Drug Rehab Threatened by FDA Attempt to Regulate Supplements

Some drug rehab centers are concerned about a guidance document that is currently on the Food and Drug Administration’s Docket (FDA No. 2006D-0480) that reveals plans to reclassify all vegetable juices, herbs and vitamins as FDA regulated drugs. Even things like massage oils and massage rocks will be classified as “medical devices”.

According to the document, once these vitamins, minerals and other natural methods are regulated, the FDA can then ban anything that they feel is a drug and these supplements can be taken off the market. Currently, there are millions of people using natural supplements as they are much safer and cause no side effects in comparison to many of the drugs that are being approved and promoted by the FDA everyday.

This could be a blow to the drug rehab field. It's been shown that drug free methods to handle addiction with the use of natural supplements statistically achieve the best success rates.

Many of the clients that undergo this type of drug rehab treatment end up being successfully rehabilitated from addiction and do not have periods
of relapse. Trying to regulate these natural methods would be disastrous in the substance abuse treatment arena as many non-traditional treatment methods are now being used.

To comment on this docket

More Prescriptions Given to Addicts as Alternative to Real Drug Rehab

According to a recent article, NIDA (National Institute on Drug Addiction) is set to begin a study through New York University’s Medical Center that would provide those addicted to prescription pain pills, more pills to “wean” them off the drugs. This is a similar concept that the methadone maintenance programs use to wean people off heroin.

This study will be called the Prescription Opiate Addiction Treatment Study and will not only be done at the NYU’s Medical Center, Bellevue Hospital but at 12 other sites around the country. Some of the substitute drugs will include buprenorphone/naloxone and Suboxone to handle addictions to drugs such as OxyContin and Vicoden.

With Suboxone, there are many side effects similar to those effects that people addicted to OxyContin and Vicoden experience. According to SAMHSA (the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration) side effects of Suboxone/Subutex®, include dysphoric (depressed) mood, nausea or vomiting, muscle aches/cramps, lacrimation (secretion of excess tears), rhinorrhea (excessive discharge of mucus from the nose), dilation of pupils, sweating, piloerection (erection of hair), diarrhea, yawning, mild fever, insomnia, cravings, distress and irritability.

According to the DEA website, some of the effects and withdrawal symptoms from OxyContin include: constipation, nausea, sedation, dizziness, vomiting, headache, dry mouth, sweating, and weakness.

If you really look, there are more negative effects listed for the “replacement” drug like Suboxone. So, how does that solve the problem?

And, the long term success rates for sobriety from drug addiction by using replacement drug approaches does not top 20%.

Is giving people these replacement drugs the same as giving them more of the drugs they are already addicted to? Or is it worse?

Article by Eric

Digg It | Reddit | Newsvine Seed

Add to your bookmarks in:
del.icio.us | Yahoo! | Google | Furl | ma.gnolia | Spurl

Methamphetamine use in Arkansas tied to problems in states child welfare system

A recent report by a non-profit children’s advocacy group has found that there is a lack of good information to determine the effects of methamphetamine on Arkansas’s child welfare system.

Methamphetamine “is seen as the leading cause of all the problems that plague the child welfare system and is considered a significant factor and something that has to be addressed, but you can’t prove that,” said Paul Kelly, senior policy analyst with Arkansas Advocates for Children and Families. “With all the public attention on it, is that warranted, and, should we be focusing on methamphetamine or should we be focused on substance abuse?” he said.

The report by the AACF did find that meth was one of the drugs abused by adults that harm children.

According to the study, pregnant mothers are more likely to test positive for cocaine and amphetamines. The study, “Poison, Problem and Perspective: the Impact of Methamphetamine on Arkansas Child Welfare System,” also found that in 2004, parental substance abuse surpassed parents going to jail as the most prevalent factor for placing children in foster care.

Kelly said this is troubling because there is a shortage in Arkansas of substance abuse treatment for women and children.

Arkansas is widely believed to have a statewide problem with methamphetamine abuse and with the lack of good treatment available this will continue to be an issue.

What do you think? Should the focus in Arkansas be on methamphetamine or substance abuse in general?

Article by Eric

Digg It | Reddit | Newsvine Seed

Add to your bookmarks in:
del.icio.us | Yahoo! | Google | Furl | ma.gnolia | Spurl

“Addiction” series on HBO stirring controversy

A new documentary series on HBO that has been airing in recent weeks has been creating buzz about the use of medications in the treatment of drug abuse. As we announced a few months ago, this show is actually 9 short films by various directors and many are promoting the use of medications as a “cure” to handle addiction.

Basically, it is stating that putting people on drugs to get them off drugs is the best course of action to take.

Could this be just another way the pharmaceutical companies are seeking to increase profits?

If this type of thinking becomes more accepted, unfortunately many drug abusers will remain trapped as addicts and continue to tear their lives apart. A quick fix like this for a problem that has taken time to develop can’t be effective and will prevent many people from getting effective treatment.

What do you think? Should we be using drugs to get people off drugs or is this just another band-aid “cure”?

Article by Eric

Digg It | Reddit | Newsvine Seed

Add to your bookmarks in:
del.icio.us | Yahoo! | Google | Furl | ma.gnolia | Spurl