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Are violent drunks giving the rest of us a bad name? Alcohol consumption and violence
We all know that drinking alcohol changes the way people think and can make them act strangely right? We also know that alcohol is involved in more than 50% of violent crimes and about 75% of partner violence. The question is, why the connection? A recent paper I published suggests that drugs and alcohol can…
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U.S. Drug overdose deaths are increasing
The second leading cause of accidental death in the US is drug overdose (JAMA 2007). Prescription painkiller overdose deaths (opioid analgesics like OxyContin, Vicodin and methadone) account for nearly half of the 36,450 total fatal overdoses with 15,000 deaths that have claimed a number of celebrity lives including famous actor Heath Ledger (CDC 2011). With…
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Evolution of Addiction Treatment – California learning
Addiction conferences are getting more and more common, and quite a few nowadays showcase the talents of some very knowledgeable, and renowned, addiction experts. Coming from the academic side of things, I’ve been to conferences held by the American Psychological Association, the American Public Health Association, the Society for Neuroscience, and the College on Problems…
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Internet addiction – Epidemic or fad?
By Adi Jaffe, Ph.D., and Yalda Uhls, MA, MBA 1 in 3 people consider the Internet to be as important as air, water, food and shelter. Given how intensely people feel about this technology, is it any wonder that some psychologists are convinced that Internet addiction is a real pathology? True, claiming that people are…
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Disgusting cigarette packs in Australia
Its seems like we already know the health risks of smoking here in the US with common phrases like “Pass me a cancer stick?” But the Australian government wants its citizens to get a clear image of what they are getting themselves into. As of December 2012, in Australia the cigarette packs will not have…
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A3 Verified Addiction Treatment: Promises West Los Angeles and Malibu
From the mechanic who fixes your car to the teacher who educates your children, we don’t entrust our money, our possessions or our family to service providers without some assurance that these are trained, capable professionals. So when it comes to one of the most important decisions you will ever make, choosing an addiction treatment…
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Prescription opiates (pain killers) and NFL careers
There’s been a lot of talk about athletes using drugs in the last decade. Still, most of the attention has been either to steroids and other performance enhancing drugs or to illegal drug use, the kind that has cost some players their careers (Ricky Williams anyone?). But how many people know that prescription medication abuse…
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Drug Policy Alliance and the Recovery Movement
I had the opportunity to sit on a panel today during a drug policy alliance session on the role of the recovery movement in drug policy discussions. While it was obvious that everyone on the panel could generally agree that the current U.S. policy when it comes to drug use, abuse, and addiction is not…
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New drug testing technology? Cocaine and saliva
A recent development (check it out here) might lead the way to a quicker, more easily administered drug test. Instead of the lab analysis of urine, blood, or other fluids, this recent technology might allow first responders, such as EMTs, to assess a person’s exposure to drugs (prescription and otherwise) by simply dipping this device…
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Overcoming mental health problems is more than possible
Addicts and others with mental health issues continuously feel as if they need to hide their problems as well as hide from them. But an ongoing west-coast (U.C.L.A. and U.S.C.) study with a group of mental health patients suggests that hiding may be the wrong approach. The participants in the study, all successful individuals with…
