Russia’s drug control authority reports that the amount of drug addictions is currently almost ten times greater than in 1990. The large amount of drug addictions have significant impact on the country’s economy.

“Drug addiction costs the Russian economy around 1.5 trillion rubles ($54 billion) each year, or 2.5 percent of the country’s gross domestic product, Victor Ivanov, head of Drug control Service said.”

Up to thirty thousand people die each year because of drug-related complications. This may be due to the fact, that Afghanistan’s drug production has increased 44 times since ISAF (International Security Assistance Force) was deployed in the country.

A new recovery center is offering an advanced approach to treating alcohol and drug addiction. The new residential treatment approach includes behavioral/addiction diagnosis, neurotherapy, and medication therapies. In addition to these the clients will have support through an online e-learning program.

Enterhealth’s aim is to not only treat people who need help overcoming addiction, but to also inspire change in our industry toward more aggressive, advanced approaches and restore hope to those who are seeking a solution that will work today and for the remainder of their lives.

The new treatment program is personalized for each client, and it combines psychological, neurological, pharmacological, and technological methods to treat addiction, and continuous online support is part of the therapy. The recovery center will open its doors next week.

According to a new research nicotine dependence severity has increased 12 percent between 1989 and 2006, while the proportion of people classified as highly nicotine dependent has increased 32 percent.

Previous studies suggest that individuals who have less severe nicotine
dependence have already been successful at quitting smoking, which leaves a
larger percentage of patients who are highly nicotine dependent among the
greater tobacco-using community.

Nicotine dependence has reached a 15-year high, with nearly 75 percent of people currently seeking tobacco-dependence treatment categorized as highly nicotine dependent. The results were presented at the 74th annual international scientific assembly of the American College of Chest Physicians.

According to a US report, so called ’street drugs’ aren’t the number one reason to addiction anymore, instead, prescription drugs are related to many addiction cases these days.

Drug use among older adults in US has hit is highest point ever. After years of declining use of street drugs - cocaine, hallucinogens and marijuana - prescription medications have begun moving front and centre as the US’s drug of choice.

An investment of $10 million by the Government of Canada has been recently announced for two treatment initiatives in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside. These new initiatives are aimed at helping people with complex mental health issues and addiction problems to full recovery.

As part of the National Anti-Drug Strategy’s Treatment Action Plan, these new and comprehensive treatment service initiatives are aimed at helping individuals with complex mental health and addiction problems, with a focus on women involved in the sex trade, living in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside.

The first service initiative - an Assertive Community Treatment (ACT) - is team of 12 professionals representing the fields of psychology, medicine, nursing, social work, and rehabilitation counselling. The second one, a new Women’s Residential/Day Program, provides 20 abstinence-based treatment stabilization beds at the Rainier Hotel for women who have gone through withdrawal.

“This investment demonstrates our Government’s commitment to help to bring addicts to full recovery and promote healthy life-style choices”, commented Tony Clement, Minister of Health.

Recently a report “Overview of Drug Misuse” provides information on drug and alcohol abuse in Irish cities. The report shows that the amount of addicts entering drug rehabilitation is in huge rise. Last year about 2,621 people were either assessed or treated for drug and alcohol misuse, which is almost two times the amount recorded in year 2000.

Other points one can found in the report are a 2.2pc fall in the numbers asking for treatment for alcohol abuse, about 160 children under the age of 18 were treated for alcohol or drug misuse and one of these, a newborn, was treated for addiction at birth. Despite the falling numbers in alcoholics, it still remains the biggest problem, accounting for 1,453 of clients treated.