All Posts Tagged Tag: ‘disease’
The White House Says Drug Addiction is a Health Problem, Not A Moral Failing
Drug czar Gil Kerlikowske says the Obama administration has changed its thinking about people addicted to drugs — and you should too.
Read more in this article relating to Drug Addiction and health issues in the LA Times.
Columbia University Study on Addiction Medicine: Closing the Gap Between Science and Practice
The National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse (NCASA) at Columbia University has just released an important must-read five year national study – Addiction Medicine: Closing the Gap between Science and Practice – that finds that only one in 10 people with addiction to drug and/or alcohol reports receiving any treatment at all. That is a travesty.
Other highlights from the report:
- Forty million Americans ages 12 and older (16 percent) have the disease of addiction involving nicotine, alcohol or other drugs, a disease affecting more Americans than heart conditions, diabetes or cancer; another 80 million people are risky substance users – using tobacco, alcohol and other drugs in ways that threaten health and safety.
- About 7 in 10 people with diseases like hypertension, major depression and diabetes receive treatment; only about 1 in 10 people who need treatment for addiction involving alcohol or other drugs receive it while the number receiving treatment for nicotine is not even known.
- Addiction treatment facilities and programs are not adequately regulated or held accountable for providing treatment consistent with medical standards and proven treatment practices.
- In 2010 only $28 billion was spent to treat the 40 million people with addiction. In comparison, the United States spent:
- $44 billion to treat diabetes which affects 26 million people;
- $87 billion to treat cancer which affects 19 million people;
- $107 billion to treat heart conditions which affect 27 million people.
Dr. David Smith And Dr. Matthew Torrington Help PRC Celebrate 11 Years
PASADENA, JANUARY 16, 2012 — Eleven years ago on Martin Luther King Day the Pasadena Recovery Center opened it’s doors and admitted it’s first client. Founded by psychiatrist Dr. Lee Bloom, his daughter, Alison Triessl and his son, Michael Bloom, the Pasadena Recovery Center has always been dedicated to providing compassionate, comprehensive and affordable treatment to those suffering from chemical dependency. Today marked the center’s 11th anniversary and to celebrate the occasion a special luncheon was held. Distinguished guest speakers Dr. David Smith, founder of the Haight-Ashbury Free Clinic and noted expert on addiction, and Dr. Matthew Torrington discussed advances in addiction treatment with 50 plus guests who gathered at the center.David E. Smith, MD, FASAM, FAACT, has been pivotal in gaining acceptance for the concept of addiction as a disease, and is a Fellow and Past President of the American Society for Addiction Medicine and a Fellow of the American Academy of Clinical Toxicology. He is an inaugural Diplomate of the American Board of Addiction Medicine, and serves as Chair of Adolescent Addiction Treatment at Newport Academy, Medical Director of Center Point, and Adjunct Professor of Medicine at the University of California, San Francisco. He is the founder of the Haight Ashbury Free Medical Clinic. Dr. Smith has authored and co-authored over 350 professional articles and over two dozen books, including It’s So Good, Don’t Even Try It Once: Heroin in Perspective, The Physician’s Guide to Psychoactive Drugs, Drugfree: A Unique, Positive Approach to Staying Off Alcohol and Other Drugs, and Clinician’s Guide to Substance Abuse. He is the founder and publisher of The Journal of Psychoactive Drugs.
Dr. Torrington is a board certified Family Medicine physician with a specialty in Addiction Medicine. He has dedicated his professional life to helping those suffering from substance dependence. Dr. Torrington is actively involved in clinical research, community outreach and clinical practice. Dr. Torrington is a clinical research physician with the Integrated Substance Abuse Programs (ISAP) at UCLA. ISAP is one of the foremost substance abuse research groups in the world.
Pasadena Recovery Center is a leader in the field of treating clients with dual diagnosis – individuals suffering from chemical dependency and other emotional or behavioral issues. The center offers inpatient and outpatient treatment programs as well as a comprehensive family program.
Bob Forrest Comments On Whitney Houston’s Death
Just talked to our friend Bob Forrest and he had this to say regarding Whitney Houston’s death: