AHS Views

Why did Wall Street need bail-outs? Would you trust an industry or profession in which 90% of the workers either used cocaine or accepted it? Well, that’s exactly what the Drug Enforcement Agency found in an undercover drug operation in Wall Street. Maybe if more of these guys got the addiction help they need, things in the country would be saner, more ethical and just.

According to a report in the New York Post, “Many of the drug buyers were Wall Street traders, brokers and bankers who liked to spend their nights getting high after the market spent the day going low,” the Post said. They also reported that T.G.I. Friday, a restaurant in New York’s Financial District, was shut down by police after they discovered that the restaurant was linked to cocaine deals.

Another report in The Wall Street Journal said that drug testing revealed cocaine in 7 percent of tests. This is less than it was a few years ago, but employees and counselors on Wall Street said usage hasn’t decreased at all – it’s just that the testing is now announced before it happens. Which, of course, gives anyone the opportunity to stop taking the drugs soon enough to know that they’re not in their system at the time of the test.

In fact, a hiring manager at a major New York bank told a Reuters reporter that “Our drug test is not so much a test of whether you actually take drugs as it is an intelligence test to see if you can figure out how long it takes to get traces of the drug out of your system.”

The director of a local drug rehab facility said they’re ‘crammed’ with Wall Street coke addicts. Several other counselors, in other facilities, said that the Wall Street guys feel they’re entitled to the drugs since they work in a high stress industry. Another counselor said that not much gets done about the drug problem – that as long as someone shows up to work and does their job, they’d have to catch on fire for anyone to decide to do something about it.

Like it or not, the U.S. is pretty much run by Wall Street, along with a handful of multi-billion dollar industries like big pharma – which also have financial gain as their motivation.

In the meantime, the ordinary guy on the street faces the consequences of the financial crises that are caused by the Wall Street drug addicts.

The Wall Street drug problem isn’t new, there have been investigations of one sort or another going on for over 20 years. A lot of people have been arrested, including 114 dealers in the Financial District.

I can well imagine that someone who works on Wall Street doesn’t disclose the fact that they’re on drugs to their family. They probably explain away their symptoms to their wives, husbands, kids, etc., as the consequences of having a stressful job.

Do you live with someone who works on Wall Street? If so, don’t ignore their erratic or unusual behavior. Dig deep, and get them into a drug rehab program. Despite what they think, taking drugs is not making the situation any better. And it will get worse and worse the longer they keep taking them.

Wow. Sometimes I wonder if the people who come up with drugs to help combat drug addiction aren’t taking drugs themselves. First there was methadone, an unprecedented failure. Then several others were suggested. Now, we have the latest – a drug known as Propranolol that allegedly helps combat cocaine addiction by preventing the addict from being able to recall cocaine-related memories. The idea being that if you can’t remember how good it felt to be on cocaine, then you wouldn’t want it anymore. Anyone who knows anything about real addiction help, knows that this is not the answer.

But Propranolol is not simply going to fail; it could also cause serious medical problems. For example, here’s a list of the side effects of Propranolol.

• Dizziness

• Lightheadedness

• Nausea/vomiting

• stomach pain

• vision changes
• trouble sleeping

• ‘unusual’ dreams
• may reduce blood flow to your hands and feet, causing them to feel cold. Warnings say that smoking tobacco may worsen this effect and caution users to dress warmly and avoid tobacco use.
• shortness of breath
• blue fingers and toes

• swelling of the ankles and feet
• mental or mood changes like depression
• numbness and/or tingling of arms and/or legs
• very slow heartbeat

• fainting
• decreased sexual ability
• unexplained or sudden weight gain
• increased thirst and/or urination
• easy bruising or bleeding
• signs of infection like fever or persistent sore throat)
• aching/swollen joints
• rash

• itching or swelling (especially of the face/tongue/throat)
• severe dizziness
• trouble breathing

The manufacturers make it clear that the above is not a complete list of side effects – you know, anything could happen, they’re just not sure.

Also, people who take Propranolol are warned that if you stop taking the drug without first consulting your doctor and having the doctor oversee your withdrawal, you may also experience chest pain (angina) or heart disease of various sorts and high blood pressure.

You are also advised to temporarily stop physical activity when you stop taking the drug because you might strain your heart. And you should see a doctor immediately if you have worsening chest pain, tightness or pressure in the chest, chest pain spreading to the jaw, neck, or arm, unusual sweating, trouble breathing, or if you have a fast or irregular heartbeat.

Surely anyone reading that list would prefer addiction help services that actually get the person off the drug.

A successful drug rehab program includes:

• Getting the person withdrawn from cocaine safely.
• Discovering and addressing the issues that caused the person to get into drugs in the first place.
• Improving overall health and getting rid of the debilitating effects drug use has had on the body.
• Assessing the person’s home environment and lifestyle – and everything that goes with it – to determine what will be needed to resist temptation if it comes along.
• An available counselor that will help the person re-integrate into society and remain drug-free.

They come out of it happier, healthier, free of drugs, able to get back to leading a productive life – no comparison to what happens when taking Propranolol.

According to the study on Propranolol, done on mice, about 80 percent of people trying to quit cocaine relapse within six months. Why? Certainly it’s not because of Propranolol deficiency, and it’s not because they remembered how good it felt to be on cocaine or any other drug.

Relapse is primarily caused by doing a drug rehab program that does not do all the steps above. In fact, that’s what drug addicts need to really be able to change their lives.

To think that all it would take is another drug – and a dangerous one at that – is foolhardy. Don’t fall for it. If you know of someone with a cocaine problem, get them into drug rehab. And if they’ve already been in drug rehab, look for a better program. A long-term residential program that really does address all the elements of drug addiction.

After adopting four of the eight children borne by a crack addict in Los Angeles, Barbara Harris started a charity designed to prevent addicts from getting pregnant. It’s the harm reduction end of things – not as good as the mother’s getting the addiction help they need, but it is certainly best for the babies.

What happens to the kids of crack addicts? Check out these scenarios from the Do It Now Foundation:

A baby girl is born in Boston, three months early. She weighs less than three pounds, and clings to life through a tangle of tubes and wires that provide what her mother cannot-intensive care.

A five-year-old in Los Angeles bounces from foster home to foster home, wearing down would-be caregivers with his outbursts. When things don’t go his way, he kicks, screams, rips at his hair, and bangs his head on walls.

A girl is found dead in a New York apartment. Her neck is broken, but she also has a broken arm, cuts and bruises on her face, and welts on her buttocks. She was five years old.

Her nine-year-old brother was luckier, but only a little. Police found him in a closet, with both legs — and eight other bones — broken. Covered with bruises, he was hiding from the monsters who hurt him — his crack-addicted parents.

Are these extreme scenarios? Perhaps. But no matter what the scenario, it’s never pretty.

So why don’t the parents of these kids use birth control?

“I’ve spoken to many over the years and asked them why they don’t use birth control and they’ve told me that all they’re thinking about is getting high and how they’re going to do that,” Ms. Harris told a reporter.

Consequently, she’s paying them to use birth control.

If someone you care about is on drugs, get them into drug rehab now. Every day they’re on drugs risks their lives, and the lives of their children – even those not yet born.

One of the MPs (Members of Parliament) in England is suggesting that the war on heroin and cocaine – on drug dealers – be won by making heroin and cocaine available by prescription from doctors. It is hoped that the dealers won’t be able to stay in business and, consequently, the drug scene will cool off.

Okay, that may help part of the problem. But it’s a very ‘if you can’t beat ‘em join ‘em’ solution. It’s like discovering that certain chemicals babies come into frequent contact with are harming them and, instead of tackling industry with it’s powerful lobbyists, vested interests and unlimited funding, you change the law to make poisoning babies legal.

So what would the consequences be of making heroin and cocaine available by prescription? Would England be free of drug dealers? I don’t think so. Why? To name just a couple of things that make it impractical:

1. A lot of people wouldn’t want to admit they’re using heroin or cocaine – don’t want the family to know, might endanger their job, reputation, and so on – so they would go to a dealer, not a doctor.

2. There are a lot of drugs out there other than cocaine and heroin. Do we also make club drugs and methamphetamine available by prescription? If not, the dealers stay in business.

3. Addicts would have to be prepared to get a lecture on getting into drug rehab every time they went to re-fill their prescription. But not every addict will put up with that. At least, I would HOPE they’d get someone continually trying to get them off drugs. Maybe they’ll just do the same as they’ve done with methadone – just park them on heroin and leave them there.

Overall, not the best scenario.

And let’s not even discuss the fact that heroin and cocaine would probably then be manufactured and supplied by Big Pharma – even further solidifying the drug industry’s hold on the world. Wouldn’t they love to get their hands on that market? They’re already probably doubling he profits made on things like Oxycontin just because of having to re-supply hospitals and pharmacies that get their goods stolen. And then there are the God-knows-how-many people who are getting their Oxy from several docs so they can resell them on the street – those supplies have to be restocked too. Really, Big Pharma’s got to be raking in as much on the illegal use of Oxy as on the legal.

No doubt there would also be considerable oppression on the addiction help industry if Big Pharma supplied the drugs. Nothing is quite as important to Big Pharma as profits.

If it came down to making drugs legal or making them available by prescription, I think I would opt for making them legal. How about you?

Crack-cocaine headlines aren’t as prevalent as they used to be, or as other drug headlines (like meth and marijuana), but nevertheless, they do appear from time to time. I came across one this week, that caught my eye, about a couple of crack-cocaine addicts who made a very bad move. In fact, it was deadly.

A 33 year old crack-cocaine addict and a 25 year old buddy of his found themselves wanting more of the drug, but had no money. They hatched a plan. They decided to set up a drug deal with a crack-cocaine dealer, but instead of paying the dealer, they would just steal the drugs. Easy enough, right?
They had a gun and set up the meeting. One way or another, the plan must have failed, because the drug dealer wound up dead. He was shot and killed.

The two men went on trial this week and the outcome was grim. The 33 year old trigger man will spend the next 40 years in prison for second degree murder. The younger man will also get prison time, 15 years for being an accessory after the fact.

These are young men! My first thought is, would any of this have happened if it weren’t for their addiction to crack-cocaine? This life of crime, eventually spiraling to murder… We won’t ever know, but I’d venture to guess that their lives would be much better if it weren’t for the drugs. And, to top it off, they’re going to spend their young adult lives in prison.

Drugs don’t have to be smoked, snorted or injected to cause tragedy and death. The violence that people cause because of them, can accomplish that. And, unfortunately these two young men will probably never know a normal life because of them.

If you know someone who has a drug problem, get them addiction help! Call today and we will help them find a a drug rehab as soon as possible. It could not only save their life, but the lives of anyone who crosses their path as well.

Lady Gaga, an American pop-star, has topped music charts and created controversy over some of her fairly risqué song topics and videos. She’s definitely got quite a following of fans, some of whom are younger girls who hear her music on radio stations around the US or buy her cds.
She recently did a photo shoot and feature article for Vanity Fair Magazine, which she’ll grace the cover of, for the September issue. In the article, she talked about her life and the drug abuse that went on, before becoming a household name. She also mentioned that she’s an “occasional” cocaine user.

She stressed the word occasional and clarified by saying it was only “a couple of times a year”.  She’s terrified of heroin, but occasionally using cocaine as if it’s no big deal.

In the article, after mentioning the cocaine, she went on to say that she didn’t condone drug abuse and would want her fans not to follow a path to disaster (drug addiction). Ok, what planet is this girl from? She knows she’s got a huge following of young, impressionable girls who tend to mimic super-star behavior. Stating that you do a little cocaine here and there is not anywhere close to being role model material. And perhaps she’s not trying to be a role model, but still, she must know that this isn’t good.

There are so many stars out there who think they’re above the law. Who think that they can do anything they want and there won’t be any major consequences because of wealth and fame. Look at Lindsay Lohan for goodness sake!

These celebrities are real people like you and me. Some of them have drug issues like any regular person can have. It appears that Lady Gaga could use some addiction help services. How often can someone “occasionally” use cocaine and not ever have any negative consequences? It could wind up being tragic!

Every day I see articles telling parents to discuss drugs with their children if they want them to stay drug-free. Statistics show that kids whose parents talk to them about drugs are 50% less like to take them. But often parents don’t know what to say and, because of that, don’t talk to them about the subject at all.

Really, all that’s really necessary is to educate your kids. Do a little research and find out about drugs yourself – that’s the first step. Do an Internet search for information on methamphetamine, heroin, cocaine, MDMA, and marijuana to start with, and then find out about prescription drugs. There are many prescription drugs to watch out for – any tranquilizers, sedatives, sleeping pills, antidepressants, painkillers, ADD and ADHD drugs like Ritalin and Adderall (they’re similar to methamphetamine and cocaine) are very common.

Find out how they work and their side effects. You can also read stories and articles about drug addicts, or former drug addicts, and find out how drugs have affected their lives.

Once you know a little about it yourself, talk to your kids.

If you start when they’re really young – they may be offered drugs in the schoolyard or by a friend by the time they’re 8 or 10 – they’ll know that drugs are very dangerous and they’ll refuse to take them. Or, at least, there’s a 50% chance they’ll refuse. Not a guarantee – but better than the chances if they don’t know what they’re getting into.

Start by bringing it up in conversations when the opportunity presents itself – during a TV show, a commercial about drugs, when seeing someone on the street who is homeless and might be on drugs, and so on. Or take the time to teach them about their body and how it works, and fit it in there. 

If your kids are a little older, it would be a good idea to have a sitdown for the express purpose of teaching them about drugs.

Some parents think their kids will never get on drugs so they don’t take the time to do this education. But kids from all walks of life, even great kids who seem close to perfect, try them all the time. No one is immune.

Many parents don’t find out their kids are taking drugs until they’re already at the point of needing addiction help. Opening up the subject through education early on will help prevent that and, if they do experiment, they’re also more likely to be willing to talk about it so you can nip it in the bud.

I recently had occasion to meet one of the major marketing people for perhaps the best-known energy drink. More caffeine than about 10 cups of coffee in one little can. She confessed to having been wired on this stuff – but said she’s now down to about 6 cans a day. I don’t know the stats on her drink specifically but, for some of them, that’s the equivalent of about 64 cans of coke. A day. What are the possibilities of this leading to taking drugs?

Caffeine is addictive, although it doesn’t produce anywhere near the serious side effects of drugs when you try to get off it, but I wonder how many people who drink energy drinks in these amounts wind up getting into drugs. When you’ve had that much false energy pumped into your body, you’ve got to feel drained and lifeless when you stop drinking it – which opens the door to saying yes to a little ’pick-me-up’ offered by a friend. A pick-me-up that might include methamphetamine, cocaine, or one of the many meth-type prescription drugs that help keep you awake.

According to some research, energy drinks might well be gateway drugs. Roland Griffiths, one of the authors of a Johns Hopkins Medical Institution study on caffeine intoxication, said there is evidence that energy drinks are gateway drugs. He suggested that the drinks should have FDA warning labels – not about the gateway drug end of things, but about the possibility of caffeine intoxication.

One of the commenters laughed at this – said if the FDA was going to put warnings on energy drinks they should also put warnings on Coca Cola, pointing out that the name came from COKE – i.e. cocaine. But it hasn’t contained cocaine since 1929, so no need for the FDA to do that. I hope the commenter isn’t disappointed to find that out.

Personally, I would see a kid drinking a lot of energy drinks as a warning sign. Either there’s something physically wrong with the person – so they need energy desperately – or they’re wired. Or they’re just stupid. In which case, I’d definitely be worried since there’s a much better chance of them saying yes to an offer of a little pill that will create the same effect. Maybe someone will give them a Ritalin or Adderall. Especially if it’s a college kid trying to stay awake or using ‘study drugs’ (speed) to focus.

When a person does one thing that’s harmful to their body, they’re more likely to do another. And it could get them in a lot of trouble. Including the eventually need for addiction help.

My advice? Check into it. 

More about what happens with drugs in college. Susan Smith (not her real name) grew up in a normal, loving, educated family. She was a girl scout, mom lead a troup. A great life. Then she went to college – she was going to be a social worker – which is where she started drinking, smoking marijuana, and using cocaine.  After a year and a half she got some addiction help but, although she stopped using cocaine, continue alcohol and marijuana. I would definitely say the addiction help she got was inadequate. If it had been thorough, she wouldn’t have continued with alcohol and marijuana.

Obviously, her college education didn’t quite turn out to be what she’d hoped. She now a cosmetologist, 48 years old, and is once again getting addiction help to stop using cocaine – she’s been on it again for the last six years.  Her habit cost her $200 – $300 a day.

This story has a relatively good ending, so far. She’s still alive, and she’s getting the addiction help services she needs. But, her life, I’m sure, was far different than she had planned. 

Here’s the story of a narcotics officer who spent his work hours battling the drug problem and then went home to the same thing – his sister was also fighting her own personal battle with drug addiction. Their mother bailed her out of jail more than once, and bought her stories. Finally, because of her brother, the cop, she went to jail. For her, that was the beginning of the drug addiction help she needed. He calls it tough love.

If you can get someone to get the drug addiction help they need before they get in trouble with the law, that would obviously be a better alternative. But when it comes right down to it, if the choice was to let them continue to take drugs or put them in jail, jail would probably be safer. And even though jails don’t necessarily offer drug addiction help – other than, in most cases, to keep the person away from drugs – at least the person will get off them.

However, when they get out, they’re still likely to need drug addiction help services of some sort to ensure they don’t start taking them again.  Would you be willing to put someone you care about in jail rather than seeing them continue to take drugs.

By the way, if you’ve tried to convince someone to get addiction help and have been unsuccessful, you might also consider intervention.