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Category: Addiction News

  • How A Family Member's Opioid Use Affects Teens

    How A Family Member's Opioid Use Affects Teens

    A new study examined why teens with family members who chronically use prescription opioids are at higher risk of long-term opioid use. 

    Having a family member who chronically uses opioids significantly increases the chance that a teen who is prescribed opioids will develop long-term use, according to a new study. 

    The study, published in JAMA Surgery, looked at insurance records of nearly 350,000 people aged 13 to 21 who had never been prescribed opioids before, but who were given the painkillers after surgery or dental procedures. By looking at other people on the family insurance plan, researchers were able to understand whether someone else in the family was using opioids chronically. 

    They found that 2.4% of young people prescribed opioids for the first time developed long-term use. However, if a family member was using opioids chronically, that percentage increased to 4.1%. 

    “The findings suggest that long-term opioid use among family members is associated with persistent opioid use among opioid-naive adolescents and young adults undergoing surgery and should be screened for in the preoperative period,” study authors wrote. 

    Lead study author Dr. Calista Harbaugh said that the results show that doctors need to be proactive about talking to patients about opioid use in their families. 

    “We are trying to better understand what impacts a young adult’s risk of chronic opioid use after the first time they are prescribed an opioid,” she told Science Daily. “Surgeons and providers should heighten efforts to prevent opioid dependence among patients with any potential risk factors.”

    The research found a connection—but researchers couldn’t explain why the risk was higher. They explained that it could be due to family culture, genetic factors, or possibly even other family members using the teen’s prescription. 

    Study author Jennifer Waljee said the findings highlight the need for even more caution around prescribing practices for young adults. 

    “We know from previous research that adolescents and young adults undergoing dental and other common surgical procedures are at risk of persistent opioid use after their first opioid prescription,” she said. “Our study suggests a potential relationship between this risk among youth and the presence of opioid use among family members and may be an important consideration when screening for individuals at risk for prolonged postoperative opioid use.”

    For teens who have someone in their family already using opioids chronically, doctors should be proactive about trying to prevent long-term use of opioids, study authors wrote. 

    “Physicians should screen young patients for long-term opioid use in their families and implement heightened efforts to prevent opioid dependence among patients with this important risk factor,” they said. 

    View the original article at thefix.com

  • Alaska Celebrates Sobriety Awareness Month

    Alaska Celebrates Sobriety Awareness Month

    The state will play host to a variety of sobriety-inspired events, wrapping up with a “nationally touring sober pop-up event” on March 30.

    This March, more Alaskans than ever will celebrate Sobriety Awareness Month. This tradition began with the Alaska Native Sobriety Movement, which was created in 1989 by the Alaska Federation of Natives.

    In 1995, the tradition of both the state legislature and governor officially dedicating March Sobriety Awareness Month began. Last year, Alaska made it official by signing the tradition into law.

    The sobriety movement has roots in fighting addiction, and the movement is expanding and attracting more people than ever. This includes people who don’t necessarily have addiction disorders but are concerned about the overall health issues associated with regular drug and alcohol consumption, and are tired of what people are calling a stigma against sobriety.

    “Alcohol is so present in our society, whether we’re listening to music or seeing ads in magazines, whether we’re celebrating or mourning, if we want to relax or get pumped up, alcohol is everywhere,” Recovery Alaska Executive Director Tiffany Hall told Anchorage Press. “Hopefully this month will encourage people to start thinking about the presence of alcohol in their lives and getting creative with other ways to celebrate or relax. There’s a misperception that sobriety is boring or anti-social, but it couldn’t be further from the truth.”

    The growing sobriety movement is evident in how many restaurants and bars are offering more alcohol-free mixed drinks. Sober or “sans bar” pop-up events are also becoming more common. The idea is to provide people with a night of food, socializing, music, dancing, and more—without the pressure to drink.

    The trend appears to be appealing quite a bit to millennials.

    “Sober dance parties like DayBreaker are becoming the new rage, inviting guests to ‘DOSE’ on all-natural chemicals like Dopamine, Oxytocin, Serotonin, and Endorphins before heading out for a work day,” wrote Jules Schroeder for Forbes. “For millennials today, it’s become somewhat of a faux pas to drink. While our parents’ generation considered booze cool, we think it the opposite. Instead, connection, authenticity, and mindfulness are what’s catching on, and as a result, producing many benefits.”

    Back in Alaska, there will be “Dry Weekend Challenges” and new featured alcohol-free drinks at bars and restaurants across the state, ending in a “nationally touring sober pop-up event” on March 30 with live music from Alaskan musician Emma Hill and Athabaskan and Inupiaq singer-songwriter Quinn C.

    View the original article at thefix.com

  • A Tearful John Stamos Thanks Jodie Sweetin For Helping Him Get Sober

    A Tearful John Stamos Thanks Jodie Sweetin For Helping Him Get Sober

    Stamos tearfully thanked his “Full House” co-star Jodie Sweetin for helping him when he hit rock bottom.

    Actor John Stamos publicly thanked his Full House co-star Jodie Sweetin for being there when he hit rock bottom and pushing him to get sober.

    Stamos was speaking for an audience at Los Angeles’ Skirball Cultural Center, where he presented her with the Experience, Strength and Hope Award.

    Sweetin was being honored for her advocacy for the recovery community and her memoir, UnSweetined.

    Stamos recounted how he got sober four years ago after hitting rock bottom and turned to Sweetin for guidance.

    “It took me a long time, a long time disappointing everyone who cared about me, culminating in a terrible DUI where I could have killed somebody,” Stamos told the audience. “I hit rock bottom. Jodie lovingly allowed me to walk my own path and when I finally humbled myself to ask for your help, I realized that the perky little blabbermouth had become the master of wisdom and was right by my side during some of the most difficult days of my life.”

    Sweetin, who herself is now eight years sober, helped by organizing 12-step meetings at Stamos’ house as well as on the set of Fuller House, Netflix’s sequel series to the original Full House.

    “Thank god, my wife and my new son will only know me as a sober husband and father,” said Stamos. “This is Jodie’s legacy in my life.”

    Stamos also shouted out Sweetin on Instagram, posting a photo from the Full House series and captioning it with his gratitude.

    “Proud moment last night honoring @jodiesweetin at the Experience, Hope & Strength Awards. Who knew this little blonde scene-stealer in a side pony-tale would grow up and change so many lives. (Mine included),” he wrote. “Her sobriety is inspirational to say the least. Congrats Jodie on this award recognizing your extraordinary journey. You give so many people HOPE. Love you! UJ”

    The signing of “UJ” likely means “Uncle Jessie,” referring to their characters’ relationship in Full House.

    On stage, Sweetin had kind words in response.

    “John, I’m so proud of you and it’s been the greatest thing to watch someone that you love have the light come back on again,” she spoke.

    Last week, Sweetin spoke to The Fix’s John Lavitt about acting, sobriety, and social media in an exclusive interview.

    View the original article at thefix.com

  • Amanda Bynes Back in Rehab Following Relapse

    Amanda Bynes Back in Rehab Following Relapse

    The former child actor had returned to the limelight in 2018 after a prolonged absence during which she became sober.

    Amanda Bynes is back in rehab after a relapse, according to sources close to the star. Bynes seemed to be getting her life back together after spending years in tabloid pages for her drug-fueled behavior, but a source revealed to PEOPLE that Bynes has been in rehab since January.

    The source said trouble started brewing for Bynes around the end of last year as geared up for a return to her acting career. Then sober and taking classes at the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising (FIDM) in Los Angeles, Bynes spoke openly about her struggles with mental health to Paper magazine.

    Bynes found fame as a teenage star on Nickelodeon before landing starring roles in several movies like Big Fat Liar, What a Girl Wants, and She’s the Man. However, seeing herself on screen took a toll on her self-image, especially in 2006’s She’s the Man in which she disguises herself as her brother to play soccer.

    “When the movie came out and I saw it, I went into a deep depression for 4-6 months because I didn’t like how I looked when I was a boy,” she confessed.

    Her feelings didn’t change in her 2010 appearance in Easy A.

    “I literally couldn’t stand my appearance in that movie and I didn’t like my performance. I was absolutely convinced I needed to stop acting after seeing it,” she said.

    To deal with these feelings, she turned to drugs. Not liking the taste of alcohol, she turned to marijuana when she was 16 years old.

    “Even though everyone thought I was the ‘good girl,’ I did smoke marijuana from that point on,” she recounted. “Later on it progressed to doing molly and ecstasy. [I tried] cocaine three times but I never got high from cocaine. I never liked it. It was never my drug of choice.”

    She also admitted to abusing Adderall, regularly waking and baking, and spiraling out of control. But she was able to get better, still optimistic and talking of living fearlessly as recently as last November.

    “I think that’s kind of how I go about [life] now—like, what’s there to lose? I have no fear of the future,” she said. “I’ve been through the worst and came out the other end and survived it so I just feel like it’s only up from here.”

    View the original article at thefix.com

  • How Does AA Work? A Review of the Evidence

    How Does AA Work? A Review of the Evidence

    AA is cloaked in misconceptions and mysticism: a society of “former drunks” who tout spirituality as a means to cure the chronic, genetic, and life-threatening disease of alcoholism.

    Alcoholics Anonymous (AA), as an organization, “neither endorses nor opposes any causes.” But AA, as a societal symbol, is very controversial. People have strong opinions about its benefits and its dangers. It’s an organization cloaked in misconceptions and mysticism: an anonymous society of “former drunks” who tout spirituality as a means to cure the chronic, genetic, and life-threatening disease of alcohol use disorder (AUD). There is no denying that many have found support and achieved recovery through involvement in 12-step programs. That has left researchers with the question: what mechanisms are at work behind the scenes?

    Peer Support Groups like AA Increase Oxytocin

    Participation in mutual help programs may increase levels of oxytocin, the feel-good hormone. Nicknamed the “love hormone,” it is released when people bond socially or physically. A neurobiological view of addiction recovery might look at how oxytocin plays on the brains of people in a treatment program. Oxytocin increases when bonding socially with others in AA and there are other neuroplasticity rewards that come from 12-step program participation. Interactions with other members improve the connectivity between the part of the brain that makes decisions and the “craving behavior” part of the brain.

    The oxytocin system is created before age four and its development can be affected by variables such as genetic differences within the receptor itself, or environmental causes like stress or trauma. An underdeveloped oxytocin system is a risk factor for drug addiction. Healthy levels of “oxytocin can reduce the pleasure of drugs and feeling of stress.” Creating opportunities for healthy oxytocin production could benefit people in recovery from addiction.

    Oxytocin also boosts feelings of spirituality, according to Duke University research. The study defined spirituality as “the belief in a meaningful life imbued with a sense of connection to a Higher Power, the world, or both.” Study participants who received a dose of oxytocin prior to meditation reported higher levels of positive emotions and feelings of spirituality. The effects lasted until at least one week after the initial experience.

    Do AA Prayers Reduce Cravings?

    Researchers at the NYU Langone Medical Center used brain imaging to see what, if any, effect praying has on the brains of AA members. They were able to see increased activity in the areas of the brain associated with attention and emotion during prayer which correlated with a reduced craving for alcohol. When exposed to triggers such as passing a bar or experiencing an emotional upset, people who were abstinent from alcohol but not members of AA were significantly less likely to experience the benefits of “abstinence-promoting prayers.” This brain activity seems to also be associated with a “spiritual awakening.”

    A spiritual awakening is not necessarily about the divine; rather, it’s an awareness of needing resources that are beyond the reach of a person’s individual ego. This awareness causes a shift that alters one’s perspective about drinking. There are also physiologic changes that seem to occur with increased spiritual awakening/awareness. In previous research, those who were directed to pray daily for four weeks drank half as much as the study participants who were directed to not pray.

    Research published in the last five years has tried to find ways to measure effectiveness in 12-step programs, in a way that is unbiased and scientific. One such study published in 2014 discovered that spiritual (rather than behavioral) 12-step work was important for later abstinence.

    Spirituality Is Not for Everyone

    Not everyone who enters AA experiences a spiritual awakening. According to a review of 25 years of research, it seems that only a minority of people with severe addiction experience this spiritual Aha! moment. While a sense of spirituality creates changes in the brain that can be measured on an MRI machine, there are other aspects of AA — social, mental, and emotional — that aid recovery for the majority of participants.

    Twelve-step programs can help addiction recovery because of their ability to propagate therapeutic mechanisms similar to the coping tools and behavioral strategies that are utilized in formal treatments. AA has a lot of parallels with cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). CBT is an evidence-based form of psychotherapy that is effective over just a short period of time. In CBT, patients learn new habits through increasing self-awareness, overcoming fears, taking personal responsibility, and developing shifts in perspective. These are the same underpinnings as the 12 steps.

    Clinical interventions that encourage 12-step participation are more successful than clinical interventions that do not encourage attendance. Meeting attendance, sponsorship, and active involvement have come up in multiple studies as being positively correlated with continued abstinence, highlighting the critical nature of connection to others as part of an effective plan for managing addiction long term.

    12-Step Programs as a Useful Management Tool

    Addiction is a chronic illness with no cure, according to AA literature as well as the medical community, and chronic illnesses require lifelong management. AA can be a good ally in the quest to maintain a healthy lifestyle free of active addiction.

    The International Journal of Nursing Education published a study that sought to learn about the quality of life for those attending AA as opposed to those who are not attending AA. They found a significant difference, with those who attend AA reporting a better quality of life than non-attendees.

    When looking at meeting attendance over long periods of time, abstinence patterns can be predicted. For people who went through inpatient treatment, the pattern shows that meeting attendance is highest during treatment and reduces at a steady pace afterwards. With reduction in attendance there is also a reduction in abstinence from using drugs or alcohol. Findings from many long-term studies suggest that meeting attendance is important in early recovery and for successful long-term recovery. The reasons for this echo other research findings: community matters.

    Dangers Inherent to 12-Step Groups

    The nature of AA and other 12-step programs leaves them to be individually organized and without a central governance. There is no oversight and no quality controls. Abuse, inappropriate behavior, bad advice, and social ostracizing can happen.

    Perhaps most dangerous is when a single solution is pushed on someone for whom a different angle would work better. Individual satisfaction with treatment plays a major role in “subsequent psychiatric severity,” which means that recovery rates are lower for people who are unsatisfied with the addiction treatment they receive. The World Health Organization suggests that to improve treatment outcomes and engagement with treatment, patient satisfaction ought to be a focus when caring for people with substance use disorders.

    AA provides a range of pathways to recovery, but it is not the one-size-fits-all approach it claims to be. It’s particularly challenging for people who also have a diagnosis of (or just struggle with) social anxiety. It’s common for AUD to exist alongside social anxiety. The fear of being negatively appraised can impede progress in recovery. Long-term participation in mutual aid groups such as AA may reduce social anxiety but overcoming that hump in early recovery may require clinical interventions or alternative treatments.

    Did you find recovery in 12-step programs or did you have a negative experience? Let us know in the comments.

    View the original article at thefix.com

  • Would You Know if Your Friend is High?  Here’s How to Tell

    Would You Know if Your Friend is High?  Here’s How to Tell

    Have you recently been out with a friend and thought he or she acted a little “off?”  If so, you might have attributed it to your friend having a bad day, or maybe an extremely good day.  But, what if there’s another reason. Would you be able to tell if your friend is high? Sometimes, it’s difficult unless you know the signs. Depending on the circumstances, your friend could be putting you and others in danger, not to mention the harm they’re causing themselves.  Is your friend high?  Here are some things to look for.  

    Is Your Friend High?  Watch for These Signs

    Many drug abusers excel at hiding their secret from friends and family.  When a loved one dies from an overdose, families are often caught off guard because they had no idea the person was using.  For that reason, and more, it’s good to know the signs of drug use. This knowledge could save a life.

    Here are some of the most common indicators that a person is using drugs or alcohol:

    • Disorientation – When someone is high or euphoric, they seem to be unaware of their surroundings.  They may find it difficult to follow conversations.
    • Unusual Actions – Acting out of character is another sign of drug use.  A usually calm, quiet person can become extremely outgoing or aggressive.
    • Agitation – A person can become easily agitated when drugs are in their system.  They’ll seem nervous, irritable, and appear to be jumpy or easily angered.  
    • Unexplained Injuries –  Such things as a bloody nose, burn marks on the fingers and lips, or unusual bruising can all be signs of drug use.  Snorting drugs causes a bloody nose and hot glass pipes used for smoking drugs can cause burns.
    • Breathing Issues – Many drugs, such as opiates, suppress the central nervous system.  This effect can cause breathing to slow dramatically and become life-threatening.  Shallow breathing is an indication of an overdose in many cases.
    • Odd Smells – Does your friend smell skunky, sweet, or smoky?  These odors are often a sign of marijuana use. Many people try to mask the smells of marijuana or alcohol by burning incense, spraying air fresheners, or using strong mouthwash.

    Other signs to look for include excessive sweating or chills that are inconsistent with the environment, bloodshot eyes, and a runny nose.  Is your friend high?  If he or she is continuously rubbing their nose or wearing sunglasses indoors, the answer could be yes, your friend is high or has been high recently or is getting ready to be.  

    Hopefully, if your friend displays any of the above, there is another reason for the symptoms besides substance abuse. However, everyone should be aware of the signs of drug use for their own safety as well as their friend’s.

    What Can Happen After Prolonged Substance Abuse and Addiction

    If it turns out that your friend is using drugs or alcohol, the signs listed above can progress into severe issues over time.  Here are some of the behavioral and physical warning signs of drug abuse and addiction:

    Behavioral Warning Signs of Drug Abuse

    • Relationship problems
    • Suspicious or secretive behaviors
    • Neglecting responsibilities such as work, school, home, children.
    • A new group of friends, new hangouts
    • Unwanted pregnancy, STDs
    • Always needing extra money, lying, stealing.
    • Getting into legal trouble from drug-related fights, accidents, activities

    Behavioral Warning Signs of Addiction

    • Continues using to ease the withdrawal symptoms
    • Using more than intended and unable to stop
    • The substance becomes the most important thing in life
    • Disinterest or abandonment of hobbies, sports, or socializing
    • Continued use despite negative consequences
    • Changes in personality or attitude, sudden mood swings

    Physical Signs of Drug Abuse

    • Bloodshot eyes and dilated or pinpointed pupils
    • Sniffling, runny nose
    • Weight gain or loss
    • Lack of interest in personal hygiene
    • Slurred speech, tremors, poor coordination
    • Strange odors on clothing or the breath

    Physical Signs of Addiction

    • Increased tolerance, needing more to get the desired results
    • Intense cravings when the drug is withheld
    • Poor appetite, nausea, vomiting
    • Muscle and joint aches or pain
    • Thinning, dry, brittle hair
    • Sallow, wrinkled skin
    • Deteriorating health, high blood pressure, liver or kidney disease, heart disease

    It’s not hard to cross the fine line between substance abuse and addiction.  Is your friend high too often?” Resolve to help them get help before they become another statistic in the nation’s increasing drug-related death toll.  Did you know that more than 28.6 million people over the age of 12 in America use illicit drugs, according to SAMHSA?

    Where to Get Answers About Helping Your Friend

    If your friend or someone else you know and love has a problem with drug abuse, contact us today.  We will be happy to answer your questions and recommend a treatment program that is best for their needs.  

    Resources:

    ihs.gov – Warning Signs of Drug Abuse and Addiction

    samhsa.gov – Alcohol, Tobacco, and Other Drugs

    samhsa.gov – Key Substance Use and Mental Health Indicators in the US

    View the original article at bestdrugrehabilitation.com

  • DMX Reflects On Sobriety

    DMX Reflects On Sobriety

    In an interview from 2017, DMX got candid about addiction and rap’s relationship with drug use.

    Rapper DMX was just released after serving a year in prison, prompting the re-release of a 2017 interview from the radio show Big Boy’s Neighborhood, in which DMX reflects on his sobriety from cocaine addiction and how rap glorifies drug abuse. 

    In the interview, DMX discusses how rap glorifies drug abuse. 

    “They’re all promoting drug use,” he said, according to HotNewHipHop. “If that’s what you wanna do, that’s your business, but you ain’t gotta promote it like it’s cool and make it cool. Kids walk around like, I’m popping molly, I’m popping percs!” 

    Rather than pills, DMX said that his main drug of choice was cocaine. “Cocaine. Crack. I think we kind of knew that was the problem. I would get in trouble. It wasn’t worth it.” 

    Although the interview is from 2017, DMX said that at the time he was staying away from drugs. “I don’t do anything. I have a drink now and then, but that was never the problem,” he said. 

    On January 25, DMX was released from Gilmer Federal Correctional Institution in West Virginia, where he had spent a year in prison after being convicted of tax evasion.

    At first, he was released on bail conditions that required him to stay clean and sober. He had told the judge that he needed to be able to keep touring in order to support his 15 kids. The judge, Jed Rakoff, said that DMX had promised to remain sober and travel with a sobriety coach, but that ultimately he wasn’t able or willing to do those things. The promise “was a great big lie, a repeated lie as it turned out,” Rakoff said.

    After failing drug tests, DMX was put on house arrest in August 2017. 

    Later that month he was spotted in New Hampshire, where he was apparently seeking treatment. However, he appears to have left that treatment facility in order to visit his daughter in New York, where he also visited bars, according to prosecutors in the tax evasion case. 

    In January 2018, DMX again failed a drug test and was held in jail until his March sentencing. At the time, he tested positive for cocaine, opiates and oxycodone. 

    Despite his claims of sobriety in the radio interview from around the same time, DMX’s lawyer said that his client wasn’t sober. 

    “He deals with problems by drugging himself,” the lawyer said at the time. 

    View the original article at thefix.com

  • Is Drug Use Behind Rising Syphilis Rates?

    Is Drug Use Behind Rising Syphilis Rates?

    Syphilis rates have skyrocketed 156% for women from 2013 to 2017—and drug use may be making it worse.

    As public health officials grapple with the drug overdose crisis, they are also becoming alarmed at the increasing rate of syphilis diagnoses among heterosexual individuals.

    Syphilis is a disease primarily transmitted through sexual activity. Experts say that infection rates have coincided with the use of meth and injection drugs like heroin.

    The new Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) analyzed national syphilis surveillance data covering 2013 to 2017.

    The report gathered information from women, men who have sex with women only, and men who have had sex with men only, using the participants’ reported drug use in the last 12 months.

    The report found a large link between drug use and syphilis among women and heterosexual men. Women and men who reported the use of methamphetamine, heroin or injection drugs more than doubled from 2013 to 2017.

    Those who had partners who used these drugs also had higher rates of syphilis. Over one-third of women and one-quarter of heterosexual men with syphilis reported to the researchers that they had used methamphetamine within the previous year.

    This type of drug use makes people more likely to engage in risky behavior, such as not using condoms during sex, having multiple sex partners or exchanging sex for drugs and/or money, Sara Kennedy, medical director of Planned Parenthood Northern California, told BDN Health.

    “Two major public health issues are colliding,” Sarah Kidd, a medical officer at the CDC and lead author of this new report, told BDN Health.

    The syphilis diagnosis rate in the U.S. increased nearly two-fold from 2013 to 2014, with the highest diagnosis rates of 2017 among men who have sex with men.

    Syphilis is treatable with antibiotics, but when left untreated it can lead to organ damage and possibly death. Congenital syphilis, when a mother passes the disease to her unborn baby, can lead to increased premature birth and death rate.

    Antonio Urbina, MD, an associate professor of infectious disease at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City, addressed the responsibility of doctors and the need for early diagnosis of syphilis.

    “We need that type of care to be built into general primary care. I think providers often feel embarrassed about asking those questions. Or, they feel like they’re going to come across as judgmental. You know, it’s actually the opposite because I think patients appreciate you asking, and they want to tell. In that same regard, if somebody does screen positive for syphilis, I say, ‘Hey, this is what you have. We’re going to give you treatment. It’s important that you wait a certain period of time after your treatment before you resume any sexual activity so you don’t infect your loved ones or partners or any others.’ Then I ask them to identify their sexual partners and say, ‘We need them to come in for a screening so we can offer them treatment as well.’”

    View the original article at thefix.com

  • Is Drug Use Behind Rising Siphilis Rates?

    Is Drug Use Behind Rising Siphilis Rates?

    Syphilis rates have skyrocketed 156% for women from 2013 to 2017 and drug use may play a prominent role in the transmission.

    As public health officials grapple with the drug overdose crisis, they also are becoming alarmed at the increasing rate of syphilis diagnosis among heterosexuals.

    Syphilis is a sexually transmitted infection (STI) that until recent years had been considered almost eradicated.

    The new Centers For Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) study published in the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report analyzed national syphilis surveillance data covering 2013 to 2017.

    The report gathered information from women, men who have sex with women only, and men who have had sex with men only, using the participants reported drug use in the last 12 months.

    The report found a large link between drug use and syphilis among women and heterosexual men. Women and men who reported the use of methamphetamine, heroin or injection drugs more than doubled from 2013 to 2017.

    Those who had partners who used these drugs also had higher rates of syphilis. Over one-third of women and one-quarter of heterosexual men with syphilis reported to the researchers that they had used methamphetamine within the previous year.

    This type of drug use makes people more likely to engage in risky behavior, such as not using condoms during sex, having multiple sex partners or exchanging sex for drugs and/or money, Sara Kennedy, medical director of Planned Parenthood Northern California, told BDN Health.

    “Two major public health issues are colliding,” Sarah Kidd, a medical officer at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and lead author of this new report on the link between drug use and syphilis, told BDN Health.

    The US’ syphilis diagnosis rate increased nearly two-fold from 2013 to 2014, with the highest diagnosis rates of 2017 among men who have sex with men (MSM).

    Syphilis is treatable with antibiotics, but when left untreated it can lead to organ damage and possibly death. Congenital syphilis, when a mother passes the disease to her unborn baby, can lead to increased premature birth and death rate.

    Antonio Urbina, MD, an associate professor of infectious disease at Manhattan’s Mount Sinai Hospital, addressed the responsibility of doctors and the need for early diagnosis of syphilis.

    “We need that type of care to be built into general primary care. I think providers often feel embarrassed about asking those questions. Or, they feel like they’re going to come across as judgmental. You know, it’s actually the opposite because I think patients appreciate you asking, and they want to tell. In that same regard, if somebody does screen positive for syphilis, I say, ‘Hey, this is what you have. We’re going to give you treatment. It’s important that you wait a certain period of time after your treatment before you resume any sexual activity so you don’t infect your loved ones or partners or any others.’ Then I ask them to identify their sexual partners and say, ‘We need them to come in for a screening so we can offer them treatment as well.’”

    View the original article at thefix.com

  • Cory Booker Introduces Marijuana Legalization Bill

    Cory Booker Introduces Marijuana Legalization Bill

    “We must also repair the damage caused by reinvesting in those communities that have been most harmed by the War on Drugs,” Booker said in a statement,

    Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ) introduced a bill on Thursday (Feb. 28) that would legalize marijuana at the federal level, an effort that immediately garnered widespread support from other prominent Democrats, including presidential hopefuls. 

    The Marijuana Justice Act would remove marijuana from the list of controlled substances, and would expunge records of people who have marijuana-related offenses. Booker previously introduced the bill in 2017 but it did not make any progress.

    This year, however, the measure seems to have more support from the party, including Senators Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Kamala Harris (D-CA), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) and Michael Bennet (D-CO), according to CNN. 

    In addition to legalizing cannabis, Booker has been outspoken about correcting the racial disparities in how marijuana prohibition has been enforced. 

    “It’s not enough to simply decriminalize marijuana. We must also repair the damage caused by reinvesting in those communities that have been most harmed by the War on Drugs,” he said in a statement, according to Rolling Stone. “And we must expunge the records of those who have served their time. The end we seek is not just legalization, it’s justice.”

    He continued, “The War on Drugs has not been a war on drugs, it’s been a war on people, and disproportionately people of color and low-income individuals. The Marijuana Justice Act seeks to reverse decades of this unfair, unjust, and failed policy by removing marijuana from the list of controlled substances and making it legal at the federal level.”

    Democratic Representatives Ro Khanna and Barbara Lee, both of California, introduced a version of the bill in the House. 

    “Communities of color and low-income communities have been devastated by the War on Drugs,” Lee said in a statement released through NORML. “As Co-Chair of the Congressional Cannabis Caucus, I’m proud to sponsor legislation that would legalize marijuana at the federal level, address the disproportionate impact of prohibition on people of color by expunging criminal convictions, and promote equitable participation in the legal marijuana industry by investing in the communities hardest hit by the failed War on Drugs.”

    According to NORML, the bill would remove marijuana from the list of controlled substances, but that would not automatically make cannabis legal in all state. Instead, the bill would incentivize states to change their laws if current legislation and prohibition disproportionately affects minorities. It would automatically expunge the federal records of people convicted of marijuana-related offenses, and allow those in prison to petition for resentencing, while redirecting funds to job training and reentry programs. 

    View the original article at thefix.com