Posted by azdrugrehabctr on March 30, 2015 under AZ Drug Rehab News | 
In order to effectively fight against the drug traffickers that continuously smuggle illegal drugs in the country, law enforcement has to make themselves aware of all the tricks of the trade. One of the most common ways the cartels are able to get their shipments across the U.S. border is by employing “spotters”.
Spotters are people who stake out certain areas along the drug route and warn the people carrying the drug supplies, called the “mules”, if any type of law enforcement is on the path. Despite the fact that law enforcement knows that these people exist and are warning the drug mules, it is very difficult to arrest and prosecute them because there are currently no laws prohibiting these types of actions. Currently the stake outs are along drug routes in Mexico as well as in Arizona.
In order to combat the use of scouts, a new bill has been introduced to the senate. The Transnational Criminal Organization Illicit Spotter Prevention and Elimination Act is designed to prevent and eliminate the use of scouts.
“The scouting network provides a continuous view of law enforcement presence on both sides of the border, making it easier to direct loads around law enforcement presence. The scout’s role is fundamental to the drug organization’s success in supplying drugs to the U.S. cities,” explained Elizabeth Kempshall, the director of the Arizona High-Intensity Drug Trafficking Area.
Former ONDCP director Barry McCaffrey described what a typical spotter is like, “As he walks in his five miles of U.S. farm here, there are dozens of cartel scouts wearing camouflage uniforms, with padded boots…with $2,500 solar power encrypted satellite phones, with AK47s. That’s who is in control of the border.” There are many farms and ranches along the borders of the Southwestern United States where the spotters and mules are used to bring in dangerous drugs.
If the bill is passed, law enforcement would be able to arrest anyone providing information to drug cartels about the whereabouts of police and border patrol. If found guilty, scouts could receive up to ten years in prison and because many of them carry firearms, an additional ten years could be added on to their sentence.
Posted by azdrugrehabctr on March 24, 2015 under Synthetic Drugs |
Man-made drugs that mimic popular street drugs have become more popular among children and teenagers in Arizona and throughout the country. Manufacturers are producing drugs that create similar effects as many illicit drugs. One of the most popular types of synthetic drugs is synthetic marijuana, which is often called Spice or K2. Synthetic marijuana has been available gas stations and has been sold as other types of products. Manufacturers package and market the drug as potpourri, although it is understood that the intention is to smoke the dried leaves.
Once in the system, the synthetic marijuana quickly goes to work making the person feel high and lethargic, much like marijuana does. But this is where the similarities often stop. Synthetic marijuana has some dangerous side effects. Users of the drug, children and teenagers being the overwhelming majority, have reported feelings of intense paranoia, auditory and visual hallucinations, cravings and depression.
Recently, researchers set out to investigate the risk factors associated with synthetic marijuana usage. Researchers determined that young, white males were the main demographic who abused synthetic marijuana. Further study showed that teenagers that abused synthetic marijuana were more likely to abuse other drugs down the road. Despite the perception that synthetic marijuana is a safer alternative, most children were using the “potpourri” as a stepping stone to other illicit drugs down the road. The study indicated that teenagers that were abusing synthetic marijuana were twice as likely to suffer from alcohol problems in the future as well.
The main concept here is that regardless of the substance, if a young person is willing to ingest something looking to create some type of altered state, then that same intention translates to other drugs. In that sense, any first type of substance abuse ultimately becomes the “gateway drug.” Helping to eliminate that desire through other meaningful interaction is a great step in the direction of drug prevention.
Posted by azdrugrehabctr on March 15, 2015 under Addiction Trends, AZ Drug Rehab News |
In order to keep the lucrative drug empires going, Mexican drug cartels use violence and fear. Due to the incredible demand for drugs in the United States, the cartels have used their power to dominate Mexican citizens and the media. With the millions of dollars pouring in from America, the cartels are able to use that money to employ thousands of soldiers who are deployed to kill, kidnap or injure anyone who stands in the way of the incredible profit from the sale of cocaine, heroin, methamphetamine and illegal guns.
Reporters in Mexico have been a target for the cartels because of their attempts at furnishing Mexican citizens with reports on cartel violence and agendas. As retaliation for publishing stories having to do with the cartels, many editors have been killed, kidnapped or beaten as warnings to stop reporting on the activities of the drug cartels. Due to the treat to life, many editors have determined that it is safer to report “soft” news and stay away from anything that has to do with the illegal drug trade.
“We have been threatened twice. But this time we said yes we are going to publish…and after that, we will have to return to self-censorship. Criminals have taken over the editorial line. They say what to publish and what not to publish, and there are consequences,” explained Hildebrando Deandar, the General Director of El Manana Publishing Group.
After the abduction and beating of Enrique Juarez Torres, editor of the newspaper, the publisher decided to step back from reporting on the activities of the drug cartels altogether. Despite police guards, many people from the newspaper resigned in fear of their lives. The drug cartel’s method of fear worked well in this situation, preventing any more publicity of their activities.
The United States’ role in the drug cartel’s ability to overpower newspapers and wreak havoc on entire towns cannot be overlooked. The demand for drugs in the U.S. is so high that the power given to the cartels often trumps that of the Mexican police forces and government.
While some people believe that legalizing more drugs in our country will reduce the amount of violence associated with trafficking, it is unlikely that that will ever happen. Instead, many substance abuse treatment professionals point out that focusing on reducing the demand
Posted by azdrugrehabctr on March 6, 2015 under Opiate Abuse |
The addiction treatment community has been at odds about drug replacement therapy for years. Many are wary to recommend long-term drug replacement therapy, especially given the storied history of methadone. However, Suboxone varies significantly from methadone in that users are less able to abuse the drug and there is less risk of impairment as well. Many treatment centers have begun to administer their programs after a short taper of Suboxone is given to clients.
For several decades the traditional way to approach treatment was the 12-step method. This method subscribed to the idea that in order to overcome an addiction one was to remain completely abstinent and attend 12-step meetings designed to repair the damage caused by addiction both on the individual and on the other components of their lives like; family, work and religion. While this is still a viable option for treatment, many treatment centers have integrated other aspects to treatment that make attaining sobriety much swifter and long lasting. In addition to 12-step meetings, some treatment centers are incorporating trauma resolution – working with the client to get to the bottom of traumatic incidents in their life that may have caused the addiction. Working with trained therapists, an addict is able to confront their past and learn how to deal with problems in the future. This is different from traditional rehabilitation programs in that it provides another layer of treatment in addition to meetings.
Still, other treatment centers have moved away from 12-step altogether and focused instead to the physical and mental aspects of addictions using other forms of therapy. Either way, before a person can successfully focus on their treatment, they have to get over the painful withdrawal symptoms. Instead of quitting cold turkey, which often times is the quickest way to get back on heroin; treatment centers are beginning to introduce a Suboxone taper in their detox programs on a more regular basis. This allows the addict to safely and gradually wean off from heroin and get to a point where they are able to focus their energy into their recovery.
Suboxone and drug replacement therapy can vary in terms of length of time, and it may not be fore everyone, but there is a market out there for a safe way to come off a drug that is killing people otherwise.
