Answer Addiction

Category: Addiction News

  • How to Find Aetna Drug Addiction Rehab Coverage

    How to Find Aetna Drug Addiction Rehab Coverage

    Need help finding out about Aetna coverage for drug rehab? Read our guide and find answers to common questions about Aetna insurance.

    Table of Contents

    1. What Is Aetna?
    2. Does Aetna Cover Drug and Alcohol Rehab?
    3. Aetna Substance Abuse Coverage
    4. Aetna Alcohol Rehab Centers
    5. Aetna Mental Health Coverage
    6. What Happens in Addiction Rehab?
    7. Duration of Rehab
    8. Is Aetna Mental Health Coverage Insured?
    9. Aetna Inpatient Rehab Facilities
    10. Aetna Outpatient Services
    11. What to Expect from Aetna Mental Health, Addiction Treatment, and Drug Rehab?

    What Is Aetna?

    Aetna is a health insurance company founded in 1853 which offers insurance for individuals and employers. Aetna has a network of over one million medical professionals, over 5,000 hospitals, and over 34,000 employees serving 46 million people who have signed up for various Aetna health insurance plans. Under the insurance plans, a person can choose from open-access plans, co-pay only plans and high-deductible plans depending on their requirement. The insurance plans and services from Aetna include:

    • Medical, pharmacy and dental plans

    • Medicare plans
    • Medicaid services
    • Behavioral health programs
    • Medical management

    In addition to various kinds of physical health insurance services, it also offers a wide range of mental and behavioral health coverage benefits. Aetna mental health policyholders can obtain coverage for inpatient and residential rehabilitation, intensive outpatient treatment and residential rehabilitation. Aetna, unlike other health insurance providers, helps people to make a decision on their healthcare spending and advises them in choosing their health insurance wisely

    Does Aetna Cover Drug and Alcohol Rehab?

    Yes, Aetna provides coverage for drug and alcohol rehabilitation too. Aetna has its own network of healthcare providers for drug and alcohol rehab where a person can be treated at a much nominal cost compared to services availed outside their network. All the services provided by Aetna health insurance coverage are pre-screened for quality, facilities, and services.

    Rehab services, especially an inpatient rehab, can be a costly affair if availed from providers outside Aetna’s network. For a complete physical and mental well-being as well as a proper substance abuse counseling, Aetna is the most professional and cost-effective solution one can opt for. The Aetna health coverage is aimed at people from all walks of life irrespective of their social status so that good quality medical treatment is accessible by all.

    Aetna offers a host of benefits for individuals who opt for Aetna health coverage. To know more about Aetna substance abuse care and alcohol abuse care, people can get in touch with a representative on their helpline. Additionally, Aetna also offers a virtual health assistant, named “Ann” who can easily answer all general queries related to Aetna substance abuse coverage. Aetna has an app as well where insurance seekers can manage all their health concerns, bill payments, claims, and medications on their mobile itself. The app is named iTriage.

    Aetna Substance Abuse Coverage

    The Aetna substance abuse coverage allows patients to receive complete treatment for their drug addiction without worrying about the huge bills to pay. Aetna keeps all patient information confidential and offers 24×7 support for any kind of queries related to the insurance coverage. With Aetna, patients can avail a wide range of substance abuse coverage. Most insurance companies only offer coverage for a part of the substance abuse treatment, but the Aetna substance abuse coverage plan covers every part of the treatment including rehab and detox.

    Drug abuse is a serious problem that is faced by many people around the world. A large number of deaths are attributed to prescription drugs like opioids. These drugs are given for medicinal purposes, but people take them in larger quantities leading to an overdose. Aetna substance abuse policy takes care of the duration of a person’s stay at the rehab undergoing their detox therapy and also the medicines and other miscellaneous charges associated with the treatment.

    Aetna Alcohol Rehab Centers

    Aetna offers alcohol abuse care, which is carried out through SBIRT; Screening, Brief Intervention, and Referral to Treatment. It’s a systematic method through in which alcohol abuse is identified and treated. SBIRT is ideal for people who are at risk of developing alcohol and substance abuse. Aetna health insurance is one of the most client-friendly and flexible healthcare insurance providers in the market today, and it aims to provide all types of medical benefits to individuals and employers at a nominal cost.

    Alcohol abuse can have a very negative impact on the body and mind of an individual and can disturb the harmony of the individual’s personal and social life. Aetna alcohol abuse care is done in a discreet manner. Aetna also offers an Employee Assistance Program (EAP) where individuals can go for their alcohol treatment while still keeping their job intact. They even provide family counseling sessions and psychiatric care to those who are badly affected by alcohol abuse.

    Aetna Mental Health Coverage

    Aetna mental health coverage covers a wide range of mental health issues to help people recover through mental health facilities. Aetna analyzes the physical and mental health records of patients to ensure that the treatment offered is 100% satisfactory.

    Many people suffer from mental health symptoms without realizing it. Getting professional help with them to identify the signs and symptoms can aid in being treated in the right way. For mental health problems, Aetna offers access to psychiatrists, psychologists, counselors, therapists, social workers, and doctors. Since mental health is often linked to drug abuse, Aetna substance abuse care is another service offered by them.

    What Happens in Addiction Rehab?

    An addiction rehab treatment will be customized according to the need of the individual. Generally, rehab treatment includes detoxification and a combination of substance abuse therapy, relapse prevention awareness, and aftercare.

    A detox helps the body to get rid of the toxic substances that react with the sensory receptors of the body and influence their functions. A detox is a gradual process and can lead to uncomfortable withdrawal symptoms during the treatment. With professional care, any individual can cope with the detox sessions and get sober. The duration of detox depends on the level of addiction to individuals and can vary according to it.

    Once the detox has helped flush out harmful substances from the body, individuals are prompted to take individual and group therapies that can help them understand their addiction trigger and be aware of the side effects and consequences of substance abuse.

    Aetna depression counseling takes care of the drug treatment aftercare, which is a vital step in the entire rehabilitation process so that individuals do not fall prey to any kind of addiction ever again.

    Duration of Rehab

    The duration of rehab treatment entirely depends on the condition of the patient. Normally, most rehabs offer a 30-day, 60-day or a 90-day rehab program that covers all the three parts of rehab, i.e., detox, therapies, and aftercare.

    Studies have found that people who go for long term rehab treatment decreases their chances of getting back to addiction by many folds. For people who suffer from serious mental and psychological trauma or problems arising from substance abuse, may need to stay inside a rehab facility for a longer period. Aetna mental health policies cover both, short term and long-term rehab plans for individuals.

    Is Aetna Mental Health Coverage Insured?

    Yes, Aetna mental health coverage is insured. For most of the physical or mental health insurance that you choose for yourself, Aetna usually covers 80% of the treatment cost, and the patients need to pay the rest. Depending on whether a person goes for an inpatient or outpatient treatment, the actual charges and insurance amount will vary.

    Aetna health insurance is one of the oldest and most trustworthy health insurance providers in the US. With Aetna’s insurance coverage, a person has to pay an amount as low as $15 for a therapy session, which is why every individual should get their mental health treatment done at the earliest to avoid any kind of complications in the future.

    Aetna Inpatient Rehab Facilities

    Aetna’s extensive network on inpatient rehab providers helps people avail inpatient rehab treatment without spending a fortune. Aetna has collaborated with various rehabilitation centers for people suffering from substance abuse where they are diagnosed and treated for their problems. Inpatient rehab requires the patient to stay within the rehab facility 24×7 for a couple of months along with other addicts who are also looking to recover.

    Aetna therapists carry out the drug detox after various tests and assessments and then offer the best treatment to the patients. An inpatient treatment elsewhere is definitely a costly affair, and the quality of treatment cannot be guaranteed. At Aetna, only the best caregivers are chosen in order to help people recover from addiction and lead a normal life. Inpatient rehab tracks an individual round the clock to understand his triggers and withdrawal symptoms. Also, within an inpatient rehab, the chances of getting access to any drug are nil which gives a stronger opportunity for individuals to get rid of their addiction.

    Inpatient rehab also conducts special programs, seminars and conduct special activities for the patients in their facility to help them interact with similar people and learn the way to cope from drug abuse with mutual support and understanding.

    Aetna Outpatient Services

    Aetna outpatient services are economical compared to inpatient rehab due to the nature of the treatment offered. With the outpatient service, patients do not need to stay in the facility for a certain amount of time and can carry their rehabilitation treatment by visiting the outpatient center at certain intervals. Outpatient services are a good option for people who don’t suffer from very serious alcohol or substance abuse. Outpatient therapy can be carried out beside a person’s regular tasks and commitments such as going to work, school or running a business. Outpatient services do not require round the clock care, and the number of doctors and medical professionals involved in the treatment of individuals opting for outpatient treatment is also less.

    What to Expect from Aetna Mental Health, Addiction Treatment, and Drug Rehab?

    Before asking “Is Aetna health insurance good?” people should know that to get coverage for the rehab treatment for mental and behavioral health, they will need preauthorization. Preauthorization is necessary for inpatient admissions, residential treatment admission, hospitalization as well as intensive outpatient programs. Once authorized, individuals can get their rehab treatment at a very nominal cost. Other health insurance providers fail to offer huge insurance and coverage like Aetna, which is why they are different from the rest. It only aims at working with the best healthcare centers to provide quality services to individuals, mainly those who are dealing with alcohol and drug abuse.

    Aetna understands that substance abuse is a very serious problem and can cause havoc in an individual’s life. Addressing substance abuse problems immediately can help make the recovery process for the individuals much easier and simpler. The amount an individual spends on getting rid of substance abuse is double the amount spent on drugs. The thought of the huge hospital bill and other associated costs stop individuals from getting professional help but with Aetna substance abuse coverage, an individual can not only get out of the addiction problem but can also address many serious issues that arise due to it.

    Often, individuals who deal with drug abuse fall victim to mental health problems. The drugs bind to the receptors inside the human body and react in such a way that people lose their sanity over time. Prolonged drug abuse often leads to uncontrollable mood swings and anger issues. Mental health issues affect not only individuals but also the people associated with them, i.e., friends and family.

    Getting back to a normal life should be the first priority for people dealing with such problems. Constant counseling and rehab therapies can help the affected individuals get over their addiction and make their way to lead a normal life. Aetna health insurance service covers the entire process of drug recovery, from initial rehab to final aftercare, thus making sure that people get away from the vicious circle of drugs and substance abuse permanently. No health insurance provider will guarantee 100% drugs recovery; also, they won’t cover the entire recovery process, but Aetna is dedicated to working otherwise. It always works to offer an individual a quality life that is free from all kinds of drug and alcohol addiction. By choosing Aetna healthcare services, individuals are not only securing their health but also the health of their family. Aetna health insurance network provides the best services to help people lead a sober life and constantly works to live up to their promises.

    View the original article at thefix.com

  • Darryl Strawberry Encourages Fan To Stay Sober

    Darryl Strawberry Encourages Fan To Stay Sober

    The former baseball star has been sober since 2003. 

    A fan approached former Mets right-fielder Darryl Strawberry in a sports bar Saturday to share that they had been sober for a year, according to a Page Six source. Strawberry, who is also in recovery, encouraged the fan, saying: “Always remember to do it for yourself.”

    Darryl Strawberry enjoyed a long and decorated baseball career, helping get the Mets to the World Series in 1986 and being voted to the All-Star game eight times in a row. However, both his career and personal life were hampered by multiple addictions that led to legal troubles. He also had an extended battle with colon cancer throughout the 1990s.

    Now 57, Strawberry has been outspoken about his addiction issues. He was suspended from playing baseball three times for using cocaine and had a hard time in recovery, repeatedly relapsing and breaking his probation until he was sentenced to 22 months in prison in 2002.

    “Drug addiction is very powerful,” Strawberry said, according to AL.com. “Drugs have been around sports forever and players have done them forever. I wasn’t the first one… there were a lot of other players who did them too. We were high-profile and there was more recognition on us because of the fall of who we were—such great talents at such a young age.”

    In 2017, a book detailing the life of the former slugger—Don’t Give Up On Me: Shedding Light on Addiction with Darryl Strawberry—was released.

    According to Sports Illustrated, the text reveals that Strawberry also struggled with sex addiction, sometimes having sex between innings during his baseball games.

    “I would go between innings, and stuff like that and run back and have a little party going on,” he said while promoting the book on The Dr. Oz Show. “You know, I thought it was pretty cool. That was just the addiction, the drive.”

    Today, Strawberry has embraced his faith and serves as a minister when he’s not touring the U.S. to speak on the issue of addiction disorders. He also runs a foundation for autistic children, The Darryl Strawberry Foundation, with his wife, Tracy. The two met at a drug recovery convention and married in 2006.

    Plus, he opened the Darryl Strawberry Recovery Center in St. Cloud, Florida in 2014. The former Yankee defended shortstop Alex Rodriguez, who was being accused of steroid abuse, by pointing out that steroids can be addictive.

    “You can get addicted to steroids just like any other drug,” Strawberry said. “A drug is a drug, and it’s unfortunate drugs have been around sports forever. Look at some of the great players in the Hall of Fame. Who are they kidding? In their time and era, they did drugs. Greenies and amphetamines are drugs, too.”

    View the original article at thefix.com

  • Should Big Pharma Cover The Costs Of The Opioid Crisis?

    Should Big Pharma Cover The Costs Of The Opioid Crisis?

    A new poll revealed that 70% of Americans believe drug companies should cover the cost of naloxone and addiction treatment.

    More than half of Americans believe that drug companies should be held liable for their role in fueling the national opioid epidemic, according to a new poll by NPR and the global market research firm Ipsos.

    Drug companies like Purdue Pharma (the maker of OxyContin), Johnson & Johnson and McKesson are facing more than 1,600 civil lawsuits filed by city, state and county officials across the United States.

    These companies are accused of putting profits over public health—whether they aggressively marketed opioids without regard to the risk of addiction or failed to report unusually large amounts of opioids going to pharmacies.

    The poll found that 1 in 3 Americans have been affected by the opioid epidemic. “One in three have been personally affected in some say, either by knowing someone who has overdosed or by knowing someone with an opioid addiction,” said Mallory Newall, lead Ipsos researcher on the survey.

    And 57% of Americans believe that the drug companies should be held responsible for their role in exacerbating the drug crisis.

    “It’s something, no matter your age, your gender, no matter where you live, your party affiliation, that people believe in large numbers,” said Newall.

    Even more people than that—70%—said they believe the drug companies should cover the cost of naloxone, the opioid overdose-reversing drug, as well as addiction treatment.

    On Tuesday (April 23), a drug distributor and two former executives were hit with drug-trafficking charges.

    “This prosecution is the first of its kind: Executives of a pharmaceutical distributor and the distributor itself have been charged with drug trafficking—trafficking the same drugs that are fueling the opioid epidemic that is ravaging this country,” said U.S. Attorney Geoffrey Berman at a news conference.

    Rochester Drug Cooperative, one of the 10 largest drug distributors in the U.S., allegedly ignored suspicious activity from pharmacy clients who ordered excessive amounts of opioids. According to the indictment, under the direction of former CEO Laurence Doud III, who retired in 2017, the company became “the knight in shining armor” for pharmacies that could not get business elsewhere.

    Doud and other top Rochester executives “made the deliberate decision” to turn a blind eye to red flags or alert federal regulators that clients were ordering opioids to distribute for non-medical use, AP News reported.

    Doud has surrendered to New York authorities and is awaiting arraignment on two counts of conspiracy related to drug trafficking. If convicted, Doud faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison.

    View the original article at thefix.com

  • Jack Osbourne Celebrates 16 Years Of Sobriety

    Jack Osbourne Celebrates 16 Years Of Sobriety

    The son of heavy metal legend Ozzy Osbourne took to Instagram to celebrate his sober milestone. 

    Jack Osbourne, son of legendary metal madman Ozzy Osbourne, and his sister Kelly, have been open about inheriting the struggle of addiction from the family genes. Now Jack has hit social media to celebrate 16 years of sobriety.

    On his Instagram, Osbourne posted the image of an overcast blue sky, with the following stats:

    Twelve Steps

    You’ve been sober for: 16.00 Years, 192.00 Months, 5,845 Days, 140,263 Hours.

    Osbourne, who also lives with MS, wrote, “By far this has not only the toughest year of my life, but also the toughest year of my recovery. I have learned so many things about myself. Some good, some not so good. But I continued to do it sober even in the face of legit pain and sadness.”

    Osbourne went through a divorce from Lisa Stelly, his wife of seven years, had to adjust to raising three young girls as a single dad, and had to be there “for my family when they have needed support at the post.” (Papa Ozzy recently had a bout with pneumonia and has canceled all concert appearances for the year.)

    Jack went to rehab at the age of 17 for an OxyContin addiction, and as he continued in his Instagram post, “If at 17 someone told me where I’d be at 33 with 16 years of continual sobriety, I would have laughed and told you to fuck off. Even though this last year of sobriety was filled with so much pain it all led to some fantastic personal growth.

    “I would love to tell you I managed this by being some kind of spiritual giant who roams the halls of recovery meetings, but it’s not the cast,” Osbourne continues. “I’m here writing this today sober because of the friends in my life who showed up for me when I needed support the most. I will be grateful for all you did.”

    Looking back on going in to rehab at 17, Osbourne told Blabbermouth, “I took myself out of the picture for a second and I looked around at every single person in the room, at who they were, how old they were and what they had going on in their lives. A lot of them were near 30, unemployed, living off their parents. They were heroin addicts, they were the world’s biggest couch potatoes. And it was like, ‘I don’t want to be like that. I don’t want my life to be controlled by a drug…I was really loaded and I just sat on my mom’s bed and said, ‘I am going to go pack my bags, I’m in, I’m ready to go. I want to go, I need to go.”

    View the original article at thefix.com

  • 5 Unexpected Things That Happened When I Surrendered

    5 Unexpected Things That Happened When I Surrendered

    Spiritual surrender is like letting out a breath I didn’t even know I was holding. My next relapse no longer feels like it’s coming for me. I made it out. I’m alive!

    You are the sky. Everything else is just the weather.
    -Pema Chodron

    New Year’s Day, West Hollywood. I had three days sober off a brief marijuana relapse and was headed to an AA marathon. After parking, I realized I was out of juul pods so I went on a search, rectangling around the block on my way to the meeting hall, hoping to find a store.

    When the first meeting ended, I panicked. Where did I park? I ran out, saw my car, took a picture, and ran back in. 

    Several hours later I discovered that the photo wasn’t of my car. I have a gray Prius in L.A., which is every third car. I scoured the neighborhood. A well-meaning valet tried to help and I yelled at him. Hours passed. It grew dark and cold, my phone now at 11%. I stopped to breathe. Big fear.

    Voices and the tinkling of glass tumbled onto the street from a bar. The thought of drinking or using hadn’t occurred to me. And why would it? A glass of wine or a joint wouldn’t help me find my car.

    Just at that moment, the heavens opened up and God reached down a golden hand through pearly gates and spoke.

    That didn’t happen. But what did was pretty fucking rad.

    I saw that every problem in life is exactly the same as losing your car.

    I walked past the valet again and apologized. I knew that I had parked headfirst rather than parallel, near Robertson Boulevard.

    He pointed. “You’ve got one more block like this.” I stood at an actual turning point.

    I had been looking for my car on the wrong side of the street.

    I found it 30 seconds later. That was the moment the course of my life changed forever.

    These are some things that happened for me, and may happen for you when you cross the street of spiritual surrender. 

    1. I’ve stopped trying to get over on my addiction.

    Am I allowed to drink kratom? Vape CBD? Take pills? A doctor will happily prescribe whatever I think I need. And aren’t magic mushrooms a spiritual experience? I spent years in fauxbriety. I spent an entire summer posted up in a Kava Kava bar while we all nodded out on kratom tea and talked about our favorite AA meetings. Note: I am not talking about anti-depressants, anti-psychotics, other psychiatric medication, non-narcotics in general, and supervised pain management after injury.

    For the problems I have encountered in my own life thus far, holistic alternatives work better than anything big pharma wants to sell me. I never win. Addiction always wins. I was constantly sending myself the message that I wasn’t enough or okay just the way I was; I needed a drug that I considered not really a drug to fix it. Actually? I don’t. 

    2. I feel relieved. Like amazingly fucking relieved.

    Spiritual surrender is like letting out a breath I didn’t even know I was holding. The shoulders go down the back, the face softens, and the respiratory system begins the great energetic exhale. It sounds like the ocean. My next relapse no longer feels like it’s coming for me. I made it out. I’m alive! There is hope. I don’t live in fear of what I may do to myself anymore.

    3. I can let go of people and summon new ones.

    I lived in a perpetual state of war. I believed that you were my problem and I saw boundaries as a personal attack. I clung to people who had limited love and empathy to give. I would give you more of my time, money, and energy than I could afford and blame you for it. I would let things build and build and build until I got blackout drunk and told you OFF.

    I have been working on myself pretty hard since 2012, and haven’t done most of the things most of the time since 2016. But until I surrendered, I didn’t believe I could let go of people before the relationship blew up. I didn’t even know what I wanted; I would just sense what you wanted, then decide whether or not I would give it to you. We live in a sick society full of broken toddlers. Emotionally, I’m in elementary school now. I no longer need to punish myself with reflections of a past me. Every time I let someone go I make space for someone new. I can see that many people are simply lost in their own pain, and can’t see past themselves. I can have compassion, and empathy. From a distance. 

    4. I can be in a world of pain without bleeding on everyone.

    As I grow older, traumas and patterns emerge, deeply embedded toxins and conditioning that wants to be felt and released. This week has been intense and painful. I felt attacked by the universe. In the past, when things like this happened, I panicked and made desperation phone calls to anyone who would listen. “I have to call in the troops,” I would say.

    Today I am able to allow emotions to flow through me even if it feels wrong at first. I can put down the looping stories and let myself feel. I can make the connections from current triggers to past traumas, advocate for myself when necessary, get on stage and be funny even when my life feels like it’s been dropped on the floor. Before surrender, the only time I was accused of being professional was on Seeking Arrangements. And there are lessons in pain. There are always lessons for those who are brave enough to look.

    5. I believe in myself enough to do the things I believe in.

    I am practicing Ashtanga yoga again, something I’ve been talking about for years. I’ve given up meat and most dairy. I believe that pigs enjoy warm baths just like I do, maybe more because they aren’t thinking about how many people downloaded their podcast. Also please download my podcast: Comics Book Club’s: Drunk & High on Petfinder.com with Amber Tozer. I pray, I meditate, I have cut down caffeine and have a plan to get off nicotine. I completed my first pilot script, waking up at five a.m. to write and rewrite so I’d be finished in time for a fellowship deadline.

    I used to hate myself so much I could rarely let myself enjoy anything, most of all my very favorite things. Now I am ready to do what I came here to do, with enough wild stories to last the rest of this life and a different sort of story to write into the fabric of my future.

    I’ve got my head just enough out of my own butt to see the world beyond myself. There is so much out there! Awakening is very exciting, and it feels. Oh, does it feel.

    I wish the same for you: May you be happy, may you be free, may you be at peace, may you be loved. May you believe in yourself. May you find a way to be ready to do what you came here to do. We are all worthy of that.

    Please feel free to share your stories of self-love, surrender, spiritual awakening, personal redemption, and your trolling (if you need to) in the comments. 

    View the original article at thefix.com

  • 1 in 12 Americans Have Alcohol Use Disorder

    1 in 12 Americans Have Alcohol Use Disorder

    Seven times more Americans deal with alcohol use disorder than opioid use disorder.

    The opioid crisis fills our newsfeeds day after day, but at the same time Americans are grappling with the addictive nature of another, totally legal substance: alcohol. 

    According to the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence, 17.6 million Americans—1 in 12—have alcohol use disorder. Despite its prevalence, few people realize how widespread alcoholism is. In addition to people with alcohol use disorder, even more Americans report problematic drinking habits. 

    “Varying degrees exist, from mild to severe, depending on the number of symptoms a person experiences. But a powerful craving for alcohol, despite its consequences, is common across that spectrum,” Linda Searing wrote for The Washington Post. 

    This means that 7 times more Americans deal with alcohol use disorder than deal with opioid use disorder, according to Pew Charitable Trusts.

    In addition, more people are dying from alcohol-related causes: 88,000 Americans perish each year from alcohol-related causes, compared with 72,000 who die from opioid overdoses (although opioid overdose rate is likely underreported, research has shown). That makes alcohol use the third-leading lifestyle-related cause of death in the United States. 

    Like opioid addiction, alcoholism is also increasing. Last November, USA Today reported that between 2007 and 2017 the death rate from alcohol increased 24%. Among women, the death rate increased a staggering 85%. 

    “The story is that no one has noticed this,” said Max Griswold, who compiled data on the trend for the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation at the University of Washington. “It hasn’t really been researched before.”

    Psychologist Benjamin Miller said that because alcohol is legal and socially accepted, people aren’t as wary of its dangers. 

    “Culturally, we’ve made it acceptable to drink but not to go out and shoot up heroin,” Miller said. “A lot of people will read this and say ‘What’s the problem?’”

    In addition to alcohol’s health effects, abusing alcohol can also have secondary effects on loved ones living with or around people with alcohol use disorder.

    The National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence estimates that half of American adults have a close loved one with alcohol use disorder, while 10% of children live with at least one parent who is an alcoholic. 

    “Parental alcohol use disorders put children at greater risk of experiencing abuse or neglect and developing mood disorders,” Pew Trusts writes. 

    View the original article at thefix.com

  • Huge Cannabis Industry Deal Suggests Federal Legalization Could Be Close

    Huge Cannabis Industry Deal Suggests Federal Legalization Could Be Close

    Rumors of federal cannabis legalization have been brewing ever since key anti-cannabis leaders have left the White House.

    A multi-billion dollar deal between two big cannabis companies could signal that the end of prohibition is near, according to an article in Forbes.

    Canopy Growth, the biggest cannabis company in the world, recently signed a $3.4 billion agreement to acquire the well-known U.S. medical marijuana firm Acreage Holdings.

    However, this deal will not go into effect until after cannabis becomes federally legal in the country.

    Industry experts are now speculating that such a big deal between cannabis companies that are powerful enough to have lobbyists in Washington, D.C. could mean that there is a yet-unannounced plan to legalize the drug soon—perhaps even within the year.

    “Our right to acquire Acreage secures our entrance strategy into the United States as soon as a federally-permissible pathway exists,” reads the Canopy Growth press release on the merger.

    Mike Adams of Forbes and Cannabis Now notes that the company that makes Corona beer owns 37% of Canopy Growth’s equity and has been working with them to make THC-infused beverages in Canada. It looks like “Big Alcohol is becoming Big Cannabis,” Adams writes.

    Rumors of imminent federal cannabis legalization have been brewing ever since shakeups in the White House have removed some key anti-cannabis leaders and replaced them with individuals with a more accepting view on the drug, which remains in the federal Schedule I classification alongside heroin.

    In November 2018, former House Rules Committee chairman Pete Sessions lost his bid for re-election. Sessions was known for blocking any pro-cannabis legislation that came up, which he could do in his position as chairman. With him gone, as well as former U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions, there is now a clear path for legalization.

    “This is the first Congress in history where, going into it, it seems that broad marijuana reforms are actually achievable,” said Tom Angell of Marijuana Moment early this year.

    At the same time, in February the World Health Organization (WHO) called on the UN to reclassify cannabis to recognize the substance’s medical applications. Like in the U.S., the UN still has cannabis under its most tightly regulated classification and considers it to be “particularly dangerous.” WHO argued in their report that the current classification has fallen behind modern research.

    “The World Health Organization has proposed rescheduling cannabis within international law to take account of the growing evidence for medical applications of the drug, reversing its position held for the past 60 years that cannabis should not be used in legitimate medical practice,” the report reads.

    View the original article at thefix.com

  • Jails Struggle With Being The Nation’s Primary Detox, Treatment Centers

    Jails Struggle With Being The Nation’s Primary Detox, Treatment Centers

    One Massachusetts sheriff estimates that 80 to 90% of the prisoners in his jail have a substance use disorder.

    By some estimates up to two-thirds of prisoners in county jails around the country have some sort of substance use disorder, which has made jails the nation’s primary detox and treatment centers, a role they are often ill-equipped for.

    “It was never traditionally the function of jail to be a treatment provider, nor to be the primary provider of detoxification in the country — which is what they have become, so with the opioid epidemic, jails are scrambling to catch up,” Andrew Klein, a research scientist with Advocates for Human Potential, a company that works with jails to facilitate treatment, told NPR.

    Peter Koutoujian, sheriff of Middlesex County, Massachusetts, says that jails have become a catch-all system for people who fall through the cracks. 

    “We have not been able to get our hands around it because, quite honestly, society has not gotten its hand around either preventing [drug-addicted] people from coming into our institutions or supporting them once they get back outside,” he said. “The fact is you shouldn’t have to come to jail to get good [treatment] programming. You should be able to get that in your own community so you don’t have to have your life disrupted by becoming incarcerated.”

    And yet Koutoujian estimates that 80-90 percent of prisoners in his jail have a substance use disorder. 

    Increasingly, jails are stepping up to try to figure out how to help people get treatment while they are locked up. The National Sheriff’s Association recently put out guidelines for delivering medication-assisted treatment in jails. Still, many law enforcement officials are wary of using medication-assisted treatment, the established best practice for treating opioid addiction, because the medications can be diverted or abused in the jail. Only about 12 percent of jails offer MAT, but that is good progress, Klein said. 

    “Although this number is not the majority of jails, five years ago it was zero. And the number is increasing every week,” he said. 

    In order to save lives, jails need to consider not only keeping people sober when they’re inside, but also how to help them stay sober once they’re released, said Carlos Morales the director of correctional health services for California’s San Mateo County. 

    “We know if you are an opiate user you come in here, you detox, and you go out — it’s a 40 percent chance of OD-ing,” he said. “And we have the potential to do something about it.”

    However, Koutoujian said that MAT alone is not the answer. 

    “Medication-assisted treatment is very important but people have to remember if you do the medication without the treatment portion — the counseling and the supports — it will fail. And we will just fall prey to another easy solution that just simply does not work.”

    View the original article at thefix.com

  • Harm Reduction Advocate Who Lost Son To Overdose Joins Drug Policy Alliance

    Harm Reduction Advocate Who Lost Son To Overdose Joins Drug Policy Alliance

    In her new role, Joy Fishman is working on behalf of the legacy of both her husband, who invented naloxone, and her son.

    Her husband invented naloxone. But that wasn’t enough to save her son from a fatal opioid overdose. Now, Joy Fishman channels her grief through advocacy for harm reduction policies toward drug use.

    To further her important work—including expanding syringe access programs in Florida—Fishman has joined the Drug Policy Alliance as its newest board member.

    The drug policy organization announced in early April that Fishman will be joining its Board of Directors.

    Her late husband, Jack Fishman, was the first to synthesize naloxone in 1961. In 1971, the drug was approved by the FDA. But Fishman never profited from the enormous potential of the opioid antagonist. He let the original patent expire and did not reapply for one, allowing Big Pharma to get a hold of it.

    Demand for the lifesaving medication significantly expanded over the last decade as the opioid epidemic’s death toll increased. Through the advocacy of organizations like the Drug Policy Alliance, naloxone has become a household name.

    Last April, U.S. Surgeon General Jerome Adams urged more people to carry naloxone so they may be equipped to save a life. “Each day we lose 115 Americans to an opioid overdose—that’s one person every 12.5 minutes,” said Adams. “It is time to make sure more people have access to this lifesaving medication, because 77% of opioid overdose deaths occur outside of a medical setting and more than half occur at home.”

    In 2003, it wasn’t as easy to access naloxone. That year, Joy’s son Jonathan died from a heroin overdose. “It never even occurred to us that naloxone could save Jonathan,” Joy said to the Huffington Post in 2014. “Back then we didn’t think of naloxone as a household item. Doctors weren’t writing take-home prescriptions for it. It was hard for Jack to get naloxone even though he invented it!”

    Jack Fishman regretted that he couldn’t prevent the death of his stepson. “One of Jack’s greatest sadnesses was that he couldn’t save my brother,” said Julie Stampler, Jonathan’s sister. “Jack had invented naloxone so many years ago that he had no connection to it anymore.”

    With her new role at the Drug Policy Alliance, Fishman is working on behalf of the legacy of both her husband and her son. Expanding access to naloxone is just one of her goals.

    At the 2017 International Drug Policy Reform Conference, Fishman accepted the Norman E. Zinberg Award for Achievement in the Field of Medicine on behalf of her husband.

    “I don’t want any more mothers to experience the same pain I have,” she said. “I’m not a fearless person, but I have drawn strength from the Drug Policy Alliance and their work. I feel such immense gratitude to be able to collaborate with them to honor the life of my son and to fulfill the promise of my husband’s work.”

    View the original article at thefix.com

  • Arnold Schwarzenegger Told Son To Skip Pot, Get High On Life

    Arnold Schwarzenegger Told Son To Skip Pot, Get High On Life

    Arnold’s son Patrick took to Instagram to reveal a conversation with his dad that led him to stop smoking marijuana.

    Movie star and former governor Arnold Schwarzenegger terminated his son’s pot habit with some well-timed fatherly advice. 

    Four years ago Arnold Schwarzenegger told his son Patrick, now 25, to skip the weed and get “high on life” after Patrick showed up to Easter brunch stoned. 

    Patrick shared the story on Instagram this weekend, which fell on both Easter and 4/20. 

    “FUN STORY: Few years ago (4 exactly) showed up lil high to Easter brunch… classic. My old man asked why… said ‘I dunno makes thing more fun.’”

    Arnold wasn’t convinced and told his son he shouldn’t need drugs to appreciate life.  

    “He replied how much more fun do you need to have, life is so good. I’m high on life. I never want anything that would take me out of my current life. Being high on life is better then [sic] anything else,” Patrick recalled in his Instagram post. 

    The off-handed conversation had a lasting effect on Patrick, who is following in his dad’s footsteps and working as an actor and model. 

    “Haven’t smoked since then… just HIGH ON LIFE NOW,” he wrote. “Happy & healthy & can’t thank god enough to see another day!” he wrote alongside a smiling selfie of him flashing a peace sign. “Happy 4/20 sorry if that was a buzz kill lol.”

    Schwarzenegger was serious about smoking pot when it came to his family, but as governor of California was relatively pot-friendly.

    When he was governor he downgraded the penalty for possessing pot, long before recreational cannabis use became legal in the state. However, at the time he wasn’t ready to speak out in favor of legalization. 

    “Well, I think it’s not time for that, but I think it’s time for a debate,” he said in 2009, according to the Guardian. “I think all of those ideas of creating extra revenues [are worth considering]… I think we ought to study very carefully what other countries are doing that have legalized marijuana and other drugs. What effect did it have on those countries?”

    During Schwarzenegger’s bodybuilder years he appeared in a documentary taking a hit of marijuana. 

    He also joked about sharing a joint with Obama back in the 1970s, something that never actually happened. However, Schwarzenegger made an elaborate sketch about how the then-president wouldn’t share. 

    View the original article at thefix.com