Our Views

President Bush announced in his state of the union address that $600 million will be spent on treatment for alcohol and drug abusers over the next three years. He said this will get treatment for 300,000 of the 22 million people who, according to the Substance Abuse & Mental Health Services Administration, currently need it. Not only does this not make a significant dent in the problem, it only allows about $2,000 per person – enough to get them through the least expensive treatment available instead of an effective drug detox and drug rehab program.

Let’s have a look at one alternative.

America invaded Iraq in March of 2003 and, in May of the same year, began post-invasion occupation. The invasion was motivated by Hussein’s alleged possession of weapons of mass destruction and alleged ties to al-Qaeda. Neither allegation turned out to be true, but American taxpayers have spent nearly $500 billion on Iraq so far – enough money to get every single person in the U.S. who abuses drugs and alcohol though medical drug detox and a long-term residential drug rehab program with a high success rate.

In addition to the huge boost in recovery, the estimated $276 billion per year in lost productivity, health care expenditures, crime, motor vehicle crashes and other conditions caused by drug and alcohol abuse would be returned to America’s coffers and, in about two years we would recover the money spent on treatment.

Can the benefits of overthrowing the Iraqi government possibly be compared to the benefits of getting every alcoholic and drug addict in America through a drug detox program and a successful drug rehab program? I don’t think so.

Popularity: 12% [?]

I had an uncle who died in his early 40’s from alcohol. He never really seemed drunk, my family members was not surprised when, after not being able to reach him for a few days, they went to his home and found him dead in bed. Unfortunately, although I heard the family discussing his drinking, I never heard them discuss alcohol detox or rehab.

Some may think that unless a person actually appears to be drunk, they’re not alcoholics or, at least, they’re not in danger. Nothing could be further from the truth – their liver is chronically overworked and can, eventually, fail. This process is accelerated by the use of over-the-counter painkillers – I’m sure my uncle popped a few aspirin every morning – since they also cause liver damage and internal bleeding.

As the years go on, and the damage continues, the liver becomes less able to detoxify the body and, like my uncle, you’re basically poisoned to death. His liver failed, but the real source of the problem was alcohol abuse. Don’t be fooled by drinkers who never get drunk – they need alcohol detox and rehab. There may still be time to heal the body.

Popularity: 25% [?]

I read an eight-year-old article today about the combination of painkillers and alcohol. It referenced the original press release from the FDA about warnings being required on over-the-counter painkillers: if consumed with alcohol, they could lead to liver damage and internal bleeding. What caught my eye in this article were the statistics on drinking. At that time, there were 11 million people who drank enough to need alcohol detox and rehab. According to the latest National Survey on Drug Use and Health, there are now over 15 million.

That’s a big jump in eight years. Obviously, we’re creating drinkers faster than we can handle them. Not just occasional drinkers, but people who drink so much it’s considered alcohol addiction or abuse.

Why is this? From my viewpoint, the problem is two-fold: We continue to allow advertising that presents drinking as part of the good life, instead of the killer it really is, and we don’t get people who abuse alcohol into alcohol detox and rehab. When it comes right down to it, these two actions would change the scene.

The solution, of course, is not so simple. Who’s going to employ the hundreds of thousands of workers in the alcohol industry? Who’s going to turn down the billions in advertising dollars and the even greater amount of taxes on alcohol products collected by government? And what about the business tax paid by hundreds of thousands of bars all over the country?

The only people making money off alcohol addiction and abuse should be those who offer alcohol detox and rehab. If it’s done right, that’s one business that will eventually go out of business.  And that’s the way it should be.

Popularity: 27% [?]

If there’s one guy you’d never expect to see on a golf course, it’s Alice Cooper. But Cooper not only golfs - he has a six handicap. Even Tiger Woods says he’s good. The other thing you’d probably never suspect is that Cooper credits golf for helping him through his recovery from alcohol addiction.

Golf is a demanding game. If you want to win, or even be good, you have to be in shape. Tiger is all the proof you need. He’s not the first golfer to view the sport as an athletic challenge, but he’s certainly taken it to new heights.

Alcohol and drug addiction drain the body. You lose strength, stamina, and control – everything a good athlete needs.

Cooper’s nearly 60 – but he’s still a star. His new book, Alice Cooper, Golf Monster: A Rock and Roller’s 12 Steps to Becoming a Golf Addict, is now on the stands. I’d advise you to get it for any kid you know who’s using drugs or alcohol. With any luck, Cooper will become a role model and we can stop worrying about our kids turning into Britney Spears or Amy Winehouse. A fan attending a recent Cooper concert commented, “I used to be a heavy drinker, but Alice Cooper was one of the people who inspired me to quit.” he said. “It’s a very unusual thing for me to come to a rock concert sober.”

Get the young adults in your life to read the book, get them to alcohol detox, and buy them some golf clubs when they complete it.

Popularity: 26% [?]

Six students were taken to alcohol detox with lethal levels of alcohol in their system at the University of Wisconsin’s Badger game last weekend. Consequently, the Dean of Students Office is setting up a breathalyzer test at the gate – any student previously ticketed for excessive drinking either passes the test, or doesn’t get into the game. No doubt some of those students could use a full alcohol detox, rather than the overnighters that just get you sober.

The students for whom the test is mandatory know who they are and are responsible for taking the test instead of finding a way to sneak into the game without it. If they attend the game without the test, they could be expelled from school.

Expulsion aside, some students think that even not being able to attend the game is too tough. “They’ve paid so much for their tickets and now they can’t have fun with everyone else,” complained one student.

But the idea that alcohol abuse and having fun go hand in hand is the exact problem the University is trying to handle.

If the kids who are drinking excessively could get through a complete alcohol detox and rehab, they would not only be able to attend the games, they’d probably do better in school and have a better life. Alcohol abuse ruins millions of lives and the younger you start, the better the chance you’ll have a lifelong problem. Why not stop it now, before too much is lost?

Popularity: 18% [?]

The University of Wisconsin has a new strategy to curb alcohol abuse among students - calling the parents. If the kids are underage, they can also be given a summons and, no matter how old they are, can be sent to alcohol detox.

Some think of this approach as a throwback, out of touch with the modern world. Nevertheless, it seems to be working: Second offenses have markedly decreased and not one of the students involved has dropped out of school.

The University of Wisconsin has a history of tolerance when it comes to drinking: the snack bar used to serve beer, and campus buses were equipped with kegs. But, over the years, things changed. Drinking became antisocial instead of social. In fact, according to the University’s chancellor, “just about every unpleasant incident, every crime, involves alcohol abuse by the victim or the perpetrator.” This includes everything from theft to rape.

The Chancellor also said that alcohol abuse is the number one health and safety problem on every college campus.

Statistics show that kids whose parents talk to them about the dangers of drug and alcohol abuse are 50 percent less likely to succumb to the temptation. That’s the kind of grass roots movement we need. If combined with alcohol detox for those who already have a problem, getting parents involved could eventually reduce the incidence of alcohol abuse significantly.

Popularity: 25% [?]

Alaska has a serious drug problem: one of the highest per capita drug abuse populations in the U.S. It’s also in the number seven spot for violent crime, much of which is largely attributed to the drug problem. Unfortunately, this week’s closure of the Salvation Army’s Clitheroe Center in Anchorage will leave thousands without access to alcohol and drug detox, and will expose Anchorage residents to even more alcoholism, drug abuse, drug addiction and crime.

The Center had problems for years: inadequate funding drove their beds from 20 to eight, and the shortage of nurses made it almost impossible to find staff – especially when the Center couldn’t afford to hire them.

The Anchorage community is worried: Without drug detox facilities, alcoholics and drug addicts will be absorbed into and supported by the community – worsening an already disastrous situation.

The Salvation Army is working with City officials to see if reopening Clitheroe is a future possibility but who knows how long that will take? Let’s hope the drug problem is somehow contained until Clitheroe or another drug detox facility can get back in operation.

Communities often resent having drug detox and rehab facilities in their immediate area – they think it creates an unsafe and unsavory environment. But a good drug detox center can turn these guys around and send them back into the community as a productive member of society. Isn’t it better than having them in the streets?

Popularity: 20% [?]

The Cardinal’s Scott Spiezio stepped up to the plate earlier this week and is finally going to get help for his drug and alcohol abuse. He’s not suspended, and will be paid during his treatment. General Manager Walt Jocketty says drug and alcohol abuse isn’t a rampant problem with the team, but there’s no doubt that alcohol detox and rehab might have prevented the April death of Josh Hancock.

Hancock crashed his SUV into a tow truck – the autopsy showed a blood alcohol level at twice the legal limit, and Manager Tony La Russa was charged with a DUI in March.

News items about athletes involved in drug and alcohol abuse are getting more frequent of late. I don’t know that the situation is getting worse: it’s possible it’s just coming to the forefront.

Personally, I think that exposing the problem is a good thing. If drug and alcohol abuse in sports is out in the open, there’s a better chance of more athletes doing a drug and alcohol detox program, and rehab if needed. It would be great to clean these guys up. Sports are an important part of America’s culture and athletes have always been role models. I’d like to keep it that way

Popularity: 19% [?]

Expsensive alcohol abuse warning ads are ignored. How about putting the money into alcohol detox? 

The effect of alcohol advertising has been the focus of many recent news headlines, especially the ‘drink responsibly’ part of the ads. Researchers found that these warnings are barely perceived by teenagers and, based on the alarming statistics regarding alcohol abuse by adults, the parents aren’t paying attention either. This is proof positive that you get what you pay for - $4.9 billion is spent on making alcohol look good and $104 million is focused on the downside. Alcohol manufacturers allegedly spend that $104 million to curb alcohol abuse, but you might as well hire Castro to defend your civil rights. Anyone really sincere about ending alcohol abuse would put the money into alcohol detox and rehab.

The National Alcohol Beverages Association of Kenya (Nabak) and the Kenyan government have also come up with a good idea. According to a story in The Standard, they’ve agreed that alcohol cannot be advertised until 8:30 p.m. on TV, and only after 1:00 a.m. on the radio. The ads also cannot contain cartoon or fairy tale characters that would appeal to kids, and alcohol manufacturers can’t sponsor children’s events.

A similar program in the U.S. would definitely reduce the exposure for the kids. Now we just have to work on the adults. I wonder how many people could get through a successful alcohol detox and rehab with $104 million. It could go a long way.

Popularity: 11% [?]

Almost 10 percent of full time workers in the U.S. have drug or alcohol abuse problems serious enough to require drug or alcohol detox and, possibly, rehab, according to an article in the Atlanta Journal Constitution. This percentage represents over 10 million people.

The article goes on to say that food service employees, construction workers, and people who worked in mining and similar jobs are at the top of the list, but nearly 8 percent of corporate CEO’s also said they are alcohol dependent.

The study, conducted by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Administration, also showed that employers who utilize drug testing are less likely to have problems.

As a former addict, I can say that drug testing certainly would have deterred me. I may have lost some jobs, but I like to think that I would have stayed away from drugs rather than being fired.

Getting an employee through a drug or alcohol detox program can cost far less than the lost productivity that inevitably comes with the territory, especially since these programs are often covered by insurance. But you have to ensure the employee does a program that doesn’t substitute one drug for another, or put the person on a drug rather than alcohol.

Although it might be necessary for the person to take a drug to alleviate withdrawal symptoms, they should definitely not be taking that drug when they leave.

If you are, or have, an employee with a drug or alcohol abuse problem, getting them into a successful drug and alcohol detox program will increase your productivity, and save their lives.

Popularity: 19% [?]