Strange Demographics

The Fairfax Media in Australia conducted a global drug survey to understand the demographics of online drug trading.  More than 6600 Australians responded, making it the largest and most up-to-date survey of present-day drug users down under.  The majority of participants were older, wealthy males.

Visitors to the Silk Road website include a wide array of people from age 16 to 68, with 6.5 percent of users aged 16 and 17.  Whether younger people were participating in the website is unknown, as 16 was the youngest age allowed to participate in the survey.

The site raises a number of obvious concerns, particularly to parents.  Not only do they have to worry about online peer pressure, their children may be able to order any drug they want right to their front door.

The survey was conducted to see if synthetic drugs–sold as legal highs in convenience stores and smoke shops–would actually be the drug of choice if people could choose.  Are people opting for synthetic drugs simply because of lax legislation?

Spice, Bud And Herbs

Despite a mixed potpourri of drugs available on the website, the majority of visitors appear to be leaning toward more traditional drugs like marijuana and ecstasy.  New and untested drugs like Spice (synthetic marijuana) do not draw much appeal.  The most common products have been MDMA (ecstasy), cannabis, LSD and cocaine.

The fact that synthetic drugs are not eliciting much interest seems to confirm the theory that it their main appeal is their lax regulations.  Synthetic chemicals are extremely toxic and produce dangerous, mind-altering effects and psychotic behavior.  Upon their arrival, they were sold legally in stores across the country under the guise of bath salts or insect repellant.  Though they were recently outlawed, they are still easy to get behind the counter at most convenience stores.  And chemists change their formulas all the time, making it hard for authorities to keep up.

The Silk Road

The survey revealed that out of the 2500 people who reported buying their own drugs, more than half had heard of Silk Road.  Most had heard about it from media reports.  But though many had visited the site, only 184 had actually purchased drugs.  Most said they already had access to the drugs they wanted, and about half said they were worried about authorities.  A smaller percentage said they were worried about being scammed.

The site belongs to what’s known as the “dark Internet” and uses an alternative currency.  Dealers on the site promise to vacuum pack and seal the drugs in stealth packaging, making it undetectable to customs.  Researchers suspect that most Australians would be more cautious about such websites as Silk Road because it is more difficult to import drugs onto the continent.

Parents as well as school officials have to be educated on this dangerous way of purchasing drugs. Know the facts, talk to your kids about the risks of drugs use and make sure they you know the signs of abuse and act if there is a problem.

For Narconon Vista Bay reviews on this or other topics contact us today.

Source: http://www.smh.com.au/technology/technology-news/teens-visit-hidden-website-for-drugs-20130319-2gddg.html

A new study done shows that alcohol related abuse could be responsible for a percentage of babies who die of SIDS each year. SIDS is another term for Sudden Infant Death Syndrome. This is the term used to describe death of a new baby between the age of 1 month and 1 year. A death which has no known causes and is basically unexplainable. This study showed that some of the babies affected by this syndrome were indeed the children of women who had suffered an alcohol problem during pregnancy.

Alcohol has many known effects on the body and it’s organs. Short term it’s very obvious when someone is intoxicated and longer term doctors can usually identify it’s effects without too much difficulty. There are many diseases that can present themselves as a result of drinking, even if it’s not long term or heavy drinking.

Women have become a new target for alcoholism now that this generation of women is put into more demanding situations. They deal with more pressures and stress than the women of just a few generations ago. Some mothers have jobs as well as the responsibility of raising the children and taking care of the household. This results in a lot of stressed out and overworked women. As a result these women will often turn to a glass of wine or harder drink at the end of the day in order to relax and unwind.

Once a person is dependent on alcohol it can be difficult to stop drinking, even if you do find out that you are pregnant. Often times it is all these women can do to try to cut back and help their unborn child live a happy and healthy life.

Expected Problems If One Drinks During Pregnancy

If a woman does drink during her pregnancy some of the problems which may arise for her or her newborn are as follows:

Cerebral Palsy
Premature Delivery
Miscarriage
Heart defects

Women should also be aware that alcohol can affect you emotionally as well. Once you come down off of the buzz of alcohol you may then find yourself dealing with depression, anxiety or even worse problems such as Schizophrenia.

Getting Help To Stop Drinking Before It’s Too Late

Once you are pregnant there are fewer options that you can do medically to rid yourself of an alcohol dependency. Sometimes there are few options that doctors feel safe with because of the fact that they may jeopardize the baby’s safety. So once you are aware that you have an issue with drinking you should make very sure that you take every precaution not to get pregnant until you get help. Failing to do this can cause you to have to face very devastating consequences. Consequences that could be avoided with just a small amount of prevention.

There are many trusted natural facilities, which offer people great help and care rehabilitating from alcoholism. These facilities offer natural detoxification and vitamin programs to get the body back to its original state. They also offer programs to help an individual cope with the problems of life that led them to drink in the first place.

For more information on this topic contact Narconon now.

Source: http://www.webmd.com/mental-health/alcohol-abuse/news/20130226/mothers-drinking-increases-risk-of-infants-death-study

Kids are able to get their hands on these drugs more and more because one of the ways that drug manufacturers have figured out to get around the laws regarding drugs is by taking the chemical structure of a known and illegal drug and altering it to create an unknown and unbanned substance. This new form of drug is then legal to sell and transport making it difficult for authorities to keep the lines clean. The other danger of altering the drugs is that the resultant compounds have unknown results and side effects.

Side Effects Of Synthetic Drugs

Emergency rooms report all sorts of bizarre reactions some of which you may have seen on the news in recent reports. People turning into cannibals and foaming at the mouth was not uncommon when it came to one of the more popular synthetic combinations. Some doctors warn that because people come in and are unsure of what exactly they took doctors have a hard time countering the effects. Drugs with little known case studies can cause this same problem as well and cases which are uncontrollable and can quickly escalate into a deadly situation. Doctors and nurses now warn people to stay away from synthetic drugs since although they are packaged and marketed in a way that looks safe and appealing they are probably deadly.

One of the main problems with drugs is that they get a false reputation and become alluring. Many people get lured into the idea that drugs can solve all of their problems and don’t often take the time to look at the truth or realize the disadvantage they are putting themselves at by using. And since while a person is under the influence of drugs they can feel that everything is great and under control when it really isn’t they often don’t ever realize what has happened to their life until it is too late.

People who use drugs have all sorts of problems. Problems that they didn’t have before they decided to use. They are usually very emotionally unstable. Partially because of the mind altering effects of the drugs and partially because of the physical stress put on the body. When a person is using drugs they often don’t think about things like proper nutrition nor do they take the vitamins necessary to help the body rehabilitate the damage done by the drugs.

Many physical problems can come into play because of using drugs.

These include:

High blood pressure
heart attack
stroke
liver failure
kidney failure
dehydration

This is just a short list of body problems that can be connected to drug abuse.

Effective Help

If you or someone that you know has a problem with drugs the best solution is to find help quickly. The longer a person is addicted the more their body suffers and the more difficult it is to remove the drugs from their lives. Finding a trusted facility with a proven track record of helping people get back to their normal lives and stay off of drugs is the best thing that you can do for yourself.

Contact us today for more about Narconon or this topic.

Source: http://fox4kc.com/2013/02/07/synthetic-drug-use-skyrocketing-officials-say/

Some hospitals have reported as many as 16 babies born last year who were suffering from symptoms related to drug addiction within the first 24 hours of their life. Typical symptoms after birth and basically the withdrawal from the source of their drug addiction include things such as: crying, vomiting, disinterest in food, shaking, chills, diarrhea, and obvious signs of pain.

Some Doctors say that a large number of these babies are addicted to painkillers that their mother was taking while being pregnant. The statistics of people addicted to pain medications began to rise about 10 or 15 years ago. At this point in time it was estimated that doctors were not doing enough to help their patients cope with pain issues and so an increase in the number of new prescriptions being written went up. This resulted in more and more people on medications and more and more people with serious addiction problems. And now sadly a number of these people have become mothers which in turn means that their children also suffer this difficult fate.

Pregnancy And Risk

Some may ask how or why a mother would risk her unborn child’s safety. It has been shown that many of the women become addicted to the pain medications before they know they are pregnant and once they find out they feel little or no control to be able to do anything about it. Their addiction cannot be combated while also facing the fact that they are pregnant and are perhaps even in more pain now than they were when they became addicted. Many people can’t even distinguish whether or not the pain medication is still necessary for their original ailment once they are addicted because the onset of new pain and new problems that is actually associated with and a result of the medication itself cloud the person awareness and judgment of the situation.

Other times when you find pregnant mothers who have problems with medications you find that they are just not properly educated on the subject and have not been informed of the risks involved for both them and their babies.

Often times a baby born addicted to drugs will not be released into the care of the mother but will instead be placed with a family member or foster care. This can be very devastating for the new mother and can put a lot of strain on a family as well.

Prevention Is The Solution

Some doctors and hospitals use a simple questionnaire to determine if the pregnant woman has a drug history, including cigarettes or alcohol abuse or if they are in a potentially addictive environment where it may become a problem in the future. This allows for early prevention and education measure to be taken.

Also women who are prescribed pain medication for a medically pain related issue can and should be thoroughly educated and made aware of the potential side effects of pain medication and newborns. These women should take extra care to not become pregnant during the time of use and if they become aware of an addiction problem should seek help immediately.

If a pregnant woman feels that she needs to be taking a prescription for pain management then she should talk to her doctor and find out what the safe alternatives are and how to make sure that her baby is safe from side effects.

Using friends and family as a support system also goes a long way in both preventing and treating addiction. Women who feel alone are often more likely to turn to some form of drug or alcohol for relief and are more likely to find themselves dependent and with an even bigger problem then they started with.

If you notice that you someone you love may have a problem with addiction whether they be a pregnant women or not it is important to help that person become educated in the facts of drugs and how they effect a person’s body both short and long term. Many people are told that drugs are safe or are under the impression that serious side effects are rare and uncommon but in actual fact they are more prevalent than one would think. Once educated people are more likely to be able to make a better decision for themselves, based on facts rather than opinions. This one simple action can save a person years of trouble and heartache and possibly even save the life of some one that you know and love.

For more on articles like this contact us or go to Narconon YouTube to see videos on addiction and recovery.

Painkillers are made of such powerful and addictive drugs that many people have questioned the ethics of prescribing them at all. Many teens don’t realize that simply by experimenting one time with one of these drugs or even by taking their own prescribed medications that they are signing themselves up for a hard life of addiction and suffering.

After experiencing this addiction many people have reported that they feel they wish their doctor had never prescribed them the prescription at all and that they had done more research as to the side effects and tried other more natural handlings as a first step.

There are many natural ways of handling life which have started to get overlooked. Our society has become so fixed on the “quick and easy” way of doing things that a bottle of pills is often looked to as the obvious solution when in reality it is the opposite.

Addictive Solutions

Most people have not found that these pills don’t actually offer them a solution but in fact lead them to more problems. Problems that can be difficult for individuals and families to handle. Even very strong, close knit families have been torn apart by the effects of drugs which is why it is so important to stay on top of the problem and handle it quickly if it arises.

Today teens and young adults seek out prescriptions as a way to get high and party longer and harder. Some of them will use the excuse of needing the drug to achieve enhanced awareness and accuracy for their schoolwork but this always leads to more abuse and more problems.

Because prescription medication is made of such powerful drugs, drugs that can have bad effects on the body even taking a very low dose for a short amount of time can get a person into trouble. Everyone’s body reacts differently to things. Metabolisms are different and emotionally people will respond differently as well. If you or your child is prescribed prescription pain medications you need to take the time to do your research and understand really what you are signing yourself up for.

Family Prevention

It is often underestimated the power that the family unit has over the direction of life for its individual members. The purpose of the family is to ensure that each of its member survive well and that they prosper into the future.

Keeping in good communication with each family member whether it be around the dinner table or on a weekly basis is a very successful way of creating a solid foundation for both the children and the parents to strive on.

Rehabilitation

If you do need help with a problem concerning prescription drugs there are now effective natural treatment facilities that offer help like the Narconon program and many others. Do your research well and pick a place that offers natural resources on coping with the process. If you go to a facility that uses more drugs then you will find that you will wind up with new addictions and new problems that you would probably rather avoid. Don’t underestimate the power of natural healing it has been used for centuries and allows the body to use its own abilities to repair itself rather than becoming dependent on an outside influence.

Source:  http://www.myfoxdc.com/story/21293025/fox-5-investigates-teen-prescription-drug-abuse

Rates among Hispanic men dropped slightly but spiked more than 23 percent for Hispanic women.

Reasons For The Change

Researchers are mystified by the changes, saying it is extremely unusual to see such a dramatic change in prison population.  They suspect a number of reasons for the trend:

•    Changes in drug laws and sentencing.
•    Arrest rates among blacks going down.
•    Increasing meth abuse among whites and Hispanics.

It is this last point that has officials most concerned.  The hand-in-glove relationship of meth and crime may be driving this trend more than most think.

Meth And Crime

It is a well-known fact among crime fighters, especially the FBI, that meth is closely linked to illegal activity, especially property crime and violence.  Officials in a number of states, particularly in rural areas, report that meth-related crime is on the rise.  In fact, rural prisons are so full from such crimes that hundreds of inmates are now being incarcerated out of state.

Although most of the meth on American streets is imported from Mexico, meth labs continue to surface throughout the country, especially in backwoods areas.  Meth is easy and cheap to make from common household materials.  It is extremely addictive, bringing customers regularly.

One of the main active ingredients in meth is ephedrine, found in over-the-counter cold medication like Sudafed.  Pharmacies implemented stricter monitoring rules in recent years, and pharmaceutical companies have issued a new, tamper-proof formula called Nexafed.  Experts hope these changes will cause a change in current meth-related crime trends.

Dangers Of Meth

Meth causes the brain to produce a rush of dopamine, a chemical naturally made by the body to manage its ability to feel pleasure from sex, food, and other survival rewards.  Once dopamine is exhausted, however, the body no longer produces the same amount it needs to survive.  The user feels burnt out and begins to experience withdrawal symptoms unless he takes more meth.

It is for this reason that meth users eventually turn to crime.  They find themselves going to desperate measures, performing unthinkable acts in an effort to get more meth.  It has been said that meth is one of the most addictive substances known to man.

The body begins to break down not long after meth addiction begins.  The user picks at his skin in an effort to release “crank bugs”, a common hallucination among meth users in which bugs appear to be crawling under the skin.  His teeth rot and fall out, and his skin becomes pock-marked and haggard.  Wounds no longer heal and he loses mental strength.  [This information has been found through many Narconon Vista Bay reviews with addicts who have struggled with meth.]

Authorities hope a nation-wide anti-meth campaign will dissuade meth use and encourage addicts to get the help they need.  It is through prevention and intervention that the country’s jails will be freed of meth-driven inmates.

Source: http://www.businessinsider.com/the-us-is-putting-more-white-people-in-prison-and-meth-could-be-to-blame-2013-2

Part of the problem with alcohol abuse is that it is so widely accepted and marketed. Ads are all over promoting to all age groups that alcohol abuse is normal. Movies and TV shows promote that alcohol should be a daily part of life. If you start to look around you will notice all the ways that alcohol is promoted as a way of life. Children see this promotion, whether we realize it or not, and they start to go into agreement with it as well. Then as they become older they start to want to abuse alcohol as well. So it’s no surprise that more and more children are using alcohol before they reach the age of 21. There have even been reports of children bringing alcohol to school in their thermoses.

Parental Influence

Some parents when asked have admitted that it’s no big deal to them if their child drinks. This is another warning sign of the level that our society has sunk to. When you consider that alcohol abuse causes major medical problems as well as social problems that can lead to not only criminal actions but also a basic inability to function within our society then you will start to see that parents should not only be concerned but should also be proactively working to handle the problem.

When a child becomes addicted to alcohol they start to bring down everyone around them, parents included. Their problems lead to more problems on a larger scale and the family can experience great hardship and struggle as a result.

Early Education

Our children are the future of this world, and no matter how overused that statement may be, it is still true. This puts a huge responsibility on the parent to not only educate their child but also to ensure that others do the same. Parents also need to realize that if they are setting a bad example and promoting that it’s okay to use alcohol excessively or regularly, then for sure their kids will follow suit before too long. Parents even if they have a problem or are choosing to abuse substances need to keep it hidden from their children’s view and should seek help with their problem.

The best prevention for all families is to build a strong foundation with lots of open communication about the subject. Letting kids know the devastating results of abusing alcohol can be the best and only prevention they will ever need. It can deter them not only from abusing alcohol but can go as far as preventing drug abuse as well. Most parents are surprised to find out how much their opinion means to their children. Many parents assume that if they get involved their children will just do the opposite of what they say in order to rebel, but this is most often not the case.

Children who feel that they are being cared for and who feel that they are being included in the important decisions regarding their life and their future do actually pay attention and are interested in finding out more. Statistics show that when education programs on drugs and alcohol have been brought to school the results were staggering. Usage rates drop and kids really start to be interested in preventing themselves and their friends from every abusing.

For more information on this article or to get help contact Florida Narconon centers.

Source: http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2013/jan/01/tp-alcohol-abuse-ranked-a-leading-risk-factor-for/

One synthetic drug on the market today is Smiles. Smiles sounds like a harmless enough thing. But the truth is that this drug is a deadly combo of drugs known to cause extreme side effects. This is mostly troublesome to parents since its name and look are marketed to intentionally lure kids into using it.

Dangers of Drugs

All drugs are dangerous but drugs with unknown compounds are starting to cause side effects that doctors have never seen and don’t know how to treat. So even just deciding to try it once may be a deadly mistake. Reports from users state that the drug causes hallucinations, rapid heart beat, and psychotic episodes similar to those of LSD.

All teens should be made aware of the side effects as well as the different forms that this and other synthetic drugs can come in. Some kids have reported drinking soda that turned out to be laced with a synthetic drug. They didn’t know it until an hour later they were having difficulty breathing and hallucinating. The fact that kids are uneducated enough about drugs to risk drugging their friends in this manner shows that we as a society are failing to educate our children into the truth about drugs.

The level of responsibility in our society has seemed to have dropped significantly. Many years ago the public at large would have felt much more alarm about the situations we are faced with concerning drugs. Today many people feel like its beyond them to do anything about it and they instead neglect to confront the situation at all. But in reality very little goes a long way in addressing this problem. Many kids and young adults just don’t have enough information to make an educated decision. If someone hands them a drug and says oh it’s not big deal, you’ll have fun, its cool” is that enough data to make a decision?

Compared to if some one hands you the same drug and says, you can try this and experience really strange hallucinations, some of which may alter your reality and some of which you may not be able to tolerate and could send you into a psychotic episode or worse the emergency room or you could possibly die.” The latter statement obviously gives you more information and makes you think more about what you are about to do. But very rarely do people pushing the use of drugs on you give you a true picture of what you are about to get yourself into. Usually it is because they, being also uneducated in the drugs properties and side effects, honestly don’t know what they are giving you or what the result could be.

People need to realize that drugs have different effects on different people. Because one person you know tried it and had lived to tell the tale doesn’t mean that every person will. Bodies have different weights, different metabolisms, etc. and everyone has their own mind, which will react to certain stimuli different.

Parental Protection

The best way to approach some one about a sensitive topic is on a one on one basis. Talking to a group of people is much harder. You have multiple opinions to handle as well as the fact that you are up against the socially acceptable responses as opposed to people’s real feelings. In a one on one setting you can take the time to get across to the person and really make sure that you both understand each other. Sit down with your children and let them know the data about drugs and why it is important to protect yourself. This has been the single most effective way of keeping kids from every using drugs not only in school but also well into their adult life.

For more information or to get help for a loved one go to www.able.org/programs/narconon/.

Source: http://www.newsmagazinenetwork.com/2013010929677/new-synthetic-drug-appears-on-local-scene/

In fact painkillers are made of such powerful and addictive drugs that many people have questioned the ethics of prescribing them at all even if the situation seems to warrant it.

Death In Disguise

Nowadays teens and young adults are becoming more and more dependent on these drugs as a way to get their fix. What may have started out as a harmless prescritpion can quickly turn into a devastating nightmare. Families have reported no longer knowing who their child is or worse having to turn them away from their home because of fear for their safety.

Because of this if you or your child are prescribed these pills you need to really take the time to be aware of the warning signs and side effects and really judge for yourself if taking such a drug is a wise decision.

The internet can be a good source to find out what these drugs do to people. More and more people are sharing their life stories in the hopes of being able to help others avoid the downfalls that they have experienced. The stories can often be heartbreaking but it is good to understand that these people are just like you and they also were not expecting that anything like this could happen to them.

People trust their doctors to take care of them but more and more these people who we trust are not taking them time to really understand what is happening to our society and watching out for our best interest.

Kids And Drugs

Many teens have started using drugs as a way to fit in or be cool or as a way to escape from the problems that they are faced with. They are dealing with problems that didn’t exist for kids in earlier generations. As a result many feel that they have no choice other than to be cool and do what they think everyone expects them to do, get high.

Being more involved in your child’s life will help to deter the possibility of them ever using drugs in the first place. By knowing that you are interested and involved in what they have doing on in their daily lives and that you are there to help them they will feel less willing to get mixed up with drugs at all. When you look at this long term you start to realize that it is a small amount of effort in order to avoid what can be a devastating future for both you and your child. Knowing that you are there for them and that you are interested in their problems and willing to help them come up with solutions the more likely they are to stay strong and stay off of drugs.

Drugs can quickly and easily ruin a person’s life and it is the responsibility of the family to keep their own happy and healthy. Each person plays a big part in the whole big picture of life. The choices we make affect our children, their children and the future of our communities. By realizing it early on and knowing what you can do about it you can be prepared to maintain the happiness and stability of your home and make a big difference for the better.

For more information on this topic or Narconon treatment facilities contact us today.

Source: http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2013/01/23/169963431/painkiller-paradox-feds-struggle-to-control-drugs-that-help-and-harm

Painkillers are such powerful and addictive drugs that many people have questioned the ethics of prescribing them and why doctors have ignored the warning signs of abuse. The benefits are so small compared to the risks which are many.

Addictive Solutions

Painkillers are used for management of many medical conditions. But once they’ve been used they are often difficult to stop. The addictive properties of these drugs are often overlooked by doctors and this inattention is causing many of their patient’s great harm.
Young children and teens are especially susceptible to this addiction because they are often coerced by their friends at school to use the drugs for recreational purposes. Pills like hydrocodone are crushed and snorted in order to achieve a greater high than just ingesting them regularly and many teens are taking full advantage of this. Many people feel that if doctors do know this, which they should, then there is an issue at hand regarding the ethics of handling out large prescriptions with multiple refills.

Side Effects Of Pain Pills

The side effects associated with long term use of pain pills, whether it is for actual pain or for recreational purposes is long. People get treated in emergency rooms and doctors’ offices on a daily basis for things such as:

Bone and muscle pain
Sleeplessness
Anxiety
Irritability
Delirium
Sweating
Confusion
Fatigue
Flu Like Symptoms
Cardiac Arrest
Depression

As you can see these side effects may not all seem like they would stem directly from the use of a painkiller but they do. This can be confusing for patients and even doctors who begin to prescribe more medications for the relief of the symptoms. This can lead their patients down a dark and never ending road of drugs and side effects.

Research Together

The family unit is the strongest way to protect each other from harm in this society. Many people don’t realize it, but as a group the family’s ability to survive is ten times stronger than that of a single person alone. Because of this fact many parents have started to take the time to make that unit stronger by sitting down with their kids and educating them on what drugs, even prescription drugs and painkillers do to the body and the mind.

The internet can be a good source for information as long as you ensure that the information you are finding is from a reliable source. News reports sometimes are helpful but finding real life stories and data about what others have done to resolve their problems can usually be more helpful.

Making sure that your kids are educated on the harmful effects of pills can help them make a better life decisions and when they come into contact with these drugs, which they most likely will, then you will have the peace of mind in knowing that you gave them the necessary data to stay safe. They won’t just be saying no because you told them to but they will be choosing for themselves and saying no to the drug because they understand how it can affect their health and their happiness.

Rehabilitation

Today there are many options for handling drug addictions. The best and most effective ways are those involving natural methods that help to detox the body of any drug residue and then rebuild it using vitamins and natural healthy foods. There have been many new advances in this field and the natural clinics are helping people release the effects of drugs on a daily basis.

Drugs can quickly and easily ruin a person’s life but it’s unnecessary. Natural rehabilitation is a powerful and effective way to return to your normal life and rid the dependency of drugs. The choices we make affect our children, their children and the future of our communities. By realizing it early on and knowing what you can do about it you can be prepared to maintain the happiness and stability of your home and make a big difference for the better.

For more information contact Narconon today.

Source: http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-01-24/pain-pill-abuse-helped-by-doctor-inattention-dea-says.html