Kathie Lee Backlash, Insensitive to Addiction

Kathie Lee Gifford is catching a lot of heat from the addiction industry for her article in the September 2012 issue of Family Circle magazine. “I’m not a perfect mom, but my kids [son Cody, 22, and daughter Cassidy, 19] haven’t been arrested, in rehab or kicked out of school, so I must be doing something right!”

Experts and families of addiction are now calling her out for “implying that the parents of drug addicts are failures as moms and dads and are ultimately at fault for their children’s drug and substance-abuse problems” and that addiction is a disease that stems from the brain. (Examiner) What an irresponsible comment!

Most of Kathie Lee’s fans and outsiders are furious, commenting all over her Facebook page…

I am so disappointed in your vocal lack of understanding for parents of children who struggle with addiction. That doesn’t make them bad parents – it makes them parents of a human being. Unbelievable lack of empathy for parents who are struggling! Drug use, abuse, and addiction are societal problems – shame, shame on you!

To refer or imply that a persons drug addiction is the parents fault is obviously a blatant lack of knowledge on your part… You should try some research before making such ridiculous statements. 

…while some fans don’t think the gaffe is a big deal…

I do not believe that Kathie Lee meant anything other than that she is proud of her children. Every parent has moments when they question if they are doing a good job. I believe Kathie Lee only meant she is happy that her children are as healthy and happy as they are despite her insecurities. I don’t believe she meant to be offensive to anyone. Let’s give each other a break.

She’s not judging ANYONE. You are the one who seems to be judging. We ALL have our own battles. I believe we are all given our own cross to bear. Whatever that may be.

Ben Levenson, CEO of Origins Recovery Centers says, ”It is shocking that someone like Kathie Lee would seemingly kick suffering parents when they are desperately trying to save their children’s lives. Enough misinformation already! Addiction is a disease which affects over 30 million Americans, approximately the same number of Americans suffering from diabetes. If bad parenting were causal of addiction, as Kathie Lee suggests, this number may be even higher.”

What do you think of Kathie Lee’s comments? Is the backlash deserved?

Elderly Drug Abuse: An Invisible Epidemic

Addiction is often viewed as an issue that exists mainly among young people. And while drug use continues to rise among adolescents and teens, it’s addiction to alcohol, heroin and prescription painkillers that surrounds the elderly community that is most hidden — yet prevalent — in the country; older people are not only more likely to be diagnosed with chronic illnesses that require prescription medication, but as the body ages, older people are more susceptible to drug dependencies.

According to AgingCare, the federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration reported that in 2008, “the number of people who were 50 years of age and older who requested help for substance abuse was, 231,200. When compared with the 1992 figure of only 102,700 people, this increase is staggering… it has been estimated that the number of prescription drug abusers over the age of 50 may reach 2.7 million by the year 2020.”

Why would an elderly person who suffers with addiction go so unnoticed, or avoid treating his or her own addiction?

Shame. Older addicts are often too ashamed or embarrassed to talk about addiction.Family denial. Family members are commonly in denial of their loved one’s addiction and struggle with connecting their loved one to the stigma attached to substance abuse. Children of elderly parents don’t often want to admit that their parent is not the same as he or she once was, and is now “an addict.”The elderly don’t typically commit crimes to obtain drugs, so law enforcement doesn’t have a reason, or chance, to crack down… therefore, drug use among elderly often goes unnoticed, and thus prohibition can’t be enforced.

The Boston Globe recently reported on an event held in Boston, called Opiate 101, that focused on how seniors can safely discard prescription medicine to prevent young people from gaining access to the drugs, though the topic of elderly addiction was inevitably discussed.

Maryanne Frangules, executive director of the Massachusetts Organization for Addiction Recovery, said opiate addiction among seniors is ‘”not something people really talk about. I get calls from people asking, ‘What do I do about my mother? What do I do about my father?’ It is very difficult when you know someone is in chronic pain and they are prescribed a medication and it alters their personality.‘”

Do you think more addiction education and enforcement should be in place for senior citizens?

Mexican Poet Leads Peace Caravan to Protest Drug War

Javier Sicilia is a Mexican poet whose 24-year-old son was abducted by members of the Mexican drug cartel this past March. In his son’s memory, Javier has since blames his death on the chaotic, violent drug cartels sweeping Mexico, as his son was not involved with any drug or gang-related violence. Javier and his “Caravan for Peace with Justice and Dignity” (which includes others who have lost friends or family members) is now leading a caravan across America to “publicly condemn American drug policies.”

According to the Tuscon Sentinel, “The group aims to raise awareness of how it says U.S. drug policy, particularly the war on drugs, has affected Mexico. The group will continue through New Mexico, Texas, and on through the South, Chicago, Cleveland, and New York, concluding next month in Washington, D.C.” Maribel Zardaine, Sicilia’s cousin, says Javier is not seeking political or financial gain from the movement, and that he is a peaceful pacifist; Javier encouraged voters to leave their ballots unmarked during last month’s Mexican election.

On the movement’s website, Javier says, “In order to protect the 23 million drug consumers in the United States, this nation initiated this war that has destroyed Colombia and which now in turn is destroying Mexico, Central America, and is also menacing to destroy in the medium term the United States itself.”

Gil Kerlikowske, the current leader of the US drug policy, has all-but-denounced the term “War on Drugs,” putting more emphasis on drug education, treatment and prevention. The U.S. and Mexico are coming together to reform drug laws, due in part to Javier’s tragedy that shed light on the violence in Mexico.

How do you feel about Javier’s caravan of peace?

Yep… Your Teen May Know a Drug Dealer

In an annual back-to-school survey just released by the National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University, results find that 90% of American high school students are reporting their classmates — which comes to nearly 3 million students — using illicit drugs, including alcohol, tobacco and prescription drugs, during the school day.

HealthDay News reported on the survey’s findings:

44% of high schoolers say they know a drug dealer who goes to their school.50% of those polled say they know of a place near their school where students can drink and get high during the school day.More than 1/3 say that students definitely have opportunities during the school day to take drugs, drink and smoke without getting caught.

And get this — 75% of teens say that social media only encourages the party mentality. Sites like Facebook and Twitter are like visual peer pressures! “Seeing photos of other teens partying… made them want to do the same. Nearly half of teens who have seen such pictures perceived that the teens in the photos ‘are having a good time.’ Kids who had seen such photos were three to four times more likely to have used marijuana, alcohol or tobacco compared to kids who had not viewed this type of picture.”

Both parents and school staff members must be aware of student and teen online activity, and parents especially should work to learn with whom their children are associating. Online history should be checked and monitored regularly, and Internet rules should be in place.

Whether it’s inappropriate photos shared on social networking sites, or suspicious Google searches regarding drugs, alcohol or anything that makes the parent uncomfortable, the Internet is a valuable blueprint for teens today — and while the young mind is certainly allowed to be curious and wander online and off, parents should be aware that for teens, drugs are more readily available than ever, and there are definitely fellow students more than willing to provide them.

Drugs in the Olympics: Misguided Views?

Stephany Lee is an American wrestler who was suspended for a year and was forced to miss this year’s Olympics because she tested positive for marijuana. Depending on her practice schedule, she says she uses 2-3 times per week, to help stave off insomnia, stress and irritability.

Judoka Nicholas Delpopolo was recently thrown out of the Olympics because he also tested positive for marijuana. He said he accidentally ate baked foods made with pot.

Patrick Sandusky, U.S. Olympic Committee spokesman: “The USOC fully supports the WADA (World Anti-Doping Agency) code… Any positive test, for any banned substance, comes with the appropriate consequences, and we absolutely support the disqualification. We look forward to witnessing the continued success of our athletes and commend their dedication to clean sport.”

The Michael Phelps model

According to USA Today, “Delpopolo is 23, the same age Michael Phelps was when the swimmer was photographed inhaling from a marijuana pipe in 2009. Phelps, who never failed a drug test, apologized, received a three-month suspension from USA Swimming and is celebrated as the most decorated Olympian in history.”

In an interview with USA Today, Stephany Lee discussed her disappointment in not being able to compete in the Olympics, and that the current views on marijuana use among athletes is misguided. She also said at least “a good 50 Olympic athletes” are regular marijuana users before they stop in time for testing.

Other quotes from Lee:

“…you’re still going to be able to achieve your dreams regardless. Look at him [Phelps]. He’s awesome. He’s the best athlete ever in the Olympics. It’s a double standard. If you already make a name for yourself, then what happens afterward really doesn’t matter…”“We party just as hard as we train, especially when it’s over. People are going to do what they are going to do regardless. Just because there is a test on it doesn’t mean people are going to stop it. It just means they will change how they are using it and their consumption of it…”

Marijuana is becoming more popular among college athletes.

In 2009, the NCAA’s anonymous survey of more than 20,000 athletes found that 22.6% admitted to using marijuana in the previous year.In 2005, the previous time the survey was conducted, 21.2% of college athletes admitted to use in the prior year.In women’s sports, field hockey saw 35.7% of those surveyed admitting to smoking marijuana. And across all levels, the high-profile sports of men’s basketball and football did not see the highest admitted use.Among men’s sports, lacrosse led the way with 48.5% of surveyed players admitting to using.

So, if athletes aren’t typically tested for alcohol consumption, and drinking is essentially allowed in sports — and marijuana is typically not a performance-enhancing drug, though athletes are more and more turning to the drug — do you agree with Lee? Should athletes who use marijuana be suspended, regardless of their athletic abilities? Weigh in!

When It Comes to Alcoholism, White Matter Matters

New research shows: when women stop drinking, their brains recover more quickly than men. “White matter” has often been linked to alcoholism, because it “forms the connections between neurons, allowing communication between different areas of the brain.”

This basically means that women may have an easier time during the recovery process than men, neurologically and/or physically-speaking. It also means that side effects of alcoholism, like memory problems and other brain deficits, are a result of a decrease in that white matter stuff.

According to Psych Central, the researchers “examined brain images from 42 abstinent alcoholic men and women who drank heavily for more than five years and 42 nonalcoholic men and women.”

Here’s what they found:

The number of daily drinks had a strong impact on alcoholic women, with the volume loss 1.5 to 2 percent for each additional drink.In men, white matter brain volume in the corpus callosum recovered at a rate of 1 percent per year for each year of abstinence.For people who abstained less than a year, the researchers found evidence of increased white matter volume and decreased ventricular volume in women, but not in men.For people in recovery for more than a year, those signs of recovery disappeared in women and became apparent in men. Interesting!

Do you think the addiction recovery industry will tweak its processes to cater more to the differences between men and women? 

Cali’s Prescription Drug Monitoring System May Go Broke!

It’s now common for states to use these extremely helpful and beneficial federal prescription drug monitoring program, or “PDMP.” California’s prescription drug monitoring program called CURES (Controlled Substance Utilization Review and Evaluation System), is a system that keeps track of doctors dispensing too much prescription painkillers, and also when patients are “doctor shopping” — going to multiple healthcare providers for the same drug, a sign of addiction and improper use of prescriptions.

Unfortunately, CURES recently took a huge hit from state budget cuts and may completely run out of money by 2013.

According to California Watch, “Given the rising rates of addiction attributed to the pain medications, there has been no worse time to cut the program, said Dr. Lee Snook, a Sacramento physician who treats pain patients. Snook said, “‘We would not like to see it go away. In fact, we’d like to see it strengthened. When dealing with addictive behavior, many of us get fooled. I get fooled. I’ve been doing this for 20 years.”

Take this staggering statistic:

“According to the CDC, the amount of morphine-based drugs has soared seven-fold over 15 years in the U.S. Since 1997, the amount distributed through the pharmaceutical supply chain went from 96 milligrams of morphine per person to 700 milligrams in 2007, enough for each person in the U.S. to take a 5 milligram Vicodin every four hours for three weeks.”

The California Attorney General’s Office says that if doctors and pharmacies have access to these monitoring systems and the controlled substance history information they provide during the diagnosis and prescription dispensing process, doctors will not be so fooled by addicted patients, thus cutting down prescription drug abuse in California.

Shum Preston, spokesman for CA state Attorney General, said CURES no longer has enough resources to provide daily technical support and answer general calls from pharmacies.

What kind of state programs do you think should be cut, so that PDMPs stay safer?