Articles By: modell

The Dangers of Tramadol: Two Stories

Tramadol is a synthetic opioid used to treat moderate to severe pain, and is available in both injectable and oral forms. It can produce euphoria in many users, and the high is similar to opioids like morphine and heroin, but not as intense. This can lead to physical and mental dependence and severe...
July 15th, 2009 | Prescription Drug Addiction | Read More

New York Prison Lauded for Opiate Addiction Treatment Program

A human rights group has commended upstate New York’s Tompkins jail for its effective treatment of inmates who are addicted to opiates. Human Rights Watch highlighted the jail’s buprenorphine program as an example of the sort of medication-assisted drug addiction treatment that all jails in the state...
July 13th, 2009 | Addiction Therapies | Read More

Prescription Drug Abuse Called an Epidemic in Kentucky

In 2005, prescription drug abuse killed more than 8,500 Americans, and it is estimated that more than 7 million Americans abuse prescription drugs every year. In fact, the DEA reports that opioid painkillers like Vicodin and OxyContin now cause more overdose deaths than cocaine and heroin combined. While...
July 8th, 2009 | Prescription Drug Addiction | Read More

Sullivan Returns to Washington, Opens Up About Alcohol Abuse

US Representative John Sullivan is returning to Congress after a month-long stay at the Betty Ford Clinic in California for alcohol addiction. He plans to seek another term in office. The 44-year-old Oklahoma Republican told Tulsa World that his announcement in late May to seek treatment was not triggered...
July 7th, 2009 | Alcohol Addiction | Read More

Cigarette Smoking in Movies Influences Teens

Researchers at Dartmouth Medical School have found that movie characters who smoke cigarettes—regardless of whether they are heroes or villains—influence teens to try smoking. Susanne Tanski, the lead author of the study, said that previous studies have found a link between smoking in movies and...
July 3rd, 2009 | Nicotine Addiction | Read More

The Dangers of Demerol

By Leslie Thompson “Demerol, Demerol. Oh, God, he’s taking Demerol” are very poignant lyrics from Michael Jackson’s 1997 song “Morphine.” With Jackson’s shocking death on June 25, 2009, many questions have arisen, the most popular one being whether he died from a drug overdose. Jackson...
July 2nd, 2009 | Addiction in the Media | Read More

Coolio to Enter Rehab

Last Friday, Grammy-winning rapper Coolio pleaded guilty to cocaine possession and will report to an 18-month drug rehabilitation program. The 45-year-old artist, born Artis Leon Ivey Jr., was arrested on March 6 at Los Angeles International Airport when authorities found cocaine and a smoking device...
July 1st, 2009 | Addiction in the Media | Read More

Marlins Pitcher Scott Proctor is a Recovering Alcoholic

As Marlins pitcher Scott Proctor recovers from elbow ligament replacement, he’s also attempting to recover from alcoholism. Out for the season due to his elbow injury, Proctor told the New York Times and the New York Daily News that he is a recovering alcoholic and decided to quit drinking before his...
June 30th, 2009 | Alcohol Addiction | Read More

A&E’s “The Cleaner” Highlights Drug Intervention

A&E might be the only channel that devotes two shows to drug abuse intervention: There’s the reality show “Intervention,” which profiles real people who struggle from drug and alcohol abuse and their loved ones, and then there’s “The Cleaner,” a drama about a recovering addict, William...
June 24th, 2009 | Addiction Treatment | Read More

Drug Use in Health Care

As anyone who’s seen the show knows, Nurse Jackie, the title character of Showtime’s new hospital drama, depends on narcotic painkillers like OxyContin, Vicodin, and Percocet to make it through each day as an ER nurse. She suffers from chronic back pain, and is seen snorting or drinking powdered...
June 23rd, 2009 | Prescription Drug Addiction | Read More