




Facts
Drug abuse treatment. Studies have consistently shown that participation in drug abuse treatment is associated with lower rates of drug injection. For example, a 3-year study of drug use patterns among male IDUs participating in methadone maintenance treatment reported that 71 percent of 388 patients who had remained in treatment for 1 year or more had stopped injecting drugs. By contrast, in a second group of 105 IDUs who had dropped out of treatment, 82 percent had relapsed to injecting drug use within a year. Another study found that opiate addicts who were recruited by street outreach workers and offered free methadone maintenance treatment were significantly more likely to enter and remain in treatment, even if they had never been in treatment before or claimed not to want treatment. Marijuana was not covered under the Harrison Act, though various state and local statutes required a prescription for distribution. Federal efforts to regulate the use of the drug developed during the 1920s and 1930s, culminating in the passage of the Marijuana Tax Act of 1937 (P.L. 75-238). The Act required a sizeable transfer tax for all marijuana sales. Morphine: The principle active ingredient found in OPIUM, the extract of the poppy plant. Morphine is named after the Greek god Morpheus, the god of dreams. Morphine, a NARCOTIC ANALGESIC (see ANALGESIA; NARCOTICS), is a potent opiate drug that has a number of physiological effects. It can induce sleepiness and relaxation, suppress respiration, increase PAIN threshold, and cause a profound sense of well-being and EUPHORIA. These latter reinforcing properties lead to SELF-ADMINISTRATION of morphine. Use of the opium extract for its psychological and medicinal properties may date back over 5000 years. References to opium use are found in the writings of early Egyptian, Greek, Roman, Arabic and Chinese cultures. In the nineteenth century, opium (in the form of LAUDANUM, a potion containing opium) became an important part of the pharmacopoeia in England and America. One of the most famous descriptions of the properties of morphine is provided by Thomas De Quincey (1785–1859) who wrote an essay, Confessions of an English Opium-Eater, in 1821. He first took opium for a toothache and wrote: ‘In an hour, O heavens! What a revulsion! What a resurrection from its lowest depths, of the inner spirit!… That my pains had vanished was now a trifle in my eyes; this negative effect was swallowed up in the immensity of those positive effects which had opened before me, in the abyss of divine enjoyment thus suddenly revealed…here was the secret of happiness, about which philosophers had disputed for so many ages, at once discovered; happiness might now be bought for a penny, and carried in the waistcoat pocket; portable ecstasies might be had corked up in a pint-bottle and peace of mind might be sent down by the mail.’ Approximately 2.1 million youths aged 12 to 17 had used inhalants at some time in their lives as of 2000. This constituted 8.9 percent of youths. Of youth, 3.9 percent had used glue, shoe polish, or Toluene, and 3.3 percent had used gasoline or lighter fluid. Among youths aged 12 to 17 in 2000, the rate of current illicit drug use was similar for boys (9.8 percent) and girls (9.5 percent). While boys aged 12 to 17 had a slightly higher rate of marijuana use than girls in the same age category (7.7 percent compared to 6.6 percent), girls were somewhat more likely to use psychotherapeutics nonmedically than boys (3.3 percent compared to 2.7 percent). Between 1999 and 2000, there was no significant change in the rate of current illicit drug use for either males or females aged 12 to 17. |
Residential Treatment
Residential treatment offers intensive drug addiction help over a period of weeks or months. This form of treatment has some advantages over out-patient treatment, although it may not be suitable for everyone. For example, those who are responsible for caring for young children may be better suited to attendance at an out patient treatment program. Residential treatment offers a safe, drug and alcohol-free environment where individuals can confront their own drug addiction and associated issues, with the help of qualified staff. Therapy usually consists of a mixture of group counseling, individual counseling and an introduction to the principles of a drug recovery program.
Therapeutic Community
An effective therapeutic community attends to the many needs of the individual, not just his or her drug use. Care given at a therapeutic community addresses the individual's drug use and associated medical, psychological, social, vocational, and legal problems. Also, a therapeutic community will continue to be flexible and provide ongoing assessments of the individual's needs, which may change during the course of care.
Remaining in care at a therapeutic community for an adequate period of time is critical for treatment effectiveness. The time depends on an individual's needs. For most people, the significant improvement is reached at about 3 months in treatment.
Addict
An addict is an individual who has a compulsive urge to use drugs, to the point where they feel they have no effective choice but to continue use. An addict will continue their self destructive behaviors in order to feel good or to avoid
feeling bad. It can dominate their mind, and keep them coming back for more. The addiction can be
different for each addict, depending on their vice and the kind of person they
are.
Abstinence
Abstinence is the act or practice of refraining from indulging a desire. The type of abstinence we are referring to here is abstinence from drugs and alcohol. This term has two connotations when it comes to abstaining from drugs. The first refers to drug or alcohol treatment programs that aim to help an individual stop using drugs or alcohol for the rest of their lives. The time abstinence is also used in drug education and prevention. It refers to trying to stop children from ever using drugs.
Drug Overdose
A drug overdose occurs when you consume more drugs than your body can tolerate. Drug users are constantly flirting with the risk of a drug overdose. There is a
fine line between the high they're seeking and serious injury or death. While many victims of drug overdose recover without long term effects, there
can be serious consequences. Some drug overdoses cause the failure of major
organs like the kidneys or liver, or failure of whole systems like the
respiratory or circulatory systems. Patients who survive drug overdose may need
kidney dialysis, kidney or liver transplant, or ongoing care as a result of
heart failure, stroke, or coma. Death can occur in almost any drug overdose
situation, particularly if treatment is not started immediately.
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