The question is how much caffeine is too much caffeine? According to the World Health Organization, 90 percent of us drink coffee every day. The average cup of coffee contains 280 milligrams of caffeine. There is some research which suggests that 5-10 grams of caffeine could prove lethal for a healthy, strong young person. Compared to other caffeine drinks (brewed tea, instant coffee, caffeine containing soda pop) coffee has the greatest amount of caffeine in each cup.

Energy drinks vary in the amount of caffeine they contain, but consuming caffeine habitually whether in brewed coffee or in energy drinks can lead to addiction. People who use caffeine to enhance/boost their mood or to stay alert can easily become addicted. As with other drug addictions, people addicted to caffeine have a mental as well as a physical connection to the substance. Abusers feel that they cannot do certain things without caffeine.

Normally, the brain signals the rest of the body that it is time to slow down. The brain releases a chemical called adenosine which tells the body that it feels tired. Caffeine intercepts the chemical message and prevents that feeling of tiredness for a short period. The longer caffeine is consumed the more the body’s central nervous system adjusts to its presence until more caffeine must be ingested to offset the adenosine.

The morning or afternoon jolt many coffee/energy drinkers seek is actually a stimulation of the adrenal gland. It is the caffeine-induced release of adrenaline that boosts energy. Again, over time it takes more caffeine to stimulate adrenaline release.

Believe it or not, there are breathalyzer tests for caffeine (similar to those used to test for alcohol consumption) which can determine if the body has been over-exposed to caffeine. Besides these breath tests, there are screenings which can reveal long-term caffeine abuse. Blood tests for ADH (anti-diuretic hormone) levels and ACTH stimulation (adrenocoticotropic hormone) along with testing for an allergic reaction to caffeine can all point to a body addicted to caffeine.

The problem of caffeine abuse is growing exponentially as the statistics quoted at the start of this article demonstrate. The problem is reaching down into a younger than ever demographic. Kids and teens who have a predisposition to seizures or heart conditions are most at risk since caffeine can induce seizures and abnormal heart rhythms which can be life-threatening. Abuse of caffeine is also linked to increased incidence of depression and anxiety disorder. Scientists and medical experts are renewing research into caffeine because the threat, particularly to young people targeted by marketing campaigns, is so real. Meanwhile, all of us would be well-served to carefully examine our caffeine intake and instruct our kids about its effects.

President Obama claims there has been substantial progress in the region, according to a recent news article.

Last year, Obama traveled to El Salvador, Chile and Brazil to push the U.S. investment and trade agenda and to praise democratic and social progress but also to urge better cooperation against the war on drug cartels that are transnational.

The Council of the Americas own Erin Farnsworth says the hemisphere is maturing with self confidence and strengthening in their own economies. Politically, he believes there are still challenges of democracy in some countries but feels it is secure overall.

Some of the Latin American leaders want to have a re-examination of what they believe to be the unsuccessful war against drugs. They also believe in the decriminalization of such drugs as cocaine, marijuana and heroin of which the U.S. strongly disagrees.

President Obama says the U.S. will remain focused on intelligence cooperation and military and security support. Obama added that we will be coordinating efforts more intensely than ever with Central America and on their new strategy regarding citizen security.

Cuba will be absent from the summit but there will certainly be debate surrounding their absence. Farnsworth adds that nations aren’t allowing this issue to block expanded collaboration and teamwork. None of the countries are stuck on the issue of their absence.

With Chavez’s hostile attitude toward the United States who knows what drama he may create at this years’ summit.

A recent article addresses these issues in relation to the mid-April Summit of the Americas event and the release of the Primetime War on Drugs and Terror news report from the University of Southern California.

Researchers looked at nearly 50 hours of television shows based on drug activity or related terrorism activity from 2010, including popular shows like "CSI: Miami." Americans’ doubts about the War on Drugs may be related to the ways the shows show drug criminals, with some pieces of truth woven in with misconceptions.

For example, in many television shows, drug users were shown in a nearly heroic light, or as having moral ambitions. Prescription drug abuse and the use of methamphetamines were shown more often than other drugs, like marijuana.

Many drug manufacturers or drug dealers in the shows were portrayed by white actors, as were the largest group of drug-using suspects in the shows, reflecting inaccuracies toward the actual numbers related to race and drugs, say researchers.

Additionally, drug users typically avoided arrest in the shows, which may further contribute to American misconceptions about the War on Drugs.

The mixture of truths and myths portrayed in the shows became the subject of a full Primetime Drugs report, with the analysis portion created through the Lear Center and the Princeton Survey Research Associates International.

The past 40 years of strong efforts have still failed at reducing the production and the consumption of illegal drugs in the U.S. Now, Central America and Mexico have corruption and violence posing serious threats to public safety there and instability among their democratic institutions.

There have been some courageous approaches taken by the presidents in Colombia, Guatemala and Costa Rica and the taboo of drugs has at least been broken. Drug cartels are the only beneficiaries of prohibition and are the ones driving the efforts at production.

The drug wars have produced disastrous consequences and have recently produced a Global Commission on Drug Policy where their message was sent loud and clear. The commission advised that the drug war has failed and caused devastation for individuals and those throughout North and South America.

They presented two main recommendations. The first is to stop the criminalization and stigmatization of those who use but do not harm others. The second is to recognize that addiction and drug abuse are public health epidemics and the best, most effective answer is to provide services and treatment to all those in need.

Criminalizing drug use is the biggest obstacle against treatment and rehab for addicts.

Since the legal designations between possession and trafficking are unclear, the laws have often caused police corruption and discrimination among the poor. The main objective of drug policies should be to prevent addiction and drug abuse and certainly to protect our youth.

Published in the journal Pediatrics, the study included data from the Oregon Healthy Teens survey. Researchers found that:

• Twenty-two percent of eighth graders had heard of someone playing the choking game and roughly 6 percent had tried it themselves.
• One-third of 11th graders had heard of someone playing the game and 7.6 percent had tried it themselves.
• Of those who had played, 64 percent did it more than once and 27 percent played more than five times.
• Boys and girls were equally likely to play.
• Kids who use the choking game to get high are more likely to engage in other high-risk behaviors, such as having sex, poor mental health, exposure to violence, gambling, poor nutrition and substance abuse.

A Dangerous and Short-Lived High

The choking game, also known as "the fainting game," "black out," "knock out," and "flatlining," typically involves the use of belts, neckties, a towel, rope, a friend’s hands or other forms of binding around the neck to cut off oxygen supply until the person passes out. When the blood and oxygen rush back to the brain, teens report feeling a short-lived high. Kids are recording their experiences and posting them online, which may be contributing to a growing interest in this behavior.

Because it deprives the brain of oxygen and blood flow, the choking game can lead to brain damage, coma, seizures, concussions, broken bones, head trauma and death. Even in the absence of immediate harm, experts believe that long-term damage may be occurring in the brain. Between 1995 and 2007, at least 82 children between the ages of 6 and 19 are known to have died while playing the choking game, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, but many more deaths and injuries have likely gone unreported.

Protecting Your Teen

In a study of teens surveyed in Texas and Canada, 40 percent said they didn’t see any danger in playing the choking game. Prevention starts with talking to your children about the dangers of the choking game from an early age (by the end of elementary school, experts advise). If you don’t, you run the risk of your child learning about this "high" from friends who don’t understand the risks or take them seriously.

As Michelle Galloway, who found her 7th-grade son dead in his bedroom with a belt around his neck, and Judy Rogg, whose 12-year-old son died after playing the game in his living room, can attest, one time is all it takes for this "game" to become fatal. And though the game is most commonly played by teens who engage in other risky behaviors, good kids looking for a legal high are also at risk.

Experts encourage parents, teachers and health care providers to be alert to the signs of involvement in the choking game, including:

• Bruises, redness or other marks around the throat
• Headaches
• Bloodshot eyes
• Scarfs or other bindings tied around the bedpost or other objects
• Changes in the child’s appearance, friends or behavior

The choking game is not new, nor are its dangers. But research continues to show that a small percentage of kids aren’t getting the message. The game is still being played and children’s lives are needlessly lost.

The problem of uncontrolled Internet use is becoming so widespread that whether or not to include it as a diagnosable mental health condition in the new Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Health is currently under discussion. Even ahead of its becoming an official diagnosis however, addiction treatment centers report increasing numbers of patients who are asking for help with out of control Internet use along with treatment for substance abuse.

So far, suggested criteria for the condition would include three months or more spent with a minimum of six daily hours of unrequired online time. Excluded from the suggested criteria, but still of concern, are those spending up to five hours per day chatting, surfing and/or gaming online.

Nearly 12 million Americans go online each day and that number increases 25 percent every quarter. Guesstimates say that almost eight percent of Americans would meet the diagnostic criteria for Internet addiction. But Internet addiction is hardly an American phenomenon.

The problem of Internet addiction is being reported worldwide, although Asia seems particularly afflicted. Here are just a few figures from around the globe:

• Greece estimates that over eight percent of its population is addicted to the Internet.
• South Africa says that four percent of those working in the IT industry and two percent of those in non-IT careers have been identified as exhibiting problem Internet use.
• In Norway a mere one percent seem eligible for a diagnosis of Internet addiction, but five percent more are considered highly vulnerable to the condition.
• China estimates that as many as 30 percent of the population are addicted to the Internet – with 14 percent of Chinese youth showing symptoms of addiction.
• South Korea also projects a 30 percent Internet addiction ratio and some estimates say that nearly eight percent of South Korean grammar school age kids are addicted and that rises to over 12 percent by the time they reach high school.

Young people spending excessive time online are often young men who enjoy gaming. Unfortunately, 41 percent of gamers say that they use the online games in order to escape their real life. Experts tell us that seven percent of online gamers are at an elevated risk for winding up with some sort of dependency (behavioral or psychological) on the games.

An international survey of university students found that greater than one third of them spend more than five hours per day online. College students asked to "fast" from the Internet for just 24 hours reported feelings of anxiety, disconnectedness and a sense of withdrawal.

Why should we care about how much time someone spends online? Well, studies reveal that 65 percent of us go online in order to escape personal problems. Research says that as non-work related Internet use goes up, so does a person’s risk of low self-esteem and social problems. Kids who spend more than an hour per day gaming are at an increased risk for developing ADHD. Finally, studies are showing that too much online time can result in a10 to20 percent shrinkage of brain surface area.

Which Drugs are Being Abused?

In 2010 nearly 22 million Americans over the age of 12 years used illicit drugs. Those 18-21 years of age are most likely to abuse drugs. Overall, marijuana is by far the most abused drug with 14.6 million users. Alcohol is the next most often abused drug with 13 million Americans suffering negative impact as a result of their drinking. Alcohol abusers experience arrest, job loss and family problems including divorce.

Prescription drug abuse is a problem that has exploded in America with as many as 7 million Americans ensnared. More than 5 million of those who abuse prescription medications do so with prescription painkillers. Over 2 million are engaged in cocaine abuse and another 1 million are abusing hallucinogens such as Ecstasy.

Who is Doing the Abusing?

Hourly employees
The U.S. Department of Labor reported in 2006 that employees working in construction, food services and the durable goods sector had the highest rates of drug abuse. A 2008 report from Quest Diagnostics which specializes in employee drug testing said that more and more employees were testing positive for prescription drugs. In fact, Quest published a 2010 report which noted that drug tests following work accidents were four times more apt to yield positive results for prescription narcotics than the employee’s initial pre-hire drug tests.

Professional and Non-Professional Drivers
In 2007 the Oregon police department conducted a study and found that 10 percent of big-rig truck drivers tested positive for drugs. Rates for marijuana and methamphetamine use had risen notably. Though professional truck drivers are routinely tested for drug use, experts say that it is not hard to beat the system. Non-professional drivers such as company salesmen also are abusing drugs at a worrisome rate. The National Institute of Drug Abuse conducted a study based on self-reporting which found that more than 35 percent of 21-25 year olds admitted to driving while under the influence of drugs. A 2010 National Highway Traffic Safety Administration report stated that in 18 percent of traffic fatalities, the dead drivers tested positive for illegal drugs.

Students
Prescription drug abuse is a rising problem among young American students. More than six percent of all 18-25 year olds are involved in the practice. Prescription drug abuse among teens is likewise a growing problem with many students obtaining the drugs out of parents’ medicine cabinets. More than 25 percent of all high school seniors confess to abusing drugs – stimulants more than any other. Drug abuse has become particularly problematic among teens living in rural areas where there is little in the way of prevention, drug enforcement or available treatment.

Criminals
One study in Chicago found that 82 percent of criminal arrests also yielded positive test results for drug use. The study found that in Chicago 52 percent of arrested criminals were abusing cocaine and 35 percent were abusing several drugs at the same time. In fact, most who abuse one drug, in fact, abuse several. This is called poly-drug use and treatment centers confirm that it is a common practice among those who abuse drugs.

Who is abusing drugs in our country? Laborers, students, family members, people arrested by city police for minor crimes. People who touch our lives day in and day out.

Defining a Workaholic

Author and clinical psychologist, Barbara Killinger, Ph.D, has studied the mechanisms of workaholics for twenty years. She defines a workaholic as a person who has become so obsessed with work that they have become emotionally crippled. All their emotional energy is put forth to achieve recognition for their work and approval from their colleagues.

She categorizes workaholics into Pleasers (those who say yes to everything and take on too much), Controllers (those who are confident and believe that maybe no one else could fill their shoes), and Narcissistic Controllers (those who are ego-centric and believe their way is the only way).

Dr. Killinger states that workaholics fear failure. They believe that the more they work, the less likely they are to fail. They loathe boredom and laziness. They need to be busy. Workaholics feel alive from the rush of adrenaline of being involved in multiple projects at one time; but with multiple projects come multiple stresses and deadlines. Oftentimes, they make judgments quickly and sometimes may fall victim to poor decisions made with impatience.

Some Pleasers fear that going on vacation will not only make them look lazy, but may reveal their faults. While they are away, someone else will be in charge and may find fault with the way business is handled.

For some Controllers, an entirely different fear may enter their mind, "While I’m gone, will they be able to run the office without me?" The Narcissistic Controller may wonder, "Will someone undermine what I am trying to do here?"

Workaholics must find out who they are. They are so engulfed in work, they haven’t taken the time to find out who they are and what they would like to do if they took leisure time.

Differences Between a Hard Worker and a Workaholic

A hard worker can pour themselves into their work, but still make quality time with their friends and family. Even if they have to work extra hours one week, they will not let it become a habit. They tend to restrict professional work to their weekdays and steer clear of their e-mail or computer on days they are at home. They are not only physically present for baseball games or dinner at night, but they are emotionally present. This emotional presence that relaxes and laughs and engages with the family is the component that is lost by the workaholic.

Workaholics lose the balance between family time and work time. Every weekend work comes home with them. They seclude themselves from everyone to "catch up" on work, check e-mail, dwell on the past week, and start planning the next. Even if they are physically present, they are mentally and emotionally detached from everything but work. Even homemakers or students can be workaholics.

Consequences of a Workaholic Life

Workaholics may suffer from panic attacks and insomnia due to their obsession with work. Some suffer from depression and even claustrophobia.

Keeping a healthy balance between professional and personal life is hard work. By keeping emotionally connected with friends and family, hard workers can avoid becoming workaholics.

A recent study tapped into the capability of smartphones to monitor smokers and their success with quitting. The team of researchers from the University of Pittsburgh and Penn State used smartphones to check in with smokers and their progress in giving up cigarettes.

The researchers wanted to find out, among other objectives, why some smokers are able to give up the habit on their first attempt to quit, while for others multiple attempts are unsuccessful. Stephanie Lanza, scientific director of The Methodology Center at Penn State said that among those who relapsed again and again, their urge to smoke never decreased. This was not the case for those who managed to quit.

The researchers developed a new statistical model to analyze data and used mobile devices to gather data from smokers attempting to quit. This enabled them to examine how baseline dependence on nicotine and various levels of negative emotions affected the urge to smoke while trying to quit.

The Centers for Disease Control reports that nearly one in five Americans smokes cigarettes. This is surprising information, given that smoking is the leading cause of preventable death in the United States. However, the urge to smoke is extremely strong in those addicted to nicotine.

The researchers discovered that those who were able to quit during the four weeks of the study reported a weaker association between the urge to smoke and their success in quitting. Those who were not successful in quitting reported no connection between an urge to smoke and feelings of self-confidence.

Led by Saul Shiffman, a professor of psychology at the University of Pittsburgh, the researchers examined the progress and outcomes of 304 smokers with a long history of smoking. The participants had, on average, been smoking at least a pack a day for 23 years.

Forty of the participants were able to quit during the first 24 hours of the study, but relapsed soon after quitting. Two weeks after the beginning of the study, 207 of the participants remained cigarette-free. If the participants smoked fewer than five cigarettes per day, they were considered successful in quitting. Fifty-seven participants were unsuccessful in giving up cigarettes for even 24 hours.

Five times per day, the participants received questions through their mobile device. The questions asked about urges to smoke, emotional state and whether the participant was currently smoking. Urges to smoke were rated on a scale of zero to ten.

The researchers hope that the information provided offers new insight into the various factors involved with smoking cessation. The intensity of urges and the history of nicotine use make smoking cessation a complex process with various influences on the success rate.

If you’ve ever been part of an action group then you’ve probably experienced that 20 percent of the people do 80 percent of the work rule. This holds true in the negative sense as well. For example, around 20 percent of all who drink manage to consume 80 percent of all the alcohol sold in this country. Said another way, 20 percent of drinkers do the heavy drinking and alcohol producers depend upon that small percentage to buy the vast majority of their product.

Some claim that if we apply this to the nation’s drug problem then solutions will seem clearer. Stop spending money prosecuting the middleman (the dealer) they say. It isn’t a wise use of national resources. Punishing the person who makes a $200 drug sale will wind up costing taxpayers around $100,000 for a three year prison term. Instead, these pundits argue that work should be directed toward drying up profits for the producers (the drug cartels) which is where the big money is made. In other words, make it less profitable to deal in drugs. But how?

The argument is that if marijuana, for instance, accounts for 25 percent of drug cartel profits, then legalizing marijuana will cut profits. Currently, drugs sell for far less in the countries where they are produced than they do in the U.S. Most of the mark-up occurs en route. Public opinion seems to be leaning towards legalization of marijuana.

Just fewer than 25 percent of Americans supported marijuana legalization in 1990. Now, almost half of Americans say that they support the idea of legalization. Some estimate that legalizing marijuana beyond the limited medical uses which are currently permitted could drain $10 billion in profits from drug producers.

This action would not do anything, however, to reduce the profitability of other drugs. In fact, it is quite likely that other substances would become more dear and far more profitable. Some speculate that this could actually help reduce the amount of drug use since the law of economics would come into play. As non-marijuana drug prices would rise, the use of such drugs would go down. At least that is the reasoning.

Can legalizing marijuana be depended upon to drive up costs for other illicit drugs? Would higher prices lower drug use or would users find another way to lay hold of cheaper drugs? Furthermore, who can predict what the result would be of having easily and legally accessible marijuana? It’s a pretty big gamble