Colorado’s Meth Problem

“Drug bust nets $762,000 in meth, heroin and more near Colorado Springs,” reported The Gazette in April. Unfortunately, it was not an unusual headline for the region.

In February, KMGH in Denver reported on the indictments of 30 people, “accused of being members of a Denver-based drug trafficking group with suspected ties to a Mexican cartel. According to the report, “federal agents seized a slew of drugs in the case, including about 400 pounds of methamphetamine and 15,000 fentanyl pills—a powerful synthetic opioid—that were disguised as prescription oxycodone, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Denver.”

Like several other states in the western United States, Colorado has an escalating meth problem. “The methamphetamine problem has come back with a vengeance,” Jason Dunn, Colorado’s US Attorney told Colorado Public Radio (CPR) last year. “Meth hasn’t grabbed headlines like opioids have, but it has flooded cities throughout the Southwest over the last five years. Law enforcement now says the region is in the midst of a meth crisis.”

The Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA), a subdivision of the US Department of Justice, issued a 40-page report in December 2019 on the resurgence of methamphetamine which stated that “law enforcement and public health resources around the country, including forensic laboratories, have reported marked increases in the use, abuse, and availability of methamphetamine.” The report suggested that “the resurgence of methamphetamine may also suggest a trending away from opioid abuse.”

The resurgence of methamphetamine in recent years can indeed be seen as a consequence of the intense efforts by law enforcement and public health officials to contain the opioid epidemic, primarily by restricting access to opioid pain relievers. It is not uncommon, however, for people in active addiction deprived of access to certain substances to simply switch to a different one if the underlying reasons for the substance use disorder are not addressed in the form of comprehensive addiction treatment.

Despite the return of methamphetamine misuse, drug-overdose deaths were actually slightly down across the nation for the first time in 20 years, according to a new analysis by the Rockefeller Institute of Government. But then the COVID-19 pandemic struck and since the implementation of coronavirus-related stay-at-home orders, county health offices are reporting more overdose deaths and more calls for opioid-overdose antidotes. Stress and isolation are powerful drivers of addictive behaviors.

In Colorado, the meth resurgence has had another troubling effect. According to CPR, “Colorado law enforcement authorities shot someone, on average, once a week for the past six years,” giving Colorado the 5th highest rate for fatal law enforcement shootings in the United States. “Most of those shot were white, male, high on drugs—often methamphetamine—or alcohol and carrying a weapon.” Methamphetamine is a powerful stimulant that can make users feel invincible and paranoid at the same time—a dangerous combination.

It is misguided to think of the ongoing addiction crisis in America primarily as an “opioid” epidemic simply caused by irresponsible over-prescription of opioid pain relievers. Keeping the focus on one substance and treating it as the root of the problem is unlikely to end this crisis. The next substance is always on the horizon.

The complex disease of addiction requires comprehensive treatment and a life-changing commitment to recovery. Depriving people in active addiction of access to one addictive substance with a concerted law-enforcement effort has failed repeatedly in the past. In the case of the meth resurgence, most of the media coverage is focused on drug seizures and interdiction measures at this point. Rarely do you come across articles or blog posts that describe people addicted to methamphetamine as having an illness that deserves treatment and compassion. If we want to create effective change at both the human and community level then we must change the way we approach how we look at the disease.

Dangerous New Synthetic Opioid Found in Counterfeit Painkillers

A new, dangerous designer drug has reached the United States—in the middle of a deadly viral pandemic. Isotonitazene is a synthetic opioid so novel that it has not even been banned by the authorities yet.

Barry Logan is a leading authority on forensic toxicology and chief scientist at forensic firm NMS labs. He told Vice in March that his colleagues have identified isotonitazene in samples from more than 200 deceased drug users in the midwest and northeast since August last year. “Isotonitazene is the most persistent and prevalent new opioid in the US,” said Logan.

According to USA Today, isotonitazene has been detected in the blood of people who died of overdoses in Illinois and Indiana, where it was mixed with cocaine. It was also reportedly found in Canada last year.

The new drug—deemed as potent as fentanyl—comes in a white or off-white powder form or is pressed into counterfeit opioid pills. Designer drugs always tend to be one step ahead of the law and this new synthetic is no exception. It is currently not on the US Drug Enforcement Agency’s controlled substances list simply because there hasn’t been enough time to classify it.

Bryce Pardo, an associate policy researcher at the Rand Corporation, told Vice that drug laws simply cannot cope with the seemingly endless drugs being produced by underground chemists in China. “Our drug control laws are old, and the ease of chemical innovation, cheap shipping, and the ubiquity of the internet have all stretched the applicability of these laws.”

Isotonitazene seems to have arrived in the United States following an aggressive global crackdown on illicitly made fentanyl. It represents a typical pattern in the seemingly endless “War on Drugs”: When governments focus their supply interdiction efforts on one substance, the market will start delivering alternatives.

The resurgence of methamphetamine in recent years is a good example of that pattern. While opioid misuse may have peaked nationwide, people with addiction have been switching to other substances. “Nationally, since late last year, meth has turned up in more deaths than opioid painkillers like oxycodone and hydrocodone. In 14 of the 35 states that report overdose deaths to the federal government on a monthly basis, meth is also involved in more deaths than fentanyl, by far the most potent opioid,” The New York Times reported last year. “Provisional data from the CDC shows there were about 13,000 deaths involving meth nationwide in 2018, more than twice as many as in 2015.” Now, we’re witnessing the emergence of a new synthetic opioid as well.

A focus on disrupting the supply of addictive drugs has never worked because it doesn’t address the reason for the demand. The actual misuse of drugs and alcohol is only one aspect of a substance use disorder and not necessarily the most important one. That is why Prohibition, the “War on Drugs,” and the “Just Say No” campaign all failed to achieve their objective.

Addictions are frequently driven by underlying mental health issues such as anxiety, depression, and trauma. If these issues are not addressed within a comprehensive treatment approach, sustained recovery is unlikely to happen.

Addiction cannot be reduced to substance use, it is not simply chemically caused by the presence of drugs and alcohol in the human body. Addiction is a complex biopsychosocial and spiritual disorder with many interlocking conditions and mechanisms. “By itself, nothing is addictive,” wrote Maia Szalavitz provocatively in her influential 2016 book Unbroken Brain. “Drugs can only be addictive in the context of set, setting, dose, dosing pattern, and numerous other personal, biological, and cultural variables. Addiction isn’t just taking drugs. It is a pattern of learned behavior.”

Addiction affects the body, mind, and spirit. It is a disease requiring comprehensive treatment in an integrated care environment. Recovery from addiction is also a personal quest for meaning and connection with other people, our human nature, and the entire universe.

New Treatment for Alcohol Use Disorder

alcohol use disorder

This month we are talking about alcohol, because April is Alcohol Awareness Month. The annual occurrence involves a number of events taking place throughout the country, with the aim of increasing public awareness and understanding about the dangers of alcohol use. Alcohol Awareness Month is sponsored by the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence, Inc. (NCADD) – the leading advocacy organization in the world addressing alcoholism and drug dependence since 1942. This year’s Alcohol Awareness Month theme is: “Talk Early, Talk Often: Parents Can Make a Difference in Teen Alcohol Use.”

Having an unhealthy relationship with alcohol during adolescence can lead to an alcohol use disorder as early as young adulthood. Parents who have open, honest conversations with their children drastically reduce the likelihood of their kids using drugs or alcohol. The more teenagers know about the dangers commonly associated with alcohol use, the greater the chance they will stay away from the insidious substance.

“Alcohol and drug use is a very risky business for young people,” says Andrew Pucher, President and Chief Executive Officer of NCADD, “and parents can make a difference. The longer children delay drinking and drug use, the less likely they are to develop any problems associated with it. That’s why it is so important to help your child make smart decisions about alcohol and drugs.”

Unfortunately, many young adults are already living with an alcohol use disorder (AUD), which is why researchers have a huge incentive to develop effective treatments. Residential treatment centers give people struggling with alcohol the best shot at recovery, but there are times when medications are used to help prevent relapse, such as:

  • Acamprosate
  • Naltrexone
  • Disulfiram

While some people recovering from alcoholism respond well to the aforementioned medications, others have not been so fortunate. Researchers from QUT’s Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation may have found a new treatment for AUD, and the beta blocker pindolol has already been approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Science Daily reports. The findings were published in Addiction Biology, the Journal of the Society for the Study of Addiction.

“Drugs currently used for AUDs (alcohol use disorders) — acamprosate, naltrexone and disulfiram — have limited success — so this is a ground-breaking development with enormous potential,” said Professor Bartlett who is based at the Translational Research Institute. “In an internationally-significant breakthrough, our study showed pindolol was able to reduce ethanol/alcohol consumption, particularly in relation to binge drinking, a key behaviour observed in human alcohol dependence.”

Marijuana Tourists’ Emergency Room Visits

marijuana

When it comes to which mind altering substances carry the greatest health risk it is probably fair to say that most Americans would agree that marijuana is at the bottom of the list – as is evident by the continued lightening of restrictions when it comes to the use of cannabis. In the last 20 years, since California became the first state to legalize the use of medical marijuana, more and more states have hopped on the “green train,” medical marijuana is now legal in 24 states and Washington D.C. Four of those states and Washington, D.C. have also legalized adult recreational use, with more states expected to follow suit this November.

The State of Colorado is one of the four states that have legalized adult cannabis use, and in 2014 sale began throughout the state. Legalization, like one might expect, has brought about a surge in marijuana tourism, that is people who would like to walk into a store and buy marijuana, just like one would by a six-pack of beer. The novel experience is a not without risk, a new report has shown a spike in emergency room visits involving out-of-state visitors experiencing marijuana-related medical problems, HealthDay reports. Between 2013 and 2014, the number of marijuana tourists visiting the University of Colorado Hospital emergency room doubled, according to a research letter published in the New England Journal of Medicine.

“People in Colorado are becoming more experienced with use of these products,” said study co-author Dr. Andrew Monte, an assistant professor of emergency medicine at the University of Colorado School of Medicine in Aurora. “Sometimes visitors to the state, it’s more difficult to get the educational information in their hands. They may be less experienced with the particular products in the state. They haven’t been exposed to the deluge of public health messaging.”

While marijuana may be perceived as being a benign substance, a number of marijuana products contain extremely high levels of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) – the main psychoactive ingredient that produces the high marijuana users experience. Monte points out that the majority of ER visits are the result of marijuana affecting pre-existing medical conditions, according to the article. Cannabis edibles are also responsible for a large number of emergency room visits, which if too much is consumed can cause severe vomiting.

It is important to keep in mind that on top of physical health risks, marijuana can become habit forming and potentially lead to addiction. If marijuana is negatively impacting your life, please contact Harmony Foundation for assistance.

Young Adult Non-Medical Adderall Use

Adderall

Amphetamine salts, such as Ritalin ® or Adderall ®, are prescribed by physicians to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). While prescription stimulants can be an effective ADHD treatment, the drugs are commonly diverted and used by people who want an edge for studying. Others will use the drugs to get high or for extra energy for partying longer. Stimulants are highly addictive, and abuse can lead to a number of serious health problems. What’s worse, the majority of stimulant users are unaware of the risk amphetamines pose.

The non-medical use of drugs like Adderall is especially common among young adults, typically those enrolled college. Small doses of amphetamines can increase people’s focus, helping them study for prolonged periods of time. In heavy amounts, the drugs can lead to life threatening side effects, including nausea, vomiting and seizures. In fact, new research shows that while prescriptions for stimulants have remained fairly level in recent years, non-medical use of Adderall by young adults has risen by 67 percent and associated emergency room visits rose by 156 percent, UPI reports. The study was conducted by researchers at Johns Hopkins University and was published in the Journal of Clinical Psychiatry.

Unfortunately, many young adults do not view the use of stimulants as being dangerous. What’s more, amphetamine narcotics are most commonly acquired from one’s friends and family. The researchers point out that misconceptions about the use of Adderall can be deadly, resulting in high blood pressure and even a stroke.

“[The study] suggests that the main driver of misuse and emergency room visits related to the drug is the result of diversion — people taking medication that is legitimately prescribed to someone else,” said former Johns Hopkins student Dr. Lian-Yu Chen, now a researcher at National Taiwan University Hospital. “Physicians need to be much more aware of what is happening and take steps to prevent it from continuing.”

If you are struggling with non-medical amphetamine use, it is vital you seek help immediately, please contact Harmony Foundation. Breaking the cycle of addiction is a difficult process. We offer the most effective treatment environment for young adults, we can help you begin the healing process and the journey into recovery.

The Brain Disease Model of Addiction

addiction

Our understanding of addiction has come a long way in a relatively short period of time; how the disease is viewed and treated are perfect examples of the progress we have made. Not too long ago, society’s answer to addiction was to dismiss those who used drugs and alcohol to the point of despair as having a shortage of willpower and perpetually hedonistic. The government’s response was to arrest and jail people who sold or abused mind altering substances, essentially branding millions of Americans as social pariahs for something that they were unable to control.

After decades of draconian drug policies, U.S. jails and prison populations exponentially grew, costing taxpayers billions of dollars each year. What’s more, when offenders with substance use disorders were released, more often than not they would be re-incarcerated for similar offenses.

Advances in medicine and our understanding of the brain has given scientists the ability to see that addiction is not a voluntary lack of self-determination and personal responsibility, but rather a disease of the brain; and, like any disease, for one to recover they require intensive treatment. Today, in most states people with substance use disorders are given the option of treatment in lieu of jail, and for those who are willing to do the work – recovery is possible.

Treating addiction as a mental illness is still a hard pill for many people to swallow, the reasons for this vary. One reason for this is that neurobiology is difficult to understand, another may be that the idea that using drugs and alcohol is a voluntary decision. The list goes on, but treating addiction as a mental illness has allowed experts to develop more effective treatments and sound prevention methods.

A review of available research conducted by the director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), Nora Volkow and colleagues, about addiction as a brain disease was published in the New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM). The goal was to enlighten those who question the brain disease model of addiction. The review of research produced a clear outline supporting the model, and we encourage you to read it in full. Dan L. Longo, M.D. writes:

“Advances in neurobiology have begun to clarify the mechanisms underlying the profound disruptions in decision-making ability and emotional balance displayed by persons with drug addiction. These advances also provide insight into the ways in which fundamental biologic processes, when disrupted, can alter voluntary behavioral control, not just in drug addiction but also in other, related disorders of self-regulation, such as obesity and pathologic gambling and video-gaming — the so-called behavioral addictions.”

A New Year In Recovery

Harmony Foundation would like to wish everyone in recovery a Happy New Year. We hope that everyone made it through the conclusion of the holiday season without picking up a drink or drug – a noteworthy accomplishment to say the least. Arguably, more alcohol is consumed on New Year’s Eve than any other day of the year and it can be difficult to resist the temptations all around.

We hope that everyone took a moment to think about how far you have come in recovery, even if you have only been clean and sober for a short period of time. Everyday sober is a blessing, and is another day of working towards a productive future. On the 1st of the year, it is always wise to reflect upon the people and things in your life for which you are grateful. Even if it is a short list, it will probably consist of more than before you got sober. Living from a place of gratitude is conducive to continue, long term recovery; a goal which every recovering addict and alcoholic strives to achieve – one day at a time.

If you happen to still be active in your addiction, perhaps recovery is a New Year’s resolution you have set for yourself. We would like you to know that breaking the cycle of addiction is possible, and worth it. The holidays can serve as a litmus test, showing you all the people and things that addiction has taken from you. Let 2016 be the year where you start working towards living a life free from drugs and alcohol, and in doing so you will begin to repair the damage of your past. What better time than now, why not start the new year on a sober footing?

While some addicts and alcoholics can begin to recover in the rooms of Alcoholics Anonymous or Narcotics Anonymous from the beginning, others may need extra assistance in starting the process, such as medical detoxification and a safe place away from the ever looming, omnipresent temptations. Long-term residential treatment can provide the setting which will ensure a greater chance of success.

At Harmony Foundation, we can help you begin the journey of recovery. Our affordable, residential addiction treatment program located in the beautiful Rocky Mountains is the perfect environment to start the process of turning your life around. If you or a loved one needs assistance, please contact us as soon as possible.

Putting Recovery First This Christmas

recovery

With Christmas less than a day away, those in recovery should already have a plan in place for navigating through the day without using a drink or a drug. It is important, even if you are traveling, to put your recovery first during the holiday; failing to do so can be dangerous and potentially lead to a relapse. Everyone wants to take part in the festivities, but for those in recovery it is paramount that we make safe and smart decisions. If you are new to recovery then it is always best to run your plan by your sponsor or recovery mentor, they can tell you if your plan is both sound and conducive to recovery.

If you are away from your family or your family is not a part of your life, it is best to make plans with your recovery peers. The people who are in your support network are both your friends and allies, being around them during the holiday will better ensure that you will make it through the day sober. Addicts and alcoholics often want to isolate themselves, especially when they are emotional. However, being alone for a significant amount of time can be a slippery slope that can lead to a relapse.

There will be many 12-step meetings that you can attend tomorrow, and everyone in recovery should make an effort to attend at least one. Attending multiple meetings on a holiday is not uncommon, and if you are having a hard time tomorrow it is wise to go to as many meetings as you need. Even if you are not struggling, it is safe to say that somebody else will be; you may be able to help another work through their problem.

Remember to take a moment tomorrow to reflect on that for which you are grateful. If you are working a program and staying abstinent, then you probably have a lot to be grateful for. It is likely that a number of people helped to you get where you are today, and it can be beneficial for you to let them know how happy you are to have them in your life.

Harmony Foundation would like to wish everyone in recovery a Merry Christmas. Never forget that the hand of recovery is always there for those who reach for it.

Raising Awareness About Addiction

The United States has been faced with a prescription opioid epidemic for a number of years, and just when everyone thought the problem might be getting better, a scourge of heroin abuse reared its ugly head. The use of heroin is at an all time high, and addicts are losing their lives every day.

The disease of addiction does not just affect alcoholics and addicts, it has an impact on the entire family. Years of abusing drugs and alcohol, accompanied by dishonest and deceitful behavior, takes its toll on the parents who have had to watch their loved one self destruct. The hope is that those battling addiction will seek help, and begin a journey down the road of recovery – living a productive life free from all mind altering substances.

Just as active addiction involves the family, so too does recovery. It is important that families take an active role in their loved one’s recovery process. Addicts and alcoholics who have the support of their family have a better chance at achieving long term recovery. Many parents who have been involved in the addiction/recovery process can also help the families whose loved ones are still active in their addiction, by raising awareness.

While the holiday season is a time for friends and families to come together and rejoice, it is also a time to reflect about the things for which we are grateful. For some people, the thing they are most grateful for is their recovery or that of their loved ones. With Christmas right around the corner, countless houses have covered their properties with lights and ornaments, to reflect the spirit of Christmas. One family has decided to use the opportunity to raise awareness about addiction and inform people that there is help available.

Every year, the Kurtz family of Bel Air, MD, puts on a spectacular Christmas light show at their home, but this year they’re using the spectacle to talk about addiction, ABC 2 reports. Jim and Helen Kurtz know all too well about addiction, their daughter Caroline is recovering from heroin addiction.

“We’ve been dealing with our daughter’s drug addiction for a few years now and we thought, we finally became brave enough to put it out there,” said Helen. “It’s a slow road, you know, it’s a road out of hell, but you can get out.”

The Kurtz’s daughter is now doing well, living in a sober living home, according to the article. Caroline’s recovery appears to be the family’s Christmas miracle. She will be joining her family on Christmas Day.

“The one thing we always said was that it could not happen to us,” Jim said. “And that’s the one takeaway you need to be aware of, it can happen to you, addiction can happen to anyone, it’s not choosy about who it happens to.”

 

Motivational Interviewing Combats Opioid Abuse

motivational-interviewing

It is safe to say that prescription opioid addiction, like any substance with the potential for addiction, does not discriminate. The nation has seen opioids take the lives of thousands of people for over a decade, yet patients continue to be prescribed the drugs at unprecedented levels. Part of the problem is that pain needs to be managed, and the drugs that work best happen to be highly addictive. If misused, opioids like oxycodone or hydrocodone can be life threatening.

Unlike the typical stereotypes that often accompany heroin addiction, prescription opioid addicts are often: professionals, mothers, students, productive members of society. Addiction typically stems from an injury that required the use of painkillers. While most people can use a prescription opioid until the pain goes away, there is a large number people who become dependent on such drugs and what was once a method of pain management can quickly become an addiction.

Faced with a prescription opioid addiction epidemic, federal agencies and lawmakers have made it more difficult for prescription opioids to be acquired and abused. In turn, people dependent on the drugs have been forced to look to the street, many of which opt for heroin as a cheaper and stronger opioid.

The American Society of Addiction Medicine (ASAM) reports that prescription opioids:

  • Are abused by 1.9 million Americans.
  • Cause nearly two deaths every hour from overdose or respiratory depression.
  • Almost 75 percent of opioid addiction patients switch to heroin.

The nation’s opioid epidemic happens to coincide with the “Baby Boomers” meeting old age or on the cusp. Naturally, the generation is requiring more frequent medical attention, many of which require pain management. It is believed that more than half of patients being treated for chronic pain misuse their medication at some time, ScienceDaily reports. Fortunately, new research suggests that motivational interviewing (MI), a form of behavioral counseling developed to treat alcohol abuse, may be effective in fighting prescription opioid abuse among aging adults.

“Older adults are at high risk for complications resulting from prescription opioid misuse,” says Chang, PhD, RN, associate professor and interim associate dean for research and scholarship in the University of Buffalo School of Nursing. “As the baby boomer generation ages and more patients are prescribed opioids, abuse is likely to become an even greater problem.”

MI promotes a patient’s desire to change behaviors that may be problematic by:

  • Expressing empathy for what they are going through.
  • Using non-confrontational dialogue
  • Creating a divergence between actual and desired behavior.

Patients 50 years of age and older who had chronic pain and were rated at risk for opioid misuse were examined by researchers, according to the article. The participants underwent MI for one month with counselors, and later received a one month follow-up test. Participants reported an increase in confidence, self-efficacy and motivation to change behavior, and a decline in depression, anxiety and the intensity of chronic pain.

“The Effect of Motivational Interviewing on Prescription Opioid Adherence Among Older Adults With Chronic Pain,” was published in a recent issue of Perspectives in Psychiatric Care.