Washington state coalition urges Volume 17 Number 11 regulatory control of illegal drugs March 14, 2005 Senate legislation would and public disorder, improve public ISSN 1042-1394 establish special commission health, protect children, and use on drug control scare public resources more wisely. This view is part of a report re- A coalition of civic leaders and leased this month by the association. Highlights… groups in Washington state has Working together with a broad coali- taken the bold step of advancing a tion of professional and civic organ- A coalition of civic and professional legislative agenda pushing state reg- izations, the association is aiming to leaders in Washington state have ulation of illegal drugs and removal taken the unprecedented step of find more effective ways to reduce pushing for drug policy reform at of criminal sanctions associated with the harm and costs of drug abuse. Adrug use. While advocacy for the de- The coalition called the War on the state level. While certain well- known national groups have criminalization of certain non-violent Drugs a “tragic failure” and has called pushed the drug regulation, de- drug offenses is not a novel idea, for the first steps in an exit strategy, criminalization agenda, it's this coalition represents mainstream beginning with a fundamental shift in unprecedented at the state level public health, medical, and legal the way the state addresses the by such prominent mainstream groups — groups not typically asso- chronic problem of drug abuse. medical, legal and other profes- ciated with this type of advocacy. The coalition, which also sional groups. These advocates are The coalition, spearheaded by requested that the state legislature pushing this controversial initia- the King County Bar Association, establish a commission of experts tive in Washington's state legisla- maintains that current drug control ture. See story, this page. from the field to make detailed rec- policies have failed to reduce crime See Washington State on page 2 Drug courts continue to show suc- cess, particularly in terms of reduced recidivism rates. Drug court programs reduce recidivism, Outcomes on relapse rates were but yield mixed results on relapse mixed, but the overall cost-effec- tiveness of programs evaluated by A Government Accountability for methodological soundness. The the Government Accountability Office (GAO) analysis of adult drug report covers recidivism outcomes, Office (GAO) remain positive. court programs released this month substance use relapse, program com- See story, this page. concluded that most programs led pletion, and the costs and benefits of to recidivism reductions correspon- drug court programs. A new study from Johns Hopkins ding to the length of time spent in As of September 2004, there University on injection drug use Aa program. were over 1,200 drug court pro- finds that unsafe practices start early — as early as the first The report, Adult Drug Courts: grams operating, in addition to instance of use. Researchers push Evidence Indicates Recidivism Reduc- about 500 being planned, according for early intervention with current tions and Mixed Results for Other to the report. users and others to educate on the Outcomes, indicated, however, that Eligible drug court program dangers of shared needles. the impact of drug courts on sub- participants ranged from nonviolent See story, page 4. stance use relapse is limited and offenders charged with drug-related Missouri advocates continue to try mixed. offenses to medium-risk defendants to raise its low alcohol excise tax … The GAO is required by federal with extensive criminal histories and 24 years and counting. However, a statute to assess drug courts. To meet failed prior substance abuse treat- new poll showing strong support this mandate, the federal agency ment experiences. Participants were for the increase had advocates conducted a systematic review of also described as predominantly excited. See story, page 5. drug court program research, select- male with poor employment and ing 27 evaluations of 39 adult drug educational achievements. court programs that met its criteria See GAO Report on page 5

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2 Alcoholism & Drug Abuse Weekly March 14, 2005

Washington State from page 1 which include doctors, lawyers, Association: “Pervasive of volumi- ommendations for statutory changes judges, drug treatment specialists, nous research indicates that a public and establish a state-level system of health care professionals and educa- health approach to drug abuse — regulatory control, said they are tors. Coalition members represent stressing research, education, pre- encouraged by Senate state legisla- 16 organizations, including the vention and treatment — is far more tion to address this issue. Washington Society of Addiction effective than the use of criminal The Washington State Senate on Medicine, the Washington Academy sanctions. However, the policy of March 2 held a public hearing on of Family Physicians, the Washing- drug prohibition, which has Senate Bill 6055, which would estab- ton State Pharmacy Association, the spawned a range of intractable prob- lish a consultative body to provide King County Medical Society and lems, from a flourishing “black mar- recommendations to the legislature the Washington State Psychological ket” to the spread of blood-borne for the establishment of a new legal Association. diseases to official corruption, has framework of regulatory control “Physicians know that drug been a major impediment to employ- over psychoactive substances. addiction is a curable illness,” said ing such a public health approach.” State administration officials were unavailable for comment. “The report…calls for a regulation approach to Following the public hearing, render the illegal [drug] market unprofitable, the coalition released a report enti- tled Controlling Psychoactive Sub- protect children much better and provide stances: The Current System and Alternative, which addresses key treatment to the hard-to-reach population issues on the “War on Drugs,” and and high-volume users.” aims to provide policymakers and the public with a roadmap to help Roger Goodman, director of drug policy at the King County Bar Association reduce wasteful public spending and to provide better treatment for addic- The coalition wants the special Jennifer Mayfield from the Washing- tion and protection for children. commission to make recommenda- ton Academy of Family Physicians. “The report is a roadmap for an tions to the state legislature on how to “The costs of effective treatment are exit strategy, as we call it, for the undercut the violent “black” market in so much lower than the costs of war on drugs,” Roger Goodman, illegal drugs, how to protect children incarceration, and where the harsh director of drug policy project at the more effectively from access to drugs criminal justice approach has not King County Bar Association, told and how to provide addiction treat- worked, it’s now time to focus ADAW. “It calls for a regulation ment to hard-to-reach addicts who instead on public health measures approach to render the illegal [drug] are causing public disorder and are a to address the drug abuse problem,” market unprofitable, protect chil- major public health problem. Mayfield said. dren much better and provide treat- The coalition is comprised of a Added Jeffrey Mero of the ment to the hard-to-reach popula- dozen task forces and committees Washington State Public Health tion and high-volume users.”

Alcoholism & Drug Abuse Weekly (ISSN 1042-1394) is an independent newsletter meeting the information needs of all alcoholism and drug abuse professionals, providing timely reports on national trends and developments in funding, policy, prevention, treatment and research in alcohol and drug abuse, and also covering issues on certification, reimbursement and other news of importance to public, private nonprofit and for-profit treatment Executive Editor Karienne Stovell agencies. Published every week except for the last Monday in May, the first Monday in July, the last Monday in November and the last Monday in Senior Managing Editor Brion P. McAlarney, J.D. December. The yearly subscription rate for Alcoholism & Drug Abuse Weekly Associate Editor Valerie A. Canady is $687. Alcoholism & Drug Abuse Weekly accepts no advertising and is Associate Editor Sarah Merrill supported solely by its readers. Send address changes to: Manisses Communications Group, Inc., P.O. Box 9758, Providence, RI 02940-9758. Art Director Douglas C. Devaux ©2005 by Manisses Communications Group, Inc. Member, Newsletter & Publisher Betty Rawls Lang Electronic Publishers Association. All rights reserved. Reproduction in any President Fraser A. Lang form without the consent of the publisher is strictly forbidden. For reprint permission, call 800-333-7771 (9-5 EST). Printed in USA. To renew your subscription or purchase other Manisses products online, please visit Subscription Services at www.manisses.com Business and Editorial Offices: P.O. Box 9758, Providence, RI 02940-9758; Phone: 401-831-6020; Fax: 401-861-6370; E-mail: [email protected] Manisses Communications Group, Inc. Subscription Information: 800-333-7771; E-mail: [email protected]

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March 14, 2005 Alcoholism & Drug Abuse Weekly 3 Goodman added, “Let’s bring the addict indoors and re-medicalize addiction. Washington state coalition cites incarceration, “We’re putting the legislature on prevalence data to bolster stance notice,” said Goodman. “We really Associations in Washington state that are advocating a state regula- applaud the state Senate for holding tion model of dealing with drug use provided a number of statistics in the hearings on March 2.” Goodman their voluminous report released this month to try to support their con- said he is also encouraged by the troversial proposition. Among the data cited in Controlling Psychoactive Seattle City Council’s public hearing Substances: The Current System and Alternative Models: last week on changing drug policy. • The number of people behind bars for violating drug laws has The coalition also supports state increased eleven-fold since 1980, from fewer than 42,000 at that House legislation (HB 2015) that time to almost 500,000 today. As the “War on Drugs” has intensi- would change provisions related to fied in the past 25 years, the number of incarcerated drug offend- judicially supervised substance ers has grown by over 1,000 percent, nearly 40 times greater than abuse treatment, said Goodman. the growth rate of the U.S. population overall. The bill would allow judges to “con- • Heroin is reported to be easier for high school students to obtain vert prison time into residential today than it was in the 1970s and 1980s, and one in three high treatment time,” said Goodman. school seniors say that it is now easy to get cocaine, crack or LSD. Cocaine use among teens has risen recently and the average Laying the groundwork age at first use, particularly of crack cocaine and heroin, has The King County Bar Associa- declined significantly in the last dozen years. In addition, high tion and its coalition partners for the school seniors report that marijuana is easier to get now than it last three years have been laying the was during most of the 1980s and 1990s and more high school groundwork for developing the students currently use marijuana than tobacco. parameters of an alternative legal • The White House Office of National Drug Control Policy framework for drug control, said (ONDCP) stresses the importance of supply reduction efforts “to Goodman. “We have spent the last make drugs more expensive, less potent and less available.” three years [developing] a workable However, despite federal expenditures of over $45 billion since alternative to the war on drugs,” 1980 on such efforts, the White House itself has reported that said Goodman. cocaine and heroin “street” prices have fallen to historic lows The broad agenda, Goodman while purity levels have risen and remained stable, signs that the said, is to fund treatment, make the criminal enterprises trafficking in drugs are becoming more effi- criminal justice system more thera- cient, selling a better product for less. Meanwhile, law enforce- peutic, protect children and to ment agencies across the U.S. continue to report that illegal drugs undercut the illicit drug market. are “readily available” in urban, suburban and rural areas. The King County Bar Association, through its Drug Policy Project, has been promoting a pub- working with the state legislature drug prohibition, meanwhile distract- lic health approach to the chronic the government, the Department of ing both the state and society at large societal problem of substance Health Services and opinion leaders from effectively addressing the prob- abuse, stressing the need to shift to convince them to invest in fund- lem of drug addiction itself. resources into research, education, ing for treatment,” he said. The report stated that in view of prevention and treatment as an “Our work has paid off two-fold the potential harms of unregulated alternative to the continued use of through treatment funding and mak- drug use, states still retain the inher- criminal sanctions, which has ing the criminal justice process ent power to protect their own citi- proven to be a relatively expensive, more therapeutic through drug zens by controlling drugs and com- ineffective and inhuman approach courts,” said Goodman. bating drug abuse locally, inde- to reduce the harms of psychoactive According to the report, treating pendent of any congressional legis- drug use, according to the report. drug use as a criminal matter rather lation or statement that drug abuse “The state legislature is prepar- than a social and medical issue has is a “national problem.” ing to give the state between $50 not been successful in reducing drug Any federal challenge to the and $80 million dollars in new treat- use, nor the harms arising from drug state of Washington or any other ment dollars,” to fund substance use. For over three decades, the state state that might establish a new reg- abuse treatment in Washington has been seeking new tools to fight ulatory system to control psychoac- state, said Goodman. The appropri- the persistent crime problem that has tive substances that are currently ation is “directly a result of our inevitably arisen from the policy of Continues on next page

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Continued from previous page tions and counterproductive effects stabilized with controlled doses that produced and distributed exclusive- brought about by prohibition itself. are free of charge. The programs ly in illegal markets should yield to Possession and use of psy- have brought about very promising the state’s own political processes, choactive drugs by young persons outcomes, such as reductions in whether through legislative action should not be subject to criminal overdose deaths; reductions in the and/or the passage of ballot initia- punishment, the report stated. quantity of drugs used; and reduc- tives, the report stated. However, any young person who, tions in economic crimes related to Among the public policy objec- while under the influence of a pro- addiction, according to the report. tives to be served by any drug con- hibited psychoactive substance, Without such programs in the trol strategy, the protection of chil- causes harm to other persons or to United States, this hard-to-reach dren is arguably the most important, property, should be held account- addict population now continues to the report stated. To satisfy this able under current laws prohibiting stimulate the illegal market, to con- objective, any regulatory system those acts. In such cases, acts caus- tribute to public disorder, to spread designed to undercut illegal drug ing harm to others and to property disease and to suffer overdoses markets and to reduce the harm are the trigger for the criminal sanc- without any reduction in drug use from psychoactive drugs must distin- tion, not the actor’s use of drugs nor and certainly no abstinence, accord- guish between the rights and inter- the actor’s intoxication. ing to the report. “In Europe, eco- ests of adults and those of children. nomic crimes related to addiction According to the report, as with Prescription drug maintenance are reduced,” said Goodman. any form of prohibition, a drug con- The report cites prescription “Youth initiation rates are down, trol policy that restricts young persons drug maintenance programs in and addiction is down.” from possessing or using psychoactive Europe and Canada that should For a copy of the report, substances should be limited to the serve as a guide, where hard-core Controlling Psychoactive Substances: reduction of actual harm, as balanced addicts are brought indoors into The Current System and Alternative against the often dangerous condi- medically-supervised facilities and Models, visit www.kcba.org. •

Risky injection practices established at onset of use Intravenous drug users tend to early, before they start injecting, and not share needles got their first establish risky injection behaviors as made aware of the dangers of shar- syringes from a pharmacy or early as their first use, according to ing syringes, such as contracting syringe-exchange program. a study published in last week’s HIV, hepatitis C and other diseases. Drug users who reported shar- Drug and Alcohol Dependence. The study authors reviewed ing a syringe at first use were more Researchers from the Johns data collected by outreach workers likely to be younger, to be injected Hopkins Bloomberg School of affiliated with the REACH III study, by someone else, and to have used Public Health and other institutions a Baltimore-based study of drug a syringe that had been previously found that people who first injected users. The authors reviewed data been used by someone else. drugs with a syringe that had been derived from interviews with 420 “There is understandably an previously used by someone else injection drug users, aged 15-30 intense effort to promote health were much more likely to report years, who had been injecting for practices among injection drug sharing syringes later than those who less than five years. users, but there are also a number of use a new syringe at first injection. The researchers found that the benefits in working with non-injec- Lead author and Bloomberg majority of study participants who tion drug users as well in preventing graduate student Laura Novelli said reported sharing syringes were transition into injection drug use as that drug users need to be reached young (median age 23) white males well as education,” said Susan G. who had not finished high school Sherman. Ph.D., an author of the and did not have a steady job. Most study and an assistant professor in The latest news were also homeless. the Department of Epidemiology at Over 38 percent said that they the Bloomberg School. on advocacy. had recently injected with a shared ’If we aren’t able to prevent syringe, and of these, 37 percent injection initiation, we can educate www.manisses.com reported sharing syringes when they drug users, which will decrease Click on first injected. their risk of contracting HIV, hepati- Providence Summit on Addiction Conversely, about half of the tis C and other blood-borne dis- study participants who said they did eases,” said Sherman. •

It is illegal under federal copyright law to reproduce this publication or any portion of it without the publisher’s permission March 14, 2005 Alcoholism & Drug Abuse Weekly 5 taxes,” said Dan Duncal, community Missouri advocates struggle to raise alcohol tax outreach director of the National The state of Missouri has not A poll conducted by the Council on Alcohol and Drug Abuse raised its alcohol excise tax in 35 Missouri Alcohol Impact Coalition, and a coalition founder. “They under- years. This has not stopped state which constitutes treatment stand that Missouri suffers from too treatment and prevention advocates providers, social service, public many alcohol-related problems such from trying to use such an increase health and law enforcement agen- as drunk-driving deaths, underage as a fundraising tool for prevention cies and other advocates, including drinking issues and too few resources and treatment funding. ACT Missouri (parent organization for treatment and recovery.” For the 24th time, a bill has of the Youth/Adult Alliance), found More than half of those polled been introduced in the Missouri strong public support for the tax. who drink frequently supported the state legislature that would raise the The poll of 500 registered voters, excise tax increase, said MADD state's alcohol excise tax. But in a conducted last month, found that Missouri Chairman Michael Boland. state where Anheuser Busch looms two out of three voters (66 percent) “It is a shame that our legislative large, the bills have never made it supported an increase in the alcohol leaders have failed to act on this out of committee and only a couple excise tax. Voters were asked if they proposal,” said ACT Missouri spokes- of times have made it to committee. supported an increase to support man Gerrit DenHartog. “Especially Last year, there was progress as preventing underage drinking, law at a time when budgets for essential a committee hearing was actually enforcement efforts to keep roads services are being slashed. Whose held on the issue, but the committee safer and enhanced recovery and interests are being served when chair declined to bring it to a vote, treatment opportunities. When these excise taxes are so low that they are Alicia Ozenberger, project director purposes were delineated, the sup- almost invisible? for the Missouri Youth/Adult port jumped to 73 percent. DenHartog said that the current Alliance, told ADAW. Eighty-one percent of respon- excise tax is about a half-a penny per However, advocates decided to dents said that the current tax was 12 ounces for beer, one-and-a-half ratchet up the pressure a notch by not a great burden. The tax is among cents for a glass of wine and two cents conducting their own survey on the lowest in the nation. “The results for a mixed drink. The proposal would public attitudes on raising the alco- of this poll show what the coalition raise the tax by two cents per drink. hol excise tax. The results came already knew — the people of Only a few legislators have thus back positive for advocates. Missouri don't see excise charges as far supported the excise tax. •

GAO Report from page 1 vism reductions also occurred for were still in the program. GAO’s recidivism analysis some time after participants complet- Self-reported results, which in- found the following: ed the drug court program in most of cluded data from individuals after they • Lower percentages of drug the programs reporting this data. left the drug court program, showed court participants than com- According to the GAO, The U.S. no significant reductions in use. parison group members were Department of Justice reviewed a draft rearrested or reconvicted. of the report and had no comments. Program completion • Program participants also had The White House Office of National Participants who completed the fewer incidents of rearrests Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) drug court program had much lower or reconvictions and a longer reviewed a draft of the report and recidivism rates than those who time until rearrest or reconvic- generally agreed with the findings. dropped out, according to the tion than comparison group report. The recidivism rates for drug members. Substance use relapse court program dropouts are compa- • Recidivism reductions were The GAO reviewed substance rable to the rates of non-participants. found across-the-board — all use relapse outcomes in eight drug The report found that comple- different types of offenses. court programs. The data included tion rates in selected adult drug court • There was inconclusive evi- drug test results and self-reported programs ranged from 27 to 66 per- dence that specific drug court drug use; both measures were cent. Other than participants’ compli- components, such as the be- reported for some programs. ance with drug court program proce- havior of the judge or the The findings were mixed. Four dures, no other program factor (such amount of treatment received, of the five drug court programs that as the severity of the sanction that affected participants’ recidi- used drug test results reported would be invoked if participants vism while in the program. reductions in use. However, this failed to complete the program) con- The GAO reported that recidi- data was limited to participants who Continues on next page

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Continued from previous page show a net benefit. Although the sistently predicted participants’ pro- cost of six of these programs was Attention… gram completion, the GAO reported. greater than the costs to provide Alcoholism & Drug Abuse Weekly These program procedures criminal justice services to the com- welcomes letters to the editor from its include attending treatment ses- parison group, all seven programs sions, producing drug-free urinaly- yielded positive net benefits, prima- readers on any topic in the addiction sis test results, and appearing at sta- rily from reductions in recidivism field. Letters should be no longer than tus hearings. affecting judicial system costs and 350 words. Submit letters to: Brion P. avoided costs to potential victims. McAlarney, Senior Managing Editor, Cost-benefit analysis For a copy of the GAO report, Alcoholism & Drug Abuse Weekly, 208 A limited number of evaluations Adult Drug Courts: Evidence Governor Street, Providence, RI 02906; — four evaluations of seven adult Indicates Recidivism Reductions e-mail: [email protected]. drug court programs — provided and Mixed Results for Other Letters may be edited for space or style. sufficient cost and benefit data to Outcomes, visit www.gao.gov. •

one-year pre-doctoral internships Drinking declines Call for Applicants within its Psychological Services with increasing age Department. The internship begins A report published this month in The Association for Medical in September 2005 and will focus on the American Journal of Public Education and Research in Sub- assessment, interventions and test- Health looked at the patterns and stance Abuse (AMERSA) has issued ing within a population of dually predictors of alcohol consumption a call for abstracts and skills-based diagnosed adult and adolescent in the United States and found that workshops for their 29th Annual patients. A stipend of $20,000, in- alcohol consumption decreased with National Conference, entitled “Sub- cluding benefits, will be provided. increasing age. The report compiled stances, Services and Systems’ The deadline to apply is May 1. the results of surveys with 14,105 Change.” The conference will take Interested individuals can visit adult participants in the National place in October in Bethesda, Md. www.caron.com or call Dr. Frank Health and Nutrition Examination The deadline for abstracts and Murphy at 610-743-6437. Survey I Epidemiologic Follow-Up workshops is May 15. For more in- Study. The researchers found that formation, visit www.amersa.org. higher alcohol consumption was associated with being male, white, Briefly Noted married and educated, as well as Business Notes having a higher income, being Surgeon General updates employed and being a smoker. Hythiam, Inc., creator of HANDS™ fetal alcohol advisory The researchers reported that Protocols, has announced the ap- Thirty-two years ago, when compared with alcohol consumption proval of its application for listing researchers first became aware of patterns among earlier study groups, on the NASDAQ National Market, Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS), the this group’s alcohol consumption under the symbol HYTM. Hythiam Surgeon General officially advised declined more slowly with increas- is a healthcare services management that pregnant women should limit ing age, which they concluded company that delivers to treatment their alcohol consumption. Based on could result in a greater presence of providers both proprietary adminis- an increasing body of research eluci- alcohol-related health problems in trative services and physiological dating the risks of FAS, this warning this country down the road. protocols designed to treat alco- has recently been updated, and the holism and addiction. current U.S. Surgeon Gen-eral, Steroid use in teens Richard H. Carmona, has announced a growing concern that any woman who believes that Community leaders and health Resources she may become pregnant should experts are calling for increased abstain. “We do not know what, if efforts to combat steroid use among Caron Foundation any, amount of alcohol is safe,” said adolescents, particularly athletes. offers pre-doctoral internship Carmona. “But we do know that the According to Chip Dempsey, VP of The Caron Foundation, a non- risk of a baby being born with any Addiction Intervention Resources profit chemical dependency treat- of the fetal alcohol spectrum disor- (AIR), calls regarding steroid abuse ment organization, has announced it ders increases with the amount of saw a dramatic increase in the past is currently offering two full-time, alcohol a pregnant woman drinks.” year. In 2004, this national organiza-

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March 14, 2005 Alcoholism & Drug Abuse Weekly 7 tion of professional addiction con- died of AD and found a considerably cent reported having used marijuana. sultants addressed steroid abuse in reduced functioning of cannabinoid While teen pregnancy rates and roughly one out of every 25 calls. receptors in the diseased brain tissue, smoking are on the decline, 19 per- “What’s happening in (professional) according to a BBC News report. cent of ninth- and eleventh -graders baseball with steroids is a terrible Researcher Dr. Maria de Ceballos ex- surveyed reported having consid- example for kids,” Dempsey told plained, “These findings that cannab- ered suicide, and over eight percent the Community Anti-Drug Coalitions inoids work both to prevent inflam- had attempted it. “Clearly, we have of America (CADCA). “Any kid who mation and to protect the brain may a lot of work to do,” Liz Kniss told wants to become an athlete or play set the stage for their use as a thera- the Mercury News. better is a potential target.” peutic approach for Alzheimer’s dis- Jody Cushing, President of the ease.” The researchers caution that Alcohol discrimination Oregon Partnership, which repre- smoking marijuana is not a sound law under debate sents the state’s anti-drug coalitions, way to prevent AD, the most com- Nevada Assemblywoman Sheila said parents need to understand that mon form of dementia. Leslie (D.-Reno) has introduced Bill steroid use is tied intimately to body AB-63 in efforts to nullify the image in adolescent athletes. “Teen- Mental health concerns Uniform Policy Provision Law, agers in athletics want to look good,” plague affluent county which allows health insurers to she said. Programs that work to Despite its relative affluence and deny claims from people injured educate high school students about solid physical health profile, while under the influence of alco- the risks involved in steroid use are California’s Santa Clara County is hol, according to the Reno Gazette- on the rise. faced with a discouraging picture of Journal. Proponents of the bill sug- mental health among its youth. The gest that the law has led to a dan- Marijuana compound shows San Jose Mercury News reports that gerous reduction in emergency potential for Alzheimer’s the 2005 Santa Clara County room alcohol screenings, and as a A recent study published in the Children’s Report indicated that drug result, fewer opportunities for nec- Journal of Neuroscience suggested and alcohol use are high and pover- essary treatment referrals. “We’re that cannabinoids, the active compo- ty, especially prevalent within the missing a golden opportunity to nents of marijuana, could be impor- Latino community, impacts 1 in 10 prevent accidents and loss of life tant players in future drug targets for children in the area. Among the because of this,” said Timothy fighting the plaque build-up that report’s less hopeful statistics, one Coughlin, M.D. leads to Alzheimer’s disease (AD). third of eleventh-grade students sur- Insurers look at the issue in Scientists compared the brain tissue veyed reported having used alcohol the light of personal responsibility. of healthy individuals with those who in the previous month, while 16 per- “We believe the responsibility for wrongdoing must be placed upon the wrongdoer,” said Janice Pine, Percentage of U.S. residents aged 12 or older lobbyist for Reno’s Saint Mary’s reporting lifetime use of illicit drugs, 2003 Health Services.

Beer company accused of Marijuana 40.6% advertising violations Cocaine 14.7% Anheuser-Busch has denied violating the alcohol industry’s vol- Hallucinogens 14.5% untary advertising self-regulation, in Pain Relievers 13.1% place since the end of prohibition in Inhalants 9.7% 1934. The beer company claims that Stimulants* 8.8% its recent advertisement, which por- trays referees stealing beer from a Tranquilizers 8.5% home and evading police capture, is Methamphetamine 5.2% intended as “over the top humor.” Sedatives 4.0% According to the Community Anti- Heroin 1.6% Drug Coalitions of America (CADCA), prevention leaders such as the First 0 10 20 30 40 50% Lady of Ohio, Hope Taft, and the Percentage * Includes methamphetamines Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) have complained to Source: Adapted by CESAR from SAMHSA, 2004. Continues on next page

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Continued from previous page the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and the Beer Institute that the Coming up… ad violates the current advertising The Institute for Integral Development will sponsor its 19th Annual code by portraying or implying ille- Conference on The Family in Stress and Crisis March 21-24 in Santa Fe, N.M. For gal behavior. Consumers can make more information, visit www.institutefortraining.com. similar complaints by contacting the The National Commission on Correctional Health Care presents “Updates in FTC Consumer Response Center Correctional Health Care” April 9-12 in Las Vegas. For more information, visit (www.ftc.gov). www.ncchc.org. The National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia More states restrict University (CASA) presents “Missed Opportunity: Substance Abuse and cold medicine sale Primary Care” April 12 in Washington, D.C., with keynote addresses by Nora D. Minnesota and Kentucky are Volkow, M.D. and Louis W. Sullivan, M.D. For more information, visit the latest states to join in the fight www.casacolumbia.org. against methamphetamine produc- tion, primarily by restricting the sale Seabrook House, Pain Management Solutions and The Counseling Center of cold medicines containing psue- co-present a two-part seminar,“Addiction and Pain Management” and doephedrine, which can be distilled “Treating Sex Addiction,” April 29 in Basking Ridge, N.J. For more information, to make the drug. According to the call 800-761-7575, ext.1042. Associated Press, all of Minnesota’s The Texas Association of Addiction Professionals will hold its 31st Annual State 67 state senators have voted for Conference on July 7-9 in Corpus Christi, Texas. For more information, visit tighter restrictions, including reclas- http://www.taap.org. sifying psuedoephedrine as a con- trolled substance. In Kentucky, a 97-0 House vote Press. “It’s a disturbing trend and approved similar methamphetamine something about which every par- Visit our Web site at provisions. In addition, a proposal ent should be aware.” Brex is with www.manisses.com advocated by Kentucky Attorney the Dayville, Conn.-based Northeast General Greg Stumbo would regu- (Conn.) Communities Against Sub- late out-of-state Internet pharmacies. stance Abuse, which commissioned heavy and moderate users had a The Kentucky bill, if approved by the survey. higher pulsatility index (PI) score, a the state senate and Gov. Ernie measure of resistance to blood flow Fletcher, would limit people to a Marijuana use could that researchers believe is attributed maximum monthly purchase of 9 reduce blood flow to narrower blood vessels. Moderate grams of psuedoephedrine-contain- A study published in the journal users (up to 70 marijuana cigarettes ing medicine (about 300 Sudafed Neurology suggests that marijuana a week), but not heavy users, saw pills). In both states, pharmacists use could narrow blood vessels, some improvement after a month of would monitor the sales of these much like that which occurs in heart abstinence. According to study medications and photo identification disease. BBC News reported that the author Ronald Herning, M.D., “In would be required for purchase. researchers used ultrasound tech- the long term, one might see cogni- nology to examine blood flow in tive difficulties, such as problems More adolescents abusing subjects’ brains and found that both with memory and thinking.” household inhalants According to the results of a survey conducted among 1,200 stu- dents in ten Connecticut high In case you haven’t heard… schools, an increasing number of Too young to drive, but not to gamble? Apparently, children as young as 15- adolescents are using household years-old are beginning to seek help for gambling addiction. According to the products, such as inhalants and director of the Problem Gambling Services for the Connecticut Department of painkillers, to get high. Twelve per- Mental Health and Addiction Services, Chris Armentano, 11 children under the cent of ninth-graders and 15 percent age of 18 are currently enrolled in the state’s gambling treatment programs. of tenth-graders reported such activ- Armentano told the Associated Press that he suspects the increased use of ity. “Inhalants and painkillers are gambling websites has contributed to the problem, along with the growing the two areas showing the most popularity of poker.“Our youngest [enrollee in treatment] was gambling online growth over previous statistics,” and created a significant amount of debt and ended up stealing from Robert Brex told the Associated neighbors,” he said.

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