In Volusia County, Florida, Michael Lomangino, a pharmacist, has been charged with stealing prescription medications from the pharmacy that employed him and then reselling those pills on the black market. His accomplice, Allina Kirkland-Michaud, has been arrested as well. They were both caught when a sheriff’s deputy pulled them over and found more than 250 prescription pills as well as drug paraphernalia and a small amount of marijuana.

Police did a search of Lomangino’s home and found what was described as a “veritable home pharmacy.” In his house was a wide range of narcotic and sedative medications that included drugs like OxyContin, Valium, Xanax and others. All told, police pulled about 5700 pills, about $5000 in cash, and a handgun that was loaded out of Lomangino’s house.

For his part, Lomangino is denying little. According to Wesh.com, he confessed to taking some of the pills from his old employer, Steve’s Pharmacy.

Tim Jobson is the owner of Steve’s Pharmacy. He said that during the 10 years that Lomangino worked for him, he never once questioned his honesty or work ethic. And though he installed cameras in his store when pharmacies like his became the common target for prescription drug addicts, he says he didn’t have a clue what Lomangino was doing.

Said Jobson: “You really don’t know the nightmare I’m going through right at the moment. I find it extremely hard to believe that this has occurred and to the extent that I just found out. I would just never in a million, trillion years think that Michael would have done something like this.”

According to law enforcement, Kirkland-Michaud described Lomangino as a drug kingpin in the county. He was using some of the pills he got from Steve’s Pharmacy to feed the addiction of Kirkland-Michaud and selling other pills to buy more of Kirkland-Michaud’s drug of choice, roxycodone.

Some of the charges that the two will face include trafficking of both hydrocodone and oxycodone, possession of Schedule III and Schedule IV narcotics, and possession of drug paraphernalia. Both are incarcerated with bail amounts set at more than half a million dollars.

The case is still under investigation as law enforcement determines the extent of Lomangino’s scam and whether or not he had more sources for pills than Steve’s Pharmacy.

Redmond O’Neal has many demons to face on his path to sobriety, but he appears to be making the preliminary steps necessary to be successful long-term. O’Neal, the son of the late actress Farrah Fawcett and film star Ryan O’Neal has had a long and sordid history with drug abuse. He was even in jail due to his drug issues when his mother was ill and passed from cancer.

After being released from prison on probation, O’Nel was rearrested this past year in August after being caught with heroin in his car and a firearm in his apartment. He was court ordered into drug treatment. At O’Neal’s latest hearing to assess his progress in rehab, he was applauded by the judge for his successes thus far.

O’Neal Appears to be Laying the Foundation for a Lasting Sobriety

The judge noticed O’Neal had put on some weight since his last court appearance, a stark change from when he was emaciated due to drug abuse. The judge pointed out that the weight gain was a very positive indication that O’Neal was working his program.

O’Neal reports that he is now working out five days a week and studying to receive his high school equivalency diploma. He also said that he looks forward to participating in his counseling sessions because they are finally allowing him to confront the childhood issues that led him down the path of addiction in the first place.

Upon reviewing notes from O’Neal’s therapists and doctors, the judge praised his progress. He encouraged O’Neal by telling him that there is no reason now that he can’t be successful with his treatment and even suggested that he look into a career as a drug counselor when his life is more stable.

Why is O’Neal not in Jail?

Some may wonder why O’Neal is currently in an inpatient drug treatment center and not in prison due to his drug offenses. The answer is simple: because addiction is understood to be a mental illness, many judges are choosing to put drug offenders into rehabilitation where they can receive treatment rather than simply punishing them with a jail sentence. Studies support this decision, showing that it costs taxpayers less over time and there are far fewer repeat offenders.

O’Neal is by no means out of the grasp of law enforcement yet. If he fails a drug test and relapses, he may spend as many as six years in prison. Hopefully, O’Neal won’t have to worry about that possibility. With the help of quality addiction treatment, he is finding his sober footing and has a strong chance of remaining on the straight and narrow from here on out.

Do you think that court-ordered drug treatment, jail time, or some combination of the two is the best approach for drug offenders? Share your thoughts below.

It’s not uncommon for heroin addiction to tear couples apart. Whether both are using or just one person, it’s difficult to remain functional and communicative when heroin is a part of the picture.

One couple in Arizona found that out recently – with an extreme ending. In a Phoenix apartment complex, Denise Lewis accidently shot her girlfriend, Deeta Juluke, in the middle of an argument over Juluke’s heroin addiction.

There are a lot of unknowns in the case – like, for example, whether or not Lewis was under the influence of drugs or alcohol when she shot Juluke – but Lewis says that she did know how to use a firearm and that she knew the gun was loaded. She also said it wasn’t the first time that she had pointed a gun at Juluke.

Lewis is charged with second degree murder.

Fighting About Addiction

A heroin addiction is not something that one can just decide to walk away from. Those who don’t live with an active dependence on an opiate like heroin may not understand how difficult it is to deal with withdrawal symptoms. The severity and specifics will vary with each patient but in general, they make heroin a drug that is impossible to simply decide to walk away from and be able to do so successfully without medical assistance. Unfortunately, significant others often want promises of immediate abstinence without realizing that it takes a medical detox and long-term treatment. When their addicted loved one is unable to make it happen, fights often ensue.

Heroin Addiction Treatment

Medical detox is the first step in a comprehensive heroin rehab program. In some cases, medications are a part of the process as patients stop using heroin. Medications may alleviate or eliminate withdrawal symptoms, making it easier for them physically and mentally. Over time, they slowly lower their dose until they are completely drug-free. In other cases, medication to help ease the experience of withdrawal symptoms is appropriate, helping those in recovery to focus on the other aspect of treatment: psychotherapy.

Psychotherapy is extremely helpful in aiding patients in getting to the root of their addiction and treating the issues that may make them feel that drugs and alcohol are the only answer. Those who have co-occurring disorders or use drugs to numb memories or feelings of anger, pain, resentment or depression will find that this part of treatment is the hardest and the most important.

Contact us today to learn more about your options in heroin rehab and to get started getting the help you need to heal.

Suburban Illinois is celebrating these days; numerous counties in the area have found a great deal of success rehabilitating those with drug addictions who end up committing crimes by processing them through drug court rather than criminal court. A new county is about to add itself to that list, creating its own drug court, and officials are geared up to follow in the footsteps of neighboring counties who have done so well.

Dan Wallis is McHenry’s 22nd Judicial Circuit trial court administrator. He says: “As long as we follow the plan that we’ve put in place, it will make a difference. There will be failures. I am a realist. But I have seen firsthand what happens with these programs. I have seen people who have succeeded. I have seen parents get their children back.”

The Value of Drug Courts

When someone is driven by an addiction to commit a crime in order to make money or get more drugs and ends up in a criminal court, they get treated like every other law breaker. As a consequence, they generally end up in jail or on probation with no attention paid to the reason why they committed the crime. What usually happens? They commit the crime again because the addiction is still an issue. They still need drugs. They still need money.

When an addict commits a crime and ends up in drug court – as long as the crime committed was nonviolent in nature – they can usually get ordered to attend drug addiction treatment rather than go to prison. In prison, they only meet more people who help them “graduate” to higher levels of crime. In drug rehab, they get the help they need to beat the addiction which removes the impetus to commit crimes in the first place. Without addiction, those who stand in front of the court are equipped to get a job and rejoin society rather than put further away from the goal of living a “straight life.”

Says Wallis: “The bottom line is that prison doesn’t fix the substance abuse.”

Get Help for Drug Treatment

Whether or not there are drug courts in your area, you don’t have to wait to get arrested to enroll in drug addiction treatment. Take the initiative and prioritize your health. Call now to find out about the rehab services that we provide here at The Orchid that can help you.

More and more employers are cracking down and expecting their employees to be drug-free. Maybe it’s the fact that the economy is difficult and many employers are looking to tighten their belts. Perhaps it’s due to the ongoing conversation about whether or not those who receive cash aid from the government should be subjected to drug tests. Whatever the reason, when employees fail, it can cause a host of problems for everyone involved.

How do you handle it when one of your employees fails a drug test?

The Boss

You randomly choose employees to get drug tested or just make a blanket announcement that everyone will need to submit a test. When you get the results back you find that one – or more – of your employees has tested positive for an illicit substance. What do you do?

• Know your options. If you own your own business, you may have a bit more freedom, but it’s still important to know the stipulations of your insurance and the contracts you have legally entered into with your employees. For those who work for large companies, know the ins and outs of company policy on how to move forward with a positive drug test.
• Talk to the employee. A personal discussion is far better than allowing the information to leak, so the sooner you talk to your employee, the better. If you must fire them, a private discussion at the end of the day is the best choice. If you can offer them treatment, gather together the information that you and they will need if they agree to accept help.
• Stage an intervention. If you don’t have the resources to provide drug treatment to your employee, you can encourage them to get the help they need by staging a workplace intervention.
• Set an example. No matter what you choose to do, it will set an example for other employees. If the employee is fired or chooses to quit rather than go to drug rehab, it’s important that you have a workplace meeting to address the issue. There may be some misunderstandings or anger about the incident, so it’s a good idea to address them before they get out of hand.

Working Together to Get Drug Treatment

While an intervention is a good way to help your employee to understand the serious risks that they are taking with their health and the safety of their coworkers, you can offer or present the idea of drug rehab to them privately. Call us now for a brochure or information packet about The Orchid and help your employee to get back on track so they can get back to work.