blognonymous!

An article on heroin addiction from GlobeandMail.com states that giving drug addicts, specifically heroin addicts, daily doses of drugs is helping them.

Most of the hardened heroin addicts who were given free, daily doses of the illegal drug over a 12-month period underwent a positive transformation, committing far fewer crimes while their physical and mental health steadily improved, according to researchers.

Addicts also cut their illegal heroin use by 70 per cent, on average, according to researchers from the North American Opiate Medication Initiative.

The results of the trial, said Martin Schechter, the project’s main investigator, show that hard-core addicts - those with the dimmest chances of recovery - can stabilize their lives when heroin is made free and administered by teams of health-care professionals.

I’m not so sure I buy this.

Personally, two things come to mind.

1. That you perpetuate the addict’s delusion that they can use drugs successfully creating a validated wall of denial.
2. This seems a bit inhumane. The fact that these medical professionals have essentially written these addicts off as “those with the dimmest chances of recovery.” is disturbing to me. Why? Because they failed the first couple of times? I’ve tried to quit smoking a dozen times - at least - and have not been successful. But, that’s not to say that I haven’t learned anything or that the next time won’t be successful.

I really just don’t get this hospice mentality of trying to help addicts “get by” with their drug use. I understand that perhaps some help is better than no help, but again is there more harm being done than good? The article talks about “improvement in health among participants.” But, it doesn’t say what type of improvements. And, toward the end of the article, Dr. Schechter states that “This is a group that society has written off as beyond hope,” which also seems like a blanket statement that’s not necessarily true. I’ve met scores of people that have not written these addicts off as  beyond hope, myself included.

I would love to hear what you (escpecially Treatment Professionals) think about this.

Recovery Superstore was at the Kansas City NAADAC (The Association of Addiction Professionals) Conference last week, and it was a big success. In addition to meeting a lot of great people that are working hard to provide quality treatment and support to those addicted, we had a chance to gather feedback and find out what addiction professionals want. Plus, we joined NAADAC as an organizational member.

Our new FreedomSelect service - geared specifically toward treatment professionals - was a big hit. FreedomSelect offers industry leading discounts on recovery material, free shipping options, and custom stocking for addiction professionals. Expect to hear more on that soon.

We gave away an iPod touch. I’ll have the picture up soon. Overall, we were just blown away by how nice and receptive the conference attendees were and the exhibitors. Can’t wait to go again.

OxyContin bust nets 56 Miami-Dade government employees

According to CNN.com

Fifty-six government employees — including a police officer, a felony court clerk, two corrections officers and 27 school bus drivers and attendants — were arrested in a scam that used health insurance information to fraudulently obtain prescriptions for the painkiller OxyContin, authorities said Wednesday.

Also add to the list:

• 10 Bus Attendants
• 5 Public school security officers
• 3 Public school custodians
• 2 Public school teacher’s assistants
• and a Partridge in a pear tree

Congratulations to Carver Brown on being the winner in our 8GB iPod touch give away at the Mississippi Association of Addiction Professionals (MAAP) conference in Hattiesburg, MS. Carver is a counselor at A Bridge to Recovery in Ridgeland, MS. Thanks, Carver for all that you do for those addicted and their families.

Sincerely,
Everyone at Recovery Superstore

Reading an article this morning, by Maggie Mahar, about societal views on drug addiction, I was encouraged when the author mentioned a bill called the Recognizing Addiction as a Disease Act. This act is sponsored by Senator Joseph Biden of Delaware.

The Recognizing Addiction as a Disease Act would:

Amend the Public Health Service Act and related enactments to redesignate: (1) the National Institute on Drug Abuse as the National Institute on Diseases of Addiction; and (2) the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism as the National Institute on Alcohol Disorders and Health.

I, for one, am encouraged. While it’s a small change on the surface, it could have a huge change in the minds of popular culture and, hopefully, lawmakers, law enforcement, and the court systems.

New studies are making huge strides in demonstrating that addiction is, in fact, a disease. Mahar cites a series of essays -  Addiction Treatment: Science and Policy for the Twenty-First Century - that champion public education and a scientific approach to drug addiction. She also states:

As a result of this new information, experts are increasingly incorporating the recognition that addiction is, in part, a “brain disease” into their treatment recommendations.

It seems that the disease of addiction may finally getting its day in court. It’s about time.

In case you didn’t know, or did know but forgot, Thursday, June 26th is the UN’s International Day Against Drug Abuse and illicit Trafficking.

Recovering Cocaine Addict lobbies for the UN’s International Day Against Drug Abuse to be UK recognized

According to an article from the Saint Louis Post Dispatch, “American taxpayers would save more than $46 billion if drug addicts now in prison were instead treated.” Melanie Griffith joined drug court professionals to urge lawmakers to increase funding for drug courts.

Read the whole story.