The history of the intimate relationship between drinking and taxing suggests … that … [people] indulging a fantasy of income tax relief emerging from a cloud of legalized marijuana smoke should realize that it is likely only a pipe dream.—Daniel Okrent [hat tip: Kevin Sabet]
Author: Jason Schwartz
I have been an addiction professional and social worker since 1994. I started blogging in 2005 as the Clinical Director at Dawn Farm. I currently serve as the Director of Social Work and Spiritual Care for a healthcare system. I've also served as the Director of Behavioral Health at another hospital. I'm also a lecturer at Eastern Michigan University’s School of Social Work.
Views expressed here are my own.
Keep in mind that the field, the contexts in which the field operates, and my views have changed over time.
the beauty of it is you’re not messing with brain chemistry
The NY Times recently ran an article on addiction vaccine efforts. It does a good job explaining the concept: Unlike preventive vaccines — like the familiar ones for mumps, measles and so on — this type of injection would be administered after someone had already succumbed to an addictive drug. For instance, cocaine addicts who had been vaccinated … Continue reading the beauty of it is you’re not messing with brain chemistry
Sentences to ponder
You might look inside yourself and think you know yourself, but over many decades you can change in ways you won’t see ahead of time. Don’t assume you know who you will become. This applies all the more to folks around you. You may know who they are now, but not who they will become. —Robin … Continue reading Sentences to ponder
Recovering community as political fiction
Ta-Nehisi Coates explores the challenges and political fiction of political movements by unpacking this passage from a feminist: "She, who is so different from myself, is really like me in fundamental ways, because we are both": This is the feminist habit of universalizing extravagantly--making wild, improbable leaps across chasms of class and race, poverty and … Continue reading Recovering community as political fiction
The culture of recovery in treatment
This Daily News column discusses the importance the culture of the treatment milieu: DR.DAVE: Adults, age 18 to 24, attending multidisciplinary, Twelve Step-based residential treatment for alcohol or other drug addiction. The results suggest, says John F. Kelly, Ph.D., of the Center for Addiction Medicine, that while "strong motivation to change may exist from the get-go among young … Continue reading The culture of recovery in treatment
Remember prohibition
I'm unfamiliar with Kevin Sabet and I suspect he's be more conservative than me on drug policy, but I like this article he wrote on prohibition and its lessons. a closer look at what resulted from alcohol prohibition and its relevance to today’s anti-drug effort reveals a far more nuanced picture than the legalization lobby … Continue reading Remember prohibition
Sentences to ponder
Sometimes I think that the legalizers and the drug warriors have a secret arms-control treaty, in which each side renounces the use of factually and logically sound arguments. —Mark Kleiman [hat tip: Margaret Wente]
Smoking and pancreatitis
These are pretty important findings for severe alcoholics who smoke: Smoking may affect the risk of developing chronic pancreatitis or its progression. Smoking may also affect the risk for developing acute pancreatitis. Its effects in pancreatitis appear to be dose dependent and its effects may be alcohol independent but synergize with alcohol.
Physiology of Addiction
Recently uploaded. Presented at last year's Dawn Farm Education Series: Physiology of Addiction from Dawn Farm on Vimeo.
The Opportunity Cost of Drug Testing Welfare Recipients
Keith Humphreys points out the harm/waste of drug testing welfare recipients: ...welfare recipients, haven’t done anything wrong and have a low rate of drug use. ... Further, while there is no evidence that drug testing welfare recipients protects the public in any significant way, regular testing of felony probationers coupled with modest sanctions reduces crime, including violent crime. ...Given … Continue reading The Opportunity Cost of Drug Testing Welfare Recipients
Recovery Review 