Priorities, priorities. In my second year at the Welsh College of Music, the demands of academic work began to interfere with my drinking. --Wynford Ellis Owen via Keith Humphreys
Month: July 2013
Why “medical” marijuana gets little respect here
Mark Kleiman, the Washington state pot czar, explains his use of "scare quotes" when writing about medical marijuana: Yes, cannabis has medical value for some people. And yes, the sustained effort of the federal government to make medical cannabis research as difficult as possible is a national disgrace. And then, on the other … Continue reading Why “medical” marijuana gets little respect here
Thanks for the evidence
Anna David points us toward some positive press for AA. One of the articles focuses on a lecture by Marc Galanter Galanter said that AA uses many of the psychosocial features that operate in any charismatic membership group: social cohesion through attendance at regular meetings; a belief system embodied in the book Alcoholics Anonymous; a behavioral program … Continue reading Thanks for the evidence
Sentences to ponder
But learning is the entire point of researching, writing, and reporting. Ta-Nehisi Coates
Solving the prescription opioid problem
I've posted several times recently on the problem of opioid over-prescription and overdose. Some might assume that I want some regulatory or statutory intervention to address the issue. Truth is, I've got more questions than answers and I would not support a response that forces us to choose between treating pain and preventing addiction and … Continue reading Solving the prescription opioid problem
Overprescription of opioids is bad medicine
Keith Humphreys points out that the problem with the explosion of prescriptions for opioids isn't just addiction and overdose. They are often just not good medicine. Opioids typically have a miraculous effect on acute pain, but this does not necessarily translate to chronic pain relief, particularly as tolerance sets in over time. Even more disturbing, … Continue reading Overprescription of opioids is bad medicine
Indescribable horror turned into advocacy
Bill White appears to have started blogging! His most recent post touches upon an issue that is close to my heart. People in recovery and their family members are leading what is rapidly becoming an international recovery advocacy movement, but there are faces and voices notably absent from the frontlines of this movement: the families … Continue reading Indescribable horror turned into advocacy
Women Dying of Opioid Overdose at Unprecedented Rates
The skyrocketing opiate over dose rate is getting some attention in a new CDC report: The number of women dying from overdoses of opioid painkillers increased 5-fold between 1999 and 2010, according to new data released today by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The problem of prescription opioid drug overdoses in … Continue reading Women Dying of Opioid Overdose at Unprecedented Rates
Less is more – Antipsychotics and Recovery from First-Episode Psychosis
A very interesting finding with profound implications for addicts who experience a psychotic episode. (Particularly since it's so difficult to tease out whether it was substance -induced.) Importance Short-term outcome studies of antipsychotic dose-reduction/discontinuation strategies in patients with remitted first-episode psychosis (FEP) showed higher relapse rates but no other disadvantages compared with maintenance treatment; however, long-term effects … Continue reading Less is more – Antipsychotics and Recovery from First-Episode Psychosis
What policy would minimize total damage?
Mark Kleiman responds to a WSJ column expressing concern about increases in marijuana use leading to increases in schizophrenia. Kleiman responds to the specific concerns and then steps back to frame the larger policy decisions. The author of the WSJ piece solemnly announces, “The claim that marijuana is medically harmless is false.” No sh*t, Sherlock! … Continue reading What policy would minimize total damage?
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