Addiction Intervention » Public Policy

DARE Program Being Cut in Many States

Addiction Intervention — Sat, 04 Feb 2012 19:00:00 +0000

Once it was a rite of passage to adulthood to sit in a DARE class at your school and listen to a local police officer describe the dangers of drug abuse. At the end of the course, you might even be rewarded with stickers, free pencils, or even a DARE tee shirt.

The Drug Abuse Resistance Program or DARE with its slogan "Dare to keep kids off drugs" remains widely popular with parents, even though it is gradually disappearing from many schools. Developed in 1983 when First Lady Nancy Reagan was telling children to "just say no to drugs," DARE was offered in schools all over the United States, and drug education grew into a $2 billion business.

Today, however, the program is being discontinued, partly because of a 2009 study by Dr. Dennis Rosenbaum, a professor of criminal justice and psychology at the University of Illinois in Chicago. He found that children in Illinois who took part in the DARE program actually had higher rates of drug abuse than students who did not.

Organizations that are working toward the legalization of marijuana and other drug reforms have criticized schools for giving children too much misinformation. For example, an educator may equate heroin abuse with cigarette abuse. There is also some evidence that DARE programs do not work for teenagers who are already substance abusers.

During difficult economic times, police departments do not have the money to spare for a DARE officer, or to pay for its supplies and T-shirts, and that is having an impact on the DARE programs.

"I wish I could wave a magic wand to end the funding mess and bring the DARE program back," said Susan Mochen, a Palm County school district education director for the DARE Officers’ Association of Florida. "It is really concerning because in certain communities there is really a high use of drugs and alcohol."

In south Florida, 6,318 students participated in DARE in 2008, but today, that number is down to 2,430. Similar declines in participation may be seen all over the United States.

Alcohol a Growing Problem for the U.S. Army

Addiction Intervention — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 19:00:00 +0000

pAlcohol abuse seems to be a growing problem among Army personnel, according to a USA Today post. Gen. Peter Chiarelli, the Armyrsquo;s No. 2 officer claims the Army needs to double its staff of substance-abuse counselors to handle the steady increase of soldiers seeking treatment./p
pRoughly 300 additional counselors are needed to meet the demand, reduce wait times and provide evening and weekend services. In 2009, the soldiers in treatment numbered 9,199 after being diagnosed with alcohol problems. Data shows that some 16,388 sought some type of counseling./p
pquot;There’s no doubt in my mind that since 2001 and being involved in two wars … that we probably have a higher incidence of alcohol abuse,quot; Chiarelli said in the USA Today interview./p
pBrig. Gen. Jeffrey Horne, chief of Army human resources and policy noted that the nationrsquo;s help is needed in finding more counselors. The service is down 20 percent from its authorized staffing level of 290, according to Les McFarling, director of the Army Substance Abuse Program./p
pMcFarling noted that many soldiers find themselves in counseling after an incident, including a citation for drunk driving. If it is determined they do not have an alcohol-abuse problem, the soldiers simply need to go through a two-day educational course instead of a formal treatment program./p
pWhile drugs are an issue within the Army, alcohol continues to be a much larger problem, making up 85 percent of this military divisionrsquo;s substance-abuse treatment caseload./p
pThe Army did start a program last aimed that sought to reduce the stigma associated with seeking help for alcohol problems. This program included the ability to seek alcohol-abuse counseling without their commanders being notified at three Army installations. br /
nbsp;/p

Mental Health Professionals Want Gambling Addiction Listed in DSM-V

Addiction Intervention — Fri, 12 Feb 2010 11:00:00 +0000

Gambling addiction may soon be listed as a "behavioral addiction" in the upcoming edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Health (DSM), the reference guide mental health professionals use to describe and diagnose mental illnesses, addictions, and diseases. The American Psychiatric Association is proposing the changes.

John W. Kindt, professor of business administration at the College of Business at the University of Illinois, called it a major development.

"Gambling interests have been financing so-called studies for many years," he said, "trying to ensure that this is not listed as an addiction,” he said, adding that in 1994 the American Medical Association passed a resolution that showed the medical cost of gambling addictions was $40 billion annually. That would amount to $200 to $300 billion in medical costs to taxpayers and insurance companies by today’s standards.

Representatives of the gambling industry are downplaying the changes in the DSM. Chad Hills, gambling analyst with Focus on the Family Action, said gambling proponents have tried to hide the importance of the change "for a long time."

"For the DSM to actually come out and classify it as such is going to make the industry have to dance a little bit," he said. "Manufacturers of gambling machines and casino operators may now have to assume greater responsibility for the damages their products cause."

WHO Recommends Raising Price of Alcohol to Curb Binge Drinking

Addiction Intervention — Tue, 12 Jan 2010 19:00:00 +0000

The World Health Organization (WHO) has recommended that binge drinking and alcohol abuse should be tackled through higher taxes on alcoholic drinks and tighter marketing regulations.

Reuters reports that the U.N. agency unveiled its draft global strategy to curb risks linked to alcohol, which is estimated to cause 2.5 million deaths a year from heart and liver disease, road accidents, suicides, and various cancers—3.8 percent of all mortality.

“Consumers, including heavy drinkers and young people, are sensitive to changes in the price of drinks…Increasing the price of alcoholic beverages is one of the most effective interventions to reduce harmful use of alcohol,” the WHO said.

But a key factor for success in controlling beer, wine, and spirits consumption is an effective taxation system, said the WHO report, whose campaigning led to a global health treaty controlling tobacco in 2003.

WHO’s executive board will examine the draft strategy at its semi-annual meeting next week. The 34-member state body ordered the study two years ago after Nordic countries voiced concern about hazards of heavy drinking.

The Global Alcohol Policy Alliance (a coalition of medical professionals, researchers, and non-governmental organizations) has called on the board to approve the strategy and send it to WHO’s annual assembly of health ministers in May for adoption.

But the alliance said it was disappointed that the recommended marketing interventions included industry self-regulation which it said has not been effective to date.

The Global Alcohol Producers Group, whose members include the world’s largest alcoholic drinks group, Britain’s Diageo, and the third largest brewer, Heineken of the Netherlands, said the draft was an “important and constructive step forward.” However, it cautioned against “an over-reliance on strict government controls such as over-taxation or advertising bans” which could lead to illicit products or sales emerging.