Catawba County Opium Poppy Plant Bust

A local Fox 8 news article just revealed that Catawba County law enforcement authorities have uncovered a large poppy plant operation. Poppy plants are used to create opium which in turn is used to make heroin. The poppy plants had an estimated value of $500 million. State Bureau of Investigation authorities and local deputies wore
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New Hampshire Cracking Down on Drug Dealers

A Fox News report highlighted a recent story detailing New Hampshire’s targeting of drug dealers. The state has undergone severe losses with numerous drug overdose deaths, particularly from heroin and fentanyl (a powerful synthetic opioid). New Hampshire is now “treating overdoses as crime scenes”, and pursuing charges of manslaughter against those who sell drugs that
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Advocates For Opioid Recovery

Advocates For Opioid Recovery is a non-profit organization spearheaded by Newt Gingrich, Patrick Kennedy, and Van Jones. The group is dedicated to advancing evidence-based treatment to better address the effects of America’s opioid addiction dilemma. A main focus of the organization is breaking down regulatory barriers that exist in patient access to recovery medications like
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The Meth Project

The Meth Project was founded in 2005 and is currently a program managed by the national non-profit organization, The Partnership For Drug-Free Kids. Methamphetamine (“Meth”) is a highly addictive stimulant drug that is typically smoked (sometimes injected) and produces an effect similar to that of cocaine. Methamphetamine addiction is characterized by a rapid loss of
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W-18 Reported To Be Dangerous Street Drug

The CBS-affiliate station out of Connecticut, WTVR, reported this week that a new street drug is being sold in the United States and Canada. It is called W-18 and is a synthetic opioid first developed in a Canadian lab in 1981. Emergency medical personnel have stated that a small amount of the drug is powerful
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$30 Million Proposed For NC Substance Use and Mental Health Disorders

The NC Council of Community Programs just published its bi-monthly newsletter. In it, Governor McCrory proposed that $30 million dollars be allocated for Substance Use Disorders, Mental Health, and Developmental Disabilities. Included in the allocation is a standing order which allows naloxone to be dispensed to anyone who requests it. Approximately 2500 lives were saved
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PBS Frontline Highlights America’s Heroin Epidemic

ADS Board Member, Stacy Smith, recently notified ADS staff of a powerful documentary she viewed which just aired on PBS. The film is titled Chasing Heroin. It is an expertly produced piece on the resurgence of heroin addiction in America. Chasing Heroin profiles a number of individuals and families who are struggling with heroin/opioid addiction.
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The Stigma of Addiction

People who face addiction also deal with the social stigma attached to having an alcohol or drug problem. Addiction is a powerful disease that changes people and often leads to a life of repeated disappointments and failed restarts. These failures are frequently visible to friends, family, and employers. As family and others watch on, often
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Chronic Marijuana Use Affects Memory and Cognitive Function

The emerging marijuana legalization effort in the U.S. has created growing concerns about the effect that chronic pot use will have on the developing brains of teens and young adults. A recent CNN article highlighted research findings published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) that point to diminished verbal memory, processing speed
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New NIDA Study on Increase in Heroin Use

A National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIH) article highlights findings recently published in The New England Journal of Medicine. The study determined that new opioid prescription policies which more carefully regulate the prescribing of opioids have not directly led to a rise in heroin use over the last few years. Researchers found that an individual’s
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