Mexico Legalizes Possessing Small Amounts of Drugs; Encourages Treatment AddictionBy Promises Behavioral HealthAugust 21, 2009Mexico enacted a controversial law today that decriminalizes possession of small amounts of marijuana, cocaine, heroin, and other drugs while encouraging government-financed treatment for addiction free of charge. The Associated Press reports that the law sets out maximum “personal use” amounts for drugs, also including LSD and methamphetamine. People detained with those quantities will no…
Cocaine Found in up to 90 Percent of US Paper Money AddictionBy Promises Behavioral HealthAugust 18, 2009Up to 90 percent of US paper money contains traces of cocaine, according to researchers in what is described as the largest, most comprehensive analysis to date of cocaine contamination in banknotes. The scientists found the most cocaine in large cities such as Baltimore, Boston, and Detroit. In fact, they found traces of cocaine in…
Nicotine Addiction Can Cause Darker Skin AddictionBy Promises Behavioral HealthAugust 6, 2009A new study determined that African Americans may be more predisposed to developing nicotine addiction than those with paler skin. The research also reveals that obtained darker skin (that obtained from prolonged sun exposure, not through genetics) is especially linked with tobacco addiction. Researchers from Pennsylvania State University also said they identified a statistical correlation…
Australian Police to Use Twitter to Target Drunk Driving AddictionBy Promises Behavioral HealthJuly 26, 2009Australian police announced that they will begin using Twitter, a popular micro-blogging service, to discourage drunk driving among young people. Victoria state police deputy commissioner Ken Lay said he would post “embarrassingly boozy breath readings” recorded during traffic operations in an attempt to make people think twice about drinking and driving.
Study Examines Environmental Impact on Addiction Relapse AddictionBy Promises Behavioral HealthJuly 24, 2009Addiction can control a life, making it difficult to kick a habit completely. Even those who have been able to remain abstinent for long periods of time are still at risk of being vulnerable to their own memories of prior drug or substance abuse. A recent Science Daily release focused on a recent study that…
Groups Oppose Pro-Marijuana Ads, Detailing Dangers of the Drug AddictionBy Promises Behavioral HealthJuly 10, 2009While a pro-marijuana group is launching an ad to encourage California legislators to legalize and tax the drug as a means of revenue, opponents want to remind the public that people under 18 who have used the drug are more likely to move on to harder-hitting drugs, putting 51 percent of California’s young people at…
Drug Treatment Demand on the Rise AddictionBy Promises Behavioral HealthJune 24, 2009The fact that drug treatments are available is a positive move in the direction of progress toward a healthier community. When the demand increases among adults for these treatments, one has to ask the question: does this mean that drug use is up or those seeking to stop is increasing? A recent news piece out…
Graphic Ads Help Prevent Meth Use AddictionBy Promises Behavioral HealthJune 22, 2009By Colin Gilbert Methamphetamine abuse has become a serious problem among teenagers and young adults in Idaho. In 2007, the state ranked fourth in the country for meth use among individuals aged 12-25, and more than half of Idaho’s prison inmates acknowledged the drug as being directly involved with their initial imprisonment. It’s an alarming…
More Women Using Cocaine in the UK AddictionBy Promises Behavioral HealthJune 11, 2009The Telegraph UK reported that one in 15 women ages 10-25 in England admitted they have tried cocaine, raising concerns that young women will soon overtake men for cocaine use. Unfortunately, cocaine is being considered more glamorous and socially acceptable, with high-profile celebrities like Kate Moss and Amy Winehouse being associated with the drug. The…
Cocaine Use Among U.S. Workers Down, Amphetamines Up AddictionBy Promises Behavioral HealthMay 15, 2009Statistics from Quest Diagnostics, the world’s largest provider of diagnostic tests, show that fewer U.S. workers used cocaine or methamphetamines in 2008 than in 2007, but that more took amphetamines. Based on 5.7 million urine tests analyzed by Quest, the findings said cocaine use fell to 0.47% from 0.58%, but that amphetamine use rose from…
