Vancouver mayor, Sam Sullivan, appears to be forging ahead with his plan to create drug maintenance programs for drug addicts. The plan is called CAST (Chronic Addiction Substitution Treatment). I've posted before on the subject here and here, so I won't repeat what I've already written. I will add, however, that Vancouver built a lot … Continue reading Vancouver mayor announces new program to fight drug addiction and crime

Dr. Wes, a physician and blogger, offers his take on recent concerns over slowed progress on smoking cessation and low utilization of nicotine replacement therapy. He offers some pretty provocative opinions that are worth taking the time to read.It still puzzles me that we use an incredibly addictive drug, nicotine, to help smokers quit their … Continue reading Nicotine wars

From NPR's "This I Believe" series an essay from a mother of a young woman who has struggled with heroin addiction. After years of blaming herself and others, she now believes that there is no blame. Below is an excerpt, but follow the link and her the entire essay in her own voice. You don't … Continue reading There Is No Blame; There Is Only Love

A well done article about interventions with several quotes from our friend Jeff Jay. The article is from a Washington D.C. publication and gives special attention to the challenges of interventions with powerful and wealthy people.The only passage that bothered me was this one:A member of another DC-based group, Faces and Voices of Recovery, worries … Continue reading “You’ve Got to Stop”

Craig Ferguson on the Britney media frenzy and his own recovery:

A blog post on neuro-electric therapy (NET) in Scotland. Includes a link to the website of the manufacturer of NET equipment.

A little local history on prohibition in Detroit. Of special interest to anyone who knew Theresa M.

Mark Kleiman offers a commentary about alcohol's cultural status as something other than a drug. I think he's guilty of a little hyperbole and condescension, but I find his point to be on the mark.“In terms of its effects on the human body and psyche, alcohol is simply another psychoactive substance.” That sentence, with which … Continue reading Is alcohol a “drug”? Why the question matters

A sure to be controversial finding about date rape drug allegations in England. It's worth noting that this finding, if replicated in other countries, doesn't disprove the existence of date rape but does suggest that preventing binge drinking may be an important way to reduce date rape:Doctors tested 75 women who claimed their drinks had … Continue reading Drug rape myth exposed as study reveals binge drinking is to blame

Neil McKeganey, who's opinions I've tended to admire, has some strong words about intervening with alcoholic parents. I think I agree that there should not be disparity between drug addiction and alcohol addiction. However, I have real problems about any proposal to aggressively remove children from addicted parents. I think it's safe to assume that … Continue reading Take Kids Away From Alcoholic Parents