Medscape Article Highlights Drug Overdose In Death Statistics

A June 2015 article in Medscape points to continued public concerns with drug overdose in the United States. Megan Brooks of Medscape writes: “Drug overdose is now the leading cause of deaths from injury in the United States.” She addresses that 26 states have seen an increase in drug overdose deaths over the last 4 years. In 36
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Youth Dabbling In New Abuses of Marijuana

“Vaping” is a recently popularized method of drug delivery that originated with electronic cigarettes. Vaping involves inhaling the aerosol vapors of a heated liquid – which in the case of cigarettes is about ingesting nicotine. However, there are other intoxicants that can be “vaped’, and there is emerging national concern that youthful experimentation with e-cigarettes
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Governor Chris Christie Would Prohibit Legalization of Marijuana

Governor Chris Christie of New Jersey is known for his strong positions and willingness to address tough issues. He recently expressed his view in an interview that, if elected President, he would outlaw recreational use of marijuana. He indicated that the rationale of legalizing pot to generate more state tax revenue is a weak justification that
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Alberta Canada Sees Increase in Utilization of Methadone

The Metronews of Canada recently published an article outlining a recent increase in the utilization of methadone to treat opioid addiction. The Alberta Canada Health agency shared statistics showing that approximately twice as many people began opioid replacement therapy with methadone during the fiscal year 2012 – 2013. The number of patients receiving methadone rose
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Anthony Steele Attends NC Heroin Summit

Anthony Steele is the Director of Medical Services at Alcohol and Drug Services. In the video below, Dr. Steele addresses a variety of questions about Piedmont Triad community concerns regarding the local opioid addiction problem. A focus of the Heroin Summit was on the multi-level benefits of instituting harm reduction tools in the community to
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College Substance Abuse Increases

The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA/NIH) has published a survey which shows that college alcohol abuse is still a leading problem with 40% of college students reporting that they had been drunk within the last 30 days. Among the college student group, a 6% rise in marijuana use was also observed from 2006 to
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Beginning Buprenorphine in the Emergency Room

There is an interesting blog post by Dr. Jana Burson in which she discusses a recent study in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA). The study occurred in the state of Connecticut, and it centered on providing patients a 3-day supply of buprenorphine when they presented in the ER and were found to
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Smartphone App for Recovery

Increasing numbers of people are utilizing their mobile phone for many purposes. Technology is now a daily companion and has become a helpful tool in organizing and scheduling our busy days. Smartphones have evolved into mini personal computers and now provide so much more than basic telephone communication. Elements Behavioral Health based out of California
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The Road To A Drug Free Life Includes Lifestyle Balance

Much has been written over the years about the process of living drug free and maintaining a sober life. Alcoholics Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous were among the earliest programs that provided its members a path to freedom. Throughout recovery literature are detailed accounts of recovering addicts who learned that drinking and drugging were actually only
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Believe In The Power Of Recovery

Achieving something of value typically begins with the belief that one can accomplish a goal if they set their mind to it. With an addiction problem, self-doubt can creep into the picture and keep a person from believing that they can change or that living drug free is truly attainable. As a counselor, I have
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