Public Policy
Posted under Public Policy
Crack Cocaine Offenders May Get Early Release From Federal Prisons
It’s a proposal backed by Attorney General Eric H. Holder Jr., and it’s already causing a ruckus across the country. At issue is the early release proposal to retroactively correct sentencing disparities between crack and powder cocaine offenders.
Posted under Public Policy
What Was the Convention on Psychotropic Substances?
The United Nations sponsored three commissions on international drug abuse, occurring in 1961, 1971, and 1988. All three produced treaties that are still in force, and over 120 nations have signed on to them. The Convention on Psychotropic Substances is the one that occurred in 1971.
Posted under Public Policy
California Assembly Hopes to Ban Sale of Beer Laced with Caffeine
California and several other states are concerned about beverages that contain caffeine and are aimed towards young adults, tempting them to drink more than is safe. The ban was approved by vote in the California Assembly and passed the Senate last April, but changes must be reconsidered before the bill is sent to the office of the Governor. Continue Reading
Posted under Public Policy
Drug Tests for Welfare Recipients
While more states passing drug-testing laws might appeal to the baser emotional impulses of the masses, this does not address the fact that underlying psychiatric issues in underserved populations often lead to self-medication and it continues to frame addiction as a moral failing rather than a disease. Have we decided to let children fend for themselves as we continue to ignore our country’s fundamental shift toward greater poverty with fewer mental health services?
Posted under Public Policy
White House Stands Up Against Medical Marijuana
While pollsters say Americans may be ‘growing’ more accustomed to the idea of legalized marijuana, the nation’s government has not changed its collective mind. Marijuana has been legalized for medical purposes in 16 states and the District of Columbia yet the Justice Department, the Drug Enforcement Agency and the White House remain steadfast in their opposition to the trend.
Posted under Public Policy
Federal Budget Allocates Nearly $26 Billion for Drug Abuse Spending
While cocaine abuse has decreased by almost 50 percent in the last five years among young adults ranging from ages 18 to 25, drug abuse among prescription abusers has not, according to a recent Bloomberg report. Continue Reading
Posted under Public Policy
County Social Host Liability Effective at Combating Underage Drinking
Underage drinking is extremely common among US teens and is becoming increasingly problematic because when teens drink, they tend to binge drink. Binge drinking is defined as a heavy consumption of alcohol over a relatively short period of time for the purpose of becoming intoxicated. Binge drinking is a major public health issue as it leads to automobile accidents and fatalities, rape, violence, suicide and unintentional overdose. Although binge drinking is most often associated with college age students, the number of binge drinking episodes among high school kids is on the rise.
Posted under Public Policy
Global Commission on Drug Policy Calls for U.S. to Back Down on the War against Drugs
Global leaders met earlier this month to examine the effectiveness of current international anti-drug policy. Overall, the consensus was that protocol adopted by the U.S. – namely the War on Drugs instituted by the Reagan presidency in the ’80s – has been highly ineffective. Continue Reading
Posted under Federal Law
Controlled Substances Act
The Controlled Substance Act (CSA) of 1970 is a major piece of legislation passed by Congress that determines which drugs are legal or illegal to buy and sell, based on their potential for abuse, safety, and medical benefits. “Potential for abuse” usually refers to how addictive they are. Under the direction of President Richard Nixon, members of Congress came up with a classification system that has five levels or “schedules”. Each level has its own system of regulations, and federal penalties for non-compliance.
Posted under Public Policy
Florida Bill May Require Drug Screening for Families Receiving Federal Assistance
Efforts in Florida to crack down on drug abuse may include a new focus on drug testing for families who receive Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), also referred to as welfare. Continue Reading
The Addiction Primer
Everything you need to know to help a loved one struggling with addiction, from the writers and editors of Everything Addiction.
