Monday, April 6, 2009

Looking for Drug Rehab and Treatment Centers in Atlanta, Georgia ?

ach drug rehab in Atlanta, Georgia has a different approach to the recovery process. Take note of what is important to you, and make decisions based on your personal needs. Keep in mind that in Atlanta there are a multitude of treatment options to choose from: outpatient treatment, in patient treatment, support groups, drug rehabilitation, alcohol rehab, drug treatment programs, sober living, halfway houses, long term treatment, short term treatment, counseling, and many more. An individual can become thoroughly confused by asking a half-dozen recovering alcoholics or drug addicts in Atlanta how they conquered their abuse of alcohol or drugs; the answers vary although each of them are convincing and emotional. They will cite such diverse approaches as hospitalization, diet, exercise, counseling, sauna's, religion, hypnosis, amino acids and self-help groups. When it comes to successful treatment, only one thing is certain: practically any approach will work for some of the people, some of the time. To put it another way, successful drug rehabilitation is like a designer suit- it's got to be tailor-made for each individual. A great deal of variation exists in the degree of dependence among drug users. The teenager who smokes marijuana three times a week is not as dependent as the thirty year old who has smoked marijuana six times a day for 15 years and has already relapsed after being in two drug rehabilitation centers. It's obvious that these individuals need different approaches to treatment. Similarly, among cocaine users are some who use it in binge fashion, one or two days a month, and others who use it several times each day. Again, different treatment approaches are required for each case.

For those who do not have a long history of drug addiction, an outpatient treatment program might be the correct decision. This form of treatment may be a viable solution for those who have a brief drug addiction history. These individuals might only need the guidance and counseling available though this method of treatment. On the other hand, those who have experienced an extended period of drug addiction, choosing the correct drug rehab program typically means that they should enter into an in patient drug rehab program not located in Atlanta. The structure, 24-hour support and change of enviornment made available through this type of drug rehab recovery program can be highly effective for those recovering from a long term drug addiction problem. Most drug rehab professionals in do not recommend any one "best" treatment approach, recognizing the many variations among drug and alcohol abusers. In general, the levels of treatment range from simple and behavioral to complex and medical. The person dependent upon drugs or alcohol may have used the chosen substance for so long that he or she has literally forgotten how to cope with the daily challenges of life; how to have a meaningful, drug-free lifestyle; or how to solve the social or psychological problems that prompted the substance abuse in the first place. In these instances, a very comprehensive approach must be prescribed if the individual is to expect any degree of successful recovery. Once stability is achieved, the "clean" or sober individual can take several steps to enhance recovery and avoid relapse. Among the general recommendations are belonging to a group as a support system, having a religious involvement, practicing good health habits; including proper diet, sleep, and exercise, as well as goal planning and self enhancement projects.

The Drug Rehabilitation Program

The Narconon Program Description - A Drug Free Approach

he Atlanta Recovery / Narconon Drug Rehab program is a combination of the Narconon New Life Program and life skills training. . After a complete medical evaluation, the Drug Rehab program is delivered in 2 phases comprising a series of distinct sections designed to complement and expand on each other.

Contact a trained drug counselor for any questions you may have at Narconon Drug Rehab today. Counselors are standing by: Call 1-877-413-3073 for a free confidential consultation.


**Medical Evaluation- Clients will have a complete medical examination by the staff doctor (M.D.) which will include blood and lab work tests to insure that the client has or can still obtain optimum health for his body and mind.


Phase I:

Drug Free Withdrawal/ Orientation/ stabilization - Assist the individual to cease current drug use rapidly and with minimal discomfort through proper nutrition, vitamins, and care from experienced Staff. Staff provides 24 hour a day care during this period until the client is stable.

Communications Section - This section extroverts the student and gets him into better communication with others and his environment. An addict can be quite deficient in his ability to communicate and confront others as witnessed in most by their tendency to withdraw from life. This area will need a lot of work and is further addressed later in the program. The first section is an elementary introduction back into life and is vital for success with the next phase of Drug Rehab.

The Body Health Sauna Cleansing / Exercise program - An exact regimen of exercise, dry-heat sauna, and nutritional supplements that rid the fatty tissues in the body of drug residues and other accumulated toxins. The end result finds the client with increased mental acuity, higher energy levels, greater cognitive and awareness levels, an increased sense of general well being, and the elimination of the biophysical drug craving.

The Learning Improvement Section - Drug abuse studies show a distinct correlation between poor school performance and drug use. This section gives the client the ability to study and retain knowledge by recognizing and overcoming the barriers to study and learning. Learning is a vital tool to be used during the Drug Rehab regimen and throughout the remainder of life.

The Ups & Downs in Life Section - Teaches the necessary knowledge to achieve greater personal stability and happiness in life. The client learns to find real friends, relations, and associates that will help him throughout his life. Plus he learns to identify those that will bring him down or are only interested in him for something from which they can prosper. It is an observable fact the drug addict usually has a circle of friends that are actually a liability to him, here he will learn to make good solid relationships.

The Way To Happiness Section - Teaches the client a secular moral code as a guide to living a happy life, a good common sense guide to build a firm foundation for living, bringing up the clients own morals and values with it.


Phase II:

The Communication & Perception Section - A form of cognitive treatment that is applied through specific exercises and drills. The end result is an individual who no longer automatically reacts to situations. Instead, he now thinks out rationally and logically what to do to enhance his own survival. This section is the advanced part of the original communications section started earlier in the program. The client helps another do the exercises. By taking responsibility for helping another, the client increases his own responsibility levels and gains the ability to handle life.

The Personal Values & Integrity Section - We have all heard the old adage " Confession is good for the soul" the 12 step programs uses it as step four "personal moral inventory". Narconon® finds it vital for an individual to rid himself of the shame, guilt, baggage, chips on the shoulders, etc. The only way our clients do that completely is through taking responsibility. This section works by raising the client's responsibility level and then gives him the knowledge necessary to determine one's own values and achieve high personal integrity and honesty.

The Changing Conditions in Life Section - After one learns to assume responsibility for their life and their behaviors in the above section it will be necessary to repair certain areas of destruction that came about due to their drug use. This section teaches the exact steps that improve current conditions in life and repair previous bad conditions. Some of that repair may need to be done after discharge from the drug rehab program and that is why this section will often blend with the next.

Discharge and After care planning Section - This final section serves as support for the client. After completing the residential stage of treatment, they will then be ready for the transition back into society. An aftercare program will be uniquely tailored to the individual and will encompass several areas: Support systems, Lifestyle changes, Educational planning, Financial planning, self-enhancement goals, Relationships, Living arrangements, and Social / Spiritual development. **Family Involvement Section- There is an additional section that is uniquely tailored for the family, as the family has been subject to the addiction as well. At times it is found that the family is in need of repair as well. It is not uncommon for the family of the client to actually be an active participant in the aftercare plan. Each client varies so there are no set requirements for the family involvement.

Atlanta Recovery / Narconon vs. Traditional Short-Term Treatment.

As discussed above the Atlanta Recovery- Narconon Drug Rehab program, unlike more traditional treatment, deals with the biophysical aspect of addiction as well as the mental and emotional. The Client is restored both mentally and physically, to the person he was before he began using drugs or alcohol. The end result is a success rate that is 3 times that of other program

Testing and Counseling Services for HIV and Other Blood-Borne Infections

HIV testing and counseling services are an important part of comprehensive HIV prevention programs. These services are most effective when a range of anonymous and confidential testing options are available in diverse, accessible settings (e.g., mobile clinics) and at nontraditional times. The most current, rapid testing technologies can be especially useful. These allow drug users and others at risk to learn their test results as soon as they are available, plan a course of action to stop using drugs and reduce their risk of transmitting HIV to others, and get a referral to appropriate drug abuse treatment and other health services. HIV testing and counseling staff also can inform drug users about their potential risks for contracting HBV and HCV and explain why it is important to be tested for these and other blood-borne and sexually transmitted infections. Staff are trained to help people who test positive for HIV and/or other infections to inform their drug use and sex partners about their potential risks for infection and the importance of getting testing and counseling.

Sterile syringe access programs

complement community-based outreach and drug abuse treatment by providing drug users who will not or cannot seek treatment, or who are in treatment but continue to inject drugs, with access to sterile syringes and other services. These programs help remove potentially contaminated needles from circulation. They also serve as a bridge to active and out-of-treatment drug users by providing them with HIV/AIDS information and materials (e.g., bleach kits and condoms) to reduce their risks, by offering opportunities for HIV testing and counseling, and by providing referrals for drug abuse treatment and other social services. Hence, it is important that drug abuse treatment and other services are available and accessible to drug users referred by sterile syringe access programs.

Community-based outreach

The comprehensive HIV/AIDS prevention approach for drug users includes three complementary approaches: community-based outreach, drug abuse treatment, and sterile syringe access programs. Each of these also includes HIV testing and counseling.

Community-based outreach is an effective approach for contacting drug users in their local neighborhoods to provide them with the means to change their risky drug- and sex-related behaviors. This approach relies on outreach workers who typically reside in the local community and are familiar with its drug use subculture. As a result, they are in a unique position to educate and influence their peers to stop using drugs and reduce their risks for HIV and other blood-borne infections. Outreach workers distribute HIV/AIDS educational information, bleach kits for disinfecting injection equipment when sterile equipment is not available, and condoms for safer sex. They also provide drug users with referrals for drug treatment, syringe access and exchange programs, and HIV, HBV, and HCV testing and counseling.

Drug abuse treatment is HIV prevention. Drug users who enter and continue in treatment are more likely than those who remain out of treatment to reduce risky activities, such as sharing needles and injection equipment or engaging in unprotected sex. Drug abuse treatment can be conducted in a variety of settings (e.g., inpatient, outpatient, residential) and often involves various approaches, including behavioral therapy, medications, or a combination of both. The best treatment programs offer their clients HIV testing and counseling and referral to other services.

DRUG REHABILITATION REFERRAL SERVICES

How can drug users reduce their risks for HIV/AIDS?

Drug users should be advised that stopping all drug use, including drug injection, is the most effective way to reduce their risks for contracting HIV/AIDS and other blood-borne diseases, including hepatitis B and hepatitis C. However, not every drug user is ready to stop using drugs, and many of those who stop may relapse.

A variety of HIV/AIDS prevention strategies to protect against becoming infected are available for individuals who may be considering or already injecting drugs. These are described in a hierarchy of HIV/AIDS risk-reduction messages, beginning with the most effective behavioral changes that drug users can make:

  • Stop using and injecting drugs.

  • Enter and complete drug abuse treatment, including relapse prevention.

  • If you continue to inject drugs, take the following steps to reduce personal and public health risks:

    • Never re-use or "share" syringes, water, or drug preparation equipment.
    • Use only sterile syringes obtained from a reliable source (e.g., a pharmacy or a syringe access program).
    • Always use a new, sterile syringe to prepare and inject drugs.
    • If possible, use sterile water to prepare drugs; otherwise use clean water from a reliable source (e.g., fresh tap water).
    • Always use a new or disinfected container ("cooker") and a new filter ("cotton") to prepare drugs.
    • Clean the injection site with a new alcohol swab before injecting drugs.
    • Safely dispose of syringes after one use.

As the hierarchy shows, drug injectors can best reduce their risks by stopping all drug use. If they inject drugs, they should always use sterile supplies and never share them. When this is not possible, cleaning and disinfecting techniques should be considered. Full-strength bleach is the most effective disinfectant when safer options are not available. However, sterile, unused injection equipment is safer than previously used injection equipment disinfected with bleach. Drug users should never share their other injection equipment, such as cookers, cottons, rinse water, and drug solutions prepared for injection. Sharing these materials presents an important but often overlooked HIV transmission risk.

In addition to learning how to make the behavioral changes described in the hierarchy, drug users and their sex partners should be counseled about sexual risks for HIV and other STDs and the importance of avoiding unprotected sex.

Community-based outreach workers, treatment providers, and other public health professionals should use any contact with a drug user as an opportunity to convey these important HIV/AIDS risk-reduction messages. The messages should be delivered along with referrals for testing and counseling services for HIV and other blood-borne infections, drug abuse-treatment programs, and other services.

What is the best HIV/AIDS prevention strategy for drug users?

Given the diversity of drug users and their sex partners, no single HIV/AIDS prevention strategy will work effectively for everyone. A comprehensive approach is the most effective strategy for preventing HIV/AIDS and other blood-borne infections in drug-using populations and their communities. A comprehensive approach readily adapts and responds to changing patterns of drug use and HIV/AIDS risk behaviors, to the characteristics of the local setting, and to the varied service needs of drug users and their sex partners. At every contact with a drug user, outreach workers, interventionists, and counselors deliver drug- and sex-related risk-reduction messages and provide the means to reduce or eliminate their risks for transmitting HIV and other blood-borne infections.

DRUG REHABILITATION REFERRAL SERVICES Rapid Detox

Drug and Alcohol Detoxification has long been accepted as an essential, although often difficult, first step towards recovery from addiction. In the absence of professional medical assistance, most will fail in an attempt to free themselves from the grip of drug and/or alcohol addiction. Successful detoxification is essential before long term recovery can begin.

Detox is not a "cure" for addiction. Detoxification is the first step in a process that is necessary to engage oneself in rehabilitation. Designed to reduce withdrawal symtoms for individuals dependant on heroin, methadone, Oxycontin, opium, Percocet / Percodan or codeine, anesthesia assisted opiate detoxification allows for engagement in a variety of aftercare programs aimed at placing drug addiction into remission.

Purpose of Rapid Detox

The purpose of Rapid Detox is simple, to reduce, minimize, or eliminate all together, the signs and symptoms associated with opiate withdrawal. This decreases the chances of relapse and increases the likely hood of a full recovery.

Rapid Detox is not intended to replace a fully comprehensive treatment and recovery program. It is simply "a 'procedure' designed to help an individual tolerate the withdrawal symptoms from opiates with much greater comfort."

"Anesthesia Assisted Opiate Detoxification" is the first step, representing only the beginning of a long process of healing and recovery. Once an individual is 'clean' of opiates, it is always recommended they make some form of counseling their next step in the recovery process. Aftercare is a paramount component of the recovery process!

A Detox Center Near You...

Let Addiction no more Drug Prevention and Rehabilitation assist you in locating a detox center near you that utilizes our exclusive rapid detox procedure to remove the root causes of future physical drug re-stimulation.

DRUG REHABILITATION REFERRAL SERVICES TREATMENT OPTIONS

There are many different types of treatment options . The difference between them can sometimes be great, though, they are all trying to achieve the same thing! A drug free, productive member of society. But how do we know which one is right ? This is one of the questions that lays hard on the heart or a person searching for the right treatment.

The only way to determine what treatment option is right for a person is by giving the ADDICTION NO MORE counselor all the data regarding your affliction with drugs or alcohol. Once we have all the facts we can start looking at the best options available to help you in the best possible manner. '

The process of matching the treatment with the individual is the first and most important step and this is where we shine the most. Our staff has audited several different models of treatment and have a very close working relationship with several treatment facilities that offer different types of treatment.

At the bottom of the page you will find several different links to program descriptions so you can gain a working knowledge of the types of treatment that is available just remember these are only overviews of the programs available and only a sampling. Remember, this is where we come in, our knowledgeable staff with many years of experience in dealing with addiction can help. .Our staff, at ADDICTION NO MORE, will help take the guess work out of treatment trial and errors causing relapses and more depression.

When do you give up on a person? The correct answer is, Never. The reason a person relapses some say is that: he didn't work the program. I don't buy that for a minute and either should you. The reason a person relapses is not that they didn't work the program it's that the program didn't work for them.

Most people when they are in a drug rehab facility do their best and make the most of it. When a person leaves a program with an aspect of their life or problem not handled this is when the relapse occurs. To have a program or drug rehab facility tell you that you failed because you didn't work the program, well, that is not the program you should try again. If this is the case then you should really look at what types of treatment you have tried and find a treatment facility or program that handles all aspects of addiction.

DRUG REHABILITATION REFERRAL SERVICES WHAT IS RECOVERY

Well, first we must define the word, Webster's dictionary defines it as: to get or find again, to retrieve, to bring back to normal condition, to regain health or any other state or condition.

When we are in a state of recovery we find ourselves trying to gain back what we have forgotten or lost. For most, this is a loss of reality and trying to escape reality.

The first step of recovery should be getting help. This is something that is hard to do, to admit we have a problem. This is the first and largest leap you will take. It is hard to ask for help and if we could do it on our own then we wouldn't have had drugs in our lives in the first place.

Once we have the help to overcome this we then need to find out what the problem or circumstances are that led us up to the point of being addicted. When this is found and handled the process can start . This may sound simple, but, for everyone it is different and can be very hard to handle. This is why you have help from someone that can and will be there for you.

The next step is finding out how not to fall into the trap of addiction again. This can be handled in many different ways. The disconnection of the old person or habits is imperative this is not saying the person must become a new person, but, that the way we handle things needs to be looked at and changed. Most people that are addicted to drugs run from their problems and hide behind drugs or alcohol. This is what gets us caught by our loved ones and friends and as the cycle of addiction progresses the problems get bigger.

When we first started to do drugs the situation that led us to use is most often a problem or situation that we felt we couldn't handle. It is easy to be accepted by the group of people that use drugs they will accept anyone, misery loves company. As our addictions progressed so did our problems. Funny how that happens isn't it.

When a person gets clean of the drugs in their system and handles the problems of not falling back into the same old habits and routines the next question is, am I recovered? Well, that is a question that has been debated since the first person became addicted. When is an addict not an addict anymore? That is up to the person or addict.

Some people believe that once an addict always an addict. Others believe that once you have handled the current addiction problem you are no longer an addict. There is even another school of thought that says once you have recovered from addiction you can fall back easily you still need to be on you guard. All of these can work for the individual it just depends on what you want to use for your recovery.

It is very important to have a good support group in your corner, someone that has been through their own addiction and can offer some sense of hope and help in times of need. When will a person stop thinking about using drugs or alcohol? This could be tomorrow, next week, next year or never.

The thought of using drugs may never go away but it is what we do with that thought that counts. We can't be judged by our thoughts and if we could most of the population would be in jail. In order to help with the recovery process we need to find something to do with the time that you used to spend using, finding and waiting for drugs, boredom can be a recovery killer. This can be done in several ways. We need to find out what it is that you used to do besides drugs for fun and entertainment. Once you have discovered it go and do it and have some fun.

Life after drugs can be the most wonderful thing you have ever experienced. Think of it this way, can it get any worse everything after the miserable experience of being addicted is better, even the problems in life are not so big once compared to having an addiction and being a drug addict.

When you have overcome drug addiction there is nothing that you can't do. Yes, now you can be anything you want to be, but, only if you put as much energy into life as you did trying to get high or drunk. Just think of the possibilities. So start on that road now. Lets see what happens. You can make it and be recovered.

Cocaine Addiction

YOU CAN DO IT WITH OUR HELP.

1 out of 4 Americans between the age of 26 and 34 have used cocaine in their lifetime.

According to the Minnesota Institute for Public Health and drug prevention resource center, 5,000 adults in the United States try cocaine for the first time each day. (1985)

Today it is estimated that 22 to 25 million people have tried cocaine at least once. Conservative estimates indicate that there are over two million cocaine addicts in the United States today.

Contrary to earlier belief high dose use of cocaine can be detected as long as 10 to 22 days after last use.

Near half of all drug related emergency room visits are due to cocaine abuse.

The annual number of new cocaine users has generally increased over time. In 1975 there were 30,000 new users. The number increased from 300,000 in 1986 to 361,000 in 2000.

Rates of cocaine use by college students over the previous 5 years has varied between 2.0% of all students in 1994 to 4.8% in 2000.

Of high school seniors in 2001, 8.2% reported having ever used cocaine.

From 1997 to 2000 cocaine was the most common drug reported in emergency room episodes.

Cocaine use among men is almost twice then women. Based upon additional data sources, the office of National Drug Control Policy estimates the number of chronic cocaine users at 3.6 million.

Adults 18 to 25 years of age currently have the highest percentage of cocaine use than any other age group.

90% of cocaine users smoked, drank, or used marijuana before trying cocaine.

In 1988, about 300,000 infants were born addicted to cocaine

We can help you with your Cocaine Addiction. Fill out the FORM below.

Alcohol Addiction

Each year, a typical young person in the United States is inundated with more than 1,000 commercials for beer and wine coolers and several thousand fictional drinking incidents on television.

Alcohol is involved in 50% of all driving fatalities.

In the United States, every 30 minutes someone is killed in an alcohol related traffic accident.

Over 15 million Americans are dependent on alcohol. 500,000 are between the age of 9 and 12.

Each year the liquor industry spends almost $2 billion dollars on advertising and encouraging the consumption of alcoholic beverages.

Americans spend over $90 billion dollars total on alcohol each year.

An average American may consume over 25 gallons of beer, 2 gallons of wine, and 1.5 gallons of distilled spirits each year.

Pregnant women who drink are feeding alcohol to their babies. Unfortunately the underdeveloped liver of the baby can only burn alcohol at half the rate of its mother, so the alcohol stays in the baby's system twice as long.

Each year students spend $5.5 billion on alcohol, more then they spend on soft drinks, tea, milk, juice, coffee, or books combined.

56% of students in grade 5 to 12 say that alcohol advertising encourages them to drink.

6.6% of employees in full time jobs report heavy drinking, defined as drinking five or more drinks per occasion on five or more days in the past 30 days.

The highest percentage of heavy drinkers (12.2%) is found among unemployed adults between the age of 26 to 34

Up to 40% of all industrial fatalities and 47% of industrial injuries can be linked to alcohol consumption and alcoholism.

In 2000, almost 7 million persons age 12 to 20 was a binge drinker; that is about one in five persons under the legal drinking age was a binge drinker.

The 2001 survey shows 25 million (one in ten) Americans surveyed reported driving under the influence of alcohol. This report is nearly three million more than the previous year. Among young adults age 18 to 25 years, almost 23% drove under the influence of alcohol.

Drunk driving is proving to be even deadlier then what we previously know. The latest death statistics released by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), using a new method of calculation show that 17,488 people where killed in alcohol related traffic accidents last year. This report represents nearly 800 more people where killed than the previous year.

Alcohol is the number 1 drug problem in America.

43% of Americans have been exposed to alcoholism in their families.

Nearly one out of 4 Americans admitted to general hospitals have alcohol problems or are undiagnosed alcoholics being diagnosed for alcohol related consequences.

Alcohol and alcohol related problems is costing the American economy at least $100 million in health care and lost of productivity every year.

Four in ten criminal offenders report alcohol as a factor in violence.

Among spouse violence victims, three out of four incidents were reported to have involved alcohol use by the offender.

In 1996, local law enforcement agencies made an estimated 1,467,300 arrests nationwide for driving under the influence of alcohol.

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Drug of Choice

Pot Addiction

Marijuana is the most used illegal drug in the United States. Nearly 69 million Americans over the age of 12 have tried marijuana at least once.

Marijuana is California's largest cash crop.

Today's marijuana is 10 to 15 times stronger than it was in the 60's

Reaction time for motor skills, such as driving is reduced by 41% after smoking 1 joint and is reduced 63% after smoking 2 joints.

There have been over 7,000 published scientific and medical studies documenting the damage that marijuana poses. Not one study has shown marijuana to be safe.

Data has shown that people high on marijuana show the same lack of coordination on standard "drunk driver" tests as do people who have had to much to drink.

The daily use of 1 to 3 marijuana joints can produce the same lung damage and potential cancer risk as smoking five times as many cigarettes.

Marijuana is the second most common drug, after alcohol, present in the blood stream of non-fatally and fatally injured persons.

Among teens 12 to 17, the average age of first trying marijuana was 14 years old.

A yearly survey of students in grades 8 to 12 shows that 23% of 8th graders have tried marijuana at least once and by tenth grade, 21% are "current" users. Among 12th graders, nearly 50% have tried marijuana at least once, and about 24% were current users.

Marijuana is a complex material containing 421 chemicals, 60 of which are only found in marijuana

33.6% of students listed to have used marijuana in the last year and 20% were listed to have used in the last month.

75% of drug-related criminal charges are connected to marijuana.

65% of people arrested for marijuana related crimes are for simple possession.

Approximately 50,000 Canadians are arrested each year for marijuana related crimes.

600,000 Canadians have a criminal record for simple possession of marijuana.

Estimates put the value of the marijuana industry to the British Columbia Economy at anywhere between $2 billion and $10 billion, making it one of British Colombia's top three industries.

Meth Addiction

During 1999 4.3% (9.4 million people) of the U.S. population reported trying methamphetamine at least once in their lifetime. The highest rate of meth use was among the 18-25 age group with 5.2% of them reporting lifetime meth use during 1999.

Meth lab seizures have gone up 577% nationally since 1995.

Statistics over the past few years show Oklahoma among the nations leader in Meth labs, arrests, addiction and cases.

In 1994 the Drug Enforcement Administration seized 63 meth labs. That figure climbed to 879 in 1996 and 1,627 in 1998.

Meth numbers also indicate the drug has yet to make it to the East Coast. Cities such as Oklahoma and Omaha have worse meth problems, than New York City or Detroit.

Nowhere is it a bigger problem that in the Midwest, where meth accounts for nearly 90% of all drug cases, and nowhere is it more prevalent than in Oklahoma, which ranks in the top five in almost every meth category.

Meth is surpassing cocaine as the drug of choice in Oklahoma. The state medical examiner's office reports the number of death cases testing positive for meth have been higher than cocaine for the past three years. The office also reports meth is found in more cases of homicides, and motor vehicle accidents.

The estimated cost of making meth is $100 an ounce, with a street value of $800 an ounce.

While cheap for the people who make it, meth is costly for taxpayers. The OSBI estimates that it costs an average of $2,000 to clean up a lab. Many law enforcement agencies including the OSBI contract out for cleaning services. The OSBI spent $1 million on cleaning services each year.

The courts have felt the effects of the meth invasion, with several distinct courts overloaded with cases. Many are being dropped because of delays in meth testing at state laboratories.

This year, both the legislature and federal government have increased funding to prosecute meth manufacturers.

Methamphetamine's high lasts for 6 to 12 hours, and 50% of the drug is removed from the body in 12 hours.

Meth's street value is approximately $3,000 per pound.

Meth is a highly addictive drug that can be manufactured by using products commercially available anywhere in the United States.

Methamphetamine Trend Statistics Across the United States

Methamphetamine trends across the United States are indicators of the rate of Methamphetamine abuse, Methamphetamine addiction, domestic violence, and child abuse. The Methamphetamine trends for each state has a direct correlation to the amount of Methamphetamine seized by federal authorities.

Heroin Addiction

In the 25 to 49 age group, illicit drug overdose is the fourth leading cause of death, about the same number as motor vehicle crashes.

Children as young as 13 have been found involved in heroin abuse. According to statistics in 1999 heroin overdose has caused more deaths than traffic accidents.

The 1999 National Household Survey on drug abuse (NHSDA) estimated that there were 149,000 new heroin users in 1998 and that nearly 80 percent were under the age of 26.

Last year, there were approximately 84,000 visits to emergency rooms in the US due to heroin.

Over 80% of heroin users inject with a partner, yet 80% of overdose victims found by paramedics are alone.

The dependent person use between 150 - 250 milligrams per day. Divide into 3 doses.

The heroin addict spends between $150 to $200 per day to maintain a heroin addiction.

In 1998. 65% of the heroin seized in the United States originated in South America, and 17% came from Mexico.

Data from the 1999 National Household Survey on drug abuse suggest purity is partly responsible for the 75% of new heroin users who are snorting or smoking, not injecting the opiate. In 1991 the number of new users was 46%.

The 1999 NHSDA survey adjusted the average age for initiation of heroin use to just above 21 years of age. Other surveys, and experts have said many new users are between 18 to 25 years old.

According to Drug Abuse Warning Network, or DAWN, heroin and morphine accounted for 51% of drug deaths ruled accidental or unexpected in 1999.

Out of the 11,651 deaths... accidental and intentional by way of suicide... reported to DAWN by medical examiners in 1999, the most recent year for which complete statistics are available, 4,820 were the result of heroin or morphine abuse, or some combination of those and other drugs.

In 2000, as part of DAWN's year-end emergency data report, heroin related emergency room visits increased 15% from the last year.

Treatment admission rates for primary heroin abuse increased in publicly funded substance abuse treatment facilities across the nation between 1993 and 1999. In 1993, the treatment admission rate for primary heroin abuse in the United States was 95 admissions per 100,000 persons age 12 or older. By 1996, the admission rate had increase 7% to 102 per 100,000 and by 1999 it had increased by another 3% to 105 per 100,000. Heroin Addiction Treatment

The route of administration among heroin users entering treatment has been changing. In 1993, 74% of admissions for heroin abuse were injectors. By 1999, this had declined to 66%. There was an increase in admission for heroin inhalation for 23% in 1993 to 28% in 1999.

Drug Addiction/Substance Abuse

n everyday terms, a drug addiction is a compulsive need for a particular substance or activity. People who are drug addicted depend on these things to get along in their daily lives. They give in, day after day, to a very strong craving that needs to be satisfied.

Addictions- are many people addicted?

Millions of people are trapped in addictions they scarcely recognize. An uncontrollable urge for sugar is labeled as a "sweet tooth," and a serious need for caffeine is disguised as a pleasant "coffee break." Consider how many millions of people remain addicted to nicotine, even as they openly acknowledge the serious risk that cigarette smoking presents to health. Think about the many others who are uncontrollably addicted to gambling, to overspending on credit cards, or to living as "workaholics." Addictions of any sort are destructive in that they deprive the addict of the ability to exercise control over his or her life. By definition, an addiction offers no choice to the addict and often is the direct cause of serious disruption in the person's health or life-style.

Drug Addictions are dangerous.

The most serious drug addictions of all involve psychoactive drugs. These substances radically alter the user's mind and body, undermining health, economic stability, and social functioning. It is this form of addiction and abuse that most immediately threatens all of society. It is this drug addiction that demands immediate attention.


What are the causes of drug addiction?

The best known, most widely accepted, reason for addiction is the disease concept. According to the American Medical Association (AMA), the nation's largest association of medical doctors, a disease is a disorder that results in the disruption of normal body functions. Since drug addiction disrupts the normal function of the body and the mind, the AMA has added it to the list of known diseases. The general public and many doctors have had a hard time accepting drug addiction as a true disease. They say that the medical profession has gone along with the disease concept because it means that insurance companies will pay doctors for treatment. These critics point out that most doctors in other countries do not believe that drug addiction is a disease. Some scientists have even conducted experiments to test the disease concept. Experts differ on the outcome of these experiments and list other reasons for drug addiction.

The following viewpoints are among the top 6 arguments for the reasons behind substance abuse and drug addiction.
  • Chemical Dependency is a disease
  • Neurological imbalances lead to Chemical Dependency
  • Biological imbalances lead to Chemical Dependency
  • Cultural Factors lead to Chemical Dependency
  • Curiosity leads Teenagers into Chemical Dependency
  • Media Glamorization of Drugs and Alcohol leads to Chemical Dependency
All use facts and opinions to support their arguments. However none are absolute, and there remains a lot of controversy in the field of Drug Addiction and Substance Abuse treatment. Most of the controversy is the result of the shamefully low rate of success in treating drug addiction. Based on a National Rate of success that floats around 16%, it is quite obvious that a lot more needs to be learned in order to generate a more successful treatment approach. Narconon of Georgia offers such an approach and with consistent year after year documented success at somewhere between 70-80%, recovering from drug addiction becomes a much more realistic endeavor.

Drug Rehab Georgia

merica is plagued with
substance abuse and
drug addiction, reports
Atlanta Recovery Center,
Drug Rehab Georgia.
The effects that drug
addiction can inflict on addicts,
their homes, careers and lives
continually tear at the family
and community. Drug addiction is a
battle for all involved, however drug
addiction does not have to be fought
alone. The Atlanta Recovery Center
and its dedicated staff can help you in
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