AUTHOR: Romie DATE: 4/11/2007 10:19:00 AM ----- BODY:
Presently, the Russian government is considering passing a bill that would require all child drug addicts to get into treatment. The bill would require all children under the age of 16 to attend treatment after going through a judicial procedure. Parents’ consent would be required for those legally living with parents but for all other children, who are orphans and whose parents are out of the picture, treatment would be determined by school administrators. In the country of Russia, this is a very controversial topic that has human rights activists in an uproar and specialists in the drug treatment field skeptical. According to the Federal Drug Control Service of Russia, between 80,000 and 100,000 people die annually in the country from overdoses and problems related to the use of dangerous drugs. Most are under the age of 30. At least 1.8 million Russians (more than 1 percent of the country’s 143 million citizens) are officially listed as drug addicts by the organization. Experts say the real figure could be many times that. A further 6 million are said to have had experience using these drugs, and 15 million Russians admitted having tried them at least once. Currently in the United States, there are over 20 million people suffering through drug and/or alcohol addiction and rehabilitation is usually not a requirement unless the individual is court ordered into treatment. This covers a very small percentage of drug addicts. Some make the decision to get help on their own while others are given ultimatums by loved ones’ or family members. A large percent of those addicted to drugs never make the decision to get help and end up in prison, or worse. Should the United States require all drug addicts to get into treatment? Should there be a bill in our country that even requires minors (with parents consent) to get help if they are addicted? Article by Eric Digg It | Reddit | Newsvine Seed Add to your bookmarks in: del.icio.us | Yahoo! | Google | Furl | ma.gnolia | Spurl

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-------- AUTHOR: Romie DATE: 4/01/2007 04:22:00 PM ----- BODY:
Did you know that there are over 13,000 drug rehabs in the United States. Of these thousands of rehabs, there are many different types of rehabs: all women; ages 17 – 35; CO-ED; and even one for pregnant women only. I thought it was interesting that there are so many women only drug rehabs (and very few men only ones) and thought to compare them: With an all women drug rehab there can be fewer distractions: from not having to worry about how you look, to not being preoccupied with the possibility of starting a relationship at a time when it could hinder the progress of your rehabilitation. Also, having other women around you that have gone through similar situations and have the same demands as other women can be extremely helpful in the recovery process. Rehabs for women vary from city to city. Some offer educational tutoring, academic courses, computer skills, life skills, recreational activities like, swimming, hiking, yoga, and karate, as well as group and individual counseling. CO–ED drug rehabs are more common and therefore, you have a greater number to choose from which could be helpful in finding just the right fit for your needs. There is also the opportunity of a more diverse group and the opportunity to build relationships with the opposite sex based on your common situation. CO-ED rehabs offer many of the same classes and courses as all women’s drug rehab but may have some activities geared more toward males or mixed groups. The length of stay varies greatly at any rehab whether it is all female or not. Some can range from 1-4 weeks, others 3-6 months, and even 9-12 month programs. With all of these differences to be considered, not just in gender, you should talk to someone who has had some experience and can recommend a rehab that will best suit your needs. Digg It | Reddit | Newsvine Seed Add to your bookmarks in: del.icio.us | Yahoo! | Google | Furl | ma.gnolia | Spurl

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-------- AUTHOR: Eric DATE: 3/30/2007 03:54:00 PM ----- BODY:
In today’s day and age, beer is still considered the drink of choice for many Czechs. According to the UK-based Society for the Study of Addiction, in 2003, Czechs drank an average of 162 liters of beer per person. This is more than any other nation on earth. That's one bottle of beer for every man, woman, and child in the Czech Republic every day. In this nation, the pub has been and will remain a key place for many to gather after work. In fact the above trend is not recent and drinking beer has been apart of Czech history for at least 1,000 years. Beers like Budweis and Pilsner beers were born and remain popular, both in the Czech Republic and around the globe. What’s even more odd is that scientists in the United Kingdom just did a study and reported that alcohol and tobacco are more dangerous than Ecstasy, marijuana and LSD as alcohol is involved in half of all emergency room visits in the country. The study went on to say that tobacco causes 40 percent of all illnesses that require hospitalization. Scientists doing the study feel that alcohol and tobacco cause more economical and societal problems than the use of many of these illegal drugs. Will these new findings cut down on the amount of alcohol use and abuse in the country? Will many who abuse alcohol now turn to abusing drugs because these drugs are reported as being less dangerous than alcohol? Article by Eric Digg It | Reddit | Newsvine Seed Add to your bookmarks in: del.icio.us | Yahoo! | Google | Furl | ma.gnolia | Spurl

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-------- AUTHOR: Romie DATE: 3/24/2007 09:22:00 AM ----- BODY:
Earlier we discussed the notion that LSD and other hallucinogens were possibly the most harmful drugs, simply for what they do to a person’s mind. Well, a new ranking system of drugs has been recommended and was recently printed in The Lancet medical journal in the UK. This new system devised harm scores for drugs, examining the damage caused by each drug not just to an individual or how addictive it was, but also by the damage it caused to families and society as a whole. Topping the list were heroin and cocaine, but an article in The Guardian seemed surprised that alcohol was placed fifth on the list. Although it is the world’s most consumed addictive substance and is legal, it actually costs more to the population in terms of damage caused by its use. This includes deaths from drinking and driving, as well as domestic violence, assault and battery, and lost productivity at work. Also mentioned in the article was that marijuana was ranked as being more harmful that Ecstasy, LSD and GHB. Does this classification system make sense? These British research scientists seemed to think so. What do you think? Article by Eric Digg It | Reddit | Newsvine Seed Add to your bookmarks in: del.icio.us | Yahoo! | Google | Furl | ma.gnolia | Spurl

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-------- AUTHOR: Romie DATE: 3/23/2007 10:56:00 AM ----- BODY:
Despite any stereotypes about drug users, there is no definite outline of an addict. There is not a single gene that defines one, or a certain family background, favorite food or economic status either. It’s not like only the rich can afford to use drugs or only the poor use certain type of drugs. It is intermingled. However, some drugs do cost more than others generally. Recent information from the United Nation Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) reveals some of the world’s drug prices. It found that heroin could range from $50 to a few hundred dollars per gram, depending on the type and purity. Cocaine, which is often considered one of the most expensive drugs, averaged out to be about $100 per gram. However, crack-cocaine can be purchased for about $20 per rock and another stimulant, methamphetamine, is manufactured and sold at prices much less than cocaine. Marijuana prices varied greatly depending on the potency of THC content, but generally averaged around $15 per gram, while Ecstasy has remained fairly steady at an average of $25 per pill. Underground markets have also developed for pharmaceuticals, everything from painkillers, to sedatives and stimulants. Kids sell their Ritalin pills at school for $5 and dealers specialize in Oxycontin, selling 20 mg pills for about $15. There have also been newer drug combinations, such as “cheese” found in Texas, which is a little bit of heroin mixed with over-the-counter painkillers. This was specifically targeted toward kids, both in marketing tactics and price. A report from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) also states that more than one million kids tried inhaling household products in 2005. This means that it was basically FREE, and is a disturbing statistic. The problem is that there will always be a product to meet the demand, and therefore more prevention efforts that work should be used, diverting funds from the supply reduction to education practices. What’s your take on the illicit drug market? Article by Eric Digg It | Reddit | Newsvine Seed Add to your bookmarks in: del.icio.us | Yahoo! | Google | Furl | ma.gnolia | Spurl

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-------- AUTHOR: Romie DATE: 3/21/2007 10:47:00 AM ----- BODY:
According to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, there are about 13.4 million current cocaine users in the world. While the U.S. is the world’s largest consumer of cocaine (not exactly something to be proud of), the next highest percentage falls in Western and Central Europe. Ireland has seen a notable increase in cocaine use of late, as reported by their National Advisory Committee on Drugs. The organization says the number of cocaine seizures has quadrupled and cocaine-related offenses have increased by more than seven times in the last six years. The number of treatment admissions for cocaine in Ireland has also increased noticeably, tripling since 1998. There really hasn’t been a defining reason for the increase necessarily, but drug use throughout the world has increased and decreased by substance periodically. Why do you think the use of any particular illicit substance increases or decreases on a national level? Article by Eric Digg It | Reddit | Newsvine Seed Add to your bookmarks in: del.icio.us | Yahoo! | Google | Furl | ma.gnolia | Spurl

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-------- COMMENT-AUTHOR:E. Catton COMMENT-DATE:Mar 22, 2007 11:17:00 AM COMMENT-BODY:This makes sense and it is directly linked to the rise in the the amout of legal stimulants that are prescribed to children and adults like Adderol and Ritalin. Many kids prescribed these drugs in school end up abusing other stimulants like cocaine and amphetamines later in life. -------- AUTHOR: Romie DATE: 2/22/2007 12:13:00 PM ----- BODY:
Afghanistan supplies up to 90% of the world’s opium cultivation, according to some estimates, despite being illegal. Recently there have been some advocates trying to get it legalized and subsidized in the country. The U.S. State Department issued a release this week saying, "In recent months, we have seen several articles and reports advocating the legalization of opium in Afghanistan ... The governments of Afghanistan, the United Kingdom, and the United States are all opposed to the legalization of opium in Afghanistan, as are the relevant technical agencies of the United Nations." For the 2006 growing season, farmers participating in India's licit market were paid anywhere from $16 to $49 per-kilogram of opium gum (the lower end of this price range being far more typical). In contrast, a trafficker in Afghanistan was willing to pay $138 per-kilogram of opium gum on average in 2005 and $125 on average in 2006. According to the United States Economic & Social Commission for Western Asia, opium poppy is a profitable crop that is produced with cheap labor (women, children and refugees). In 2002, gross income from the opium poppy crops in Afghanistan rose to $1.2 billion. Afghan farmers were offered $1,250 per hectare (about 2.5 acres) by the government to destroy their crops, but they are expected to receive $16,000 per hectare in profits from drug processors and traffickers for growing the poppies. A report from the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime last September showed the area under opium cultivation in Afghanistan reached a record 165,000 hectares in 2006 compared with 104,000 in 2005 (an increase of 59 percent overall). In the southern province of Helmand, where Taliban insurgents have scaled up their attacks on Afghan government and international forces, cultivation soared 162 percent to 69,324 hectares. Unfortunately, in the Afghan economy, the financial gain outweighs the devastation caused by the pain-killing drugs the opium poppy is used for, such as heroin. Officials say that roughly 80 percent of the heroin found in Europe comes from Afghanistan as well as nearly all of the supply in Russia. However, an increasing amount continues to find its way to the U.S. Article by Eric Mitchell

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