Russian Heroin Addiction “Spreads Like Wildfire”

Is defoliating Afghanistan the answer?

Last week, both the New York Times and the Los Angeles Times declared that heroin addiction has reached epidemic proportions in Russia. However, Soviet drug enforcement officials have a plan: They have called on the United States to defoliate Afghanistan.

For years now, Russia has been flooded with cheap opium from Afghanistan, smuggled in through Tajikistan and other countries along Russia’s “virtual borders” in Central Asia. What began as a trickle of addicted Russian soldiers during the Afghan war in the 1980s has reached epidemic proportions, Russian officials maintain.

“It’s a catastrophe for us,” a Moscow drug addiction specialist told the Los Angeles Times in an article by Megan K. Stack. “We were completely unprepared for this turn of events.” The Times article notes that the flood of cheap heroin has largely been met with “widespread public ignorance of the risks and symptoms of addiction, lingering shame and stigma, and muddled government efforts at treatment.”

To cap things off, methadone is illegal in Russia.

The New York Times reported in an article by Ellen Barry that Afghan poppy cultivation had become a diplomatic sore point between Moscow and Washington. “I would call on the United States to use defoliation from the air,” said Viktor P. Ivanov, Russia’s Drug Czar, so to speak. “There are people who support this method in the United States. The debate is going on, which is important.”

Russian authorities estimate that 30,000 young Russians dies each year from drug use, predominately Afghan heroin. Although the nation’s opium crop has shrunk in recent years, “Afghanistan still produces more opium than the worldwide market can absorb,” according to Ellen Barry. The reserve may have grown to 10,000 tons, representing a two-year world supply, according to a recent United Nations report.

Years earlier, officials in the Bush administration had briefly investigated an aerial spraying program in Afghanistan, but backed off amid fears that the move would stoke anti-American anger by depriving farmers of their livelihood and increasing the likelihood that they would join the insurgents. The U.S. undertook a largely ineffective manual eradication campaign, and the Obama administration has thus far focused efforts on interdiction and the cultivation of alternative crops, according to the New York Times report.

Photo Credit: www.stratfor.com

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How to treat heroin addicts

How to treat heroin addicts


I would have to suggest that you best way how to treat heroin addicts is just as you would treat anyone else granted they may have some bad characteristics but no one is all bad. Do what you can to help them but don’t let them walk all over you either. One has to establish some boundaries or this is exactly what will happen.

Offer to drive them to heroin treatment and If they refuse do not push it because this will only drive them deeper into their addiction. Now do not loan them any type of money for things like rent, they will probably only blow it on heroin. Anyway they will throw at you every hard luck story in the book don’t fall for it.

OK and another thing is if they land in jail do not bail them out let sit no matter what even if they swear up and down they are going to stop using heroin. They may even tell you things like they are going to be real sick with heroin withdrawal and they may die. I still say let them sit but offer to take them to rehab when they get out if they were serious then they will jump at the chance to quit using heroin and go to treatment.

This is perhaps the best way I know how to help a heroin addict is to take these suggestions. I have been there myself the only problem was I was a good con and my family always felt sorry for me and bailed me out of jail every time I called them. Maybe if they had not have done so it would not have taken as long as it did for me to get clean.

I really did mean that I was going to kick heroin when I promised that I would if they would get me out the problem was I could not do it alone. I needed help and so do you. Take action and seek help today.

There are so many qualified drug rehabs out there today its not funny and many of them you will not need a thin dime to get help because that is there goal helping the suffering addict that can not afford rehab so do not give up help is out there if you just take the time to find it.

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can you get addicted to heroin after using it once?

I had a question this week that concerned heroin use here it is can you get addicted to heroin after using it once?

I would have to say that this is a catch 22 question because the answer is yes and no. I say yes because if the individual has the hereditary disposition for addiction there is a slim chance they could become addicted to heroin after only using it once but this is highly unlikely. Just because you may not become addicted to heroin the first time is no reason to go out there and use heroin because what happens is the person starts to like it and over time they become addicted to heroin.

Heroin is a very dangerous drug and is nothing to experiment with I can not even beging to tell you the number of people who used heroin one time and are no longer with us because of a heroin overdose so again if you have tried it then you need to stop using heroin before it kills you too.

If you think you may have a problem with heroin and want to quit using heroin I would suggest that you go to heroin treatment there you can receive help for heroin withdrawal as well as residential treatment. One can stop using and find a new way to live with out the use of drugs and I am living proof of this. I am reasonably happy and I am pursuing a degree in Social Work you can get clean and follow your dreams also.

Good luck

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FDA Bans Flavored Cigarettes

An unintentional boost for cigar sales?

When is a cigar more than just a cigar? When its appearance allows it to circumvent the intent of the Food and Drug Administration’s first ruling related to cigarettes, that’s when.

In its first official ruling since Congress passed legislation giving the agency authority to regulate tobacco (see my earlier post), the FDA banned so-called flavored cigarettes. Cigarette makers can no longer add vanilla, clove, chocolate, or any other fruit or candy flavors to their product. Menthol, for now, is exempt from the ban.

FDA commissioner Margaret Hamburg said that 90 percent of adults who smoke began doing so as children. The president of the Campaign for Tobacco-free Kids agreed, calling flavored cigarettes “starter products” for young smokers in a Dow Jones Newswires report by Jennifer Corbett Dooren.

By law, the agency cannot ban regular cigarettes outright. However, as Gardiner Harris reported in the September 23 New York Times, “the legislation left some details vague. For instance, the agency is required to ban flavored cigarettes, but the law did not clearly define what constituted a cigarette."

Huh? As it turns out, a cigarette is in the mind of the beholder. The FDA maintains that the ban applies to all cigarette-type tobacco products, including those that are “labeled as cigars or as some other product.” A spokesperson for the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids agreed: “The FDA demonstrated that they’re serious about enforcing the ban on flavored cigarettes, and serious about preventing tobacco companies from circumventing that ban,” according to the New York Times article.

Not so fast, argued Norman Sharp, president of the Cigar Association of America. Sharp told the Times that the ban clearly did not apply to cigars: “We feel this should go a long way to clearing up any confusion in the marketplace.”

Well, not exactly. An exasperated spokesperson for cigarette maker R.J. Reynolds, also quoted in the article, said: “It’s hard to understand. We need clear and timely guidance so all of us can work together so that we can understand what we need to be doing.”

What about the small brown cigarillos sold by an R.J. Reynolds subsidiary?

“They are not cigarettes,” the spokesperson said.


Photo Credit: http://politics.mync.com/tag/cigarette/

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Methods to stop Dilaudid snorting

How to get help for Dilaudid snorting


This post is all about my dilaudid addiction and how I got help to beat my addiction.


When I first started using this drug I was kind of scared to death shoot them so I snorted dilaudid every day. I used to have a friend that shot them and he introduced me to this method but I was still really scared of shooting dilaudid in fact, I was still scared and could not watch him do me. This did not last long and I was hitting myself. The point I am trying to make here is that snorting dilaudid was not really doing it for me so I started shooting them and it is much more dangerous however the withdrawal is just as bad either way. I would strongly recommend that you do not do what I did because they are pure D hell to kick.

If you think that you may have a problem with dilaudid snorting then I would urge you to seek help. I did not seek help until I was like 34 years old no one need wait that long you can make up your mind to stop snorting hydromorphone today.

One sure fire method to stop dilaudid addiction is to go to rehab. If you do go to rehab you can choose the way in which you would like to go through withdrawal. I personally liked the subutex with a suboxone taper it is for the most part pretty painless. One may not even need rehab thousands of people stop using every day by attending NA meetings the choice is your but you must take action so do so today.

I went thorough treatment so many times I lost count so please do not give up keep trying because one day you will get it right and the miracle will happen.

Everyone should keep in mind that It really does not matter if you are addicted to this opioid drug or another the thing to do is get help and do not let the number of times that you have been to rehab hinder you if I would have done that I would not be clean and sober today. I am confident that any addict and I mean any drug addict can stop using drugs, lose the desire to use drugs and come out on top free from addiction. I have seen it many times all you have to do is take action do the footwork and you too can be free from drug addiction.

There are many opiate rehabs out there that can treat you addiction all you have to do is make the decision to go. So why not do it today?

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How to stop Dilaudid using Suboxone

I believe there is a very good combination out there for those of you who want to stop using dilaudid. It has been around for a short time now and I am not sure everyone understands the options they have if they choose to quit diaudid with suboxone. Now there are a couple of ways you can actually use the dilauidid and suboxone technique.

The first one I will tell you about today is to go to rehab there you can be detoxed by trained individuals with suboxone. One will pretty much rest and sleep during their dilaudid withdrawal. This is pretty much all that will be required of you until you finish and move on to residential treatment that’s right! It is necessary to go to residential if you want to stay clean once you leave rehab. Here is a little preview of what you will do in residential treatment. You will attend lectures about addiction, watch recovery related videos, attend 12 step meetings, and have individual addiction therapy. This is a very good start for anyone who is new to this kind of treatment or for people who did not succeed last time around.

Next I will explain how you can stop using dilaudid with suboxone at home. This is pretty easy to get set up for, all you have to do is find a Dr. who is licensed to prescribe suboxone. Once this is done you simply make an appointment and let them know of your plans to stop using dilaudid. When you actually talk with the Dr. you can pretty much ask if they have some suggestions on how you can stop using and how long it will take, I mean hypothetically one could quit using in as little as 5 days but I would recommend at least 2 week taper. There is another option and this is suboxone maintenance and this is what I was on and I found it a great way to beat dilaudid addiction.
Regardless of what method you choose the important thing is that you stop using dilaudid as soon as you can. We do not need any more statistics.

Good luck and God bless

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Beating heroin at home for those who do not have insurance

Many people do not have any type of insurance or extra cash lying around to go to heroin rehab so they ask is it possible to beat heroin at home? Well the answer is you certainly can but it is difficult and the most undesirable way to stop using heroin, that’s probably why they call it heroin cold turkey.

Now keep in mind that there may be a drug rehab for addicts with no insurance out there if you are willing to do the footwork to find one.

Like I said for some people this is the only option they have is beating heroin at home.

If you have had enough of using heroin and think you can beat heroin at home here are something’s to keep in mind before you jump in.

Most heroin addicts are generally going to be really sick when they quit heroin cold turkey and will have to face heroin symptoms like; insomnia, stomach cramps, irritability, chills or sweats, diarrhea and urges to use.

Now if you think you are able to handle this there are some over the counter medications that can help with your heroin withdrawal. I would defiantly buy some Motrin this is good for headaches and leg cramps, now for insomnia get some Benadryl this should help you sleep, as for the diarrhea get some Kaopeptate.

When I have done this in the past I forced myself to stay awake the day before I intended to stop heroin this will make you very tired and perhaps with any luck you can sleep through the worst of your heroin detox. I think everyone who tries this method should get someone to stay with them this is great for encouragement and moral support and one is less likely to give up and go use with someone else around.

If and when you beat heroin at home you will want to plan on attending some NA meetings or have some other recovery orienatated goals to stay clean because you will need all the help you can get to stay clean.

Good luck

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How to recover from heroin addiction

Heroin addiction recovery


In order to recover from heroin addiction one must first of all stop using heroin. Next they may want to get help with some type of heroin treatment or to detox from heroin. This can be done in treatment centers located all over the United State prices and types of treatment available will vary somewhat so do some research and find what suits you.

How to recover from heroin addiction

If you decide to go to heroin treatment you can opt for a heroin detox. This will be done by a staff of trained professionals. They will administer drugs that will help alleviate the suffering of your heroin withdrawal. In order to get your moneys worth plus to help with your heroin addiction recovery I strongly recommend that you go to residential treatment when you finish your heroin withdrawal.

Now when you get out here are some choices that can help with ones heroin addiction recovery. One thing you may want to consider is going to long term heroin treatment. I think this is the best bet for anyone who has went through residential treatment a couple of times and relapsed; in fact this is exactly what I did I was a chronic relapser I have even used minutes after leaving rehab so I knew that I had to take action and do something different which was long term treatment.

What will we do in long term treatment?

Most of the long term treatment facilities will require you to attend 90 meetings in 90 days and you will live in a recovery house or something similar. We had to pay like 30% of our income. Most places you will be allowed to work after two weeks of staying on the property its kind of a probationary peroid, unless another member of the house takes you to a meeting anyway that’s how it was where I went to treatment. One can also choose to go to school if they want, this is what I did and I am not very far from getting a bachelors degree in Social Work. I chose this field so I could help others. How can you go wrong with this working and getting paid to help other addicts learn how to stop using heroin and other drugs?

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Kudzu for Alcoholism?

Common vine extract may inhibit drinking.

Score one for traditional Chinese folk medicine. A compound called daidzin, found in kudzu vine, acts like the anti-drinking medication Antabuse. Daidzin interferes with the metabolization of alcohol and causes the well-known flushing and sick feeling associated with Antabuse.

However, Dr. Ivan Diamond of the University of California in San Francisco and Dr. Ting-Kai Li of Duke University Medical Center maintain that a synthetic derivative of the active ingredient in kudzu vine also helps diminish the desire to drink in alcoholic rats. It does so, they believe, by preventing alcohol-induced increases in dopamine in the brain’s pleasure center. This additional finding about daidzin may help prevent relapse in recovering alcoholics by diminishing cravings—something Antabuse does not do.

The study will be published in the November issue of Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research.

Currently, the commonly prescribed medications for alcoholism include disulfiram (Antabuse), naltrexone (Revia and Vivitrol), acamprosate (Campral), topiramate (Topamax), and baclofen (Lioresal).

Harvard researchers Wing Ming Keung and Bert Vallee first discovered the effects of kudzu on drinking. A 2005 paper in Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research, authored by Scott E. Lukas, et. al., reported the results of testing a kudzu extract on a clinical population of “heavy” drinkers. The result: “Kudzu treatment resulted in significant reduction in the number of beers consumed... and a decrease in the volume of each sip.” The earlier researchers, however, did not report any significant effect on the urge to drink.

In their recent research, Diamond and Li believe they have found a synthetic version of daidzin, CVT-1-216, that does effect the desire to drink. According to Diamond, the study found that the drug “prevents the usual increase in drinking (binge drinking) that occurs after five days of abstinence....”

“Extracts of various parts of the kudzu vine have been used in many Chinese herbal medicine formulas and are said to be helpful in treating a variety of maladies,” said Dr. Li, who was formerly the director of the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA). “The findings show promise that CVT-10216 might be better tolerated than Antabuse,” he added.

Dr. Diamond called alcoholism “a medical disorder, not just a problem of will power. Physicians treat medical disorders in order to prevent harm, while not necessarily curing the disease being treated—for example, drug treatment of hypertension, stains for high cholesterol, insulin for diabetes—and the same will become true for treating alcoholism.”

Diamond also agrees that synthetic kudzu extract may prove superior to Antabuse in other ways. “Most believe that disulfiram (Antabuse) would not be approved today as a new drug for alcoholism because of its many toxicities.”

Photo Credit: www.skrewtips.com

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Getting through Heroin addiction withdrawal with a medical detox

The topic I chose to write about today is heroin addiction withdrawal the reason I chose this topic is because of the large number of addicts who want to quit using heroin and are fearful of the heroin withdrawal. I want to say right off that do not let the fear of what you will have to go through stop you from getting free from heroin.

I know practically everyone has heard rumors of how bad the withdrawal is well the answer to this is it all depends on the way you choose to stop using heroin; for instance, a heroin detox done medically as opposed to heroin cold turkey huge difference here one is relatively painless and the other is a challenge to say the least.

If you choose to detox from this drug in heroin rehab I would suggest that when you make your appointment you should check make sure they will detox you medically. This means that they will give you medications like suboxone to help with your heroin withdrawals this generally takes from 3 to 5 days. I think it is a great way to stop using and for the most part it is painless.

I would recommend that one does go to residential treatment after their deox. This is important for a number of reason one of which is we do not want to go through heroin addiction withdrawal again and end up in another heroin rehab. In residential treatment you will gain the necessary tools to not to return to active addiction again but I have to be right upfront with you it will take action. One can not just lay around and wait for things to happen recovery is a process and it takes a lot of action if you want to stay clean. I always say any fool can get clean but it takes work to remain clean.

OK for action one can start attending NA meetings this is always good for any newcomer who is trying to find a new way to live with out the use of drugs. There you will make friends who are just like you and do not use drugs.

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What will help get you through heroin detox

How many people are wanting to stop using and wondering how to go about it, plus I am quite certain if you are trying to stop using heroin you probably have wondered what will help them get through heroin detox.

Today I will share with you all some of my experiences and what has helped me to go through heroin detox. I believe the first thing that must happen is the person needs to understand is that we must surrender to the fact that we have the disease of addiction. Once we use we lose all control.

I tried to control my using for years I would quit doing heroin and switch to xanx and drinking and then back again. Oh and lets not forget all the prescription pain relievers I did too. Simply put this did not work it only made me sicker until I surrendered that I could not use any type of drug or alcohol whatsoever I could not get clean. Sure I could stop using heroin for a day or two at the most but this was the extent of it.

Here is an idea that may help get you through your heroin detox make plans to check into a heroin rehab you will have to give them a call and see when you can possibly go into treatment also tell them at this time you would like to detox from heroin and would also like to stay for residential treatment.

First thing that will happen when you arrive is you will meet with the staff and they will go over what types of drugs they are going to use for your heroin withdrawal. Once you start your detox nothing will be required of you so you can basically sleep or go in the smoke area and puff until your heart is content.

When you finish your detox for heoin you will then go to residential heroin treatment where you will learn all about heroin addiction and gain valuable information that you will need to keep from returning to active addiction. One thing I want to stress is do not get involved in any intimate relationships with the other clients they do not there is a old saying to sickies don't make a wellie anyway you will leave together and use soon afterwards mark my words on this treat it like a taboo.

Heroin detox video

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How to stop becoming addicted to hydrocodone

Addiction to hydrocodone



To my knowledge addiction to hydrocodone is steadily rising not only in the Untited States but other Countries around the world. I would hazzerd to guess that most people did not say when the were little when I grow up I want to be a be a hydrocodone addict; however it seems to have worked out this way for many of us, we can lay the blame for this because this or that thing in our lives did not turn out the way it was supposed to. The bottom line is if we want to get better and stop using hydrocodone then we have to own it and take responsibility for our lives as well as our addiction to hydrocodone.

In my opinion hydrocodone is over prescribed I mean all one has to do is basically to sprain and ankle or something go to your doctor and tell them of your pain and 9 times out of 10 you will get a prescription for something like vicodin which contains hydrocodone. This can be prevented but you must take action and speak up, ask your doctor if they could prescribe a non narcotic if you feel that you can handle the pain. I am not a Dr. but I have refused drugs containing hydrocodone I have learned that I can not handle any type of mind altering substance so I always inform a new Dr. that I am an addict this is our responsibility too.

In any case if you think you may have a problem with these types of drugs they you should seek help I would suggest that you go to hydrocodone treatment there you can detox from hydrocodone relatively pain free. Once you have finished you detox from hydrocodone when you have finished this you will move on to residential treatment where you will learn how to stop using hydrocodone. This is the best way to kick hydrocodone so look for a rehab in your area and make an appointment and do it today.

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How to help a heroin addict overcome drug addiction

How to help a heroin addict to get the help they need to overcome drug addiction

There are no magical tricks or secrets when it comes to these things. Some people probably imagine they can scare, threaten, or coerce a heroin addict into quitting heroin. I am here to tell you that this will not work it will only drive them farther away.

A lot if not all heroin addicts are throwing away their lives and they seem to know it. Threats will mean absolutely nothing to the person who is self destructing. It’s very hard to intimate someone who has nothing to lose. It is possible to influence their behavior but not in a direct manner.

How to help a heroin addict make the decision to go to treatment?

Trying to convince someone to stop using heroin can be very difficult but getting someone to a say they will go to treatment is a lot easier. Most heroin addicts who are clean today can tell you when they decided that they had enough; for instance, the straw that broke the camels back so to speak this is the moment of complete and utter surrender.

Once someone has reached this point any thing that you do to help them will more than likely work. Pretty much any treatment center they choose to go to will have very good results. If they are not to this point yet then there simply is nothing one can do to help because noting is going to work to help them stop their drug use.

I would now quit enabling them this means give them no money or rides and if they land in jail do not bail them out if you do any of these things to help them it will only delay in them actually getting the help they need.

One of the best ways how to help a heroin addict is to just offer to drive them to treatment and if they refuse do not push them because they are not ready. I would just prepare myself for when they do surrender and admit that the disease has kicked their butt. Have a plan for this contact some heroin rehabs and see what is available and whether they offer heroin detox.

One will know when this happens because they will ask for help. Now you can bring forth the idea of going to treatment and they will indeed go.

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Can I stop withdrawal and get addiction help with Rapid Opiate Detox

How Can I stop heroin withdrawal and get the addiction help I need with Rapid Opiate Detox

It seems that a lot of patients who have gone through the RDD detox for opiates have reported success as far as the elimination of opiate withdrawal symptoms and they report emotional well being as well.

In most cases prior to the actual procedure the patient will go to the facility and meet with certified addiction specialist Dr. for their medical evaluation because being under anesthesia does have risks people with high blood pressure will be refused the Rapid Drug Detox and this is understandable.

You'll be made very comfortable

The day of the procedure you be given medication that will help you to relax before going under anesthesia. Once you are under drugs you will be given medication that will remove all the opiates from your body. When you are finished you will spend the day in recovery where you will be watched by a medical staff you will more than likely not remember anything of your opiate withdrawal. Then you return to your room for the next couple of days where you will be made as comfortable as possible to finish the process most of the time will probably be spent sleeping or resting. I think for those who can afford it this is a great way how to stop withdrawal with Rapid opiate detox.

If there happens to be any remaining discomfort the Dr’s will see to it that you are taken care of. Nurses and Dr’s are always available.The total stay for the RDD procedure is around 3-4 days.

I have to be honest this all sounds to good to be true there are some hitches to the RDD method of opiate detox. One drawback is that it is very expensive one place advertises for $7000. If you intend to do a RDD then I would certainly look around because prices will probably vary considerably.

One more thing one needs to think about is that it can be dangerous. It has been reported that patients have died from this procedure from being under too long so again check out the place you intend to use for your rapid drug detox.

Check out this video on Rapid drug detox.

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How to stop marijuana addiction

I used to be one of the people who rejected the idea of marijuana addiction and I am reasonably sure I am not alone. I would compare it to other drugs that I used like heroin which had a serious withdrawal that made you sicker than a dog when you stopped using it; however, marijuana is really addictive and the person who uses this drug quite frequently should take a look at some of their behavior. How much money are you spending on it and do you blow off things in order to get high. It may not make you sick like other drugs when stopped but it can still have a powerful negative effect on your life.

I have come to realize that people who use marijuana on a regular basis and regular means everyday are doing so to numb their feelings. This way they can go through the motions of life and avoid any uncomfortable feelings; for instance a person feels like they are all alone in the world so they use to cover that feeling up. I was also one of those persons that avoided my feelings at all costs.

It is easy to get lulled into this type of trap without even recognizing it. Marijuana is very good for covering are feelings it can bring us up when we are depressed, relieve us of anger, and is great for sexual arousal.

Well you may be saying then why is this so bad? The reason is that the marijuana addict in question will come to depend on marijuana to control their feelings. Therefore people who become addicted to marijuana to cover their emotions or on an emotional level so to speak. Once this happens it becomes like an instinct that whenever they are uncomfortable they will feel the need to smoke some weed. The reason this works so well is that marijuana changes are thoughts and feelings rather quickly.

I think the real deal is that the addict uses this drug to cope with life when in fact they may say they are just using because it makes them feel good but there is something else going on with them on a much deeper level.

Marijuana addiction here is some ways how to quit smoking weed.

1. One way is to stop smoking marijuana on your own.

2. Another idea would be 12 step programs like NA and AA.

3. I think seeing a therapist is an excellent choice.

4. There is also outpatient therapy.

5. Inpatient treatment may be another good idea.

6. Marijuana rehab

These are all good options to help persons stop using marijuana. Some of us may need a couple of these types of help for their marijuana addiction.

Here is a video on marijuana addiction.

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How to stop opiate withdrawal

There are a few choices when it comes to opiate withdrawal for the person who is struggling with the challenge of quitting and opiate dependence whether this may be from prescription medications that contain hydrocodone or heroin. It you happen to be thinking about stopping your opiate use then it is good to know one has a few options.


Cold Turkey opiate withdrawal at home
The first way I will share with is called how to stop opiate withdrawal cold turkey.

Some people simply have no other options than to go cold turkey a lot of the time this is due to no insurance. This is a very hard way to detox from heroin. I would only use this method as a last resort. I would search for private funding or county funding in the area I would like to get help to detox for heroin.
To me one of the best ways to go through an opiate withdrawal is treatment so I would suggest that you find a local treatment center. Give them a call find out about there funding and make arrangements to get in. If you do not have insurance most places will take Medicaid if this does not work look into getting Government funding to help pay for your stay.

Once you get in to rehab they will usally detox you for opiates, this can take 3 to 5 days using prescription drugs to help manage your opiate withdrawal. Most places will make you very comfortable because they know how sick we get when we stop using opiates. They can help regardless whether you are withdrawal from heroin or hydrocodone pills like vicodin.

When you complete your opiate withdrawal the next step is residential treatment. Here they will help you to get the information how to live a great life clean without the use of drugs. If you only detox there is no doubt in my mind you will use again maybe as soon as you leave treatment. When you do leave make sure you have an after care plan this is essential for all recovering addicts who leave treatment.

Here is a video on opiate withdrawal

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Low-Nicotine Cigarettes: Deadlier Than Regular Brands?

More tars, more cancer.

Now that the U.S. Congress has passed legislation enabling the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to monitor the tobacco industry for the first time in history (see my earlier post), one of the primary issues the agency must deal with are health claims on behalf of allegedly less-toxic brands of “low-nicotine” cigarettes.

It has long been understood, and demonstrated clinically, that people addicted to nicotine will smoke “light” cigarettes harder, and in greater numbers, in order to compensate and obtain the same amount of nicotine they are used to--thereby staving off withdrawal. [See graphic at right for the secret of why light cigarette smokers must puff harder.]

As prominent tobacco researcher N.L. Benowitz wrote in a National Cancer Institute (NCI) monograph:

“In brief review—when faced with lower yield cigarettes, smokers can smoke more cigarettes per day, can take more and deeper puffs, can puff with a faster draw rate, and/or can block ventilation holes. Using these last four techniques, a smoker can increase his or her smoke intake from a particular cigarette several fold above the machine-predicted yields.”

In the description of a patent for a low-tar and low-nicotine technique in 1995, Duke University Researchers wrote:

“Unfortunately, it has been discovered that only a small proportion of the total smoking population (e.g., less than 25%) has substituted low tar cigarettes (e.g., cigarettes that deliver less than 10 milligrams of tar) for conventional and more hazardous cigarettes. Also of note, only about 2.0-3.0% of total cigarette sales are accounted for by very low tar cigarettes (e.g., cigarettes that deliver less than 3 milligrams of tar). Moreover, even among the cigarette smokers who have substituted low tar cigarettes for conventional cigarettes, it has been discovered that these individuals will tend to smoke low tar cigarettes more intensively in order to extract more tar and nicotine than the nominal values listed on the pack. This, of course, defeats part of the objective of the low tar cigarettes.”|

Moreover, there has never been any significant body of evidence to suggest that switching to lights or ultra-lights in a way actually contributes to the success of smoking cessation efforts. According to the National Cancer Institute, there are no health benefits for smokers of light cigarettes, period.

In a letter published in the August 21 issue of Science, Marshall E. Deutsch argues that cigarettes with reduced nicotine may in fact “increase tobacco related death and disease” and are therefore potentially more dangerous than regular smokes.

Deutsch’s argument is that by smoking more cigarettes with lower concentration of nicotine, smokers “will be subjected to more of the ‘tars’ (the cancer-causing ingredients of the smoke) in their attempts to get their usual dosage of nicotine, (the ingredient responsible for heart disease and stroke). In the end, smokers of low-nicotine cigarettes will remain at the same risk for heart disease and stroke but increase their chances of developing cancer.”

It’s never too late to quit, and the earlier the better: The National Cancer Institute tells us that smokers who quite before age 50 cut their risk of dying by 50 % over the next 15 years, compared to those who keep smoking.

Graphics Credit: www.tobaccoinaustralia.org.au

addiction drugs smoking nicotine

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All about Dilaudid and how to overcome it

One of the most powerful pain relieving medications happens to be a drug called dilaudid which happens to be the trade name for hydromorphone. Dilaudid is a derivative of morphine and is vary potent opioid drug.

It was first researched and developed in Germany in 1924, it was hoped that it would be Superior to heroin with less side effects and potential for  addiction. It was available for public use in 1926. The controlled substance act of 1970 listed all drugs containing hydromorphone as a Schedule II narcotic. The only problem was not long after there were reports of dilaudid addiction being confirmed.

Dilaudid as a rule is prescribed for use in patients with painful conditions like cancer and is used frequently following surgery. They have also proven successful in treating painful coughing and bronchial conditions. Emergency rooms frequently use this drug for things like broken bones and what not.

A few of the Side effects for dilaudid include itching, confusion, sedation, vomiting, dilaudid can be addicting so patients should use caution while using this medication.

Dilaudid is well known in the heroin culture heroin addicts often use this drug as a replacement for heroin. I happen to be one of those people who abused dilaudid on a regular basis. I acquired a dilaudid addiction after using this drug daily for over a year. If you think you may be addicted to dilaudid seek help right away to stop using dilaudid before you get beyond the point of no return there is no shame in admitting one has a drug problem the only shame is not doing anything about it.

There are treatment centers that specialize in helping people who are addicted to opiates you can even detox for dilaudid there without the fear of a painful dilaudid withdrawal and once again I have done that too.

If you do decide to do something about your dilaudid addiction. Get help today!

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Stop at Home heroin detox with suboxone

Home heroin detox with suboxone




I believe it is important for others to know that they have options when it comes to quitting heroin. With this being said here is a great way to quit heroin. It is called home heroin detox with suboxone. I have used this method in the past and it will well but work but there is a big drawback to it though and this is because suboxone is very expensive and as of yet no insurance will cover it. There may be a way to get around this and find some private funding so look around if you are interested in detoxing with suboxone.

A person will have to decide whether they want to quit using heroin in a couple of weeks or they need to do a suboxone maintenance. My doctor recommend that I stay on suboxone for a long period because I was a well seasoned heroin addict. The final decision can be discussed between you and your physician.

The first thing one has to do is find a licensed physician near them that can prescribe suboxone. Once this is done make an appointment to meet with the Dr. and tell them of your plans to stop using at this time ask them if they have any recommendations for you. Maybe you already know how you want to stop if this is the case simply let them know and they will write you a prescription for the dosage and how often they can be taken. If they happen to not be strong enough do not freak out this does happen just give them a call and they will up your dosage. This has happened to me this is why I am letting you know about this.

Now once you are actually doing your home heroin detox with suboxone you can be comfortable with the idea of not having to worry about the heroin withdrawal with suboxone this should be a relief to all. Itwill be important that you do other things for your recovery. Maybe NA meetings will help you I went to NA meetings every day when I first stopped using but we must take action that is what recovery is all about. Anyway I think this should be a great start for anyone who wants to stop heroin with suboxone.

Good luck

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Quitting dilaudid with addiction treatment

I want to share with everyone a little bit about quitting dilaudid. I have quit using dilaudid a few times so bear with me here. One has to be able to admit total and complete defeat from dilaudid addiction a total surrender is necessary for this. Once this happens you can begin the recovery process this will take action on your part there are no magic wands.

Ok first thing I would suggest is to remove any paraphernalia from your home. Next I would tell all of my friends of my plans to stop using dilaudid this means that they will have to go if you want to recover from dilaudid addiction. They are just rent a buddy's anyway once they see that you are clean they will be gone anyway but we can’t count on this so simply advise them not to come around.

As far as quitting dilaudid I would recommend going to addiction treatment there you can be detoxed from dilaudid medically and you will be rather comfortable during your dilaudid withdrawal.

I have actually done this several times some of us do not stay clean the first time around so if this is your 5th or your 10th do not give up before the miracle happens. It took me a long time to finally get clean and put all the relapses behind me you can to. When you finish your dilaudid withdrawal I would suggest that you continue on with residential treatment so you can learn how to stay clean when you leave. Without residential treatment your chances are slim and none.

I would even think about going to long term heroin treatment. I went to long term treatment for 2 years and I learned a lot about myself and the reasons I could not stay clean so you may want to do go yourself.

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Stop heroin cold turkey using these unique recovery methods

Stop cold turkey heroin 



A lot of people have no other choice but to stop heroin cold turkey. I think the main reason for this is that they have no insurance to cover a stay in heroin rehab.

If you have been thinking about stopping heroin cold turkey here is a list of things that may also help you to make up your mind because it will take action on your part to beat heroin addiction.

1. Be prepared for stomach and leg cramps.

2. Another thing you need to be aware of is insomnia.

3. Hot or cold sweats and goose bumps.

4. Runny nose and diorama.

5. Anxiety.

6. Wanting to use- urges.

This is just a few of the most common heroin withdrawal symptoms there can be a lot more.

If you choose to stop heroin cold turkey I would suggest you may want to stay awake a lot a couple of days before you actually quit this may help you to sleep through a lot of the withdrawal.

I would also invite someone to stay with me because an addict alone is in bad company plus it will encourage you not to give up.

Now I think it is necessary to get a few medications to help you with headace and leg cramps Motrin works fine for this you will probably have trouble sleeping so get some over the counter Benadryl. With all of this you are ready to detox from heroin.

I would make some plans for after you stop using heroin cold turkey. This could include finding out where the local NA meetings are and what time they meet. I would make a list of the meetings I planned on attending. Attending meetings will help get you out of the house and allow you to make some new friends that do not use drugs I can not stress enough how important this is.

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The Portuguese Experiment

How has decriminalization fared in Portugal?

In 2001, amid lurid worldwide media coverage, Portugal made the decision to eliminate penalties for the personal use and possession of heroin, cocaine, and marijuana. Dire predictions were heard on all sides. According to the London Economist, this “ultraliberal legislation had set alarm bells ringing across Europe. The Portuguese were said to be fearful that holiday resorts would become dumping-grounds for drug tourists. Some conservative politicians denounced the decriminalization as 'pure lunacy'”.

Strictly speaking, Portugal did not legalize drugs. They decriminalized them—drug use and possession have been deemed administrative, not criminal, matters. Drug trafficking remains a criminal offense. Portugal is the only nation in the European Union (EU) to have made this blanket move, and Portuguese health officials have been at pains to point out that decriminalization in Portugal does not mean that drug use is in any way condoned or encouraged there.

Eight years down the road, how is this "lunatic" project faring? According to the Cato Institute, in a report issued earlier this year, pretty darn well. In “Drug Decriminalisation in Portugal: Lessons for Creating Fair and Successful Drug Policies,” Glenn Greenwald concludes that the project is in fact “a resounding success.” According to the Cato report, “decriminalization has had no adverse effect on drug usage rates in Portugal, and that “sexually transmitted diseases and deaths due to drug usage” have decreased dramatically.

Two years earlier, a study by the British Beckley Foundation, a member of the International Drug Policy Consortium (IDPC), reported that the main changes in Portugal since decriminalization in 2001 were:

--Increased use of cannabis.

--Decreased use of heroin.

--Increased use of treatment options.

--Reduction in drug-related deaths.

The Economist, in its article entitled “Treating, Not Punishing,” concludes: “The evidence from Portugal since 2001 is that decriminalisation of drug use and possession has benefits and no harmful side-effects.”

No harmful side effects? How do we square that with the worldwide unending Drug War? I am tempted to suggest that either everybody is lying about the situation in Portugal, or else it is time to put the Drug War to bed. Drug Czar Gil Kerlikowske has made clear his distaste for the term “drug war,” but has yet to solidly indicate the course that will take the country away from spending money on interdiction and prosecution and toward spending money on treatment, medical research, and harm reduction policies.

Graphics Credit: Cato Institute

addiction drugs

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Using the Heroin withdrawal with suboxone method to beat heroin

If you have came to the conclusion that you are tired of using heroin and have tried time and time again unsuccessfully to stop then here is something that you may not have tried and it is called heroin withdrawal with suboxone.

There are a couple ways you can actually use suboxone to kick heroin one of them is to go to heroin treatment. There they will withdrawal you from heroin using suboxone and this will more undoubtedly be done by a staff of trained professionals. There will be no pressure on you to do anything so you can basically take it easy for the first 3 to 5 days while you are detoxing from heroin. Then you can move on to residential treatment.

The next way I am going to share with you can be done in the comfort of your own home however; suboxone is very expensive so this will not be for everyone. It can be justified because look at the amount we were spending on heroin every day so this is a drop in the bucket compared to that and if it works you will save an unlimited amount of money.

The first thing you will need to do is find a Dr. that is licensed to prescribe suboxone. Then you will have to make an appointment, you should be able to get in rather fast because they are pretty much prepared for this and they know we need help fast. Now once you meet with the Dr. tell him of your plans to stop using heroin and ask to be placed on suboxone also at this time let him know exactly the way you would like to do it. If you are unsure then ask for help.

I know you can do a heroin withdrawal with suboxone in as little as 14 to 21 days it is basically a personal preference. The Dr. is well trained for this and can set you up for a fast or a long heroin detox with suboxone.

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How you can Stop shooting heroin

It seems to me where I came from I did not know a lot of people who snorted heroin. The people who I hung out with shot heroin and a lot of them were street people to me snorting heroin was just a waste. This started in the 70’s. I think I got my first heroin habit or in other words heroin addiction by shooting heroin.

I would not wish shooting heroin on my worst enemy. It is a low down dirty life. I have seen pretty near everything in my using days. I have seen heroin addicts o d and get there pockets cleaned as a matter a fact what goes around comes around holds true here too because I got clipped a couple times when I fell out.

One time I overdosed from shooting heroin and came to in the hospital with tubes in me all over the place. I asked the nurse if I could speak to the Dr. and when I finally did get to see him I asked if I could go home he said why do you have some more heroin there? I told him no but I was lying because I did. I am telling you this part for the reason which is to let others know just how far addiction will take you.

I mean here I was I almost died from a heroin overdose and as soon as I was able to speak I was thinking about how I could get high again, now that is insanity at its best there was no way I could stop shooting heroin.
The best thing you can do if you want to learn how to stop shooting heroin is to make an appointment to go to heroin treatment. There are also other things you can do to get clean and stop shooting heroin one of which works great is heroin detox. I have done both of these methods to get clean. Give yourself a break and get clean yourself you will no longer have to worry about running out what a relief that is.


Heroin video

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Life without vicodin can be very rewarding

Can you imagine what a life without vicodin would be like if you are making an attempt to learn how to stop using vicodin one thing that you will probably be telling yourself is that you will have to give them up for the rest of your life. I used to think like this and it is very depressing to say the least after all vicodin was there for us as a fail safe. We used it to cover our feeling, give us courage, hope, and many other things and when you think about taking it away for the rest of your life it is very overwhelming and this is the way vicodin addiction works on us.

Trust me there is a better way of life without the use of vicodin but it will take action on your part to achieve a better life. No one is going to wave a magic wan over you and make everything OK or it is not going to happen by osmosis. One thing I can tell you is that you will get what ever you put in we have a saying in NA that if you put your whole self in you will get your whole self out. I have pretty much found this to be true as far as my recovery goes the more effort I put in the greater the rewards.

The first thing though is to stop using vicodin there are places you can get help like hydrocodone treatment they can even detox you this is great.

With because with type of treatment it will help stop vicodin withdrawals. When you get out of treatment focus on going to meetings meeting new people and your life will begin to get better. I would suggest that you go to as many recovery related functions as possible this will improve your social skills and open up doors that you would never have dreamed were possible.


There are new and better ways to live without having to rely on drugs

Once you get a little clean time under you and are felling better you may want to go back to school or get a better job well this is possible. I used for well over 30 years and I got clean in long term treatment and went back to school I am not to far from getting my bachelors degree now in Social Work. This is just to let you know that lost dreams do awaken and life without vicodin is a hell of a lot better. Why not give it a try today.

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Kick heroin withdrawal symptoms help

Kick heroin withdrawal symptoms help

The Road to Reocvery


Heroin is a very powerful drug therefore the way you choose to kick heroin and how you can get help for the withdrawal symptoms are many. The question is how you want to go about it, do you want to stay home and tough it out on the couch watching movies or would you rather go to treatment for heroin detox.

Now if you choose to stay home and withdrawal from heroin this is called heroin cold turkey and it is very hard to do and it will try your last nerve but many have done it this way because a lot of individuals simply can not afford to go to treatment so this is their only option.

If you do decide to stay at home and dry out then one must understand exactly what they will be facing so here are a few of the heroin symptoms.

1. Nausea and vomiting.

2. Insomnia.

3. Sweats.

4. Chills or goose bumps.

5. No appetite.

6. Dehydration.

7. Strong desire to use.

8. Depression

If you think you can handle the heroin withdrawal this way with no drugs except over the counter medication then by all means go for it. I have done it but it is hard. If you do this you must follow this up immediately with something that is based on recovery for instance, NA meetings. I did not and the results were back to the same old thing the getting and using drugs and finding new ways to get more again so do not do as I did.

If this is not for you then maybe heroin detox is. This type of treatment is a lot easier on the mind as well as the body because you can go through heroin withdrawal with hardly any discomfort at all. They will generally detox you using prescription medications to help you with this. In any case do something or you will more than likely land in prison or die from a heroin overdose because the deck is stacked against you.

Good luck

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What is the Heroin withdrawal length

The question people seem to be interested a lot in lately is heroin withdrawal length. This can vary quite a bit because there are a few differentiating factors that need to be figured in to come up with the desired answer. The first question I would ask is how long you have been using heroin and the second is how much. I would also consider the frequency of use to determine how rough your heroin withdrawal may be.

I mean are you just a casual user and picked up a habit along the way or are you a full blown heroin shooting junkie. If this is the case your withdrawal may be a lot harder to get through.

Today I will discuss the moderate heroin user who wants to know the heroin withdrawal length. Like I said do the math and figure out where you stand but anyway if a person just stops using heroin for what ever reason I can tell you that from my experience that you can pretty much depend on without a doubt that the heroin withdrawal to kick in pretty good within the first 24 hours but again this will depend on the amount used. If you are a very heavy user you could start to withdrawal in as little as 6 to 8 hours.



Heroin withdrawal


Now let’s say you have just stopped using heroin you can plan on being good and sick for anywhere from 3 to 5 days but post acute withdrawal can last a few years because of the damage we have done to are bodies.

OK During this time you will experience wanting to use or in other words urges, cold or hot sweats, headache, muscle cramps, diarrhea, insomnia, and goose bumps, do not freak out this is the common side effects of  heroin detox.

I would not worry about the time it will take instead I would focus on a positive recovery based solution; for instance, what are you going to do for your recovery to ensure that you stay clean when your heroin withdrawal is finished. I would suggest that you write every thing down that you are willing to do for your recovery on paper and make a commitment to take the action to do everything on the list.

This may include making a commitment to attend 12 step meetings like NA or make an appointment to some one on one addiction therapy sessions.  The thing I am getting at here is that if you do not take positive action right from the get go you will inevitably relapse and end up back in the same familiar predicament.


This is the way I got clean at home and anyone can get clean and lose the desire to use this includes you too.


Good luck

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