Funding shortfall closes Healthy Communities Initiative
… factors that diminish local health. It means that a coalition of volunteers that it hosted now must look for a new home as they oversee the distribution of Indiana's Drug Free funding in St. Joseph County. ….. HCI officials had decided to close … Read more on South Bend Tribune

Addiction-Fighting Nonprofit Closing
A northern Indiana nonprofit designed to combat issues related to drug and alcohol abuse is shutting down. The South … Director Beth Baker says the organization, and the entire state, will lose funding from the federal Access to Recovery program. She … Read more on Inside Indiana Business (press release)

Colts Partner With AG Zoeller To Combat Prescription Drug Abuse
“I am enthusiastic about our partnership with the Prescription Drug Abuse Task Force,” said Colts Owner and CEO Jim Irsay. “The statistics related to this issue in Indiana are eye-openers, and we hope we can use the Colts platform to get the word out … Read more on Colts.com

4 arrested, drugs confiscated after car stopped for violation
When an Indiana State Police trooper pulled a car over for a traffic violation near Nashville Thursday afternoon, he ended up arresting four people and confiscating various drugs and suspected drug-laced treats. Trooper Chris Griggs reported that a … Read more on The Herald-Times (subscription)

Hope By Song turns pain into musical therapy
Fort Myers couple Mellissa Shiflett and Will Soto both submitted writings to Hope By Song, including poems and other things they'd written as part of their addiction-recovery treatment. They're both recovering drug addicts. Then Metts, Hannam and other … Read more on The News-Press

'Dharma Punx' author Noah Levine offers a Buddhist approach to addiction …
His latest book, "Refuge Recovery," takes on the topic of addiction, as a kind of guide book for an effective addiction treatment program based on fundamental Buddhist practices and precepts. He comes to Bookshop Santa Cruz on Monday. Levine offers the … Read more on Monterey County Herald

Governor Patrick Announces Opioid Task Force
Gov. Deval Patrick announced a series of actions to address the opioid addiction epidemic in Massachusetts that will strengthen the state's ability to respond to the opioid crisis with a focus on prevention, intervention, treatment and recovery. Over … Read more on Chelsea Record

New outpatient drug treatment center opens in Austin
Anschutz has worked in the mental health and substance abuse industry in Austin for a decade. She saw a need for an outpatient treatment center in Austin and created the Sage Recovery and Wellness Center. It provides the extra support and services for … Read more on KVUE

Midland class teaches first aid strategies for assisting the mentally ill
There are 18 more of your neighbors who are better equipped to deal with the latter situation, thanks to a day-long training session recently at the Community Mental Health Center in Midland. … Dealing with someone who may show signs of developing a … Read more on Midland Daily News

Valley drug deaths outpace past 2 years
Suboxone can be used to treat pain and to help addicts get off opiates. Fighting the trend. Even if parents are vigilant, children sometimes pick up pills that … Task force member Dirk Matson, county director of human services, said the group has a … Read more on Tribune-Review

Robert Downey Jr.'s son used drugs from age 12
The 'Iron Man 3' star – who famously battled substance abuse in the past – accompanied his eldest child, Indio Downey, to the well-known rehab facility Cliffside in Malibu, California, following his arrest for cocaine possession on Sunday (29.06.14 … Read more on Times of India

Health Insurance Companies Refuse to Cover Medical Marijuana
“It's a step to not only providing safer pain relief and treatment methods for those with legitimate diseases, but also to help end the rampant problem of prescription drug abuse.” Last modified: June 16, 2014. View Sources. Swift, A. (2013, October 22 … Read more on DrugWatch.com

Pregnant drug users in TN face prosecution starting July 1
However, reproductive organizations and other civil rights groups protested the bill on fears it would discourage pregnant women from seeking treatment for their addiction. Tennessee's Assembly enacted the law in response to the growing number of … Read more on Gant Daily

Older Americans hooked on Rx: 'I was a zombie'
When Betty Van Amburgh began treatment last year for her addiction to prescription painkillers, she was told to bring along all her medication. She arrived with a shopping bag – boxes of transdermal patches laced with fentanyl, a narcotic up to 100 … Read more on Clarksville Leaf Chronicle

Brooklyn task force offers ideas on fighting drug addiction
The kits would include an informational card with instructions on steps to take following administration, as well as information on how to access addiction treatment and support services. The task force also called age-appropriate information about the … Read more on Brooklyn Daily Eagle

Drug-Free South Building a Future for Kids Across Tennessee
The goal of the campaign is to mobilize support and inspire people to act against drug use, according to unodc.org. The Foundation for a Drug-Free World has as a goal to educate children and youth across the world to effectively prevent the demand for … Read more on PR.com (press release)

The international mood on drug use and addiction is shifting from punishment …
That hypocrisy was the subject of a discussion featuring Nora Volkow, the director of America's National Institute on Drug Abuse and an expert on how drug addiction affects the brain, at the World Science Festival two weeks ago: Addiction is a disease … Read more on New Statesman

Keystone Church donates funds to Saline task force on drug abuse
Just as Keystone partners with parents, individuals and families to achieve the work of our church, we are excited to provide financial and other support to the Saline Addiction Prevention Task Force as they develop partnerships across our community to … Read more on Heritage Newspapers

BEACON HILL BRIEFING: Breaking the cycle of addiction
“An Act to Increase Opportunities for Long-Term Substance Abuse Recovery” is the Senate's newest response to combating drug addiction. Our bill outlines many steps and responsibilities to deter the prescription of drugs that hold high potential for abuse. Read more on Wicked Local Kingston

Drug Rehab Indiantown Promotes Awareness for Substance Abuse Recovery
LIGHTNING RELEASES 06/02/14 –Thousands of teenagers throughout Florida live daily in the real-life nightmare of a drug or alcohol addiction. Unfortunately, most will never receive the proper treatment for their chemical dependency because they simply … Read more on Ticker Report

State Drug Addiction Task Force Releases Report
No longer is heroin addiction only found in the inner big cities, but is all too prevalent in our suburbs, small cities and rural areas,” said Nozzolio. “The focus of the Task Force is on providing additional resources for the prevention of drug abuse … Read more on Lansing Star

Dedham Police: Prescription drug disposal, Good Samaritan Laws and …
On March 27, 2014, Governor Deval Patrick declared a public health emergency due to what was called “an epidemic of opiate abuse in Massachusetts”. During 2013, the Town of Dedham experienced 4 overdose deaths. … We also encourage those who are … Read more on Wicked Local Dedham