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NEW
YORK
- Drug rehabs
throughout the country are not created equally.
It is important to get all the information
possible when it comes to drug rehabilitation
facilities and their treatment methods.
State to state,
prescription abuse issues vary. However,
prescription drug abuse overall has been
soaring. More readily available, and with the
misconception that if a doctor has prescribed
it, then it must be safe, more and more people
are abusing and becoming addicted to prescribed
medications.
The DEA1
(United States Drug Enforcement Administration)
reports that current investigations indicate
that hydrocodone products and OxyContin are the
most commonly abused pharmaceutical drugs in the
New York area. The most common methods of
diversion in New York are: “doctor shopping”
(going to a number of doctors to obtain
prescriptions for controlled pharmaceuticals),
forged prescriptions, and theft. Methadone,
benzodiazepines (such as alprazolam and
diazepam), and fentanyl were also identified as
being among the most commonly abused and
diverted pharmaceuticals in New York.
In March 2007, Howard TOCHIK, the owner of
TERRACE PHARMACY, was arrested along with 27
other members of a pharmaceutical drug ring
operating in Nassau and Queens Counties. TERRACE
PHARMACY sold nearly twice the amount Vicodin as
the average pharmacy in the United States in
2005 and almost three times more than the
average pharmacy in New York State during the
same period.
In July, a consent judgment was filed against
BELLCO DRUG CORPORATION of North Amityville, New
York, a distributor of pharmaceuticals, for
failing to report suspicious orders of
controlled substances to Internet pharmacies.
Pursuant to the terms of the consent judgment,
Bellco has paid a civil penalty of $800,000 and
has agreed to surrender its DEA registration,
which authorized the distribution of controlled
substances.
The New York
Times2 printed an online story March,
2004, called Drug-Fighters Turn to Rising Tide
of Prescription Abuse. They state, "After years
in which marijuana, cocaine and heroin were by
far the main focus of the nation's war on drugs,
the Bush administration is now attacking the
rising abuse of prescription drugs.
While marijuana remains the nation's most abused
drug, according to government and private
studies, narcotic pain relievers like OxyContin
and Vicodin, along with a variety of some other
prescription medications, have overtaken
amphetamines to rank second."
The New York State
Department of Health3 issued a 2007
press release entitled, State Prescription Forms
Reducing Fraud and Abuse. They state:
A law that requires doctors to use an official
state prescription form for all written
prescriptions has generated $60 million in
Medicaid fraud savings in the first six months
of accounting oversight.
The state's expanded Official Prescription
Program requires the use of tamper-proof state
prescription forms for all non-electronic
prescriptions. The forms, which are provided
without charge to practitioners, contain
state-of-the-art security features that deter
alteration, counterfeiting and forgery. Each
prescription form contains a unique identifier
number, which can be tracked through New York's
claims system. The serial numbers of lost or
stolen prescription forms are posted on the
State Health Department's Web site, where they
can be reviewed by pharmacists before dispensing
a prescription.
"This program is a powerful tool in reducing
prescription fraud, which drives up health-care
costs and threatens public safety by diverting
drugs from legitimate medical use," said State
Health Commissioner Richard F. Daines, M.D. "At
the same time, taxpayers are seeing direct
savings in Medicaid spending. Fraud deterrence
and detection are part of our effort to ensure
that the State's Medicaid dollars are spent
wisely, for quality health care."
 One thing is for certain, for
the drug addict of prescription medications, the
dwindling spiral will continue on its downward
path unless action is taken. NOW is the time to
do something before the addicted person winds up
in jail or dead of an overdose or accident.
Unfortunately past failed attempts to overcome
addiction only further depress the individual so
it comes as no surprise that fear and
hesitation.
In the state of New York there is an increased
need for effective drug and alcohol rehab and
addiction treatment centers as drug and alcohol
use continues to escalate. Drug use erodes the
quality of life not only for the user, but for
their families and communities. Marriages and
families are torn apart by mistrust, betrayal,
fear and anger. Careers are ruined; companies
lose millions of dollars in lost production
time; cities and suburbs become degraded by the
increased crime and violence that goes with drug
trafficking and drug addiction.
From city to suburb to rural life, drug and
alcohol use and abuse continues to undermine the
quality of life for New York citizens. To do
nothing for the addict, should not be an option.
Something can be done; help is available.
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Should a chronic drug or alcohol abuser
attend a treat program close to home? |
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 Drug
and alcohol addiction typically involves
habitual routines in the environmental
scope of the individual, i.e. the
locations of their drug or alcohol use,
the people they associated with in the
activities of drug or alcohol use, etc.
Drug or alcohol addiction is not just
drug and alcohol use, it revolves around
people and things in their immediate
environment which help to trigger the
addictive behavior. The abusers location
and routines of drug and alcohol use
further trigger drug and alcohol use. It
is the constant and seemingly
unstoppable drug or alcohol use and the
hopelessness of day to day existence
which perpetuates the problem and
inhibits the native desire to stop
ruining their life through the use of
drugs and alcohol.
The above factor should not be over
looked when considering a treatment
center location. The first two weeks of
treatment are always the most difficult
and there are many factors at work to make
this so. In addition to what has been
covered above, a more basic factor is
this; people are creatures of habit.
Even overwhelmingly positive and
beneficial changes in life, such as the
birth of a child or a new job does not
guarantee the individual will have no
thoughts of missing past negative
activities such as, drug or alcohol use,
drug or drinking acquaintances and other
associated activities. Factually this is
the normal reactive auto response of
most human beings; to do what they are
familiar with; good or bad. It is not
really that they yearn for these things,
it is just all that they have known for
some time. If the abuser is close to
home when overwhelming feelings manifest
themselves, there is a good chance he or
she will leave and get back to what they
know, drug addiction, as it is not very
far away . Due to these factors,
attending a drug rehab close to home is
seldom the correct treatment option for
chronic drug or alcohol abusers. It is
extremely therapeutic to be distanced
from their former association with drug
dealers, bars, the cabinet where the
alcohol was kept, the cigar box where
the cocaine was stored, etc. All these
triggers make the task of sobriety seem
insurmountable to the chronic drug or
alcohol abuser as these triggers
continuously stimulate a reminder of
their past addictive behaviors.
For individuals with a severe drug or
alcohol addiction problem, choosing a
long term inpatient treatment program is
another key to a successful outcome. By
providing a new, safe trigger free
environment, distanced from past
negative associations and surroundings
for an extended period of time, the
chance for success increases
dramatically.
Our program provides people with
positive circumstances to increase their
chances for a successful recovery. The
vast majority of students entering our
program, around (80%), are from out of
state or from other countries. |
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Healing Addicted Lives |
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 Call
now and request a copy of Healing
Addicted Lives written by Gary W. Smith,
Certified Chemical Dependency Counselor
and Director of Narconon Arrowhead Drug
and Alcohol Rehabilitation and Education
Center.
Call anytime to speak with one of our
counselors about our program. We will
take the time to answer your questions
whether it be for yourself or a loved
one. It is possible to replace the loss
and pain of alcohol or drug addiction
with a productive, enjoyable life.
Call now (877) 340-3602.
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