Current Events
Drunk and Drugged Driving Over New Year’s—Don’t Become a Statistic
In 2012, 32 million people in the U.S. drove after using drugs or drinking. For drunk driving, New Year’s Day is the worst day of the year, with over half of all fatal crashes involving a drunk driver. It might surprise you that New Year’s Eve doesn’t take the top spot, but it’s after midnight when drinkers leave parties and contemplate doing something very stupid. For anybody struggling with addiction, the risk of relapse is compounded by the possibility that—although not originally intending to drink or use drugs—you decide that you’re sober enough to drive home. If you need to consider whether you’re safe to drive, you probably aren’t. Think that’s extreme? Let’s look at the facts and statistics about drunk and drugged driving. Full Story
Psychosocial Treatments Can Help Depressed Smokers Quit
People affected by major depression and other depressive illnesses are known to smoke on a greater number of days than their non-depressed peers, and also go through more cigarettes on any given day. In addition, depressed people commonly have an unusually hard time when trying to stop smoking.
Underage Drinking and Driving an Important Conversation for Parents and Teens
No longer are 15-year-olds counting the days until they can get their driver’s license. According to AAA one out of every three teens is just not all that excited about driving and only 44 percent of them get their driver’s license within the first year of eligibility. Just 54 percent of teens get their license before age 18. One aspect of this trend is that it may be contributing to a decade-long decline in drinking and driving among young people, but the problem remains.
Teen Heroin Use on the Rise Across America
Heroin is an illegal street drug synthesized from morphine. Once a very popular illicit drug, heroin took a back seat to prescription drug abuse. Now the pendulum is swinging back, with an alarming rise in the number of Americans reportedly addicted to heroin.
Cory Monteith’s Drug Addiction and Death to be Acknowledged on Third Episode of Glee
People across the globe were shocked and saddened by the untimely death of Canadian-born Glee actor Cory Monteith. On July 13, staff at a Vancouver hotel found his body after he failed to check out on time. Monteith was only 31 when he died, and his death was determined to be the result of a deadly mix of alcohol and heroin.
Club Culture Includes Variety of Illicit Drugs
Cocaine and ecstasy have for years been at the top of the list of frequently taken drugs in the rave and club culture. But other drugs are sneaking up on that turf. Full Story
Negative Messages About Drugs May Not Deter Use
For decades, the messages in television and print advertising have advised audiences about the dangers of substance use. Images of frying eggs, blackened lungs and rotted teeth have been used as a way to convince student and adult populations of the negative consequences that can come with unhealthy choices. Full Story
Early Drinking Habits for Teens Risk Addiction Later
In Spain, youth meet for the “botellón,” or social drinking in the streets; in the UK parents are letting their teens have a “tipple” before they are the legal drinking age. Full Story
Retirement, Addiction, and Alcoholism: The Hidden Connection
When they begin to reach middle age, most people start looking forward to their retirement years as a time when they will finally be able to relax and leave the stresses of their jobs behind them. But unfortunately, when the time actually comes to exit the workforce, many find that things turn out quite a bit differently than they expected.
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