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Hawaii’s Bill 150 Following Colorado’s Amendment 64

Posted on by Christy Weeks

Colorado has been in the spotlight in recent months since Amendment 64 was passed last November and it seems that Colorado’s passage of this has prompted Hawaii to follow suit.

Last week, the Hawaiian Speaker of the House Joseph Souku introduced a bill to legalize marijuana for people over the age of 21 via tax-regulated sales of the drug. The Bill, known as House Bill 150 would be similar to Colorado’s Amendment 64 allowing adults to possess up to an ounce of marijuana. However, where the Colorado bill limits the number of plants one can grow, the Hawaiian bill proposed no specified limit.

House Bill 150 comes as no surprise to many – as Hawaii has always been keen on marijuana legalization and has allowed it for medical use since 2000. Even in November 2008, Hawaiians passed a ballot that made the enforcement of marijuana laws the lowest level priority for Hawaiian police and prosecutors who, like Obama, touted that they had “bigger fish to fry.”

So far the House Bill has been favored, having passed the first reading it is now on its way to committee. Similar to the proponents of Colorado’s Amendment 64, Hawaiians like Mason Tvert of the Marijuana Policy Project are pushing for the passage of this bill because of the proposed marijuana taxes that will generate nice revenue for the state.

Often following proposed marijuana policies are those that voice concern over marijuana abuse and dependence. This has been making headlines in Colorado since November, with University of Colorado in Boulder students dosing their professors with pot brownies to teens being exposed to marijuana at school.

As with any drug, greater access means greater risk of dependence and provisions like Amendment 64 and House Bill 150 prompt addiction treatment centers like Harmony Foundation in Colorado to publicize and let communities know about their programs and services for those with marijuana dependence.

Harmony Foundation is an affordable addiction treatment center in Colorado that can help men and women recover from addictive disorders such as marijuana dependence. 

New Phone App to Report Drunk Drivers

Posted on by Christy Weeks

A blog post earlier this month exhibited the rate of drunk driving in Colorado and the volume of DUI arrests on New Years Eve alone in the state. Drunk driving is an extensive problem, causing over 10,000 deaths in the US each year.

That is why several states have augmented their campaigns calling upon the public to report drivers whom they suspect to be drunk. To hone in on this point, the DUI Foundation states, “Witnessing a drunk driver entering a vehicle, or seeing a possible drunk driver passing you on the roadway and not making the effort to report the incident is tantamount to refusing to call for help after seeing a loaded gun pointed at someone’s head.“

Reporting suspects and getting drunk drivers off the road undoubtedly saves lives and authorities say that thousands of drunk drivers are intervened upon through anonymous tips. Because of this success, states have enacted laws and programs to reduce the large percentage of alcohol related deaths through citizen reporting campaigns. These campaigns ordain specific community members to report suspected DUI offenders in their neighborhoods and call upon the public writ large to report those exhibiting signs of impairment. For example, according to the Colorado State Patrol, impaired drivers are those who are:

1. Appearing to be drunk (e.g. eye fixation, face close to windshield, drinking in the vehicle.)
2. Turning with a wide radius
3. Almost striking an object or car
4. Weaving, swerving or drifting
5. Driving significantly under the speed limit for no obvious reason
6. Braking erratically or stopping without cause
7. Accelerating rapidly
8. Tailgating
9. Straddling the center of the lane or driving with the left tires on the center line
10. Responding slowly to traffic signals
11. Turning abruptly or illegally
12. Driving at night with headlights off

If you see someone driving like this in Colorado, the State Patrol encourages you to call Star-DUI (*384) or Star-CSP (*277). However, if these signs are evident it is not always easy to catch the license plate number without risking your own driving by not paying attention to the road. That is why Frank Vahid, a computer science professor at the University of California, Riverside created an Android phone application called “DuiCam” that makes it easier to report drunk drivers.

The application is free and has already had over 1000 downloads. Vahid has observed and reported numerous drunk drivers and drunk driving accidents – often to no avail because he wasn’t able to get the full license plate numbers. “That’s why I was thinking it would be helpful to have a device that’s always recording what’s in front of the car” he said – and the DuiCam does exactly that. To use the application, Drivers mount the phones on the front of their cars when they see a driver that may be under the influence. After they capture a video of the car they can replay it and zoom in on the license plates and report the information to the police. The application can be found and downloaded at DuiCam.org.

A lofty percentage of those who drive while impaired have alcohol dependency or suffer from alcoholism. If you are concerned for your own or a loved one’s alcohol consumption or impaired driving, Harmony Foundation has alcoholism treatment in Colorado that can help.

Driving Drunk into the New Year in Colorado

Posted on by Christy Weeks

The Atlantic reported last week on drunk driving throughout the US by looking at the rates of fatal car crashes between 2001 and 2010 for the 25 most populated cities. Surprisingly, Colorado had some of the highest rates. In Denver, CO 54.2 % of fatal car accidents involved intoxication making it the only major US city where more than half fall into this category. Looking at less populated cities, both Colorado Springs and Lakewood were among the highest in which fatal crashes involved alcohol more often than not with 54.1% and 52.5% respectively.

This report came out just after New Years Day when the Denver Post reported that 81 people across the state started their New Year off with an arrest for driving under the influence. However, Col. James Woldinbarger the chief of the Colorado State Patrol stated “Fortunately, none of our Troopers had to knock on a door during the holiday weekend to tell a family that one of their loved ones was killed in a drunk-driving crash” and added, “On behalf of all Coloradans and those who use our roadways, please make the resolutions to plan ahead, designate a sober driver, and never drink and drive.”

Colorado has stricter laws on drunk driving compared to other states, including an implied consent law. This means that if someone refuses to submit a chemical test (i.e. breathalyzer or other), they are subject to an automatic license suspension of a year and fines up to $1000. For a first time drunk driving conviction an offender faces up to a year in prison, a 9-month suspension of their license and fines also up to $1000. Colorado also has a special law called “Driving While Ability Impaired” or DWAI that makes it illegal to drive with a blood alcohol content (BAC) of 0.05% whereas most states prohibits people from driving with a BAC of 0.08% and above. And all these convictions get exceedingly more stringent with multiple offenses.

Hopefully a combination of personal New Year’s resolutions to plan ahead, as Col. Woldinbarger suggested, and the strict DUI laws across the state will put a dent in the high rate of drunk driving across the state. Often, when an offender seeks treatment for alcoholism in Colorado they are able get their sentencing reduced. A large percentage of those convicted of drunk driving have alcohol dependency issues and use their conviction as a wake up call and begin to address their drinking problem. If you have been convicted of a DUI or are concerned about your drunk driving and alcohol consumption, Harmony Foundation is Estes Park, CO offers affordable alcohol treatment  in a private environment.

New Year’s Resolutions, Perfectionism and Addiction

Posted on by Christy Weeks

The link between perfectionism and addiction has been well studied and documented. Many who struggle with addiction also struggle with perfectionism. This is because those with perfectionism have constant feelings of shame and guilt over not living up to their own unrealistic expectations. Self-esteem is gained through having realistic expectations of oneself, and if those expectations are too high, self-esteem plummets at each failed attempt at being “perfect.”

Perfectionism and addiction are closely associated in a few obvious ways. First, the shame and guilt associated with failed attempts at being perfect often results in self-defeating behaviors such as abusing drugs and alcohol to overcome the feelings associated with not being good enough. Second, perfectionists often use the all-or-nothing approach to life and this translates into their relationship with substances. They either consume fully or not at all.

When addicts and alcoholics go to addiction treatment and get sober, they learn that they have to abstain from all mind and mood altering substances. This coincides well with their perfectionistic tendencies, but can be detrimental to someone who has had a relapse. For example, if an addict with a streak of perfectionism experiences a slip, they often plunge back into full-blown addiction because they have already imperfected their sobriety. The thought pattern is often “I have already messed up, so I might as well keep going.” In other words, when they have become imperfect, they perfect their imperfection by plunging fully into drug or alcohol use because they believe they have already ruined everything. This is often seen among smokers, drugs addicts, alcoholics and those with food addictions and eating disorders. One small slip and they continue consume as they did in full-blown addiction before drug and alcohol treatment.

The key to overcoming this is awareness of one’s own perfectionism and learning how to set realistic expectations of oneself. If there is a slip, it can be quarantined to that particular slip by forgiving oneself rather than the self punishing tendency to ruin it all and go full throttle back into the addiction. By setting realistic expectations of oneself and therefore improving self-esteem, addicts and alcoholics can use their perfectionism to support their recovery rather than sabotage it.

This can start with New Year’s resolutions. Rather than setting hard to achieve, all-or-nothing goals, they can set softer goals with mechanisms built in to refresh the resolutions at any moment. For example, setting a New Year’s resolution to quit smoking or engage in more active 12-step service are viable. But if there is a slip one day, the resolution itself shouldn’t become null and void. This is why “one day at a time” is such a useful recovery tool. The next day is a new day, a new time to re-set the goal, a new opportunity to remain abstinent from any substance or behavior – whether it is officially New Years Day or not.

Pot Brownies in Schools, Youth at Risk of Marijuana Dependence

Posted on by Christy Weeks

There have been several concerns about marijuana regulation and its impact on youth since Amendment 64 was passed in November. Since then, several stories have emerged about marijuana ending up in schools where kids and young adults were exposed to pot brownies.

In a Colorado Springs middle school, a 14-year-old student was hospitalized after she consumed a pot brownie. The student who gave it to her got it from adults off campus and was arrested for distribution. Nanette Anderson, a representative with the school district said this was the first time she had seen an incident like this. She asserted that the school will follow the same school policies regarding illegal substances and that Colorado’s new marijuana law does not change her school’s position.

Although the student who was hospitalized knowingly consumed the pot-laced brownie, cases are arising where people are unknowingly consuming marijuana from students offering brownies as a prank. Two students at the University of Colorado in Boulder were also arrested for giving their professor and two other students a pot laced brownie without their knowledge. Both the professor and students were hospitalized from the effects of the THC – which likely included panic from having been drugged unknowingly.

Authorities speculate that these cases are just a micro-indicator of what will occur without tough marijuana regulation throughout the state. The concern is mainly for children, teens, and young adults as Sgt. Jim Gerhardt with the North Metro Drug Task Force stated, “We’ve seen children infant age that have been getting into this stuff and hospitalized, and this has been under medical marijuana. I can’t imagine how bad it’s going to get with full blown legalization.”

Addiction treatment centers in Colorado are also expecting a rise in the number of admissions they see for marijuana dependence because it is already one of the most common addictions seen among teens and young adults. And the volume of youth addicted to marijuana may grow because they may be more likely to try drugs that come in innocent forms such as brownies and cookies, then say, needles or pipes. Treatment for marijuana dependence at an early age is crucial because using substances early on increases the incidence of addiction and dependence later on in life.

Drug treatment for young adults and teens is also vital because the brain isn’t fully developed until the age of 25. A recent article published by Medical Express showed that use of drugs and alcohol before the brain is fully developed could have lasting detrimental effects. The article revealed that functional signs of brain damage from abuse include “visual, learning, memory and executive function impairments. These functions are controlled by the hippocampus and frontal structures of the brain, which are not fully mature until around 25 years of age.”

If you are concerned for a loved with a with marijuana dependence, Harmony Foundation’s reputable Colorado drug rehab has addiction programs for young adults and adults that help them become free of marijuana addiction and dependence.

New Harmony Mobile Application aids Recovery

Posted on by Christy Weeks

Mobile Application for Addiction To ring in the New Year, Harmony Foundation’s Colorado drug and alcohol rehab will launch a new mobile phone application that will serve as a tool to aid clients in their addiction recovery process. Marvin Ventrell, Director of Community and Alumni Relations explains, “This App is a new tool that makes it possible to provide meaningful, continuous, and real-time help to recovering clients, long after they leave our campus. It is particularly well-suited to younger, technologically engaged clients who tend to need longer care.”

The app will work on both iPhone and Android platforms, allowing clients to record their recovery progress and receive immediate feedback from Harmony’s clinical staff. The app will even notify clients when they haven’t updated their progress or condition as a way to check in with clients and provide advice or additional services if indicated.

While in treatment, clients have a full schedule of group therapy, individual therapy, therapeutic assignments, 12 step meetings and educational workshops. Routine is a vital component to addiction treatment because it aids the recovery process through instilling accountability and responsibility. When clients leave treatment, some of the ingrained routines drop off, which is why aftercare is essential to long term recovery.

While there isn’t a one size fits all approach to aftercare, activities such as 12 step meeting attendance, therapy, fellowship, journaling and service all facilitate the recovery process. Many find that important facets of life begin to fill up their daily schedules such as restored relationships and professional endeavors. This can make balancing time between life events and recovery challenging. Harmony Foundation hopes to lessen that challenge by providing a quick and convenient tool for clients to track their recovery and get feedback at the tips of their fingers – literally. The app serves as a gentle reminder if a client has, for example, not been to a meeting for a while or has let other things take precedent over their recovery.

It is said that recovery should come first, as it is tantamount to all other aspects of life functioning properly. Without recovery, one may not have the rich relationships or jobs that come easy to many after getting sober. By providing an app as yet another tool to help clients stay sober, Harmony’s Colorado rehab provides an innovative, unmatched way for clients to find it easier to put their recovery first.

Marvin Ventrell and Harmony CEO Dot Dorman will present the Harmony App Program to industry professionals at the National Association of Addiction Treatment Providers Annual Conference in San Antonio, TX on May 19, 2013 and the 39th Advanced International Winter Symposium on Addictive Disorders in Colorado Springs, CO on January 28, 2013.

Spice Addiction Taking a Toll on Young Adult Men

Posted on by Christy Weeks

According to SAMHSA, young men are the most affected by the dangers of synthetic drug abuse. Their recently published study revealed that in 2010 there were 11,406 emergency room visits related to the use of synthetic marijuana, or “spice.” Of those admitted, 78% were men between the ages of 12 and 29.

Young men are susceptible to using synthetic drugs because they are lower cost than other drugs, and until recent crack- downs they were widely accessible in local head shops and specialty tobacco shops and legal. The danger of these drugs is in their branding, as the package touts that they are natural and herbal and many associate herbal remedies with concoctions that are good for their bodies. The branding, legality and accessibility likely caused impressionable young men to overindulge in a drug clothed as being natural and herbal and therefore associated as safe. However, the amount of hospitalizations from the mental and physical tolls of these drugs proves otherwise, prompting US drug top administrator Gil Kerlikowske to assert, “Make no mistake—the use of synthetic cannabinoids can cause serious, lasting damage, particularly in young people.”

The serious damage synthetic drugs can cause is well known and has made national news several times in the past few years. The first demographic to greatly indulge in synthetic drugs were young men already in addiction treatment programs that used them to beat drug tests because the drugs were marketed as “drug test safe.” This was in 2010 when there wasn’t a way to test for synthetic drugs, making them very popular because young adults could still get kudos for staying “clean” in drug treatment whilst using and getting high.

The importance of combating addiction beginning at a young age is clear – young adults have the rest of their lives ahead of them and endless opportunities to excel. The use of drugs in young adulthood can rob men and women of a college education, building healthy relationships starting their careers and what older adults coin “the best time of their lives.” It is heartbreaking to see young adults addicted to any drug – but synthetic drugs are particularly disturbing because they seem to take a significant mental toll, leading to brutal violence and even psychosis. For young adults to recover, it takes a special awareness of their needs and pressures they face. That is why at Harmony Foundation we have created a specialty drug treatment program for young adults called YART (Young Adult Recovery Track) to help them fulfill all of the hopes and dreams available to them, so that they can indeed enjoy the best part of their lives.

If you are a young adult or you are concerned about the synthetic drug use of a young adult, Harmony Foundation has addiction treatment programs tailored to meet the needs of all age groups and substance abuse disorders.

Gratitude and Addiction Recovery

Posted on by Christy Weeks

The month of November is “gratitude month” whereby people indicate one thing they are grateful for every day of the month. The volume of people thinking about what they are grateful for has seemingly grown with the advent of social media – when friends see their friends posting about what they are grateful for on Facebook, it prompts them to do the same.

In addiction treatment programs and 12 step programs, gratitude is one of the many cornerstones that help people recover. Everyday people are encouraged to think about what they are grateful for and the simple praise for not picking up a drug or a drink each day goes a long way. After all, many in recovery can recall a time when they had no choice, when each day they tried to abstain from abusing their substance of choice but by nightfall they were in the grips of addiction yet again. Being able to go even just one day without succumbing to one’s addiction is a lot to be grateful for.

Drug and alcohol rehab and 12 Step programs engrain gratitude within those recovering because it becomes the anti-venom of negative and dismal thinking that can spark someone to pick up a drink or a drug. By taking a moment to reflect on all the great things in life, it nullifies the poison of negative thinking. Often addicts use negative thinking to manufacture an excuse to pick up a drink or a drug, gratitude offers the excuses to not pick up a drink or a drug.

While people sanction days like Thanksgiving or months like November for gratitude, those in addiction recovery make this a daily reflection – and it pays off. Several studies correlate gratitude and good health, including a study in Personality and Individual Differences that analyzed 1,000 people between 18-80. It concluded that gratitude improved one’s physical health because it drastically improved psychological health. Those with psychological well being are more likely to engage in activities that improve physical health such as exercising or seeing a doctor when they are sick. This naturally allows people to sustain well being which is the opposite of addiction, which perpetuates self-destruction and deteriorating physical health.

Gratitude is just one of the many tools and gifts of sobriety, that have multifaceted positive effects on one’s overall condition. For example, when addicts are in gratitude together, many recognize that the positive turn their lives have taken is indeed part of their own work, but they also credit it to others that have helped them and to a divine intervention as well. Gratitude is therefore a spiritual and social emotion that can improve relations – after all, everyone is attracted to those that behave graciously. This in turn fosters social support and interaction that relieves stress and depression which is essential in the sustenance of sobriety. The many gifts of gratitude are just one thing to be grateful for. What are you grateful for?

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Drinking Energy Drinks in Recovery

Posted on by Christy Weeks

Speculations about the harmful effects of energy drinks have been growing in recent years and the spotlight is now on Living Essentials, the company that makes Five Hour Energy drinks.

This week, the New York Times reported on the Food and Drug Administration’s investigation of 13 deaths and 32 hospitalizations blamed on the consumption of Five Hour Energy. The drink, which comes in a shot form, contains 215 milligrams of caffeine among other ingredients like taurine and phenylalanine. It is not clear yet if the deaths were a direct result of Five Hour Energy, as the FDA warned, “It is important to note that submitting a serious adverse event report to the FDA, according the agency itself, is not construed by FDA as an admission that the dietary supplement was involved, caused or contributed to the adverse event being reported.” Skeptics say it is improbable that the ingredients in Five Hour Energy were the culprit in the deaths or hospitalizations but studies have revealed the asscoiated health risks with consumption of such drinks.

Despite these reports, a growing sober trend is the consumption of energy drinks instead of alcohol when “going out” on the town – or going anywhere. While most energy drinks are banned from addiction treatment programs, many addicts in early recovery jump on the bandwagon of consuming copious amounts of Red Bull, Five Hour Energy shots and the like. Some hardliners say that these drinks are “mood altering” and therefore don’t support the code of abstinence. Others say that these drinks give them they energy they need while in post acute withdrawal, or for life in general, after years of bodily damage from which they are still recovering.

While physical recovery is a large part of recovery writ large, studies reveal that these drinks are doing little to help with recovery or with energy. In fact, there are known health risks associated with energy drinks that are antithetical to helping addicts recover, they include:

1.) Greater Risk of Drug Abuse and/or Relapse

According to a 2010 study in the Journal of Addiction Medicine, students who consumed energy drinks in the second year of college were at greater risk of prescription drug abuse, such as the use of stimulants like Adderall, in their third year of college. Similarly, for those in recovery from alcohol or drug abuse who consume energy drinks, the effects from ingredients like phenylalanine may mimic stimulants such as Adderall or cocaine, which may “trigger” them into using. For the addict, consumption of such drinks for chemically induced energy may not be “enough” and they become at risk of relapse.

2.) Impaired Cognitive Function

According to a Live Science article, energy drinks can impair cognitive function when consumed in excess. The study reports that while 40mg of caffeine improved student performance on a reaction test they were given, students who drank an excess of 80 mg, such as a can of Red Bull or shot of Five Hour Energy, had poorer performance on the same test.

Such studies are particularly important for those in early recovery to consider, especially those in post acute withdrawal whose cognitive functions are just beginning to heal. With the growing trend of people attending 12-Step meetings with super sized energy drinks in tow, they may want to consider how such drinks impact their recovery. It is no wonder many drug rehab centers have prohibited the consumption of such drinks, because while there is only speculation so far on the deaths from Five Hour Energy and other said detriments of energy drinks, it just isn’t worth the risk – especially when one is just re-starting their lives.

Marijuana Legalization and Addiction Treatment Providers

Posted on by Christy Weeks

Colorado has voted to legalize marijuana, but now how will that translate into day-to-day life and will it mean for addiction treatment providers? So long as the federal government defers to Colorado state law, anyone 21 and older can legally possess up to an ounce of marijuana outside of their homes. They can also grow six plants in their homes – where they can have more than an ounce if the plants are harvested. Legal possession isn’t determined by residency – when stores begin selling marijuana, which could be as soon as next year, out-of-staters can purchase it. They just can’t bring it over state borders, because similar to how alcohol or helmet laws vary from state to state, individuals are subject to state law once they leave Colorado.

Since Federal agents have a full plate, coming into Colorado to arrest someone for an ounce of marijuana is unlikely. They are more likely to have what the Governor John Hickenlooper calls “passive accommodation” over individual small-scale possession of marijuana. But as Governor cautioned voters: “Don’t break out the Cheetos or the Goldfish too quickly.” Because it will be a month or more before the law is official and even longer before state officials draft all the tax rules, regulations and state codes for Amendment 64.

While many are equating the legalization of marijuana to the end of prohibition, it is unknown how this will impact addiction treatment admission statistics. As most treatment providers know, the old adage “marijuana isn’t addictive” isn’t true. Addiction treatment centers across the US get their fair share of admissions for those seeking treatment for marijuana dependence. Even 12 step programs like Marijuana Anonymous show that there is powerlessness over the substance. In addiction recovery, no matter what the substance/drug of choice is for an addict, those that are serious about their recovery abstain from all mind and mood altering substances, including marijuana – even if it is legal. That is because a secondary drug can always lower inhibitions and lead an addict back to their drug of choice or because the biochemical makeup of an addict’s brain allows any substance to “wake the sleeping dragon” or their dormant addiction.

There are a few ways in which the legalization of marijuana can impact treatment admissions. First, because it is legal, youth may be more apt to trying it. There are a handful of reports that coin marijuana a “gateway drug,” and studies that show teens who use marijuana are more likely to end up with more substance abuse problems later in life. Second, those who are recovering from addiction to another substance may use the legalization of marijuana as a reason to use it, which can bring on a full-blown relapse. Third, while alcoholics can avoid bars or the smell of alcohol, its difficult for recovering marijuana addicts to avoid the thick mass of pot smoke – which may have a triggering effect. Lastly, those who may have never tried marijuana because it was illegal may opt into trying it and develop dependence, just as many did with alcohol after prohibition ended.

Although these are negative projections, they are important considerations for treatment providers – who may want to look into the efficacy of their current marijuana dependence programs or any special treatment protocols for marijuana addiction and incorporate them into their youth, young adult addiction treatment and adult treatment programs.

Harmony Foundation is an affordable addiction treatment center in Colorado that can help men and women recover from addictive disorders such as marijuana dependence.