Category Archives: Addiction

Addiction often begins with a beautiful boy or girl

By Dr. Robert DuPont in StatNews  In the American mind, drug addiction happens only to people “born under a bad sign.” That’s just not true. Worse, it implies that success in life protects individuals from addiction. Throughout my 50-year career working on drug abuse prevention and treatment, I’ve often seen drug addiction befall every kind of person.

That’s one reason I have been urging people to see “Beautiful Boy,” a new film about the relationship between a good father and his good son as the teenager dives into addiction. Continue reading Addiction often begins with a beautiful boy or girl

What is the evidence for medical marijuana to treat the addiction epidemic?

The Marijuana Policy Project promotes their drug as a substitute for opiate pain pills.  Like the worst offenders in the opiate industry, the cannabis lobby follows an addiction-for-profit business model. Their master plan needs 80% of the demand to be met by 20% of the users.  Science shows no evidence for using medical marijuana as a substitute for pain pills.

Governor David Ige of Hawaii wisely refused to cave to lobbyists, and he vetoed a measure that would have allowed medical marijuana to treat opiate addiction.

A large-scale, major study from Australia Continue reading What is the evidence for medical marijuana to treat the addiction epidemic?

Conclusion: Looking back 40 years later

Part 3, of a series about two friends who used cannabis in the ’70s.  (Read part 1, Why I hate cannabis and part 2, another direction)  Now I’m looking back at when I decided to quit, more than 40 years ago.  Note that I retired at age 60, well in advance of my original plan and also before reaching social security age. I retired comfortably, with zero debt, having no mortgage, no car payment, and no credit card debt. Amazing what a clear mind can do for a fella.

As for Don, he’s still alive. I’m glad but surprised he’s still around.  Those afflicted with schizophrenia lose 10-25 years off their lives.  Continue reading Conclusion: Looking back 40 years later