Addiction Blog

It’s Red Ribbon Week once again in the U. S. and time to call awareness to the issues surrounding drug and alcohol addiction. The National Family Partnership, who coordinates Red Ribbon Week says that more than 80 million people participate in drug and alcohol prevention commitments during this week, particularly students. Students this week are…

It’s been estimated that addiction costs London $243 million per year and some of this cost is due to the 1,500 homeless people, of which 40-percent are struggling with drug and alcohol addiction and mental illness. For this population only 360 shelter beds are available on any given night. But, addiction isn’t confined to the…

An anticonvulsant drug used routinely for migraines and seizures may help alcoholics taper off their alcohol addictions without having to go through detoxification. A recent study published in Wednesday’s journal of the American Medical Association, has shown that the drug Topamax helped 15 percent of alcoholics at the height of their drinking binges stop drinking…

In a recent interview with Entertainment Tonight, Tatum O’Neal gave advice that she hopes Britney Spears will hear coming from one famous mother who lost her kids due to addiction to another. The 43-year-old Tatum O’Neal outlined her struggles with heroin addiction and the loss of custody of her three children to ex-husband John McEnroe in…

Results of a study published in Alcoholism: Clinical & Experimental Research have concluded that a specific gene, previously unidentified may also be responsible for alcohol addiction and other addictive behavior. Author of the study, Danielle Dick, has stated that the gene named ankyrin repeat and kinase domain containing 1 (ANKK1) is one of the genes…

There is an article in the Calcutta, India Telegraph that talks about how orphaned Indian youngsters are getting high on inhaling adhesives at the local railway station. The inhaling of adhesives is used to curb hunger pains and the injuries from fighting other kids for survival. Rescue efforts for some of these youth are taking…

One of the long-standing myths about recovering from drug and alcohol addiction is that one has to hit rock bottom first. According to Medical University of South Carolina psychiatry professor, Dr. Kathleen Brady, “Addicts and alcoholics are more likely to recover if they still have a job, if they still have a spouse, if their…

September has now been designated National Alcohol and Drug Addiction Recovery Month. It has been estimated that alcohol abuse and drug addiction cost U. S. taxpayers $294 billion every year. During his National Alcohol and Drug Addiction Recovery Month proclamation, President George W. Bush said, “Alcohol and drug addiction can ruin lives and devastate families.…

How to make meth is one of the more popular searches on the Internet concerning illicit drugs. Two keyword research tools say that between 207 and 268 people a day are searching for information on how to make meth. This is no surprise given the power of the World Wide Web. What is surprising, however…

According to a new study by Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) in Canada, large cities such as Montreal and Toronto have a smaller rate of drug and alcohol abuse than mid-size cities. In addition, cities on the Eastern and Western regions of Canada have a higher rate of drug and alcohol addiction than…

Last week we talked about what the CASA (or National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University) would report and now this week the detailed report has actually come out concerning drugs and alcohol in high schools. Parents, students, teachers and policy-makers all need to be on alert because of the latest findings.…

CASA or The National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University, has sent out a little teaser of the survey results they will fully explain on August 16, 2007. According to the report, Chairman Joseph A. Califano, Jr will explain the in-depth survey of over 1,000 teens and over 500 parents nationwide that…

Finland has had the reputation of host a large percentage of binge drinkers as part of it Scandinavian culture. A recent study of a new drug has set out to curb the cravings in that country, however. Finnish researchers have found that the drug nalmefene caused a definite reduction in drinking among those who took…

Just out of drug and alcohol rehab, Lindsay Lohan was arrested early this morning for DUI and possession of cocaine. Lohan was booked for driving with a suspended license as well as driving under the influence with a blood-alcohol level measuring .12 and .08 as the legal limit for intoxication. Lohan was also booked on…

Over the past couple of years, the link between childhood ADD and ADHD and addiction later in life has been well documented. But, the research has also caused some confusion among parents who have resisted medicating their children for these disorders for fear that this will lead to a chemical dependency problem later. What some…

As if the allure for cocaine isn’t bad enough, now illicit drug makers have taken the phrase “nose candy” literally and flavored cocaine like real candy. According to the Sacramento Bee in Northern California, six people were recently arrested with three pounds of cocaine flavored to taste like strawberries and coconuts. According to DEA officials,…

TBS TV show Tyler Perry’s House of Payne first aired a couple of weeks ago to record ratings for the network. But, what has gotten some people riled up is that the main characters have made some cracks about crack cocaine, accompanied by laugh track that many have found offensive. With over 5 million viewers…

An article on the Health24 site talks about parenting tips to help prevent drug addiction in their children as they grow older. Many drug addicts have been predestined to drug abuse since childhood, so there are techniques parents can use to help prevent problems later. Label behavior instead of the identity of children is one tip.…

Lindsay Lohan, 20-year-old actress and star of “Georgia Rule,” “Bobby” and “Mean Girls” has reported checked into the Malibu Promises Rehab Center for treatment of drug and alcohol related issues. Lohan was arrested this past Saturday in Beverly Hills, California for driving under the influence. The police report also specified that a drug believed to…

Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada hosts North America’s only safe injection site and research about its InSite facility has show positive results. According to researchers, the InSite facility has reduced the spread of HIV and crime in the area. Not only that ,but the safe injection site has also shown a 30-percent increase in drug addicts…