Every day, millions of people turn to products with names like Red Bull, Monster or Redline for a burst of energy that will (if the advertisement prove correct) help give them an energy boost and enhance their focus.  While the claims of these products is still up for debate in terms of validity, many drug addiction professionals are becoming concerned that they made lead to something much worse.

A recent study by the American College of Health found that individuals who consumed multiple energy drinks each week were much more likely to engage in other damaging behaviors such as cigarette smoking and the abuse of prescription drugs.

While it is hard to prove a causational link between the two behaviors, another study from the Journal of Drug and Alcohol Dependence raised more serious concerns by associated heavy energy drink usage with caffiene toxicity and eventually, addiction to stimulants and other hard drugs.

Both these studies are still making their way through the scientific community, but whether or not they lead more findings, there is no denying that energy drink consumption, when not in moderation, can lead to a variety of health problems, including:

• Dehydration
• Kidney failure
• Heart failure
• Seizures
• Coma

Energy drinks have drawn the attention of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in recent years, so watch for more studies about the potential health hazards of these “wonder drinks.”

Obviously, these problems (and the link to drug addiction) are not applicable to the majority of individuals who consume energy drinks.  However, if you or someone you know has seen their health suffer as a result of their addiction to energy drinks, stimulants such as amphetamines or cocaine, or any other drug, it is important to contact a drug rehab facility immediately.

In October, the Drug Enforcement Agency’s travelling museum exhibit, Target America: Opening Eyes to the Damage Drugs Cause, made it’s way to Los Angeles for an extended run at the city’s California Science Center.

The exhibit is a truly unique way to spread the word to kids age 11 and up that drugs can destroy the bodies and their future.

Some of the highlights of the exhibit include:

• A “drug running” tunnel that kids can crawl through to gain an understanding of the dangers of the narcotics trade.
• A chance to shoot basketballs into a hoop while wearing 3D glasses to help simulate the effects of drugs.
• Recreated scenes from the “drug lifestyle” to design to put a scare into kids about the problems caused by addiction.

The DEA and local museums around the country are to be commended on this effort to reach kids outside of the classroom in a manner that speaks to them in a language they can understand.  Kids are at the greatest risk for developing a drug addiction - the impact of which can mean health and social problems that follow them on through adulthood.

If you know a child who is experimenting with drugs, or has developed a substance abuse problem, contact a teen-friendly drug rehab program in your area immediately.

OxyContin addiction continues to be a significant drug problem in the United States.  Here are eight things everyone should know about this powerful prescription painkiller.

1. OxyContin is prescribed by doctors only for their patients who are suffering from high levels of pain as a result of illness, injury or surgery.

2. OxyContin is a time-release drug, meaning that it should only be taken orally when prescribed by a doctor thus allowing the active ingredients to be released into the bloodstream over time.

3. OxyContin is VERY dangerous when misued.  Individuals who snort or inject OxyContin are releasing all of the active ingredients at once, which can lead to overdose.

4. OxyContin Addiction is very similar to Heroin Addiction given the opiate nature of both drugs and the highly addictive qualities found in each.

5. Individuals who enter OxyContin rehab must undergo drug detox before beginning the program.  During detox, the toxins found in OxyContin are given a chance to leave the body.

6. Counseling plays a very important role in the treatment of treatment of OxyContin Addiction.  Individuals in OxyContin rehab will likely take part in both individual and group counseling.

7. Just because OxyContin is a doctor-prescribed medication does not make it safe.  There is just as high a risk of overdose using OxyContin as for “street drugs” if abused or taken incorrectly.

8. Young people find OxyContin and other prescription medications at home.  The medicine cabinets of friends and family members provide a ready source for dangerous prescription drugs.  Adults are urged to throw away old prescription medications or keep current prescriptions under lock and key.

If you or someone you know is addicted to OxyContin, there are drug rehab programs that can help!  Talk to an addiction treatment center in your area for more information.

According to a recent report released by the drug recovery group Narconon, teenagers who engage in alcohol abuse are more likely to become addicted to alcohol or drugs as adults than their peers who do not drink.

The report shines a light on the perception of alcohol consumption among teens as a “rite of passage” or even as “harmless fun” in some social circles.

The fact remains that underage alcohol consumption is against the law and the report from Narconon only serves to reinforce the seriousness of the teen alcohol abuse problem.

If you want to keep your children away from alcohol, there are some simple things you can do to make a difference in their lives, including:

• Lead by example - don’t drink large quantities of alcohol around your children.   Don’t get interbreated in their presence.
• Don’t have alcohol around the house - or at the very least, place it in a locked cabinet that the children cannot access.
• Talk to your kids about the dangers of alcohol - this is the absolute best way to make sure that your kids make good decisions about drinking for the rest of their lives.

If your teenage has an alcohol addiction, it is crucial to get them the help they need to turn their situation around.  Find an alcohol treatment center that understands the special needs of teenagers and adolescents and get them enrolled today.

Well known entertainer and former WHAM lead singer George Michael is back in trouble with the law after being arrested for possession of crack cocaine in Hamstead Heath, a park near the singer’s London home.

The arrest marks the latest brush with the law for the singer, who battle drug addiction for many years.

Although Michael apologized to his fans, his act seems to wearing thin as this arrest barely registered in Britain’s tabloid-crazy media.

Over the past decade George Michael has been criminally invovled with incidents involving marijuana, ectsasy and other drugs.   Add to this his arrest for lewd behavior is a public bathroom and you have a celebrity who either cares little about his public personna, or has a very real drug addiction problem that requires professional help immediately.

If you or someone you love is struggling with drug addiction, contact a drug rehab facility in your area.   Drug rehab programs help save lives and give all their patients a chance to start their lives again.

The hit VH1 reality show Celebrity Rehab kicks off its second season on October 23^rd and brings with it a new batch of famous people from the world of entertainment who have set their careers aside to work with host Dr. Drew Pinsky in an effort to achieve recovery from alcohol and drug addiction.

The cast includes the return of former Taxi star Jeff Conway, who has faced a series of setbacks since his last appearance on the show including several back surgeries that have caused him to relapse into his habitual use of pain medications.  Joining him in the rehab program are a wide variety of celebs including:

• Sean Stewart (Sons of Hollywood)
• Amber Smith (model/actress)
• Rodney King
• Nikki McKibbin (American Idol)
• Steven Adler (Guns n Roses)
• Tawny Kitaen (Actress).

Perhaps the most notable appearance of the season will come from actor Gary Busey.  The actor is over a decade removed from his cocaine addiction, but will take the other residents on what is being billed as a “spiritual journey” and share experiences from his own recovery.

Questions about the quality of the show remain, but certainly anything that raises awareness about the availability and effectiveness of quality alcohol and drug rehab programs can’t be all bad.

Celebrity Rehab will run for 8 episodes every Thursday beginning on October 23^rd.

When Cindy McCain is asked about the causes she would champion as first-lady if her husband John McCain wins the presidency in November, the Anheuser-Busch beer distributorship heiress is quick to put prescription painkiller addiction at the top of the list.

That’s because she herself struggled with a Vicodin and Percocet abuse problem for several years, beginning in 1989 after injuring her back, until 1992 when she was confronted about the matter by her parents.

While there are certainly many concerns about both parties’ efforts to combat drug abuse and provide funding for drug addiction treatment programs, any public figure - Republican or Democrat - who draws attention to these causes would seem to represent a step in the right direction.

However, recent controversy over one of Ms. McCain’s doctors and a charity she sponsored that sent American physicians to third world nations around the globe has shed a negative light on the entire affair.  Even more relevant are the character issues John McCain has been forced to face since he had to admit he was not regularly present in the home during much of this dark time for the family.

As the press turns more of its attention to the personal histories of both Presidential candidates, one can only imagine that Senator McCain and Cindy McCain will be forced to answer more in depth questions about the “painkiller period” in their lives.

Individuals who are struggling with prescription painkiller addiction should contact a drug rehab facility immediately.  The professionals at these treatment facilities can help individuals overcome the physical and psychological components of addiction - and get a new lease on life.

AMC’s hit show Breaking Bad stars Bryan Cranston as Walter White, a high school chemistry teacher with a mountain of bills and a cancer diagnosis that has given him two years to live.  In order to make ends meet, and breathe some excitement into his mundane life, he turns to crystal meth production.

Soon, the mild-mannered Walter is engaged in gun-play, drug running and even murder.

The show pulls few punches, and is extremely graphic in its subject matter, especially considering that it is run on a channel that is part of the basic cable package.

But how realistic is the portrayal of drug addiction, specifically crystal meth addiction, on Breaking Bad?  Does the show glamorize the use and sale of the drug?  Does it provide a proper deterrent for young people who are considering taking crystal meth, or even selling it?  Or does it provide an impartial look at the realities of drug addiction in the United States?

The result is kind of a mixture of all three, leaving us to consider the pros and cons of the show.

Pros of Breaking Bad

• A gritty portrayal of the crystal meth production business
• A hard look at the desperation of those addicted to crystal meth
• Does not create any “saints” among those involved in the crystal meth distribution process.

Cons of Breaking Bad

• Excuses drug sales as a means of supporting one’s family
• Does not spend nearly enough time dealing with the individual fall out of crystal meth use
• Portrays teens and kids at risk using dark comedy that could distract from the seriousness of their real-life counterparts situations.

If you or someone you love is struggling with crystal meth addiction, contact a drug rehab facility in your area.  The professionals at a drug rehabilitation program can help motivated individuals break the cycle of addiction.

A small town in central India has recently taken their fight against drug addiction to some rather extreme measures.

The village of Bongaon, India has decided to bar all male drug addicts who live in the town from becoming married.

Inexpensive drugs and a high unemployment rate have led a high percentage of young men in the area to become addicted to heroin, marijuana and other drugs - which consequently led to the passage of this unique law.

To those who live in the Western portion of the world, this penalty may seem odd and even a bit ineffective.  But Indian culture places great emphasis on marriage, in particular arranged marriage, which can impact the long-term financial health of the entire family.  Under the new ordinance, parents are forbidden from offering their daughters’ hands in marriage to any young man who is a known or convicted drug offender.

Just as accountability is an important part of helping break the cycle of addiction, so too is drug rehabilitation.  A top drug rehab program can help individuals around the world address both the physical and psychological components of addiction.    This is accomplished through:

• Drug detox
• Individual counseling
• Group counseling
• General wellness and health programs
• Aftercare

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.