Monthly Archives: June 2008

Cheese addict ready for new life

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Cheese heroin made its debut in northern Dallas in 2005 and stunned many with its price: $2 a dose.

It eventually spread to other areas of Dallas and the suburbs. As the drug proliferated, the number of victims rose.

The epidemic abated a little last year, and the number of arrests fell from 142 in 2006-07 to 57 in 2007-08, according to Dallas Independent School District police.

“Most of our arrests this year were because we got information from other students about people there at school bringing this stuff to school,” said Gary Hodges, assistant chief of police for DISD. “That’s the way we found out about it. The students are trying to clean up their own campuses.” Cheese heroin made its debut in northern Dallas in 2005 and stunned many with its price: $2 a dose.

Teen who overcame ‘cheese’ addiction ready for new life after graduation | Dallas Morning News | News for Dallas, Texas | News: Education

Why the prejudice, anyway?

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I was writing something else a few minutes ago, and an idea crossed my mind that I hadn’t ever before considered carefully.

It’s clear to me from talking to people in recovery, especially early recovery, that many of us have resentments about the misinformation and outright prejudice that still seem to exist regarding alcoholism and addiction. I don’t have to run through a litany of the things some of the Earth People believe about us — you know the list by heart. What just occurred to me, though, is a possible reason for those prejudices. Sometimes I’m sort of slow, but since it’s possible there are others out there who are occasionally sub-par in the velocity department, I thought I’d comment on my brainstorm. Continue reading →

Earth People

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An appreciative client just came by and dropped off a 750 of 12-year-old single malt whiskey. I gave it to a co-worker who drinks, and my biggest problem was choosing who to give it to.

Amazing, though, how people assume that booze is always a welcome gift. I guess drinkers think it would be, and Earth People never think about it one way or the other…it’s just a nice thing to do. And it was, and I appreciate it. My co-worker will, too. I just hope he doesn’t waste it on the rocks with soda.

Someone once asked me how the term Earth People came to be used Continue reading →

Risk and Substance Use: The Impact of Drug Laws

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“We prohibit a “bad” drug on the rationale that it is dangerous, and then construct social policies that assure high risks related to the drug’s use. …”

In essence, technology is being withheld in order to keep the risk of prohibited drug use high, in the hope it will deter use. This is morally wrong. The price of this approach is that people contract disease and die not because of the drug, but because of the social policy that prevents society from reducing risks associated with its use.
the prof speaks out: Risk and Substance Use: The Impact of Drug Laws

Citizen’s Self-Arrest Form

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A proposition has been announced recently to help reduce the deficit and to “Take A Bite Out Of Crime.” If you witness a crime, it is your civic duty to report the crime to the police. When a crime is committed, you have the right to make a “Citizen’s Arrest”. Thus, if YOU commit a crime, it would be extremely helpful for you to perform a Citizen’s Self-Arrest. Fill out the form, to complete your Citizen’s Self-Arrest.
Citizen’s Self-Arrest Form

So how come Georgia is so far ahead of Florida in crime-fighting?

Prince William to join Caribbean drug patrols

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London.– Prince William is to patrol for drug smugglers in Caribbean seas during a two-month attachment with the Royal Navy, it said Saturday. William, the 25-year-old second-in-line to the throne, will begin his naval deployment on Monday.

The prince is an officer in the army but is also training with other parts of the British military, of which he would be commander-in-chief when he becomes king.
Prince William to join Caribbean drug patrols – DominicanToday.com

A few comments about the upcoming election

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Our 12-step programs, without exception, have some tradition or other guideline that states that they have no opinion on outside issues, since such things would interfere with their primary purpose of carrying the message.

That’s as it should be. Can you imagine an NA, AA or AlAnon meeting if a political discussion were to get started and be permitted to continue? It’s been my experience that very few folks in the rooms are middle-of-the-road sorts, and I’ll bet it would get really exciting, really fast, and the resentments would be flying in no time!

I don’t care to get involved in such things on this blog, either. However, there are a couple of personal opinions that I would like to voice (since it’s by blog), based on observations made during my time in recovery and for some time before. They are simply my opinions, nothing else. Continue reading →

The Stockbroker and the Proctologist

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June 10th is the 73rd anniversary of the meeting of a stockbroker from New York, only a few months sober and fearful of drinking, and a drunken proctologist from Akron, Ohio.

Dr. Bob Smith and Bill Wilson

William Wilson—Bill W., to generations of alcoholics—had tried to stop drinking for many years. Continue reading →

Obama and McCain: Where They Stand on Addiction Issues

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Based on their records, neither John McCain or Barack Obama can really be considered a leader in the drug-policy arena. Still, both appear to have a broader and more nuanced understanding of addiction issues than their White House predecessor, and William Cope Moyers, vice president of external affairs at Hazelden, says that he has “never been more hopeful that addiction treatment will begin to get the attention it deserves, because we at least have two candidates who are aware of the issue.”

Obama and McCain: Where They Stand on Addiction Issues

Why mobile phone addiction is bad for kids

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The first study was conducted by researchers at Sweden’s Sahlgren Academy, who found that adolescents who made more than 15 phone calls and sent more than 15 text messages in a day not only slept poorly, but when compared to kids who made did the same less than five times a day, they were also leading more careless lifestyles, including spending more time on their computers, drinking more alcohol and caffeinated drinks.

The second study was conducted in the US by Fred Danner at the University of Kentucky. He found that teens who were addicted to their phones slept less than eight hours a night, and as a result got poorer marks at school.

Why mobile phone addiction is bad for kids- Healthcare-Healthcare / Biotech-News By Industry-News-The Economic Times

So, do kids who lack self-control use their time less wisely, or does mobile phone use cause lack of self-control? I know where my bet is.

A Few Remarks on AA’s Birthday

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Every recovering person in a 12-step program has good reason to stop and reflect, on Tuesday, about the fortuitous meeting of Bill W. and Dr. Bob, and all it has meant to four generations of alcoholics and the members of every other group based on the 12 steps.

The Eleventh of those 12 begins, “Sought through prayer and meditation….” Well, here’s something to meditate on: what if Bill had gone into the hotel bar that night in Akron and plunked his butt down on a bar stool, instead of making a phone call?

Hmmmmm? Where would your butt be now?
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I’ve been hanging out over at The Second Road lately. I’ll be blogging regularly for them — and so are a bunch of other folks with some good things to say (some of them with names you may have heard elsewhere). Why not drop in, look the place over and, if you like what you see, sign up to be a part of a newly-formed support community? Great things will be happening. Come and see for yourself.