Crack Inhalation Room Where Addicts Can Go To Smoke Their Cocaine

There is talk in British Columbia about an experimental new study that would help the government determine why HIV and AIDS rates among Crack smokers are rising. The plan on the drawing board is to set up a crack inhalation room where addicts can go to smoke their cocaine in a sterile environment in order to see if it stops the increase of HIV/AIDS numbers. "Researchers tracked 1,048 crack cocaine users over a nine-year period and found that 137 became HIV positive. The reason for the increase is not definitive. But researchers, which included the B.C. Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS, said disease transmission could be attributed to wounds produced around the mouth when smoking crack from a pipe", according to the Vancouver Courier. British Columbia is well aware that the war on drugs is not being handled properly and that drastic steps may be needed if the problem is going to be helped. Obviously, let's face it, there is a lot of hesitation regarding this subject matter; having a place where Crack smokers can get high just seems counter-intuitive.

Proponents of the trial inhalation room like Dr. Evan Wood, who was behind the study that showed the spike in HIV/AIDS rates among Crack cocaine users, point to the United States as an a reason for trying out the controversial inhalation room. "He pointed to research in the United States that showed a high number of people incarcerated for cocaine offences who are not receiving treatment. He noted the so-called "war on drugs" in the United States and in Canada has done nothing to stem the flow of drugs. Wood suggested he could buy drugs in less than 10 minutes of walking outside the Carnegie Centre, the location of the press conference", reported the Vancouver Courier. Canada has always had a more relaxed view on drugs than the United States; it is not surprising that leaders would be interested in such a drastic experiment.

The inhalation rooms could be a place where councilors and doctors could have a chance to help addicts get into recovery. Ultimately, if drug use drops then it stands to reason that disease rates would too. It wouldn't be a bad thing to have an experiment to determine how the virus is being transmitted, but, it seems the number one objective should be getting the addicts off the streets by providing the option of treatment as much as possible. Prevention is always the best answer in a country where crack and methamphetamine use is rising.

Lesniak Cunningham Bill Amending The Drug Free School Zone Law

New Jersey made a huge move yesterday with the LESNIAK-CUNNINGHAM bill amending the New Jersey's drug-free school zone law, allowing judges more discretion when sentencing non-violent drug offenders. In a country with too many prisons housing primarily people with non-violent drug charges this is an amazing step towards more treatments and less prisons. New Jersey calculates that $48,000 is spent per person each year on imprisoning people that clearly would be better served in a drug treatment facility. The fact is that drug offenders who serve their time in prison, rather than treatment, have a much greater chance of winding up behind bars again. Unfortunately, New Jersey is not alone, the majority of all jails and prisons in the United States have more inmates convicted with drug related crimes than anything else.

It's pretty clear by now that America's approach on the drug war is failing, so much time and money is being spent imprisoning when we should be treating. The original drug-free school zone law is not doing what it was intended to do, as a result many people are being unfairly punished. The Star Ledger Reports, "The idea, hatched in the Legislature many years ago, was to protect children from drug dealers. But Hoffman's commission found that almost none of those charged under this law were on school grounds luring students. They were in nearby neighborhoods. And 96 percent of them were African-American or Latino". Inner-city kids are much more likely to get caught up with the law because just about everywhere you go in the city it is within a 1,000 feet of a school - in New Jersey and everywhere else in the country. Senator Cunningham believes that, "New Jersey needs to do a better job in getting violent offenders off the streets, whether it's drug offenses or criminal street gangs", according to the Politicker NJ. "However, we cannot and should not continue to turn a blind eye to the effects of mandatory minimum sentencing on nonviolent offenders, many of whom enter prison and are recruited into gangs or other violent criminal enterprises. Mandatory minimum sentencing has created more violence on our streets and a hamstrung judiciary, unable to direct nonviolent offenders to drug treatment programs".

We can only hope that other States will follow New Jerseys lead, just recently New York repealed the Rockefeller drug laws regarding cocaine which is another major step forward in the United States quest towards reducing prison populations as well as costs. I will be following these stories to see if these reforms are as successful as I hope they are. We encourage you to send us your thoughts on the subject.

Is Marijuana an Illegal Drug or a Medicine?

Iowans have been turning to marijuana for their medical ailments despite their Iowa Republican Sen. Chuck Grassley's opinion. Grassley, who recently is working to prohibit all discussion regarding medical marijuana in a bill to amend drug policy. However, the citizens of Iowa have a different opinion and many are pulling to have medical marijuana legalized. According to the Iowa AP, "opponents claim marijuana is already the state's most abused drug and the problem will only worsen if it's allowed for medical use". A lot of people still hold on to and are not willing to let go of the idea that marijuana is the gateway drug that leads to the abuse of all other drugs. However, that idea has come under serious debate in the last few years and doctors are professing the medical benefits of marijuana; alcohol is generally considered more damaging then marijuana these days.

"The Iowa Board of Pharmacy has held four hearings in recent months to seek scientific evidence and testimony on the topic. That review could lead to a recommendation to state lawmakers whether to change Iowa laws", stated the Iowa AP. More people in Iowa are speaking out for legalization than there are against it; very few people have expressed their opposition which is kind of surprising to many people. Thirteen states are now allowing the use of medical marijuana, very few states have set up dispensaries as of this point but more are expected to pop up in the near future.

The fact still remains that marijuana is addictive and affects the brain and lungs in a negative way. Will legalizing medical marijuana send out the wrong message to young people? Medical marijuana use could very possibly spike addiction rates in the coming months and that data will give people a better idea of the societal effects of medical marijuana. Before any kind of decision in Iowa is made, Dr. Ron Herman the director of the University of Iowa's Drug Information Network said, more research is needed.

2008 Zogby Poll - Three Out of Four Americans said the War on Drugs is Failing

Is it time to reform our criminal justice system and how we fight the war on drugs? Let's face it, our criminal justice system has a fatal flaw and as a result people are imprisoned needlessly all in the name of America's "War on Drugs". It is unacceptable that the United States has 5 percent of the world's population, but houses 25 percent of the world's prisoners. The majority of those prisoners are low level offenders generally incarcerated because of drugs; half of federal prisoners and 21 percent of state prisoners are locked up because of something drug related. Perhaps it is time for rational debate on drug policy, that's what the Students for Sensible Drug Policy (SSDP) seek. In a 2008 Zogby poll, three out of four Americans said the war on drugs is failing.


Overall, Congress is afraid to address the drug war subject because it can be political suicide; the lack of involvement has allowed this problem to fester and now we have a criminal justice nightmare. "Sen. Jim Webb, a Virginia Democrat, and 35 other senators are sponsoring the National Criminal Justice Commission Act (NCJCA) to establish a blue ribbon commission to review our criminal justice system", reports the Desmoines Register. Sen. Chuck Grassley wants, regarding the bill, to prohibit any discussion or examination of the possibility that drugs, including medical marijuana, should be decriminalized or legalized despite there being evidence that removing prohibition could help out the criminal justice system and help fight the cartels.


More and more people are arguing that if any real change is going to happen with the criminal justice system in America it will start with changing how we fight the war on drugs. We have to ask ourselves what the cost of this war is, and why people who belong in drug treatment are ending up in prison. Prison is no place for a low level drug offender, and those are the people the war on drugs is targeting. If we spent as much time on going after the cartel as we did individual drug addicts perhaps we would see some positive developments. It does not seem like we can afford to ignore any suggestions, even if they involve some form of legalization, as long as it can help.

Senator Webb Introduces Bill to Overhaul America's Criminal Justice System Video. While this video is almost 10 minutes long, Senator Webb eloquently addresses the issues discussed above.

Safin Thinks that Agassi should "Give his Titles, his Money and his Grand Slam Titles" Back

The Andre Agassi public trial continues as he faces a barrage of scrutiny regarding what he revealed in his autobiography "Open". Just yesterday, Former No. 1 ranked Marat Safin thinks that Agassi should "give his titles, his money and his Grand Slam titles" back. Safin, like many other pro tennis players, has become outraged and cannot believe that Agassi would come out with this information. Why would Agassi do this, he doesn't need the money? Agassi had to believe that in one way or another the ATP will take action regarding what has happened. The ATP has still not commented on Agassi's confession, but, the tennis community is certainly speaking up.

"The ATP allowed him to win a lot of tournaments, a lot of money. It kept his secret. Why does he need to be so cruel with it? If he is as fair play as he says he is, he has to go to the end. You know, the ATP has a bank account and he can give the money back if he wants", Safin said to ESPN. What the ATP will make Agassi do is yet to be seen, although, it seems like Agassi is completely prepared to deal with the possible repercussions. Agassi couldn't live with the shame of having lied to the ATP, so he came clean regardless of the penalties. Agassi had a very interesting and stressful life and at one point he broke down and used methamphetamine to escape. Agassi broke free from the drugs and went on to win more championships sober.

In no way is Agassi's behavior back in 1997 excusable, maybe no action should be taken by the ATP. Agassi had an amazing career and it wouldn't have been so successful if he were high on Meth during all of those 20 years. Nobody is perfect, people make poor decisions from time to time; Agassi is one of those people, but, he had the courage to come clean even if it was years later. Maybe Agassi's courage will give other tennis players the strength to come forward or better yet, not mess with drugs at all.

See here: Part 2 Andre Agassi tells Katie Couric how he picked up his life and revived his career. He went from number 141 to the very top in the rankings, perhaps one of the greatest comebacks in sports history.


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Champion Tennis Player Andre Agassi Revealed that he used Crystal Methamphetamine

Champion tennis player Andre Agassi revealed that he used crystal methamphetamine in 1997 while facing emotional strain. His new autobiography revealed some things that many are finding hard to believe. Agassi, nervous about marrying Brooke Shields, began taking the drug when his assistant poured out a small pile of powder on the coffee table. In an excerpt of his book Agassi recounted, "There is a moment of regret, followed by vast sadness. Then comes a tidal wave of euphoria that sweeps away every negative thought in my head. I've never felt so alive, so hopeful -- and I've never felt such energy". Agassi would later fail an ATP drug test, which started a chain of events where he created a web of lies to keep from ending his career. After concocting a story for the ATP, the case was dropped; Agassi would go on to win the French Open.

Agassi wrote a letter to the ATP after failing the drug test, according to Agassi, "It's filled with lies interwoven with bits of truth. I say Slim, whom I've since fired, is a known drug user, and that he often spikes his sodas with meth - which is true. Then I come to the central lie of the letter. I say that recently I drank accidentally from one of Slim's spiked sodas, unwittingly ingesting his drugs. I ask for understanding and leniency and hastily sign it: Sincerely. I feel ashamed, of course. I promise myself that this lie is the end of it", reports CNN. Whether the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) let Agassi off because they believed his elaborate story or they did not want one of the all time tennis greats to smear the ATP's good name has not been revealed, the ATP has not commented yet on Agassi's unexpected confession.

The eight-time grand slam champion Andre Agassi retired from tennis in 2006, but, not before winning the French Open in 1998 and the U.S. Open in 1999. It seems like Agassi has not taken the drug since 1997, which is the good part of this story. Methamphetamine is a highly addictive drug that ruins countless lives on a daily basis, it affects movie stars, athletes, and average people all the same. There is a good chance that the ATP will take some sort of action regarding Agassi's lies and then going on to win the French Open. It appears that Agassi's intention was to come clean about something that was clearly eating away at him, it is hard to argue with honesty.


See here: Part 1 Andre Agassi talks candidly to Katie Couric about his life, his strong dislike of tennis at a young age, and the depression that led him to use meth.


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Alcohol and Cigarette Ads Send the Wrong Message

The MBTA provides Greater Boston with mass public transportation in the way of: boat, bus, rail, and subway. Recently the MBTA has come under fire because of alcohol ads plastered inside their rail cars. Thousands of kids are being exposed to, what some are saying, an unhealthy message and that these ads cause kids to want to try drinking alcohol. What is strange about the MBTA's ad policy is that they will not allow cigarette ads. Both alcohol and cigarettes are age restricted legal substances, yet, alcohol is alright to advertise and not cigarettes; as if alcohol is better for the human body than cigarettes. It seems quite contradictory, something just doesn't make sense. There is no reason that children should be exposed to this kind of advertising, alcohol and cigarette ads send the wrong message especially when the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority is run by the state.

Dr. Michael Siegel, a professor in the Department of Community Health Sciences at the School of Public Health at Boston University, researched this growing problem and is recommending that the MBTA no longer advertise liquor. Siegal said to the Boston Herald, "the MBTA has a policy that forbids using ad space for tobacco products. He argues drinking is just as much of a health risk. What is the consistency of a policy that says you can't advertise cigarettes, but alcohol is acceptable? We don't think the state should support the recruitment of youth drinkers". The MBTA has no plans to take down the ads anytime soon, they argue that they are charged with generating revenue in other ways than people just buying tickets in order to help pay for the enormous operating costs.

MBTA riders on the Orange Line, which the study said has the heaviest saturation of beer and whiskey ads, believe that it is time to stop advertising alcohol. Siegal said in his report "on average, MBTA riders watch the equivalent of five Super Bowls worth of booze ads during each commute". I find that to be a pretty unbelievable number of ads, it doesn't seem like the MBTA's argument holds a lot of water. There have to be other ways to generate money than alcohol ads, indeed, some riders said to the Boston Herald that they would be willing to pay a larger fare in order to stop the ads.

Photo by: John Wilcox

Genetic Pathways and Genes Associated with Levels of Alcohol Consumption

A new study has given scientists a better understanding of the genetics of alcoholism. The amount you drink does not necessarily mean you have the genes for alcoholism, in fact there are many different genes operating; how much a person drinks is associated with one set of genes and another set are responsible for predisposition towards alcohol dependence. On the other hand, an alcoholic can drink very little and still have the predisposition towards the disease. It's common to identify alcoholics as binge drinkers, but, that is not always the case, there are many who carry the gene for alcoholism who are not heavy drinkers. Medical News Today reported, "BMC Biology's research was published in the open access journal, pinpoints genetic pathways and genes associated with levels of alcohol consumption but not with alcohol dependence in rats and humans".

The research team was led by Boris Tabakoff, Laura Saba, and Paula Hoffman from the University of Colorado, Denver, USA. Rats where used to identify the genetic pathways affecting drinking behavior. It was determined that the pleasure and reward pathways in the brain and the genetic systems that control satiety and appetite for food were linked to the rats drinking behavior. Using two male study groups, one from Montreal and the other from Sydney, human genes were directly compared with rat genes involved in these alcohol-associated pathways to identify common genetic factors linked to alcohol use across species.

According to Tabakoff, "We know that high levels of alcohol consumption can increase the risk of becoming alcohol dependent in those who have a genetic make up that predisposes to dependence. This is a case of interaction between genes and environment. Indeed, in our study we found that, higher alcohol consumption in humans was positively correlated with alcohol dependence. However, because different sets of genes seem to influence the level of alcohol consumption, as opposed to propensity for alcohol dependence, we are confronted with great variation in humans. Individuals with a set of genes that predisposes them to drink moderate amounts of alcohol may still have the genetic predisposition to lose control over their drinking behavior, and perhaps become alcohol dependent. Conversely, individuals with a genetic predisposition to drink high amounts of alcohol may not have the genes that predispose them to become dependent."

Each advancement in the study of alcohol genetics brings us closer to understanding how we can better manage it. There is much still not understood regarding the variation found in humans and why people drink the way they do. Fortunately, there are many researchers working very hard to paint a clearer picture of alcoholism and the disease of addiction.