May 31st, 2013
Down and Out in America
In today’s barrage of natural disasters, domestic terrorism, and mass violence, Americans are demanding a better safety net. Primarily, they seek refuge from the 45.6 million people suffering from mental illnesses, including the 8 million that meet the criteria for substance abuse disorders. ...
May 23rd, 2013
Seattle Readers: A Weekend of Meditation and Recovery
Need a mental time-out? Interested in meditation, addiction recovery, and free events in the Seattle area? Our neighbors at Northwest Buddhist Recovery have connected with Buddhist author and addiction specialist Kevin Griffin to put on a weekend of inspiring seminars, meditation teachings, and ...
May 22nd, 2013
Can’t Leave Home Without It: My Cellphone
I never thought I was one of those people: the kind who can’t ever take their eyes off of their phone screens. I thought my cell phone use was reasonable — I mean, I didn’t cuddle with it at night or sleep with it under my pillow. However, the other day, when I endured a mild panic […]
May 21st, 2013
Legendary Keyboardist, Ray Manzarek, Dies at Age 74
Ray Manzarek, keyboardist and songwriter for American rock band The Doors, died Monday from bile duct cancer in a clinic at Rosenheim, Germany at the age of 74. Manzarek helped mold one of the most influential bands of the psychedelic era with his brilliant songwriting and intoxicating piano ...
May 21st, 2013
Toronto Mayor Rob Ford (Allegedly) Videotaped Smoking Crack
Ever hear the story about the mayor who got caught on videotape smoking crack? The name Marion Barry should ring a bell. In 1990, at the height of the crack cocaine epidemic, FBI agents procured a video of Barry, then the mayor of Washington, D.C., smoking crack in a hotel room. Last week, ...
May 17th, 2013
Pizza Deliveryman Accused of Selling Cocaine on the Clock
In New York City, you just never know who your neighborhood drug dealer might be. It’s tough making an honest living in the city that never sleeps, but some people will do just about anything to get by. This week, a Papa John’s delivery man was arrested for selling more than $40,000 in ...
May 16th, 2013
Man Tricks Girlfriend Into Taking Abortion Pills
28 year-old John Andrew Welden was indicted on one count first degree murder Tuesday in Florida after allegedly tricking his girlfriend into aborting their child. Tampa Bay Times reports that the crime took place in March after an ultrasound performed by the accused’s father, Dr. Stephen ...
May 14th, 2013
National Transportation Safety Board Pushes for tighter DUI Laws
Currently, the national limit for a driver’s BAC must not exceed .08%, a standard established a decade ago. Though some states have pushed for stricter DUI laws, the NTSB has taken this a step further. Their newest proposal discussed targeting social and casual drinkers by changing the national ...
May 13th, 2013
Seattle Tokers Celebrate the End of Prohibition
I-502 was just the beginning, folks. On Saturday, local marijuana activists participated in the annual Cannabis Freedom March, a worldwide rally to end marijuana prohibition. This year’s March from Volunteer Park to Westlake Center downtown featured a funeral procession led by a hearse. Sharon ...
May 10th, 2013
New Breathalyzer Detects Marijuana, Cocaine, Heroin, and More
The Swedish company SensAbues has unveiled a proprietary breath-testing device which can detect the use of a wide range of drugs, including methamphetamine, cannabis, cocaine, MDMA, buprenorphine, methadone, heroin, benzodiazepines, nicotine and more.
May 9th, 2013
Three Ways We Prevent Our Own Happiness
We Americans are just about the most depressed people on the planet. Who can blame us, with all the hot showers, clean water, and delicious, cheap food around every corner we have to live with…wait a minute…why are we the second most depressed nation? Something is very amiss. With ...
May 7th, 2013
Rising Sexual Assault Rates in Military an Indicator of Growing Sexual Addiction Problem
A Pentagon study set to release later this week reveals that over the past year, the number of sexual assaults reported by members of the military rose from 3,192 to 3,374 in 2012. However, officials say that the real number of sexual assaults estimates as many as 26,000, up from 19,000 in ...
May 6th, 2013
Whoonga Users Pose HIV/AIDS Threat
The term “drug cocktail” can have a number of different connotations. In the case of treating HIV or AIDS, doctors have developed a plan of attack in which patients take at least three antiretroviral medications (ARVs) at once. This strategy, known as “highly active antiretroviral therapy” ...
May 3rd, 2013
Suicide Rates Rise Sharply Among Baby Boomers
Suicide is typically considered a problem for adolescents and older Americans, but suicide rates have risen sharply among Baby Boomers in the last decade. Though suicide rates often rise during times of financial stress and economic setbacks, other contributing factors may be the easy access to ...
May 2nd, 2013
Sugar High: Latest CDCP Report Warns Us To Slow Our Jelly Roll
The latest report from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows alarming dietary behavior among young Americans. Though the CDCP advises us to limit our total intake of added sugars, fats and other “discretionary calories” to between 5% and 15% of our daily calories, that ...
May 1st, 2013
New Jersey Governor Aims to Save Lives Through Drug Policy Reform
On Monday, April 29, New Jersey Governor Chris Christie lent his newfound support to a good Samaritan law that would allow people who are overdosing to dial 911 and receive help without the fear of being prosecuted on drug-related charges. Such policy could mean the difference between life and ...
