Archives: In The News

Alcoholism Damages DNA and Increases Chances of Cancer

While it’s a well-known fact that alcohol abuse is a physical and mental health hazard that will eventually lead to addiction, new research indicates that it may be even more dangerous than initially believed. A study published in Nature International Journal of Science found that alcoholism damaged DNA and increased the likelihood of a person […]

U.S. Binge Drinking on The Rise

It’s getting tougher and tougher for drinkers in the U.S. to control how much alcohol they’re consuming. Excessive binge drinking used to be associated mainly with college students and underage drinkers, but times are changing. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) one in six adults binge drinks at least four times […]

Fergie Reveals Intense Battle with Addiction

Stacy Ann Ferguson, better known by her stage name, Fergie, has recently opened up about her battles with crystal meth addiction. The current Double Dutchess singer and former member of the Black Eyed Peas, described her lowest point in an interview with a British publication, iNews. “I was [suffering from] chemically-induced psychosis and dementia. I […]

ESPN President John Skipper Cites Substance Abuse in Resignation Announcement

In a surprising revelation, ESPN president John Skipper announced on Monday Dec. 18 that he was resigning from his position to focus on treating his substance abuse problem. Skipper had worked at ESPN since 1997 and became president in 2012, recently signing a contract extension through 2021. He claims to have struggled with substance abuse […]

Court-Mandated Opioid Rehab Falls Short of the Mark

According to a recent study, comparatively few people with opioid addiction difficulties who are ordered into rehab by the justice system receive methadone or buprenorphine. The study found that fewer than one in 20 people who are court-ordered to receive opioid addiction treatment are administered these medications, which are considered among the best treatment options […]

Hip Hop Legend Timbaland Discusses OxyContin Addiction

Timothy Mosley, known by hip hop fans as Timbaland, recently admitted to nearly overdosing on OxyContin in a recent interview with Rolling Stone. The 45-year-old four-time Grammy Award winner who has worked with Jay-Z, Beyonce and many other musical stars, said that he was addicted to OxyContin and almost died in an incident three years […]

Detroit Prepares to Sue Opioid Drug Makers and Distributors

Detroit, MI is set to become the latest city to file a suit against drug makers for their role in the nation’s ongoing opioid epidemic. Citing deceptive marketing and sales practices, the Detroit City Council has approved funding to hire two law firms to represent the city as they prepare to sue opioid drug makers […]

Cancer Doctors Highlight Risks of Heavy Drinking

Among the many harmful effects of heavy drinking, one of the least discussed is the threat of cancer. In early November, the American Society of Clinical Oncology published a statement in the Journal of Clinical Oncology saying that even light drinking may slightly raise a woman’s risk of breast cancer and increase the chance of […]

FDA Issues Warning Against Use of Kratom

Citing multiple overdose deaths and hundreds of calls to poison control centers, the Food and Drug Administration issued a warning against using a new herbal supplement known as kratom. Promoted as an alternative to opioid painkillers and as a treatment for anxiety and drug dependence, kratom has gained increasing popularity in the U.S. during the […]

Study Links Teen Booze and Pot Use to Life Failures

Parents have often told their kids to stay away from drugs and alcohol if they want to achieve their goals, but a new study may offer some proof. According to new research by UConn Health scientists, young adults who are dependent on marijuana and alcohol during their teen years are less likely to achieve life […]

Trump Declares Opioid Crisis Public Health Emergency

On Thursday Oct. 26, President Donald Trump declared the opioid epidemic a national public health emergency. In doing so, he directed Health Secretary Eric Hargan to declare a public health emergency under the Public Health Services Act. Under this designation, no additional federal funding will automatically be directed to combat the crisis, however, public health […]

Singer Ed Sheeran Admits to Substance Abuse Issues

In an interview on British talk show, The John Ross Show, Grammy Award winning artist, Ed Sheeran discussed his recent cycling accident and his struggles with substance abuse early in his rise to fame. The singer explained that he’d broken both arms while trying to ride down a steep hill, forcing him to cancel some […]

One in Eight Americans Are Alcoholics, New Study Finds

As the nation battles with an increasingly deadly opioid epidemic, alcoholism has also continued to grow in recent years. According a new study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, 12.7 percent of the U.S. population now meets the criteria for alcohol use disorder. This comes after the rate of alcohol use disorder […]

Camden, NJ Paramedics Respond to 16 Overdoses in One Hour

If you need any more proof that the national opioid epidemic has gotten completely out of control, look no further than Camden, NJ. On what local drug dealers termed, “free giveaway day,” drug dealers offered free drugs to patrons in the area in an effort to get them hooked. The tactic had horrifying success, resulting […]

Cape May County, NJ Shocked Following Teen’s Heroin Overdose

Residents of Middle Township and Cape May County, NJ are still stunned by the tragic drug overdose death of local 13-year-old, Vinny Weiner. A seemingly innocent kid with a bright future ahead, just barely out of the Cub Scouts, was found dead on June 4th after taking a deadly mixture of heroin and fentanyl. The […]

Teen Overdose Death Rate Climbs 19 Percent in One Year

Regardless of all the efforts made to raise awareness about the dangers of drug abuse, things seem to only keep getting worse. Most recently, the National Center for Health Statistics reported that the rate of teen drug overdose deaths increased 19 percent from 2014 to 2015, climbing from 3.1 deaths per 100,000 teens to 3.7 […]

“True Blood” Actor Dies from Alcohol Withdrawal

Alcohol can kill, but alcohol withdrawal can also be deadly. On July 8th, Nelsan Ellis, an actor best-known for playing a short-order cook on the hit HBO series, “True Blood,” died while trying to self-detox from alcohol. The initial reports indicated that his death was due to heart failure complications. However, later results indicated that […]

Opioid Epidemic is Worse Than We Thought

Just when we thought that the American opioid epidemic could not get any more serious, new research shows that it may be worse than we originally thought. A new study published in the American Journal of Preventative Medicine revealed that opioid-related deaths in 2014 were under-reported by many states throughout the U.S. Deaths from opioids […]

Bill Proposes Safe Houses for Illegal Drug Users

California wants to take radical approach in preventing overdose deaths by providing safe houses to illegal drug users where they can access sterile supplies under the supervision of a doctor. Assembly Bill 186 was introduced by Democratic assemblywoman Susan Talamantes Eggman to establish “supervised consumption services” in eight California counties where people could use controlled […]

Getting High on Diarrhea Medicine

Loperamide abuse is now considered a more economical option for people addicted to opioids. Recently, more individuals are turning to the diarrhea medicine loperamide to either get high or manage their withdrawal symptoms. Past beliefs were that this drug posed little to no threat for potential abuse due to its quick metabolism and ineffective ability […]

Teens Impacted by Cannabis Legalization

With the legalization of cannabis in more American states, researchers are taking a closer look at how this is affecting the use of marijuana. Just 20 years ago, marijuana use was illegal in the U. S. But the times are rapidly changing. Currently, physicians can prescribe cannabis in 29 states and the District of Columbia in […]

Drinking Alcohol Makes Cells Age Faster

Trillions of cells exist in the human. However, approximately 300 million of these precious biological elements die every minute. A recent study presented at the annual meeting of the Research Society on Alcoholism reported that drinking alcohol heavily can contribute to the deterioration process. Recently, researchers conducted a study with individuals ranging in age from 41 […]

Opioid-Related Hospitalizations Increase Among U.S. Women

Even as politicians, newspapers and advertisements continue to highlight the impact of opioid abuse in America, the epidemic continues to rage on. One of the most recent reports, issued by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, showed an increase in opioid-related hospitalizations among women in the United States, compared to men in the nation. […]

Smoking Among Addiction Recovery Patients a Large Problem

It’s not uncommon for people who are recovering from a drug or alcohol addiction to pick up smoking cigarettes as a replacement habit. In fact, addiction recovery t patients have the highest rates of cigarette use in the world. This is in spite of the growing volumes of research detailing the extreme dangers of tobacco. […]

Nearly 1 in 4 Medicaid Patients is Prescribed Opioids

A new study by the drug-benefits management firm Express Scripts Holding Co. found that almost one in four Medicaid patients received opioid pain medication in 2015. Express Scripts analyzed the annual opioid usage of 3.1 million Medicaid patients across 14 states in 2015. The study, “A Nation in Pain: Focus on Medicaid,” found that nearly one […]

Carrie Fisher Had Cocaine, Ecstasy & Heroin in Her System When She Died

An autopsy has revealed that Carrie Fisher had taken cocaine, ecstasy and heroin shortly before her death. This past December, she suffered a heart attack on a flight from London to Los Angeles and died in the hospital several days later. She was 60 years old. Best known for her role in the Star Wars […]

Gastric Bypass Surgery Linked to Alcoholism

People hoping to shed pounds with the popular weight-loss procedure, gastric bypass surgery, may encounter trouble with alcoholism as a result. A new study from the University of Pittsburgh followed more than 2,000 patients in six cities who received Roux-en-Y gastric bypass surgery (a form of gastric bypass surgery permanently reduces the size of a […]

Tiger Woods Is Headed Back to Rehab

After a recent DUI arrest put Tiger Woods at risk of losing joint custody of his two young children, the golfer is going back to rehab. Woods was arrested in Jupiter, Florida on May 29, 2017, after cops found him asleep at the wheel of his banged-up Mercedes-Benz. Humiliating dashcam footage surfaced later, showing Woods […]

The Associated Press Wants You to Stop Using Words Like Addict & Alcoholic

The 2017 edition of the Associated Press (AP) Stylebook, which serves as the highest authority for many journalists, changed the way that it refers to people with addictions. The new guidelines eliminate words like “alcoholic,” “addict,” “user” and “abuser,” instead recommending phrasing like “he was addicted” or “people with a heroin addiction.” The thinking behind […]

Kurt Angle Takes on Addiction with New App

One of the most recognized names in the history of professional and amateur wrestling, Kurt Angle is likely more well-known for his submission holds than his struggles with addiction. But the 1996 Olympic gold medalist and multi-time WWE world champion battled a severe addiction to painkillers throughout his 25-year wrestling career, culminating in four DUI […]

Katy Perry Discusses Depression, Suicidal Thoughts and Alcoholism

On the heels of releasing her newest album, “Witness,” pop-star, singer and songwriter, Katy Perry recently opened up about her ongoing battles with depression, alcoholism and suicidal thoughts. She discussed these issues in a live streaming session that has since been published on YouTube. “I wrote a song about it. I feel ashamed that I […]

The Opioid Industry Is Facing Multiple Lawsuits

Multiple major lawsuits have been launched against various parties in the opioid industry. Since opioid sales began to ramp up in 1999, there have been 300,000 fatal overdoses in the United States from these prescription pills. Industry regulators attribute the cause of this epidemic to opioid manufacturers and distributors deliberately misleading doctors and patients about […]

Study Suggests Elite High Schools May Increase Addiction Risk

Whether it’s because of long-established societal beliefs, an over-abundance of cinematic depictions or a mixture of several factors, many people assume that wealth and privilege offer protection from addiction. New research published in Development and Psychopathy, however, indicates the opposite. The study showed that children in elite high schools from affluent neighborhoods may be at […]

Hepatitis C Infections Triple due to US Opioid Epidemic

Hepatitis C virus infections in the United States tripled between 2010 and 2015. There were 850 reported infections in 2010, but that number climbed to 2,436 by 2015. According to the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC), the highest rates of infection were among people between 20 and 29 years of age, many of […]

Unity Behavioral Health CEO Discusses Opioid Addiction on Radio Panel

Jason Ackner, Unity Behavioral Health director and CEO, was a guest panelist on 850 WFTL on Friday, May 26 to discuss the alarming impact opioid addiction is having in South Florida and throughout the nation. He was joined by the Palm Beach County Sherriff’s Office head of narcotics division, Captain Eric Coleman, CBS12 News reporter […]

Opioid Overdose? There’s an App for That.

As part of the HealingNYC initiative to reduce opioid overdose deaths by 35 percent over five years, Mayor Bill de Blasio’s administration recently released Stop OD NYC, an opioid overdose prevention mobile app. The free app provides New Yorkers with education on overdose prevention and connects people to nearby pharmacies and community-based programs where they […]

Grammy Winner Chris Brown Struggling with Substance Abuse

An extremely detailed and well sourced article on Billboard.com painted a picture of 27-year Chris Brown in a downward spiral, based on information from former and current friends and employees of the Grammy Award winning hip-hop and R&B musician. The article went into explicit detail about Brown’s habits of abusing cocaine, Molly, Xanax, marijuana and […]

Resetting Balance in Brain’s Reward Centers May Help Treat Alcohol Addiction

A new study has identified two pathways in the reward center of the brain that may be manipulated to help treat alcohol addiction. Published in Biological Psychiatry, the study found the two pathways in the dorsal striatum, the reward center of the brain, regulate the “go pathway” to encourage rewarding behavior and the “no-go pathway” […]

Blink 182 Drummer Travis Barker Talks Tragedy and Addiction

To many of his fans, Travis Barker is likely more well known for his drumming skills on Blink 182 hits like “I Miss You,” “All The Small Things” and “Adam’s Song.” Very few realize that in 2008, Barker was told that he would never be able to play the drums again. This was following a […]

New Study Reconfirms Alcohol’s Role in Suicide

The link between alcohol use and suicide has long been established by research over the last half-century. In the past, much of the research was focused on alcohol pricing and availability and the overall rates of suicide, in other words, the relationship between alcohol retail density and the frequency of suicides in a certain area. […]

Colin Farrell Reveals He’s 10 Years Sober

Colin Farrell revealed on a recent episode of The Ellen DeGeneres Show that he’s approaching 10 years of sobriety, an impressive accomplishment for the actor who built a reputation in Hollywood as a heavy-drinking hell-raiser. After a decade of battling substance abuse, Farrell’s family and friends pressured him to go to rehab in 2005 after […]

Deadly New Drug Called “Gray Death” Can Kill in A Single Dose

A new synthetic opioid known as gray death has turned up in 50 overdose cases in the past 3 months in Georgia, Alabama and Ohio, some of them lethal. Some of its ingredients include synthetic opioids that are already deadly on their own, such as heroin, fentanyl, an elephant tranquilizer carfentanil, and U-47700. People can […]

Say Yes to Hugs with Newborns Suffering from NAS

It’s a well-documented fact that volunteering your time to help others is a great way to aid your addiction recovery success. This concept is reaching new heights, with infant cuddling programs now available throughout the nation. This volunteer opportunity allows people to visit Neonatal Infant Care Units and console infants suffering from neonatal abstinence syndrome […]

Brad Pitt Opens Up About Heavy Drinking, Pot Smoking and Divorce

Brad Pitt opened up for the first time about his divorce from Angelina Jolie, admitting to heavy drinking, pot smoking and detaching himself emotionally from others. In an interview with GQ Style, the 53-year-old actor revealed he quit drinking and was undergoing therapy, noting, “I can’t remember a day since I got out of college […]

Actor Tom Sizemore Recalls Crystal Meth, Cocaine and Heroin Abuse

Actor Tom Sizemore hit rock bottom several years ago due to his abuse of cocaine, heroin and crystal meth. His downward spiral culminated when he reportedly begged his friend, actor Jack Nicholson for a $10 million loan after losing his $7 million home and resorting to living out of his car. The 55-year-old Sizemore is […]

Could New Vaccines Prevent Addiction Relapse?

Substance abuse and addiction in America have grown to all-time highs, with record overdoses over the last two years and the fallout costing the nation hundreds of billions of dollars. For people in recovery, the margin for error is so thin that even the smallest lapse in judgment may result in the addiction returning in […]

Opioid Epidemic May Be Underestimated

America’s opioid epidemic could be even more deadly than previously thought, according to a new report from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Prior to these findings, official data reported that 91 people per day die because of prescription painkillers, however, the CDC warns this number is likely far greater, with most […]

Soul Singer Cuba Gooding Sr. Found Dead

On April 20, Singer Cuba Gooding Sr. was found dead in his car. It was parked on a busy street in the Woodland Hills neighborhood of Los Angeles, CA. Drug paraphernalia and multiple bottles of alcohol were found in the car with him. Police suspect that he may have overdosed but the cause of his […]

Marcia Brady Actress Reveals Struggles with Cocaine Addiction

Known for her squeaky-clean image as Marcia Brady on the hit sitcom “The Brady Bunch,” actress Maureen McCormick was anything but squeaky-clean in her personal life. Earning her iconic role as Marcia Brady at the age of 13, McCormick essentially grew up on the set of the late 60’s and early 70’s show. Unbeknownst to […]

How Prince Concealed His Opioid Addiction

Search warrants and affidavits were unsealed this past Monday, April 17, revealing that the deceased rock star Prince had a habit of hiding opiates in over-the-counter aspirin and vitamin bottles. Prince was found dead on April 21, 2016, in the elevator of his Minnesota home after an accidental overdose of fentanyl, a drug often used […]