NARCONON BLOG

DRUG INFORMATION

Why You’re Not Yourself When You Drink Alcohol

Perhaps from the outside looking in, it seems odd that a liquid, mostly water with some chemistry added in, could have such a significant impact on human behavior, thought, emotion, and reaction. Why does drinking change the way a person behaves?

STATISTICS & TRENDS

What Does the UN’s World Drug Report Tell Us About Addiction?

Every year, the United Nations issues a report on the state of drug use around the globe. What does this year’s report tell us? It’s predictably grim news.

STATISTICS & TRENDS

Alcohol Manufacturers Intentionally Target Underage Demographics with Marketing Campaigns

The alcohol industry spends close to $500 million annually on alcohol advertising. Many would not think twice about this. But what about when alcohol advertising encourages teenagers and underage young adults to drink?

STATISTICS & TRENDS

Opioid Prescriber to Serve a Seven-Year Jail Sentence for Role in Opioid Epidemic

The majority of doctors practice medicine with ethics, morality, and the intention to help. But when doctors do become immoral, people get hurt. This is the story of one such doctor.

ADDICTION

Ten Tips For Moms in Addiction Recovery (From a Mom in Recovery)

I'll never forget the freedom I felt when I finally began to love myself again and realize that I was worth it, and the best part is that you are too.

STATISTICS & TRENDS

The Rise of Drugged Driving in America

For decades, the American people have implemented strategies to prevent drunk driving. But more recently, drugged driving, a different but very real threat, has soared. How can we effectively address this new problem?

DRUG INFORMATION

The Physical and the Mental—Weighing the Effects of a Night Out Drinking

Though alcohol offers zero health benefits and presents an array of risks in its consumption, the alcohol industry in the United States is still a $252 billion industry and $1.47 trillion globally.

STATISTICS & TRENDS

Animal Tranquilizer Contributes to Fatal Overdoses in Philadelphia

Philadelphia has recently seen a surge in overdose fatalities that involve heroin or fentanyl mixed with an animal tranquilizer called xylazine. Is this drug crisis in Philadelphia a unique case? Or is it common practice to combine drugs to create dangerous...

STATISTICS & TRENDS

Current Data on the Addiction Treatment Gap in America

What is the addiction treatment gap? And how can this gap be closed?

STATISTICS & TRENDS

Statewide Marijuana Legalization Leads to Harmful Use Patterns Among Young Adults

More young adults are using marijuana after states legalize and the fact that marijuana is quite harmful to people in their late teens and early 20s is a very real problem that’s made worse by continued legalization.

ADDICTION

How The Stigma of Addiction Ultimately Hurts Children

The stigma surrounding addiction does nothing to actually help the problem and only perpetuates the very thing it claims to oppose.

DRUG REHABILITATION

Signs It Is Time for an Intervention

It is better to have a loved one be mad at you for confronting them about their addiction than never to say anything and sit by as they destroy themselves.

ADDICTION

The Resilience of People in Addiction Recovery

A history of substance abuse issues doesn’t mean that a person is no longer capable of doing amazing things. If anything, some of the most remarkable people I know once struggled with addiction themselves.

STATISTICS & TRENDS

Decriminalization Not a Silver Bullet For Americans

With Oregon being the first state to decriminalize all drugs, it’s time to look at how decriminalization can—or can’t—be done in a way that does NOT increase deaths resulting from drug abuse.

STATISTICS & TRENDS

Are We Doing Enough to Eliminate Drug Overdose Deaths?

If three Boeing 737 planes crashed every week from 1999 to the present, the entire country would sit up and take notice. Drastic actions would be taken to prevent further crashes. But that’s how many people we’ve lost to overdoses and our efforts seem...

ADDICTION

The Top Ten Social Benefits of Not Drinking

From being a better friend to not having to hear about embarrassing drunken behavior, the benefits of sobriety are well worth the effort.

ADDICTION

Ten Tips for Maintaining Long-Term Sobriety

In the beginning stages of addiction recovery, a lifestyle of long-term sobriety may feel out of reach. Thankfully, a sober lifestyle is not only possible; it is also very achievable when a person takes the necessary steps to create a better life for themselves.

STATISTICS & TRENDS

U.S. States Request $2.2 TRILLION Compensation from Purdue to Address Opioid Harm

Forty-seven U.S. States have filed lawsuits against Purdue Pharma, requesting a total of $2.2 trillion dollars as compensation for Purdue’s contributions to the opioid epidemic. Is this a fair number?

STATISTICS & TRENDS

Why are Multiple States Suing Drug Companies for $26.4 Billion?

A dozen states are suing a drug manufacturer and three drug distributors for more than $26 billion. Why? So they can restore the lives and mop up the wreckage left by the opioid epidemic.

STATISTICS & TRENDS

Stimulant Addiction Now Leading to More Overdose Deaths

Every year in the United States, tens of thousands of Americans die from drug overdoses. While most of those deaths are caused by opioid overdoses, meth and cocaine abuse have led to increasing casualties over the years.