Commonly Abused RX Drugs

Spirit Filled or Drug Filled – Part 3: Commonly Abused RX Drugs

Written by: Dr. George Crabb

Issue: October Blogs

Good day in the Lord Jesus Christ! The last two weeks we discussed Bath Salts and Club Drugs. Today in our blog we are going to take a closer look at the abuse of prescription drugs. Over the course of the next four weeks we will look at:
#1 Marijuana
#2 Spice (Synthetic Marijuana)
#3 Salvia
#4 MDMA (Ecstasy)
It is God’s desire that He completely sanctify every aspect of our lives – spirit, soul, and body – according to I Thessalonians 5:23. God desires to direct our thoughts, our words, and our actions – this is called being “filled with the Spirit” Ephesians 5:18.
As children of God, our bodies are the temple of the Holy Ghost (I Corinthians 6:19). With this in mind we are to glorify God in our bodies because our bodies belong to Him (I Corinthians 6:20). A child of God dishonors God when they introduce into their body (which belongs to God) harmful substances. These substances are not only physically and soulically harmful, but they also diminish our sobriety which in turn decreases the Spirit’s ability to completely control our lives. When we partake of any of these substances, no matter how little it may be, we start the process of becoming filled with them and less filled with the Spirit.
I pray that all of us will attempt, by the grace of God, to live a Spirit filled life and that none of these substances will ever take away the power of God in our lives.

Commonly Abused Prescription Drugs

Medications can be effective when they are used properly, but some can be addictive and dangerous when abused. The following list of prescribed medications has the potential for adverse medical consequences, including addiction.
Opiates:        Codiene – Tylenol #3, many cough suppressants.
Morphine – MS Contin, Roxanol, Duramorph.
Methadone – Dolophine
Fentanyl – Duragesic
Oxycodone – OxyContin, Percocet
Hydrocodone – Vicodin, Norco, Lortab
Hydromorphone – Dilaudid
Barbituates:  Fiorcet, Amytal, Phenobarbital
Benzodiazepines:  Ativan, Valium, Xanax, Klonopin
Sleeping Medications: Ambien, Lunesta, Sonata
Stimulants:  Amphetamines – Adderall, Dexedrine
Methylphenidate – Concerta, Ritalin

In 2010, approximately 16 million Americans reported using prescription drugs for nonmedical reasons in the past year; 7 million in the past month.

How Are Prescription Drugs Abused?

Prescription drugs may be abused in one of the following ways:
#1 Taking a medication that has been prescribed for somebody else. Unaware of the dangers of sharing medications, people often unknowingly contribute to this form of abuse by sharing their unused pain relievers with their family members.
Note: Most teenagers who abuse prescription drugs are given them for free by a friend or relative.
#2 Taking a drug in higher quantity or in another manner than prescribed. Most prescription drugs are dispensed orally in tablets, but abusers sometimes crush the tablets and snort or inject the powder. This hastens the entry of the drug into the bloodstream and the brain and amplifies its effects.
#3 Taking a drug for another purpose than prescribed. All of the drug types mentioned can produce pleasurable effects at sufficient quantities, so taking them for the purpose of getting high is one of the main reasons people abuse them.
ADHD drugs like Adderall are also often abused by students seeking to improve their academic performance. However, although they boost alertness, there is little evidence they improve cognitive functioning for those without a medical condition.

How Do Prescription Drugs Affect the Brain?

Stimulants such as Ritalin achieve their effects by acting on the same neurotransmitter systems as cocaine. Opiod pain relievers such as OxyContin attach to the same cell receptors targeted by illegal Opiods like heroin. Prescription depressants produce sedating or calming effects in the same manner as the club drugs GHB and rohypnol.
When abused, all of these classes of drugs directly or indirectly cause a pleasurable increase in the amount of dopamine in the brain’s reward pathway. Repeatedly seeking to experience that feeling can lead to destruction.

What Are the Other Health Effects of Prescription Drugs?

Stimulants can have strong effects on the cardiovascular system. Taking high doses of a stimulant can dangerously raise body temperature and cause irregular heartbeat or even heart failure or seizures. Also, taking some stimulants in high doses or repeatedly can lead to hostility or feelings of paranoia.
Opiods can produce drowsiness, cause constipation, and – depending upon the amount taken – depress breathing. More people die from overdoses of prescription Opiods than from all other drugs combined, including heroin and cocaine.
CNS depressants slow down brain activity and can cause sleepliness and loss of coordination. Continued use can lead to physical dependence and withdrawal symptoms if discontinuing use.
Prescription drugs, when used appropriately and monitored carefully, can be of tremendous benefit. However, these potentially helpful medications can quickly turn to dangerous and destructive chemicals if abused. I pray that these medications will never control any portion of our lives but that our lives will be totally governed by the Holy Spirit of God.

Author: Dr. George Crabb

Dr. George T. Crabb (D.O., F.A.C.O.I.) is a Board Certified Internal Medicine physician and a Fellow of the American College of Osteopathic Internist. In addition to practicing Internal and Addiction Medicine in Naples, Florida, Dr. Crabb writes medical communications for Reformers Unanimous International. Dr. Crabb’s passion has always been to help others through the liberating truth of Jesus Christ. Jesus said, “I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.” John 10:10

Spirit Filled or Drug Filled – Part 2: Club Drugs

Written by: Dr. George Crabb

Issue: October Blogs

Good Friday morning! Last week we discussed Bath Salts and their abuse. Today we will discuss Club drugs. In the weeks to follow we will look into the following substances:
#1 Commonly Abused Prescription Drugs
#2 Marijuana
#3 Spice (Synthetic Marijuana)
#4 Salvia
#5 MDMA (Ecstasy)
It is God’s desire that He completely sanctify every aspect of our lives – spirit, soul, and body according to I Thessalonians 5:23. God desires to direct our thoughts, our words, and our actions – this is called being “filled with the Spirit” (Ephesians 5:18).
As children of God, our bodies are the temple of the Holy Ghost (I Corinthians 6:19). With this in mind, we are to glorify God in our bodies because our bodies belong to Him (I Corinthians 6:20). A child of God dishonors God when they introduce into their body (which belongs to God) harmful substances. These substances are not only physically and soulically harmful, but they also diminish our sobriety which in turn decreases the Spirit’s ability to completely control our lives. When we partake of any of these substances, no matter how little it may be, we start the process of becoming filled with them, and as a result we become less filled with the Spirit.
I pray that all of us will attempt, by the grace of God, to live a Spirit filled life and that none of these substances will ever take away the power of God in our lives.

Club Drugs (GHB, Ketamine, Ecstasy, and Rohypnol)

Club drugs are a pharmacologically heterogeneous group of psychoactive drugs that tend to be abused by teens and young adults at bars, nightclubs, concerts, and parties. Gamma hydroxybutyrate (GHB),  Rohypnol, Ketamine, as well as MDMA (ecstasy) are some of the drugs included in this group.
GHB (Xyrem) is a central nervous system (CNS) depressant that was approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 2002 for use in the treatment of narcolepsy (a sleep disorder).
Rohypnol (flunitrazepam) use began gaining popularity in the United States in the early 1990s. It is a benzodiazepine (chemically similar to sedative-hypnotic drugs such as Valium or Xanax), but it is not approved for medical use in this country, and its importation is banned.
Ketamine is a dissociative anesthetic, mostly used in veterinary practice.
How Are Club Drugs Abused?
GHB and Rohypnol are available in odorless, colorless, and tasteless forms that are frequently combined with alcohol and other beverages. Both drugs have been used to commit sexual assaults (also known as “date rape,” “acquaintance rape,” or “drug assisted” assault) due to their ability to sedate and incapacitate unsuspecting victims, preventing them from resisting sexual assault.
GHB is usually ingested orally, either in liquid or powder form, while Rohypnol is typically taken orally in pill form. Recent reports, however, have shown that Rohypnol is being ground up and snorted.
Both GHB and Rohypnol are also abused for their intoxication effects, similar to other CNS depressants.
GHB also has anabolic effects (it stimulates protein synthesis) and has been used by body builders to aid in fat reduction and muscle building.
How Do Club Drugs Affect the Brain?
GHB’s sedative effects may result in sleep, coma, or death.
Rohypnol, like other benzodiazepines, acts at the GABA receptor. It can produce anterograde amnesia, in which individuals may not remember events while under the influence of the drug.
Ketamine is a dissociative anesthetic, so called because it distorts perceptions of sight and sound and produces feelings of detachment from the environment and self. Low-dose intoxication results in impaired attention, learning ability, and memory. At higher doses, ketamine can cause dreamlike states and hallucinations; and at higher doses still, ketamine can cause delirium and amnesia.
Addictive Potential
Repeated use of GHB may lead to withdrawal effects, including insomnia, anxiety, tremors, and sweating. Severe withdrawal reactions have been reported among patients especially if other drugs or alcohol are involved.
Like other benzodiazepines, the use of Rohypnol can lead to addiction and severe withdrawal symptoms.
Ketamine use can produce significant cravings such as those found in individuals who use cocaine or amphetamines.
What Other Adverse Effects Do Club Drugs Have on Health?
Uncertainties about the sources, chemicals, and possible contaminants used to manufacture many club drugs make it extremely difficult to determine toxicity and associated medical consequences. Nonetheless, we do know that:
Coma and seizures can occur following use of GHB.
Rohypnol may be lethal when mixed with alcohol and/or other CNS depressants.
Ketamine, at high doses, can cause impaired motor function, high blood pressure, and potentially fatal respiratory problems.
How Widespread Is Club Drug Abuse?
According to results of the 2009 MTF survey, 0.7% of 8^th grade and 1.1% of 12^th grade students reported past year use of GHB.
Past-year use of Ketamine was reported by 1% of 8^th graders, 1.3% of 10^th graders, and 1.7% of 12^th graders in 2009.
For Rohypnol, 0.4% of 8^th and 10^th graders, and 1% of 12^th graders reported past year use.
The use of Club drugs is a big problem amongst our young people. We need to educate them on the dangers of these drugs and how they can be devastating to their bodies which belong to God.

Author: Dr. George Crabb

Dr. George T. Crabb (D.O., F.A.C.O.I.) is a Board Certified Internal Medicine physician and a Fellow of the American College of Osteopathic Internist. In addition to practicing Internal and Addiction Medicine in Naples, Florida, Dr. Crabb writes medical communications for Reformers Unanimous International. Dr. Crabb’s passion has always been to help others through the liberating truth of Jesus Christ. Jesus said, “I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.” John 10:10

Drug Use Drops for America's Youth, Rises in the Over 50 Crowd

Sept. 4, 2013

By MIKE LEVINE

Mike Levine

Drug use is down for young Americans but is on the rise among people over 50 according to a recent government survey.

Drug use among America's youth is dropping, but it's booming among people over 50, a U.S. government survey released Wednesday shows.

Last year, the rate of illicit drug use among children and teenagers 12 to 17 years old dropped to 9.5 percent, down from 11.6 percent a decade earlier, according to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration's (SAMHSA) latest national survey.

Meanwhile, illicit drug use among adults 50 to 64 years old has increased in the past decade.

Specifically, illicit drug use among adults 50 to 54 has more than doubled since 2002, reaching 7.2 percent last year. For people 55 to 59, such drug use has more than tripled, reaching 6.6 percent last year.

Marijuana is by far the most-used illicit drug among both children and adults, according to SAMHSA, a division of the Department of Health and Human Services.

At a press conference Wednesday in Washington, officials expressed particular concern about use by those 12 to 17 years old.

"There's no question that marijuana is harmful to the developing brains of adolescents," said SAMHSA administrator Pamela Hyde, adding that marijuana use has been linked to "significant I.Q. declines."

As for young adults – those 18 to 25 years old – rates of illicit drug use have remained somewhat steady over recent years, with a slight increase in marijuana use, according to the survey.

Illicit drug use among children had remained steady at 10.1 percent from 2009 to 2011, which was a slight increase from years before. Overall, though, use for that age group has dropped in the past decade.

The data was released at the start of September to help kick off National Recovery Month, a government-sponsored promotion of preventing and treating substance abuse and mental health disorders.

"Recovery Month reminds us that the work we do to promote and support recovery has lasting, positive impact on so many individuals, families and communities," said H. Westley Clark, the director of SAMHSA's Center for Substance Abuse Treatment. "It also reminds us that while we have made great strides, there is still much for us to do."

The press conference on Wednesday featured young men and women who shared their personal stories of addiction, mental health disorders and now continuing recovery.

They came from all different backgrounds.

Twenty-eight-year-old Daniel LaPointe grew up in suburban New Jersey with a "loving family" that stressed "educational excellence," he said.

In 1997, at age 12, he won a contest for writing an essay titled "Why I Won't Try Drugs." A month later, suffering from insecurities and depression, he started smoking marijuana, which ultimately led him to heroin and, as he put it, "the funerals of five good friends."

Juan Velez Court grew up in San Juan, Puerto Rico, suffering from multiple mental health disorders. He tried to commit suicide several times and started to mutilate himself.

"I was so tired of not knowing what to do, the only way was punishing myself until the physical pain overcame the emotional pain," he said, adding that whole-body "wellness" has helped him continue with recovery.

Jenna Bertino, also of New Jersey, was almost brought to tears while telling her story.

When she was 13, two days after Christmas, her father took his own life. Refusing to "face that reality," she started drinking beer and smoking marijuana, and she eventually moved on to pills, she recalled.

"Before I knew it, I had a $200-a-day Percocet habit, and I was robbing and lying and manipulating and doing whatever I needed to do to get one more," she said. "I had become a monster. My mom used to sleep with her purse under her pillow out of fear that I was going to come in and rob her."

Her drug use didn't stop there. Ultimately, she moved onto heroin, hanging out in neighborhoods she said she had "no business" visiting. Then she was arrested and thrown behind bars.

"From that jail cell I started to see hope. I had this moment of clarity, and in that moment I no longer wanted to die a using addict with a needle in my arm," she said. "I wanted to live."

Bertino entered a rehabilitation program, during which she learned about herself and how to cope with life's challenges, she said.

She finished the rehabilitation program in 2010. Since then, she graduated college, and now she is starting graduate school.

"It's amazing that I have a purpose," she said.

Bath Salts: Spirit Filled or Drug Filled?

     

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Spirit Filled or Drug Filled – pt. #01: Bath Salts

Written by: Dr. George Crabb

Issue: October Blogs

Over the course of the next several weeks I want to discuss certain drugs or chemicals that are abused by many in our society. Drugs and chemicals such as:

#1 Bath Salts (Synthetic Cathinones)
#2 Club Drugs (GHB, Ketamine, & Rohypnol)
#3 Commonly Abused Prescription Drugs
#4 Marijuana
#5 Spice (Synthetic Marijuana)
#6 Salvia
#7 MDMA (Ecstasy)

It is God’s desire that He completely sanctify every aspect of our lives: spirit, soul, and body, according to I Thessalonians 5:23. God desires to direct our thoughts, our words, and our actions – this is called being “filled with the Spirit” (Ephesians 5:18).

As children of God our bodies are the temple of the Holy Ghost, as found in I Corinthians 6:19. With this in mind we are to glorify God in our bodies because our bodies belong to Him (I Corinthians 6:20). A child of God dishonors God when they introduce into their body (which belongs to God) harmful substances. These substances are not only physically and soulically harmful, but they also diminish our sobriety which in turn decreases the Spirit’s ability to completely control our lives. When we partake of any of these substances, no matter how little it may be, we start the process of becoming filled with them and less filled with the Spirit.

I pray that all of us will attempt, by the grace of God, to live a Spirit filled life and that none of these substances will ever take away the power of God in our lives.
Bath Salts (Synthetic Cathinones)

The term “bath salts” refers to an emerging family of drugs containing one or more synthetic chemicals related to cathinone, an amphetamine-like stimulant found naturally in the Khat plant.

Reports of severe intoxication and dangerous health effects associated with use of bath salts have made these drugs a serious and growing public health and safety issue. Bath salts can produce euphoria and increased sociability and sex drive, but some users experience paranoia, agitation, and hallucinatory delirium; some even display psychotic and violent behavior, and deaths have been reported in several instances.

Bath salts typically take the form of a white or brown crystalline powder and some are sold in small plastic or foil packages labeled “not for human consumption”. Sometimes also marketed as “plant food” – or, more recently, as “jewelry cleaner” or “phone screen cleaner” – they are sold online and in drug paraphernalia stores under a variety of brand names, such as “Ivory Wave,” “Bloom,” “Cloud Nine,” “Lunar Wave,” “Vanilla Sky,” “White Lightning,” and “Scarface”.

Bath salts are typically taken orally, inhaled, or injected, with the worst outcomes being associated with snorting or needle injection.

Common synthetic cathiones found in bath salts include 3,4-methylenedioxypyrovalerone (MDPV), mephedrone (“Drone,” “Meph,” or “Meow Meow”), and methylone, but there are many others. Chemically, they are similar to amphetamines (such as methamphetamine) as well as to MDMA (ecstasy).

The energizing and often agitating effects reported in people who have taken bath salts are consistent with other drugs like amphetamines and cocaine that raise the level of the neurotransmitter dopamine in brain circuits regulating reward and movement. A surge in dopamine in these circuits causes feelings of euphoria and increased activity. Bath salt ingestion raises brain dopamine in the same manner as cocaine but is at least 10 times more potent.

The hallucinatory effects often reported in users of bath salts are consistent with other drugs such as MDMA or LSD that raise levels of another neurotransmitter, serotonin.

NOTE: After mephedrone was banned in the United Kingdom in 2010, for example, a chemical called naphyrone quickly replaced it, and is now being sold as “jewelry cleaner” under the brand name “Cosmic Blast”.

Common reactions reported for people who have needed medical attention after using bath salts include cardiac symptoms (such as racing heart, high blood pressure, and chest pains) and psychiatric symptoms including paranoia, hallucinations, and panic attacks.

Bath salts have a high abuse and addiction potential. Bath salts show escalation patterns nearly identical to methamphetamine. Bath salt users have reported that the drugs trigger intense cravings and that they are highly addictive. Bath salts are associated with strong withdrawal symptoms.

The dangers of bath salts are compounded by the fact that these products may contain other unknown ingredients that may have their own harmful effects.

Now that we have learned of the tremendous danger associated with the consumption of bath salts, may we by the grace of God never partake of this substance and may we encourage others to steer clear of this destructive drug. May we follow the admonition given by Paul to the Ephesians in Ephesians 5:3, “…let it not be once named among you, as becometh saints…”


Author: Dr. George CrabbDr. George T. Crabb (D.O., F.A.C.O.I.) is a Board Certified Internal Medicine physician and a Fellow of the American College of Osteopathic Internist. In addition to practicing Internal and Addiction Medicine in Naples, Florida, Dr. Crabb writes medical communications for Reformers Unanimous International. Dr. Crabb’s passion has always been to help others through the liberating truth of Jesus Christ. Jesus said, “I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.” John 10:10

Flesh-eating drug 'krokodil' emerges in USA

I have been told this drug has made its way onto the streets of Wilmington.  Please join me in praying for the recovery of the addicted.  God is able.

Arizona has reported the first U.S. cases involving a heroin-like IV drug called "krokodil," which rots the flesh and skin of users. / AP

Written by

Michael Winter

USA Today

 

A powerful heroin-like drug that rots flesh and bone has made its first reported appearance in the United States, an Arizona health official says.
Known on the street as "krokodil," the caustic homemade opiate is made from over-the-counter codeine-based headache pills mixed with iodine, gasoline, paint thinner or alcohol. When it's injected, the concoction destroys a user's tissue, turning the skin scaly and green like a crocodile. Festering sores, abscesses and blood poisoning are common.

Frank LoVecchio, the co-medical director at the Banner Good Samaritan Poison & Drug Information Center, told KPHO-TV that Arizona health officials have seen two cases during the past week.

"As far as I know, these are the first cases in the United States that are reported," he said. "So we're extremely frightened."

LoVecchio did not say where in the state the patients were located or provide details about their conditions.

The drug — chemically called desomorphine — emerged around 2002 in Siberia and the Russian Far East but has swept across the country in just the past three years, according to a Time magazine investigation.

Krokodil became popular in Russia because heroin can be difficult to obtain and is expensive. Krokodil costs three times less, and the high is similar to heroin though much shorter, usually 90 minutes.

The average life expectancy among krokodil addicts in Russia is two to three years, according to Time, which called the narcotic "the most horrible drug in the world." Gangrene and amputations are common, and the toxic mix dissolves jawbones and teeth, much like the methamphetamine that Walter White cooks in Breaking Bad.

As with all intravenous drug addicts, krokodil users are susceptible to HIV, hepatitis C and other blood-borne diseases, and have compromised immune systems.

One recovering Russian krokodil addict, Irina Pavlova, told Time in 2011 that she injected the drug almost daily for six years. She has a speech impediment and impaired motor skills because of the resulting brain damage.

Her brother was among the dozen or so addicts she shot up with. "Practically all of them are dead now," she said. "For some, it led to pneumonia, some got blood poisoning, some had an artery burst in their heart, some got meningitis, others simply rot."

A Russian woman using krokodil in June 2011 told The Independent that a fellow junkie refused to go to the hospital.

"Her flesh is falling off and she can hardly move anymore," she said.

Benefits of Wisdom

Benefits of Wisdom

Proverbs 2:10-20 (KJV) ¹⁰ When wisdom entereth into thine heart, and knowledge is pleasant unto thy soul; ¹¹ Discretion shall preserve thee, understanding shall keep thee: ¹² To deliver thee from the way of the evil man, from the man that speaketh froward things; ¹³ Who leave the paths of uprightness, to walk in the ways of darkness; ¹⁴ Who rejoice to do evil, and delight in the frowardness of the wicked; ¹⁵ Whose ways are crooked, and they froward in their paths: ¹⁶ To deliver thee from the strange woman, even from the stranger which flattereth with her words; ¹⁷ Which forsaketh the guide of her youth, and forgetteth the covenant of her God. ¹⁸ For her house inclineth unto death, and her paths unto the dead. ¹⁹ None that go unto her return again, neither take they hold of the paths of life. ²⁰ That thou mayest walk in the way of good men, and keep the paths of the righteous.

In Proverbs 2:10-22   God gives us the benefits of wisdom.  Wisdom is defined as a divine gift from God giving skill to living life according to His Word.

1.  It makes knowledge pleasant to your soul. (10)

Wisdom will have the benefit of loving to learn.  Specifically, loving to learn about God and living life according to His will and way.

2.  It enables you to judge between right and wrong. (11)

Discretion (discerning between right and wrong) shall preserve (guard, protect) thee.

3.  It guards and protects you from evil. (11)

The word preserve means to guard and protect. Literally, it means a hedge of protection. (Job 1:10)

It is the discerning that wisdom gives that guards and protects.  When one is able to make decisions that are right, one is protected against that which is wrong.

 4.  It enables you to learn and know what is right and what is wrong. (11)

Understanding = knowing what is right and wrong.  Webster's 1828 says: The faculty of the human mind by which it apprehends the real state of things presented to it, or by which it receives or comprehends the ideas which others express and intend to communicate. The understanding is called also the intellectual faculty. It is the faculty by means of which we obtain a great part of our knowledge. Luke 24. Eph. 1.

5.  It prevents you from falling (11)

Keep = To preserve from falling or from danger; to protect; to guard or sustain.

 6.  It rescues you from the influence and lifestyle of evil men. (12-15)

Deliver = to rescue, to recover, to snatch away.  Wisdom, knowledge, discretion and understanding will rescue us from the thinking, the influence, and the lifestyle of the man whose heart is set on doing wrong.  To disable negative peer pressure, enable God's Word!

7.  It saves you from the immoral and promiscuous woman. (16-19)

Wisdom, knowledge, discretion, and understanding will prevent you from relationships with immoral and promiscuous woman.  It should be well noted the danger and results of a relationship with this type of woman.

8.  It enables you to follow the steps of good men. (20)

9.  It enables you to stay on the path of righteousness. (20)