Drug Abuse & Addiction

People in New Jersey don’t have to be afraid of calling 911 to help someone who is overdosing, even if they are using drugs at the time. Last week, Governor Chris Christie signed the Good Samaritan Emergency Response Act. Many families and friends are grateful for the change of heart and compromise of the governor. [...]

The world of mental health treatment is changing soon. This May marks the publication of the fifth edition of Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM), the book mental health professionals use to diagnose patients. The release of the new DSM will impact many people’s lives. The criteria for disorders form part of a [...]

The celebrations of marijuana synonymous with 4/20 have ramped up this year in Colorado. There are public parties, entertainment, contests, workshops and conventions scheduled all in honor of one mega-popular plant, which was approved for recreational use in the Centennial State, although the law has yet to take effect. World Cannabis Week One company—My 420 [...]

Vending machines have advanced from dispensing candy, to DVDs to grams of gold. Now in California, you can get marijuana in vending machines. There aren’t many out there but the number of machines is growing. Currently, Los Angeles has at least three medical marijuana dispensaries with vending machines. Easy Access Weed…for Some Before the masses [...]

Drugs get a free plug in music. From rap to rock and most music genres in between, drugs are glorified. It’s not something new, either. Drugs have been sung about for years. Musicians are drugs’ biggest distributors, bringing them to every iPod, stereo in every car, home and neighborhood. Marijuana, ecstasy, prescription drugs and other [...]

Recently, more people are discovering that there are undercover alcoholics and drug addicts in their workplaces. These alcohol and drug abusers don’t look like your typical addicts and aren’t quite at the stage where they may need alcohol addiction treatment. Dr. J. Wesley Boyd, a psychiatrist at Harvard Medical School, has written “Almost Addicted,” a [...]

We are used to seeing and hearing about the antics of the youngest Sheen son, Charlie. But recently, Martin Sheen, the father of Emilio Estevez and Charlie Sheen, reminded the world of the light at the end of the addiction tunnel: Recovery. Martin celebrated his sobriety by being a guest at an addiction treatment center [...]

The A Team by Ed Sheeran’s Songs can paint a picture in your head and make you think and feel things that can touch you deeply. Ed Sheeran’s song called “The A Team” is a sad song that brings awareness about addiction.  “White lips, pale face Breathing in snowflakes Burnt lungs, sour taste Lights gone, [...]

The medical marijuana debate continues. There are now 18 states where medical marijuana is legal and two states (Colorado and Washington) recently legalized recreational use of pot. More people may be looking for prescriptions for medical marijuana. Some of these people’s medical conditions will improve with marijuana; but what if the patient is a child? [...]

Addiction is a family disease and it affects the entire unit. The troubles of addiction do not discriminate by social class or status, young or old. Recently, such troubles hit the family of rocker Jon Bon Jovi. The singer’s 19-year-old daughter, Stephanie Bongiovi, overdosed recently. She was found unconscious and unresponsive in her dorm room [...]