Substance abuse in the workplace is a major concern for employers. But, how can you tell if an employee has a problem with drugs or alcohol? Following are signs that an employee may have a substance abuse problem: Performance Signs: * Inconsistent quality of work * Lowered productivity * Extended lunch periods and early departures…
A national study that analyzes parental attitudes and behaviors towards teen drug use is reporting a 12% decrease in “frequent discussions,” defined as 4 or more, about drug and alcohol abuse between parents and teens. The 2006 Partnership Attitude Tracking Study (PATS), conducted by the Partnership for a Drug-Free America, showed that only about half…
Lindsay Lohan reached a plea agreement on Thursday, stemming from misdemeanor drunken driving and cocaine charges, that will land her 1 day in jail. Lohan also received 36 months probation, 10 days of community service and is required to complete an 18-month alcohol education program, a drug treatment program, and pay hundreds of dollars in…
Maine Attorney General Steven Rowe and attorneys general from 27 other states, Guam and the District of Columbia sent a letter on Monday to the federal Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau to complain about the advertising of certain caffeinated beers. The letter specifically named 4 products (Bud Extra, Sparks, Liquid Charge and Liquid…
CNN recently had a story on its website listing the “must-haves for effective rehab.” The story was part of the weekly column, “Empowered Patient,” from CNN Medical News correspondent Elizabeth Cohen. The story listed the top 5 things to look for when shopping around for a residential rehabilitation program. According to the column, these 5…
Crossroads for Women for Women staff and two former clients are excited to appear on Sound Ecology, an hour-long public affairs radio show, tomorrow (Wednesday, 8/8) evening. The show airs on Greater Portland’s community radio station, WMPG, each Wednesday evening. The live show will be on the air from 7:30pm until 8:30pm. During the hour,…
Lindsay Lohan’s latest troubles have everyone talking, from the gossip columnists to addiction experts. Will Lohan go to jail after being arrested for her second DUI? Is she, along with other celebrities like Britney Spears, Nicole Richie and Mel Gibson, giving rehab a bad name? Was the alcohol-monitoring ankle bracelet a publicity ploy? In contrast,…
A new study by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) shows that most of the country’s approximately 15 million heavy alcohol users and 16.4 million current illicit drug users hold full-time jobs. The report, Worker Substance Use Policies and Programs, reveals that the highest rates of current heavy alcohol use were found…
There have been some great pieces in the media recently regarding drug and alcohol addiction that are worth taking a look or listen. On July 10, 2007, Nora Volkow, director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), was interviewed on the NPR show Fresh Air. Volkow argues that science shows everyone has the potential…
The Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) recently passed legislation to recognize addiction as a disease and change the names of two national institutes. Senate Bill 1011, the Recognizing Addiction as a Disease Act of 2007, was introduced by Senator Biden (D-DE) with original co-sponsors Senator Kennedy (D-MA) and Senator Enzi (R-WY).…
