Debt

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TRILLIONS IN DEBT AND NO ONE SOBER ENOUGH TO PAY IT BACK

Obama and company can find a way to pour trillions into the economy and nobody can help watch after the kids? Certainly, an advocacy group that is trying to protect our kids from alcohol abuse is a group worth supporting. At the very least it should mean less expenditure of public funds on health issues due to alcohol abuse in the future.

Chances are that not only will the future generation be burdened with the huge debt we are creating for them now, many of them will be burdened with the alcohol addiction that started from watching commercials at an early age.

Narconon Drug treatment 877-413-3073

“In a move that has stunned members of the addiction community, the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) announced earlier this month that it has cut all of its Alcohol Policies Project staff except longtime director George Hacker, effectively ending the only full-time advocacy effort on alcohol policy issues on Capitol Hill.

Citing "extreme budget constraints," Hacker said in a letter to field colleagues that staffers Kim Crump, Christina Mott, and Aggie Fortune were laid off in mid-April. "Each of them has made long-standing substantial contributions to our advocacy work and I know they have been extremely valuable assets for the entire alcohol-prevention field," wrote Hacker on April 2. "No one will miss them more than I."

Hacker, who will continue to run the scaled-down Alcohol Policies Project, but also spend time working on unrelated CSPI programs, said that the group's advocacy on alcohol-tax issues and the Campaign for Alcohol-Free Sports TV would continue "at least for the present."

However, CSPI's advocacy work on issues like underage drinking will be severely curtailed. "The breadth of the project will be severely limited," said Hacker.

Judy Cushing, president and CEO of the Oregon Partnership -- a statewide community coalition that also has taken a leading role on national alcohol-advertising issues -- said she was "devastated" by the news of CSPI's downsizing. "Their policy work is critical in our efforts to continue to reduce underage drinking," she said.

David Jernigan, former head of the Center on Alcohol Marketing and Youth (CAMY), called CSPI's contributions "incalculable" and described the cutbacks as "a significant setback to the field."

CSPI founded the Alcohol Policies Project in 1982, and Hacker and his staff -- which has at times numbered as high as eight people -- have played a huge role as both industry gadfly and critic and advocates for higher alcohol taxes and greater controls on alcohol advertising to youth.

Ironically, the Alcohol Policies Project has been put on life-support at a moment when states and the federal government have started seriously considering increases in alcohol taxes (to close budget deficits and pay for national healthcare reform, respectively), and advocates are talking to a new administration in Washington that seems more receptive to calls for increased regulation than its recent predecessors.

"We've all depended on CSPI for a long time," said Michael Scippa, advocacy director of the Marin Institute. "This is kind of a wakeup call to advocates of all kinds that we may need to include more trips to Washington, D.C., in our travel plans."

Scippa said that CSPI's cutbacks created a "vacuum" in Washington. "The industry loves it," he lamented. That vacuum has been growing in the past year with the June 2008 shutdown of the Georgetown University-based CAMY and the elimination of more than half of the staff at Ensuring Solutions to Alcohol Problems, the George Washington University Medical Center program that focuses on screening and treatment availability for alcohol problems.

Eric Goplerud, Ph.D., director of Ensuring Solutions, called the news about CSPI "grim."

"After the great achievements to secure parity, screening and brief intervention (SBI), and overturning UPPL [laws] in many states, the field will need new policy leadership," said Goplerud. "Hazelden's new Policy Center and the Johnson Institute merger with them, Tom McLellan's nomination to the Office of National Drug Control Policy, the coalitions of the Whole Health Campaign and [Legal Action Center head] Paul Samuels' health reform work group will be the sources ... I am optimistic the leadership is arising."

In addition, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion recently solicited applications for a program that would fund monitoring of youth exposure to alcohol ads, similar to the work previously done by CAMY. And Scippa -- who said that Marin's funding base remains "very healthy" -- said that his group is currently looking for ways to increase its advocacy presence in the nation's capital.

"It's actually an interesting opportunity to organize when something like this happens," he said. "Groups need to pay more attention to the national level rather than just the local."

"Hopefully, the field will continue to be able to focus on these issues," said CSPI's Hacker, who noted that action on state alcohol taxes, for example, "has been happening on the local level and to a large degree without [CSPI]."

"With so many states in deficit and the federal government looking for hundreds of billions of dollars for healthcare reform, there is some hope for increases in taxes on alcoholic beverages

http://www.jointogether.org/news/features/2009/cspi-layoffs-latest-setback.html”

Making A Difference

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SOMEONE MAKING A DIFFERENCE

It is great to know that in the midst of the pharm party pandemonium in this country that there are drug counselors who get it and are doing something about it. One person like Mr. Guest can make a big difference in many lives.

We really can do something about the drug situation and a little caring goes a long ways.

Narconon drug treatment 877-413-3073

GREENSBORO — Will Guest has heard it all.

He’s 28, an amiable Midwesterner with gel-spiked hair and a small gold loop through his left ear. He runs The Insight Program, which helps local teenagers and young adults overcome drug and alcohol addiction.

So, he knows about Pharm Parties. It’s when teenagers get together, dump someone’s prescription meds into a bowl and start popping them into their mouths like candy corn to get that rush.

He also knows his own dance with addiction.

He was a good student, a star on the football team who dated the homecoming queen. He had planned to play football at the University of Kansas. But his addictions got him arrested and kicked out of his house and his high school.

He first smoked marijuana, then drank alcohol, downed pills and snorted cocaine. It started when he was 13.

Today, he’s trained and 10 years sober. He works with clients from 13 to 23, and he often shares his story when someone starts making some sort of concession like, “I’ve stopped getting high, but I smoke weed now and again.”

These days, Guest hears a lot about abusing pills. It’s the nation’s new epidemic.

According to folks who know, nearly one in five teens has tried prescription medication to get high. That’s 19 percent — or 4.5 million teens — who’ve downed Ritalin or Adderall, Vicodin or OxyContin.

That information, plucked from a 2006 survey, comes from the Partnership for a Drug Free America.

Listen to Guest and you realize the new pusher in town could be your very own medicine cabinet. The drugs are easy to get and even easier to conceal. Guest’s young clients tell him they take pills for all kinds of reasons: to deal with school or a breakup, the need to communicate or fit in.

But mostly, they just want to see what happens when they dabble with pills named R-Ball, Skippy and Hillbilly Heroin.

Some kick their habit. Some don’t. Guest knows them all.

Here’s one. Let’s call him Alex.

Alex was 18, a Guilford County high school student addicted to the painkiller OxyContin. He was doing well, talking frankly in Guest’s support group or in Guest’s office, sitting across from him in a cushy chair.

But when Alex got out of Insight’s treatment program, he relapsed and started using again. Alex later died. He had taken too much OxyContin.

“It sucked,’’ says Guest, his voice rising. “But it could have been any one of them. There are 60 kids in the support group, and it could have been any one of them.’’

On Thursday night, Guest will join a school resource officer, a pharmacist and an emergency room doctor at a forum put together by two groups on the front lines: Alcohol and Drug Services and the Guilford County Substance Abuse Coalition.

They’ll talk about the need for education to unravel the denial they see most everywhere. They’ll also share their own personal stories.

Like the one about Alex.

“Kids are so much in denial,’’ Guest says. “But instead of waiting until they’re 30 and hitting the bottom, parents can be the loving, logical force in their lives. Everything comes down to the love of the parents. That’s huge.’’

That happened to Guest. After eight weeks in a treatment program in Arizona, after seven months of getting his head straight, Guest came home to make amends with his parents. It happened over dinner. It’s a conversation Guest will always remember.

“That was the hardest thing we ever did,’’ Guest’s mom, an emergency room nurse, told her son about kicking him out of the house. “But I’m glad we did it.’’

“You saved my life,’’ Guest responded.

http://www.news-record.com/content/2009/04/27/article/family_medicine_cabinet_is_the_new_drug_dealer

Demand Reduction

DEMAND REDUCTION

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The only solution long term for the drug abuse situation in this country is going to be by demand reduction. Obama is correct in recognizing that effective treatment will help cut the demand for drugs. It has become obvious that jail or prison time does not cut down the demand. More and more prisons have been built over the last decade and they seem to keep filling up with drug addicts. No – the thought of jail is not stronger than addiction.

If we are going to promote drug treatment instead of incarceration, it is obvious that we must push EFFECTIVE TREATMENT. With many programs having low stats in terms of long term recovery, it is imperative that we do all we can to ensure that offenders are sent to good programs. Otherwise, the attempt at treatment rather than incarceration will appear to not be the answer and we will go back to building prisons.

Here is a recent article in join together.:

http://www.jointogether.org/news/headlines/inthenews/2009/obama-puts-drug-war-focus-on.html

“Recent comments by President Barack Obama and drug-czar nominee Gil Kerlikowske indicate that the War on Drugs could see a significant shift in focus from supply reduction to reducing demand by investing in more prevention and treatment, CNN reported April 18.

Obama and Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano have both indicated that the administration won't consider legalizing drugs, but Obama pledged in meetings with Mexican President Felipe Calderon to do more to cut U.S. demand for drugs being smuggled across the border with Mexico.

"Demand for these drugs in the United States is what is helping to keep these cartels in business," said Obama. "Now, are we going to eliminate all drug flows? Are we going to eliminate all guns coming over the border? That's not a realistic objective," he said. "What is a realistic objective is to reduce it so significantly, so drastically that it becomes once again a localized criminal problem, as opposed to a major structural problem that threatens stability in communities along those borders."

Both the White House and Congress want to invest more money in drug courts that divert offenders into treatment rather than prison. "The success of our efforts to reduce the flow of drugs is largely dependent on our ability to reduce demand for them," Kerlikowske said during his recent confirmation hearing in the Senate. "It requires prosecutors and law enforcement, courts, treatment providers and prevention programs to exchange information and to work together. And our priority should be a seamless, comprehensive approach."

But advocates want to see more investment in treatment for those outside the criminal-justice system, too. "For individuals who don't have the resources, don't have public health insurance, can't afford it themselves, the single best way that they can access treatment is to get arrested," said Ryan King of the Sentencing Project. "And that's wrong. What we need to do is make sure for every American that is abusing drugs and wants to stop, that they have the resources made available to them, regardless of whether they can afford them."

Narconon 877-413-3073 Treatment for those abusing heroin, alcohol, methamphetamine, cocaine, xanax and other addictive substances.

Bars Removed

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Bars Removed With Opportunity Waiting Outside

Finally, the draconian laws regarding the arrests and incarceration of drug addicts have been removed and replaced with something more humane – a chance a drug treatment.  It is also a more economically sound solution since a productive citizen costs the tax payers nothing and incarceration of one person can cost up to 40,000 dollars a year.

We need to ensure that the drug treatment centers and methods made available to these arrestees have a proven track record- i.e. they get results.  The worst thing that could happen would be failure at this new solution.  As incarceration and treatment are the only solutions, there would be nowhere to go with the problem.  It is already known and evident that incarceration simply does not work.  NARCONON 877-413-3073

“A bill that would send more non-violent drug offenders to probation and addiction treatment centers instead of prison will become law in New York Friday. Governor David Paterson will sign the Rockefeller Drug Law reform bill Friday morning. Since the early 1970's, courts have had to hand down minimum prison sentences for certain drug offenses. But the Governor and lawmakers say that put too many people behind bars. Its hoped that the move will allow police to go after big time drug pushers, instead of dealing with smaller ones.”
http://www.newschannel34.com/news/local/story/Rockefeller-Drug-Law/iJKrtZvL3kKFKIZqkm7rFQ.cspx

Realization

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NARCONON REALIZATION

Here is another Narconon realization, written in the hopes that it will touch someone who has given up hope that drug treatment works. It can work.

“While I was working with my buddy I found an ease to perform and work with him. There is no confusion with my environment and my connection with it. Everything is actually wonderful.

I am aware that no matter where I go I must be cognizant of me and that where I go effects me. At times, the locations I go to might not be of my choice. I need to make sure that they are suitable to me once I get there. Also I need to accept every part of me as I am.

Have a great day. I’m extremely happy and aware.”

Whether a person has been abusing crack cocaine, heroin, methamphetamine, pot, or any drug of abuse, Narconon drug treatment walks them down the same road – the one that leads out of addiction. Narconon is the new life program 877-413-3073

Happiness

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NARCONON REALIZATION

Here is a Narconon realization for the day from a Narconon drug treatment student. He is hoping that addicts read this because he knows that it is very important to talk with someone who has walked the path. He wants you to know that there is the opportunity for you to leave the confusion of your mind and gain your true position in life.

Happiness that you can share is truth and honestly with others. Here is the success:

“Everything and everyone that I am in contact with is within my control. I control when the interaction occurs, for how long in which direction, if the interaction needs to change and if so how, when where degree etc. I also control when it stops.

From now on my first priority in everything in my world will be that I must be positive for me and to fit my moral and ethical codes, health opportunity and circle of influence.

I can and will forever be conscious of impulse reactions (avoiding them) and life my life with the aforementioned decisions.

It is amazing as my buddy and I have gone through this course – the yesterdays and errors of my drug use have been pushed far away from me and really let me look at getting involved with all the life around me.

I enthusiastically want to continue to chase life.

Narconon 877-413-3073

For those who need treatment with cocaine, methamphetamine, heroin, pot and alcohol abuse.

Intervention

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NTERVENTION

It would be nice to tell you that I did it on my own. It would be nice to tell you that I made some spiritual breakthrough and saved myself, but the fact is that I didn't. "

These are the actual words of someone whose life was saved through an intervention.

Many of us have heard of intervention and have perhaps seen the TV show INTERVENTION. In this reality program, a professional interventionist works with the family and addict to get the addict to agree to rehab. The interventionist does a good job, often rescuing the family and addict from a living hell within the one hour allotted for the show. Is it any wonder that many wish for a fairy godmother that will provide a happy ending before the final commercial break?
Successful approaches that result in treatment for the addict happen within the framework of an intervention; that is a family meeting. These meetings must be carefully planned beforehand. A family that has already been through hours of defiance, despair, rage, arguments, threats and tears, may have difficulty with this careful planning. Fortunately, help is available.
Some families may be more confident with the help of an outside interventionist. The person chosen should have a good track record and access to a rehab program with a high recovery rate that is immediately available. (Narconon of Georgia will admit eligible candidates immediately.) The family should feel comfortable with the personality of the interventionist.
An intervention with proper planning and carried out correctly will result many times in an addict agreeing to receive help. Call us. We will send you written a written intervention study guide, coach your family and help with planning where all possible scenarios are thought out and prepared for. And for those special situations where you need an outside interventionist, we can help you with that too. The point is - YOU CAN DO SOMETHING ABOUT THIS SITUATION AND CHANGE THINGS FOR THE BETTER.
"My family and friends guided me and forced me into rehab and for that I will be forever grateful because I am alive. I live. I enjoy every day now, especially knowing where I would have been had I been allowed to go where the drugs were leading me. My family's help will always be a debt I owe because without it I'd be gone."
Here are a few suggestions from those who have done successful interventions.

Choose an appropriate rehab program before the intervention and ensure that there is immediate availability. Workable rehab prevents relapse.
Decide who is going to be there. Family members or friends that the addict knows well and respects should be there, not those who will only create hostility because of their own anger towards the addict.
Help the addict identify reasons that they must get help. These reasons must be real to the addict. There are issues that are significant and devastating to the addict - get them to talk about them.
Force the addict out of their "addiction comfort zone". An addict who is being provided money, a car and a place to freely live and do drugs is not likely to quit. Let the addict know they will no longer receive this type of assistance. Take away any "help" that is actually killing the person.
The optimum time for an intervention is just after a major event, such as an incarceration, job loss or spouse leaving. It should be done when the addict is sober
The tone of the intervention should be one of concern and love, but not sympathy. It must be unwavering in communicating that the family will no longer standby and watch the addict kill themselves.
Have a staff member from the chosen rehab available if possible, if there is no interventionist.
Before the intervention, have the addict's bags packed and travel arrangements made. There should be no delay.

 

NARCONON OF GA 1-877-413-3073

What is National 420 day?

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For some people, smoking marijuana makes them feel good. Within minutes of inhaling, a user begins to feel “high,” or filled with pleasant sensations. THC triggers brain cells to release the chemical dopamine. Dopamine creates good feelings—for a short time.

"Many people don't realize that while marijuana, as many illegal drugs, may make you feel good for a while, in the long wrong, marijuana usage can have serious effects," comments Mary Rieser, Executive Director for Narconon Drug Rehab Georgia. "The facts pertaining to marijuana usage are quite clear- marijuana usage can cause serious problems, including drug addiction and the elevated chance of abusing other drugs."

Imagine this: You're in a ball game, playing out in left field. An easy fly ball comes your way, and you’re psyched. When that ball lands in your glove your team will win, and you’ll be a hero. But, you’re a little off. The ball grazes your glove and hits dirt. So much for your dreams of glory.

Such loss of coordination can be caused by smoking marijuana. And that’s just one of its many negative effects. Marijuana affects memory, judgment, and perception. Under the influence of marijuana, you could fail to remember things you just learned, watch your grade point average drop, or crash a car. Some people may suffer sudden feelings of anxiety and have paranoid thoughts—which is more likely to happen when higher doses are used or when it is taken orally. The problem is that it’s difficult to tell what the effects of marijuana will be for any given person at any time, becional ause they vary based on the person, their drug history, how much marijuana is taken, and its potency. Effects can also be unpredictable when other drugs are mixed with marijuana.

Also, since marijuana can affect judgment and decision making, using it can lead to risky sexual behavior, resulting in exposure to sexually transmitted diseases, like HIV, the virus that causes AIDS.

What Are the Short-Term Effects of Marijuana Use?

problems with memory and learning
distorted perception
difficulty thinking and solving problems
impaired coordination
increased heart rate

THC Impacts Brain Functioning

THC is up to no good in the brain. THC finds brain cells, or neurons, with specific kinds of receptors called cannabinoid receptors, to which it binds.

Certain parts of the brain have high concentrations of cannabinoid receptors. These areas are the hippocampus, the cerebellum, the basal ganglia, and the cerebral cortex. The functions that these brain areas control are the ones most affected by marijuana.

For example, THC interferes with learning and memory—that is because the hippocampus—a part of the brain with a funny name and a big job—plays a critical role in certain types of learning. Disrupting its normal functioning can lead to problems studying, learning new things, and recalling recent events. The difficulty can be a lot more serious than forgetting if you took out the trash this morning, which happens to everyone once in a while.

Do these effects persist? We don’t know for sure in humans, but studies in rats show that exposure to THC for a long period of time can damage neurons in the hippocampus. So, is it really worth the risk?

Smoking Marijuana Can Make Driving Dangerous

The cerebellum is the section of our brain that does most of the work on balance and coordination. When THC affects the cerebellum’s function, it makes scoring a goal in soccer or hitting a home run pretty tough. THC also affects the basal ganglia, another part of the brain that’s involved in movement control.

These THC effects can cause disaster on the highway. Research shows that drivers on marijuana have slow reaction times, impaired judgment, and problems responding to signals and sounds on the road. Studies conducted in a number of localities have found that approximately 4 to 14 percent of drivers who sustained injury or death in traffic accidents tested positive for delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the active ingredient in marijuana.

Marijuana Use Increases Heart Rate

Within a few minutes after inhaling marijuana smoke, an individual's heart begins beating more rapidly, the bronchial passages relax and become enlarged, and blood vessels in the eyes expand, making the eyes look red. The heart rate, normally 70 to 80 beats per minute, may increase by 20 to 50 beats per minute or, in some cases, even double. This effect can be greater if other drugs are taken with marijuana.

Source: teens.drugabuse.gov

“Someone suffering from marijuana addiction needs as much help as someone suffering from any other drug addiction,” comments Ms. Rieser. “Get them the help they need.”

If you or someone you know is struggling with an marijuana or other drug problem, contact Narconon today for immediate assistance.  Visit www.drugsno.com or call 1-877-413-3073.

Copyright © 2009. Narconon of Georgia Inc. Call 1-877-413-3073. All rights reserved. Narconon and the Narconon Logo are trademarks and service marks owned by the Association for Better Living and Education International and are used with its permission.

narcononofga@yahoo.com
www.drugsno.com

420 Controversy

Marijuana has been touted since the 60's as a 'safe', 'natural' drug used to help people relax and have a good time. While cigarettes have been denounced as cancer-causing, dangerous, and a second-hand menace to anyone in the vicinity, and rightly so, it seems that marijuana has escaped any social stigma and is the 'cool' drug to take in high school, just as cigarettes were back in the days of '56 Chevies and sock-hops.

"What are the real risks of smoking marijuana in today's youth?" asks Mary Rieser, Executive Director of Narconon Drug Rehab Georgia. "The real risk is the perception that marijuana is harmless and the real facts are often not known. Marijuana use can lead to marijuana addiction, health probleems, and the use of other drugs. Know the facts. Among marijuana users today, known as 4-20, is a symbolic day for users to spark one up. '420, National Weed Day' is celebrated, albeit informally, across the world. Know the facts."

Many of the things Americans “know” about marijuana are myths or misperceptions. People need to know the truth about this harmful drug.

M Y T H 1

Marijuana is harmless.

Marijuana is far from harmless; in fact, recent scientific findings about the drug are startling.
Most of the drug treatment for young people in the United States is for marijuana alone. Marijuana emergency-room mentions have skyrocketed over the past decade, and the drug is associated with an increased risk of developing schizophrenia, even when personality traits and pre-existing conditions are taken into account.

FACTS:

Health Consequences

• Marijuana smoke contains 50 percent to 70 percent more carcinogenic hydrocarbons than does tobacco smoke. Using marijuana may promote cancer of the respiratory tract and disrupt the immune system.
• Marijuana smokers have a heightened risk of lung infection.
• Long-term use of marijuana may increase the risk of chronic cough, bronchitis, and emphysema, as well as cancer of the head, neck, and lungs.
• Mentions of marijuana use in emergency room visits have risen 176 percent since 1994, surpassing those of heroin.
• In 2001, marijuana was a contributing factor in more than 110,000 emergency department visits in the United States.
• Marijuana can cause the heart rate, normally 70 to 80 beats per minute, to increase by 20 to 50 beats per minute or, in some cases, even to double.
• In a 2003 study, researchers in England found that smoking marijuana for even less than six years causes a marked deterioriation in lung function. The study suggests that marijuana use may rob the body of antioxidants that protect cells against damage that can lead to heart disease and cancer.
• Marijuana affects alertness, concentration, perception, coordination, and reaction time— skills that are necessary for safe driving. A roadside study of reckless drivers in Tennessee found that 33 percent of all subjects who were not under the influence of alcohol and who were tested for drugs at the scene of their arrest tested positive for marijuana. In a 2003 Canadian study, one in five students admitted to driving within an hour of using marijuana.
• Smoking marijuana leads to changes in the brain similar to those caused by the use of cocaine and heroin.
• Marijuana users have more suicidal thoughts and are four times more likely to report symptoms of depression thanpeople who never used the drug.
• The British Medical Journal recently reported: “Cannabis use is associated with an increased risk of developing schizophrenia, consistent with a causal relation. This association is not explained by use of other psychoactive drugs or ersonality traits relating to social integration.”

Social Consequences

• Heavy marijuana use impairs the ability of young people to concentrate and retain information during their peak learning years. Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the main active chemical in marijuana, changes the way sensory information gets into and is processed by the part of the brain that is crucial for learning and memory.
• Animal studies indicate that marijuana use may interfere with brain function and create problems with the perception of time, possibly making the user less adept at tasks that require sustained attention.
• Marijuana use has been associated with poor performance in school. One report showed that youths with an average grade of D or below were more than four times as likely to have used marijuana in the past year as youths with an average grade of A.
• Marijuana users in their later teen years are more likely to have an increased risk of delinquency and more friends who exhibit deviant behavior. They also tend to have more sexual partners and are more likely to engage in unsafe sex.

Economic Consequences

• Use of marijuana and other illicit drugs comes at significant expense to society in terms of lost employee productivity, public health care costs, and accidents.
• Americans spent $10.6 billion on marijuana purchases in 1999.

Source: Office of National Drug Control Policy

“Someone suffering from marijuana addiction needs as much help as someone suffering from any other drug addiction,” comments Ms. Rieser. “Get them the help they need.”

If you or someone you know is struggling with an marijuana or other drug problem, contact Narconon today for immediate assistance.  Visit www.drugsno.com or call 1-877-413-3073.

Copyright © 2009. Narconon of Georgia Inc. Call 1-877-413-3073. All rights reserved. Narconon and the Narconon Logo are trademarks and service marks owned by the Association for Better Living and Education International and are used with its permission.

narcononofga@yahoo.com
www.drugsno.com

Is Marijuana Addictive?

Marijuana has long, controversial past. From the first part of the 20th Century, where "reefer smokers" were demonized in the press, to the "Summer of Love" where pot was promoted as a way to "chill out", many myths and theories on marijuana use abound.

One common misconception is that marijuana is a safe, non-addictive drug.

"Many people, particularly teens, are lead to believe that marijuana is safer than alcohol or cigarettes," comments Mary Rieser, Executive Director for Narconon Drug Rehab Georgia. "This is why although cigarette use is down in schools, the rate of marijuana use is steady. Kids think it's safe. What they don't realize is that marijauna smokers are many times more likely to move on to harder drugs, such as cocaine or heroin, than those who don't smoke marijuana."

The Office of National Drug Control Policy reports that marijuana has been proven to be a psychologically addictive drug. Scientists at the National Institute on Drug Abuse have demonstrated that laboratory animals will self-administer THC in doses equivalent to those used by humans who smoke marijuana.

So is marijuana addictive?

Consider these facts:

• Marijuana is much more powerful today than it was 30 years ago, and so are its mindaltering effects. Average THC levels rose from less than 1 percent in the mid-1970s to more than 6 percent in 2002. Sinsemilla potency increased in the past two decades
from 6 percent to more than 13 percent, with some samples containing THC levels of up to 33 percent.

• Subjects in an experiment on marijuana withdrawal experienced symptoms such as restlessness, loss of appetite, trouble with sleeping, weight loss, and shaky hands.

• According to one study, marijuana use by teenagers with prior serious antisocial problems can quickly lead to dependence on the drug. The study also found that, for troubled teenagers using tobacco, alcohol, and marijuana, progression from their first use of marijuana to regular use was about as rapid as their progression to regular tobacco use, and more rapid than the progression to regular use of alcohol.

A study by Dr. Alan Budney and colleagues at the University of Vermont in Burlington found that marijuana smokers who stop using the drug while in their home environment suffer withdrawal symptoms that appear as severe as those associated with tobacco-smoking.

"These findings represent a significant step toward general acceptance of withdrawal as a key aspect of chronic marijuana use," says Dr. Jag Khalsa of NIDA's Center on AIDS and Other Medical Consequences of Drug Abuse. Treatment providers may not address the problem of marijuana withdrawal because the condition is not currently included in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition (DSM-IV), the standard reference published by the American Psychiatric Association.

Dr. Budney and his colleagues evaluated withdrawal symptoms in 12 adult marijuana smokers (7 male, 5 female, average age 30 years) over 3-day abstinence periods that followed 5-day periods when participants could smoke marijuana at will. "We found consistent emotional and behavioral symptoms that increased during abstinence and dramatically decreased when marijuana smoking resumed, suggesting that these types of symptoms are the hallmark of acute marijuana withdrawal," Dr. Budney says. "The symptoms most closely resembled many of those observed during nicotine withdrawal.”

“Someone suffering from marijuana addiction needs as much help as someone suffering from any other drug addiction,” comments Ms. Rieser. “Get them the help they need.”

If you or someone you know is struggling with an alcohol or other drug problem, contact Narconon today for immediate assistance.  Visit www.drugsno.com or call 1-877-413-3073.

Copyright © 2009. Narconon of Georgia Inc. Call 1-877-413-3073. All rights reserved. Narconon and the Narconon Logo are trademarks and service marks owned by the Association for Better Living and Education International and are used with its permission.

narcononofga@yahoo.com
www.drugsno.com

Going Shopping

GOING SHOPPING?

Lower prices? Higher quality? In this economy we are all looking for lower prices and higher quality, whether we are buying a car or tomatoes – or even cocaine.

It is easy to look at stats and speculate whether the cocaine cost less and is more potent. We can talk about this all day long and some experts might come across as sounding pretty educated on the topic of cocaine price wars. The difference is that these price wars are fought with guns and people die.

I suggest that these “experts” leave the ivory tower for a moment and figure out how to reduce the demand for cocaine. It might take a little bit of work, but it is possible and desirable if one cares at all about human life.

It starts with effective drug education. It works and there are studies to prove it.

Narconon Drug Treatment and education 877-413-3073

The Drug (Statistics) War: Is Cocaine Getting More Expensive?

By Marc Lacey

To show that President Felipe Calderon of Mexico is making inroads in his battle against drug traffickers, the United States government points to the rising price of cocaine. The average price per gram of cocaine in the United States increased 21 percent, to $117.72 from $97.01, from the first quarter to the second quarter of 2007, according to the Drug Enforcement Administration.

But the Washington Office on Latin America, an advocacy group in Washington, takes issue with the D.E.A.’s analysis.

In a report released this week, WOLA points out that there has been a general downward trend in cocaine prices in recent decades, despite the occasional spikes, indicating that crackdowns on cocaine trafficking are not working. Cocaine purity has largely held steady, the group says, citing new data released by the Obama administration:

http://economix.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/04/17/the-drug-statistics-war-cocaine-prices/

Dreaming

 

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NARCONON REALIZATION

Here is a Narconon daily realization for the day – shared here with the hope that anyone who has a problem with cocaine, heroin, methamphetamine, pot or any drug of abuse can have good days like this too. 877-413-3073.

“Today has been a very special day for me. I have had one win after another. I shared my win with my mom and she told me that she has seen such a positive change in me that it is like I am a new man.

I see life so much differently than I ever dreamed. Life can seem boring – but you can face it with a pleasant face and a good attitude. Before when I thought something was “boring” I would get high. But Narconon is teaching me how to work through situations without making the wrong decisions.

Now I have control of myself in a more than positive way. My decisions are the right now. I am living in the day – and I know that doing this every day is going to make my future a great one.

Everyone who means anything to me can see the new and totally improved me. This is a feeling I will never let go of!”

Narconon drug treatment is the New Life Program.

Continuing

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NARCONON REALIZATION

Here is a realization from a Narconon drug treatment student.

During this exercise I find myself continuing to do everything without a care in the world. By using the tools I have been given, nothing seems to get to me anymore. It is such a good feeling for me to be able to handle situations without reacting in a manner that is not good for my growth in my new life.

I can’t believe what I am writing. All of this is so positive for a person like me, who has spent most of his life feeling terrible for what I have done. I will continue to be here to get everything NARCONON has to offer me. I feel so good about the person I am becoming.

Narconon is the new life program for those who have used heroin, methamphetamine, cocaine, pot or any drug of abuse.

877-413-3073

Good Attitude

NARCONON REALIZATION

Here is a Narconon daily realization for the day – shared here with the hope that anyone who has a problem with cocaine, heroin, methamphetamine, pot or any drug of abuse can have good days like this too. 877-413-3073.

“Today has been a very special day for me. I have had one win after another. I shared my win with my mom and she told me that she has seen such a positive change in me that it is like I am a new man.

I see life so much differently than I ever dreamed. Life can seem boring – but you can face it with a pleasant face and a good attitude. Before when I thought something was “boring” I would get high. But Narconon is teaching me how to work through situations without making the wrong decisions.

Now I have control of myself in a more than positive way. My decisions are the right now. I am living in the day – and I know that doing this every day is going to make my future a great one.

Everyone who means anything to me can see the new and totally improved me. This is a feeling I will never let go of!”

Narconon drug treatment is the New Life Program.

The person I am becoming

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NARCONON REALIZATION

Here is a realization from a Narconon drug treatment student.

During this exercise I find myself continuing to do everything without a care in the world. By using the tools I have been given, nothing seems to get to me anymore. It is such a good feeling for me to be able to handle situations without reacting in a manner that is not good for my growth in my new life.

I can’t believe what I am writing. All of this is so positive for a person like me, who has spent most of his life feeling terrible for what I have done. I will continue to be here to get everything NARCONON has to offer me. I feel so good about the person I am becoming.

Narconon is the new life program for those who have used heroin, methamphetamine, cocaine, pot or any drug of abuse.

877-413-3073

Reconnection

NARCONON REALIZATION

Here is the realization from a student who formally was abusing crack and alcohol. However, whether a person is abusing cocaine, heroin, pot or methamphetamine, the road out of addiction is paved with learning about oneself and tapping into the tremendous amount of ability that we all possess.

‘I have learned that when I am more sincere in my communication that others are more comfortable with me. When I am acting in a humorous, but not open way, others can sense or feel my lack of sincerity.

When I was an active addict I was not open or sincere. I need to be open and listen to others – I need to live a life that others would like to share.

Listening and making myself truly open to another’s ideas, thoughts or feelings will reconnect me to people and a better way of life.”

Narconon is the New Life Program 877-413-3073

Just not an addict

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The Narconon program works for those who have failed at traditional drug treatment. In fact thousands of Narconon graduates around the world are leading lives that are drug free and more successful than they ever imagined before finally coming to Narconon. Hundreds more, having failed at traditional rehab, are inquiring each day about our methods and learning the secret to our success – We know that a drug addict can be recovered (versus recovering) and that is our goal with each and every client.

This program has changed me. When I came to Narconon I was accustomed to failure. I would set myself up for failure and I would expect it. I had been to drug rehab 6 times, including some of the best – Hazelton and Michael’s House in Palm Beach in others. These were all 12 step programs and the entire time I was seeking treatment I did not know about Narconon.

Then I found Narconon and it this has been more than a wonderful experience.

A big difference between this and the 12 step philosophy is that I do not have to carry around the baggage of feeling like “I am an addict.” In the 12 step program, the only time you will not be an addict is when they bury you – otherwise you are “always an addict”. I am so happy that I have learned that this is not true.

I have also learned that I am in control. I do not have to have a sponsor telling me what to do or attend 90 meetings in 90 days, because I am in control today due to Narconon. I am not carrying around a list of phone numbers of people that I don’t really even know, in case I want to use. Instead I am using my tools to stay clean and get me through any low points. The Narconon staff are there for me, but I am the one who is using the tools everyday to stay clean.

For the first time in my life, every morning I wake up wondering what great thing I am going to get from the program today. Some things I have achieved so far:

Ø My family and my friends don’t even recognize who I have become because I am a totally different man – a happy man who is in control.

Ø I am calm.

Ø I have learned the tools to politely cut off a conversation that in the past would have been detrimental to me.

Ø I see things so much more clearly. When I see things that are negative, I use them to make me stronger.

Ø I like ME today. I have never like ME before but I like the man that Narconon has given me.

Ø Relationships with my family are better than good. I am a better father, brother and won.

It is a blessing that I was court ordered here. I thank my lucky stars that I was able to come to Narconon.

I know that my future is going to be successful, positive and drug free.

Thank you to all the Narconon staff. Randall Shively

Enjoying Life

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NARCONON REFLECTION

The Narconon program helps students learn about themselves and then they start to look at life differently. As students are progressing through the Narconon drug rehab here, they begin to want to share their success. Daily realizations, wins and reflections are shared by them in the hopes that others will find the Narconon program.

“Staying focused on the environment and others keeps me outside of my own head and connected to things in the environment. By focusing, I am much clearer in my connections to everything outside of me. Also, when I am focused, external distractions cannot catch my attention.

By having a focus outwards towards what I am doing, instead of struggling with myself, I can make clearer decisions. I can enjoy life without cloudiness.

I also realized that just because I allow others some control in the environment, I still have control myself. When I open up and listen to others I am still in control.

Today has been my most enjoyable day and I am happy to be here. Time really flies when you are enjoying what you are doing.”

Whether a person is abusing cocaine, heroin, pot, methamphetamine or any other drug of abuse, the Narconon program can lead them out of the introverted life of drugs and onto the path of a happy and drug free life. There is a reason why Narconon is called the New Life Program. 877-413-3073

Realization

 

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NARCONON REALIZATION

On the path to sobriety there are many things that Narconon students learn about themselves through study and self examination. Each day in our drug rehab every student makes progress. Most usually as a student is progressing through the Narconon program they start to want to share their success. That is why every day students bring me success stories, in the hopes that they can get the word out to those who are addicted – Whatever drug you are addicted to, whether it be cocaine, heroin, methamphetamine or pot, the Narconon program offers a way out and they want to communicate this. Here is a success story.

“If I affect myself or my surroundings in a negative manner I can immediately attempt to resolve this and person a correction so that my overall actions are positive in the final result.

If one’s thoughts are skewed by drugs or something else their actions would complicate or make worse their interactions with their surroundings. With a skewed base, actions or reactions would be destructive, inconsistent, unreliable and unpredictable.

I am learning that while some of my initial actions could be impulse actions that I can go back and correct these actions, especially if I do not like the effect that was created on others.

Also, if I am constantly thinking about the past, then I begin to struggle with what I am trying to accomplish in the present. I am learning how to be in control of all of this.”

Narconon is the New life Program. 877-413-3073