Category Archives: Drug Dependency

by KING 5 HealthLink KING5.com Posted on February 28, 2012 at 5:49 PM Peggy is 58 years old, and in drug rehab for the first time. Although alcohol remains the most popular addiction for Baby Boomers, there has been a dangerous spike with illegal drugs, not to mention prescription medications, which become easier to get at this age as patients develop more aches and pains. "Doctors are quick to prescribe them for pain, people find comfort in them. And they're off and running, they abuse them, they develop a dependency, they wind up at our front door." Stan Galperson, Tarzana Treatment Center Galperson runs a residential and out-patient treatment center. He says part of the challenge for the over-50 crowd is simply lifestyle. At this point, if they are nearing retirement they have some money, more time and less structure. "You don't have the consequences anymore that the boss may notice that you are under the influence, your work performance is suffering. If you don't have those anymore it is quite easy to let your addiction progress, said Galperson. And when kids leave the nest, many moms and dads simply feel lost. "Substance use becomes an alternative to deal with … Continue reading →

The man at the center of the drug-infused, sex-laced scandal that has rocked the political careers and shaky marriage of state Treasurer Bill Lockyer and his wife, Nadia, strode into a San Jose courtroom Tuesday, his hair slick, his shirt untucked and told a reporter, "There's a way bigger story than the sex tapes." Before he had a chance to explain much more, his private defense attorney interrupted: "Do you want me to be your lawyer?" It was Adrienne Dell, a no-nonsense lawyer in a St. John Knit, telling him to clam up. Stephen Chikhani, 35, with wraparound dark glasses and a soul patch under his lip, stopped talking after that. It was the first comment from either Alameda County Supervisor Nadia Lockyer or Chikhani about the rumored existence of a sex tape. Chikhani, who has faced drug charges a number times over the past decade, was in Santa Clara County Superior Court on Tuesday after a California Highway Patrol officer pulled him over on Stevens Creek Boulevard in San Jose in September and allegedly found a bag of methamphetamine in his maroon 2003 Nissan 350Z. He faces four charges: possession of methamphetamine, being under the influence of a controlled … Continue reading →

POSTED: 11:29 am MST February 27, 2012 UPDATED: 9:45 pm MST February 27, 2012 CHEYENNE, Wyo. -- The state of Wyoming is one step closer to passing a bill that would require some welfare recipients to undergo drug testing.It passed the full House on its third reading Monday.Nearly two dozen states are currently considering similar legislation.Should people in need have to trade a clean drug test for welfare benefits?It's a question that has sparked passionate debate in the Wyoming House of Representatives this week."We're just trying to help eliminate that lifestyle of dependency on both drugs and the government system," said Rep. David Miller, R-Riverton.Miller is backing a bill that would require individuals to pay for and take a drug test when they apply for the state's "POWER" program.According to the Department of Family Services, "POWER" currently distributes an average of $500 per month to 338 people who are working or looking for work."I don't think it's really excessive to ask a person to do this," said Miller.But others disagree, like Jackson representatives Keith Gingery and Ruth Ann Petroff. Both pointed to Florida, where just last fall a judge ruled a similar law was unconstitutional based on the Fourth Amendment."I … Continue reading →

Home > News > world-news Washington, Feb 26 : US officials are reportedly discussing new transportation agreements with five Central Asian countries that would enable the military to withdraw from Afghanistan without having to rely mainly on land routes through Pakistan. Officials said a briefing team drawn from several US agencies visited Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan, all former Soviet republics that are close to or share borders with Afghanistan. The officials said the visits come as America lays the groundwork for withdrawal of combat forces from Afghanistan in 2014, The Wall Street Journal reports. Afghanistan depend heavily on supplies from what is known as the Northern Distribution Network, a system of rail, sea and truck routes that begins at Baltic and Black sea ports and winds across Central Asia. Traffic along the route is limited by agreements to "nonlethal" cargo such as food, fuel and construction equipment, and it goes only one way, into Afghanistan. US officials now want to "reverse" the network, so the American military has more options to move hardware out of Afghanistan. According to the paper the negotiations come amid rocky US relations with Pakistan, once the primary route for overland cargo bound for … Continue reading →

The number of people who visited the emergency room for pharmaceutical drugs increased 98 percent between 2004 and 2009, according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention. Many of these visits were to fraudulently obtain prescription drugs, usually pain killers. "Doctor shopping" is not an uncommon practice for those hooked on prescription drugs. The principle is simple: users go into the ER and claim to be in pain. With policies in place to ensure patients who have pain management issues are not ignored, many doctors simply want to help someone suffering, so they prescribe the medications. Hecticness is all too common in an ER, and the necessary conduit to get the patient's medical history is often sluggish. Addicts take advantage all these things to get the fix they need. A growing problem Deaths from prescription drug use are now nearly on par with fatalities from car crashes, according to CDC reports. Still, Vickie Lewis, director of Substance Abuse Treatment Unit of Central Iowa, said that alcohol is still, by far, the substance which poses biggest threat to public health. While prescription drug use has certainly seen an steady increase over the last few years, she said, it isn't nearly … Continue reading →

Gerard Butler has left rehab after seeking treatment to overcome a prescription drug dependency. As expected, the Coriolanus actor completed a three-week programme at the Betty Ford Centre today (February 24). "Gerard has completed a successful course of treatment and has returned home in good health," a spokesperson confirmed. "We will not be making any further comment at this time." Butler was admitted to the facility in an effort to prevent his over-reliance on medication developing into a full-blown addiction. He has allegedly struggled with pain issues ever since the physically demanding shoot for 300 in 2006. These were exacerbated following his surfing accident in December while filming Of Men and Mavericks. The 42-year-old admitted that the incident, which took place in Northern California, had been a "pretty close call". "This was maybe one of the few times that the reports were not exaggerated," he said. "[The waves] just took me and I couldn't get up." Watch Gerard Butler in the Machine Gun Preacher trailer below: Visit link: Gerard Butler leaves rehab: 'He's in good health' … Continue reading →

"It smells like vinegar, or like, a sweet cleaning solution." Good try, but no, Grandpa. It smells like weed. Weed is almost easier to get than alcohol -- it's basically legal in California, unless you have more than an ounce on you (which, unless you're dealing it, you won't). All you need to get a card is "headaches" or "insomnia." But parents still swear up and down that their kids aren't smoking weed. They probably are, and it's really not as big a deal as those parents think it is. In the interest of full disclosure, I should mention that I, like a lot of teenagers, don't smoke. I don't have a moral problem with it, I just don't. But I know a lot of people who do, many of whom went into their high school years as pin-straight, bright-eyed freshmen who swore they would never smoke, but ultimately tried it once at a party and then started to use it consistently, recreationally. Then there are the kids who like it a little too much at those parties, and start smoking every day before school, a practice known as "waking and baking." Finding out that their kids go to school … Continue reading →

Nassau County Executive Ed Mangano, Police Commissioner Thomas Dale talk about burglary arrest. Nassau County police have made a top priority of combating a wave of burglaries that authorities say is being fueled by a combination of Long Island’s heroin and prescription drug epidemic and unseasonably warm weather, among other factors. Marc Matarazzo, 29-year-old Carle Place man who allegedly broke into two pharmacies in two days, became the 77th burglary suspect arrested in the past eight weeks. Of the 77 suspects who have been linked to 34 of 225 burglaries so far this year, 20 percent were motivated by drug dependency, authorities said. “We believe a significant part of these burglaries are associated with prescription drug abuse,” Nassau County Executive Ed Mangano said Thursday at police headquarters in Mineola while flanked by Acting Nassau Police Commissioner Thomas Dale. Crime statistics show a 69-percent year-to-date increase in overall burglaries and an 110-percent increase in residential burglaries, according to police data comparing the first five weeks of 2011 and 2012. Fifty four of the 77 suspects apprehended have been linked to home break ins, officials said. Burglars are also more likely to strike this year as opposed to January and February of … Continue reading →

During a time of economic uncertainty, Solano County Superior Court and Solano County officials have partnered with other agencies and community groups to make an impact on such problems as domestic violence and drugs, officials said Wednesday. Two federal grants that created the court's Dependency Drug Court and Family Law Domestic Violence Court are evidence of that. Both programs have seen their share of successes and, on Wednesday, court and county officials gathered at the Hall of Justice in Fairfield to talk about them with Rep. John Garamendi, D-Solano, whom they hope will influence officials in Washington to send more money their way. The Dependency Drug Court provides intensive judicial monitoring to Solano County parents who have a dependency case and who are addicted to drugs and/or alcohol. The goal is for them to achieve sobriety and reunify with their children. Officials said such programs save as much as $27 for every $1 invested, and save up to $13,000 for every individual they serve. But, for it to be successful, it takes collaboration between not just the courts and attorneys, but also with county Health and Social Services, mental health and substance abuse professionals, among others. Since its inception in … Continue reading →

Yakima County is conducting a survey to gather input from community members about chemical dependency prevention, intervention and treatment. The county received federal block grant money to help reform health care. The survey will help to guide the development of the Yakima County Recovery-Oriented Systems of Care plan. The survey is at svy.mk/yakimasurvey. Similar stories: West Richland council: Benegas West Richland council: Benegas I've known Tony Benegas for approximately 15 years and fully support his re-election to the West Richland City Council. Tony and his wife have lived in West Richland for 26 years. Tony cares about the people and the city of West Richland. His ability to team with and build consensus with our other elected officials has provided vital funding and development for West Richland. One example is a $254,000 grant to start revitalizing the Van Giesen-Yakima River entrance into our city. Tony isn't content with just maintaining our quality of life -- he works hard to bring progress to problems that others just discuss. The fact that Tony also dedicates his time to the United Way Board of Benton and Franklin Counties and the Washington State Civil Rights commission shows that Tony is interested in making our … Continue reading →