The state of Florida has a skyrocketing state prison budget, in part, due to loopholes in their mandatory sentencing laws that need to be closed so only individuals engaged in truly criminal acts are being locked up. In just 5 years, the number of inmates has risen 20 percent and nearly 10 percent of the whole state budget goes to fund the prison system.

This ever-increasing budget for correctional facilities is causing people to take notice and shed some light on many necessary reforms needed in the system. Mandatory sentencing is one area currently receiving a lot of attention. Florida has some of the most stringent mandatory sentencing laws in the country, especially for prescription drugs. The original intention of these laws, to put criminals behind bars, may be getting lost in the application.

Weight of Pills Instead of Quantity of Illegal Substance Causes Inflated Sentences

One case in Florida that is a perfect example of the ineffective and potentially harmful process of mandatory sentencing is that of 43 year-old Todd Hannigan. Sadly, in a severe depression, Hannigan was looking to commit suicide. He stole 31of his mother’s prescription opiates, bought some beer and was starting to take the lethal combination at a local park when a police officer caught him. Since the pills, containing hydrocodone, in his possession weighed 22 grams he was automatically sentenced to 15 years in prison.

The amount of hydrocodone in all the pills actually totaled .23 grams with the rest of the weight being due to aspirin and fillers that form the pill, but he was imprisoned due to the state law anyhow. This illustrates just one of the many loopholes in the mandatory sentencing laws that need to be reformed for the mental health of our citizens. Rather than wasting away in a prison cell on taxpayer’s dime, Hannigan could have been sentenced to rehab and become a productive member of society.

Proposed Reforms For Mandatory Drug Sentencing in Florida

The judge in Hannigan’s case admitted freely the sentence was completely inappropriate, but due to state law he was powerless to tailor his ruling to fit the situation. Reformers want more control given back to judges so they can analyze individual cases and do their job in providing fair sentencing.

Both Florida TaxWatch and Collins Center for Public Policy (CCPP) have targeted much needed changes to mandatory sentencing laws in their reports. CCPP has created “Smart Justice” with suggestions on how to fix Florida’s unjust and costly prison system.

What do you think of mandatory sentencing for drug offenses? Do you think, besides large drug traffickers, most drug offenses deserve prison time or mental health and addiction rehab?

People do desperate things when they are living with an active drug addiction, and one mother in Florida did the unthinkable in order to get $2000, potentially to feed her prescription drug addiction: sell the parental rights to her 5-year-old son.

According to reports, Pinellas County sheriff’s deputies arrested Jessica Marie Beers for allegedly attempting to sell her 5 year old child for $2000 to a couple who had been helping her with childcare and giving her money. It was the couple who tipped off police, telling them that the woman had offered them the money in return for parental rights of her child. The couple said that they had been helping Beers with childcare and money for months and had noticed that she had a prescription drug addiction. Over time, they said they watched her child more and more often. When Beers made them the offer, they were concerned that she would spend the money on drugs and contacted police.

The arrest happened when Beers met with the couple in order to make the exchange: the boy for the money. Beers was arrested and charged with sale of parental rights and violation of probation for grand theft, and her son was taken into custody by child protection services.

Desperation and Drug Addiction

It’s a story that flew across the country when it first broke and while many were shocked by the nature of the crime, others see it as more proof of how desperate an addiction to drugs can make anyone. Children are often the first victims when a parent is living with drug abuse. Though the incidence is more often neglect, it’s not uncommon for kids to be hurt when their parents are addicted to drugs. The only benefit of this story is the fact that it brought to light the addiction that the boy’s mother was living with and provided him with an exit to safer home while also putting her in a position to recognize the need for and to accept treatment. Many mothers live for years covering up their drug addiction to the detriment of their child. In this case, at least there is hope for the future.

Drug Addiction Treatment for Mothers

Many mothers avoid enrolling in drug rehab because their children need their care. The fact is that childcare provided from someone under the influence of drugs is not acceptable. The child will always be much better off staying with a relative until the mother is well again, then coming home to a place that is truly home where the child can feel safe and learn to respect their parents because their parents are behaving in a manner worthy of that respect.

If you would like to learn more about our drug addiction treatment program here at The Orchid, contact us today. We can help you determine the best place for your child while you get the help you need to be the mother you want to be.

Blackouts occur when someone intoxicated engages in conversations, dancing, cooking and frighteningly driving a car, but later on has no memory of the events. These periods of blackout may encompass a couple of minutes or many hours of time. Scientists have never understood the biological process behind alcohol-induced blackouts. However, in one of the latest volumes of The Journal of Neuroscience, the physiology that triggers amnesia from alcohol is uncovered.

Findings Challenge The Concept of Brain Cell Death From Binge Drinking

Neuroscientists at the Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis have discovered evidence that challenges previous held beliefs about alcohol’s affects on the brain. These researchers exposed brain cells of rats to both moderate and excessive amounts of alcohol. In the group with moderate exposure to alcohol there was no memory loss. However, in the group of cells with excessive alcohol, the process of memory formation was disrupted.

The research demonstrated that, in direct opposition to previously held scientific thought, excessive drinking does not automatically kill brain cells. Instead an extreme amount of alcohol competes with receptors in the brain that then produce steroids which stop the formation of new memories.

These neural receptors when exposed to alcohol have seemingly erratic behavior, with some becoming blocked while others are activated. Instead of cell death, alcohol causes a scrambling of neural activity that temporarily disables the complicated system of memory formation. This idea that alcohol is not damaging brain cells, just temporarily changing how they function, is cutting edge information.

What About Blackout From Other Substances?

Any stress on cells in the hippocampus of the brain can stop the ability to create memories. This is why drugs also have the possibility of causing blackouts. The combination of drugs and alcohol put an individual at a much higher risk to have a blackout than either substance taken on its own.

In addition, the researcher found that if steroids were blocked from being produced then the ability to form memory was protected. They found that 5-alpha-reductase inhibitors, which are used for enlarged prostate glands, were able to keep memory production functioning in the presence of excess alcohol. Now the scientists are looking towards studying these prescription medications to safeguard the formation of memory in the brain.

If you or someone you know has blackouts frequently or is having other consistent problems from either alcohol or drugs, help is a phone call away. We can answer any questions you may have related to treatment at The Orchid. Don’t spend one more day wondering what to do. Pick up the phone and let someone with experience show you the way.

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.

Getting to work and maintaining a regular schedule 40-hour-a-week schedule is hard for everyone, and few really love to do it – unfortunately, it’s the one thing that almost everyone has to take on. When you attempt to get into a routine at a new job (or your old job) after cocaine rehab, it can be even more difficult. Why? Here are a few issues that often come up:

• Emotions. The period right after addiction treatment is a particularly emotional time, and many in recovery feel highly pressured to perform well during their first weeks on the job. Every little stressor can feel like a big deal.
• Problems at home. If you’ve had time away from a significant other or other family members, your return home can be bittersweet. Many of the old issues that were problems before cocaine rehab will resurface. It can make focusing at work even more difficult.
• Insecurity. It’s not uncommon to feel like you won’t be able to accomplish something you want to do or that something may be too hard or beyond your grasp. As you get more clean time under your belt and prove yourself each day, you’ll gain more confidence in yourself, but in the beginning, it can create complications as you try to learn a new job or get back on track at an old one.

When Work is Necessary After Cocaine Rehab

If people depend upon you to pay the bills or if you had to take out a loan to pay for cocaine rehab, then it’s necessary for you to get a job after treatment. This is the case for most people, but even those who are independently wealthy and don’t need to work in order to survive will still derive benefits from finding and keeping a job. It can be a crucial part of creating a new identity and life for yourself in recovery, one that doesn’t include cocaine addiction or relapse on any other drug. In other words, it can be a positive thing, no matter what the reason!

Finding a Job that Works for You After Cocaine Rehab

Though you may feel that you need to take whatever is offered to you, you can take steps to find a job that will serve you best in recovery. Here are a few tips:

• Be flexible. You may need to start a few levels below where you ultimately want to be, but paying your dues is a great way to advance.
• Consider school. Education may help you to command more money and better jobs.
• Don’t overwork yourself. Even if you can take on two jobs, working more than full-time in early recovery can be a relapse trigger.
• Avoid jobs that have you working around alcohol or those who abuse drugs.
• Be on time, follow the rules, and be prepared to work through problems logically.

Good luck!