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Archive for December, 2009

Anti-depressants Not Addictive

Monday, December 14th, 2009

antidepressants are not addictiveWhy do some drugs carry the danger of addiction while others can be taken for long periods without withdrawal symptoms?

With all the talk in the news of prescription addiction being on the rise, it can be scary for anyone who takes regular medication, even when it’s prescribed by a doctor and taken as directed. As your physician can tell you, though, some substances are much more dangerous than others, and they carry a much greater risk of addiction.
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Healthcare Reform and Addiction

Friday, December 11th, 2009

US Capitol BuildingThe U.S. healthcare system remains fragmented, but advocates for treatment of mental illness and substance abuse problems are fighting for change.

As the debate rages on in the U.S. over healthcare, the current system remains “fragmented,” according to the experts. There isn’t a single national entity or set of policies guiding the healthcare system at the national, state, community or practice levels. With healthcare reform such a hot topic right now, experts are taking the opportunity to push for a restructuring of chronic care, including substance use disorders. (more…)


Ambien & Tiger Woods

Wednesday, December 9th, 2009

ambienAmbien may have been a factor in Tiger Woods’ recent car crash. What is this prescription medication and what does it do?

You can’t turn on the TV or pick up a newspaper or magazine without finding coverage of golf star Tiger Woods’ recent personal troubles. The Toronto Star reported on Dec. 8, 2010 that reports released earlier in the week say that Woods was admitted to Health Central on Nov. 27th as the possible victim of an overdose. The newspaper also cited a recently leaked police report that said Woods’ wife, Elin Nordegren, told a police officer who arrived after Woods’ single-car crash that her husband had been drinking and held prescriptions for Ambien, a sedative, and Vicodin, a painkiller. (more…)


Rehab vs. Jail Debate

Monday, December 7th, 2009

lil boosieRapper Lil Boosie is the latest celebrity to draw attention to the issue of rehabilitation vs. jail time for addicted drug offenders.

Lil Boosie, aka Torrence Hatch, is a 26-year-old rapper with a successful music career. But that career – not to mention his personal life – has been derailed by a prison sentence. In November 2009 he was sentenced to four years in jail. He was initially convicted of drug and firearm offenses when a judge ruled he had broken the terms of his probation and imposed the stiff jail term.

The 2008 arrest in the rapper’s home state of Louisiana led to possession charges that ranged from marijuana to a firearm to a drug-laced cigar. The rapper was originally ordered to house arrest in September 2009. It was during the following months that the alleged probation offense occurred. (more…)


A Cocaine Vaccine?

Friday, December 4th, 2009

cocaine vaccineCan a vaccine help fight cocaine addiction? One is currently under development.

Is an FDA-approved medication for cocaine addiction on the way? The National Institute On Drug Abuse (NIDA) and researchers at Baylor College of Medicine Houston believe so. NIDA Director Dr. Nora Volkow and Thomas Kosten, M.D., of Baylor College of Medicine in Houston recently unveiled the first successful placebo-controlled intervention that shows positive results in blocking the euphoric effects of cocaine addiction. (more…)


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