According to this article in Join Together, Narconon has learned that ten states are considering requiring that some adults on public assistances submit to drug testing.  Sounds like a good idea, especially since it looks like most of them will be offered treatment before losing their benefits.   Those on drugs, once treated, could return to society and make something of their life.

It is hard to imagine why there would be any opponents, but there are.  Hopefully it is not because in some states, the bill also includes testing for the legislatures.   That’s a pretty good idea too – maybe we could get a clue as to why there is so much willingness to keep our population drugged up.  Here is the article:

“Legislators in at least ten states are considering bills that would require adults on various types of public assistance to submit to drug testing. Supporters have said that testing would save money and encourage treatment, while opponents have claimed it would cost more money in the long run and discourage people from seeking treatment.

In most of the proposed bills, people testing positive would risk losing their benefits, though they could mitigate or avoid the financial impact by entering treatment and/or not re-using illegal substances.

At least two bills would require legislators to be drug-tested as well.

Senators in Virginia passed a drug screening bill 32-7 that would require people applying for, or receiving, certain welfare benefits, to answer questions and then submit to drug testing – if the screeners believe the person is using.

Bills in Illinois and Missouri would require drug tests for recipients of Temporary Aid to Needy Families (TANF), a federal program that provides short-term help with food, rent, and utility bills for pregnant women and for families with at least one child at home under age 19. If the Illinois bill passed, the state would institute a three-county pilot program before expanding statewide. South Dakota defeated a similar bill affecting TANF participants 32-36.”

http://www.jointogether.org/news/features/2011/lawmakers-mull-drug-tests.html

Narconon has seen many individuals return to the work force, once their drug issues were resolved.  Even in this economy, it is possible, with determination to find work.  This would be of benefit to the community – not an expense.

Narconon drug rehab is a good choice for anyone.  It works.

“Daily use of marijuana has increased among eighth, tenth, and twelfth grade youth, while alcohol use — at its lowest level since the survey began — and binge drinking have continued long-term declines, according to 2010 Monitoring the Future Survey (MTF) results released today.

MTF, an annual survey funded by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), has measured self-reported drug use behavior and attitudes among high-school seniors since 1975 and among eighth and tenth graders since 1991.

Researchers, led by Lloyd Johnston at the University of Michigan’s Institute for Social Research, surveyed 46,482 eighth, tenth, and twelfth grade students in 396 public and independent schools across the country.

Prevalence measures of marijuana use rose in all three grade levels (measures included daily, past 30 days, past year, and lifetime use). When researchers combined data for all three grades, the one-year increases in marijuana use in all prevalence measures were statistically significant.

“Though this upward shift is not yet very large, its duration and pervasiveness leave no doubt in our minds that it is real,” said Johnston. “Perhaps the most troublesome part of it is that daily use of marijuana increased significantly in all three grades in 2010.”

From 2009 to 2010, daily marijuana-use rates increased from 1.0 to 1.2 percent for eighth graders, 2.8 to 3.3 percent for tenth graders, and from 5.2 to 6.1 percent for twelfth graders. That means that about one in every 16 high-school seniors who were surveyed self-reported daily use of marijuana.”

Narconon’s opinion is that drug education is a place to start.  From there, on a broader basis society as a whole needs to stop promoting that marijuana is OK.  This is communicated through “legalization” to the point where even some school nurses will soon be dispensing it.

Narconon drug rehab would prefer that in the future, half the population is not in need of treatment.  Unless something is done with our youth now, we will be stepping into that future.

Jail

Anyone working in drug treatment for any period of time has become familiar with the oddity that lots of community resources are devoted to catching the drug users and locking them up without much effect on the tide of drug abuse or much return to the society that is footing the bill.

“The draconian Rockefeller Drug Laws have been on the books for 35 years and they have failed to curb drug use, drug sales and drug trafficking.

These laws have been aimed primarily at minority offenders, further broadening the gap between races.

They have forced judges to mandate costly incarceration for low-level dealers and non-violent addicts, and prevented meaningful drug addiction treatment.

Luna

The wrestler know as “Luna” died from an overdose of prescription pain drugs and psychiatric drugs.  This is just the latest drug overdose that has happened to a celebrity.

Former WWE star Gertrude “Luna” Vachon died on August 27 and investigators have finally completed the tests, etc and reveal that Luna died from an overdose of painkillers and anti-anxiety medication.

Many people around the world are dying from taking medications that are prescribed to them.  Even if they are prescribed doesn’t mean they aren’t dangerous.

Prescription drug abuse is a real problem that we need to take notice and handle immediately.  Drug addiction treatment offers support to families and individuals who are finding themselves addicted.

source

As a country we need to get on the same page when it comes to marijuana.  While states are eager to legalize it for medical purposes some are apparently jumping on the PR bandwagon, thinking they can get away with cultivating it without permission.  It might even appear odd to some that anyone would get arrested for it.

Smoky Confusion

Marijuana is a drug and it gets people high.  It is a gateway drug, often leading to heroin, methamphetamine, cocaine and other drugs of abuse.”

“A New Jersey man who said he was growing marijuana in his home to treat his multiple-sclerosis symptoms has been sentenced to five years in prison on drug charges, the Newark Star-Ledger reported March 20.

John Ray Wilson, 37, was convicted of second-degree drug manufacturing for growing 17 marijuana plants and third-degree possession of hallucinogenic psilocybin mushrooms. He was acquitted of first-degree operation of a drug-manufacturing facility.”

http://www.jointogether.org/news/headlines/inthenews/2010/ms-patient-in-nj-gets-5.html

Brain Damage?

Any of us who have observed heavy cocaine users have figured out that their brains behave differently than non-users – just talk to one for a few minutes. This seems to hold true for drug abusers of heroin, methamphetamine, pot and any mind altering substance.

The brains of those who drink too heavily are especially interesting to observe.

Narconon addiction treatment is for all chemically dependent brains.  877-413-3073

Cocaine Users’ Brains Behave Differently from Non-Users’
June 8, 2009

Research Summary

Researchers from the Brookhaven National Laboratory and the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) have demonstrated that an area of the brain called the Anterior Cingulate Cortex (ACC) shows differences in levels of activity between cocaine users compared with non-users when performing a series of tasks, even though both groups are evenly matched demographically (socially, cognitively, educationally, etc.). ….

Source

The Atlanta Recovery Center Drug Rehab of Georgia has embarked in a campaign of drug education to stem the growing tide of drug abuse and drug addiction in the community.

“We know that knowledge is the best weapon against drug abuse,” states Mary Rieser, Executive Director for The Atlanta Recovery Center Drug Rehab in Georgia. “The basic facts presented help children make correct decisions.  The message really is that life without drugs is fun.

“These are some of the things we teach kids so they won’t get addicted to drugs.”

When dealing with addictive drugs, the following points should be kept in mind:

All Drugs Are Poisons

All drugs are basically poisons. The amount which you take is what decides how it affects you. A small amount is a stimulant. A larger amount is a sedative.  An even larger amount acts as a poison and can kill you. This is true of ANY drug. Each has a different amount. Caffeine in coffee for example two or three cups stimulate. Ten would probably put a person to sleep. 100 cups would probably kill him.

All Drugs Affect the Mind

When a person thinks of something, he gets a picture of it in his mind. These “mental pictures” are very easy to see for yourself. If you close your eyes and think of a cat, you will get a picture of a cat. The mind takes 25 pictures every second, and files them away to solve problems in life. Normally,  when a person remembers something, the mind is very fast and information comes to him very quickly from the pictures in his mind.

But the drugs blur the pictures. They make the pictures dull and cloudy. This causes “blank spots” in the mind. When a person tries to get the information through all this blurry mess, he can’t  do it.  Drugs make a person seem slow or stupid. This can cause him to have failures in life. And when he fails in life, what does the person want more of? DRUGS!

People Take Drugs to Get Rid of Unwanted Feelings

Anyone who takes drugs does it to get rid of some pain or unwanted feelings, including boredom. To understand why someone takes drugs now, you need to know what was wrong before he or she took them. He may have had some pain. He may have wanted to feel happier. The drugs were a temporary solution to the unwanted  feelings. To get a real solution, the person would have to fix what was causing the problem in the first  place.

When a Drug Wears Off, the Person Wants More

When any drug wears off, the pain or other feeling that went away comes back harder than before. If someone had a problem that made him want to take drugs… let’s say he is “too nervous” to talk to anyone at a party…

He might take a drug to help him relax.

When the drug wears off, the feeling of nervousness is worse than before…and he wants MORE of the drug to calm himself.

This person’s problem talking to people won’t go away until he does something about his shyness and finds out he CAN talk to people, with or without drugs.

Alcohol Abuse

Alcohol is the Most Used Drug of All

Alcohol is a drug. Like any other drug it is poisonous to the body. Like other drugs, alcohol uses up vitamins in your body so you feel tired or sick after drinking it. This is what causes a “hangover”.

The body needs vitamins to stay alive. If you don’t eat a healthy diet, you may not get the vitamins you need. This can cause you to feel tired, or even sick.
Any time you take drugs, they burn up some of your body’s  vitamins. If you take enough drugs later you’ll feel bad or get  sick. So you take more to feel better but the problem gets WORSE.

By working with these facts, children can decide not to take drugs and live a free and happy life.

For more information on drug addiction rehabilitation or drug education, call The Atlanta Recovery Center of Georgia at 1-877-236-8981.

Percocet is a narcotic (oxycodone) and acetaminophen (commonly known as Tylenol) combination. They are combined to get a synergistic effect on pain. Oxycodone is similar to other narcotics, such as heroin or opium, in terms of effect and addiction. Percocet addiction can affect the young, middle aged, or elderly. Individuals addicted to Percocet may come from any walk of life, hold entry level or high positions, be parents or grandparents, single or married.

Percocet Prescription Drug Abuse

Take this scenario: You are a woman, about 35 years old. You are not feeling well, and you go to the doctor. He prescribes a medication that will alleviate your pain. You take this medication, just as the doctor ordered, for a few weeks. You feel great. After three weeks, you stop, and start getting nausea, your legs start cramping, and you can’t sleep. What is the problem?

The problem is that on top of your original physical condition you are now addicted to a prescription drug: Percocet.

Sound familiar?

At this point you can do one of two things: You can go back to your doctor and get another prescription, which only makes it worse, since you have to keep taking Percocet to feel “normal”, or you can go to a drug rehab and get through your withdrawals.

The Atlanta Recovery Center Drug Rehab in Georgia warns that Percocet addiction is common and far more widespread than imagined.

The risk for Percocet addiction is greatest among women, seniors, and adolescents.

Women are two to three times more likely than men to be prescribed drugs such as Percocet; they are also about two times more likely to form an addiction to it. This stems in large part from the fact that women are more likely to seek medical attention for emotional or physical problems.

Seniors take more drugs than the rest of the population, increasing their odds of becoming addicted.

Studies show that the sharpest increase of users of prescription drugs for nonmedical purposes occurs in the 12 to 17 and 18 to 25 age groups.

Once addicted, but with no original intention in becoming a drug addict, the respectable citizen, who only did what the doctor ordered, starts to exhibit drug-seeking behavior and are often preoccupied with using and obtaining Percocet. They obtain Percocet through legal or illegal sources. They sometimes doctor-shop, going from one doctor to the other, getting the prescription filled, and may eventually start looking for Percocet in the streets.

“Don’t become addicted to Percocet,” warns a Percocet addict recovering at the Atlanta Recovery Center Drug Rehab Program in Georgia. “I never broke a law in my life; after getting un-intentionally addicted to Percocet, my life became hell.”

Often, the addiction to Percocet develops without the individual realizing it, until it begins to control their life.

When an individual exceeds the dosage prescribed or seeks to obtain Percocet after the time prescribed by their physician, they should be aware of the possibility that they have developed a Percocet addiction.

However, once addicted, abruptly stopping or reducing the intake of Percocet can cause severe withdrawal symptoms. These can begin six to eight hours after the last dosage.

These include:
•    Feeling as though you have the flu
•    Gastrointestinal distress
•    Anxiety
•    Nausea
•    Insomnia
•    Muscle pain
•    Fevers
•    Sweating
•    Runny nose and eyes

Beware, though: Even moderate doses of Percocet can result in a fatal overdose. When increasing doses of Percocet an individual may at first feel restless and nauseous and then progress to loss of consciousness and abnormal breathing. Everyone’s body is different but as little as half a pill of Percocet when combined with other depressants can lower your respiratory system enough to kill you.

If you suspect you or someone else is addicted to prescription medication, The Atlanta Recovery Center of Georgia at 1-877-236-3981.

These videos are presented by Dr. Nerida James, the President & Founder of Narconon Australia and one of Australia’s leading naturopathic doctors.

Participants in the Narconon program also contribute to these videos. They share their experience on the program, their successes & personal discoveries.

This is the same Sauna Detoxification process used at Narconon of Georgia For More information, see: Sauna Detoxification

Drug addiction has been misunderstood by many. Does this mean that drug addiction is something that should be ignored?

Studies have shown that the more drug education is the best prevention.

The Atlanta Recovery Center not only works with recovering drug addicts, helping them kick their drug addictions, but also works in educating people who may not be drug addicts.

“Everyone needs basic information on things in life that may be dangerous,” comments Mary Rieser, Executive Director of The Atlanta Recovery Center. “If you don’t know anything about something that can be a danger to you or someone you love, it is very likely that if you encounter this, you may not know how to deal with it and make a bad situation worse.”

“A prime example is drugs or drug addiction. People don’t understand how drugs work, why some people become addicted, why they can’t just stop. This can be not only frustrating to the drug addict, but anyone around who doesn’t understand.

Marijuana addiction

“Knowledge is the key to resolving any detrimental situation in life, and in this case lack of knowledge can cause death, misery and unhappiness. This is why we explain how a person can take drugs and become addicted. Once this is known, they can get help.”

How does a person become addicted to drugs or alcohol? It starts with some aspect of their life that they cannot face: emotional pain, a loss, physical pain. The person tries to escape some physical or emotional pain by taking drugs.

This offers temporary relief, and the person may forget their pain, but when the drugs wear off, the person finds his situation has worsened. They continue to use them to get more relief.

The cells in the body become accustomed to large amounts of drug metabolites (a broken down form of the drug). The person soon finds they have to take larger and larger quantities of the drug to feel the same effect.

The person may find themselves in a place they don’t like, and try to quit. However, when one tries to quit, cells in the body that have become accustomed to such large amounts of metabolites are now forced to deal with much decreased amounts.

The body perceives that it needs the drug to function and demands the drug through physical cravings.

With continued use of the drug, the body’s inability to completely eliminate all traces of the drug metabolites diminishes. The metabolites that remain are stored in the fatty tissues and these, released, cause cravings.

Cravings become so severe that the addict will do almost anything (in many cases abandoning all previous moral teachings) to get more of the drug.

The addict commits misdeeds against family, friends and self to satisfy these unrelenting cravings.

Because of these misdeeds, the addicts cannot face themselves and dive deeper into drugs.

They are now entrapped in full blown addiction, with two aspects of the condition, the biophysical condition and the biochemical personality.  The Atlanta Recovery Center Drug Rehab Program addresses both conditions.