Fentanyl-Laced Marijuana on the Rise

You’ve probably heard of fentanyl-laced heroin or opioid pills, but it has recently shown up in other street drugs like cocaine, methamphetamine, and ecstacy. There’s even reason to believe that fentanyl-laced marijuana is now circulating. Read More

Prescription vs. Illicit Drug Addiction

When we think of “drug abuse,” most of our minds probably go straight to illicit drug use. But prescription drug abuse has grown into a national problem over the past few decades, with sad and shocking statistics to show for it. Read More

Social Media: The New Corner Drug Dealer

Studies have been showing the negative impact social media has on our mental health. But did you know that social media has become an outlet for buying and selling drugs? And not just any drugs: deadly ones.  Read More

Peer Pressure to be on Rx Meds

By Wesley Gallagher In the age of modern medicine, we have a pill for almost everything. And while it’s great that scientific advancements have allowed for so many wonderful medications for physical and mental health issues that in the past went untreated, they are often prescribed or used unnecessarily. Particularly… Read More

What’s So Good About Gender-Specific Treatment?

By Melissa Riddle Chalos When it comes to seeking treatment for substance abuse, it is important to understand gender differences and the role they play in addiction. Women and men develop substance use disorders for different reasons, with unique circumstances fueling relapse and recovery. Women with… Read More

Cocaine’s Comeback

By Melissa Riddle Chalos There was a time when cocaine was the recreational drug of choice. It was the 1980s when the Columbian cocaine trade reached its zenith as the “vice” of Miami and cities all over the US. Nixon had declared war on drugs in 1971, but little had… Read More

Overdose Risks, Rates, and Repercussions

By Clint Fletcher As data from 2020 continues to pour in from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), it’s becoming increasingly clear just how devastating the pandemic was on our country’s health. During a year that was spent mostly in lockdown, overdose deaths… Read More

Has Addiction Damaged Your Decision Making? (And How to Repair It!)

By Christa Banister It’s not hard to see just how many aspects of life are negatively affected by addiction. Beyond the litany of health problems and the long-range effects on friendships, family life, mental health, productivity at school, and even future prospects, studies published by… Read More

Marijuana Addiction is No Joke

Can a person really become addicted to marijuana? You never hear of any dying from daily pot use. You certainly don’t hear about it in the same way you hear about deaths and other tragedies caused by alcohol and other “harder” drugs. And, there are some serious medical conditions for which marijuana is now believed to be an effective treatment. Additionally, the movement to legalize marijuana seems to be growing—25 states have legalized medical marijuana, while four states plus Washington, D.C. have gone even further and legalized recreational use of pot. So, what’s the big deal? Read More

August 31 is International Overdose Awareness Day

Drug overdose is now the leading cause of deaths from injury in the United States. According to data from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention deaths caused by drug overdose are on the rise. Deaths of women who overdosed on benzodiazepines have risen a staggering 640 percent over the last 12 years, while deaths for both men and women from prescription drug overdose have risen 340 percent. Read More