I was watching a crime drama on TV the other day. The cops were able to identify a drug user because she kept sniffing when they interviewed her.

But then I did a little digging. And as it turns out, drug use causes far more damage than a case of the sniffles. It can really wreak havoc on your nose.

If that woman really did snort drugs long-term, she would’ve had some serious symptoms that go way beyond a runny nose.

Here’s a breakdown of how drugs can damage your nose.

Membrane Damage: Stuffy Nose & Nosebleeds

Inside your nose, you’ll find a mucous membrane lining that covers the entire interior.

The point of this lining is to warm and humidify the air you inhale. The lining also helps to trap the debris and pathogens lingering around in that air, preventing them from entering your body and causing illness.

But snorting drugs (like OxyContin, heroin, cocaine, meth, etc.) damages the lining and decreases blood flow in the nose. The damage causes blockage in your airways, which results in a stuffy nose. The reduced blood flow also causes blood vessels to shrink and burst, which results in nosebleeds.

Deviated Septum: Breathing Problems & Infections

Over time, repeated damage to the mucous lining and the cartilage in your nose begins to affect the septum (the part that divides your nose into two nostrils). This damage causes the septum to become uneven or misaligned. This is referred to as a deviated septum.

A deviated septum can cause a host of problems. The most common issues are congestion and breathing problems. But this damage can also cause sleeping problems, headaches, pain in the face, snoring, and frequent sinus infections.

Perforated Septum: Nose Decay & Death

With long-term use, drugs that are snorted continue to eat away at the septum. Eventually, the damage goes beyond simply misshaping the septum to killing it. As the cells die off, a hole forms. This is called a perforated (punctured) septum.

A perforated septum can cause your nose to feel blocked, can cause whistling or wheezing in the nose, and can result in headaches, nosebleeds, nose pain, and scabbing inside your nose.

Palate Damage: Swallowing Issues

Here’s where the damage moves beyond your nose. With long-term drug abuse, the substances can start to damage the roof of your mouth (the hard palate).

Your palate is located right next to your nose, and the reduced blood flow and irritation of the nasal passages eventually spreads here. The damage eats away at the bone cells, causing a hole to form in the top of your mouth.

When this happens, you’ll have difficulty swallowing, food may come out of your nose when you eat or drink, and you may develop a nasally voice.

Saddle Nose: Permanent Disfiguring

And now we’ve come to the point where the damage has become very visible. Repeated damage to the septum can eventually weaken it so much that the nose collapses.

Your nose looks wider and flatter. The middle of your nose is no longer be supported by the septum, so it has a saddle-shaped depression in the middle (a “saddle nose”).

Warning Signs Your Nose is Damaged By Drugs 

The good news is that some of these issues will go away if drug use stops. Others are more severe and can cause permanent damage. Saddle nose, for instance, will require surgery to repair your nose.

But who wants to get to that point?

Watch for the following warning signs that drug use is causing damage to your nose. (Or look for these signs if you suspect a loved one is struggling with a drug addiction. Like the detectives in that crime show, you can use these clues to spot drug use.)

• Nasal pain
• Loss of smell
• Nose bleeds
• Frequent sinus infections
• Whistling noises in the nose when breathing

Don’t Let Drugs Damage Your Nose Permanently

Don’t wait around and let your nose damage become severe. It can happen quickly.

The hard truth is a stuffy nose can turn into a deviated septum in no time. And it will only get worse. The only way to stop this damage is to stop drug use. How? Learn more about treatment here.

If you or someone you love is experiencing a substance use disorder, help is available. Call 800-934-1582(Who Answers?) today.

69,710.

That’s the number of people who died from opioid overdose in the U.S. in 2020. That’s up nearly 30 percent from the year before. And many expect those numbers to continue rising.

And why wouldn’t they? As we see more and more drugs laced with deadly doses of fentanyl, overdoses are becoming more and more likely. What’s the solution? Better interventions? More awareness? Fewer prescriptions? Policy makers, law enforcement, and health officials are looking into these options and many more.

Meanwhile, one group suggests going with a solution that’s less mainstream. In fact, it’s less…legal. (At least for now.) Enter the Safe Supply movement.

Introducing the Safe Supply Movement 

The Drug User Liberation Front (DULF) took to the dark web and introduced their own solution: Safe Supply. DULF hopes policies change in the future and they can garner support off the dark web. For now, they’ll take what they can get.

DULF founders Jeremy Kalicum and Eris Nyx seek to provide drug users with the drugs they want – but with less risk of overdose. How? By purchasing the drugs and testing them before they are passed on.

With fentanyl showing up in opioids, cocaine, and meth these days, DULF founders hope to intercept these deadly drugs before they hit the streets and ultimately provide a “safe supply” for users.

With overdose numbers climbing, the founders upped their game over the past two years. Last year, they staged their first protest, demanding a “safe supply” of drugs.

And in April of this year, they distributed pre-tested heroin in downtown Vancouver. And this past July, in what was likely their boldest move yet, DULF distributed drugs in front of Vancouver police HQ.

What’s in the Bag?

Nyx and Kalicum point out that no one really knows what they’re getting their hands on when they buy drugs in unmarked bags. Dealers could be giving them anything – and they often are. With just a few surprise milligrams of fentanyl in the mix, the user easily becomes another overdose statistic.

So, DULF founders hope to follow the same model as alcohol and cigarette distributors. They want to test the ingredients and label the substances clearly. They’d test street drugs and distribute them in packaging that clearly states what’s inside. Clients and groups could get their supply from DULF at protest events.

Kalicum admits that purchasing the drugs is a lot like buying anything else online – but you’re not using eBay or Amazon. He buys drugs on the dark web, a virtually unregulated sector of the Internet that offers sites where people can buy drugs and even leave reviews for the vendors. If Kalicum gets fentanyl when he is supposed to get heroin, he can dispute the purchase and ask for a refund (and has done so).

Of course, Kalicum admits, he might be purchasing from a criminal organization and further funding their illicit efforts. “But, we’re forced to leverage the resources that we have access to,” Kalicum argues.

Kalicum uses an allegedly untraceable cryptocurrency for the purchases, then he tests the drugs using FTIR spectroscopy. This technology reveals what is in the substance using infrared light. Then, Nyx makes labels for the Safe Supply drugs and tracks data on the substances they distribute.

What’s Next for the Safe Supply Movement?

Kalicum notes they would prefer to use drugs provided by the government rather than illicit markets. He hopes other drugs become regulated, much like methadone is now. He and other DULF supporters are making efforts to implement a “safe supply” model and bring Canadian health officials onboard.

In August, DULF founders submitted a request for exemption to current policies so they could practice their “safe supply” model – due to the “health emergency” of the opioid crisis.

And the duo is actually gaining some official support. Vancouver Coastal Health, a regional health authority, gave DULF a letter of support for its plan. Some Canadian policy experts have also agreed to support DULF’s safe supply efforts.

In October, the Vancouver City Council voted to support DULF’s efforts, but only if they purchase the drugs legally. This will require cooperation from other organizations, such as Fair Price Pharma, to provide the supply.

Nyx and Kalicum see a long road ahead, but they continue to push the “safe supply” movement. Nyx noted in an interview, “We have a colossal amount of work to do. People are constantly dying, and there is no end in sight.”

If you or someone you love is experiencing a substance use disorder, help is available. Call 800-934-1582(Who Answers?) today.

Getting help for a loved one who’s struggling with addiction isn’t easy. You may be worried about their alcohol or drug use — or suffering from the consequences of their use — but you’re unsure what to do next. This is where an intervention can be helpful, but here’s the question: Do you need professional help planning an intervention?

Let’s talk about it.

What is an Intervention?

An intervention is a planned meeting where a family meets with a loved one of whom they are concerned about their drug or alcohol use. While interventions for addiction are most common, they can also be used for gambling addiction and eating disorders. 

Interventions can be held by facilitators or by family members, but it is usually recommended — given the emotional bonds you have with the family member — to seek professional help planning an intervention in this instance. Those professionals can include a social worker, doctor, therapist, or interventionist. 

Interventionists’ sole role is to facilitate a family discussion where everyone can share their concerns, provide potential solutions, and set boundaries should the person decide not to get help. They may also offer transportation to a facility after a successful intervention.

An intervention has a prescribed format, which starts before the actual meeting, and includes:

• Asking a professional for help with planning an intervention.
• Selecting a team of family members and loved ones who are concerned and can attend the intervention.
• Making a plan and setting a date.
• Conducting research about addiction and gathering information about the loved ones use pattern, the consequences, and how it has impacted the family.
• Writing statements to present to your loved one at the intervention.
• Discussing your boundaries with the intervention members should your loved one decide to reject treatment.
• Hosting a mock intervention to practice.
• Make a plan to follow up if your loved one rejects treatment and how you will support them.

In deciding whether you need professional help in planning an intervention, it’s important to consider a number of factors, including the type of substance your loved one is using harmfully. Each substance presents different risks.

Do I Need Help Planning for an Alcohol Intervention?

Alcohol addiction, also known as alcohol use disorder, can present a number of health risks from cardiovascular disease, cancer, and stroke in addition to the consequences of addictive use. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 14.1 million Americans have alcohol use disorder. It’s a serious condition, killing 95,000 Americans every year.

While finding recovery is a positive step, stopping drinking carries risk factors for people with alcohol use disorder. It can be dangerous to suddenly stop drinking if the person is dependent. That means, if they stop abruptly, they will experience withdrawal symptoms that can include seizure and even death. So, it may be best to seek professional help.

An interventionist can help you fully prepare for the success of an intervention and support you in doing all of the intervention pre-work. This includes finding a detox facility as your loved one will likely need medical supervision and possibly medication to detox safely. You may also be asked to research a residential treatment facility that can give your loved one the best chance of sustaining their recovery.

Do I Need Help Planning for an Opioid Intervention?

Opioid addiction, or opioid use disorder, can involve addiction to any kind of opioid, including prescription painkillers, heroin, and fentanyl. Each of these drugs are powerful – particularly fentanyl, which is a synthetic opioid that’s 100 times stronger than morphine. Opioids also carry the very real risk of fatal overdose. 

According to CDC data, synthetic opioids (like fentanyl) are the primary drivers of overdose deaths in the United States. During 2020 and 2021, deaths due to opioids rose 38.1 percent.  It takes just two milligrams of fentanyl to cause an overdose.

Given the seriousness of opioid addiction and its risks, it may be more effective to have a professional facilitate an intervention. Here’s why. 

An interventionist:

• Knows the dangers of opioids
• Understands the risks and characteristics of opioid addiction
• Is equipped to help overcome rejection 
• Will keep the family on track with the intervention and toward a successful outcome
• Can provide a neutral voice and can rephrase the concerns of family members
• Are able to facilitate helpful discussion rather than blaming and punishing the person who is suffering
• Can provide transportation to a facility

Setting Up and Planning an Intervention

When in doubt, it’s perhaps best to speak to a professional who has expertise in addressing addiction and facilitating interventions.

Get help today. Call 800-934-1582(Who Answers?) to learn about treatment programs for drug and alcohol addiction.
 

Setting up an intervention for a loved one is no easy task. You may be incredibly worried about their well-being and coming from a place of love, while also questioning if you’re making the right choice. You may also be asking yourself if an intervention might push them away from seeking treatment and deeper into their addiction. 

These are all valid concerns. It’s important to consider the situation individually and weigh a number of factors before setting up an intervention to ensure your loved one is successful in overcoming their battle with addiction.

What is an Intervention?

An intervention is a planned process whereby an addiction professional — interventionist, doctor, or addictions counsellor — facilitates a discussion between a person struggling with substances and their concerned family members.

The objective of the discussion is to raise concerns and confront the loved one about the effects of their substance use. 

Oftentimes an intervention is held by an intervention specialist who may draw on facilitation methods such as ARISE, SMART, or Johnson Model.

Whatever the method, the common steps involved in setting up an intervention include:

• Providing specific examples of how your loved one’s using is destructive and the effects it is having on them and the family
• Outlining boundaries that family members may set if the loved one refuses treatment
• A clearly defined treatment plan, such as a treatment center they can go to and who can accompany them there. 

Things to Consider Before Setting Up an Intervention

To ensure the success of any intervention, it’s important to consider a number of factors before setting one up, including:

1. Check your intentions: Ensure the motivation of the intervention is centered around supporting an individual struggling with an addictive behavior, not the opportunity to list the ways they have created harm. It is a loving and solution-oriented process not one that emotionally bashes or abuses the loved one.
2. Do your research: Before setting up an intervention, you need to be knowledgeable about substance use and the factors that may indicate your loved one has a problem. An intervention may be necessary if your loved one (and possibly the family) is experiencing negative effects of their substance use; remains unable to control their use, they are in denial of the negative effects of substance use, or if their use is having a negative impact on day-to-day life. 
3. Use a professional: Hosting an intervention can be overwhelming. There is a lot to organize and it is often a highly emotive situation. That’s why it’s often a smart decision to use a professional during an intervention, as they can guide you through the process, act as a neutral party, and keep all members focused on the goal of supporting the loved one. The other benefits of using a professional is that they’re not emotionally involved with the person struggling or under any kind of coercion to do what the family wants. They are simply there to facilitate the discussion toward a resolution.
4. Plan ahead: Never set up an intervention at the last minute. Take your time to plan the intervention and collect/arrange all of the people and material that the interventionist might think will support this process. You’ll also need to think about who is going to speak, when each person will arrive, where you’ll hold the intervention, what steps you’ll take if your loved one agrees to treatment, and what you’ll do if they don’t. This can take several weeks.
5. Share information: Once you have planned the intervention and selected family members to attend, share your concerns with each other and any other relevant information. This ensures that you’re a cohesive front when confronting your loved one.
6. Assign roles: When sharing information, this might be an opportunity to assign tasks to each family member. For example, tasks like: researching treatment centers and calling them to see where there is availability and if they take your loved ones insurance; figuring out childcare arrangements for the loved one’s children; and speaking to your loved one’s employer (anonymously) to find out their policy for an employee needing to attend treatment. 
7. Anticipate their objections: It is highly likely that your loved one may object to the intervention and the idea that they should go to treatment. Remember, denial is a common feature of addiction. This isn’t an opportunity to blame or ridicule, instead think of potential objections and have solid reasons to counter them. For example, your loved one might say: “But I only drink on weekends,” to which you could contend: “Yes, but this impacts your work the next day and you’ve had X days off this year, meaning you could lose your job. You’re also failing to help out with childcare when you promised you would, which means I’ve been late to work after taking the kids to school. The effect of this is a strain on our marriage and my employer’s patience. To make up for my tardiness, I often have to work late, putting me home even later.”

If you or someone you love is experiencing a substance use disorder, help is available. Call 800-934-1582(Who Answers?) today.

The Attorney General in Alabama has designated a good chunk of its opioid crisis settlement money go towards an impressive cause. 

In a series of attempts to right the wrongs that opioids caused the state, Alabama will allocate $1.5 million of their McKinsey & Company settlement to the Department of Child Abuse and Neglect Prevention. Additional funding will be allotted to several more critical law enforcement departments.

Opioid Settlement Money From McKinsey & Company

Earlier this year, The New York Times reported the consulting firm McKinsey & Company agreed to pay nearly $600 million to settle investigations into their role in increasing opioid sales. One of the drug companies it gave sales advice to was Purdue Pharma, the manufacturer of the highly addictive drug OxyContin. 

McKinsey reportedly wrote a report for Purdue executives highlighting how their new marketing tactics could increase sales of highly addictive OxyContin by $200 to $400 million annually. The report included a suggestion that opioids are useful in reducing stress, making patients feel optimistic, and helping them feel less isolated. One might argue that’s the complete opposite of how opioid addiction presents – constant cravings, discontent, isolation, and symptoms of physical dependence.

Purdue Pharma was also found to be at serious fault in the opioid crisis by knowingly putting the well-being of millions of Americans at risk by marketing and selling opioids that it knew were dangerous. It was also alleged that the company had reason to believe some of the providers were diverting the drugs to people who were abusing them. In November last year, Purdue pleaded guilty to fraud and kickback conspiracies. 

Purdue agreed to an $8.3 billion settlement and plead guilty to criminal charges for its role in fueling the opioid crisis. McKinsey & Company agreed to a nearly $600 million settlement in order to end investigations into their role in helping Purdue “turbocharge” its opioid sales. 

Alabama Isn’t Wasting Its Opioid Settlement Money

Alabama sued McKinsey for their role in increasing opioid sales and were awarded $9 million, $7.6 million of which is due to be paid in 2021. (Alabama also has several other pending lawsuits against opioid manufacturers.) 

In a series of statements, the Alabama Attorney General announced the state would be awarding millions of dollars to the Alabama Department of Child Abuse and Prevention (ADCANP), their forensic lab, and specialty courts.

Here’s a breakdown of all three monetary awards:

#1 Opioids and Child Abuse

Official data suggests that a large percentage of children enter foster care in Alabama due to substance use. Child neglect accounts for 60 percent of child removal from their homes. 

Speaking about this intervention, the Marshall stated:

“The Alabama Department of Child Abuse Neglect and Prevention is a small state agency with a critical mission – strengthening families. I firmly believe that strong families are the answer to nearly every societal ill that our state is wrestling with, not the least of which is the opioid crisis.”

Marshall went on to say that he believes “…children are the invisible victims of the opioid epidemic.”

#2 Opioid Forensic Testing

The settlement awarded to Alabama’s forensic lab, which serves all 450 enforcement agencies in the state, is intended to improve the quality and turnaround of forensic services for opioid-related cases. 

“Our state forensics lab, like so many across the country, has been battling backlogs caused by the opioid epidemic. This investment in new technology will give ADFS the tools they need to quickly identify trends in increasingly complex synthetic opioids and to aid law enforcement in identifying opioid traffickers,” Marshall said.

#3 Specialty Courts

The Attorney General awarded the Office of Prosecution Services and officers from the Alabama District Attorneys Association $1.5 million to invest in specialty courts, including drug courts, veterans’ courts, and mental health courts.

Specialty courts, as they suggest, have a specific criminal justice reform role: treating offenders whose crime is related to substance use disorder and reducing recidivism. Attorney General Marshall believes that investing in drug courts is a way of relieving the strain of the opioid epidemic placed on their District Attorney’s offices and court systems.

Speaking about this investment on behalf of the District Attorney’s Association, DA Michael Jackson spoke of its potential value:

“Drug courts and pretrial diversion programs are an extremely valuable tool – not only can this type of intervention save the lives of addicted offenders, but these programs also help decrease victimization within communities.”

More Opioid Settlement Money on the Horizon?

And it isn’t over yet. Alabama is still set for trials with other pharmaceutical companies, including Endo Pharmaceuticals and McKesson Corporation. It also has pending litigation against opioid manufacturers Purdue Pharma, Mallinckrodt, and Insys.

If you or someone you love is experiencing a substance use disorder, help is available. Call 800-934-1582(Who Answers?) today.

A recent Biden administration proposal to crack down on opioids is causing quite a stir among criminal and civil justice reform groups.

The administration’s new drug policy proposal aims to reduce the supply and availability of illicitly manufactured fentanyl and related substances. However, civil rights groups warn this could have a significant impact on people of color and widen racial disparities in the U.S. 

What is Fentanyl and Why Does it Matter?

Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid similar to morphine, but it is 50-100 times more potent. It’s a prescription pain medication that’s typically used among patients who are unresponsive to other opioids. Those patients may be experiencing chronic pain from certain forms of cancer or pain from surgery. Medically prescribed fentanyl is available as a shot, lozenge, or skin patch. 

Fentanyl is also available on the black market. The illegal version of fentanyl is commonly sold in powder form and often “cut” (combined) with another substance, including methamphetamines, heroin, cocaine and other prescription pills. In fact, the United States Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) recently reported an alarming increase in the amount of fake prescription pills containing fentanyl. 

According to the DEA, drug networks are now mass-producing fake pills and selling them as legitimate prescription pills. In 2021, the DEA seized 9.5 million counterfeit pills containing fentanyl, a number that jumped by 430 percent since 2019. As a result, unsuspecting Americans are overdosing in record numbers.

The DEA reports two out of every five fake pills sold on the black market now contain a potentially lethal dose of fentanyl.

Drug overdose deaths involving fentanyl are now the most common type of overdose in the United States, accounting for 59 percent of all fatal overdoses. This figure has risen drastically since 2010, when fentanyl was responsible for 14.3 percent of the drug overdose deaths.

While the COVID-19 pandemic has contributed to record high overdose deaths, the government also sees the importance of expanding the nation’s public health approach to substance use disorders in hopes of reducing overdose deaths. The new drug policy seeks to do that.

Key Points From Biden’s New Drug Policy

In September 2021, various government departments (Office National Drug Control Policy, Department of Health and Human Services, Department of Justice) presented recommendations to Congress in an effort by the Biden-Harris Administration to reduce the supply of fentanyl-related substances. This proposal also sought to protect civil rights and reduce barriers to scientific research for all schedule I substances.

Dr. Rachel Levine, Assistant Secretary for Health at the Department of Health and Human Services explained that expanding the nation’s public health approach to substance use disorders is essential. According to Levine, the proposal prioritizes comprehensive public health approaches that include expanding access to evidence-based treatment. The Biden administration’s recommendations “can help address the increasing rates of drug overdose deaths, primarily those related to synthetic opioids like fentanyl.”

The 2022 budget would provide a $41 billion investment in advancing a public-health approach to the overdose epidemic. The money would be invested in national drug program agencies, expansion of prevention, addiction treatment, harm reduction, and recovery support services. 

The key points of the proposal are:

• Permanently place all fentanyl and fentanyl-related substances (FRS) into schedule I of the Controlled Substances Act, giving law enforcement more tools to respond to illicit fentanyl manufacture and distribution
• Exclude FRS from all quantity-related mandatory minimum penalties
• Ensure courts can reduce the sentence of an individual involved in an offence related to FRS
• Expand research of scheduled substances to advance public policy
• Monitor the changes and their impact on research, civil rights, and illicit supply, and manufacturing of FRS

The Drug Policy and Racial Disparities

While this sounds like a noble undertaking on paper, the reality is that it is typically people of color who are treated unfairly when it comes to drugs.

Sakira Cook, who closely follows issues for the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, told NPR that this won’t bode well for people of color. “Since the inception of the war on drugs, African Americans and Latino people have borne the brunt of enforcement-first approaches,” said Cook. 

A staggering 70 percent of defendants charged with fentanyl-related crimes have been people of color, according to Cook. What’s even more troubling is that people of color have disproportionately been affected by overdose deaths, with non-Hispanic Blacks facing the highest increase in opioid-related deaths. Between 2014 and 2017 death rates among non-Hispanic Black people involving opioids increased  818 percent.

Leading this opposition is the Drug Policy Alliance (DPA), who stated in a letter to congress that they were deeply distressed by the Biden-Harris Administration proposal to combat the overdose crisis. They asked that Congress reject the proposal because it leans heavily on law enforcement and not on evidence-based public health solutions to solve the overdose epidemic.

They reminded Congress of the fact that FRS were classified back in 2018, yet overdoses continued to skyrocket. Despite the administration’s stated desire to use evidence-based public health interventions, the DPA pointed out that scheduling is not science-based and endorses criminalization of drug use instead of treatment.

According to the DPA, the administration’s proposal minimizes potential harms caused by scheduling. They say a public health approach grounded in expanding access to harm reduction instead of arrest and incarceration would be a more effective solution. The DPA’s letter urged the administration to let the scheduling expire and embrace public health solutions instead.

The DPA suggests a number of public health solutions to effectively combat the opioid overdose crisis, including:

• Provide individuals with access to life-saving tools (like naloxone) and related education
• Provide evidence-based treatment 
• Use medication assisted treatment
• Utilize syringe service programs
• Promote overdose prevention programs
• Provide drug checking tools so substances can be tested for fentanyl before use

Overall, opponents to Biden’s proposed opioid drug policy suggest the administration should turn to science instead of fear when combating this public health crisis.

If you or someone you love is experiencing a substance use disorder, help is available. Call 800-934-1582(Who Answers?) today.

Picture it: There are 100 people standing in front of you. All of them have a substance abuse disorder. You ask them to raise their hand if they started using drugs before the age of 18.

90 hands go up.

What does the show of hands prove? Age matters. In fact, it’s a staggering statistic. Nine out of ten people – a whopping 90 percent – who have a substance use disorder first used drugs before they were 18 years old. We already know that drug use impacts your brain, but using for the first time at a young age places you at higher risk for addiction later in life.

The conclusion: A good way to prevent addiction is to delay first use.

Why Does Your Age Matter?

In short, it matters because of gray matter. The brain. Let’s take a sneak peek inside the brain of Josh, a 14-year-old boy, for some insight.

Wow – there’s a lot going on in here! The walls are constantly shifting. Neurons are firing everywhere. New information is being downloaded and processed quickly and efficiently.

In the time we’ve been in here, Josh has learned how to say “I love video games” in three different languages. And take a look at that section over there – it’s in overdrive. That’s the emotional part of the brain. It’s way more active than this region over here, which is the rational part.

Josh’s brain is typical of any healthy teenager’s brain. It is rapidly developing. It is constantly learning and changing, and will continue to do so until Josh is in his early to mid-20s. His brain is far more capable of learning new things than an adult’s brain. But it’s also far more susceptible to damage.

Now let’s take a peek inside the brain of an adult who started using substances in his teen years.

Hmm…there is less gray matter in here than there should be, especially in certain areas. There are fewer neurons, which means those areas have reduced ability. And this brain has learned to seek and crave drugs.

How Does Drug Use Impact Your Brain?

Researchers have been peeking into brains for decades to learn more about teen brain development and the effects of substance use on adolescents. And they’ve made some eye-opening discoveries.

• They’re irrational: The rational part of a teen’s brain (that controls impulses and decision making) is not fully developed. In fact, it’s one of the last areas to fully develop. This won’t happen until age 25.
• They’re emotional: Teen brains work differently than adult brains. Adults rely on their prefrontal cortex (the rational part). Since teen’s haven’t developed this part yet, they use their amygdala, the emotional part of the brain, to process information and make decisions. (Ah, so that’s why they’re so dramatic!)
• They’re fast: Teen brains are fast. Every region is more active now than it will be when they are older. Their brains build connections quickly, allowing them to learn things more easily than adults.
• They learn (addiction) quickly: Since addiction is a form of learning, it’s easier for teens to learn addiction, too. Like memorizing state capitals or new vocabulary words, the repeated stimulus of drugs teaches the brain. Only instead of learning useful information, the brain is learning to seek those substances.

The substances stimulate the brain in the reward-seeking center, so the teen’s brain learns to seek this same reward in the future. And because teens are so efficient at learning, this process happens quickly, so they can become addicted faster than adults. It’s clear: drug use impacts your brain.

• They suffer: When teens introduce drugs to their fragile, developing brains, there are long-term effects. Research suggests that early drug use may alter brain maturation, cause lasting impairments, and increase the likelihood of developing a substance use disorder.

The Bottom Line for Your Brain

Judging from the evidence, we know age matters when it comes to drug use. And people who start using substances at a younger age put themselves at higher risk for long-term issues, including addiction.

So what’s the takeaway? It’s important to delay first use as long as possible. Protect that growing, delicate brain. Give it time to mature and develop without interference from damaging substances. This could be one of the best ways to prevent addiction later in life.

If you or someone you love is experiencing a substance use disorder, help is available. Call 800-934-1582(Who Answers?) today.

“I just need a way out of my head. I’ll do anything for a way out of my head.”

These are the lyrics from Mac Miller’s platinum track “Come Back To Earth.” The song’s album, Swimming, achieved platinum status in February of 2021 – two and a half years after the rapper’s death.

It was Miller’s first album to go platinum.

Why didn’t Miller live to see his own success? Because on September 4, 2018, he was given counterfeit oxycodone pills. The drugs contained fentanyl, which is deadly in even the smallest doses.

Apparently unaware of the fentanyl laced into of the pills, Miller overdosed three days later. He died on September 7 from what the coroner labeled “mixed drug toxicity” – a combination of fentanyl, alcohol, and cocaine.

He was just 26 years old.

Dealer Knowingly Provided Pills Laced With Fentanyl 

Fast forward to October 2021. Miller’s songs are going double platinum, and the dealer who supplied the fentanyl-laced drugs has pled guilty of the crime. The dealer, Stephen Andrew Walter, now faces up to 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $1 million.

What happened, exactly?

According to the plea, Walter told a drug runner to give counterfeit oxycodone pills containing fentanyl to Miller’s dealer, who then provided them to Miller.

Walter admits he knew the pills “contained fentanyl or some other federally controlled substance.”

The plea also notes that, if it weren’t for the fentanyl in the pills, Miller would not have died from an overdose. But, because Walter supplied the laced drugs, Miller suffered a fatal overdose three days after receiving them.

Walter’s plea is guilty to one count of distributing fentanyl. The dealer and runner have also been charged.

Mac Miller’s Struggle With Opioid Addiction

Mac Miller, born Malcolm James McCormick, released five rap albums before his death. He was open about his struggle with sobriety, and his lyrics frequently referenced substance abuse.

Just four months before his fatal overdose, Miller crashed into a light pole while driving under the influence. Miller reported that the experience changed his perspective on life. But it clearly didn’t push him to total sobriety.

Miller was preparing to take his newest album, Swimming, on tour when the fentanyl-laced drugs landed in his hands. In one of his last interviews before the overdose, the rapper noted, “There’s pressure. A lot of times in my life I’ve put this pressure to hold myself to the standard of being whatever I thought I was supposed to be, or how I was supposed to be perceived. And that creates pressure.”

When asked what he would tell his younger self, Miller replied, “I would just tell myself to worry a little less and…don’t create all of this weight for things. Everything has so much weight, but it’s all just chapters. It’s all just pieces of the story. There’s gonna be a next part.”

Too Many Americans Never Made It to the Next Chapter

Miller was just one of nearly 30,000 people who died of opioid-related overdoses in 2018. The next year, the total jumped to 50,000.

This year, drug enforcement agencies are reporting unprecedented amounts of fentanyl in the drugs they confiscate. And stress from the ongoing pandemic seems to be escalating the crisis.

Between May 2019 and May 2020, there were over 81,000 drug overdose deaths in the U.S. That’s a record-breaker for any 12-month period, according to the CDC.

What’s next? Will we see the numbers continue to rise? Will we find new solutions to reach people and prevent future deaths like Mac Miller’s?

We’ll let his words speak for themselves:

“Somehow we gotta find a way

No matter how many miles it takes

I know it feels so good right now

But it all come fallin’ down.”

~“Ladders” by Mac Miller

Get help today at 800-934-1582(Who Answers?) to learn about treatment programs for drug and alcohol addiction.

Darknet fentanyl. A 10-month investigation across three continents. Dozens of law enforcement agencies. This was no small operation.

And it paid off.

After careful coordination among nine countries, operation “Dark HunTor” took 500 pounds of illicit drugs off the market – along with $32 million in cash and 45 firearms.

The far-reaching drug enforcement operation was designed to send a message to people peddling illegal drugs: “There is no dark internet.”

No More Hiding in the Dark for Darknet Fentanyl

The dark web has become a playground for online peddling of pills laced with fentanyl.

Dealers have found new ways to push drugs, post their offerings, and package them like any other online purchase.

“Today, we face new and increasingly dangerous threats as drug traffickers expand into the digital world and use the Darknet to sell dangerous drugs like fentanyl,” noted Administrator Ann Milgram of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).

When researchers interviewed dealers on the dark web, they discovered that it has (seemingly) offered a “safe” space for illegal sales, attracting new criminals and illegal “entrepreneurs.”

One respondent admitted, “I hadn’t ever thought about selling drugs in any capacity because I dislike violence… I was always too scared and slightly nerdy to do that and never really contemplated it seriously until the dark web.”

Another boasted, “Selling offline is borderline stupid. You can make so much more money online, the risks [in selling outside cryptomarkets] aren’t even remotely worth it.”

Finally Holding Internet Criminals Accountable

This recent operation led to a staggering 150 arrests – so far. Jean-Philippe Lecouffe, deputy director of operations for Europol, reports that the investigation is ongoing, and will likely lead to even more arrests. He noted, “Each time we arrest people, each time we search a house, we find new leads.”

Lecouffe explained, “The point of operations such as the one today is to put criminals operating on the dark web on notice: the law enforcement community has the means and global partnerships to unmask them and hold them accountable for their illegal activities, even in areas of the dark web.”

Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division also noted, “The men and women of the department’s Criminal Division, in close collaboration with our team of interagency and international partners, stand ready to leverage all our resources to protect our communities through the pursuit of those who profit from opioid addiction, under the false belief that they are anonymous on the Darknet.”

IRS Criminal Investigation Chief Jim Lee added, “The Darknet no longer provides a concealing cloak for criminals to operate.”

Darknet Fentanyl Dealers Busted Around the World

Operation Dark HunTor included coordinated efforts among agencies in the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, Bulgaria, France, Germany, Switzerland, the Netherlands, and Italy. The investigation and resulting arrests exposed key players in the illicit online drug market. The 150 arrests included 65 in the U.S., 47 in Germany, and 24 in the United Kingdom.

What kinds of dealings did the operation discover? In Monaco, officials exposed home-bound drug makers who produced deadly-disguised pills. Using special presses, they could create pills that resemble legitimate medication. Another piece of the investigation uncovered operations based in Florida and Rhode Island that “advertised and sold pressed fentanyl pills throughout the United States.” Lecouffe reports that the long list of suspects arrested includes some “long-sought, high-value targets.”

Deputy Attorney General Monaco noted, “Operation Dark HunTor prevented countless lives from being lost to this dangerous trade in illicit and counterfeit drugs, because one pill can kill.” And that’s no exaggeration. Just two milligrams of fentanyl can be fatal. And dealers often lace their drugs with far more than the lethal amount.

“These drug traffickers are flooding the United States with deadly, fake pills, driving the U.S. overdose crisis, spurring violence, and threatening the safety and health of American communities,” said Milgram. “DEA’s message today is clear: criminal drug networks operating on the Darknet, trying to hide from law enforcement, can no longer hide. DEA, the U.S. interagency, and our valued international partners are committed to dismantling drug networks wherever they are, including the Darknet.”

If you or someone you love is experiencing a substance use disorder, help is available. Call 800-934-1582(Who Answers?) today.

When does drug use become drug abuse?

What does it look like to cross the line from medication to dependency?

How can you tell if you or a loved one needs help with opioid addiction?

How about we take the guesswork out of it?

Mental health professionals look to the DSM-5 for guidance, and we can too. The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (5^th edition) is the ultimate guide for professionals to diagnose mental health disorders. This tool, published by the American Psychological Association (APA), includes over 150 mental disorders, and explains the symptoms, risk factors, and criteria for each.

One of these disorders is opioid use disorder (OUD).

Based on the following 11 symptoms, OUD is diagnosed as mild (2-3 symptoms), moderate (4-5 symptoms) or severe (6 or more symptoms). Watch for two or more of these red flags to know if it’s time for you or a loved one to seek help with opioid addiction.

Recognize These Red Flags for Opioid Addiction?

• Warning sign: Opioids are taken in larger amounts or over a longer period of time than intended.

Steve injured his knee playing football last year. His injury has healed, but he continues to take painkillers “just in case.”

• Warning sign: Multiple attempts have been made to stop taking opioids but with no success in reducing, controlling, or stopping use.

Rachel swore she was done with the painkillers. She threw the rest of them away, and resolved to get through the rest of the week without taking another one.

That was last month. Since then, she’s gotten more and has continued to take them every day. She just can’t seem to make it through the day without “a little help.”

• Warning sign: An excessive amount of time is spent obtaining, using, and recovering from the effects of opioids.

Jimmy doesn’t seem to have time for much anymore. He takes fewer shifts at work because he’s often too high or dope sick to work. He spends most of his nights searching online for opioids and arranging his next purchase. It’s like he’s devoting more time to the drugs than the people in his life.

• Warning sign: Cravings to use opioids are persistent.

It’s like hunger or thirst. From the moment I wake up, my body is aching for another hit. And once I use, it doesn’t stop. I start craving more right away.

• Warning sign: Opioid use makes it difficult or impossible to fulfill obligations at home, school, or work.

Natalie used to be the one everyone could count on. But now, she shows up late to work, and she often takes long breaks. She forgets appointments. Her house is a wreck. And she gave up entirely on the class she was taking. All because she’s hooked on prescription pain medication.

• Warning sign: Continued use even though the behavior causes clear social or interpersonal problems.

Bob’s boss threatened to fire him if he ever showed up to work high on drugs again. His girlfriend broke up with him because his drug use ruined their relationship. And his ex-wife threated to take away visitations with their son. But none of that changed Bob’s habits – he had no plans to stop using heroin.

• Warning sign: Participation in social, occupational, or recreational activities stops.

Sue used to be involved in a lot of things, but she didn’t seem interested anymore. She volunteered each month at the food pantry. She went out to dinner with friends on the weekends. She went to classes at the gym. Now, all of that has stopped. She just wants to stay home.

• Warning sign: Using opioids in situations that may not be safe.

No, I don’t know for sure what’s in the drugs I take at parties, but that’s ok. I’ll risk it. I bought some pills the other day from some guy online, and they turned out fine. What’s the big deal?

• Warning sign: Continued use of opioids even though it negatively affects mental or physical health.

Dave woke up in unfamiliar surroundings. He could tell he was in a hospital, but he didn’t know why?

His mom quickly came to his bedside and answered his questions. Apparently, he had overdosed last night.

“Well then,” he thought to himself, “I’ll have to be more careful next time with the number of pills I take.”

•  Warning sign: A level of tolerance is present to achieve the effects of opioids.

I remember when one pill sent me flying. Now, I have to take several to get that same feeling. It’s getting pretty expensive to keep this up.

• Warning sign: Withdrawal symptoms are experienced when opioid use stops.

Kevin seemed anxious. He was sweating, and he couldn’t sit still. When I asked him what was wrong, he quickly said he was fine. But he seemed nauseated, and his eyes didn’t look right, either. He explained that he had run out of medicine and just needed to get a refill – then he would feel better.

Recognizing It’s Time to Seek Help for Opioid Use Disorder

Opioid addiction is challenging, but remember that effective treatment options exist. If you (or a loved one) are currently using opioids, knowing how to recognize the signs can be life-saving. Don’t wait for OUD to worsen. Help is available now.

If you or someone you love is experiencing a substance use disorder, help is available. Call 800-934-1582(Who Answers?) today.