NARCONON BLOG

DRUG REHABILITATION

Addiction Among Soldiers—Helping Our Servicemen and Women Overcome Substance Abuse

Substance abuse among veterans is a growing problem. As military men and women return from deployment suffering from battlefield trauma, substance abuse becomes more prevalent. For those who struggle with physical injuries and horrific memories of war,...

STATISTICS & TRENDS

Important Update for Families from the 2019 Drug Threat Assessment

Every year, the Drug Enforcement Administration reports on the biggest drug threats in our country because those threats never stay the same two years in a row. These annual reports can arm parents with enough information to warn their children of the...

STATISTICS & TRENDS

Alcohol Abuse in Alaska, America's Last Frontier

One would hardly think that in a land so remote, so beautiful, and, in many ways, so unforgiving, that alcohol addiction would rear its ugly head. But among a certain demographic of Alaska residents, alcohol addiction is a serious problem.

DRUG INFORMATION

What is Dabbing? A Guide for Parents

As marijuana legalization has increased, new and risky ways of using cannabis products are coming to the forefront. What do parents need to know to protect their kids?

ADDICTION

Prison Sentences Don’t Help Drug Addicts — A Look at Post-Prison Relapse Rates

There is no clear evidence that incarcerating people who use drugs is the right way to address the drug crisis.

DRUG REHABILITATION

There are Many Definitions of Recovery – Which One is Right for You?

Recovery is recovery is recovery – Isn’t it? Isn’t recovery the same thing for everyone finishing rehab? Aren’t we all talking about the same thing? Actually, we’re not. There are many definitions of recovery, depending on whom you talk to.

DRUG INFORMATION

The Great Controversy: Is There Really a Connection Between Marijuana Use and Traffic Accidents?

It can be hard to get a straight answer to this question. We'll look at some of the effects of pot and some of the data on traffic accidents and you can decide.

DRUG INFORMATION

How Your Brain Struggles When You Use Marijuana, Alcohol or Any Drugs

We cannot live without a healthy and functioning brain. What happens to our brains if we use drugs such as alcohol, marijuana or ecstasy?

STATISTICS & TRENDS

Meth Addiction Soars in South Dakota

South Dakota tried to raise awareness of their meth problem with a controversial ad campaign. They definitely got attention, but it might not have been the attention they were looking for. And at the end of the day, what's really being done to address...

STATISTICS & TRENDS

Scotland's Overdose Epidemic – Finding the Correct Solution

Here's an eye-catching headline: “Where the Nurse Prescribes Heroin." One might think it was the headline to a fictional piece, a dystopian essay or novel on what life would be like if full-scale drug use permeated our society.

STATISTICS & TRENDS

Safe Driving – The Importance of Getting There Alive

It's important to learn the truth about drunk and drugged driving, the harm involved, what precipitates such decisions, and what people can do to prevent the lethal phenomena of under-the-influence driving.

DRUG REHABILITATION

Closing the Addiction Treatment Gap

Though millions of Americans struggle with addiction, only a small percentage ever actually get help with qualified treatment. What is the “Treatment Gap?” And how can we close this gap for good?

STATISTICS & TRENDS

What Was Johnson & Johnson's Role in Triggering the Opioid Epidemic?

Oklahoma's lawsuit against Johnson & Johnson revealed the role this company played in encouraging the too-liberal use of opioid painkillers. Witness testimony also pointed to the special way this company profited from increased prescribing – of their...

STATISTICS & TRENDS

As Jobs are Lost, Addiction Statistics Soar

People turn to drugs and alcohol for many different reasons. For as many people that there are who are addicted, there are just as many reasons why those people use substances. Addicts are unique individuals. Each one will have his or her story of why...

STATISTICS & TRENDS

Opioid Lawsuits – Where Should Settlement Money Go?

An October 2019 article in USA Today focused on how critical it is that opioid lawsuit settlement dollars are used to treat addiction. This should be a given, to use settlements from pharma companies to treat addicts (especially considering that many addicts...

STATISTICS & TRENDS

Recession, Poverty, and Substance Abuse Leads to a Drop in Life Expectancy in Great Britain

A headline in the New York Times reads, “Shortchanged: Why British Life Expectancy Has Stalled.” With just a glance at the headline, I was hit with a wave of deja vu. Then I remembered I’d written about this subject before, except in the context...

ADDICTION

Is it True When Drug Users Say, “I’m Only Hurting Myself”?

This is a line many families hear when they beg their addicted loved ones to accept their offer of rehab: “Leave me alone. I’m only hurting myself.” While every family member knows this not to be true, it can be difficult, if not impossible, to convince...

STATISTICS & TRENDS

Should State Governments Regulate Alcohol Consumption?

It’s clear that consuming alcohol can be harmful. In fact, anything beyond infrequent and conservative levels of drinking should be strongly discouraged for health reasons alone. To drink with any kind of frequency is to open oneself up to potential...

DRUG REHABILITATION

After Rehab, How Should You Address Damaged Relationships and Community Harm?

When you get home from rehab, should you call up family and friends and tell them how great you’re doing now? Should you make a lot of promises about the fabulous things you plan to accomplish? Or should you simply provide real-life proof of your healthier...

ADDICTION

Tips for the 2020 New Years Resolution to Drink Less or Not at All

We just moved into a new year, a new decade. This is the time when New Year’s resolutions are at their strongest. People are energized, and they’re making plans for personal betterment. But we all know what happens next. Such resolutions are gradually...