September is National Alcohol and Drug Addiction Recovery Month. Sponsored by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s (SAMHSA) Center for Substance AbuseTreatment (CSAT), Recovery Month provides a platform to celebrate people in recovery from drug and alcohol addiction and those who support them. Now in its 18th year, the annual observance is celebrated…
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…
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…
Results from a national survey of more than 1,000 human resource professionals nationwide found that 67% consider addiction and substance abuse to be among the most serious problems in the workplace. Released by the nonprofit Hazelden Foundation, the survey also showed that employer policies and practices are not fully addressing the problem. Only 22% of…
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…
About 35 – 40 attorneys and staff from Pierce Atwood LLP’s Portland office were at Crossroads for Women for Women’s Windham, ME facility yesterday as part of their annual Day of Community Service. The crew worked hard all day painstakingly clearing bamboo, painting inside and out, gardening, mulching, planting, among other projects. Their hard work…
As mentioned in an earlier blog post, Crossroads for Women for Women was chosen by Pierce Atwood LLP to be involved with its annual Day of Community Service. The event was supposed to take place today, but bad weather has postponed the day until Tuesday, July 24th. Mainers in the Greater Portland area can, however,…
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…
