Adventures in Sobriety
ADVENTURES IN SOBRIETY
A couple of days ago, I had driven my daughter to an appointment in an area of LA that isn’t the greatest- not the kind of neighborhood you want to be in at night. Her appointment was fro m6:30 to 7:30 pm, so it was almost night time. It seems that I fell asleep in my car with it running- I had left it on for the heat, and was reading while I waited for her. I was awakened by my car making a strange sound, and then dying.
My first thought is that I had run down the little gas I had- I was planning on filling up the tank right after her appointment. I tried to text her to tell her that I was leaving the car and walking to the gas station, but she didn’t answer and the door to the building was locked. So I went as fast as I could, with only 15 minutes before she walked out of her appointment into the parking lot, at which point the door would lock behind her and she would be alone in the lot, not knowing what had happened to her mom. That was all I could think about as I walked as fast as I could to the gas station. SO, I bought the $15 gas container, and two gallons of gas ($4.70 here in Los Angeles, for those elsewhere). As I was filling the gas can, a man pulled up and asked if I needed a ride. Normally I would say no, but I had to get back to my daughter, who I had been worried about the whole time. As we were driving, he told me he had stayed twice at the half way house up the street, both times he got out of the penitentiary. Wow! Yeah, that isn’t the kind of thing you want to hear when you jump into a stranger’s car. But he then went on to tell me how he spoke to his son for the first time ever just the day before, and he told me his son’s name and that he found him on facebook. He then dropped me off and was on his way.
I put the gas in my car. Annnnnnd…it didn’t work. The only place that was around in the area, sharing the parking lot with doctor’s office that was open was a mental hospital. Yes, this is a true story. So I went there and tried to find someone with jumper cables. I found two ambulance attendants, who were very helpful and came and put the cables on my car. 15 minutes later- nothing. The battery was completely dead. And then, so was my phone. My daughter and I got in the back of the ambulance and they dropped us off at an Autozone, about 8 blocks away. I didn’t know if I was going to try to learn how to install a battery, alone with my 13 year in a dark parking lot, if I was going to carry that heavy thing up the 8 block long hill- I had no idea. As we stood in line, in a state of awe at the weirdness of the situation, I felt a nudge. An invisible nudge. It nudged- almost pushed- me towards a Hispanic man who was standing at the register. I asked him if he knew how to install a battery. He said yes. I asked him if he could help us, and he said yes. His name was Daniel. He had to repair his own car, in the parking lot, so we sat on the curb for about an hour,my daughter and I wrapped in his sweatshirt that he gave us because we were cold, watching the people doing various street businesses on the corner.
Finally, he was done with his car. He didn’t speak english well enough to understand how to get to my car, so he told me to drive. His van seemed like his home- meaning, I think he lived in it. So I drove his van to the parking lot by the mental hospital, and he was able to install the new battery, our new friend Daniel.
PERCEPTION IS EVERYTHING
half empty? half full?
What was truly amazing about this adventure, and the point of this blog, is that every single time I needed someone, they showed up, like clockwork. It took 4 people to help- ambulance drivers, an ex con, and a homeless man who barely spoke english. But they were there, and I couldn’t question for one second the force that put everyone where they should be. Because really, that battery would have died eventually, and it could have been a lot worse.
there was a time when this adventure would have been a terrible chain of events- I wouldn’t have seen anything good about it at all. My daughter was inclined to get negative about it- I had said to her, “This could have been so much worse!” And she rolled her pre-teen eyes at me and said, “It could have been so much better, too.” To which I replied, “Maybe, but the way I am looking at it keeps me grateful and positive. The way you are looking at it will always make you a victim, and unhappy.” She smiled, and said, “Mom, you’re weird.” Later, though, she did concede that it was pretty wild how there were people right there, giving rides and helping install batteries and jump cars. I was glad she was there to experience it- stranded by a mental hospital in a bad part of town with the phone dead- it was like the setting for a slasher movie. And saved by 4 not-so-random angels. I love these awesome adventures in sobriety.
Even With A Co-Occurring Substance Abuse Disorder, 2011 Columbia University Study Reveals Alcoholics Less Likely To Seek Treatment
In a powerful 2011 Columbia University study about alcoholism, addiction and treatment, researchers found that people diagnosed with alcoholism as their primary problem are more than 60 per cent less likely to seek treatment. This is true even if the individual has co-occurring substance abuse disorders. From years of experience and respected expertise, ONE80CENTER has seen this problem first hand as we develop educational tools and intervention methods designed help alcoholics take the first step on the road of long-term recovery.
Alcoholics Resist Despite A Co-Occurring Substance Abuse Disorder
The Stigma of Alcoholism, The Fear of Treatment
The problem is that these alcoholics in the heart of their disease believe they will be stigmatized once their status is known. Like so many people with the disease of alcoholism and addiction, they would rather suffer than what roll what essentially are imaginary dice. Despite the existence of effective programs for treating alcoholism – a perfect example being ONE80CENTER’s individualized program where we treat our clients based on their specific needs and not a forced regimen of services – less than a quarter of people who are diagnosed with alcoholism actually seek treatment.
Despite recommendations by therapists and threats from exhausted friends and family, the alcoholic holds out until he hits bottom. The researchers found that individuals with alcoholism who perceived the possibility of a negative stigma connected to treatment for their disease were 0.37 times less likely to seek treatment. Such a stigma when perceived affected all the alcoholics, including those with a co-occurring substance abuse disorder. Like with the disease of alcoholism, it was often a matter of perception.
“People with alcohol disorders who perceive high levels of alcohol stigma may avoid entering treatment because it confirms their membership in a stigmatized group. Greater attention to reducing the stigma of having an alcohol disorder is urgently needed so that more individuals access the effective systems of care available to treat these disabling conditions”, said Katherine Keyes, of the Mailman School of Public Health Department Epidemiology and one of the leaders of the team of researchers.
Co-Occurring Substance Abuse Disorder Common, Young Do Not Fear Stigma
As you can well imagine younger individuals perceived less stigma, and social fears ultimately were not the central issue. Still, young people were less likely to seek treatment for an alcoholism because they tend to consider their disease a passing phase or identify with the partying nature of a social group or use their youth as an ongoing excuse. The young alcoholic tends to be in the highest risk category when it comes to having a co-occurring substance abuse disorder and being open to extreme and dangerous behavioral choices.
Given the traditional male role as provider and in the workforce, even with modern changes, alcoholic men perceived more stigmas when compared to their alcoholic female counterparts. Luckily, the data from the 2011 Columbia University Study did suggest that individuals with more severe alcohol disorders had a greater likelihood to seek treatment, particularly ones with co-occurring substance abuse disorders. Still, a co-occurring substance abuse disorder only slightly raised the bar of treatment receptivity when the problem of stigmatization entered the picture.
If you have a loved one, friend or co-worker who clearly has a problem with alcohol but fears the stigmatization of treatment, please contact ONE80CENTER. The clinical experts at ONE80CENTER have the experience and expertise to help so call 888.593.2301 and help them take that first step.
Not Drowning, Surfing
Truth is Truth
I love how it happens when I am reading various spiritual books and I come across the same truths that we learn in AA. For instance, the concept of contrary action. This seems to be axiomatic in many schools of thought. Recently, in my Fourth Way group, we were all told to sit for 5 minutes every morning, upon waking. Not in a normal meditation kind of way, but upright, on a chair, back straight, feet on floor, hands one inside the other. Easy, right? Think again.
Of course its easy- its not like they asked me to bend spoons with my mind. In fact, the idea of its easiness is exactly what helps illustrate how unwilling most people are to do even the easiest of things. I am using myself as an example. I know all about contrary action- I write about it a lot, and I practice it often. It is a lynchpin of my personal philosophy. However, when confronted with doing this simple thing, I have had the hardest time adhering to it. Now- here are my reasons, and they are, seemingly, valid- I’m a tired single mom, I work a lot, I don’t get enough sleep, I roll out of bed and hit the ground running, I have two teenagers to wake up and get moving, etc. etc. These are not just reasons, these are excuses. EXCUSES. Reasons are just excuses that make sense on some level. I am able to totally justify my not doing this one little thing. And yet, by the simple act of putting all reasons, excuses, and resistance aside and simply doing the damn thing, I may experience a new level of consciousness.
Am I a Robot? Errr…apparently.
How is 5 minutes a day going to give me a new level of consciousness? Could it really be that easy? Well, the new level comes not just from the sitting, but by the whole process of watching all the automatic resistance that comes up for me. In all spiritual traditions, the concept of ‘waking up’ is very relevant. In Fourth Way, part of the waking up process is called Self Remembering. To remember my true self, I have to understand my false self, the one that is a robot. I have to see how programmed I am to do certain things certain ways all the time, consistently. I have to observe how I play small and make excuses. I justify my limiting behavior. I procrastinate. I look for an easier way. I’m on automatic pilot more often than I realize. It wasn’t easy to see before this 5 minute morning exercise, because it isn’t easy to really see ourselves at all. I can see only what I know- but it is finding out what I don’t know that liberates me from the bondage of self.
For the past few weeks I would drive to work and puzzle over why I didn’t do my sitting exercise, or why I kept having such a problem with it. At first, I really didn’t know. I said to myself- “I can’t do this, my life is too busy.” But for crying out loud, its FIVE MINUTES! FIVE! So then I really started to observe myself, and watch myself NOT sit. I watched myself do everything BUT sit. And I learned a lot that I didn’t know.
From New York To California, the National Epidemic Of Prescription Drug Dependence, Prescription Drug Abuse And Prescription Drug Addiction
Prescription drug dependence, prescription drug abuse, prescription drug addiction are all different sides of a new American plague. Since I have Google Alerts for all of these terms and many more, every day I see articles pouring forth from all over the country, from New to California and everywhere in between, reporting on the damage done and the toll taken by the abuse of prescription drugs. It does matter whether it is college students buying Adderall in the library to study all night long or high school students stealing Vicodin and Xanax from their parent’s medicine cabinets, or drug addicts scoring Oxycontin tablets on the street to crush and snort or shoot, the problem is out of control and just getting worse. ONE80CENTER is on the front lines of the battle, and we are doing best to stem the tide of destruction and devastation. But nothing seems to work.
The Plague Begins With Prescription Drug Dependence
For every person we help to detox and eventually discover the path of long-term recovery, five more are experimenting on the weekend, dancing with prescription drug dependence. Five more are using every week as their prescription drug dependence becomes prescription drug abuse. And even five more are finding their prescription drug abuse spiraling into the slavery of prescription drug addiction as they break the law and do bad things they never would have imagined possible before to get their scripts filled.
The clinical staff at ONE80CENTER are experienced professionals, respected in their fields, and they want you to know that this problem that begins with prescription drug dependence is not being overly exaggerated or blown out of proportion. It is literally a plague that is hitting all level of American society, regardless of race, class, sexual orientation, gender, age and on and on. Choose any group, do the research on Google, and you will see how endemic and terrifying the prescription drug abuse problem has become. The prescription medication plague is being reported in papers all over the country
The National Plague of Prescription Drug Abuse
It is easy to ignore the first touches of prescription drug dependence. You can shake your head and shrug your shoulders in the face of prescription drug abuse. But there is no turning away from the horrors that follow in the devastating path of prescription drug addiction. Do any of you actually not know a friend or acquaintance who is experiencing or has experienced problems with prescription drugs? Whether it is a college student who thinks she has to take Adderall to keep up with the curve or a stay-at-home mom popping Xanax to deal with the kids or a Wall Street banker snorting Oxycontin to take the edge off after another stressful day, problems with prescription drugs have almost become the norm as opposed to the exception.
In fact, these prescription drug problems are so much more common now than illegal drug problems because the fact that they are theoretically legal creates a false sense of acceptance. After all, even if the circumstances become more and more shady, they were prescribed by a doctor and dispensed by a pharmacy. How dangerous could they really be? If you have a loved one or a friend, a family member or a co-worker with a prescription drug problem, take action before the prescription drug dependence becomes abuse and then addiction. The later you take action, the harder the problem becomes to overcome.
Mind you, at ONE80CENTER, we have seen the most extreme addicts find their authentic path of recovery through our individualized program. If you need help or someone you know needs help, do not stick your head in the sand and act like an ostrich, hoping it will all just go away. From personal experience and professional expertise, we know this is one of the most dangerous fallacies in the world. It literally will lead to jails, institutions and death. Before such disaster strikes, please take the time to contact the Clinical Experts at ONE80CENTER and reach out for help.
The Effects of Scientific and Technological Advances on Addiction and Recovery Part 2 iHeal Mobile App
Ongoing ONE80CENTER Series
The Effects of Scientific and Technological Advances
on Addiction and Recovery
Part 2: Will The Mobile App iHeal Help Addicts Stay Sober And Avoid Relapse?
iHeal Craving Information Screen
When it comes to smartphones, there seems to be an app for everything, and now there is an app in development that has been dubbed iHeal to help recovering addicts stay sober and prevent relapse. Based in behavioral therapy, the mobile iHeal app is designed to alert addicts when they are experiencing a craving. After alerting them, it relays a strange form of therapy in the form of distracting pictures, games, and messages to them. Despite being called iHeal, the app only runs on Android phones as of this writing. The clinical team at ONE80CENTER has doubts to the actual effectiveness of such an app, but we are willing to suspend our doubt and give development team the opportunity to prove that it works.
When they first enter recovery, addicts in treatment settings often undergo behavioral therapy to learn how to fight cravings. Beyond the safety net of the treatment setting, such techniques often stop working because they are unable to recognize when a craving is coming on. By connecting to biosensors, the iHeal mobile app has been designed to help addicts identify when a craving hits. The user would wear an electronic bracelet with the biosensors that measure metrics associated with stress such as heart rate, body temperature, and electrical currents in the skin. When the sensors pick up an anomaly, they send a message to app on the mobile phone.
The response of the app to such a message of jeopardy is intriguing. First, it asks the user to submit data about mood, cravings, and current activity. Over time, the app actually learns what physiological changes are associated with the particular person’s cravings. The app collects the data to better predict when craving periods are likely to happen. When a craving arises according to past information, the app will try to distract the person by delivering a favorite song, a funny video, or a distracting game. The focus of the iHeal app is to take the addict’s mind off of the craving and give him the ability to pause.
iHeal Craving Response Flow Chart
The iHeal app is being developed at the University of Massachusetts Medical Center. Led by toxicologist Edward Boyer, the development team is an intriguing mix of scientists and programmers. At the end of February, the group published preliminary data on the biosensor-app platform in the Journal of Medical Toxicology. A problem faced in the initial study is that the subjects chosen did not want to wear the biosensor bracelet because of the potential for stigmatization. In addition, the technical side is far from perfect with data security questions and problems with correlating the data received into an actual effective profile of a recovering addict.
Without question, there are measurable physiological changes that occur when the craving trigger is flipped in the brain of an addict like increases in blood pressure, speeded up heart rates and changes in body temperature. But will such information relayed to a mobile phone actuallyhelp an addict take positive action when a craving arises? Although a good idea in theory, will it work in practice? With such an app like iHeal, there are so many questions that need to be asked before it is released to the public and promoted.
At ONE80CENTER, we encourage the development of new technologies that help the recovery process by providing working tools to an addict in early sobriety. Still, it always will be necessary to carefully test and vet such devices to avoid false expectations. For years, addicts have been in search of the magic pill or technology that will cure their disease. From our perspective, the journey of recovery never ends and there is no magic beyond the individual’s willingness to surrender and embrace the path of long-term sobriety.
New York Times Consults Blog Provides Francine Shapiro A National Forum To Present The Evidence On EMDR
Dr. Francine Shapiro
Since ONE80CENTER has been a huge proponent of EMDR from the beginning, we are proud to recognize this key moment when The New York Times has provided a positive forum to examine the evidence behind the efficacy of EMDR. The cutting edge psychological therapy was developed by Dr. Francine Shapiro, PhD. EMDR uses eye movements and other sense-oriented procedures to help a patient process traumatic memories and post-traumatic stress syndrome. In the user-friendly examination, The New York Times lets Dr. Shapiro answer questions from other professionals about EMDR as a leaping off point to present an in-depth description of the therapy and the evidence of its benefits to trauma survivors.
When asked about the objective evidence that EMDR works, Dr. Shapiro goes through the history of the studies, honestly showing how the first studies were not scientifically reliable. Later randomized studies on a variety of trauma survivors, however, have been endorsed and approved by both the American Psychological Association and the American Psychiatric Association. What is so impressive is that Dr. Shapiro never ducks the tough questions. Rather, she addresses them in the piece with detailed explanations and criteria, approaching the questions head-on.
Francine Shapiro and EMDR as Trauma Treatment
From the introduction of the therapy, there have been doubts about the true clinical role of the eye movements. Once again, Dr. Shapiro openly reveals both the positives and negatives that affect the answer to this question. Dr. Shapiro explains the ongoing process of the investigation of EMDR at the end of the piece: “Still, controversy remains regarding why E.M.D.R. works. It’s possible that both the working memory and R.E.M. theories are correct and that the mechanisms interact synergistically. We await the results of randomized controlled trials to further determine what role eye movements and other bilateral stimulation make to treatment outcome independent of the rest of E.M.D.R. procedures.”
ONE80CENTER believes that the treatment of the traumatic causes behind addictive disorders is nothing less than essential. In client after client, we have experienced the efficacy of EMDR therapy, and we are proud to be on the cutting edge front line of proving the tremendous value of this therapy. With Dr. Shapiro’s investigation of the actual evidence in The New York Times, EMDR has taken the next step to being recognized by the entire therapeutic community as a proven tool to effectively uncover and treat traumatic memories.
Super Fast and Simple Baked Tortellini a la ONE80CENTER
Super Fast and Simple Baked Tortellini a la ONE80CENTER
From ONE80CENTER executive chef, Chris Wilson
(for 6 people)
We like the simplicity of this, and it goes well with some of the other side dish recipes that we’ve posted that aren’t quite so simple. This makes a great main dish, and baking it really gives it a casserole feel, as if you slaved over it for hours!
-1 pounds of cheese tortellini or of your choice
-1 1/2 cups of shredded mozzerella
-16 oz of a prepared marinara of choice
-Fresh herbs of choice. (basil, thyme, oregano)
italian parsley, chopped, for garnish
1) Cook off tortellini till done (follow instructions on package. Drain and set aside.
2) Dump all ingredients into large bowl and mix well.
3) Put into decorative oven safe cookware or pyrex baking casserole
4) Bake for 35 minutes or till brown on top
Sprinkle with chopped italian parsley and serve with quinoa stuffed zucchini and a fresh salad.
Book Review- Women Who Run With Wolves by Clarissa Pinkola Estes
Women Who Run With Wolves
Its important to howl
From the time we enter adulthood, it is commonly believed that we have reached our maturity. That couldn’t be farther from the truth. There is much growing that still needs to happen, but often gets stunted- which is one of the sad results of a society that has lost its sense of tribalism. Just because we pay rent and have a job does not mean we have achieved adulthood. True maturity comes in waves. One’s ability to be present for life lessons dictates the level of growth that will result from said lessons. If we are able to recognize the learning that is inside each of these developmental phases, to take that learning and move on to the next level, then we are more likely to fulfill the truth of our personal destiny. Often we get stuck on one of the levels and can’t get past it, repeating the same mistakes over and over. We can spend a lifetime resetting the stage with new characters, new stage props, new mates, new jobs, and yet still find ourselves with the same sad result, over and over and over.
In Women Who Run With Wolves, I have found the guidance I have desperately needed to help me identify these sticking points, and to recognize the lessons that I am to learn inherent in the situation so I can move past it and onto the next level. I am a big fan of getting to the Next Level, no matter what it is. I had a dream two nights ago that I was playing Ms Pac Man and suddenly found myself on an entirely new screen, a level I hadn’t ever seen or heard of in all my 30 years of playing. I remember distinctly, in the dream, being so surprised and not having any familiarity with the new playing field, no muscle memory for the maze, and being completely enthralled with the new colors and sounds of it. Life is like this- I have only ever gotten to the fourth level on Ms Pac Man- for 30 years, that is the furthest I have been able to get. And in this dream, like in life, the goal is to get to the Next Level. Sobriety was just such a level- the entire world was a brand new thing, and I was like a new baby, literally reborn. Its taken a while to get used to it, to obtain any sort of mastery. This book has been like the guidebook for me, explaining the mazes, the meaning of personal symbols that keep resurfacing, the fears that keep me from moving forward, the natural instincts to hide in my life instead of question my belief systems and search for true liberation from the trappings of this world, and the bondage of my self.
I would suggest that any and every woman read this book! Make sure you have a highlighter handy. You will be shocked at how you find this book talking directly to the heart of you and where you are in your life. If you have my experience, you will find yourself shaking your head, thinking, “how the hell? Seriously, how the hell did she know this is exactly how I feel? Exactly what i need to hear?” And if you are a man, I also really suggest you read this book. It will not only give you some insight on women- and all men have a ton of women in their life- but very much of what is said of women is also true of men. Often we have the same wound, and limp on the same foot- and blame each other for it.
Here is the link, if you are up to the challenge. For me, Women Who Run With Wolves has been like the Big Book of AA- I’ve read and re-read it for the past 15 years, it is tattered and the spine is busted, and it is underlined, dogeared, and highlighted in several different colors. I suggest getting the hardcover, larger version- the small paperback version doesn’t really do it justice. This book could change your life, if you let it!
Here is the link, click here-Women Who Run With Wolves
From 2010 To 2012, Prescription Drug Deaths In San Diego Dramatically Rise, Reflecting The National Trend
Although San Diego often is considered one of the safest and most conservative parts of Southern California, recent statistics released by the San Diego county medical examiner reveal that deaths due to the abuse and misuse of prescription drugs Have risen dramatically over the past two years. The biggest contributors to non-natural deaths in San Diego were prescription drugs.
San Diego Deputy Medical Examiner
Such a disturbing trend reflects the national problem of prescription drug deaths and prescription drug abuse that is plaguing the United States. When asked about the leap in illegal drug and prescription drug deaths, Deputy Medical Examiner Jonathan Lucas observed: “For every one death that comes to our office, the question I have is how many more are out there using every single day, and how many more are going to show up at our office?”
In contrast to the rise prescription drug deaths, motor-vehicle deaths dropped to their lowest level in 20 years. Is that a shock? The clinical experts at ONE80CENTER are not surprised that prescription drug deaths are rising in San Diego and across the country. By providing the best in addiction treatment and recovery services, ONE80CENTER fights hard to stem the tide of the abuse. Still, to our frustration, things are getting worse across the board instead of improving. If prescription drug deaths are going to stop increasing in San Diego and across the nation, education and prevention must become a unquestioned priority of state and local governments.
The Effects of Scientific and Technological Advances on Addiction and Recovery Part 1 Synthetic Drugs
Ongoing ONE80CENTER Series
The Effects of Scientific and Technological Advances
on Addiction and Recovery
Part 1: Authorities Cannot Seem To Keep Pace
With The Makers Of Synthetic Drugs And Their Chemists
ONE80CENTER presents a new ongoing series that will examine the effects of scientific and technological advances on addiction and recovery. We will track the major scientific and technological changes taking place in the world today. From incredible medical advances in drug delivery systems and brain mapping to how drug dealers use modern technology to avoid detection and increase potency, the whole spectrum will be presented. Our goal is to illuminate both the positive and the negative, revealing how objective innovations in science and technology affect addiction and recovery today.
Chemists of Synthetic Drug Makers
For example, part 1 examines how national and local authorities are constantly trying to keep pace with the makers of synthetic drugs and their talented chemists. With the drug makers applying the newest technologies on their production lines, authorities seem to be falling well behind in their attempts to protect the general public.
Local and national authorities in the United States find themselves playing constant catch-up with synthetic drug makers. In order to remain legal and avoid scrutiny, the drug makers are constantly changing the chemical makeup of their products. Although they avoid breaking the law in theory, their synthetic drugs are dangerous and have definite addictive qualities.
At a Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) lab, chemist Arthur Berrier has been studying synthetic drugs in 2007. He discovered packets, being sold as incense at record shops and convenience stores, contained synthetic compounds that produce a reaction similar to the active ingredient in marijuana. Chemists designed the drug to mirror the effects of THC. The DEA lab is heavily guarded to avoid any external tampering with the testing. There is so much work that they have hire and train forensic chemists from around the country in the complex new testing protocols for synthetic drugs.
The DEA Struggles To Keep Pace
In 2010, agents in Chicago seized a shipment of 1,000 grams of a substance used to make synthetic marijuana. The agents had to release the shipment, because the chemical was legal at the time. Later that year, the DEA banned the substance, JWH-018, and four other chemicals. Did this stop the drug makers from producing their synthetic drugs? Absolutely not! Their chemists quickly changed the chemical compounds and developed other chemicals to use instead to create the same effect. By changing a molecule here and a genetic marker there, the chemists essentially create a legal mirror image of the original substance that is now illegal.
At the end of 2011, 43 states had passed or proposed laws banning specific chemicals in synthetic drugs, but the chemicals highlighted were already outdated. Some states are trying to get around the problem of constantly changing drug ingredients by passing broad laws that outlaw substances that mimic illicit drugs. By passing laws that do not identify the specific chemicals, the states hope to be able to legislate the effects of and the concepts behind the drug mimics. What remains a challenge is that prosecutors must show that these substances are chemically similar to illicit drugs in order to prove their case to a jury. In addition, it is hard to demonstrate that the synthetic drugs have the same effect on the body as illegal drugs.
Marijuana Mimics Sold Over The Counter
A final way the synthetic drug makers avoid prosecution is by labeling. The synthetic drugs often have labels stating that they are not for human consumption and referring to them as incense. By ducking and dodging, the synthetic drug makers are a perfect example of how modern technology and advances in science are making it more and more difficult to enforce or even establish effective drugs laws.
ONE80CENTER admires the efforts of the DEA and local governments to keep pace with the synthetic drug makers. But we also realize that it is almost an impossible task. With talented chemists in their back pockets and access to major financing, the synthetic drug makers are able to market and sale their deadly products to naïve and unknowing young people. Without national legislation to address drug mimics in all of their forms and formulas, ONE80CENTER believes the problem will worsen over time.
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Addiction Research
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What Is Gratitude?
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