When it comes to substance abuse, misconception is widespread. Many people who have not had personal experience with addiction do not understand the true nature of the disease. Worse yet, many insist on acting upon their false assumptions. Here are common questions that should be asked about addiction.   Why do people get addicted to drugs or alcohol?   There are as many different reasons to use as there are individuals. Some might begin taking a substance because they like the way it makes them feel, only to realize later that they have become dependent on the substance. Some may try a substance to fit in with their peers, only to find themselves unable to resist going back for more. Frequently, a person may be struggling with a mental health issue, and turn to a substance in order to self-medicate, only to find themselves struggling with a co-occurring addiction alongside their pre-existing mental health issue. While the addiction may stem from a variety of sources, it ultimately amounts to a dependency on drugs or alcohol.   Why does an addicted person have to avoid substances, even in moderation?   The decision to avoid a substance entirely is a personal one. Some people may not feel like they can enjoy a particular substance in moderation without risking substance abuse. In some instances, an individual might feel that even being around a substance is enough to risk their sobriety. In any case,…

Republican president-elect Donald Trump opened up his campaign with a speech about our “unsecured” border, saying that the illegal Mexican immigrants coming into the United States are “bringing in drugs” that are “poisoning our blood,” amongst other equally controversial and provocative statements. Now that he has been elected, will the wall– which may manifest as a fence or an abstract idea– effectively keep drugs out of the country?   It is less than a month until Trump takes office. When his transition team asked where the promised wall could be erected, officials tasked with the job are reportedly considering fencing on parts of 1,900 mile border. In the report by the New York Times, Texas representative Henry Cuellar and others share the view that it is simply physically impossible to build a wall around the city of Laredo, Texas.   Even if they succeeded in building the “big, beautiful wall,” would it manage to keep illicit drugs from being smuggled across the border and into the other side? The current trend in smuggling is to build vast, expansive tunnels underground that transport narcotics and other drugs across the border. In April 2016, the DEA seized the largest tunnel to date, at an estimated length of eight football fields, or 800 winding yards.   If the border has altered smugglers tactics of crossing the border with drugs even without building a metaphorical and physical monolith separating the two countries, there is…

During the 1970’s and early 80’s, George Jung went from being a tiny town kid, to a small-time pot dealer, to a full-fledged drug lord and kingpin. He first started dealing marijuana when he moved to California in the late 1960’s. When in jail for smuggling weed from California to his home region of New England, he met the cocaine connection that would change his life forever– diving deeper into a life consumed by dealing and taking drugs. When he was released, Jung began the arduous endeavor of smuggling the high profile narcotic cocaine into the United States using stolen airplanes and hired pilots.   During the cocaine explosion of the late 1970’s, Jung became one of the most prolific importers of high quality Colombian cocaine in the world, fostering a transient life of luxury, glamour, and drugs. Of course, this did not last. But for a moment, alongside Pablo Escobar, Jung was a part of the Medellin Cartel, working on the American side of the border. Frequently flying to Colombia and other places, Jung began striking deals and expertly smuggling through the air and pre 9/11 customs. Together the cartel smuggled the vast majority of cocaine available in the United States.   Jung made millions by merely acting as a middleman to the operation, laundering his money in the national bank of Panama. Throughout his dealings, Jung continued to use the cocaine he was smuggling into the states for…

In Aldous Huxley’s 1932 masterpiece Brave New World the population of the World State is kept happy, occupied, and in-line with the use of a drug the characters call Soma. It is ubiquitous, with nearly everyone relying on the drug for pleasure and pain relief. That was nearly ninety years ago, and Huxley’s worries have never been more pertinent.   While the 2016 election rages on, America is experiencing some of the highest drug addiction and overdose rates in history, with the total amount of opioid addictions alone hovering around 6 percent of the general public. The vast majority of opioids are legal under the law for medical use like pain relief. This includes drugs like fentanyl, which is an elephant tranquilizer more powerful than heroin. In fact, a recent batch of heroin laced with fentanyl has been killing just about everybody that comes in contact with it in Ohio.   If you anyone you know is addicted to opioids, please call United Drug Rehab Group immediately so we can set you up with a consultation at the ideal drug rehab center for the needs of the situation.   So what is being done to combat this epidemic? Not nearly enough. Next year the DEA is cutting back opioid production by 25 percent because the demand is down, but this contrasts with their willingness to overproduce prescription opioids over the past three years. The lack of “demand” is admittedly due…