For many moms, the fight against drug addiction is paralleled by their fight to regain custody of the child or children they lost during active addiction. For Teen Mom star Jenelle Evans, it’s a struggle that she lives in front of the media. She lost custody of her son, Jace, to her mother in full view of the reality TV cameras, but now, she’s in marijuana addiction treatment and working hard to regain her sobriety as well as full custody of her little boy.

Hollywood Life eports that Jenelle says that treatment is helping her to get closer to becoming the mother that her son wants and deserves.

Jenelle told the magazine: “I’m doing everything in the right direction. I’ve learned how to control my anger.”

Recognizing Obstacles to Recovery

Some believe that one of Jenelle’s biggest problems is her choices in companionship. Her ex-boyfriend, Kieffer Delp, has been in and out of jail and some say that their relationship encouraged Jenelle to begin smoking marijuana in the first place and may have contributed to the development of her addiction. The hope is that she’ll make choices in future relationships that prioritize her son and minimize her chances of relapse.

This is a common problem among women in recovery. Boyfriends or partners who abuse drugs are one of the biggest reasons that women ultimately relapse and find themselves again in need of treatment – and in some cases, in front of a judge as well.

Fighting Obstacles to Custody

Women in recovery who are ready to regain custody may find that many in authority positions disagree. It may be necessary to prove to a judge, a case manager, or Child Protective Services (CPS) that you have secured and maintained a job that can support your child, that you have a home that will serve your child and be safe, and that you have adequate child care and transportation that makes sure that they always have access to the care that they need.

In Jenelle’s case, her mother, Barbara Evans, has full custody and reportedly doesn’t feel that her daughter is yet ready to take on the responsibility of full-time parenting.

She told Hollywood Life: “Jenelle continues to struggle with motherhood.”

But she went on to say: “I can never give up on my daughter, and it’s important to me that Jace has a close relationship with his mom.”

In the end, Jenelle’s success in regaining custody of Jace will come when she successfully fights marijuana addiction. Other mothers in the same position will find that their success is no more complicated than that.

If you would like to learn more about the drug rehab options we provide women here at The Orchid, contact us today for more information.

It’s well known that regular exercise brings with it a number of positive effects. Even those who aren’t in recovery will benefit emotionally and physically when they incorporate regular cardio workouts as well as light strength training into their weekly schedules. Those who are fighting addiction – and working daily to avoid relapse – will enjoy additional positive returns when they invest their time and energy in working out regularly.

Those who are fighting marijuana addiction may actually gain some of the most intensive benefits of all. According to a study led by Matthew Ruby at the University of British Columbia and published in Health Psychology, motivation is the key obstacle to patients who want to incorporate exercise into their daily routine but simply can’t make it happen on a regular basis. Why a lack of motivation if there are so many positive benefits to be enjoyed? Because exercise requires the patient to focus on delayed gratification rather than the instant gratification usually enjoyed during marijuana abuse. Recovering marijuana addicts who learn to incorporate exercise into their daily routine not only benefit from the health effects but from the direct retraining of the brain to motivate and work through discomfort in order to achieve a positive outcome.

How can you power through those tough first few minutes at the beginning of the workout to get to the positive effects at the end? Here are a few tips:

• Take your mind off the discomfort. Listening to music, watching TV, or reading a book can help you to get through the beginning of the workout – if not the whole thing – especially if you choose a cardio workout.
• Workout with a friend. A partner will help you to avoid quitting and stick to the workouts not only once you’ve begun but on a regular basis.
• Start with your favorite part. Any exercise or workout routine will help you more quickly begin to experience the positive endorphins and other good feelings that make working out so much easier. Do your favorite exercises first to make the hard part more fun.
• Build a routine that you like. If you prefer playing sports, make that your workout. If you’d rather a more leisurely walk, then make your workout a little bit longer and make that the focus of your session. Do something you won’t dread.
• Make changes. If you get bored, find something new. Instead of running, enroll in a Pilates class. Increase the challenge by adding weight to your routine or choosing a more advanced class or course.

How do you use exercise to make your recovery more dynamic? Do you find that the new focus provided by exercise helps you to avoid relapse? Leave us a comment and let us know what you think!

Medical marijuana has been legal in the state of Colorado for over 10 years. Up until the past couple of years, however, the number of scripts for medical grade marijuana were relatively low. Just barely over 5,000 people were able to legally access prescription marijuana two years ago. However, after an article in the American Journal of Psychiatry (AJP) was published, it became widely understood that the number of registered medical marijuana recipients has had an astonishing increase over the past 24 months.

At the same time legal marijuana use is rising, illegal marijuana use is increasing as well. Over the past 3 years according to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) the number of regular users of illegal marijuana has gone from 14.4million to 17.4 million people across the US.

Is Uncontrollable Pain the Reason for the Rise In Medical Marijuana Use?

Medical marijuana use in Colorado has increased a jaw-dropping 25 times over in just a couple of years. With just 5,051 registered users 2 years ago, now there is a staggering 127,816 registrants. With such a rapid escalation in medical marijuana prescriptions it begs for a look at the statistical breakdown of who is using it and why in an effort to understand what is motivating people in droves to get medical marijuana prescriptions.

The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment reports that:

• 23,209 patient applications have been rejected and rendered unable to receive a medical marijuana registry ID card since operations began in 2001
• Nearly 70 percent of authorized registrants are male
• Presently, there are 45 approved registrants who are under age 18
• Over half of patients are living in the greater Denver area
• The average age of all of those on the registry is 41 years of age
• Two-thirds have assigned a primary care-giver who is managing their care because a medical condition has left the registrant incapacitated
• Although a variety of conditions make someone eligible to apply for the registry, an overwhelming 94 percent of those in the database report struggling with severe pain
• Over 1,100 doctors have written medical marijuana prescriptions in Colorado

· From this information it appears a typical registrant is a middle-aged male battling a debilitating medical condition that is causing extreme pain.

However, the question remains what caused such a swift rise in medical marijuana use in such a short period? If it is due to severe pain, has there been a rise in conditions with this symptom or have doctors suddenly started prescribing medical marijuana for this problem who would not have in the past? Possibly more questions than answers are created from this new information.

What are your thoughts on medical marijuana use? If you have a story or opinion on the topic, either pro or con, feel free to leave your comments below.

Is marijuana a dangerous drug? Or is it a harmless diversion? The debate over the effects and risks associated with marijuana abuse rages on and on and with issues raised by medical marijuana, the conversation has never been more heated. With so many people saying that marijuana is not addictive and neither a harm to society nor to the user, what are the arguments against? Why do others say that marijuana is an addictive drug and harmful and that marijuana addiction requires treatment?

The Issue of Marijuana Dependence

Marijuana is not physically addictive in the same way that heroin or prescription drugs are physically addictive. Most people do not experience withdrawal symptoms of the level experienced by those going through an OxyContin detox or heroin detox, for example. However, those who smoke marijuana regularly and suddenly stop may get headaches or go through psychological withdrawal symptoms: cravings, irritability, mood swings, to name a few.

These psychological addiction symptoms make marijuana a formidable foe to chronic users who try to quit. Feeling compelled to smoke or having a maladaptive relationship with the drug by using it to quell strong emotions, relax, or fight stress can make it almost impossible to quit – and that inability to quit smoking with treatment is a sure sign that treatment is necessary.

Negative Consequences of Chronic Marijuana Abuse

Another sign of marijuana addiction is when chronic abuse adds up to a slew of negative consequences for the user. Many of the dangers of marijuana abuse and addiction lie here: financial destruction, respiratory issues, weight gain/ obesity, problems functioning at work and at school, neglected children…. Depending upon the specific circumstances in your life, marijuana abuse will have different negative consequences. In general, when chronic abuse of any drug is a major factor in your life, it’s difficult to move forward, to truly enjoy and participate in your life, or to have meaningful relationships with others. Achieving goals or doing much more than just hanging out is a special problem of marijuana addiction – the inertia creates a stagnancy that’s difficult to break out of.

Is Marijuana Abuse or Addiction a Problem for You?

Do you experience negative consequences as a result of your marijuana abuse? Do you feel physically ill or uncomfortable when you try to stop smoking or ingesting marijuana? Do you experience health problems related to marijuana abuse? Have you tried to stop smoking but been unable to do so for any length of time? Then marijuana abuse and addiction is an issue for you, one that is treatable.

If you would like more information about your marijuana addiction treatment options, contact us at The Orchid today.

It’s a constant struggle in states where marijuana is legalized for medical uses: the state sanctions the sale and distribution of marijuana and the federal government comes in periodically to investigate and make sure that everything is on the up and up. In California, it was a regular occurrence – until the federal government decided that it was a waste of money to continue the practice. But one California town has decided to pick up where the feds left off. Officials in Vallejo are making unregulated marijuana clubs a priority. They are making sure to let purveyors of the substance know that no infractions of the rules will be permitted under any circumstances.

Currently, it is estimated that there are about 24 unregulated medical marijuana clubs open for business within the city limits of Vallejo. In an effort to crack down, the Vallejo city council has ordered the city’s law enforcement to take measures to begin immediately regulating these dispensaries. Taxation is also in the works as is a plan to limit the number of marijuana dispensaries allowed to operate within the cities.

The Value of Regulation of Medical Marijuana

Though some might resent the intrusion of law enforcement, others appreciate the regulation brought by a continued official presence. Standardization brought to the industry ensures that patients receive a product that will help heal. It’s important for patients to be able to view marijuana dispensaries as similar to pharmacies rather than as a social diversion as implied by the term “marijuana club.”

Scrutiny of medical marijuana dispensaries also assists the community. Many parents and community members worry that a multitude of medical marijuana clubs will mean that access to the drug is easier for teens and those without a medical marijuana card. Increased regulation and security measures will make it harder for those without a prescription to get the drug.

The Problem with Medical Marijuana

No matter how heavily regulated the medical marijuana dispensaries are, there will still be patients who have a marijuana card and abuse it by buying more than they need in order to resell it for profit. Others will serve their own addiction by manipulating a prescription for the drug – it happens with other prescription drugs every day. It might be a good idea to take the regulation a step further, providing patients with prescriptions and dosages rather than just a medical marijuana card and a maximum allowable number of plants and pounds defined by city ordinances rather than personal need. If followed by a statewide marijuana prescription database like the prescription drug databases being implemented across the country, they might have a shot at making sure that medical marijuana doesn’t lead to rampant marijuana addiction.