A recent report in the British newspaper The Daily Mail has found that drug deaths related to cocaine and ecstasy are up a whopping 1200% since 1993.

The study detailed several interesting pieces of information that shed light into the demographic trends of drug abuse in England - many of which can be extrapolated to drug addiction in the United States.

• Cocaine and ecstasy use is up among individuals in the 40’s or older.   The health of these individuals puts them in a higher-risk group for overdose.
• Mixing cocaine with alcohol use has become more popular in the United Kingdom.  This can create a deadly mixture called cocaine-ethynyl which has claimed the life of hundreds of individuals over the past several years.
• 293 people died in England from cocaine use last year, a shocking figure when you consider that only 23 people died from those drugs just a few short years ago.
• Heroin and morphine-related deaths are also up in England, rising to 829 in 2007 from 713 in 2006.
• Drug addiction and drug-related deaths among young people, while not decreasing has leveled off over the past few years.   The real rise in drug use is among older men and women.

As in America, celebrities in England have had their struggles with drugs and alcohol.  The tabloid industry in the United Kingdom is in many ways, even more intrusive than it is in the United States, allowing the public to see these lifestyles first-hand.  

Whether or not this is impacting drug use among older Brits remains to be seen, but one thing is for certain, you can expect demand at quality drug rehab facilities to rise in the coming years across the pond.

British film actress Helen Mirren is highly-regarded for her ability to portray almost any character with wisdom and grace.  Too bad neither of those characteristics was present when Mirren recently shared her views and personal experiences regarding cocaine.

During a lengthy interview with the British edition of GQ Magazine, Mirren said that “she used to love taking cocaine” and would do so regularly at parties during the 1970’s and1980’s.  A scare with a date rape incident while intoxicated seemingly scared Mirren straight, but she still offers up little rebuttal against the dangers of drug use.

Celebrities, and certainly those in their seventies such as Helen Mirren, do not necessarily need to be role models for young people everywhere, but they should certainly know better than to be so blasé about the things they say during public interview sessions.

Granted, Mirren lost a good deal of her credibility when the interview detoured into talk of Nazi criminals on the lam and how to best prosecute date rape offenders, but by then the damage had already been done.

Cocaine addiction was a serious problem THEN, and it is an even more serious one NOW.  In order to get help, individuals must find an effective drug rehab program to help them get clean and sober.

Mackenzie Phillips, former TV star and daughter of John Phillips of the seminal sixties band The Mama’s and the Papa’s was arrested at Los Angeles International Airport on August 28th when drugs were found in her bags during the security screening process.

This is hardly the first time Mackenzie Phillips has been in trouble with drugs or the law.  The one-time star of One Day at a Time has battled drug addiction for many years.    In 1980, she was fired from the CBS hit after a near fatal overdose.  After going through two full years of rehab, producers hired her back in 1982, only to fire her again, once and for all, after a relapse in 1983.

Obviously, she has never quite been able to overcome her problems with heroin and cocaine (despite repeated visits to top California drug rehab centers) as these were the substances found in her luggage by LAX security.

Possession of heroin and cocaine is a felony, and Phillips was later booked and transported to the jail in Van Nuys located in the San Fernando Valley.

Celebrities and non-celebrities alike need to come to terms with their drug addiction, and seek help from the best drug rehab programs at their disposal.  Addiction treatment at these drug rehab facilities helps individuals overcome the psychological and physical components of addiction - all the while giving them the decision-making skills they need to live a drug free life.

More and more young people are using prescription painkillers such as Vicodin and OxyContin as a recreational drug.  They use these painkillers for their euphoric effects and obtain them by any all means necessary.  

The problem is that buying prescription medications online, or from a drug dealer can get expensive.  Obtaining medication on the black market can cost several dollars a pill, which adds up fast when the individual develops a tolerance to the drug and must begin to take more and more of them in order to obtain the desired effect.

What’s most frightening about this trend is that when young people run out of money and pills, they turn to a similar drug, priced well within their budget - heroin.

Many people do not realize that heroin provides an effect very similar to Vicodin and other doctor-prescribed painkillers.  Once addicts learn about the similarities, they will begin taking heroin in order to get their “fix.”

This is dangerous for several reasons:

• Heroin can come to the user in stronger-than-expected or contaminated doses which may lead to overdose and even death.
• Heroin, when taken using a needle can expose the individual to a variety of deadly diseases such as HIV, AIDS or Hepatitis.
• Heroin carries with it a social stigma that carries many young people away from their family and friends and into a downward spiral that can destroy what should be the happiest years of their life.

For all these reasons, plus myriad more, contact a drug rehab facility in your area if you are taking prescription painkillers and cannot stop.

One of the fastest-growing drug addictions in Los Angeles is Adderall.  Prescribed for children with Attention Deficit Disorder and ADHD, Adderall is an amphetamine that, strangely enough, slows down the brain functioning in these young people and helps them focus more effectively in the classroom.

Image-conscious Angelinos however, have discovered a different purpose for the drug - using it as an appetite suppressant to achieve weight loss targets.  Many young female celebrities and up-and-coming models are believed to be using Adderall as a means for staying slim.  And as with most things Hollywood ingests, there is little attention paid to potential side effects. 

Of course, as with any amphetamine, there are a number of potential health consequences involved when an individual abuses Adderall, including:  developing a tolerance to the drug, heart palpitations, high blood pressure and more.

The fashionistas of Los Angeles join the ranks of students at college campuses around the country who have been using Adderall for years as a means of increasing focus during exams, and staying up for long periods of time to party or study (or both).

If you or someone you know is addicted to stimulants such as Adderall, or any other drugs, help them get their lives back on track by introducing them to a results-oriented drug rehab facility.  The counselors and medical professionals at a drug rehab center can help individuals break the cycle of addiction and move forward into a drug-free life.

Even as some U.S. government leaders claim we are on the verge of war with Iran, most Americans know very little about this isolationist Middle-Eastern country.  One thing that might surprise many people about Iran is the depth and seriousness of the drug problem within its borders.

1.       According to the Washington Post, Iran currently has the world’s highest rate of drug addiction.

2.       The United Nations reported in 2005 that Iran had the highest rate of opium addicts in the world, with over 2.5% of the population over the age of 15 having developed a dependence on the drugs.

3.       Some political reformers in Iran believe that drugs are being used by the hard line government as a tool to destroy the opposition - and claim that drug dealers are given the OK by the government to give drugs away for free on college campuses.

4.       The revenue from the illegal drug trade in Iran is almost three-quarters of that of the country’s considerable oil business.

5.       There are approximately 200,000 IV drug users in Iran.  It is believed that 50,000 of them are currently infected with HIV.

6.       Due to the fundamentalist nature of the government in Iran, there are very few drug rehab facilities, needle exchanges or education opportunities to teach young people about the dangers of drug use.

7.       Iran is a major route for the drugs that move out of Afghanistan and into Europe for mass consumption.  This is due to the small numbers of borders that need to be crossed in order to transport heroin and other illegal substances.

Addicted individuals in the United States are lucky enough to have outstanding drug rehab programs at their disposal.  If you, or someone you love has developed a substance abuse problem, contact an addiction treatment facility in your area.

Prescription drug addiction is on the rise in the United States and is showing no signs of slowing down.  But what is fueling the problem?  And are we any closer to making gains in stopping the illegal abuse of drugs such as Vicodin and OxyContin - both of which are claiming the lives of our friends and family at an alarming rate?

Here are five facts from the front lines of prescription drug abuse and addiction that show just how serious this problem has become:

1.       Death due to accidental overdose of prescription medication has just surpassed car accidents as the number one cause of accidental death of U.S. citizens aged 45 - 54.

2.       An autopsy of the late actor Heath Ledger found that was taking six different prescription medications at the time of his death.

3.       A recent federal survey found that in 2007, almost 7 million American abused prescription drugs, which is more than cocaine, heroin, LSD, ecstasy, and marijuana combined.

4.       Over 60% of all United States college students have been given a chance to try prescription drug illicitly by their third year of college.

5.       Fraud involving illegal prescriptions for prescription drugs cost insurance carriers almost 73 billion dollars per year according to a report published in 2008.

Individuals with a prescription drug addiction need quality care to help them break the cycle of addiction.  If you or someone you love is struggling with a dependence on prescription medications, contact a drug treatment center in your area and learn about the options available to you.

Drugs have been a problem in our high schools for decades now.  But one thing that never seems to change is that wherever there are teenagers, there will be substance abuse and addiction issues.  What has changed is the different types of substances that teenage kids are using to get high.

Consider the following information from the University of Michigan

Most commonly abused drug by High School Seniors in 1975 (% who have tried the drug)

1. Marijuana (47.3%)

2. Amphetamines (22.3%)

3. Tranquilizers (17.0%)

4. LSD (11.3%)

5. Cocaine (9.0%)

Now let’s look at the top 5 from 2006

1. Marijuana (42.3%)

2. Opiates - Heroin, Vicodin, OxyContin (14.4%)

3. Amphetamines (12.8%)

4. Inhalants (11.2%)

5. Cocaine (8.5%)

It is interesting to note that opiates and inhalants have made significant gains over the past several years, while marijuana has continued to remain atop the list.  Also, in 1975 the amphetamines kids were taking were traditional “uppers”, but in 2006 the majority of amphetamines used were crystal meth - a far more dangerous drug.

If your child is struggling with drug abuse, get help immediately by contacting the caring professionals at a drug rehab and addiction treatment center in your area that works spefically with teens.

Comedian Andy Dick has joined a growing list of celebrities who have recently entered into a televised drug rehab program.  Dick, known for his outlandish antics and frequent reality show appearances, and was recently the focal point of several embarrassing incidents around Los Angeles, will join the cast of Sober Living, a new show that is a quasi-spinoff of the VH1 hit program Celebrity Rehab with Dr. Drew.

Andy Dick has come under fire in recent years for his rumored involvement in the death of Bryn Hartman and her husband, legendary comedian Phil Hartman.  Many people throughout Hollywood believe that is was Dick who gave Ms. Hartman the drugs which set her off a rampage which ended with the shooting death of her husband.  Recently, comedian Jon Levitz even punched out Dick at a comedy club because he was gloating about the incident.

While celebrities prefer the spotlight, everyone with a drug or alcohol addiction is urged to find a quality rehab program in their area.

Many people believe that the United States is home to worst drug problem in the world.  And while images from the evening news all over America would certainly lead one to that assumption, there are actually much more severe addiction and trafficking situation found elsewhere around the planet.  Here are seven countries that have it bad when it comes to drugs.

Russia

Intravenous drug use has become a huge problem in Russia - especially among teenagers and young adults.  In addition to the drug problem itself, this situation has led to one of the fastest growing HIV/AIDS epidemics on the planet.  Rates of these diseases (caused by sharing dirty needles) have risen faster than anywhere outside of sub-Saharan Africa.

Iran

Heroin addiction has hit Iran hard, and the fundamental Islamic presence in the country has kept many of the addicted from receiving proper treatment.  Recently, health officials and community groups had to fight just to open a methadone treatment clinic in the country.  HIV/AIDS are also a growing problem in Iran.

Afghanistan

The number one produced of the opium that fuels heroin is a country torn to shreds by drugs.  World surveys have concluded that an unbelievable 90% of all heroin used in Europe can be traced back to this tiny mountainous country.  In addition to trafficking, the country also has a serious heroin addiction problem, with a large percentage of the adult population struggling with a dependence on the drug - and lacking in the proper drug rehab programs to treat it.

The United States

The U.S. is not a big producer or trafficker of drugs, but it is among the world’s top users of illicit substances.  Americans are at the greatest risk for drug related deaths and currently have the most serious cocaine and crystal meth problems in the world.

Great Britain

England has a high accidental overdose rate and is one of the number one users of hard drugs such as cocaine and heroin in Europe.  Social mores in the United Kingdom find teenagers and even pre-teens experimenting with highly dangerous drugs at an early age.