By the end of last year, marijuana was approved for medical use in 27 states. Out of those 27 states, 11 states approved legal recreational marijuana.

In a 2015 interview with Vice News, former President Obama said that he separated the issue of criminalization of marijuana from encouragement of pot use. He added that decriminalization of marijuana lessened the cost of incarceration, which was behind his reasoning to have the drug become legal.

So it appears that his motives for endorsing the legalization of marijuana was out of concern for criminal justice clients, who happened to be arrested with a few ounces of pot. Obama felt that they should not be thrown into jail, like more hardened criminals.

But marijuana is still a drug, with a plethora of street names including pot, weed, herb, Mary Jane and reefer.

The 1936 film, Reefer Madness, which has become a comedic cult classic among pot advocates, is about marijuana. The movie is ridiculous, but interestingly enough, the film was distributed about five years after Prohibition was repealed. That just goes to show that we do live in a society that is fascinated with drugs and alcohol.

Marijuana is a dried green mixture derived from the leaves and flowers of the Cannabis sativa plant.

Marijuana is usually smoked and/or inhaled.

The psychoactive chemical in marijuana is known as THC, which is inside the plant’s resin. It’s the THC that makes users feel “stoned” or lightheaded and giddy.

According to a CNN video, not all pot makes a user feel stoned. Marijuana with a low percentage of THC in combination with a high percentage of CBD, another chemical found in the Cannabis plant, can work wonders for those struggling with epilepsy.

And marijuana appears to help cancer clients cope with the horrible side effects that result from chemotherapy including nausea and vomiting.

Medical marijuana for cancer is derived from isolated ingredients in the Cannabis plant. Doctors often prescribe pot in pill or gelatin capsule form including Dronabinol and Nabilone.

According to a Newsweek article, a cancer patient who had been prescribed about a dozen medications to minimize the debilitating side effects of chemo claimed that the traditional pills made him feel much worse.  So the patient asked his doctor to prescribe him medical marijuana. The doctor gave him coffee beans infused with 5 milligrams of cannabis, that he swallowed when necessary. His marijuana use not only relaxed him, and controlled his nausea but also helped him with the depression he had, as a result of being diagnosed with cancer. Today he is cancer-free at the age of 71.

Years ago, I had a dear friend who had been diagnosed with stage four prostrate cancer.  He was prescribed opiates, and shortly developed a tolerance. Like the cancer patient featured in the Newsweek article, he also claimed that the pills made him worse, not better. Instead of taking more pills, he felt relaxed by taking medical marijuana. The giddiness he experienced helped him get his mind off his pain.

Also, marijuana improves appetite in many HIV clients, who have lost weight and who need to improve their food intake.

However, there needs to be a distinction drawn between medical marijuana, which is prescribed and monitored by a physician, and recreational marijuana. This distinction must correspond with the difference between prescribed painkillers, which are not abused, and illegally obtained narcotics.

It’s a touchy subject, honestly, but the truth is that while pot might have therapeutic elements, marijuana abuse is a substance use disorder.

Many pro-marijuana advocates love saying that pot is less dangerous than alcohol, and that it is safer to drive a car under the influence of pot. That is a false, misleading statement.

And I can vouch for that.

Years ago, while I was in the throes of my alcoholism, I drove at night, somewhere in Venice at 3 am. I was stoned and intoxicated. I perceived that the traffic lights appeared further away than they really were, and at some point, the green light turned into red and the red light seemed to bop up and down, like an apple being dunked in a vat full of caramel. As I drove towards the traffic lights, the red light appeared to be moving away from my car. I felt like I was going to lose my mind but thank God, I braked! I was so caught up in watching the red light “dance” that my cognitive reasoning, and reaction time had gone out the window. I had also forgotten that RED means stop. To me, the red light had turned into a dancing fruit!

To this day, I have no idea how I made it home without injuring others or myself.  Needless to say, my irresponsibility could have cost me my life, and the lives of other innocent people. That was a terrifying experience.

According to the National Institute of Drug Abuse, when driving, marijuana impairs judgment, reaction time and motor coordination. But studies say that it’s almost difficult to pinpoint marijuana as the cause of driving accidents, because users also mix it with alcohol (which is what I did).

This makes marijuana a gateway drug. What that means is that users will often proceed onto other drugs, or smoke a joint while getting drunk.

Another scary thing about pot is intensity. Many times, users who get their pot from a dubious source might end up with a mixture that includes hashish, which is a powerful form of pot. Hashish is produced solely from trichomes, the potent resin of the marijuana plant.

Smoking hashish can cause psychosis, rapid heartbeat, lack of coordination, paranoia, disorientation and other side effects.

According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, pot addicts undergo withdrawals when they are not smoking a joint on a regular basis. This includes cravings, decreased appetite, irritability, and volatile mood swings.  Marijuana smoking causes respiratory illnesses including pneumonia, chronic bronchitis, and lung hyperinflation. Additionally, there is increasing proof indicating that a person’s chance of having a heart attack during the first hour of smoking pot is “nearly five times his or her usual risk.”

And, a recent report on CNN suggests that pot can weaken heart muscles, especially in young men.

The bottom line is that like it or not AND legal or not, marijuana is a drug. And like other drugs and alcohol, pot abuse is a substance use disorder.

And that makes it potentially dangerous.

Las Vegas Marijuana and Substance Abuse Disorder

According to a recent New York Post article, addicts are now maiming their dogs to get Tramadol, so that they can get the drug from vets and get loaded.

This brings to mind that there is no length as to what an addict will do to get high.

I am a dog lover and a recovering alcoholic with over five years in recovery. For me, my dogs have provided canine therapy, which has helped my recovery.  So part of me cannot comprehend how a person can commit such a crime. But when I was actively drinking and broke, I do remember other crazy things that I did to get booze.

And what exactly is Tramadol used for?

For dogs, vets prescribe Tramadol as a pain medication. If the dog is suffering from cancer, has moderate to severe pain, is hurting from osteoarthritis, or has recently undergone surgery, Tramadol is often prescribed. Other uses of the drug for pooches include canine degenerative myelopathy (which is a deteriorating disease that affects the spinal cord), anxiety and coughing. And finally, Tramadol is used for canine injuries.

Usually, the dosage varies, depending on the animal’s weight. A Chihuahua will be prescribed a smaller dose than that of a pit bull.

For humans, Tramadol is also used for pain. As with dogs, sometimes cancer patients are prescribed Tramadol.

In the meantime, addicts have caught on that the same Tramadol used for dogs, is the same medication given to humans.

While Tramadol is one of the weaker opioid painkillers, it produces euphoria and a sense of calmness, which is why it is widely abused. Also once a person gets a prescription, it’s cheaper than other opiates.

But there are downsides. As with other drugs, a tolerance is quickly developed. When the drug is abused, addicts self-medicate with a higher dosage, as well as ingest the drug between shorter time intervals.

Clients who become addicted to other painkillers, including Vicodin, OxyContin and hydrocodone will try to get refills from a doctor. If they are chronic pain clients, chances are they can get their meds from one doctor, especially if they go to a government-funded clinic. Those who can’t get refills shop around for other unsuspecting medical professionals, and move from doctor to doctor, once refills are exhausted or if the doctor catches wind that they are abusing the medication.

And then there are addicts who purposely injure their dog to get Tramadol. A highly diligent vet will be wary from the get go, and study the dog’s injuries to see if they are manmade or if the dog got into a fight with another dog, or sustained a natural injury. Hopefully, if the vets detect mutilation, they can contact the proper authorities.

According to the New York Post article, one woman sliced up her dog’s leg with a disposable razor so that she could get her hands on Tramadol. It appears that the vet did not catch on at first.

He stitched up the dog’s injuries and as is usually the case, prescribed Tramadol for the pup.  Three days later, the woman came back and said that her child had flushed the Tramadol down the toilet. The vet gave her the medication. If he did not replace it for free, perhaps he gave her a prescription, because it’s cheaper to get the refill at a pharmacy than directly from the vet.  Shortly after that, she came back, this time with her dog, asking for more Tramadol. It was then that the vet became suspicious, especially after he checked the dog’s injuries and realized that the cut was “too clean.” He called the police.  The woman was convicted of obtaining narcotics by fraud. I wonder if he reported her to animal control or if she was arrested for animal abuse.

Part of me can’t understand why it took the vet some time to comprehend the events that were unfolding before his eyes. The fact that she told him that her child got a hold of the pills was another red flag.

And the vet himself said, that he could not believe that it took him three visits to see what was happening.

Chances are that the veterinarian had not previously encountered such an awful incident. Or perhaps he could not comprehend that someone could be so cruel to her dog. Many doggy owners who rush their pooches to the vet for a sudden injury, are worried to death and concerned about the animal’s well-being.

As for the addict? I would like to believe that if she was clean, and in recovery, that she would not do such a thing.

The Boston Globe recently reported another event in which a woman, whose dog was prescribed Tramadol for a long-lasting illness, became alarmed when she noticed that her beloved pet was not improving.  She then realized that a family member was stealing her dog’s pills!

Veterinarians need to become conscious of these horrifying incidents. Awareness is the first step to treating this problem because these occurrences are rapidly increasing across the nation.

Another tragic dilemma is the rising amount of human fatalities occurring from drug overdoses. The New York Post reported that every 15 minutes, there is an overdose death. The best solution to healing from substance abuse and co-occurring disorders is clinical, evidence-based treatment. The addicts, and their families need help.

Knowledge and treatment is the key to drug addiction.

According to the Boston Globe, the Massachusetts Veterinary Medical Association is working in conjunction with police enforcement, and the district attorney’s office to provide an outreach program designed to educate vets on drug misuse, which not only hurts dogs, but also hurts their owners. And the outreach program plans to publish handouts that inform state residents about opiates, including storage and disposal.

This outreach program would be valuable, on a nationwide level. Because without public knowledge, followed by proper evidence-based substance abuse and addiction treatment, the opiate epidemic is going to get worse.

And there will be more deaths.

Las Vegas Satellite Office

In 2015, Las Vegas, Nevada’s TV station, Las Vegas Now Channel 8, featured a special report  which said that out of the entire nation, Nevada ranked the fourth highest for overdose deaths from drugs. John Fundenberg, a Clark County coroner confirmed that heroin, along with other opiate painkillers, was the main culprit for these tragic deaths. When addicts who are addicted to painkillers just can’t find another doctor or dentist to fill their prescriptions, they might try to hunt down a drug dealer. Then, they will discover that opiate painkillers cost a lot on the streets. So what do they do? They turn to heroin, which is cheap, and produces a more intense high.

But the euphoria which heroin produces is followed by drowsiness, along with other horrible withdrawal symptoms. After a short period of time, their bodies develop a tolerance. So they get caught in a vicious cycle.  They must inject, snort or smoke more dope to get the same level of euphoria that they experienced the first time they used.

It’s easy to overdose this way.

Why?

Have you ever heard of the expression, a deer in the headlights? This idiom is often used to describe the drug addict’s confused state of mind. According to the National Institute for Drug Abuse, abusing drugs impairs motor and cognitive capabilities. So overdosing is highly possible, because drug addicts have no logic when it comes to figuring out how much or how often they have used during a day.

And yes, it’s easy to die.

If the heroin is mixed with its deadlier cousin, fentanyl, or the addicts decide to add a few beers or some wine to the mix, well, lets just imagine they are like the deer in the headlights. The deer has two choices. It’s survival instincts can kick in and it can run to safety. Or like a drug addict who has used way too much, the deer remains frozen in the headlights.  And the result is tragic for both the drug addict and the deer.

Many addicts are so caught in the throes of their addiction, that even though they don’t want to use anymore, they have given up hope.  And they don’t believe help is possible.

At Cycles of Change Recovery Services, we offer hope. And we provide help.

Our Las Vegas Office will provide free treatment consultations.  In Las Vegas, we do mobile and phone assessments. Office assessments are offered, by appointment only. And we provide transportation to our beautiful rehab in Palmdale. First, you might need a stay in our sub-acute detox facility in Quartz Hill where you will be monitored around the clock by our experienced team of professionals. You will be provided with the appropriate level of care, as well as in-depth counseling.

And you will feel safe and secure.

After detox, you will enter one of our elegant gender-specific residences in Palmdale to undergo inpatient care. Our homes emanate old Hollywood charm in the picturesque Antelope Valley Desert.

Our clinical, evidence-based modalities not only treat substance abuse and addiction, but co-occurring disorders, which are often the root of chemical dependency. Our holistic approach treats mind, body and spirit. And our comprehensive 12-step program will help you find serenity, clarity and happiness.

Recovery will provide you with a second chance at a new life.

And you are not alone. Many of us have been there ourselves.

We look forward to your call.

Born in 1893, the witty and talented author Dorothy Parker was an alcoholic who suffered from depression. During her later years, she committed herself to a sanitarium to “dry out,” which was the term used back in the day.

Parker told the doctor that she loved the room but that she needed to get out of the hospital every hour or for a drink at the local bar. The doctor told her that if she continued drinking the way she did, she would be dead within 30 days. Parker wryly responded with, “Promises, promises.”

Shortly after she left the hospital, which provided primitive forms of detox, she fell off the wagon. During her hospital stay, she probably suffered from horrible withdrawals, as was the case with many alcoholics who went into sanitariums back then.

Parker had a sad childhood. Her parents and stepmother died when she was young, and her Uncle Martin Rothschild went down with the Titanic. Needless to say, she suffered from trauma, which was another reason why she sought out alcohol.

One of her best short stories was Big Blonde, which was first published in 1929. The protagonist is a woman in her 30’s named Hazel Morse. Like Parker, Morse is an alcoholic. After her husband leaves her, she attempts suicide by overdosing on Veronal, which was used as a sedative during that era.

Her maid finds her completely unconscious, calls the doctor, and Hazel Morse survives. When she fully realizes that she is not dead, she asks the maid to pour them both a drink.

Before Morse takes a shot of her whiskey, she stares into the glass and thinks, Maybe, when you had been knocked cold for a few days, your very first drink would give you a lift. Maybe whiskey would be her friend again.

This story is somewhat autobiographical and gives us a clear picture of Parker’s alcoholism and depression.

Hazel Morse reached the depths of despair that many alcoholics achieve when the booze stops working, but they still can’t stop drinking. In the Big Book, this nadir is summarized as not being able to live with or without alcohol.

And it’s pretty apparent that Morse drinks because she is depressed, which often is the case with many alcoholics. Self-medicating with drugs and/or alcohol to ease symptoms of depression and anxiety is like shooting yourself in both feet. As a matter of fact, alcoholics who drink to alleviate their depression often end up with severe suicidal ideations. And in Big Blonde, Hazel Morse, attempts suicide.

And while Dorothy Parker produced wonderful short stories, poems, and prose, she suffered deeply. She attempted suicide at one point. Thanks to her alcoholism, her health failed, and she died of a heart attack, in 1967, at the age of 73. Parker left behind no survivors.

According to her obituary, “in her final illness, Miss Parker was melancholy about her life’s accomplishments. She wanted to write again, concise stories, but she lacked the strength.”

Parker would have benefitted from a drug rehab that not only offered a social model detox program but also provided comprehensive dual diagnosis support along with substance abuse and addiction treatment. And it appears that she needed trauma-informed therapy.

A beautiful drug rehab center like Cycles of Change Recovery Services would have provided her with the services that she required. Instead of a lonely ending, which was full of despair, she might have enjoyed recovery and found happiness and hope in her life.

“Drugs are a waste of time. They destroy your memory and your self-respect and everything that goes along with your self-esteem.”

– Kurt Cobain

When Cobain uttered these words, it was during a 1992 interview for Rolling Stone magazine. The Rolling Stone writer met up with him in Cobain and Courtney Love’s small Spanish-style apartment off Fairfax in LA, where he found Cobain looking emaciated and frail. The Nirvana bandleader said that he suffered from a horrible stomach condition. The writer suspected that Cobain was abusing heroin, a fact that, by then, was common knowledge. Cobain’s associates and close friends had seen him nodding off on many occasions. Cobain had scabs from skin picking. One of heroin’s side effects is intense itchiness, and often addicts resort to fervent scratching to the point of causing scabs or abscesses.

Cobain died from a self-inflicted shotgun wound on April 5, 1994, a week after he escaped from a detox clinic. The autopsy report said that there were large doses of heroin, along with traces of Valium in his body. There are some conspiracy theories regarding his suicide, and some people have hinted that his wife, Courtney Love had something to do with his death, but the fact remains.

He died a heroin addict.

Why does Kurt Cobain come to mind?

Many people view him as a rock legend. Apparently, he had untreated bipolar disorder, which could have been a contributing factor to his death.

He had no qualms expressing his hatred of fame.

But his anti-drug statement is so honest and heartfelt.

Now wouldn’t it have been totally awesome if he had uttered those words as a clean and sober man who was in recovery? Wouldn’t it have been great if he had expressed gratitude about his success instead of conveying such negativity?

What a role model he would have been for the Nirvana fans that adored him, as well as for his young baby girl that grew up without a father!

Cobain tried to keep his heroin abuse private. He knew that his heroin abuse could influence many of his fans to follow suit if the word was out. However, his heroin abuse was no secret.

Like many addicts who have this crazy idea that no one else knows about their drug or alcohol abuse, the truth is others know. And often, those others, be they partners, spouses, or family members, don’t know what to do.

According to a story told by Cobain’s sister, Kim, when Cobain was offstage during a Paris concert, a young 14-year old fan handed him a foil with heroin.

Those close to Cobain believed that the rock star wanted to become the anti-Heroin poster boy for his fans deep down.

Tragically, that did not happen.

Even though he appeared to be in denial, he knew that he had a major problem, and perhaps he even suspected that he would lose his life to drugs and depression one day shortly.

Whether he was bipolar or not, the truth is that heroin addicts often have deep suicidal ideations. And some opiate abusers, like Cobain, get to the point where the drug makes them do things that otherwise they would not do. Heroin, like other drugs, causes people to lose their inhibitions and take deadly risks.

In Cobain’s case, he pulled the trigger and blew his brains out.

Opiate addiction is deadly.

What is the solution here?

According to an article in Psychology Today, comprehensive dual diagnosis treatment for substance addiction and co-occurring disorders can save lives. Utilizing evidence-based practices, including cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) and dialectical behavioral therapy (DBT), can diminish the risk of suicide attempts by almost 50 percent and help addicts and alcoholics stay clean and sober!

At Cycles of Change Recovery Health services, we offer those evidence-based practices, along with a 12-step approach and trauma-informed care.

The 12-step program might have helped Cobain get out of his head. He could have turned the so-called trappings of fame into a means of helping other alcoholics and addicts get treatment.

But he didn’t.

And while Cobain died an untimely death, way before his time, he was right on target when he said, “Drugs are a waste of time. They destroy your memory and your self–respect and everything that goes along with your self-esteem.”

How wonderful it would have been if this talented young man had only listened to his own words!

Sadly, Cobain’s life and death are in the past.

But for addicts and alcoholics who are suffering in the present, you must get professional treatment.

We are here to help. And if you are family members of loved ones who are abusing alcohol and/or drugs, we are here to help.

There is a solution.

All you have to do is pick up the phone and dial.

Las Vegas Rehab Center