NIDA Releases New Guide on Treating Teen Substance Abuse

By Join Together Staff | January 23, 2014 | 2 Comments | Filed in Drugs, Treatment & Youth

The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) is releasing new resources to help parents, health care providers and substance abuse treatment specialists treat teens who are struggling with drug abuse. The resources also provide advice on identifying and interacting with teens who may be at risk.

The resources are being released in advance of National Drug Facts Week, January 27 to February 2, when communities and schools around the country will host events to allow teens to learn how drugs affect the brain, body and behavior.

One of the new resources is an online publication, Principles of Adolescent Substance Use Disorder Treatment: A Research Based Guide. The guide includes principles to consider in treating adolescent substance use disorders; frequently asked questions about adolescent drug use; evidence-based approaches to treating adolescent substance use disorders; and the role of family and medical professionals in identifying teen substance use and supporting treatment and recovery.

NIDA notes that teen drug use and treatment needs differ from those of adults. Teens are less likely to seek treatment on their own, because they may not want or think they need help. Only 10 percent of 12- to 17-year-olds needing substance abuse treatment receive any services, according to the 2012 National Survey on Drug Use and Health.

“Because critical brain circuits are still developing during the teen years, this age group is particularly susceptible to drug abuse and addiction,” NIDA Director Dr. Nora D. Volkow said in a news release. “These new resources are based on recent research that has greatly advanced our understanding of the unique treatment needs of the adolescent.”

e us on Facebook                           www.councilsepa.org                   Follow us on Twitter       Attend one of these showings and earn 2 PCB Credits! 2 Showings in Bucks County of the feature documentary film about the 23.5 million Americans living in  long-term recovery, and the emerging public recovery movement that will transform how alcohol and other drug problems are dealt with in our communities.   To view the trailer, click here
Help us to change the conversation from problems to solutions for America's top health problem!   About The Council    The Council of Southeast Pennsylvania, Inc., an affiliate of the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence (NCADD), is a private nonprofit organization serving Bucks County, Chester County, Delaware County, Montgomery County and Philadelphia County. The Council provides a wide range ofservices to families, schools, businesses, individuals and the community at large regardless of ability to pay, ethnicity, race, gender, age and/or sexual orientation.  www.councilsepa.org About PRO-ACT PRO-ACT is the regional nonprofit organization working to mobilize and rally individuals in recovery from addiction, as well as their families, friends and allies in a campaign to end discrimination, broaden social understanding and achieve a just response to addiction as a public health crisis.  www.proact.org   All proceeds donated will support recovery William White			First Showing Next Week Tuesday, January 28, 2014 (2 PCB Credits) Location: Pennridge High School 1228 North 5th Street, Perkasie, PA 18944 Doors open at 5:30; Film and Discussion 6-8 pm Second Showing Wednesday, February 19, 2014 (2 PCB Credits) Location: Bucks County  Community College 275 Swamp Road, Newtown, PA 18940 Doors open at 5:30; Film and Discussion 6-8 pm  The following information applies to  both showings A panel discussion with behavioral health and public policy experts will follow the film, offering attendees the opportunity to ask questions of area leaders and experts. Doors open at 5:30 pm; Film and Discussion 6 - 8 pm   TICKETS Tickets in advance are $15; at door $20 Student rate is $10 or 3 tickets for $15 with student ID   To purchase advance tickets please click here Or call Michael Harper at 215-345-6644, ext. 3109 Student tickets can be purchased at the door or call Michael for advance tickets Sponsorship and Expo Opportunities Are Available Sponsors also assist students and people in early recovery  to attend this event For sponsorship information email Michael here  or call 215-345-6644, ext 3109 Who Will You See and Hear in the Film? The moving story of The Anonymous People is told through the faces and voices of citizens, leaders, volunteers, corporate executives, public figures, and celebrities who are laying it all on the line to save the lives of others just like them.  They include: William White, author and historian; Kristen Johnston, Actress & Author of Guts; William Cope Moyers, Author of Broken; Don Fertman, Subway World Headquarters; Pat Taylor, Faces & Voices of Recovery; Stacia Murphy, formerly The National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence; Tom Hedrick, The Partnership for a Drug-Free America; Maetta Broadus, People Advocating Recovery; Cathie Hartnett, National Youth Recovery Foundation; John Shinholser, McShin Foundation; and Beverly Haberle, our own Executive Director. www.councilsepa.org

Weed May Be Legal, But It's Still My Disease | The Fix

Weed May Be Legal, But It's Still My Disease | The Fix

MADD 2014 Report to the Nation | The Fix

MADD 2014 Report to the Nation | The Fix

Children of Addicts | The Fix

Children of Addicts | The Fix

January 24 v 28 v 29 TWELVE STEPPING WITH POWER IN THE PROVERB

 Don’t testify against your neighbors without cause;

don’t lie about them.

And don’t say, “Now I can pay them back for what they’ve done to me!

I’ll get even with them!”

STEP 6 : Were entirely ready to have GOD remove all these defects of character. 

Resentments must be put to rest or you will certainly relapse. If your committing step six this is your opportunity to do just that. Holding onto resentment poisoned my mind and I wasted countless years thinking of ways to get even with everyone who hurt me or who was trying to hurt me. This includes the people in my life who I tried to control too feed my addictions. I hated them because they would not give me what I wanted. Resentment , anger , and bitterness are a cancer that will eat you alive . The Proverb is a warning and what ever you do unto others will be done unto you. Step six is the opportunity to let it all go and trust GOD to renew your heart and transform your mind . GOD will restore and rebuild your life but you must first let HIM remove all defects of your character.

President Obama Says Marijuana is Not More Dangerous Than Alcohol

By Join Together Staff | January 21, 2014 | 10 Comments | Filed in Alcohol &Drugs


President Obama told The New Yorker magazine he does not think marijuana is more dangerous than alcohol. He added smoking marijuana is “not something I encourage.”

He acknowledged he smoked marijuana in his youth, the Associated Press reports. “I view it as a bad habit and a vice, not very different from the cigarettes that I smoked as a young person up through a big chunk of my adult life,” he said. Obama added he has told his daughters he thinks smoking marijuana is “a bad idea, a waste of time, not very healthy.”

Last fall, the U.S. Justice Department announced it will allow Colorado and Washington to carry out their new recreational marijuana laws. The department said it will focus enforcement on criminal charges in specific areas, such as distribution to minors.

The announcement ended almost a year of debate within the Obama Administration about how to react to the state laws, which allow personal possession of up to an ounce of marijuana for anyone at least 21 years old. They also permit marijuana to be sold and taxed at state-licensed stores. Federal law outlaws the production, possession and sale of marijuana.

In the magazine interview, Obama expressed concern at the disproportionate number of minorities who are arrested and imprisoned for marijuana use. “Middle-class kids don’t get locked up for smoking pot, and poor kids do,’’ he said. ‘‘And African-American kids and Latino kids are more likely to be poor and less likely to have the resources and the support to avoid unduly harsh penalties.” People who use marijuana should not be imprisoned for long periods when the people who write the drug laws “have probably done the same thing,” he noted.

He expressed caution about changing marijuana laws. He said people who think legalizing marijuana will solve social problems are “probably overstating the case.” He added, “And the experiment that’s going to be taking place in Colorado and Washington is going to be, I think, a challenge.”

January 23 v 29 Through 35 TWELVE STEPPING WITH POWER IN THE PROVERB

 Who has anguish? Who has sorrow?

Who is always fighting? Who is always complaining?

Who has unnecessary bruises? Who has bloodshot eyes?

 It is the one who spends long hours in the taverns,

trying out new drinks.

 Don’t gaze at the wine, seeing how red it is,

how it sparkles in the cup, how smoothly it goes down.

 For in the end it bites like a poisonous snake;

it stings like a viper.

 You will see hallucinations,

and you will say crazy things.

 You will stagger like a sailor tossed at sea,

clinging to a swaying mast.

 And you will say, “They hit me, but I didn't feel it.

I didn't even know it when they beat me up.

When will I wake up

so I can look for another drink?”

STEP 1 ; 11 We admitted we were powerless over drugs and alcohol– that our lives had become unmanageable.

Usually I use one or two verse from the Proverb but all of this needs to be shared . The bible was written a little over two thousand years ago. This is a warning for us not to get caught up in alcohol. Why didn't they share this with me when I was a kid in Catholic school maybe if the teacher told me when I was younger , that drinking bites like a poisonous snake , it might have scared me into right thinking and I could have avoided addiction in my life. For those of you getting up early searching for the drink or drug you need to commit a sincere step one. Early prevention is key ,so Moms and Dads share this with your kids we have more that enough addicts in the world . This was not written two thousand years ago for no reason ,it was written as instruction and warning for us to avoid alcohol .

. We admitted we were powerless over alcohol - that our lives had become unmanageable.. We admitted we were powerless over alcohol - that our lives had become unmanageable.

National Drug Facts Week to Promote Conversation About Drugs With Teens

By Join Together Staff | January 21, 2014 | Leave a comment | Filed in Drugs,Prevention & Youth

During National Drug Facts Week, January 27 to February 2, communities and schools around the country will host events to allow teens to learn how drugs affect the brain, body and behavior.

National Drug Facts Week, sponsored by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), is designed to counter the myths about drugs that teens get online and from TV, movies, music and friends, by presenting them with scientific facts about drug abuse and addiction. Teens and experts will come together in school assemblies, after school clubs, athletic events, book clubs and other venues.

According to NIDA, about one-third of high school seniors report using an illicit drug sometime in the past year. More than 10 percent report nonmedical use of potentially addictive prescription painkillers, and more than 20 percent say they have smoked marijuana in the past month.

NIDA notes that many teens are not aware of the risks that drugs present to their health and to their success in school, and of the dangers while driving under the influence. “When teens are given the scientific facts about drugs, they can be better prepared to make good decisions for themselves and they can share this information with others,” according to a Drug Facts Week fact sheet.

For more information about events, materials and experts, visit theNational Drug Facts Week website.

Combating Substance Use Disorders in the Armed Forces

By David C. Lewis, MD | January 22, 2014 | Leave a comment | Filed inAddiction, Military & Prescription Drugs


The United State Congress was worried. The public was worried. They worried about an opioid prescription drug epidemic and widespread binge drinking in the military and the number of suicide deaths that exceeded battle fatalities. They worried about alcohol and drug problems that impaired both combat readiness and, with multiple deployments, the functioning of a growing number of troops with PTSD and traumatic brain injury (TBI).

Congress acted by turning to the Institute of Medicine (IOM) to analyze the problems and recommend solutions. The IOM Committee report “Substance Use Disorders in the U.S. Armed Forces” was delivered to Congress and the Department of Defense (DoD) in September 2012.

The IOM conducted a comprehensive analysis of the substance use disorder (SUD) problems by reviewing Department of Defense policies and practices and by hearing from both the military commanders and the troops themselves at bases throughout the USA. It found that identifying the problems was relatively easy. Solving them is not.

Much of military culture is built around the goal of fitness and combat readiness. Soldiers with SUD problems present a clear risk to this goal.

The approaches to SUDs in the civilian world – screening and diagnosis followed by referral to treatment programs – have not been common in the military. Confidentiality is hard to come by. The military relies almost exclusively on drug testing as a deterrent. Seeking help voluntarily is discouraged by a system in which behavioral diagnoses are routinely reported to the commanders who then frequently take disciplinary action. When service members’ problems become known, there is a good chance that their military careers are over. A lot of energy by our armed forces is going into not getting caught.

Short term treatment is the rule. The fact that longer-term addiction treatment such as opioid maintenance is generally unavailable creates a mismatch with the chronic nature of addictive disorders.

The IOM recommended that addiction screening, diagnosis and initial treatment for SUDS be integrated with care for mental health conditions and with ongoing medical care, particularly primary care. The IOM recommendation that each service branch needs to provide options for the confidential treatment of alcohol use disorders focuses solely on alcohol for two reasons. First, some alcohol use is permitted under military policy and a limited confidential counseling pilot program for alcohol problems already existed in the army. Second, the military’s zero tolerance drug policy suppresses even a confidential disclosure of unapproved drug use. Zero tolerance and confidentiality don’t mix well.

In general, the military system would do well to institute reforms to achieve closer compliance with current civilian clinical practices. These are spelled out in the Clinical Practice Guideline for Management of Substance Use Disorders which was developed jointly with the DoD and the VA. The IOM detailed what needed to be changed to adhere more closely to the Guideline.

The DoD is taking the IOM report seriously and has issued a separate report with a point-by-point discussion of its plans in response to the IOM recommendations.

One hopeful sign is that in the fall of 2013 the DoD issued new regulations, agreeing with one forceful IOM recommendation, to remove a decades long policy restricting TRICARE insurance coverage of pharmacotherapy (methadone, buprenorphine) for opioid maintenance treatment.

The military leadership has acknowledged that SUD problems can be prevented and they can be treated when detected early addressed with interventions that allow some degree of confidentiality and are delivered in a consistent evidence based way. The proof of progress awaits the implementation of reforms.

David C. Lewis, MD
Professor Emeritus of Community Health and Medicine
Donald G. Millar Distinguished Professor Emeritus of Alcohol and Addiction
Studies
Brown University
Center for Alcohol and Addiction Studies

Denver County Jail Substance Abuse Treatment Program Uses Peer Recovery Model

By Join Together Staff | January 22, 2014 | 3 Comments | Filed in Alcohol,Community Related, Drugs, Recovery & Treatment

The Denver County Jail uses a peer recovery model to help inmates take a more active role in their substance abuse treatment, The Denver Post reports. Participants in the program work together, along with clinicians, in day-long sessions to hold one another accountable for their choices. The program runs six days a week, from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m.

The jail is the only one in the state, and one of only a few in the nation, to use the Recovery in a Safe Environment program, the article notes. It has been running since 2011. Some inmates join voluntarily, while others are required to participate as part of their sentence. Last year, 208 men and 128 women participated in the program.

“The majority of the programming is run by inmates, which makes them more invested in the process and gives them an opportunity to take a more active role in their recovery,” Jamie Jackson, Program Administrator for the Denver County Jail, told the newspaper. “It really is a unique environment. Generally when you come to jail, you don’t ever want to show any type of weakness, but these men and women are letting their guard down.”

Even Low Blood Alcohol Levels Can Increase Risk of Car Crashes: Study

By Join Together Staff | January 22, 2014 | Leave a comment | Filed in Alcohol& Research


Drivers with blood alcohol levels well under the legal limit are more likely to be at fault for accidents, compared with the non-drinking drivers they hit, according to a new study.

The researchers from the University of California, San Diego analyzed data on more than 570,000 fatal auto accidents between 1994 and 2011, and concluded there appears to be no safe blood alcohol content (BAC) for drivers, Reuters reports. They looked at drivers’ blood alcohol levels, as well as indicators of which driver was to blame, such as who drove in the wrong lane or ran a red light.

The study, published in Injury Prevention, found drivers with a BAC of .01 percent were 46 percent more likely to be fully responsible for the crash than a sober driver. The legal driving limit in the United States is .08 percent. An adult man could generate a .01 percent BAC reading just by drinking half of one 12-ounce beer, the article notes. The more a person’s BAC increased, the greater their risk of being responsible for an accident, the study found.

In many European countries, the legal BAC is .05. The limits in Japan and Sweden are even lower.

In a news release, Phillips said, “We find no safe combination of drinking and driving – no point at which it is harmless to consume alcohol and get behind the wheel of a car. Our data support both the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s campaign that ‘Buzzed driving is drunk driving’ and the recommendation made by the National Transportation Safety Board, to reduce the legal limit to BAC .05 percent. In fact, our data provide support for yet greater reductions in the legal BAC.”

Black Media Groups Argue They Should Run Tobacco Company Corrective Ads

By Join Together Staff | January 22, 2014 | Leave a comment | Filed in Legal,Marketing And Media, Prevention & Tobacco

Two organizations representing black media outlets say tobacco company ads about the dangers of smoking, ordered by a federal judge, should run in their newspapers, and on their TV stations and websites.

The “corrective statements” will say the companies lied about the health effects of cigarettes. Earlier this month, tobacco companies and the federal government reached an agreement on the statements, which will disclose the health effects of smoking, including the fact that cigarettes kill an average of 1,200 people a day. Each tobacco company must publish a full-page ad in the Sunday edition of 35 newspapers, and on the papers’ websites. The ads also must air prime-time television spots on CBS, ABC or NBC five times a week for a year.

The Associated Press reports the National Newspaper Publishers Association and National Association of Black Owned Broadcasters filed a brief in the U.S. District Court in Washington, D.C., ahead of a Wednesday hearing on the case. They argue that the ads should run in their news outlets because the black community has been disproportionally targeted by tobacco companies and harmed by smoking.

The associations, which represent more than 120 publications and more than 200 radio and TV stations, said the list included in the judge’s order does not include media outlets in areas with very large black populations. The brief states these populations are “not only more susceptible to harm from tobacco usage, but were also intentionally and systematically targeted by (the tobacco companies) to be recipients of their illegal marketing campaigns.”

The tobacco companies said the request from the black media associations comes too late, because it has been more than seven years since the court ordered which newspapers and TV networks would be included in the order. The companies said they would consider the list of black media outlets if replacement newspapers are needed when the ads are set to run, the AP noted.

January 20 v 15 TWELVE STEPPING WITH POWER IN THE PROVERB

Gold there is, and rubies in abundance,

but lips that speak knowledge are a rare jewel.

STEP 12. Having had a spiritual awakening as a result of these steps, we tried to carry this message to others and practice these principles in all our affairs. Galatians 6:1-2 “Brothers, if someone is caught in a sin, you who are spiritual restore him gently. But watch yourself, or you also may be tempted. Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.”

This one is for all those who spend each and everyday giving back. Step twelve is I think my favorite because their is not a drug in the world that can match the feeling you get when you know you helped someone find God and sobriety. For those of you in recovery who give back , according to the Proverb you are just that a rare jewel , and for those of you still using if you find that rare jewel hold on tight , listen and work hard they will lead you into the promise land. Thank you to all my Brothers and Sisters who work tirelessly on themselves and others you are the true WINNERS in the game of life.

10 (More) of the Greatest Songs About Recovery | The Fix

10 (More) of the Greatest Songs About Recovery | The Fix

Don't Believe The (Marijuana) Hype | The Fix

Don't Believe The (Marijuana) Hype | The Fix

The Sober Man Behind Iron Man | The Fix

The Sober Man Behind Iron Man | The Fix

January 18 v 24 TWELVE STEPPING WITH POWER IN THE PROVERB

One who has unreliable friends soon comes to ruin,

but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.

STEP 6 - Were entirely ready to have God remove all these defects of character. Isaiah 1:19 “If you are willing and obedient, you will eat the best from the land.

Whether we like it or not it has to be the removal of defects of character and all of your peeps. Yeah that's right your peeps , or as some would say friends. Not everyone wants to get sober especially the ones you used to party with. Old friends are the number one cause of relapse. When I first found sobriety , I went into hiding destroyed my cell phone and found a church . Once I had a moment of clarity I recognized my peeps as everything I had grown too hate in my life. Looking back I discovered they did not care about me at all ! All they cared about was chasing the drug like me. If they had the opportunity they would leave me for dead in a second . Most importantly remember when one of your peeps starts talking about loyalty and honor that does not exist in addiction its pride masking itself as something to feed ego . The friend who sticks closer than a brother is the sane sober voice in your life gently and lovingly nudging you out of the insanity . Most of the time it is a blood relation family member who has , and always has been there through all your BS . Hopefully you have forgotten your old peeps by step six but , if you have not then you gota hand them over too God and move on if you don't they will certainly with no hesitation take you for a walk down relapse road and you will start the hell all over again.   

6. Were entirely ready to have God remove all these defects of character.

January 17 v 23 TWELVE STEPPING WITH POWER IN THE PROVERB

It is painful to be the parent of a fool;

there is no joy for the father of a rebel.

STEP : 9 I will make direct amends to such people wherever possible, except when to do so would injure them or others.

For those of you who don't have children especially those of you still in active addiction will never truly understand the verse from the Proverb until you have children of your own. The hell I put my folks through will never be completely understood . I have spent time with Moms and Dads who have become victim to addiction. The havoc we reek on them is indescribable. Many addicts are the root cause of mom and dads premature passing . Many of the Moms and Dads I have spoke with complain of ulcers , headaches , high blood pressure and the list of ailments goes on and on . There is a verse from the bible that states hope deferred makes the heart sick . I have also spent time with my brothers and sisters at Mom and Dads grave site. Screaming at the top of there lungs because they never got to say sorry and now its too late. Unfortunately its the ones we love the most that we hurt the most. Moms and Dads are all we have ,and they are the only ones in this world we can count on ! Sober up ,Say Sorry and work things out before its too late , make Mom and Dads dream come true for you and them .

Heavy Drinking Speeds Decline in Men’s Memory and Thinking Skills: Study

By Join Together Staff | January 16, 2014 | Leave a comment | Filed in Alcohol& Research

Men who drink heavily in middle age experience a faster, steeper decrease in memory and thinking skills 10 years later, compared with men who drink less or don’t drink, a new study concludes.

Men who consumed at least 2.5 drinks a day performed worse on memory tests almost six years faster than other men, USA Todayreports. Their thinking skills declined almost two years faster than men who didn’t drink or who drank less. The researchers did not find any major differences in memory or thinking skills among men who didn’t drink, who quit drinking during the study, or had up to two drinks daily.

The researchers did not find any clear results for drinking’s effect on women’s memory or thinking skills, the article notes. The research included more than 5,000 men and 2,000 women, whose average age at the beginning of the study was 45. When they started the study, they told researchers how much they drank. A decade later, they began taking tests of memory and thinking skills.

The findings are published in the journal Neurology.

“Much of the research evidence about drinking and a relationship to memory and executive function is based on older populations,” study author Séverine Sabia, PhD, of the University College London, said in a news release. “Our study focused on middle-aged participants and suggests that heavy drinking is associated with faster decline in all areas of cognitive function in men.”