High Profile Drugs and Alcohol cases Show that our society is affected in every area

We have learned from treating all ages and types of drug users and alcoholics at our rehab programs that all walks of life are affected by drug addiction and alcoholism. Recent events in the news have shown that drugs and alcohol have a pervasive and negative effect throughout our society as headlines have indicated corruption in our law enforcement ranks and the suffering of the rich and famous in the entertainment world as well as the sports world.

Adam 'Pacman' Jones is suspended from the NFL and Enters Alcohol Treatment Center

"Pacman" has been in the news quite a bit in the last year because of trouble related to alcohol abuse, and this week is no different as we see that he has entered an undisclosed alcohol treatment center after a recent scuffle with a body guard at a private party led him to be suspended by the NFL for at least four games.

Yankees Pitcher Joba Chamberlain arrested for DUI in Nebraska

Joba Chamberlain is a fastball pitcher for the New York Yankees but this past weekend it was his car that was going fast when he was pulled over for speeding in Lincoln, Nebraska. Joba Chamberlain then failed a alcohol breathalyzer test and was subsequently arrested fro DWI - driving while intoxicated.

Marcia Brady actress Maureen McCormick went though "Hellish" Drug Addiction

The recently released memoir entitled "Here's the Story," written by Maureen McCormick (who played Marcia and was the star of the Brady Bunch television show) reveals that she became addicted to cocaine in the 1970s and 1980s. This reaffirms to us something that comes as no surprise to anyone who follows the news: TV and film stars have been prime candidates for drug abuse and alcohol addiction for as long as there has been movies and TV. Happily, Maureen McCormick was able to overcome her addiction in the 1980s after getting married to fellow actor Michael Cummings.

South Texas Sheriff Was Cooperating with Mexican Drug Cartel

There is no way the vast quantity of narcotics that are available in the U.S. would be so if it were not for the corruption of the government and law enforcement agencies south of the border. What is not often realized by citizens of the U.S. is that there also has to be cooperation by the law enforcement agencies in our country as well.

In a story that highlights how powerful the money made by illicit drugs traders can be, a Brownsville sheriff named Reymundo Guerra has been accused of using his position as Starr County sheriff to assist high-ranking members of the Gulf Cartel. The drugs in question were marijuana and cocaine.

Khat (Qat) - A "Semi-Narcotic" Plant with Amphetamine Properties

Continuing on our analysis of exotic plants that are used for narcotic purposes (see our blog entry about salvia divinorum from earlier this month) we noticed that khat is in the news again this week after 3 men were arrested for transporting khat in Minnesota a few days ago. The men were transporting the drug to Chicago.

Khat (also known as qat and chad) is a flowering plant native to tropical East Africa and the Arabian Peninsula. The drug is an amphetamine that is used relatively rarely in the United States but in some countries in Africa it is widely ingested for it's amphetamine properties.

Khat contains the chemical cathinone, which is an alkaloid and has amphetamine-like stimulant properties in the user once it is orally ingested. The effects of using khat (or qat) are excitement, nervousness, loss of appetite, and euphoria. In 1980 the World Health Organization classified khat as a drug of abuse that can produce mild to moderate psychological dependence. Khat has been targeted by anti-drug organizations like the DEA and it is classified as a controlled/illegal substance in many countries.

We are alarmed by the abuse of these types of narcotic plants because of our twenty three years of treating men and women for alcohol and drug addiction at our drug and alcohol treatment centers here in Southern California. We are also pioneers in the area of meth addiction treatment in California. Our opinion is that drugs like khat foster psychological and physical dependence and can aggravate existing psychological issues like anxiety and mood disorders (ie. depression). We feel that drugs like salvia and khat can be gateway drugs to harder substances like crystal methamphetamine, heroin, or lead to alcohol abuse or dependence on prescription medications like vicodin or oxycontin.

Here at our California Drug Rehab we have noticed a growing trend of the youth drug culture in the U.S. being interested in exotic plants like khat. Using drugs like salvia and khat gives users a sense of exotic adventure and also the substances might carry less of a sentence if they are caught in possession of the drug (as opposed to the strict penalties enforced for drugs like crystal methamphetamine). There is always the growing interest in holistic medicine, and eastern ideas and philosophies which might also fuel users of khat to feel like they are taking something more natural and less damaging than street drugs like heroin or crystal methamphetamine.

Khat makes occasional headlines around the world and the countries in North Africa and the Middle East have a love/hate relationship with Khat. Saudi Arabia has banned the substance. The religious Islamist group that is currently controlling the port town of Kismayu (near Mogadishu) in Somalia have recently banned the substance from entering that port.