'Supermensch' rules
It all started in 1968 at a popular Los Angeles motel, where Gordon, a bewildered sociology graduate of the University of Buffalo and failed probation officer, stayed by accident, dropped acid and met fellow tenants Janis Joplin, Jim Morrison and Jimi … Read more on Boston Herald

'Record' Amount Of Pot, Heroin Seized In Alberta, BC
… 6% (22 Metric Tons). A homeless California man shoots up heroin at an outdoor squat behind a dumpster in Los Angeles. … 13% (45 Metric Tons). A police officer lectures heroin addicts on the dangers of drug use, at a Bejing-based rehabilitation … Read more on Huffington Post Canada

Hollywood Widower Blames Rehab Clinic
LOS ANGELES (CN) – The widower of actress Lisa Robin Kelly filed a negligence lawsuit against the drug rehabilitation center where his wife died last year. Robert Gilliam and the Estate of Lisa Robin Kelly sued Pax House of Altadena and the clinic's … Read more on Entertainment Law Digest (subscription)

Jonah Hill, Channing Tatum back as cop buddies in '22 Jump Street'
In “22 Jump Street,” they're off to college, admission standards having plummeted, and will again impersonate students in order to squash a new drug epidemic, and to give directors Phil Lord and Christopher Miller an excuse to include spring break … Read more on The Korea Herald

Question by Green: AODA counselor degree advice?
Hi there. I want to become an AODA counselor, I was wondering, hopefully for some advice from real AODA counselors, how is the schooling money/studying-wise? Is it worth the job? (Im sure I will find the job more than worthwhile no matter what, I don’t care for money, I want to help people more than anything)

What does the school consist of and how many years should I plan on going?

thanks in advance.

Best answer:

Answer by jannsody
If by AODA counselor, you’re referring to an “alcohol and other drug abuse” counselor, which is most likely similar to the credentials of CAC (certified addiction counselor) or CADC (certified alcohol and drug counselor), then obtaining a master’s degree can make a person more marketable in the field.

It’s great that you’re not considering “addiction counseling” for the money as most don’t enter the field for the salary 🙂 A lot of addiction counselors are “in recovery” (from addiction) themselves, but it’s not a prerequisite.

The substance abuse counseling student needs to get a passing score while completing several clinical fieldwork hours under the supervision of a clinical supervisor and having an actual patient caseload.

This site has more general info re: certification in addiction counseling: http://www.naadac.org/certification

Just an fyi that the social work/counseling (and nursing) field is supposed to have a high burn-out rate.

With regard to schooling, please do *avoid* those private For-profit schools, such as devry, ITT tech, strayer, U of P, capella, regis, argosy, walden, grand canyon, ashworth, full sail, ashford, pima medical, Stratford career, keiser, Everest, penn foster, icdc, Kaplan, art institute, concorde career and others. Their course credits usually do ** NOT ** transfer to other schools, even if the for-profit school is regionally accredited as opposed to only nationally accredited.

General career info: http://www.bls.gov/ooh and can search “substance abuse and behavioral disorder counselors”, “social workers”, “counselors” or such.

For U.S. colleges (though, please still forgo those for-profit schools): http://www.utexas.edu/world/univ

This government site has more general info re: “functional qualities and helping skills for AODA counselors and therapists”: http://www.dhs.wisconsin.gov/substabuse/docs/reports/Helpingskills3.pdf

You may want to consider volunteering at a “crisis helpline” of which the volunteer engages in “active listening” (including reflecting feelings) of the caller as opposed to providing counseling or giving advice.

Know better? Leave your own answer in the comments!

Substance counselor gets prison in DUI death
LOS ANGELES (AP) – A substance-abuse counselor who struck a pedestrian with her car and drove through a Los Angeles suburb with the dying man on her windshield was sentenced Thursday to 55 years to life in prison. Sherri Lynn Wilkins, 53, was … Read more on 7Online WSVN-TV

Woman who drove with dying man on car gets prison – KOAM TV 7
LOS ANGELES (AP) – A substance-abuse counselor was sentenced Thursday to 55 years to life in prison for hitting a pedestrian with her car and driving through a Los Angeles suburb with the dying man on her windshield. A jury earlier this year convicted … Read more on KOAM-TV

Sheriff disappointed in drug program results
Although Cahill is not a substance abuse counselor, he was hoping the lessons his company teaches would also help the program's participants. Three of the men in the program have been sentenced to prison, one for committing another crime and two for … Read more on The Daily Standard

News anchor Bert Roselle: 1933-2014
Mr. Roselle, a former television anchor and drug abuse counselor, has died at age 80. Colleagues remember Bert Roselle as the first “face” of Channel 17 news. He was the veteran professional in a relatively young newsroom and a mentor with a sense of … Read more on Florida Times-Union

Law gives terminal patients 'right to try' unapproved drugs
Louisiana, Missouri and Arizona are considering similar measures. It takes more than 10 years and $ 1 billion to get a drug approved by the FDA, Ginal said, and … Terminal patients are not chosen for clinical trials, Ginal said. When conducting a … Read more on Boulder County Business Report

House Votes to Stop Feds From Interfering With State Marijuana Laws
Harris was joined in opposition by John Fleming of Louisiana, while Georgia's Paul Broun argued that medicinal marijuana is "less dangerous than some narcotics that doctors prescribe all over this country." Congress needs to "reserve the states' powers … Read more on The New American

Counties sue narcotics makers, alleging 'campaign of deception'
Twenty years ago, the narcotics industry was hemmed in by a small market because the long-held fear of addiction stopped doctors from prescribing powerful painkillers for anything but cancer pain and end-of-life suffering. To expand their market, the … Read more on Los Angeles Times

Question by Wait! U Mad Bro??!!: OK MARIJUANA AND LSD DEBATE?
Allright, so my friend is a smoker right, he doesn’t smoke ALL the time, but he still smokes. so we were having a debate on LSD and Marijuana effect on the brain when they are ABUSED. I said, if you abuse both substances, they could lead to brain damage, but he insists that only LSD does this. He literally says Marijuana will not have an effect on the brain if it is abused. I told him it will and sited a medical book as my source. He then tells me that the book is biased and that he’s done many research on the drug and is sure it doesn’t effect the brain in any way. DOES THAT MAKE SENCE?!!!
well

Best answer:

Answer by bravozulu
Effect should be modified to negative effect. The word “abused” is subjective and even leading. Damage is also somewhat subjective and the word “could” doesn’t have much meaning either. It could be one chance in a billion or 50/50.

THC most definitely has an effect on the brain and it potentially has profound effects on the mind. The changes are due to activating cannabinoid receptors. Those change other neurotransmitters and it changes how the brain functions. There isn’t much long term change and probably no permanent damage. He probably meant that no permanent or even temporary harm was done. That is probably true unless the dose is far beyond normal usage.

LSD is extremely non toxic. The changes are very temporary. This statement from wikipedia is consistent with statements from all the medical doctors I have heard.
“LSD is non-addictive, is not known to cause brain damage, and has extremely low toxicity relative to dose, although in rare cases adverse psychiatric reactions such as anxiety or delusions are possible.”

The later anxiety and delusions are sometimes described as flashbacks and it is generally believed that they are memories of your altered conscious thoughts. You remember feeling paranoid or whatever you experienced so there is potential for permanent psychological damage. The same is logically true for THC though most people don’t normally react badly to it. There are certainly exceptions though.

Give your answer to this question below!

House Votes to End DEA Raids on Legal Medical Marijuana Businesses
The Huffington Post adds that medical marijuana dispensaries have faced the wrath of both the DEA and the Obama administration, with the agency still considering marijuana a Schedule I substance, meaning it has high potential for abuse and no accepted … Read more on Complex.com

What the legalization of marijuana has meant for children
Although she was unhurt, the kitchen was destroyed and the adults who were present have been charged with reckless endangerment and child abuse, according to CBS Denver.Such dangerous environments are tied to recreational use of marijuana. Read more on Wicked Local Hopedale

Mississippi, home to federal government's official stash of marijuana
Researchers can't get anything from the 46-year-old Marijuana Research Project at Ole Miss unless the Drug Enforcement Administration gives the go-ahead. A panel on which the National Institute on Drug Abuse is represented often must sign off too. Read more on Los Angeles Times

Question by ?’MaKeUp’ YoUr MiNd?: POLL: Do you like the song “Rehab”?
i personally hate it!

Best answer:

Answer by Monty Burns
no i don’t

Know better? Leave your own answer in the comments!

Los Angeles CA Alcohol Drug Rehab Launches Residential Treatment Program
Los Angeles CA Alcohol Drug Rehab is launching a residential treatment program for adults and adolescents looking to end their serious drug addiction problems in Los Angeles and surrounding cities in Southern California. So many individuals believe … Read more on PR Web (press release)

Springfield Salvation Army's recycled textiles help fund its drug and alcohol …
Last year, the city-based organization recycled 2,019,294 pounds of textiles, earning $ 513,024 from their sale, which goes to support Salvation Army's adult drug and alcohol rehabilitation program, said Maj. Darren Mudge, adult rehabilitation center … Read more on MassLive.com

Pittsburgh PA Alcohol Drug Rehab Launches Expanded Residential Treatment …
Pittsburgh PA Alcohol Drug Rehab is launching an expanded residential treatment plan for people looking to end their journey downward with drug addiction in Pittsburgh and surrounding cities. Taking into account how many drugs are on the streets and in … Read more on PR Web (press release)

Allentown PA Alcohol Drug Rehab Announces New Intervention Program
Allentown PA Alcohol Drug Rehab is announcing a new intervention program is now established and ready to serve families and friends of drug addicts in Allentown and surrounding locations. The pain and agony that these beloved friends of a drug addict … Read more on PR Web (press release)

Macerich: Rehab of SouthPark Mall should be done by November
The long-awaited re-development of the SouthPark Mall will begin on Thursday, April 24th, 2014. Phase one of the project begins Thursday. That involves the tear down of the food court and old Sears building. Inside, the mall will have new restrooms, … Read more on WQAD.com — Quad Cities News & Weather from WQAD

Dodgers notes: Clayton Kershaw set to make first rehab start
No timetable has been set for his return to a major-league mound, but manager Don Mattingly said Wednesday that Kershaw will need at least two rehab starts total. He's expected to throw approximately 55 pitches, not much more than he threw in a … Read more on Los Angeles Daily News

Calls for more alcoholism rehab centres
WINDHOEK – With only one state-owned rehabilitation centre in the country for those fighting the demons of alcohol and substance abuse there is a need for additional ones as alcohol consumption in Namibia continues on an upward spiral. In its report on … Read more on New Era