Drugs | People for Drug Reform

Knowing the Laws about Drug-Related Truck Crashes

Everybody knows that driving under the influence of drink and drugs is not only a contemptible thing to do, but is highly illegal. The penalty for drivers who are caught driving under the influence is often a revocation of their license and often some serious jail time. However, such accidents affect many innocent people who have done nothing wrong. If you believe you may be entitled to compensation because of such an accident, it is important to be aware of the laws regarding drug-induced truck accidents.

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Know The Law

One of the first things you should do is look up the national laws on drug driving online. There are many organizations and institutions that can give you this information, such as the National Institute on Drug Abuse. These organizations not only provide a number of statistics and detailed information on the effects of driving under the influence, but can help you find a lawyer who can handle your case for you.

Find a Lawyer

The next step is to search for legal advice to aid you in your case. You need to make sure you hire a legal team that is fully aware of the national laws as well as any state rules that might affect you depending on where you live. For example, if you are from Florida you are best off finding a Florida truck accident lawyer who knows exactly the stipulations and rules in your area.

Be Vigilant

Being aware on the road is one of the best ways to protect yourself, and this includes having a firm grasp of the law before you set out. If you suspect somebody of driving under the influence, make sure you take the necessary steps to protect yourself and others on the road.

Filed Under: Drugs Tagged With: Drug Law

Drug Law reform in New York State

Back in 1973, the Rockefeller administration in New York State enacted laws that ordered long and severe prison terms for the sale or possession of amounts of drugs that were relatively small in size. The target of these laws was the drug kingpins but most arrested by these laws were those involved in low-level, nonviolent offenses. As a result, there were thousands of people in New York in prisons that suffered from drug abuse problems, or problems related to mental illness, being homeless, or not having a job

The New York Civil Liberties Union as well as criminal justice advocates and medical experts have endeavored to convince judges that addiction should be treated as a public health matter. These non-violent drug offenders sentenced to prison is an ineffective means of treatment and only serves to highlight racial disparities. The ones who get incarcerated are primarily blacks and Hispanics although whites are the ones who mostly use illegal drugs.

In 2009, the governor of the state of New York along with the senate and the assembly passed laws to reform the Rockefeller drug laws. This represented a great shift in policy as well as a new approach to dealing with drug offenses. Instead of locking people up and leaving them to suffer with their drug problems, this new agreement promised to eliminate mandatory minimum sentences and to enable judges to send drug offenders to rehabilitation programs instead of to jail. In addition, the sentencing was made retroactive so that more than 1,000 convicts who were in jail were allowed to apply to the court for a resentence and possible release from jail.

Despite these new reforms, there continue to be wide arrests in New York City for the possession of marijuana. Although simple possession has been decriminalized, police continue to arrest people who possess the drug in public view. The New York Civil Liberties Union criticized such practices claiming police coerced simple possession into an offense which could cause arrest.

Filed Under: Drugs, Workout Tagged With: Drug Law, New York

Drug Addiction

When a drug is needed so that a person can perform normal functions, this is known as drug dependence. Withdrawal symptoms result if the drug is stopped abruptly. Compulsive use of a drug, despite the consequences which can be dangerous or negative to the body is known as drug addiction.

There can be a physical dependence on a drug and yet a person may not be addicted to it. For example, someone taking blood pressure medication may develop a physical dependence on the drug yet not be addicted to it. Addiction would occur when there may be no physical dependence. Other signs of addiction include the need to take a higher dose of the drug in order to achieve the same effects.

The precise causes of drug abuse and addiction remain unknown. Some factors that are considered when a person becomes addicted to drugs include their genes, the effects of the drug on that person, peer pressure, anxiety, emotional distress, anxiety, stress and depression. Although peer pressure can play a major role in leading to drug abuse, typically those who become addicted suffer from some kind of mental health problem. Children who grow up in an environment where there is parental use of drugs may be exposed to a higher risk for developing a drug addiction later in life.

There are certain tendencies in people that become dependent on drugs and are likely to abuse them. These include people who have easy access to drugs, have emotional problems which may involve low self-esteem or problems with relationships, live a style of life that that is stressful, economically, socially or emotionally, live in an environment where the social use of drugs is highly accepted, or have such mental health problems as schizophrenia, anxiety disorders, depression and bipolar disorder. The treatment of these factors once recognized can help to lead to the prevention of drug abuse and addiction.

Filed Under: Drugs, Workout Tagged With: Drug, Drug Addiction

Stages of Drug Addiction

Drug addiction is not something that occurs overnight but takes time to develop. There are several stages involved in the use of drugs that may lead to dependence and addiction.

The first stage involves experimental use. Peer group pressure is typically involved and the drug user takes the drug for recreational use. In younger people, taking drugs in this fashion may signal the enjoyment of defying or rebelling against parents or other figures of authority.

The next stage is regular use of the drug. The user begins to miss days at school or work and starts to worry about losing their source of the drug. The drug is used whenever negative feelings occur as a way to fix them. The user also keeps away from family and friends and may even resort to changing friends to those who are regular users like himself. There is an increase in the ability to handle and tolerate the drug.

Next is a daily preoccupation with the drug. Any motivation regarding school or work is lost by the user who does not care about these commitments any longer. All thoughts revolve the drug as it becomes more important than all other interests, including relationships. The user becomes secretive and may start to deal in drugs in order to support the habit. The use of harder, more serious drugs may increase as well as the associated legal problems.

Finally, there is complete dependence on the drug. The user cannot face daily life without the drug and relies on it to keep going all day. One’s physical condition worsens, there is a loss of control over the use of the drug and financial and legal problems worsen. By this time, ties with family members and with friends may have broken completely. At this point, the user craves the drug and seeks its use, regardless of the negative consequences that may befall him in the process of taking them.

Filed Under: Addiction, Drugs Tagged With: Drug Addiction, pressure, school

Drugs Causing Addiction

There are a variety of drugs to which one can become addicted. One of these is cocaine which can be taken by inhaling it through the nose, dissolving it in water and taken intravenously, or changed into a form which can be smoked known as freebase or crack. The results of taking cocaine are an instant and intense sense of euphoria as well as feelings of increased confidence and energy, a lack of inhibition and a powerful stimulation of the central nervous system. Addiction to this drug occurs because the overall high that is produced does not last very long so the user is encouraged to take the drug more often or regularly in order to continue to have the same effects. There is a tendency for cocaine users to become violent as a result of paranoia from heavy use.

An amphetamine is another drug to which one can become addicted. Amphetamines were often prescribed in the 1950s and 1960s for conditions of obesity, mild depression and fatigue. In an over-the-counter format these drugs are used to suppress the appetite or for aids in staying awake and alert. Signs and symptoms of using this drug are dilated pupils, exaggerated feeling of well-being, a fast heart rate, problems sleeping, tremors, flushing of the skin and restlessness and hyperactivity.

Morphine and codeine are considered in the class of opiates and are derived from the opium poppy. Opioids have the same effect as these two drugs but are artificial in nature. Either opiates or opioids are referred to as narcotics. Heroin, methadone, Demerol, opium, Percocet or Oxycontin are also considered narcotic drugs. The signs and symptoms or using narcotic drugs include a rapid heart rate, needle marks and scars from abscesses on the skin if the drug is taken by injection, relaxed or euphoric state, small pupils the size of the point of a pin and coma or respiratory depression leading to a coma if the drug is taken in large doses.

Filed Under: Addiction, Drugs Tagged With: Addiction, Morphine, Opioids

Different Drug Laws in the United States and Canada

Whether you are suffering from hair loss, erectile dysfunction, anxiety, high cholesterol or any other disease that can be treated with approved drugs, you will need to purchase them somewhere. Some people choose to purchase from a local pharmacy and some buy their pills online at reputable websites. The choice for which you do can often be because of convenience but it can also be because of cost. In most countries the laws pertaining to legal drugs are vastly different. Even countries like the United States and Canada, which border one another, have different drug laws.

In the United States, medical prescriptions are very expensive. One of the reasons for this is that the United States controls its drug prices. There is not competition for price so costs stay high. If you do not have insurance to help, then you will pay very high fees for medications. A customer in the United States who needs to order Viagra will also be required to have a prescription from a medical doctor. This can also be an expensive proposition for those who do not have insurance.

In Canada things are a bit different. This is why many U.S. residents cross the border for their treatments if they are not ordering them online. Canada has many regulations that do the opposite of what goes in the United States regarding price. They do their best to keep prices inexpensive. In fact, they offer generic drug makers ten year exclusivity for their new patented drugs. United States citizens can purchase drugs in Canada and are allowed to cross the border with a small amount.

When you need prescription drugs, make sure to look at all your options. What you might find in your local pharmacy, might also be found online at up to eighty percent less. Do your research and just make sure to get the treatment you need.

Filed Under: Drugs, General, Treatment, Workout Tagged With: Canada, Drug Laws, prescriptions, United States

The Use Of Medical Marijuana

Medical marijuana has had its share of controversies both in the courts and out in the public. While the drug is still illegal by Federal standards, it use for strictly medical reasons is an exception. It should be noted that the use of medical marijuana is only allowed in a few states inside the United States.

Medical marijuana requires a prescription from a doctor before it can filled. This is similar to any other prescription drug that cannot be distributed freely. The doctor usually only prescribes this use in certain medical conditions that are considered terminal such as cancer. In other words, it is likely the disease will cause death before the medical effects of marijuana come into play.

Very few doctors will actually prescribe the drug due to the controversy surrounding medical marijuana. In addition, very few pharmacies are allowed to dispense it. Pharmacies have to meet very strict requirements by both the State and Federal governments. The laws are very stringent on allowing distribution and the source.

While many report benefits from medical marijuana such as relief from pain and stress relief related to the disease, medical studies have not been done to support these claims. Some doctors relate the use to a placebo effect. The placebo effect is where the act of using the drug is more potent than the drug itself. Other doctors believe the effects are very real. But the real problem when conducting scientific studies is defining pain.

Medical marijuana has a following within the medical community. But it has also found its share of critics. The debate on whether medical marijuana is valid still continues within the medical community and with the public in general. For those who believe in its effects, it is a necessary prescription. For those who do not, it is an unnecessary extravagance.

Filed Under: Drugs, Health, Marijuana Tagged With: Medical Marijuana

Personal Ethics and Drug Abuse

Drug abuse activities certainly do have consequences that accompany it and those who are guilty of it also suffer from those same consequences. There are legal actions in place to take care of those individuals who break the law and misuse drugs in any manner. The law is pretty clear on this. But what the law does not control and cannot delve into is how individuals perceive and act on the issue of drug abuse. It’s a personal thing and the choices made about it are personal as well.

A person’s values, ethics and overall approach to certain topics is what forms their own personal opinion about things. This includes issues like drug abuse and illegal drug use as well. For instance, unless the person who is abusing drugs is also breaking laws and/or being caught by authorities, they are technically free to do whatever they choose as it concerns their choices in drug usage.

Unless a person has a moral or strong ethical stand against the abuse of drugs of any kind, there usually won’t be a change concerning their association or behavior with it. They likely won’t see it as a problem and may even decline to have a verbal opinion about it.

Since ethics play such a huge role in a person’s own values and opinions, it’s probably a good thing for the person to get as much information as possible about the subject matter before deciding strongly one way or the other. Many times, drugs are necessary for a person’s pain or injury management, but abusing those same drugs is a different matter.

Ethics are vitally important because they dictate how a person will handle a matter and what of their own values they will use as they make decisions and determine their own course of action.

Filed Under: Drugs, Health Tagged With: Drug

The Drug Called Caffeine

When you think about, discuss or the subject of drugs comes up, people automatically think of hard drugs or substances like cigarette products or alcohol. However, anything that specifically alters a person’s mood, thinking or actions is considered a drug. This can include anything from over-the-counter prescriptions, physician-written presriptions or food and drink products too. Surprisingly, caffeine is a product that can significantly alter a person’s mood and is contained within many food and drink products including:

- Coffee
- Soft Drinks
- Chocolate

These are perhaps the more popualr occurences of caffeine, but there can also be trace amounts of caffeine in other food products that many people may not be aware of. Since caffeine does in fact alter a person’s mood and actions, it is considered a drug as well.

The morning cup of coffee, or the mid-afternoon chocolate fix that many people have to have to feel a boost or surge of energy is why caffeine is so potent. It has the potential to give the person a kick and help them through their day or whatever task they’re facing. The drug is so powerful that many people who may be caffeine-sensitive are cautioned against ingesting too much of a product that contains caffeine, and to watch out for signs or symptoms of caffeine overdose.

While caffeine is considered a drug, it’s not to be taken lightly because it is a potent substance. Likewise, it’s important to exercise some precaution and care when using caffeine and caffeinated products to avoid any physical issues or impairments.

A controlled use of caffeien is harmless and can be good especially on occasion for those persons who may need a pick-me-up in the middle of the day. Within reason and with a little restraint, it can be used in moderation to achieve the goal the person is seeking. Simply use moderated caution and get the results you want without the unwanted side effects.

Filed Under: Addiction, Drugs Tagged With: Drug

Limiting PSE’s

Is the psuedoephedrine law really working in Illinois? There are not a lot of laws that prohibit or restrict the sale of over the counter medications. Illinois enacted one a few years ago that has been in full effect for some time. The idea and spirit behind it is noble, but the real question is: does it work, and should other states adopt this law?

If you go on a site like TheCyn.com you will see that there is a growing problem with drug abuse in this country. And over the counter medication has been a great way to get it. There is a drug that can be purchased without a prescription called psuedoephedrine that is used, by those in the know, to make crystal meth. This is a frighteningly addicting drug, and one that will completely deteriorate someone’s entire body.

Across the country, the debate has raged whether PSE’s should be taken off the market altogether, or restricted to the sale with a legal perscription for it. In Illinois, they passed a law that allowed the sale of PSE’s but with the entering of a valid driver’s license or a state I.D. With that, the sale of the drug could be monitored by the state and even restricted if you met your daily, weekly, monthly or yearly total.

The truth though, seems to be that there isn’t much that is preventing it from being purchased. There are always ways around the system, and those with the knowledge to do so will find ways around it. The truth is that the states would be better suited working the efforts of education and prevention of using this as opposed to monitoring the sales. But, if there is any statistical data to indicate that it’s working, you can be assured they will keep it in tact.

Filed Under: Addiction, Drugs, Health Tagged With: Limiting PSE's