Substance Abuse

Alcohol and drug abuse among the elderly has long been an under-recognized problem, according to drug counselors and those who work with the senior population.Junction Inc., a drug treatment center in Westminster, hopes to alert seniors and their care givers to the issue through a new prevention and education program.Joyce Tierney, the county's assistant prevention coordinator, who works out of Junction, plans to present the program at the county's senior centers and at churches that have outreach ministries for the homebound elderly.

Synthetic marijuana ranked in the top three substances abused by the nation's high school students in 2012, according to a new report compiled by the Center for Substance Abuse Research at the University of Maryland, College Park . The drug -- herbs treated with chemicals designed to mimic the effects of marijuana -- ranked third next to alcohol and marijuana, which 57 percent and 39 percent of students in grades nine through 12...

As the headlines continue to talk of international drug interdictions and military intervention in the war on drugs, it's often overlooked that the business world can be a vital foot soldier in the battle."

We have a great capacity for placing people into categories and minimizing their humanity. One such category is "felons" and another is "drug addicts. " We can easily forget that men and women who have been convicted of crimes or are suffering from substance abuse issues are the same as the rest of us at the core - fallible but resolutely hopeful. Here in Baltimore, a celebration of that capacity for hope and a reminder that redemption comes in many forms took place earlier this year in a small chapel within a church on Cathedral Street.

More than half of the seriously injured patients treated at Maryland Shock Trauma Center were found to have a current or past problem with drugs or drinking, according to a study in today's Journal of the American Medical Association.The survey results have prompted officials at the trauma center to contemplate ways to persuade patients while they are still in the hospital to get treatment for their addictions or to change on their own."If you find those problems, you ought to treat those problems," said Dr. Carl A. Soderstrom, a professor of surgery who directed the study.

Ravens running back Jamal Lewis could face significant punishment from the NFL if convicted on federal drug charges, even though his alleged crime took place before he joined the team, an attorney familiar with the league's substance-abuse policy said yesterday. Lewis, who already has been entered in Stage 3 of the policy, was charged this week with conspiring to possess, with intent to distribute, 5 kilograms of cocaine in the summer of 2000, before he signed his first contract with the Ravens.

Howard County residents who work together to stop drug abuse have been honored at the county executive's 5th Annual Partnership Awards Program at Taylor Manor Hospital in Ellicott City.The awards, which were presented Wednesday, are sponsored by the Howard County Substance Abuse Impact Services Office.Joyce Brown Weddington, Howard County substance abuse impact coordinator, said the awards were started when she and the county executive realized five years ago that efforts to fight substance abuse were disjointed.

Howard County's substance abuse programs will gain national prominence tomorrow morning when President Clinton comes to Elkridge to urge Congress not to cut funding for drug-abuse education legislation.Launching a national drug-awareness campaign at Mayfield Woods Middle School, Mr. Clinton is expected to highlight the Howard school system's use of the federal funding and how the various county agencies have worked together to fight substance abuse."I'm really pleased that we get a chance to show off our drug education program," said Debbi Lange, the health education teacher at Mayfield Woods.

Betty Ford made it socially acceptable to seek treatment for alcohol and drug abuse. By going public with her own story of addiction, she opened the door for thousands of others to admit they had a problem. Her commitment to drug and alcohol treatment, with the Betty Ford Clinic, was a model for others to follow. At a time when drug abuse is growing faster than ever, we sure could use her leadership. Mike Gimbel, Towson

State health officials have leveraged federal funds to offer more people substance abuse treatment, according to a report sent to state lawmakers by the Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene. The extra $26 million from fiscal 2009 to fiscal 2012 means that almost 21,000 more people got treatment. The money, a total of $142.8 million, comes from Medicaid and the Alcohol and Drug Abuse Administration. "Expanding access to effective treatment for substance abuse is a top priority," said Dr. Joshua M. Sharfstein, secretary of the health department, in a statement.

Amid growing concerns about the relationship between substance abuse and mental illness in children and adolescents, the Harford County Office on Mental Health will hold an educational town hall meeting for Harford County families and service providers. A panel of local experts on drug abuse, mental illness and suicide prevention will present information about recent trends and local resources. The town hall meeting, "Resiliency: Building a Path to Recovery for Children and Adolescents," is scheduled on Thursday May 2 from 4:30 to 7 p.m. at the William N. McFaul Activities Center.

I applaud the efforts of the University of Maryland in obtaining the funding needed to increase their mental health services ("UM adds funding for mental health," April 3). While money is important, it isn't everything. National statistics tell us there is a very high prevalence (50-to-75 percent) of co-occurring substance use and mental disorders, otherwise known as co-occurring disorders. It is the expectation, not the exception. So designing their treatment system to accommodate these individuals will assure better outcomes.

Baltimore County will host a public meeting this week in Towson for nonprofits, government agencies and the public to discuss funding and spending priorities for community development programs aimed at social action, housing, child services and equal access. The meeting will be held at 9:30 a.m. Friday, Dec. 14, at the Towson Library, 320 York Road, Towson. County staff will discuss grant opportunities and spending priorities targeted for homeless services; fair housing; removal of architectural barriers for persons with disabilities; and also projects aimed at low-income residents regarding employment, crime prevention, child care, health and welfare, education, substance abuse, energy conservation or recreational needs.

The owner of a Baltimore substance abuse center led a protest of more than 120 people Thursday morning at the doors of Johns Hopkins Hospital, saying the medical giant owes his organization more than $100,000 in Medicaid payments. The Rev. Milton E. Williams, who operates the Turning Point Substance Abuse Clinic in East Baltimore, said his organization had provided hundreds of patients with free care because a Hopkins affiliate has not reimbursed it for treating Medicaid patients.

LaTavia Little, executive director of Treatment Resources for Youth, has her hands full. It's partly the work: Her Baltimore nonprofit helps teenagers and pre-teens avoid or battle substance abuse in a city where many residents struggle with drug addiction. But she has organizational challenges, too. Treatment Resources merged with another provider, Northwest Baltimore Youth Services, in July. How much need do you see for substance abuse treatment for pre-teens and teenagers in Baltimore?

Editor: I commend the FACE-IT Faith-Based Coalition and Harford County officials for sponsoring last week's Recovery Festival at Aberdeen Festival Park. Sharing personal experiences and achievements is a vital component of the recovery process. As a social worker with experience in emergency psychiatric services, addictions counseling and mobile treatment, I have seen first hand the devastating impact of mental illness and substance abuse on families, as well as the hope and promise of recovery.

A dramatic change in how Maryland pays for substance abuse treatment programs is leaving some providers short on cash and displacing more than 200 drug and alcohol addicts, even as the state's four-year transition to a new funding system has significantly increased the number of people getting help. Providers say they're worried that the instability will cause recovering addicts to lose their tenuous grip on sobriety when at least three treatment centers close their doors this summer, as the facilities deal with the unintended consequences of a state effort to broaden services.

Substance abuse among America's soldiers is increasing and the Department of Defense isn't doing enough to address the problem, according to a new report. The report released today by the Institute of Medicine found that the military health system TRICARE doesn't cover the best treatments for alcohol and drug abuse. The system also does not permit long-term use of certain medications to treat addiction and requires treatment in a specialized rehab center. The report, conducted at the request of Congress, calls for updating TRICARE coverage, including allowing for outpatient treatment.

Substance abuse among America's soldiers is increasing and the Department of Defense isn't doing enough to address the problem, according to a new report. The report released today by the Institute of Medicine found that the military health system TRICARE doesn't cover the best treatments for alcohol and drug abuse. The system also does not permit long-term use of certain medications to treat addiction and requires treatment in a specialized rehab center. The report, conducted at the request of Congress, calls for updating TRICARE coverage, including allowing for outpatient treatment.

Carroll Lutheran Village in Westminster will host the program "Challenges of Grandparenting in the 21st Century: Looking at Addiction Through the Eyes of Grandparents" on Friday, Sept. 14, from 1 to 3 p.m., as part of the center's recognition of National Grandparents Month. The workshop will feature presentations from Chuck Bosley, addictions coordinator at Carroll Hospital Center, and Dr. Janet Buchanan, vice president of philanthropy at Carroll Lutheran Village, who will discuss the signs and symptoms of addiction in youth and the use of technology in promoting substance abuse.