Fentanyl test strips help drug users detect deadly doses

Fentanyl is one of the most common drugs today that is affecting the lives of so many people. In most cases, people suffer from overdose of this drug and this leads to death if not other deadly conditions. This situation calls for a lot of help to prevent people from overdosing the drug or getting addicted to it. Now, there is a fentanyl test strip that can help drug users detect early doses.

Health care advocates want to put a cheap drug test in the hands of users to combat soaring rates of overdose deaths from the powerful synthetic opioid fentanyl, which is contaminating nearly every illegal drug on the street. Originally intended to detect fentanyl presence in urine, tiny cardboard strips that cost about $1 are just as effective in detecting the synthetic opioid in drugs themselves, researchers have found.

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The point is that it allows people to make choices, to have a little more information,” said Susan Sherman, a professor in the department of health, behavior and society at Johns Hopkins University.

Ms. Sherman is the lead researcher of the Forecast study, which shows that the strips are sensitive enough to detect fentanyl in drugs. The study also has found that users are interested in testing the drugs.

“It’s not a small thing that people who are drug users feel a sense of autonomy, and it gives them a choice,” she said.

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A Greece man beats addiction on way to law school

So many people are getting addicted to drugs today. Many of them even lost their lives, destroyed their future, and failed their families. In spite of this, many are still struggling in trying to beat their addiction and start a new life. Although many have failed to do so, there are those who have been successful and were able to change for the better. Just like this man who was able to beat his addiction on his way to law school.

In August 2010, John Nucci was arrested for allegedly stealing a gift card at a party in Greece to get money to buy OxyContin pills. He was sent to the Monroe County Jail. Nucci couldn’t make the $10,000 bail, so he would end up spending 2½ months in jail. Inside his cell, Nucci sat on the edge of the concrete bed and looked at himself in the aluminum mirror. His dull reflection stared back. He was 22 years old. He weighed 330 pounds. His remaining friends were living their lives — graduating college, getting married, buying houses, starting families.

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Since that day, the 31-year-old Nucci said he has done everything he can to turn his life around. Now, roughly eight years after sitting in that jail cell, he has his sights set on attending law school so he can help people facing the same kinds of struggles he did.

“The actual reason for me wanting to pursue law school had also now become my biggest obstacle in actually going,” Nucci said of his conviction for attempted second-degree burglary, which he shares in the personal statement required of every applicant.

“I want people to see. I want schools to see how far I’ve come and I want them to know everything.”

Nucci put family and friends through an ordeal that left the ones he loved the most wondering whether he’d live to tell his story.

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Amanda Bynes opens up about her drug addiction and the future

The entertainment industry is perhaps one of the most stressful places to be. In spite of the limelights and all the attention that our favorite actors are getting, it’s not about glitz and glamour all the time. In fact, many of these people have their own personal struggles and oftentimes, when it becomes too difficult for them to handle, they would resort into drugs or alcohol. Here is another celebrity opening up about her addiction.

Bynes has opened up about her drug addiction and those Tweets to Paper Magazine in their annual Break the Internet issue. “I started smoking marijuana when I was 16. Even though everyone thought I was the ‘good girl,’ I did smoke marijuana from that point on,” Bynes reveals before adding she’s now, at 32, four years sober. “I didn’t get addicted [then] and I wasn’t abusing it. And I wasn’t going out and partying or making a fool of myself… yet.”

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Bynes goes on to say that she became addicted to Adderall but was experimenting with all kinds of drugs too.

“Later on it progressed to doing molly and ecstasy. [I tried] cocaine three times but I never got high from cocaine. I never liked it. It was never my drug of choice.”

Bynes says her Adderall addiction started after “Reading an article in a magazine that [called Adderall] ‘the new skinny pill’ and they were talking about how women were taking it to stay thin. I was like, ‘Well, I have to get my hands on that.’”

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Māori groups support call to boost addiction treatment funding

Just like with drugs, alcohol addiction is also a serious problem. As a result of the abuse of the substance, one may suffer various health issues or trigger him or her to commit different kinds of crimes. In fact, the high rise in the number of crimes today can be blamed to drug and alcohol addiction. In order to prevent this problem from getting worse, a solution should be implemented and a decision should be made. This is also why addiction treatment programs should be supported and funded.

Thirty organisations support an open letter calling on government to double funding for addiction treatment each year starting with next year’s budget. NZ’s largest Māori health organisation, Hāpai Te Hauora, says there is an urgent need in Māori communities. Iwi and Māori health providers are among those calling for more funds and new models to stub-out substance addiction.

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Hapai te Hauora General Manager for Māori Public Health Janell Dymus-Kurei says, “We know 50,000 people NZ-wide want help for drug and alcohol addiction and we know most of those people are Māori. We know 16 percent don’t seek help because they are scared of the law.”

Signatories want an extra $150mil, a drug law review to include help for synthetic cannabanoid users and a health-referral model in place of criminal sanctions.

NZ Drug Foundation executive director Ross Bell says, “We know that Māori are more affected by drugs in terms of negative drug law. Māori are four times more likely for example to get a conviction for possession of cannabis than people who aren’t Māori…Yes, there is huge harm from the drug itself, but we can’t ignore the fact that drug law creates a whole lot of punishment to certain people, Māori and young people.”

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Seminar explores drug addiction in African American community

Africa is among those countries that are struggling with their drug addiction problem. So many people and families have been affected because of this. This problem is also affecting their economy and of course, the society as a whole. This is why it is everyone’s goal to solve this problem as soon as possible. Now, the African community has conducted a seminar that aims to explore drug addiction.

Anita Muhammed is turning grief and guilt into good, bad as it may still feel. “I lost somebody I loved. From my standpoint because I ignored it for a long time thinking it would work itself out for a long time. Cut I didn’t realize the seriousness of it,” said Muhammed, fighting back tears. Though she never imagined or realized what was going on at first, just over two months ago, on September 23rd, her daughter Jasmine died of an overdose.  Anita said Jasmine had been battling an opioid addiction and eventually when the Percocets she’d been abusing were mixed with fentanyl, the addiction won.

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“I felt like I could do a lot more. But there’s nothing I could do about that now but I can do a lot of good now to help parents and their children so that that doesn’t happen to them,” she said.

For the first time, Anita is speaking publicly about Jasmine’s life and death to help others, particularly African Americans.

“In the black community it’s difficult to talk about,” she said.

She joined others like Columbus Public Health Commissioner Dr. Mysheika Roberts, 1 of a handful of speakers at the health department’s “Basics of drug addiction in the African American Community” seminar, said Muhammed’s story is an example of why it’s important to reach out to the black community, who often don’t ask for help because of stigma. The problem’s worse for someone who doesn’t have insurance or relies on Medicaid, when there already aren’t enough rehab facilities and beds for treatment. Most addicts are then put on waiting lists and told to call back.

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Nollywood actress Tonto Dikeh goes mad after serious drug addiction issues

A destroyed life has become so common as a result of drug addiction. This is such a sad reality and in spite of this, still, so many people choose to use drugs. Of course, there could be so many reasons why one would decide to use drugs, but it all boils down to one thing- destruction. Drugs can destroy the person in all aspects. Now, another victim has come to the picture.

Dr. Olakunle Churchill, ex-husband of Nollywood performing artist, Tonto Dikeh has hit back at her over the most recent unmerited attacks. Olakunle Churchill in a selective meeting with newsmen asserted the on-screen character is on medications and perhaps it is step by step transforming her into a mad individual.

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According to, dailyadvent.com, Tonto had described her ex-husband and father of her son as a fraudster ‘yahoo boy’. But the man told this portal that she is on a desperate course to ruin his reputation with unprovoked attacks suspecting she may have gone made as a result of the addiction to drugs though will not name which specific drug it was.

“She wants to ruin me by force. She has called me several names to ruin my personality; ritualist rug dealer, fraudster, gay , murderer , she is pained and she is finding it very hard to move on , she is on drugs. Insulting my mum lying up and down…she can’t get over me and she is mad. She started from domestic violence but when I showed prove that she was the violent one she kept changing from one allegation to another”, he revealed.

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Intruder who jumped inside crocodile exhibit had history with drugs

With drugs, it is like everything is possible, even the most daring and deadliest things. This is why drugs are so dangerous because it leads a person to be more of a risk-taker in a bad way. We have so many stories of people committing crimes, crossing the road not caring if they’ll get hit by cars or not, and now, here’s a man who jumped into a crocodile pool and this man had a history with drugs.

Surveillance video from Monday night shows a man jumping into the crocodile pool at the St. Augustine Alligator Farm. A short while later, a crocodile bit him. “He gets bit, and goes out [of the water] and for some reason goes back in,” Alligator Farm Director John Brueggen said. “Yeah. That’s why I’m concerned for someone like this.” Police say the man who broke into the Alligator Farm and hung out for hours in the Nile Crocodile enclosure is 23-year-old Brandon Keith Hatfield of Green Cove Springs.

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While Brueggen said he was worried about his crocodiles, he is also worried about the man’s mental state.

“I’m concerned about him. I don’t know if it was a suicide attempt or if he was on so many drugs he didn’t know what he was doing,” Brueggen said.

The St. Augustine Police told First Coast News that Hatfield was “probably high on something” and that a toxicology test was done to determine what was in his system. The results have not been released.

A look through Hatfield’s criminal history shows he just got out of jail Friday, three days before his visit with the crocodiles. He had been in the St. Johns County jail on charges of drug possession for methamphetamine and for stealing a car.

Social media posts from people who know Hatfield indicate he has struggled with drugs…

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New Program Addresses Pregnancy and Drug Addiction

It can be observed that through the years, drug addiction has become a very serious problem in different aspects. More than ever, more people are committing drug overdose now, younger people are more daring to try drugs, and more women are willing to their risk their own lives and that of their family just because of drugs. There are even so many pregnant women who still use drugs, without considering how detrimental it can be for their unborn child.

This has led local officials to exert more effort to address pregnancy and addiction with new treatment programs. The new Substance-free Pregnancy and Recovery Coalition or SPARC is an initiative Chippewa County officials say is a response to the growing drug epidemic. “SPARC came about as a result of an observation in Chippewa County about the number of kids who are being removed from their homes due to this meth epidemic,” said Melissa Ives, contracted Project Manager for the Chippewa County Department of Human Services.

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The new program geared towards expectant mothers, fighting addiction hopes to change that. The project aims at identifying pregnant women upfront who many need to be referred to treatment.

“Initial identification may be made by a number of different entities…it may be made by the health provider, may be the substance use provider, could be a social worker, could be a health department worker,” said Ives.

She adds that the program explores potential barriers that prevent women from coming in and obtaining care.

“One of those is the fear that the baby will be taken away from them…that is not what we want,” said Ives. She says the program aims at treating mothers in a way that allows her to keep custody of her baby. The goal is to keep families intact for the long run.

Many local health providers are getting involved in the program as addiction poses a huge risk to pregnant mothers and their babies. Katie Jelinek, Registered Nurse at HSHS Sacred Heart Hospital treats patients in both Chippewa and Eau Claire Counties. She says there is a great need for a program like this in the area.

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Drug addict finds new hope through Springfield recovery program

Regardless of how things seem to be with drug addiction, the good news is the fact that addicts always have a choice to make. This means that they can do the right thing or end what is wrong and do what is right. Help is available in different ways. What is needed is for them to realize this and be willing to change for the better.

If you are an addict, perhaps getting into a recovery program might be one of the best decisions you will ever have to make. You will not only be saving your life but even that of people around you. At the same time, changing and recovering means more hope and chances for you to live better and happier.

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SPRINGFIELD, Mo. While researching methamphetamine abuse in Springfield we met a man who spent nearly half of his life on drugs.

James Haines decided to get clean a few months ago.

He wants to share his story to let others know that there are people in our community who are willing to help addicts like him. Haines believes that if his life can change that there is hope for others.

“Seventeen is when I started using methamphetamine,” he says.

At the height of his addiction, Haines says he was grossly underweight. His face looked sunken in.

“When you’re addicted you don’t realize what the worst part is until there’s that one sobering moment where you realize you’re walking the street in the rain and you have no place to go and you haven’t showered for days you’re hungry,” he explains.

He’s lived this way since he was a teen. One day he decided he had enough.

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Ex-Celtic ace Magnus Hedman reveals how drug addiction ruined relationship with son

So many good things can get wasted just because of drug addiction. For one, it can destroy families and relationships. It is not the first time to hear a story about a father or a mother who put the lives of their children at risk as a result of drug abuse or one who was not able to fulfill the needed duties of a parent because if addiction to drugs.

Just like with Magnus Hedman who has turned out to be a bad father to his son because of drugs. Things can like this simply always ends up on regret as there are some actions that can never be fixed anymore. This is why addiction treatment centers play an important role in different countries because it can save a lot of “fathers” from turning to a bad one because of drug use. It can also help those who have been bad but are willing to change for the better.

Click here to read the story.

The former Celtic keeper had previously revealed that he would spend vast sums of money on amphetamines.

He recently appeared on a Swedish TV show where he admitted to being a bad father to his son, Lancelot, who presented the show.

Hedman, 45, said: “I have had several difficult periods. When I retired from football I felt very bad as a human being.

“Then I began abusing drugs. It went on for four years, there was a lot about me in the media, and it was hard for Lancelot.

“Part of his tough teenage period came from me. It made him grow up early, taking extra responsibility.

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Leroy Slava: From drug addiction to professional property investment

In spite of all the bad stories and news that we encounter every day about drug addiction, it still feels good that there are inspiring stories that come out of it. There are still those who took the courage to change and live a better life, even lead as an example to others that as long you want something with all your heart, there will always be a way to it.

Just like with what happened with Leroy Slava who was once a drug addict but is now professional property investor. He is a professional property investor who has pulled himself up by his bootstraps from drug addiction to become a key player in the property market. Slava started doing drugs while in Grade 10 and this abuse escalated when he completed schooling, leading him to drop out from Wits Tech (now University of Johannesburg).

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Addicted to ecstasy, acid, cocaine and cat, he has turned his life around against all odds. Slava recalls that he went to rehab, but that didn’t work for him. “From Wits Tech, I went to Damelin and dropp edout again. For a few years, it got worse with drug addiction – it was only when I was 25 when I realised that it was actually becoming a big problem,” he says.

He recalls that his turn-around began when he went to church prayed and sought a purpose for his life. With his passion for property, Slava has been successfully investing in the South African market for a number of years.

His property journey started at the age of 26, when he sold a property he inherited and purchased a townhouse.

“The guy that sold me the townhouse bought it on auction. He purchased a distressed house, refurbished it and sold it to me at a profit,” he says.

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Detox center director: It’s never too late to beat drug addiction

Getting into drugs is so easy, but the real challenge happens when you realize that you have let yourself fall into the trap. There have been so many unsuccessful attempts to try to quit drugs which really discouraged so many people. There can be so many reasons for this. Those who are into drugs think that the substance is their best resort in life as they face many challenges. Without them knowing it, it is also the substance that makes everything worse for them.

In Crosswinds Center in Greebier County, they believe that there is no such thing as too late to quit when it comes to drug addiction. The addiction treatment facility is really trying their best to help their patients become clean and free again so they can start a new life. With such, more people will be encouraged to quit as they see that help is available for them.

Click here for more information.

“Every day holds a possibility of a miracle.”

This is a quote hanging above a full-size bed in a private, inpatient detox room for those struggling with drug addiction at the Crosswinds Center in Greenbrier County.

Carol Banchinger of Lewisburg was a patient at the Crosswinds Center two years ago.

After getting into trouble with the law, Banchinger, 27 years old at the time, had to choose rehabilitation or jail.

She chose the Crosswinds Center, a five- to 15-day inpatient drug treatment facility and crisis stabilization center just outside of Lewisburg in the small town of Maxwelton.

“I was on Suboxone at the time and really any opioid I could get a hold of,” Banchinger recalled.

Upon checking into the detox center, like any patient, Banchinger was required to meet with a nurse and intake counselor. Each patient is then given a T-shirt and pants to wear, and their personal clothing is washed and inspected.

Cleaning each patient’s clothing is to ensure cleanliness at the facility, but also to inspect the clothing for hidden drugs.

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Minnesota organization helps inmates with drug addiction

Not every addict has become so because it was a choice. There are many of them who have just been victims of consequences. The same goes for prisoners. Not all of them are in jail because they were guilty of something. Many of them were just left with no choice or they have been framed for something they did not do. But the worse thing is when these inmates become addicted to drugs.

Instead of serving their purpose in prison, they are putting themselves at greater risks. This is why these people need all the help they could get. It’s a good thing that in Minnesota, organizations are taking the initiative to help inmates overcome their drug addiction. This is for the purpose of helping them avoid overdosing as soon as they leave the jail.

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MINNEAPOLIS (AP) – A Minnesota jail is working to get inmates to access to drug treatment and avoid the danger of overdosing when they leave.

Minnesota Public Radio reports that faith-based Minnesota Adult and Teen Challenge offers short-term and long-term treatment programs.

Tim Walsh is the organization’s vice president of long-term recovery and mental health. He says about 40 percent of the people the organization helps to have legal conditions connected to their recovery.

Walsh says that while people leaving jail likely have the advantage of having already gone through withdrawal, they also face other challenges like limited job options, legal requirements, and loss of a support system.

Gina Evans leads the organization’s community outreach efforts. She says inmates being released are at a high risk of overdosing.

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Those Struggling With Drug Addiction Have A Unique Place To Seek Help In New Jersey

The struggle against drug addiction is real and one of the most difficult things that one will ever go through. So many fail to get out of it and there are those who were able to get through it as well with some help. As the problem with drugs is getting more serious each day, all the help that one can get will make a great difference.

In New Jersey, the Evesham Township police station is ready to change their lives and deal with their drug addictions. It’s a program called “Straight to Treatment.” The program is part of a broad approach to the opioid epidemic which includes enforcement, education and expanding treatment. By getting help at a police station, addicts can also clear some of their legal hurdles like outstanding warrants.

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PHILADELPHIA (CBS) — There are many reasons people walk into police stations, usually to report a crime or because they’re accused of committing one.

But since March, more than 50 people have gone to the Evesham Township police station ready to change their lives and deal with their drug addictions. It’s a program called “Straight to Treatment.”

“There was one individual that they referred directly to us and within 15 hours we were able to get them into treatment and started on medication,” said Samantha Dowgin with Oaks Integrated Care.

Oaks Integrated Care, a local addictions treatment provider, has partnered with Evesham Township as the first town in Burlington County to do the “Straight to Treatment” pilot program. It was initiated by the prosecutor’s office.

“Sometimes the people with addiction that break the law are not career criminals but people who really need help,” said Burlington County Prosecutor Scott Coffina.

The program is part of a broad approach to the opioid epidemic which includes enforcement, education and expanding treatment.

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Instagram will send a pop-up about opioid addiction support if you search certain hashtags

Social media has been greatly influential in our lives, especially at this present time. It has gone beyond being a venue for communication. Many of us now depend on it to learn new information and to be aware of the latest news. Social media is indeed making a huge impact in each of our lives today.

Now, people are using it, specifically, Instagram to find addiction support and communities, as well as illegal drugs. The company is rolling out a pop-up today that will provide users with drug addiction resources when they search for hashtags like an opioid. With this, more people would be able to seek help as they know that it is available and within their reach.

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Instagram says people are using the platform’s hashtags to find addiction support and communities as well as illegal drugs. So, in response, the company is rolling out a pop-up today that’ll provide users with drug addiction resources if they search certain hashtags, like “opioid.” The pop-up reads:

“If you or someone you know is struggling with opioid or substance misuse, find ways to get free and confidential treatment referrals, as well as information about substance abuse, prevention, and recovery.”

The user can then opt to get support resources that Instagram developed with the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence, and the Partnership for Drug Free Kids. There will also be advice for family and friends of people with substance abuse problems…

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University of South Carolina to sell drug that reverses overdoses without prescription

Drug overdose is a common problem in today’s time. It has already affected so many people, even the families of those who are using it. But the worse thing is, so many lives have been lost because of it. In spite of strict regulations, still, there are so many people who get access to drugs which lead them to abuse or overdose from it. But today, students in the University of South Carolina can now buy a so-called life-saving drug on their campus that can help them reverse the effects of opioid overdose.

This drug is known as naloxone and is sold under the name Narcan. With this drug, drug overdose can have a solution which would mean saving so many lives. It is very important that solutions are made to save these people, along with the help of different addiction treatment centers that can provide a tailored treatment for the affected individuals.

Click here to read the news.

University of South Carolina students can now buy a “lifesaving” drug on campus that can help reverse the effects of opioid overdose, the university announced Friday.

The drug, naloxone — sold under the brand name Narcan — will be available to all students without a prescription at the Center for Health and Well-Being pharmacy, the university said in a tweet.

Price of the drug varies depending on a student’s insurance coverage, but without insurance it would cost about $125, USC spokesman Jeff Stensland said in a text message. The university is applying for a grant that would make the drug free to students, Stensland said.

“As you know, there is much concern nationally about the opioid crisis,” Stensland said. “Although opioid overdose is not widespread at USC, we wanted to be proactive, because no community is immune.

“Currently all law enforcement and health services staff have access to Narcan and are trained in administering it,” Stensland said…

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Battling Drug Addiction: What Comes After Detox?

Drug addiction is a problem that has been existing for quite a long time now. The sad thing is we are not seeing any signs that this will be stopping soon. In fact, it seems to be getting worse each day and the number of those who are using drugs keep on increasing. This has led the government and many private sectors to come with solutions that help people quit the addiction and encourage others not to ever do drugs.

The challenge, however, is what happens after having the treatment or detox. Does it mean that the problem ends there? Or is there another challenge that these people have to face? Whatever it is, the most important thing is the courage that people take to get out of drug addiction. This is the first step to changing and starting anew.

Click here for information.

Like many states, Illinois is battling an opioid epidemic. Loran Owens, who lives in Franklin county in Southern Illinois, knows what the epidemic is like first-hand.

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“My brother, [when] I was in jail, my brother got arrested and he was in there about four months,” Owens said. “And he shot up heroin, more or less. It was OxyContin and stuff … and while he was in there, he was trying to get help. He was wanting to go to rehab when he left there.”

But Owens brother didn’t get into a rehab program. Owens says he didn’t even make it two days after he was released, and was found dead behind a tire store after an overdose.

“People are dying left and right.”

Owens spent 20 years in and out of prison thanks to addiction. He’s clean now, but he says the lack of resources leads to many people staying addicted or overdosing. During his time in and out of jail he says he saw the same people over and over – and now that he’s out, he’s fielding phone calls from people who want to get clean.

“People looking for help all the time,” he says. “I can’t help ’em.”

The first step is getting off the drug. Withdrawal symptoms from opioids can last for up to a month. A detox facility can help – but only if there’s a bed available. Owens recalls asking his probation officer about getting into rehab at one point, only to be told it would be four months before he could get into treatment. He never got into that facility – he was arrested and landed in jail instead.

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Irish bishops combat drug addiction through parish life, partnerships

Although there are so many ways on how to combat drug addiction, not all of them can be effective. Indeed. The problem has been going on around for so many years now, but there are no signs that it is near over. The number of users is continuously increasing. This is a sad reality but its happening in today’s time. This means that so many futures are getting broken because of drugs.

However, it’s a good thing also that people are not giving up on it. They also keep on thinking of ways on how to combat drug addiction. In Dublin, their parish is doing so much to help with this problem. They have parish life and partnerships as their way of fighting drugs. This is an excellent initiative as this will not only help people stay away from drugs, but will also encourage them to seek help and believe in God.

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DUBLIN – Parish life, peer education and public-private partnerships are needed to combat addiction, said Darren Butler, national coordinator of the Irish Bishops’ Drugs Initiative during an Aug. 22 presentation at the World Meeting of Families 2018 in Dublin.

More than 140 people listened Aug. 22 as Butler described the multifaceted pastoral response developed by the initiative, established in 1997 to address the issue of substance abuse in Irish society. Since then, the initiative has worked with numerous local and national agencies to provide resources for recovery.

Parish and diocesan structures are key to the initiative’s mission, said Butler, as they enable his team “to reach areas many other programs miss.”

Since young people are vulnerable to drug and alcohol experimentation when transitioning to secondary school, the initiative invites students preparing for confirmation to pledge themselves to a healthy lifestyle. As part of their “confirmation commitment,” they attend a ceremony at which their sponsors promise to serve as positive role models. Students are then presented with commemorative wristbands and bookmarks listing the gifts of the Holy Spirit.

Panelist David Conway of Kilkenny, Ireland, noted that his parish had created “family fun days” to strengthen both the confirmation commitment and communal life.

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Meth Plaguing Rural Minnesota more than Opioids

There are different kinds of drugs available in today’s time but of course, all of them have detrimental effects. One of the most popular drugs that many people use is opioid. It is very rampant in so many countries, causing problems in so many ways. However, in Minnesota, although opioid is rampant, meth has been plaguing their rural areas. The number of deaths caused by the use of this drug is also on the rise.

Whatever the kind of drug is, the truth remains the same the drug use if dangerous. It can destroy one’s life. With this problem, it’s very important that help should be available and it can be in different forms like addiction treatment centers. This allows drug addicts to know that they should not be afraid to quit because there are people and institutions that can help them change and start a new life.

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The problems of opioid addiction is real and large, but outside the Twin Cities metro, meth remains king.

Treatment admissions for meth in Greater Minnesota have skyrocketed compared to opioids, and deaths due to meth use are on the rise, too.

The findings are part of a study released by the Center for Rural Policy and Development. The report, “It’s an Addiction Crisis,” found that outstate counties are grappling with meth use. 

“We’ve been bombarded with the news of all the deaths from opioids. Our job is to find out what may be the same or different in Greater Minnesota than in the Twin Cities,” said Marnie Werner, interim executive director of the Mankato-based center.

“As soon as we started talking to a few county administrators, we found that opioids are a problem, but meth is a bigger problem.”

She said information on the opioid crisis tends to be statewide data. “The Twin Cities is so large it skews the statewide data.”

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Signs that your Teenager Might be ”a drug addict”

Teenage years can be very complicated and difficult. This is the stage where teens are very eager to try whatever it is that will trigger their curiosity. In most cases, this includes trying alcohol, cigarettes, and even drugs. This phase of life is also very difficult in the case of the parents as handling their children can be a big challenge. It’s like one mistake can make the situation worse. But, there are things that parents can do in order to prevent things from getting worse.

Since teenagers can be very sensitive, it’s important to take things slow but sure. For instance, if you think that your child is using drugs, confronting them immediately may not be a good idea especially if you are not yet very certain about it. What you can do is to look for signs to determine if he or she is a drug addict or not. Below are some signs you can watch out for.

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Addiction, simply put, refers to a form of dependency, craving, compulsion, habit, weakness and even enslavement.

We are addicted to many things, but one source of addiction that comes to mind, is the device that you are reading this blog from. When I am not with my android, it feels like I am missing something; and when I am with it, I find myself always “using” it. I don’t even understand how we were living two decades ago. Ah! I am addicted to my phone; I cant be more than 30 minutes without it!

I have had to fight hard, concerning my battle with Coca-Cola. I am in a good place now, or at least that is how I console myself, LOL! I am no longer addicted to Coca-Cola; but if I have to be honest, I think I am becoming addicted to Diet-Coke. Funny isn’t it? Now, there are “theories” that insist that there is a substance of addiction in the “black water”. I beg to differ, I think its caffeine; and YES I love coffee. There are a number of Coffee addicts in the world, Starbucks can testify.

What of addiction to video games? Remember we have described it as a form of “dependency, and even enslavement”. I can tell you that a number of Generation Z folks, are quite “tech savvy “ and easily addicted to video games.

Some people are addicted to food. Yes, food, and they spend decades battling with their weight.

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Depression may lead to drug addiction, suicide, or mysticism

Depression has always been viewed as a serious problem, especially in today’s time as more and more people are suffering from it. This problem has ended so many lives and perhaps, is still destroying many more. This is why the has been an urgent desire for people to find ways on how to beat depression. If not, this can lead to more serious problems such as suicide, mysticism, and drug addiction.

We have heard so many news about people who turn to drugs when they are depressed. They think that doing so will solve the problem, not knowing that they are just making it worse. As a result of this, the number of people who are getting addicted to drugs keep on increasing. This is why we need more addiction treatment centers around so these people would know that help is just around the corner and there are people who are willing to help them.

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In 2015, Vice Ganda let the cat out of the bag and publicly admitted that, as a teenager, he was suicidal. It’s a confirmation of the many psycho-medical studies that say adolescents and those who belong to the LGBT identity are prone to despair following bullying, family problems, peer pressure, and social rejection.

What entertainer Joey de Leon insinuated in October 2017 is untrue, that “depression is just made up by people. They do it to themselves.” Nobody was laughing and, rather quickly, netizens retorted that such comments add insult to (psycho-emotional) injury.

Depression may be of two types, one is a depressed mood that everybody experiences, one way or another. The second is a persistent depressive disorder (PDD), which is considered a mental health problem of about 300 million people around the world.

The first is a normal, temporary reaction to life events such as loss of a loved one, social isolation, financial problems, unemployment, stress in living conditions, a medical diagnosis (cancer), separation, broken-heartedness, etc..

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Midland Law Enforcement Joins War Against Drug Addiction

When it comes to drug addiction, so many initiatives have already been implemented. Each country that is struggling with their own drug addiction problem has their own way of solving the problem. These initiatives are very important not only to catch those who are involved with drugs, but most of all, to help those who wants to get out of it and start a new life. We all know that drugs can destroy all of us when does not get solved as soon as possible. It is often the cause of many crimes and so many futures have been affected because of addiction.

In Midland, they have a program that allows their residents who are dealing with addiction to get connected to treatment by going to law enforcement. They are hoping to bring law enforcement and community organizations together to find the best treatment options for people who have drug and alcohol addiction. For sure, with this initiative, so many lives will be saved thus contributing to the peace and order of the community.

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Tuesday was the kickoff for a program allowing Midland residents dealing with addiction to get connected to treatment by going to law enforcement.

Hope Not Handcuffs is an initiative started nine months ago by the Families Against Narcotics, aimed at bringing law enforcement and community organizations together in an effort to find treatment options for people facing drug and alcohol addiction.

“I hope this is going to make a difference, and I’m pretty sure it’s going to,” said Midland County Sheriff Scott Stephenson. “This is a new concept and why this wasn’t thought of earlier I don’t know.”

The most important part about Hope Not Handcuffs is that it will help people, but Stephenson also believes it will save a lot of time for law enforcement.

“The old way of doing things isn’t working,” Stephenson said.

In conjunction with the Great Lakes Bay Region Families Against Narcotics chapter, Midland is among eight law enforcement agencies that started the program July 24, which comprises police and sheriffs in Saginaw City, Saginaw Township, Bay County, Bay City, Essexville and Hampton Township.

Midland’s law enforcement office is open around the clock, so people seeking help through Hope Not Handcuffs can come in, fill out a form online at www.familiesagainstnarcotics.org/hopenothandcuffs, or call 833-202-4673.

People who come to Midland law enforcement for the program will not be run through the Law Enforcement Information Network to see if they have a warrant, said Rodney Roten, City of Midland Deputy Chief of Police.

People will still be held accountable for crimes, but it will be in the context of getting them help for their addiction, he said.

Because the police and sheriff’s department in Midland are working on implementing the program together, it will be consistent for everybody seeking help, Stephenson explained…

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Man Who has Helped Hundreds Overcome Drug Addiction Suffers Own Relapse

Getting addicted to drugs is very easy. You just have to let yourself keep using and enjoying it. But the sad part will be the effects- the damages it can bring to one’s life. Not only damages, but it can even lead to death. Good thing that there are those who decide to quit before things get worse. Although this can be a big challenge, with determination and the availability of help, it’s always possible to get out of it.

It’s so inspiring to hear stories about people helping one another to get out of drug addiction. However, for this man, after years of helping his fellow drug addicts, he had a relapse and now, he’s the one who needs all the help he can get. Good thing that rehab services and facilities are available to help him get back on his feet again, and hopefully soon, to help more people again.

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BUTLER COUNTY — The man on a mission for the past five years needs direction on his path to recovery.

Ron Ward, founder of Celebrating Restoration, a grassroots campaign to free those from the chains of addictions, relapsed in June, and last week checked into a Florida rehabilitation facility. Ward tested positive for marijuana and benzodiazepine after he thought he was taking methamphetamine to mask his Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. He also said he was struggling with a death in his family.

So Ward stepped away from Celebrating Restoration, a decision he posted on Facebook.

“I cannot help others when I cannot help myself,” he said hours before leaving his Middletown home for Florida. “I’m not in a place to help others.”

Ward had been clean since July 31, 2012. His new sobriety date is June 25, 2018. After the relapse, Ward spent time at a drug rehabilitation facility in Columbus. When he returned home, Ward realized “one week wasn’t enough” and he needed more intense treatment.

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Local Woman Overcoming Drug Addiction

It’s just inspiring to learn about any news on people recovering from addiction. Those who have decided to make a major decision of turning back on drugs are really admirable. This is what the world needs right now- people who are willing to work hard to free themselves from drugs and addiction that has nothing good to give them. In today’s time, it’s so depressing that there are still so many people who use drugs and let themselves get addicted to it. Worse is, a lot today start using it at a very young age.

This is why strong regulations should be imposed on drugs. At the same time, addiction treatment centers will be a great help especially to those who have been trying to quit but could not do it on their own. With these facilities around, they can get the kind of treatment that is specifically tailored for their needs. May this woman in the article below serve as an inspiration to more people out there.

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SCHENECTADY, N.Y. (WRGB) – We first met Carlie Mace while interviewing staff at the New Choices Recovery Center in Schenectady. She was there for one of her regular meetings and offered to tell us her story of addiction, which started with marijuana as young as 13 and took a more serious turn about six years ago.

“My back was hurting a lot and I didn’t’ know what to do. I’d just had a baby and had to care for my child and do everything. I had a 5 year old at the time. You can’t just sit around and be in pain you have to keep going” Mace said.

She went to a hospital and got a prescription for the pain. Carlie told us she had no idea how good the medications would make her feel – and how much agony withdrawal would put her through. “I was on top of the world, nobody could stop me. I could take care of my 5 year old, I could take care of my infant child, I could work two jobs and I just felt like I was on top of the world, until it was too late.”

During a follow up appointment, a drug screen found cocaine in Carlie’s system, something she told us she used recreationally. That meant no more legal meds. Carlie told us about the first time she went to buy pills off the street, and found something stronger and cheaper…

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Officials say Drug Addiction on the Rise in Iraq and Kurdistan Region

We can hardly see a place or a country that is drug-free, especially in this modern time. It is just saddening to know that more and more people are letting themselves to get addicted to drugs. Drugs is not a problem for the individual only. It is also a problem of your family and the country as a whole. Having a lot of drug addicted people means a big problem in the country- it can affect the nation in so many negative ways.

Of all countries in the world, there are some that can be considered to have the higher numbers of addicted people or that drug addiction is more of a serious problem for them. And now, Iraq and Kurdistan Region seems to be having a rise in drug addiction. This is an alarming situation because this can lead to more crimes or more lives getting lost and destroyed. Hopefully, those who really need help will receive one and addiction treatment centers will be available in the country.

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ERBIL, Kurdistan Region — On the International Day Against Drug Abuse And Illicit Trafficking, officials and NGOs claim the number of drug addicts in both the Kurdistan Region and Iraq are increasing, citing different factors.

“Unfortunately, the users of drugs in the Kurdistan Region increase on a daily basis. Currently about 10,000 individuals in all the three provinces of the Kurdistan Region are drug users,” said Ibrahim Ramadhan, the head of the Organization for Countering Drugs.He believes the number isn’t at an alarming level according to international standards.

“We have to tackle it and prevent it so that it doesn’t spread even more,” said Ramadhan.

Ramadhan claimed the social fabric in the Kurdistan Region will be unraveled with the spread of the drugs.

He revealed that obtaining drugs has become easier through “mafias and greedy traders”

Ramadhan claimed that Kurdish youth travel to Iran and Turkey, where they encounter drugs for the first time and use them, as a reason why they get addicted.

There are three counter-drug organizations in the Kurdistan Region.

“We haven’t been able to sufficiently work up to now because the financial conditions of the organizations are very bad,” the counter-drug head said.

Ramadhan said that it was the duty of the government to tackle the issue, especially the Ministry of Health, as there are lax regulations on dealing in pharmaceuticals…

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About 2 Million Russians Suffer from Drug Addiction

We know for a fact that there indeed is a problem with drug addiction. But when we look at the number of people who are addicted to it, it can be very alarming. Not only in a single country, but so many, if not the majority, actually has drug addiction problem and their government has been taking this problem so seriously. Now in Russia, as many as 500, 000 of their citizens is actually listed to be addicted to drugs.

This is a drug addiction blog that offers ways and treatments to help those who want to change by quitting drugs. This is with the hope of decreasing the number of users, and eventually, to get rid of the problem. Being drug-free is still and will always be the best way to go for one to live his life the best way possible.

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MOSCOW, June 4. /TASS/. The Russian Interior Ministry has reported about 2 million Russian citizens as suffering from drug addiction, Russian Interior Minister Vladimir Kolokoltsev said in an interview with the NTV channel.

“As many as 500,000 citizens are officially registered with the Russian Health Ministry over drug addiction. These are official figures, but sociological surveys show that about 2 million our citizens are involved in this issue,” the minister said, responding to the question on the number of drug addicts in Russia.

That said, Kolokoltsev noted that the war on drugs in Russia is successful and systematic. He reiterated that the activity of a large international drug network consisting of 10 branches was shut down in 2017. “They’ve been working on the territory of the Russian Federation for 10 years; there was even a power bloc for addressing arising issues. The chieftain of the drug network got life imprisonment for his actions for the first time in history, 14 members were jailed to 6 to 25 years, and 12 more members are internationally wanted. This work is systematic, and we indeed are stepping up our efforts,” Kolokoltsev noted.

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Heavy Price for Drug Addiction

As they say, for whatever it is that you do, there’s always a price that you have to pay. It’s just like saying that if you do good, then you will be getting something good in return as well. But if you do something bad, you are likely to suffer as a result. This is very true when talking about drug addiction. Abuse of drugs lead to something harmful and dangerous, reaching the point of losing one’s life.

This is what happened to a youth in Manjunathapura in Mysuru. The youth was addicted to marijuana because the substance is easily available in Mysuru. He was depressed and had difficulty battling his addictions, thus leading him to commit suicide.

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Mysuru, May 280- A youth died of drug addiction at Manjunathapura in the city here on Saturday. Chandu (26) is the victim. He was allegedly addicted to marijuana. He was depressed as he was unable to come out of the addiction and committed suicide by hanging.

People allege that marijuana is easily available in Mysuru. They urge the police to take strict action to control the drug menace in the city. VV Puram police have registered a complaint. (MR/KS).

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