In this day and age, when we have more information than ever before about the dangers of drinking and more help for the problem of substance abuse or alcoholism, it’s surprising to hear that binge drinking is a bigger problem than previously thought.

It’s surprising, but it’s true, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). According to the new Vital Signs report issued Jan. 12, 2012 from the CDC, more than 38 million U.S. adults binge drink an average of four times a month consuming up to eight drinks at a time, on average. And this dangerous pastime isn’t just the indulgence of the young. While binge drinking is more common among young adults ages 18–34, of those age 65 and older who report binge drinking, they do so more often than their young counterparts – an average of five to six times a month.

Income may play a role in binge drinking, too. The study showed it’s more common among those with household incomes of $75,000 or more, but the largest number of drinks consumed per occasion is significantly higher among binge drinkers with household incomes of less than $25,000 – an average of eight to nine drinks, the report said.

Just what constitutes binge drinking? The practice is defined as consuming four or more drinks for women and five or more drinks for men on any occasion. Binge drinkers also put themselves and others at risk for many health and social problems, including car crashes, other unintentional injuries, violence, liver disease, certain cancers, heart disease, sexually transmitted diseases and both unintended and alcohol–exposed pregnancies.

Drinking too much, including binge drinking, causes more than 80,000 deaths in the United States each year, making it the third leading preventable cause of death, and was responsible for more than $223.5 billion in economic costs in 2006. Over half of these deaths result from injuries that disproportionately involve young people.

“Binge drinking causes a wide range of health, social and economic problems and this report confirms the problem is really widespread,” said CDC Director Thomas R. Frieden, MD, MPH, adding, “We need to work together to implement proven measures to reduce binge drinking at national, state and community levels.”

Binge Drinking Help at La Paloma

If you or someone you love needs help with alcohol addiction or binge drinking issues, call La Paloma at the toll-free number on our homepage. Someone is there to take your call 24 hours a day and answer any questions you have about treatment, financing or insurance.

Former Miss USA Rima Fakih is just the latest public figure to face drunk driving charges. She was arrested in early December 2012 and originally seemed to be trying to do damage control by insisting it was actually another Rima Fakih who had been charged with DUI. The arrest happened Friday night in Highland Park, Mich. Fakih then took to Twitter the next day to insist not just that she was innocent, but that she was never even there.

“Let’s clear things up now. … I’m NOT in Michigan and I’m NOT in jail! Wrong Fakih,” she tweeted. The post was removed within 24 hours and by Sunday her lawyer was confirming her arrest. The attorney went on to remind the public that Fakih had a clean record up to that point and was “very saddened and very apologetic for the situation that she’s in right now.”

Fakih, 26, is the first Arab American ever to win the Miss USA title, capturing the crown in 2010. Unfortunately, the former beauty queen is just one of a large number of individuals who drink and then get behind the wheel. According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), 30 million Americans drive drunk each year. That means that 13.2 percent of people 16 or older drive under the influence of alcohol. This is actually a slight decline from recent years, but the numbers are still alarming.

Alcohol Addiction

If you or someone you love needs alcohol addiction treatment, call La Paloma at our toll-free number. Someone is there to take your call 24 hours a day and answer any questions you have about treatment, financing or insurance.

To many teens, pot seems harmless. Smoking a little marijuana is almost a right of passage. But drugs are dangerous in any form, as the recent death of a 13-year-old reminds us.

The young teen became ill after smoking synthetic marijuana and would later require a double lung transplant. Unfortunately, those heroic efforts weren’t enough to save him. The boy, Brandon Rice, died in October 2011 at a Pennsylvania hospital, according to his mother, Tonya Rice.

According to the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, the trouble began last summer when the boy smoked the fake marijuana out of a plastic candy dispenser, suffering chemical burns to both lungs. He was put on a respirator in June and had a double lung transplant in September. Anti-rejection drugs he’s taken since the transplants weakened Brandon’s immune system and made him unable to fight off a recent infection, his mother says.

A ban outlawing such substances took effect in August, signed into law by Gov. Tom Corbett just a few days after the tragic incident was first reported. It was too late to save Brandon, but hopefully it will keep other kids from meeting the same tragic fate.

Drug Addiction Treatment

If you or someone you love is in need of help with drug addiction treatment for any substance abuse issues, call La Paloma at our toll-free number. Someone is there to take your call 24 hours a day and answer any questions you have about treatment, financing or insurance.

The state of Missouri’s public image is really taking a hit lately. First, it was unofficially named the Meth Capital of the United States. Then, as if to drive home that point, a kindergartner in western Missouri recently brought his mom’s crack pipe and $3,700 worth of crystal meth to school for show-and-tell.

According to local news affiliate KCTV, the boy was told to bring important family items to share with his classmates. Teachers and authorities in the small town of Sweet Springs were shocked when the boy pulled the illegal drugs out of his backpack.

“When I called the prosecutor about it, they said, ‘You’re kidding me, aren’t you?” Sweet Springs Police Chief Richard Downing told KCTV.

Not surprisingly, the boy’s 32-year-old mother was charged with possession of a controlled substance and child endangerment. The child is in the custody of “loved ones” and the mom quickly posted bail. She was later treated for complications from a recent gastrointestinal surgery.

Crystal Meth Treatment

While this family is getting help, there are countless more like it, where children are placed in dangerous situations as a result of their parents’ addictions. If you or someone you love is in need of crystal meth treatment or help with any other substance abuse issue, call La Paloma at our toll-free number. Someone is there to take your call 24 hours a day and answer any questions you have about treatment, financing or insurance.

While we continue to report on drug addiction and offer cocaine treatment, hoping to make a positive difference in the lives of individuals sinking in the quicksand of addiction, large cartels are working just as hard to keep the product flowing.

International authorities in the US and Spain recently busted a large drug/money laundering ring, seizing buildings, cars and cash valued at more than $140 million, according to the Spanish National Police. More than 20 people were also arrested during the operation, reportedly more than two years in the making.

It’s a harsh reminder that the war on drugs continues, and it’s a battle we all need to keep fighting.

Those arrested in this latest operation are accused of participating in a drug money-laundering ring that spanned three continents. Authorities claim that cocaine was smuggled in multi-hundred-kilogram quantities from Colombia to Spain, where it was processed and sold. The proceeds were then sent to a man, identified by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida as Alvaro Lopez Tardon, who would allegedly launder the money with the help of at least two co-conspirators.

Tardon is thought to have received more than $26 million in drug proceeds from Spain between 2004 and the present, the attorney’s office said in a statement. He is accused of working with his brother, Artemio Lopez Tardon, who reportedly lives in Spain. The money was often laundered through the purchase and sale of real estate and luxury cars, authorities said.

“From the beaches of Miami to the shores of Spain, the fight against crime has no boundaries,” said Special Agent in Charge John V. Gillies of the FBI Miami Division in a statement. “This is another outstanding example of an international partnership, this time with the Spanish National Police, that disrupted a major drug organization.”

When you see the huge sums of money at stake, it’s easier to understand just how much those involved in illegal drugs have invested in seeing substance use and drug addiction continue to flourish around the world.

Drug Addiction

If you or someone you love is battling an addiction, call La Paloma at our toll-free number. Someone is there to take your call 24 hours a day and answer any questions you have about drug addiction treatment, financing or insurance.

When 17 people and five so-called “corporations” connected to a New York City escort service were indicted in Brooklyn recently, they were charged with running a high-priced prostitution and drug ring. Profits were estimated at more than $7 million over a span of three years, according to the Kings County District Attorney’s Office. Those involved in this particular case face a 144-count indictment and could face up to 25 years in prison if convicted.

Fees for High Class NY’s escort services allegedly ranged from $400 per hour to more than $3,600 per hour, and clients often spent more than $10,000 in one night, according to the indictment. Authorities claim the money paid for sexual contact with the escorts as well as cocaine and other controlled substances.

Connection Between Drugs and Prostitution

It’s not a surprise to law enforcement, which sees this sort of thing every day, and it’s not really a surprise to the general public, who is aware that both drugs and prostitution continue to be a problem in our country. What IS interesting is how often the two crimes go hand in hand.

It’s no secret that drugs and prostitution are frequently related. Some prostitutes use drugs to numb themselves in order to continue working. Others turn to prostitution as a last resort to score drug money for an ongoing drug habit. Still others, often individuals who are illegally trafficked or forced into prostitution, are force-fed drugs to lower their resistance to the distasteful work. Whether it’s a “high-end” call girl ring or those working at truck stops or on the street, the pain associated with prostitution and the illegal nature of the business makes it a breeding ground for illegal drugs. The substance abuse and addictions that are born out of the prostitution industry only compound a problem that is already at epidemic levels in the US.

Drug Addiction Help

If you or someone you love is battling a drug addiction, call La Paloma at our toll-free number. Someone is there to take your call 24 hours a day and answer any questions you have about drug treatment, financing or insurance.

That doesn’t mean that there aren’t many good people struggling with drug addiction who are never involved in a violent crime and would never hurt another person, but illegal drugs or the abuse of legal prescription medications can cause people to do things they would never do sober. What’s worse, no one is immune. Even a close-knit, seemingly safe Orthodox Jewish community can become a victim.

Leiby Kletzky

Drugs had no part in 8-year-old Leiby Kletzky’s life, until he disappeared earlier this month on his way home from religious summer camp in his Brooklyn neighborhood. Within days, his body would be found, and autopsy results for Kletzky would list a cocktail of four prescription and over-the-counter drugs in the boy’s system: cyclobenzaprine, a muscle relaxant; quetiapine, an antipsychotic drug; hydrocodone, a pain medication; and acetaminophen, the drug found in Tylenol, according to a statement from the medical examiner’s office. A jury quickly indicted a neighborhood man, Levi Aron, for kidnapping, drugging and dismembering the boy.
The 35-year-old Aron faces two felony murder counts and a maximum sentence of life in prison without parole. Admittedly, the drugs played a small part in what is a larger, horrific crime, and there’s no proof that Aron was on drugs at the time of the alleged abduction or murder. But the availability of those powerful drugs and their use to subdue the young victim are part of the story, and a reminder that the problem of drug abuse affects us all.

Drug Addiction Treatment

If you or someone you love is battling a drug addiction, call La Paloma at our toll-free number. Someone is there to take your call 24 hours a day and answer any questions you have about drug abuse treatment, financing or insurance.

Studies show that those in high-stress jobs — including doctors, nurses, pilots, CEOs and air traffic controllers — are at higher risk for addiction. They often begin using drugs or alcohol to help them cope with the intense demands and long hours, then before they know it, they are addicted.

What’s scary is that so many of these jobs involve having the lives of others in their hands, so any kind of impairment can be deadly. That’s why substance use is screened for and harshly dealt with in so many of these professions.

The most recent reported incident happened in Denver, when an air traffic controller with 25 years of experience was removed from duty after he tested positive for alcohol while on the job. ABC News reported that the controller was six hours into an eight-hour shift at the Denver Center, which oversees aircraft flying in more than nine states, when Federal Aviation Administration officials entered the center to administer drug and alcohol testing.

The test reportedly revealed that the controller was above the legal limit for blood-alcohol content for controllers, which is less than .02 (automobile drivers are considered drunk when they have a blood-alcohol level of .08 or above).

Strict DUI Rules for Air Safety Officials

In addition to the stricter limits, air safety officials take the offense much more seriously than a DUI. The controller in question was immediately removed from duty and is currently in an alcohol rehab facility, local ABC station KMGH reported.

The FAA continues to investigate the incident, while the president of the National Air Traffic Controllers Association issued a statement saying, “We take our responsibility of ensuring aviation safety very seriously. That includes acting professionally in all that we do. … Thus, the incident is deeply troubling. [We] will continue to work to keep our airspace system the world’s safest.”

Alcohol Addiction Treatment

If you or someone you love is need of alcohol rehab, call La Paloma at our toll-free number. Someone is there to take your call 24 hours a day and answer any questions you have about treatment for alcohol addiction, financing or insurance.

In response to the rise in the use of prescription drugs, the military is cracking down on access, according to The Associated Press. The Army recently limited how many painkillers a soldier can get at one time, with disciplinary action facing troops who violate the restriction.

It’s a first step in trying to curb the growing problem of painkiller abuse among those serving in all branches of the military. The AP cites Army data to make the case that the number of soldiers referred for opiate-abuse treatment has been growing steadily for at least a decade, a time when increasing numbers of troops have returned from Iraq and Afghanistan with combat or training injuries that can cause chronic pain. In addition, The Veterans Administration said more than half of Iraq and Afghanistan veterans report pain issues as they leave active duty military service.

In response, the Army put limits on painkillers in November 2010 by restricting most Schedule II controlled substances. This included narcotics, opiates and amphetamines, which have all been limited to just 30-day prescriptions instead of the more convenient 90-day versions. The policy does make exceptions when it comes to medications for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Noteworthy is that fact that the new policy doesn’t just impact soldiers, it includes anyone who fills a prescription at an Army hospital or pharmacy, including military spouses, children and retirees.

But does limiting access fix the problem? Not on its own. In June the Army went even further by implementing a policy that would discipline soldiers found using the restricted drugs six months after they were prescribed. To monitor drug addiction, the Army carries out random drug tests among active duty soldiers.

Soldiers testing positive on a drug test are referred to the Army Substance Abuse Program, but they can also be referred based on a commander’s recommendation. Commonly abused opiates include popular pain drugs like oxycodone (sold under the brand name OxyContin) and hydrocodone (brand name: Vicodin).

What is happening among soldiers mirrors the rise in prescription abuse among the general population.

Prescription Drug Treatment

If you or someone you love is battling an addiction to prescription painkillers, call La Paloma at our toll-free number. Someone is there to take your call 24 hours a day and answer any questions you have about prescription drug treatment, financing or insurance.

A new study claims that a high percentage of street cocaine is laced with levamisole, a veterinary drug used to deworm animals. It’s not just odd, it can be deadly, literally eating the flesh of those who use it. The alarming claim comes from the Drug Enforcement Administration, which recently reported that 82 percent of the cocaine it seizes has been cut with the veterinary drug, a substance that doctors say can rot away the skin on users’ noses, cheeks and ears.

Cutting Cocaine

Levamisole is finding its way into the cocaine supply because it’s a cheap filler that allows drug dealers to boost profits. It’s so common, in fact, that some cheaper cocaine contains up to 90 percent filler. In the past, cocaine was often cut with relatively harmless substances like baking soda, but South American drug cartels prefer to use levamisole, possibly because it’s purported to affect brain receptors in a way similar to cocaine. This means it can provide a cheaper high, but that comes at a high price for unsuspecting users.

A recently published case study in the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology linked six patients with patches of dying flesh to tainted cocaine. Doctors say the wounds usually surface within 24 hours of exposure and are the result of an immune reaction that damages blood vessels supplying the skin. Without any blood supply, the skin is starved of oxygen, turns a dark purple and dies off. While not everyone will experience this serious side effect, anyone using tainted cocaine is at risk.

Cocaine Addiction

If you or someone you love is battling an addiction to cocaine or another substance, call La Paloma at our toll-free number. Someone is there to take your call 24 hours a day and answer any questions you have about treatment, financing or insurance.