The Pasadena Recovery Center staff is like a giant close knit family. In fact, we just welcomed our newest member - 45 day old Lance - to the PRC family. As such, we not only work together but also enjoy hanging out outside of the facility. Back in June we visited Dodger Stadium where the home team beat the Los Angeles Angels 5-2 and we got a shout out on the big screen!
The Pasadena Recovery Center is pleased to announce that PRC alum, Jennie Ketcham, will be speaking about her new memoir, “I Am Jennie,” in the Community Room at 6pm on Wednesday, August 8th. The event is open to current residents, alumni and staff.
The book details how Jennie transformed herself from an addict and porn star into a modern day blogger and author. After appearing on “Sex Rehab with Dr. Drew” and “Sober House,” Ketcham quit the adult film business, pursued a healthier lifestyle, and started a personal blog – Becoming Jennie – where she wrote about her redemption and recovery. And this month she released her first book.
The first ever Pasadena Recovery Center newsletter is out. Read it now! Moving forward the newsletter will come out monthly and contain the latest recovery news and happenings at our Pasadena treatment facility.
Yesterday, Cameron Douglas, son of actors Michael Douglas and Catherine Zeta-Jones, was sentenced to 5 years of prison and 5 of supervised release.
Last year he was arrested in a hotel in New York in possession of 500 grams of “crystal“, the purest form of meth-amphetamine. He was charged and he pleaded guilty to possession and distribution.
Before the sentence, Michael Douglas and other family members sent letters asking Judge Richard Berman for compassion. “I have some idea of the pressure of finding your own identity with a famous father.” he said.
Catherine Zeta-Jones pleaded for her son to join a rehabilitation center, not a prison.
“What is wrong is wrong, but his positive qualities prevail, so going to a treatment center will help rehabilitate” she said.
His Lawyer, Nicholas M. De Feis said that “His dealing was simply the desperate act of an addict.”
Although dealing with the consequences of addiction is part of recovery. It’s sad to see that, even when an addict has a strong support system, authorities feel that a correctional facility works better than a recovery facility. We hope to see Cameron embracing rehabilitation despite his imprisonment.
How can we not post something about marijuana when today many users celebrate their addiction.
With the Issue of legalizing this narcotic in California in everyone’s lips, I want to share this CNBC ditorial from Dr. Robert L. DuPont. DuPont as been President for the Institute for Behavior and Health and from the National Institute on Drug Abuse.
Bill Wilson was one one of the co-founders of Alcoholics Anonymous.
He described himself as “man who because of his bitter experience, discovered, slowly and through a conversion experience, a system of behavior and a series of actions that works for alcoholics who want to stop drinking.”
Wilson struggled with an alcohol addiction that took him through a series of events that ultimately lead him to, not only live, but help people live a sober life. Today, the organization that Wilson co-founded with Dr. Bob Smith, continues world-wide with over a hundred thousand registered local groups and millions of active members.
Yesterday, during her visit to Mexico City, Michelle Obama discussed a series of issues of importance to young people in both the United States and Mexico including drug addiction treatment and early prevention programs.
Margarita Zavala de Calderon, The first lady of Mexico, has been long-time advocate on this issue. Her “New Life Centers” help with prevention and education so that fewer young people will become addicted. This past January, Zavala visited the border town of Tijuana, for the inauguration the program “Juntos para una Nueva Vida sin Adicciones”. This program aims to train counselors and promoters of addiction-free lives.
More than 22,000 people have died in drug violence since Mexican President Felipe Calderon declared war on narcotrafficking cartels in December 2006.
We recently received a question on twitter about where we stand on the issue of the potential legalization of marijuana in California. As we posted in a previous blog about this, it’s important that both arguments are thoroughly analyzed.
Supporters of the law insist that with the legalization, the distribution of pot will be better regulated, and that the state will save costs in law enforcement. But, who are we really fooling when the regulations we now have in California are already being ignored by current medical marijuana suppliers?
We should ask ourselves: How many more of this “legal dispensaries” will be allowed when this measure is passed, and how many of them will abide by the rules?
Yesterday, it was reported that Lawyers for the cities of Los Angeles and Culver City filed suit in February, alleging that Organica Inc. violated the Narcotics Abatement, Public Nuisance and Sherman Food, Drug and Cosmetics laws
Among the allegations are reports that Law enforcement officers received complaints in January 2009 that individuals associated with Organica passed out fliers for the dispensary near Culver City High School as classes were being dismissed. Some Students were also found in possession of Marijuana Purchased by Organica. (Read Story Here).
Dr. Daniel J. Healy, pleaded guilty for one count of dispensing oxycodone without a legitimate medical purpose and will be sentenced this Monday.
In the article, “Doctor’s Prescription for Tragedy with Painkillers,” The LA Times reports the investigation and trial of this man who ordered more than 1 million tablets of hydrocodone in 2008 — 10 times more than the average American pharmacy!
According to this story, Several patients’ relatives unsuccessfully pleaded with Healy to stop supplying their loved ones with drugs. And, some patients turned into addicts, carry lasting emotional and physical scars from their association with Healy. Miguel Lopez, for example, was taking 40 Norcos a day, a habit that was costing him about $2,000 a month.
During the investigation of this case, some of Healy’s patients left his Kind Care Medical Center, Healy’s office, with hundreds or even thousands of pills at a time. One man who was pulled over shortly after leaving the clinic had a dozen commercial-sized bottles of Vicodin and three containers of the anti-anxiety medication Xanax, 7,500 pills in all.(view entire story)
I personally feel horrified about this case. What is your reaction?
