| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Sunday, August 3, 2014
Bipartisan Bill Aims to Help Low-Level Drug Offenders Re-Enter Society
July 31st, 2014/
A Senate bill sponsored by a Democrat and Republican who normally are on opposite ends of the political spectrum aims to help low-level drug offenders re-enter society. New Jersey Senator Cory Booker, a Democrat, and Kentucky Senator Rand Paul, a Republican, are co-sponsors of The REDEEM Act.
The bill is designed to shift the focus away from punishing low-level drug offenders,MSNBC reports. It would reform criminal background checks and the juvenile justice system. Criminal records for teenage offenders would be sealed, and adults could apply to have their records expunged.
The REDEEM Act would limit how long a person must answer employer questions about past convictions. Job applicants with a criminal record, even for low-level offenses, often find it difficult to find employment, the article notes. The act would also repeal the ban on federal welfare benefits for people convicted of non-violent drug violations who complete substance abuse treatment.
Earlier this month, the U.S. Sentencing Commission voted to reduce terms for low-level drug traffickers who are already incarcerated. More than 46,000 drug offenders will be eligible for early release from prison. The sentences could be reduced by an average of more than two years, unless Congress stops the plan by November 1.
Each offender’s petition will be considered individually by federal judges. None of them will be released before November 1, 2015.
In April, the Commission voted to reduce the base offense for criminals caught with various amounts of drugs. The new vote makes the reduced sentencing guidelines retroactive for most drug traffickers.
Homeowners’ Associations Are Dealing with Marijuana Conflicts
July 31st, 2014/
Many homeowners’ associations are dealing with conflicts among neighbors about marijuana use, in states where the drug is legal for medical or recreational use, theAssociated Press reports. The associations are also grappling with disputes about growing marijuana and hemp.
Associations cannot ban members from using marijuana in their homes if the drug is legal. But they can regulate its use as a nuisance or as a threat to children if neighbors can see or smell marijuana, the article notes.
“The fact that people may be legally entitled to smoke doesn’t mean they can do it wherever they want, any more than they could walk into a restaurant and light up a cigarette,” said Richard Thompson, who owns a management consulting company in Portland, Oregon for condominium and homeowners’ associations.
In his own condo development, neighbors complain about marijuana smoke in the warmer weather, when people are out on their patios and have the windows down, he told the AP.
“What we’re really seeing more now is regulating the associations’ common areas,” such as playgrounds and homeowners’ porches, said Erin McManis, a Phoenix laywer whose firm represents many homeowners’ associations.
New Electronic Device and Mobile App Designed to Detect ‘Date Rape’ Drugs in Drinks
July 31st, 2014/
A company in Toronto is developing a new electronic device and mobile app to detect ‘date rape’ drugs in drinks, according to CNN Money.
The product, called Personal Drink ID (pd.id), sends an alert to a person’s phone if it detects their drink has been drugged. The device, which measures 3.5 inches long, looks like a small USB key, the article notes. It can be dipped in and out of a drink, and is small enough to fit in a pocket or purse.
The company’s founder, J. David Wilson, said he expects to release pd.id in April, at a cost of $75.
Earlier this year, researchers in Singapore announced they have developed a new test that can detect the date-rape drug GHB in drinks. GHB is predominantly a central nervous system depressant. It can be produced in clear liquid, white powder, tablet, and capsule forms. Because GHB is odorless and tasteless, it can be slipped into someone’s drink without detection. The drug incapacitates people who ingest it, making them vulnerable to sexual assault.
The researchers mixed a fluorescent compound with a sample of drink containing GHB and found the mixture changed color in less than 30 seconds. They said the color change was seen in clear and light-colored drinks, including water and vodka. Better lighting was needed to see the change in darker drinks, such as cola and whiskey. They are working with product designers to come up with a portable detection kit within a year.
Thursday, July 31, 2014
JULY 31 Chp 107 v 10 v 11 v 12 v 13 v 14 v 15 TWELVE STEPPING WITH STRENGTH FROM THE PSALMS
Some sat in darkness and deepest gloom,
imprisoned in iron chains of misery.
They rebelled against the words of God,
scorning the counsel of the Most High.
That is why he broke them with hard labor;
they fell, and no one was there to help them.
“Lord, help!” they cried in their trouble,
and he saved them from their distress.
He led them from the darkness and deepest gloom;
he snapped their chains.
Let them praise the Lord for his great love
and for the wonderful things he has done for them.
STEP 3 - Made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of God !
This is why I try to study Gods Big Book (Bible) everyday . God has snapped my chains and I just don't want to give Him praise for that , I want to praise Him for the way He unconditionally loves me. God could have let me die in my sin and addictions , but He did everything He said He would in the Psalm . There are many in rebellion against God and society , you think your tough and your way is the way everyone should live .God will break you
and send you to Hell ! God will be more than patient , He waited sixteen years for me to come back to Him . It broke Gods heart to see me one of His sons living sad , defeated drowning in my self made sea of uncontrollable urges to my addictions and sins. You matter to God and your rebellion will steal the wonderful life God has planned for you . It is time for you to wake up , the cemetery is already full of half lived lives with unfulfilled dreams .
Psalms 68:6 God makes a home for the lonely; He leads out the prisoners into prosperity, Only the rebellious dwell in a parched land.
By Joseph Dickerson
Wednesday, July 30, 2014
As Drug Courts Expand, Critics Say They Aren’t Reaching Those in Greatest Need
July 29th, 2014/
As the use of drug courts expand, critics say people with minor marijuana infractions are more likely than those with serious drug problems to end up in these programs.
Drug courts allow drug offenders to receive court-supervised treatment instead of punishment, the Los Angeles Times reports. These programs can dramatically improve the lives of people addicted to drugs, the article notes. But a growing number of people are ending up in drug court because of minor marijuana infractions, some longtime supporters tell the newspaper.
In many areas of the country, people charged with marijuana possession are the largest group of offenders sent to drug-court programs. Often, people who chronically abuse hard drugs are not allowed to participate in these programs.
“For serious drug offenders it has been a far better alternative than prison,” said John Roman, a senior analyst at the Urban Institute, who studies drug courts. “The problem is very few people who have those serious problems get into one of these drug courts. Instead, we take all kinds of people into drug court who don’t have serious problems.”
In some cases, people who might have faced a fine for marijuana use in the regular court system are instead moved into the drug-court system. They are often forced to pay for costly treatment programs, and could face jail time if they break the program rules. “Once you get that deep into the criminal justice system, it can be really hard to get out,” Roman said.
Rick Jones, Executive Director of the Neighborhood Defender Service in Harlem, New York, says his nonprofit group often sees people with low-level marijuana offenses being pressured into drug-court treatment, while people addicted to drugs are disqualified. “It is not working the way we thought or hoped it would,” Jones said.
Abuse of Painkillers, Illegal Drugs Growing in Silicon Valley
July 29th, 2014/
In the high-stress environment of Silicon Valley, a growing number of high-tech workers are abusing painkillers and illegal drugs such as cocaine and heroin, according to the San Jose Mercury News.
The issue of drug abuse among high-tech workers received intense media attention after Google executive Forrest Timothy Hayes died last year after being injected with a fatal dose of heroin aboard his yacht. A prostitute was arrested and charged with administering the injection.
“I’ve had them from Apple, from Twitter, from Facebook, from Google, from Yahoo, and it’s bad out there,” said Miami-based addictions coach Cali Estes, who says she has helped 200 tech workers. They are using prescription drugs such as oxycodone and Adderall, as well as cocaine and heroin, she says.
“And it’s a lot worse than what people think because it’s all covered up so well,” Estes told the newspaper. “If it gets out that a company’s employees are doing drugs, it paints a horrible picture.”
“There’s this workaholism in the valley, where the ability to work on crash projects at tremendous rates of speed is almost a badge of honor,” said Steve Albrecht, a San Diego consultant who teaches substance abuse awareness for Bay Area employers. “These workers stay up for days and days, and many of them gradually get into meth and coke to keep going. Red Bull and coffee only gets them so far.”
Many tech companies do not conduct drug testing on employees, Albrecht says. “They want the results, but they don’t want to know how their employees got the results.” Most large tech firms offer counseling, but many employees don’t want to use the services because of privacy concerns.
New Products Help Drinkers Monitor Their Blood Alcohol Levels
July 29th, 2014/
New products on the market are helping people monitor their blood alcohol levels. Some devices link to a smartphone, NPR reports.
One device, called the Vio, is a key chain alcohol test about the size of a lighter. It sells for $50. A person blows in the device, which then determines whether their blood alcohol concentration (BAC) is around or over the legal limit for driving.
Keith Nothacker, the CEO of BACtrack, which makes Vio, told NPR the device might help reduce drunk driving rates. “Previously there was a stigma with alcohol testing, and we’ve been fighting that stigma,” he said. “We want people to talk about their BAC and not be embarrassed.”
Another device, the Breathometer, plugs into the audio jack of a smartphone, and connects with an app. It also sells for about $50. Both the Vio and Breathometer can help a person determine how long it will take them to reduce their BAC back down to 0. “So if you’re drinking late, you’ll see that you won’t sober up until the next day in a lot of cases,” Nothacker said.
The devices are not as accurate as those used by police, the article notes. But they can still be useful in helping people decide they shouldn’t be driving, said Michael McDonell, Associate Professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at the University of Washington. “In study after study, we see that just objectively tracking your use of [a substance] will reduce your use,” he says.
McDonell added, “If the outcome is to help a person stop using or reduce their use of alcohol, accuracy is less important. And those expensive devices are never going to get out there to everybody.”
PRO-ACT Family Addiction Education Program helps families address drug and alcohol addiction
Next free sessions start week of Aug. 5 at various locations in five counties
When someone is addicted to drugs or alcohol, the disease affects the entire family. Each month PRO-ACT (Pennsylvania Recovery Organization–Achieving Community Together) hosts a free Family Addiction Education Program to help individuals and families recognize and address an addiction problem in a spouse, parent, child or other loved one. Led by trained volunteers who have been in the same situation, these information and support programs begin the first week of each month and run one evening a week for three consecutive weeks. Each session lasts two hours.
Programs are offered at several locations throughout the five-county southeast Pennsylvania region:
· Tuesdays—From 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. in Media and Northeast Philadelphia.
· Wednesdays—From 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. in Pottstown; from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. in North Philadelphia; and from 7 p.m.to 9 p.m. in West Chester.
· Thursdays—From 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. in Northern Liberties; 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. in Bristol and Colmar.
Sessions are free and confidential—first names only. Pre-registration is required. To register, call 800-221-6333, weekdays 9 a.m. through 5 p.m., or visit http://councilsepa.org/programs/pro-act/family-education-program/.
 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Dear Joseph, You may have noticed some changes if you've visited drugfree.org in the past few weeks. We are excited to announce a newly revamped website and a new name: Partnership for Drug-Free Kids. The community of strength and support that you built as “The Hope Share” lives on our new website, but with a new name: “Stories of Hope.” All of your stories, videos and photos have been carried over to the new site and will continue to offer inspiration to those who visit and share their own recovery stories. We’ve also added a new feature: those who submit a new story to the site can now add a recovery date, and the days, months or years of recovery is displayed next to their submission. Since your story already lives on the site, we would be happy to add your years of recovery for you. Simply send us an email and we will update your story with your recovery date as soon as we can. Please visit “Stories of Hope” on our new site, and share some love and encouragement for those who need to hear it. And thank you again for helping us build such a vibrant and supportive community. Sincerely, Partnership for Drug-Free Kids | ||||||||||||||||||||||
 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||||||
Hello good people,
I wanted to check in to see if any of you would be interested in a project called I Am Not Anonymous. The goal is to reduce stigma and inspire hope by putting a face and voice on recovery. There is more information in the below email from the folks leading this project.
The quick and dirty version is that we are looking for folks to submit their recovery story (using the attached talking points to guide the narrative) and then get your picture taken on Saturday, August 9th. This is an awesome project that I had the honor of participating in and I think you'd enjoy it as well!! Check out the below email along with their website,www.iamnotanonymous.org , and let me know if you are interested!! Also, if you know of anybody else who may be interested, please connect them to me.
Thanks for your interest in participating in the I Am Not Anonymous project! This is a black and white portrait project that Kate Meyer (co-creator) is photographing. The focus, hope and vision of this project is to bring a face and a voice to recovery, in order to aid in breaking the stigma of addiction.
Most importantly, everyone must understand that this project is IN NO WAY affiliated with any 12-step program. We take the tradition of anonymity very seriously here and respect the fellowships that so many of us have recovered, and continue to recover in. However, this project is all about breaking PERSONAL anonymity. And the deal is that it is all about the principle of attraction ironically. However, again, it has nothing to do with AA or any other 12-step fellowship. It just has to do with RECOVERY.
Currently the stigma of alcoholism / addiction is tremendous and terrible, and for good reason. The only vision of our kind is negative. The only thing that the public sees is the untreated alcoholic/addict. So what advocacy work, the recovery movement, and specifically this project is about, is about bringing a face and a voice to the treated addict/alcoholic. Showing the public what we look like. Breaking the stigma of addiction and alcoholism by showing how beautiful, funny, intelligent, helpful and productive we are when we are treated.
Unfortunately what happens is so many of us get sober and just matriculate into society wearing this cloak of 'anonymity,' which is not a bad thing. And everyone is entitled to personal anonymity if that is what they so choose. However, oftentimes there is a misconception about in order to be a "good member" of my 12-step fellowship, and follow the traditions; I need to be quiet about my sobriety. This is false. What the traditions do is ask for us to not identify specially as a member of said fellowship; and they also ask us not to expose anyone else's membership. That is all.
So I can talk about my personal recovery all day!! And so can you! We just exclude directly tying ourselves to a particular fellowship. Recovery and AA/NA/CA ... although for many of us are simply synonymous ... truly are two very separate things!
My personal opinion is that the stigma of alcoholism and addiction cannot and will not be broken until the recovering community of alcoholics and addicts becomes visible. That onus falls on our shoulders.
Now that we have the fine prints out of the way... On to the fun stuff!
The photo shoot with be held:
DATE: Saturday, August 9th
TIME: 10:00am - 5:00pm (Please let me know what time you can arrive!)
LOCATION: 123 S Broad St. 22nd Floor ; Philadelphia, PA 19109
CONTACT: Brooke Feldman; BFeldman@pmhcc.org; 215.681.5323
Along with your photo, is going to be your accompanying story, in your own words! And you need to write this before the photo shoot and email it back to me. If I do not receive your written submission before the day of the shoot, we cannot shoot you. We are asking that all written submissions be about 1000 words- however; please feel free to write more if you feel so inclined.
To give you some guidelines for your writing...
It is up to you what parts of your story you would like to share. Please keep in mind the goals of the project while you are writing your story. For those of you are members of 12-step fellowships, this is more than a normal "Experience, Strength and Hope" share. The goal is to combat the negative stigma surrounding addiction and spread a positive message about recovery. This should be more recovery heavy, then addiction heavy. Really try and think about how the stigma affected your journey. How you felt while you were still active... How you feel now that you are in recovery... Were you judged... Are you still judged even now that you are in recovery due to people’s ignorance or lack of understanding? Tom and Kate have compiled a list of questions (which I have attached) that may spark your interest and help you think of specific instances that you can write about. Also I am here to help you form your story. Please don't hesitate to call, text, email me, and we can go over it! Most importantly, write from the heart. There is nothing more powerful than an authentic share to help shape and change someone's mind.
Along with your writing, we will also need for you to choose the message that will be placed on your image. Just a couple words, but a couple of words that scream you, your story, and your message. A couple of examples that other subjects have used already are: "You Are Not Alone," "God Shaped Hole," "Seeing Through New Eyes," and "I Am No Less Than You."
If you have ANY questions, comments, concerns... Please feel free to contact me. I am so humbled and excited to be a part of this project. Kate and Tom thank you from the bottom of their hearts for your involvement.
THROUGH OUR SILENCE, WE LET OTHERS DEFINE US.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)