Future Bans on Caffeine - Counseling Certification Community

"Noting the rise of caffeine-related deaths in recent years, the editor-in-chief of Journal of Caffeine Research has condemned the “regulatory vacuum” in the United States.

This has been an interesting article and it's also been a large debate within the counseling certification community. For years chemical dependency counselors have said that caffeine should be a regulated substance, but it's been too mainstream. Here's more: 

Jack E. James, a professor at Reykjavik University in Iceland and the National University of Ireland, argued in an editorial published Monday that researchers and lawmakers alike need to take a look at caffeine-related deaths and near-deaths.

“In 1911, acting on authority vested by the recently enacted Food and Drug Act, agents in the United States seized quantities of Coca-Cola syrup because they considered the caffeine content to be a significant threat to public health,” he wrote. “Following lengthy legal proceedings, Coca-Cola agreed to decrease the caffeine content of the drink, and further legal action ceased.”

“Armed with improved knowledge of caffeine toxicity and faced with extensive evidence of substantial harm to public health, today’s authorities appear more perplexed and less decisive than their counterparts of more than a century earlier,” James continued. “In light of current international befuddlement and inaction, legislators, policy makers, and regulators of today confront a stark question — how many caffeine-related fatalities and near-misses must there be before we regulate?”

Energy drinks in particular have received attention in recent years for their high caffeine content. The Food and Drug Administration has opened an investigation of deaths that may be linked to consumption of 5-hour Energy and Monster, two popular energy drinks. In addition, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration has reported that energy drink-related emergency room visits doubled over four years, rising from 10,068 in 2007 to 20,783 in 2011.

James said the high caffeine content of energy drinks and the fatalities were not a “mere coincidence.” The established lethal dose of caffeine is quite high at 10 grams, but the common stimulant can be fatal at lower doses under certain circumstances. Anecdotal reports suggest those with heart conditions are particularly vulnerable.

“Risk of fatal and non-fatal harm due to caffeine poisoning is increased by several characteristics of the drug and the circumstances surrounding its use, including its generally unregulated availability to children and adults alike,” James wrote."

FEB 25, 2013

Source: http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2013/02/2...ted-substance/

Update on Prescription Drugs

Prescription drugs continue to be one of America's biggest killers, according to the chemical dependency counseling community. 

"Fatal drug overdoses rose for the 11th straight year, federal data show, and most of them were accidents involving addictive painkillers despite growing attention to their risks. 

"The big picture is that this is a big problem that has gotten much worse quickly," said Dr. Thomas Frieden, head of the CDC. In 2010, the CDC reported, there were 38,329 drug overdose deaths nationwide. Medicines, mostly prescription drugs, were involved in nearly 60% of overdose deaths that year, overshadowing deaths from illicit narcotics.

As in previous recent years, opioid drugs—which include OxyContin and Vicodin—were the biggest problem, contributing to three of four medication overdose deaths. Frieden said many doctors and patients don't realize how addictive these drugs can be, and that they're too often prescribed for pain that can be managed with less risky drugs. They're useful for cancer, "but if you've got terrible back pain or terrible migraines," using these addictive drugs can be dangerous, he said. Anti-anxiety drugs including Valium were among common causes of medication-related deaths, involved in almost 30% of them.

Feb 20 2013"

Source: http://www.drugs-forum.com/forum/showthread.php?t=206858#ixzz2LThuM5gs

If you want to play a part in ending this epidemic them think about getting your counseling certification. 

How to tell if someone is on Heroin

The Freedom Treatment Center has put together a great list of physical signs you can look for to see if someone might be on Heroin. The counseling certification community knows these signs very well and it's good to pass this information on to those who might know someone taking Heroin.

"

1. Paraphernalia indicating heroin use is found – belts or shoelaces, foil or gum wrappers, needles (new or used), spoons, and syringes are examples of paraphernalia to look for if you suspect that a person has a heroin problem. Additionally, if they are smoking or snorting it, you will notice glass pipes, razor blades, and straws lying around.
2. Body mutilation – “tracks” from injecting heroin will start showing up over time and can be seen all over the person’s body and eventually become increasingly harder to hide.
3. Changes in peer groups – heroin addiction causes the user to seek out other people who use the drug and eventually they will walk away from long-term, trusted friendships.
4. Sudden changes in behavior – the individual is angry and sad all the time instead of being the fun-loving individual they once were. Getting professional help is a phone call away
5. Poor performance on the job or in school – a person’s focus and their priorities start to shift from schoolwork or work until maintaining a supply of the drug is their only concern, meaning that their performance in school or at work is most likely suffering.
6. Possessions come up missing – you’ll start to notice that numerous possessions start disappearing from the addict’s home because these valuables were sold in order to support their habit.
7. Financial problems – heroin addiction is expensive and can cost up to $200 a day, so the addict will eventually begin borrowing money from family members and friends until that option is no longer possible and they may start stealing to pay for their habit"

 Source: http://www.freedomdrugrehab.com/drug-rehab-blog/physical-signs-of-heroin-use/

If you or anyone you know is looking to help others by getting a counselor certification then please feel free to visit our Chemical Dependency Counseling Certificaiton website.