciously, and to know that You hold nothing against me once I ask Your pardon. Amen.

Own Your Own Copy of this Devotional <Crosswalk@crosswalkmail.com>

Drug Company Has List of MDs Who May Recklessly Prescribe Painkillers: Newspaper

By Join Together Staff | August 13, 2013 | Leave a comment | Filed in Healthcare, Marketing And Media, Prescription Drugs & Prevention

Purdue Pharma, which makes the opioid painkiller OxyContin, has compiled a database of about 1,800 doctors it suspects may have recklessly prescribed the drug to people addicted to it, as well as to drug dealers, the Los Angeles Times reports. The company has kept most of the list private.
The company has maintained the list over the last decade, according to the newspaper. It has only alerted law enforcement officials or medical authorities about a small percentage of doctors on the list. Many of the doctors in the database have continued to write prescriptions for the drug, the article notes.
The list was discussed for the first time in public at a drug dependency conference in San Diego in June.
Robin Abrams, a Purdue attorney, said the database was created so the company’s sales representatives would steer clear of the doctors on the list. She argued policing doctors is not the company’s responsibility. “We don’t have the ability to take the prescription pad out of their hand,” she told the newspaper.
The company has told law enforcement officials or medical regulators about 154, or 8 percent, of the doctors in the database, Abrams said. She noted the company would alert authorities in some situations, such as cases in which their sales representatives witness apparent drug deals in doctors’ parking lots, or observe doctors who appear to be under the influence of drugs or alcohol.
Mitchell Katz, Director of the Los Angeles County Department of Health Services, says the company is obligated to report all the doctors in the database. “There is an ethical obligation,” he said. “Any drug company that has information about physicians potentially engaged in illegal prescribing or prescribing that is endangering people’s lives has a responsibility to report it.”

Prosecutors Charging Drug Dealers in Heroin Overdose Deaths

By Join Together Staff | August 12, 2013 | 1 Comment | Filed in Drugs & Legal

A growing number of law enforcement officials around the country are prosecuting drug dealers for causing heroin overdose deaths, the Associated Press reports. Prosecutors are using laws that come with stiff penalties to target drug dealers and members of the drug supply chain, and connect them and the drugs they sell to deadly overdoses.
Many people who were addicted to prescription painkillers switched to heroin after drug companies made their products more difficult to crush and snort. Heroin is also much less expensive than pills such as oxycodone.
According to the 2011 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, the number of people who were past-year heroin users in 2011 (620,000) was higher than the number in 2007 (373,000).
“We’re going to be ruthless,” Prosecutor Joseph Coronato of Ocean County, New Jersey, told the AP. “We’re looking for long-term prison sentences.” He and other prosecutors in New Jersey are using the state’s “strict liability for drug death” statute. The law holds dealers and producers responsible for a user’s death, and comes with a 20-year maximum sentence.
Until recently, overdoses were treated by law enforcement officials as accidents, the article notes. Now, when law enforcement hears about an overdose, detectives are immediately dispatched to the scene. Paramedics are instructed to treat overdoses as crimes, and coroners are requested to order autopsies and preserve evidence. It can be difficult to prove a death was caused only by heroin if a person also used other opioids, drugs or alcohol.
Kerry Harvey, the U.S. Attorney for Eastern Kentucky, has started prosecuting people who sold prescription opioids and heroin, under a federal law banning the distribution of illegal substances. The law allows for additional penalties if a death occurs.
Officials are also using cellphones to track text messages and calls related to drug purchases.

Gaudenzia Gala, Hershey, PA

The 8th Annual Gaudenzia Gala will honor Pete Wambach, former Pennsylvania State Representative and advocate drug and alcohol legislatio.

Live and Silent Auctions, Presentation of the Community Champion Award 

Online Auction starting June 20

For more information, please contact Julie Girsch at 717-579-3636 or jgirsch@gaudenzia.org

Date(s):	November 2, 2013
Time(s):	6:00 p.m.
Location:	Hershey Lodge & Convention Center 325 University Drive Hershey, PA 17033

Philadelphia International Dragon Boat Race Festival

Support the Gaudenzia Gladiator Dragon Boat Team and Gaudenzia's Eastern Region programs at the Philadelphia International Dragon Boat Festival.

Our team consisting of 25 friends, alumni, and staff members will race against other teams throughout the day. A total of 140 teams are participating in the event.

We are spreading awareness of Gaudenzia and of drug and alcohol awareness, treatment, and prevention.

You can support the Gladiators by making a donation in support of Gaudenzia's drug & alcohol treatment services and/or visit our tent on race day to cheer us on!

Click here for ways to support your Gaudenzia Gladiators!

Team members are raising funds to support Gaudenzia's drug & alcohol treatment services.  Support the team as a whole with a general contribution or help a team member reach his/her goal!

Date(s):	October 5, 2013
Time(s):	8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Location:	Boathouse Row Philadelphia, PA Our tent is located along Kelly Drive, Philadelphia, PA past the Race Finish Line at Shuttle Bus Stop #5, Tent # 137 and 138

16th Annual Race for Recovery, Erie, PA

Celebrate National Drug/Alcohol Recovery Month with Gaudenzia Erie!
Food | Door Prizes | T-Shirts for Registered Participants

3rd and final race of the 2013 Triple Crown Series by Erie Runner's Club

Team Registration and Participation is Encouraged and Welcomed:
erieraceforrecovery.com or contact
Levii Collins - (814) 459-4775 ext. 27 | Suzie Ross - (814) 459-4775 ext. 16

Date(s):	September 29, 2013
Time(s):	9:00 am
Location:	Presque Isle State Park, Rotary Pavilion PA

Fresh Start 10th Anniversary, Wilmington, DE

Join us as we celebrate the accomplishments of Gaudenzia Fresh Start's 10 years of providing drug and alcohol addiction treatment services to Delaware. Recognition will be made to graduates, parents, staff, and community members who contributed to the success of Fresh Start.  Business casual attire please.

6:00 - Registration and Light Dinner
7:00 - Remarks
8:00 - Entertainment

Please click here to register

For questions or more information please contact: 302-738-0619 or freshstart@meetingsbydesign.net

Date(s):	September 28, 2013
Time(s):	6:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.
Location:	Barclays 125 South West Street Wilmington, DE 19801

Baltimore Recovery Day and Fun Fair

Baltimore Recovery Day and Fun Fair, hosted by Gaudenzia, the Park Heights Renaissance and NCADD Maryland, will celebrate National Recovery Month in Baltimore by breaking ground on Gaudenzia's newest addition to the continuum of care for pregnant and parenting women, the Park Heights Family Center.  Join greater Baltimore community for a block party and health fair with live entertainment from local performers. 

For more information, please contact Andrew Keimig, Chesapeake Region Community Affairs Manager, at 410-367-5501 ext. 8206 or akeimig@gaudenzia.org.

Date(s):	September 7, 2013
Time(s):	11:00 a.m - 3:00 p.m.
Location:	4600 Block of Park Heights Avenue Baltimore, MD 21215

Stephen Lloyd, MD,The Partnership at Drugfree.org

Dear Joseph 

I am a doctor, and I am in recovery from prescription medicine abuse.

Some might be surprised to hear that, but the truth is that my profession did not make me immune to the painkiller addiction that started the way many others do — I abused medicine hoping it would help me cope with stress. I had some leftover pain medication after a dental procedure, and I took it in an effort to relax. At first, I thought I had found the perfect solution for my anxiety issues. I felt better.

I started taking more and more prescription pain relievers to feed what became an addiction.

Before I knew it, I had a real problem. My biggest secret? When one of my favorite professors became terminally ill and chose me to be his doctor, I stole and abused his opiates. I had hit an all-time low.

I began isolating myself. I lost interest in the things I loved to do, like coaching my son and daughter in their sports. I lost interest in my life in general.

Eventually, my family intervened, and I checked into a treatment center.

I was skeptical about treatment, even though I was entering a center that specifically treated doctors. We hadn't learned anything about medicine addiction, abuse or treatment in medical school. I just didn't think there was anyone who could help me.

Once I got clean, I made it my mission to make sure every graduate of my medical school would have a basic understanding about addiction, addictive disease and prescribing narcotics. I now dedicate my life to this goal. Perhaps if I had learned more about the nature and treatment of this disease, I would have been able to avoid my own medicine addiction.

It's important to talk to your doctor about the dangers of misusing and abusing the medicine he or she prescribes to you or your children. If your doctor hasn't yet brought this up with you, it may be time to bring it up yourself.

My dream is that one day, all doctors will know more about addiction and play a role in preventing medicine abuse. You can help by starting the conversation.

Stephen Loyd, MD, FACP

Associate Professor of Internal Medicine, Quillen College of Medicine and East Tennessee State University

Forward this Email

Conquering Grounds Music Fest September 14, 2013

Buy Tickets Here To raise money for the CLPRM Scholarship Fund, Helping those struggling with Addiction
On the Campus of Christian Life Center, 3100 Galloway Rd., Bensalem, PA 19020
Bring a Lawn Chair or Blanket
Rain or Shine Event
12 noon to 7 pm

there is hope - dave pettigrew

Ethical Issues Surround Rise in Doctors’ Use of Urine Drug Testing to Prevent Abuse

By Join Together Staff | August 2, 2013 | Leave a comment | Filed in Healthcare, Prescription Drugs & Prevention

As a growing number of doctors use urine drug tests in an effort to detect prescription drug abuse in their patients, they face ethical questions about the tests, according to The New York Times.
These questions include how accurate the tests are, what doctors should do with the results, and whether doctors are benefitting financially from the tests. This year, sales at diagnostic testing labs that offer urine drug tests are expected to reach $2 billion.
Urine tests indicate many pain patients are not taking their prescribed painkillers, or are taking substances not prescribed to them by a doctor. If patients are not taking a prescribed medication, it could mean they simply stopped using it, or it could mean they are selling it.
Dr. Roger Chou, who helped develop urine-screening guidelines for the American Pain Society, says that while he believes the tests are valuable, he is concerned doctors may use the results as an excuse to drop patients, instead of sending them to addiction treatment or other pain management programs.
There are two basic types of urine drug tests. A patient taking a qualitative test leaves a urine sample in a cup that is imbedded with strips designed to detect drugs such as opioids, cocaine, amphetamines and barbiturates. These tests have both high false-positive and false-negative rates, meaning they often indicate a drug is present when it is not, or they fail to detect a drug that is present in a person’s urine. The tests detect methadone but not oxycodone, the article notes.
Qualitative tests are being used in states that have passed laws requiring welfare recipients to undergo drug screening.
A more sophisticated and expensive urine drug test used in pain patients is called quantitative analysis. A patient can beat the test by taking their prescription medicine for a day or two, and selling the rest.

West Virginia County Creates Database to Track Children at Risk of Drug-Related Abuse

By Join Together Staff | August 1, 2013 | Leave a comment | Filed in Community Related, Drugs & Legal

Law enforcement officers in one West Virginia county will start using a database this week to track children who may be at risk of drug-related abuse, according to the Associated Press.
Starting today, law enforcement officers in Putnam County can enter any drug-related cases in which a child’s safety could be compromised. The Drug Endangered Child Tracking System will allow officers to report cases in which they are suspicious of child endangerment, but do not have proof, such as when they find a pacifier or empty car seat in a vehicle that has been transformed into a mobile meth lab.
Until now, officers have had no formal way to share suspicions of child endangerment directly with child welfare workers in drug cases, the AP reports. “We just didn’t input the data to make a black-and-white document, and in law enforcement, if it’s not on paper, it didn’t happen,” said Putnam County Sheriff, Steve Deweese.
Child-welfare workers will be able to log into the system to search for cases. “Law enforcement does a great job of identifying kids — if they’re there. But sometimes, you may not know there are children involved,” Sara Whitney, an investigator in the Putnam County prosecutor’s office, told the AP. “A lot of these kids come and go from relatives or neighbors, and it may be that when law enforcement interacts with the parents, they are somewhere else.”
West Virginia State Police hope the tracking system eventually will be used throughout the state, the article notes.

TABLE OF CONTENTS - Ethics in Atlanta - Reason #1 I Love My NAADAC Membership - New Job Openings - ASAM Training - Free Magazine Article - NAADAC Webinars - Clinical Supervision Tool QUICK LINKS Contact Us Join NAADAC About NAADAC Membership Benefits State Affiliates Events Calendar Education Approved Providers Certification Advocacy Code of Ethics Annual Conference Online Store EVENTS [ webinar schedule ] [ on demand ] Emerging Drugs of Abuse: Herbal Incense, Bath Salts & Purple Drank  Wed, 8/14/2013  3 - 4:30pm EST (2 CST/1 MST/12 PST) [ More Information ] Understanding the Role of Peer Recovery Coaches in the Addiction Profession  Wed, 8/21/2013  12 - 1:30pm EST (11 CST/10 MST/9 PST) [ More Information ] Using Recovery-Oriented Principles in Addiction Counseling Practice  Thurs, 8/29/2013  12 - 2pm EST (11 CST/10 MST/9 PST) [ More Information ] SuperD: Tools for Success Training Join NAADAC and CDWS to learn more about SuperD, a new software service created to provide clinical supervision support electronically and efficiently. Product highlights: - Documentation venues and standard reports for all types of supervision - Be more productive with advanced sorting of group and individual supervision by type, date and time - Develop the supervisory requirements and framework for supervisors and supervisees - Easily attach supporting documents or outcome data to augment supervision sessions - Maintain supervision accountability and follow through with automated e-mails and alerts - Instant reports for clinical licensure requirements Eugene, OR - August 5, 2013 from 8am-4pm [ More Information ] Lynnwood, WA - August, 8, 2013 from 8am-4pm [ More Information ]  August 1, 2013 Understanding Ethics: It's More Than a Code NAADAC Annual Conference in Atlanta - October 11-15, 2013 The NAADAC Annual Conference, co-hosted by the Georgia Addiction Counselors Association and other partners, offers the education you need as professionals at the cutting-edge of prevention, treatment and recovery. One of the issues that faces professionals on a daily basis is the ethical challenge of being that part of such a life-changing vocation. The October 12th workshop session, The Ethical Self: Who Am I Now? will feature Anne Hatcher, EdD, CAC III, NCAC II, Professor Emeritus of Metropolitan State University Denver and Mita M Johnson, LPC, LMFT, ACS, AAMFT-approved Clinical Supervisor, LAC, MAC. This workshop will focus on understanding and evaluating the impact of life experience, personal growth and current circumstances on decisions related to ethical standards. Depending on the stage your career is at, ethical decisions or interpretations might differ. This session will help participants understanding of the intent of the code of ethics that guides our practice and the role experience and a greater understanding of the recovery process plays in decision-making. [ Browse Full Conference Schedule ]  Over 30 units of Continuing Education available!  Don't forget - deadline for scholarship applications is August 12, 2013. Register by August 12 to take advantage of a $50 Early-bird discount. Hotel Booking Deadline on September 16, 2013. Reserve your great rate and free Internet. Visit www.NAADAC.org/conferences for full conference information or register online. Reason #1 I Love My NAADAC Membership Over 75 online CEs free exclusively for NAADAC members, including 5 hours of free online courses and over 70 hours of free webinars. All continuing education is offered online and at your convenience 24/7. Simply watch the webinar/online course of your choice, complete the online CE quiz and receive a free CE certificate to use towards your license/credential. [ Join NAADAC ] - [ Membership Benefits ] Missed the DSM-5 webinar? Watch the recording on demand and take the online CE quiz to earn 1.5 CEs for your time. All free to NAADAC members!  [ View Upcoming Webinars ] - [ View On Demand Webinars ] [ View Online Courses ] Ready to Jumpstart Your Career? Check out the NAADAC Career Center for the latest opportunities of addiction-focused professionals. New this week are: Admissions Coordinator at the Crossroads Centre, Antigua in St. John's – Antigua in the West Indies Executive Director of the Metropolitan Human Services District in New Orleans, Louisiana. More details [ Browse Current Career Listings ]  Emerging Problems and Advances in Addiction Treatment October 24 – 26, 2013 Arlington, VA Hosted by The American Society of Addiction Medicine ASAM's State of the Art Course will bring together assembled experts and national leaders in addiction medicine to identify the critical issues that will define a roadmap for exploring "Emerging Problems and Advances in Addiction Treatment." The course is designed specifically for physicians who seek an advanced level of knowledge about recent breakthroughs in understanding, preventing, diagnosing and treating addiction and co-occurring medical and psychiatric disorders. The American Society of Addiction Medicine (ASAM) is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) to provide continuing medical education for physicians. This live activity, State of the Art Course in Addiction Medicine, has been approved for 20.5 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s)™. Physicians should only claim credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity. [ More Information ] Free Article from NAADAC's Magazine The official magazine of NAADAC is only available to members, but as a special gift, this article is available to you for free. Christopher Shea addresses the issue of compassion fatigue in the latest edition of Advances for Addiction and Recovery with his article "The Spirituality of Connectedness." Earn 2 CEs for $25 - Read this article and Complete the online CE quiz. [ View All Free Magazine Articles ]   NAADAC, The Association for Addiction Professionals 1001 N. Fairfax Street, Suite 201, Alexandria, VA 22314 Phone: 703.741.7686 / 800.548.0497 Send To Friend | Unsubscribe

How Addiction Treatment Killed Cory Monteith | The Fix

How Addiction Treatment Killed Cory Monteith | The Fix

Methamphetamine Raises Risk of Death From Fungal Lung Infection: Mouse Study

By Join Together Staff | July 31, 2013 | Leave a comment | Filed in Drugs & Research

Methamphetamine may raise the risk of dying from a fungal lung infection called cryptococcus, a new study in mice suggests.
The infection is caused by a fungus called Cryptococcus neoformans, which generally is harmless in healthy people, HealthDay reports. Methamphetamine can cause gaps in the blood-brain barrier, allowing the fungus to move from the lungs to the brain, where it can cause a deadly infection.
Researchers found injecting meth into mice that were infected with the fungus significantly increased the amount of the fungus in the lungs. Their disease progressed more quickly, and they died sooner, compared with mice infected with the fungus but not injected with meth. Nine days after they were infected with the fungus, all of the mice injected with meth had died, compared with half of the mice not given the drug.
The study is published in the journal mBio.

Investigation Uncovers Fraud by California Rehab Clinics

By Join Together Staff | July 31, 2013 | Leave a comment | Filed in Alcohol, Community Related, Drugs, Government & Treatment

An investigation by The Center for Investigative Reporting (CIR) and CNN has uncovered fraud by California rehab clinics that receive government funds to assist clients who are poor and addicted.
According to CNN, these clinics diagnose people with addictions they don’t have, so they can increase client rolls. The clinics recruit mentally ill residents from group homes to attend therapy sessions. They attract patients from the street through incentives of cash, food and cigarettes, and have them sign in for days they do not attend sessions. One clinic billed for clients who could not have attended sessions, either because they were in jail or dead.
The state’s Drug Medi-Cal program paid $94 million in the past two fiscal years to 56 Southern California clinics that CNN says showed signs of deceptive or questionable billing practices. This represents half of all public funding to the program. The findings come from a review of government records and interviews with counselors, patients and regulators.
Earlier this month, the California Department of Health Care Services announced an investigation of 16 substance abuse treatment centers for patients on Medi-Cal, the state’s insurance plan for people on welfare and other low-income residents. The centers are suspected of fraud and hiring providers who have felonies on their records.
According to the department, the clinics billed Medi-Cal for services that were not medically necessary, and charged for services they did not offer. The department is also investigating whether workers hired some employees who had been convicted of neglecting and abusing patients at other health centers. The centers will remain open, but will not be receiving funds from Medi-Cal during the investigation.

More States Protecting Retailers from Being Liable for Alcohol-Related Harms

By Join Together Staff | July 30, 2013 | Leave a comment | Filed in Alcohol, Legal, Legislation & Prevention

In recent years, a growing number of states have passed laws protecting retailers from being liable for harms caused by customers served alcohol illegally, according to a new study.
Researchers at the Center on Alcohol Marketing and Youth at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, and colleagues from Alcohol Policy Consultations, found an erosion of so-called commercial host liability laws from 1989 to 2011, Medical Xpress reports.
These laws hold alcohol retailers liable for harms attributable to alcohol, which result from illegal alcohol sales to a person who is intoxicated or underage at the time of service. The laws apply in bars, restaurants and clubs, as well as in off-premise locations.
The findings will appear in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine.
“The erosion of commercial host liability in recent decades is a public health failure that directly contributes to the exorbitant human and economic costs of excessive drinking,” lead author James F. Mosher, JD, of Alcohol Policy Consultations, said in a news release. “Alcohol retailers who operate negligently and engage in illegal serving practices should not receive special protection, denying those who are injured their day in court.”
A study published in 2011 found holding alcohol retailers liable for injuries or damage done by their customers who are intoxicated can reduce alcohol-related occurrences including motor vehicle deaths, homicides and injuries, according to a nationwide task force.

Drop in U.S. Cocaine Use Due to Waning Popularity, New Colombian Drug Strategies

By Join Together Staff | July 29, 2013 | Leave a comment | Filed in Drugs

The dramatic decrease in cocaine use in America is due to a number of factors, ranging from changing trends to new drug control strategies implemented by Colombia, according to NPR.
The 2011 National Survey on Drug Use and Health found the number of Americans ages 12 or older who are current users of cocaine has dropped by 44 percent since 2006.
One reason cocaine’s popularity has declined is it simply went out of fashion, according to Peter Reuter, a professor of Public Policy at the University of Maryland, who researches drug problems. “The drug went out of vogue a long time ago,” he told NPR. “Lots of people experiment with it, but very few of the people that experiment with it in the last 20 years have gone on to become regular users of it.”
Colombia, a major cocaine producer, implemented new strategies to reduce cocaine production after 2008. In 2000, the country grew 74 percent of the world’s coca leaves. Colombia spent billions of dollars to fight drug cartels and coca crops. Starting in 2008, the country’s new defense minister, Juan Manuel Santos Calderon, began emphasizing drug seizures, and targeting facilities that manufactured cocaine.
The supply of cocaine dropped, the price of the drug in the United States rose, and consumption likely decreased as a result, says Daniel Mejia, Director of the Research Center on Drugs and Security at the Universidad de los Andes in Bogota.
Earlier this month, the U.S. Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) announced there has been a 41 percent decrease in worldwide cocaine production since 2001, and a 10 percent drop from the previous year. ONDCP says a U.S.-Columbian partnership has contributed to the drop in worldwide cocaine production. Interceptions by the Coast Guard and Defense Department along drug trafficking routes have also led to a decrease in the amount of cocaine entering the United States.