Vancouver Canada has been in the news recently because it’s where the 2010 Winter Olympic Games were held. And, while all of the Olympic coverage was taking place, across town, like many other large cities across Canada as well as the US, there are daily problems with illegal drugs.

Vancouver has come up with an interesting “social experiment” having to do with the illegal use of injection drugs. Addicts line up every morning at a facility called Insite, where they can safely and legally inject their illegal drugs like Heroin, Cocaine, Morphine, etc. Basically, the only requirements for addicts are that they register their name and substance of choice, and that they inject themselves under the supervision of nurses who will provide them with sterile injection equipment.

The basis of this program is harm reduction. Over the seven years that this facility has been in existence, there have been studies done, since it is basically an experiment, that show that it has reduced the number of public injections, overdose fatalities, transmission of blood-borne illnesses like HIV & Hepatitis C and injection related infections. While all of these results are good, you have to wonder what type of message this sends out to the public.

What is lesser known, at least from the information that I’ve read and viewed about this program, is that they do offer the addicts who use the facility a chance to work with drug counselors who can get them to detox and drug rehabilitation programs, which are part of their facility called Onsite.

I can honestly say that this will be a controversial topic, no matter how you look at it. And, whether you agree with the “it’s legal here so just come in and be safe” approach or something else, the bottom line is that what is really needed is for people to be offered good drug rehab solutions.

It’s obvious that pouring resources into legal systems and jails isn’t fixing the problems that have become a worldwide epidemic. And while I don’t fully agree with Vancouver’s edgy and controversial approach, I think it’s noble to have thought outside the box.

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In the US, alcohol abuse is one of this country’s largest problems. It often starts with school age kids. And, it has been proven that kids who start drinking alcohol in their teens are at much greater risk of having problems with alcohol abuse as they grow up.

Unfortunately, there are parents all across America who allow their kids to drink. They think it won’t hurt anything if they’re drinking at home and avoiding other drunks and risky behavior. The problem with kids being allowed to drink at home, besides the fact that’s illegal, is that brain damage can occur in a developing child after just 3 beers.

There have been studies on the effects of alcohol on the human brain, and it has been proven that after just three beers, the brain will begin to work differently. Scientists have actually put people into MRI scans while the participants drink to watch the changes to the brain as they happened.

You’ve no doubt heard the term “everything in moderation”, which can absolutely be applied to alcohol. A young person isn’t going to be permanently brain damaged if they have a drink. But, there will be negative effects if people drink over and over again, especially in higher quantities associated with binge drinking. And yes, it will be permanent and can impair critical thinking for extended periods of time.

If you’re thinking of letting your child drink, think again. Set a good example by saying no. You could save them from a life of issues with alcoholism and the possibility of brain damage and the for Drug Rehab later in their life.

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There are a plethora of drug rehab choices out there to help combat the world of drug and alcohol addiction. But, which are the most successful and help people to actually get rehabilitated? And, what about relapse, does it really have to be a part of recovery?

Unfortunately, with all of the choices out there, programs that offer short-term and out-patient based treatment don’t have great success rates. With the vast majority of drug rehab programs offering these types of treatment models, many people go through them and do wind up relapsing and just being told that it’s a “part of recovery”. Well folks, it doesn’t have to be that way!

The most successful drug rehab programs out there are at long-term, residential treatment centers. And no, relapse does not have to be associated with recovery. If someone goes through drug rehab, and it’s done thoroughly, there is no reason that he or she can’t continue on to live a totally drug free and productive life.

If you are looking for a drug rehab program that you don’t have to go back to over and over again, call Drug Rehab Referral to get help.

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Many kids, with all of the energy that they have, are into sports. Some enter high school and become great athletes. But what if your athlete child gets an injury during a practice or a game and winds up being prescribed painkillers for their injury? What is the likelihood of them become addicted to those painkillers? Unfortunately it’s high and who would have thought that as a parent of an athlete you’d be in a position where you would be looking for a drug rehab program rather than a good college?

Unfortunately, this is quite common in the drug detox and drug rehab world and these types of facilities see this every day. They don’t just get people needing help for drugs like Cocaine, Meth or Heroin, they are helping children who have addiction problems due to sports injuries who become dependent and/or addicted to their pain medication.

As a parent, it’s important to stay on top of helping your teen with prescription painkillers or any medications for that matter. Not only because of the risk for dependency and addiction, but also because of the risk of overdose. With the rising statistics of teenage prescription drug abuse, it’s your duty to play this role in your child’s life.

And, while it can be considered controversial, there’s always drug testing. Whether at home or in school sports programs, however controversial it may be, it could save a child’s life!

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