Sherman made top grades in high school before going on to play football at prestigious Stanford University. He has played three strong seasons with the Seattle Seahawks.

The NFL star recently got out of a banned substance use suspension and claims that so many players are using it that the substance should be made legal within the NFL.

The substance in question is Adderall. Adderall is a stimulant drug commonly used to treat attention-deficit and hyperactivity disorder. The drug enables people to focus better, be more alert and more responsive.

For those who have trouble staying on task at school or on the job because their brains are not firing properly, the drug can be a veritable lifesaver. For athletes, it can offer a competitive edge.  Who doesn’t want to sharpen their focus and quicken their responses when it comes to athletic competition?

Sherman was handed down a four-game suspension when his urine sample tested positive for Adderall. But the player’s lawyer managed to get that suspension waived by claiming Sherman’s sample was not properly handled.

Sherman then went on to say that he had not used the drug himself, but that close to 50 percent of players do use it regularly.

What is Vicodin?

Vicodin is a painkilling mixture of hydrocodone (a narcotic, opioid drug) and acetaminophen, which is used to heighten the effects of the hydrocodone. The drug is intended for the treatment of moderate to severe pain, and produces its effect through the drug’s action on the opiate receptors within the brain. When taken according to doctor’s guidelines, it shouldn’t be particularly habit-forming, but if the prescription is made for an extended period of time, tolerance and addiction become much more likely. It isn’t intended for chronic (ongoing) pain, but the problem is that acute (temporary) pain often continues and becomes chronic, meaning that repeat prescriptions or transitions to other opiates are surprisingly common.

Schedule II and Schedule III

Substances are classified according to their potential for abuse, possible medical uses, and their risks. Medicines containing up to 15mg of hydrocodone per dose are classed as Schedule III, which includes Vicodin, whereas by way of comparison Oxycodone (the main ingredient in OxyContin, and a fellow opiate) is classed as Schedule II. Schedule I is a classification reserved for illicit substances which are rarely (usually never) used medically, such as LSD, heroin, ecstasy, marijuana, and peyote.

As a Schedule III substance, Vicodin is legally defined as having the potential for moderate to low physical dependence and high psychological dependence. Under the current legislation, a single prescription can be used for five refills, but if Vicodin is upgraded to a Schedule II substance, patients would need a new prescription for every refill. This is very similar to the system as it currently stands for OxyContin.

The Theory to prevent Prescription Drug Abuse

The theory behind this approach is that upgrading Vicodin and make it even more difficult to prescribe will reduce the number of people receiving excessive amounts of the drug and therefore reduce overdose and addiction rates. It’s hard to deny that if the FDA does decide to go with that approach, there will be a reduced number of prescriptions available. However, that doesn’t mean that there are no downsides to the approach.

Potential Problems

With the risk of addiction and the potential for overdoses, it’s easy to forget that Vicodin is a legitimate medicine that many people do need. If an elderly person, for example, needs more than a single prescription, it will mean traveling to the doctor to obtain a new prescription. This prevents phoned or faxed in prescriptions, which effectively condemns those in pain with difficulty traveling to more trips to the doctor.

It’s also worth stating that Schedule II classification clearly will not be a complete solution, because OxyContin, Sublimaze, and Adderall are also in that schedule and they are still widely abused. For example, the Monitoring the Future survey in 2012 revealed that 7.5 percent of high school seniors had abused Vicodin in the previous year, but 7.6 percent had used Adderall without a prescription. Incidentally, the use of Adderall has increased from 5.4 percent in 2009, showing that things are getting worse despite its Schedule II status.

A Combined Approach

Although there are problems with the approach, it is likely to have a positive effect by simply reducing the amount of prescriptions that can be written. Likewise, prescription drug monitoring programs (PDMPs) enable healthcare providers and state governments to keep track of who is distributing and receiving prescriptions of Vicodin and other narcotic medicines. This helps to combat people who “doctor shop,” aiming to receive several prescriptions for an exaggerated or fictitious condition. These approaches are currently being implemented alongside education for both health care providers and the public.

This seems like a positive approach to the issue, but the focus should always be on education. The assumption that prescribed medicines are somehow safer than illicit drugs is often misguided, and this is particularly true in the case of narcotic painkillers like Vicodin. The new scheduling will undoubtedly have some effect, but without a multi-faceted approach, it becomes entirely meaningless. The illusion of safety created by a doctor’s prescription needs to be broken down if the country is ever going to step out of the shadow of prescription drug abuse.

Are Doctors to blame for a chemical dependence? Read More about Prescription Drug Abuse!

The Basics

Hydrocarbons are chemicals that contain only the two elements hydrogen and carbon; the compounds in this group differ from one another only in terms of the number of hydrogen or carbon atoms they contain, and the specific arrangement of those atoms within the chemical structure. Specific hydrocarbons contained in gasoline include substances called benzene and toluene. Apart from its hydrocarbon content, gasoline also frequently contains a variety of additives, including substances called ethylene glycol, ethanol, methanol, and tertiary butyl alcohol (TBA). Each of these chemicals produces harmful effects on human health, especially when intentionally introduced to the body through inhalation.

Inhalant use tends to occur among the young and the socioeconomically disadvantaged. Gasoline inhalation, in particular, is common among pre-teen children and people who live in isolated areas away from major population centers, according to the National Inhalant Prevention Coalition. As a rule, people who abuse gasoline (or other hydrocarbon-containing inhalants) introduce fumes into their systems through direct nasal inhalation (sniffing), placement of a gasoline-soaked rag over the mouth and/or nose (huffing), or inhalation of fumes gathered up inside some sort of deflatable bag (bagging). The effects of inhalation resemble those associated with drunkenness. They typically reach their maximum intensity in a matter of minutes, but remain present to one degree or another for a period of several hours.

Organ Damage

According to a study published in 2009 in “BMC Physiology,” gasoline exposure significantly alters normal chemical levels in several different brain areas, including the cerebral cortex, which acts as the center for higher-level consciousness; the cerebellum, which helps control and coordinate body movements; the hippocampus, which acts as the major center for memory storage and organization; and the hypothalamus, which helps control a variety of involuntary nerve functions. Potential consequences of these alterations include vomiting, brain cell damage or death, loss of normal body control, involuntary muscle tremors, and severe disruption of general function in the central nervous system (brain and spinal cord). These problems typically occur in people who intentionally inhale gasoline fumes, not in people who accidentally inhale them. Additional potential forms of organ damage include damage to the bone marrow, kidney damage, liver damage and burns to the lungs and other parts of the upper airways.

Cancer Risks

The bone marrow effects associated with gasoline abuse come mainly from the effects of the hydrocarbon benzene. Benzene produces these effects by preventing normal formation of oxygen-bearing red blood cells and damaging the parts of the marrow responsible for creating antibodies and white blood cells, which together play vital roles in the body’s immune system. In addition to triggering a red blood cell disorder called aplastic anemia, benzene-related alterations in the bone marrow can significantly increase a gasoline abusers long-term risks for developing the blood cell cancer called leukemia.

Sudden Sniffing Death Syndrome

The hydrocarbons in gasoline can make the heart muscle unusually sensitive to the effects of naturally occurring substances in the body called epinephrine (adrenaline) and norepinephrine (noradrenaline), Medscape Reference explains. When people abusing gasoline (or any other inhalant rich in hydrocarbons) are startled either during active inhalation or in the period immediately following inhalation, they can develop severe, unexpected changes in the normal heart rhythms (known medically as arrhythmias). In turn, these heart rhythm changes can trigger the onset of sudden sniffing death syndrome, which involves a complete stoppage of normal heart function.

Considerations

Gasoline-related brain damage can result in loss of overall brain size, as well as a reduced capacity for communication between various parts of the brain. Pregnant women who intentionally inhale gasoline expose their developing fetuses to toluene, which can produce a variety of birth defects that closely resemble the defects associated with fetal alcohol syndrome. Lung injuries related to gasoline inhalation may include hemorrhages, abnormal fluid accumulation, and loss of the ability to properly pass oxygen into the bloodstream.

As a a parent it is a good idea to keep informed of the latest trends among teens. You maybe surprised what kids think is cool. Read: New Trends in Teen Drug Use to learn more.

On the other hand, every story happens to a person. Every shipwrecked dream belonged to someone. Tom Sizemore is an individual and the life that was pockmarked is his and the story of recovery belongs to him alone.

Now 51 years old, Sizemore has a resume that many actors can only dream about. His movie appearances include Born on the Fourth of July (1989), Passenger 57 (1992), Natural Born Killers (1994), Heat (1995), Saving Private Ryan (1998) and Pearl Harbor (2001).  That’s not an all-inclusive list, but it shows that the man was on the A-list for movie offers at one time.

Sizemore’s tell-all spares few details when describing his drug and sex-crazed lifestyle for nearly 20 years. The actor slept with beautiful women and partied with the rich and famous with reckless abandon and an amazing amount of energy. But, as with every other Hollywood drug tale, eventually the man hit the wall.

In 2007, Sizemore was sentenced to 16 months in prison for violating his parole. The actor recounts suffering from episodes of brutality and fear during that time. He titled his book By Some Miracle I Made It Out of There

1.  The person spends increasingly more time, more money and more conversation on the subject of gambling.

2.  The person may claim that they can stop gambling at any time, but they don’t. Not gambling leaves them feeling cranky and restless and within a short amount of time they are back to betting.

3.  People trapped in addiction continue with behaviors even though they bring negative consequences. In the case of gambling, the person often winds up running through every bit of available cash and then continues searching for more rather than walking away from the gambling table. Salaries and saving disappear and more money is often borrowed until the entire family is in a precarious legal and financial position.

4.  The person will attempt to gamble their way out of financial ruin. When bills have gone unpaid and groceries can’t be bought the person will head to the casino in order to win big and overcome current straits.

5.  In order to hide the desperate reality, the person will lie over and over again. They may claim to win when they have actually lost, they will lie about whether or not they have been gambling and they certainly lie about how helpless they feel to escape gambling. Lies and addiction are common bedfellows.

6.  Pretty soon the need to gamble eclipses every other responsibility and social obligation. The person may miss pleasant activities like a child’s performances initially but after a while even going to work or coming home after work gives way to the need to gamble.

7.  Obviously, at this point the key relationships in the person’s life will be starting to suffer.   The person addicted to gambling will choose to escape the shame, guilt and frustration by spending more time gambling, not less.

A national council, which reports on gambling, estimates that two million Americans are addicted to gambling while another four to six million are considered problem gamblers. As with any addiction, the first step to recovery is admitting there is a problem. From there, help is available to address the emotional needs behind compulsive gambling. With time, the person can regain control over his/her behavior and learn how to put life and relationships back together.

Gambling is a sneaky addiction, read ‘Why Gambling Can Be More Destructive to Your Health Than Alcohol or Drugs‘ to learn more.

According to a recent Science Network article, the greater your access to liquor outlets, the more likely you are to consume alcohol at harmful levels, and develop disorders related to mental health.

The study was based on survey data from 7,000 adults during the time period of 2006 to 2009. The number of liquor outlets within one mile of a survey participant’s home was measured against alcohol consumption levels for each person. Data examined also included the number of hospital contacts for stress, anxiety and depression.

Those participates with outlets in their neighborhoods were more likely to have increased instances of harmful drinking and worse metal health compared with those who lived farther away from these outlets. This study is the first of its kind to examine the relationship between alcohol and mental health disorders in detail.

The study also highlights the stronger link that exists between the chronic hospitalizations due to alcohol consumption when purchased in its packaged form, rather than for alcohol consumed on-premises. A limit on the density of alcohol outlets could contribute to improved outcomes for these individuals.

Study authors suggest not only a limit to the number of outlets, but also the geographic density of those outlets in an attempt to improve mental health among citizens and to reduce the harm caused by alcohol.

As the average drinks per day and the rate of harmful consumption levels were higher in areas where liquor outlets existed in the neighborhoods, public health outcomes could be improved by removing the outlets and reducing the available promotions and advertising for the supported products.

Read more about Mental Health.

So, am I addicted to the internet? This thought actually crossed my mind as I was sitting scrunched against the window listening to the most recent Ben Affleck blockbuster (of course my in-flight entertainment system was on the fritz so I couldn’t actually see his face). Does my addictive personality now hold Google in the same regard as it does a can of Diet Coke? Unfortunately, the answer is a resounding “yes”.

Like addiction to food, addiction to the internet is a complicated disease. We need food to live, just like we need the internet to excel in business, manage finances and even make a plane reservation without incurring a surcharge. Unlike cigarette smoking, neither behavior is something you can quit cold turkey. If you quit eating food you’ll die and if you permanently go “offline” you may as well quit your job and hide in a cave. At least alcoholics and drug addicts can physically segregate themselves from the objects of their addictions to lessen the chance of relapse.

Another signal that internet addiction is a real thing is that we suffer real withdrawal when we go “offline”. In fact, a recent study showed that the withdrawal symptoms are not unlike those suffered by drug addicts and alcoholics. Researchers at both Swansea University and Milan University conducted experiments on young volunteers — the average age was 25. First, the researchers measured each subject’s degree of typical internet use — for example, some subjects were determined to be obsessive while others continued their love affair with the Internet even when it interfered with their jobs and relationships. After degree of use was fixed, the subjects were instructed to use the internet for 15 minutes after which time their mood and anxiety levels were measured.  The people who had been labeled “addicted” during the initial phase reported suffering from low mood and a period of “comedown” similar to what happens when a person’s drug high dissipates.

Unfortunately, “internet addiction” is not currently a disorder recognized by the DSM, “bible” of psychiatric diseases. But armed with my new self-awareness and the results of the Swansea and Milan studies, I have been able to identify not only three signs of internet addiction, but also some possible ways to help recover.

#1 – Instead of making conversation, you reach for your smartphone

We’ve all done it. After getting settled in your seat at the restaurant and ordering your meal, you immediately reach for your phone to see if you have received any new calls, texts or emails during the time it took for you to walk from the valet stand. The practice is so commonplace that even the most ardent followers of Miss Manners would agree that a quick and discrete check of the phone is acceptable once or twice during a meal. However, an addict will continue to focus on the phone to the point where they have effectively checked out of any ongoing conversation and disappeared into the internet. Not only is this situation extremely rude, but being unable to stay away from the internet for even one hour is a sure sign of a bigger problem.

Solution: If you find yourself engaging in this type of behavior on a regular basis, the best solution is to simply leave the phone in the car. Although we tend to treat all business-related emails as urgent, they’re really not. Situations that absolutely need to be addressed in less than 60 minutes are few and far between. And if you truly need to be available in case of an emergency, let your people know where you’ll be and they can contact you through the restaurant. You might be surprised to learn that this is how things were done before the age of the mobile phone.

#2 – You prefer texts and emails to phone calls

There are now several ways someone can contact us. We can get a letter, an email, a text, a phone call, a tweet, an instant message or a Facebook posting. Although many of us will use a combination of these modes of communication on a daily basis, especially when dealing with business matters, a true internet addict will insist on internet-based methods for all personal contact as well — even from Mom and Dad. It’s almost as if speaking on the phone hurts our jaws and our delicate ears can no longer process the sounds and tones that emit from the receiver. For those of us with an internet addiction, the reason is clear — speaking on the phone requires some semblance of undivided attention and we can’t surf the internet, respond to an email or tweet if we are yammering on the phone. Unfortunately, it can also be a sign that you prefer to be left alone and are heading into “anti-social” territory.

Solution: Schedule regular “update” calls with friends and family you don’t live near so that you are forced to communicate verbally at least a few times each month. You can certainly augment these calls with texts and emails in between, but the verbal call should be the time when major news is shared.

#3 – You check Facebook, Twitter and other non-business related websites frequently during the workday

It’s a known fact that, adjusting for advances in technology, today’s worker is far less efficient than a worker fifty years ago. And studies show that a large part of this is attributable to the internet. Even when faced with the threat of termination for engaging in personal business on company time, most Americans routinely check email, text messages and Facebook while at work. Engaging in destructive behavior while under the threat of dire ramifications is a hallmark of addiction. We just can’t help but take a peek.

Solution: As with having to choose only healthy foods in the presence of the bread basket, this behavior is tougher to combat as it takes sheer force of will to avoid the part of internet that we don’t actually need to accomplish our jobs. What is needed here is a buddy who is willing to shame you into compliance whenever they witness you engaging in your destructive behavior. Pick a co-worker and give them permission to police your internet and smartphone usage during the workday. For those of us who don’t respond appropriately to shaming, perhaps develop a system of punishments for bad behavior such as having to buy lunch, putting a dollar in the “internet” jar or turning over your smartphone for the entire next workday.

Do you suffer from Internet Addiction Withdrawal? Read more to find out!

The drop in potentially inappropriate medications for those aged 65 and older was 7.8 at baseline to 5.3 after physicians received information about appropriately treating older patients. The results of the study are published in a recent issue of the journal Drugs & Aging.

In the control group, the reduction was notable, but not of the same significance, with 7.7 percent at baseline and 6.1 percent after three years, according to lead author Scott Keith, Ph.D., of Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia.

The study involved approximately 80,000 patients, and the results reflect that 608 of those patients were not exposed to medications that may have been inappropriate during the final leg of the study. While the study authors do not believe that such prescriptions will disappear entirely, the intervention shows that educating physicians about the risks attached to the medications may be an effective strategy.

The researchers identified potentially inappropriate medications as those that held risks that may outweigh the expected benefits when considering alternative treatment options. Because about one-third of all prescription drugs in the United States are for patients aged 65 and older, the strategy could make a major impact in reducing the number of medication-related problems.

The list of potentially inappropriate medications was developed by the researchers according to the Beers Criteria from the American Geriatrics Society. Through examination, they eventually identified 23 medications, including atypical antipsychotics and non-steroidal anti-inflammatories.

The researchers chose to conduct their research in Italy because the universal health coverage system would provide a simpler setting than some other nations’ programs. The program issued several educational strategies to 303 general practitioners in Parma, Italy.

Included in the intervention was a list of medications to be avoided, in combination with a list of alternative options, as well as annual reviews of incidences involving targeted medications and educational sessions including case-study reviews.

The researchers discovered that when seniors were advised to use potentially inappropriate medications, they had a shorter time period before a hospitalization occurred, had more hospitalization instances and experienced more adverse reactions.

The authors believe that one positive note of the interventions is that they did not place an unreasonable burden on the physicians, and the intervention can be easily duplicated to other settings.

The results indicate that there may be value in providing physicians, rather than patients, with information about potentially inappropriate medication. This is true particularly for older adults, who make up a significant portion of the prescriptions issued.

It’s hard to imagine that the kid ingrained in our minds as a rapping youngster wearing his clothes backward could have died of such a “grown-up” addiction. But the Atlanta native, born in 1978, was found unresponsive in his home and was later pronounced dead at the Atlanta Medical Center.

Preliminary reports say  Kelly had ingested heroin and cocaine the evening before he was found. He was only 34 years old. Friends of  Kelly told Atlanta news outlets that he had a tough time dealing with fame and the sudden disappearance of it.

Many fans have taken to social media to express their remorse for losing their childhood hero. “Kris Kross” become a trending term on Twitter soon after the news of his death broke.

While drugs and violence are often glamorized in the rap culture, the duo brought a youthful innocence to their version of the mainstream . Kelly, if he indeed died from the lethal combination of heroin and cocaine, wouldn’t be the first celebrity to succumb to the mix. River Phoenix, a young actor popular in the late 1980s and early 1990s, died outside of a rock club in Hollywood in 1993.

When taken together, cocaine and heroin are collectively called a “speedball.” The combined rush of the coke and the euphoric and calming effects of the heroin produce a high that while euphoric, also leads users to believe that they can take more. In this situation, overdose occurs.

According to a recent Reuters report, one bill would eliminate the federal ban on marijuana, placing jurisdiction with individual states. Use and regulation would be handled much in the same way the states handle alcohol sales. The second bill would allow for a federal tax on the sale of the substance.

It’s not surprising that legislation would be introduced that would allow state and local governments to cash in on the massive revenues generated by illegal marijuana sales throughout the nation. Given that the DEA recently reiterated its stance that marijuana still has a high potential for abuse, it would be surprising if either bill made it through the House.

The House majority is also made up of conservative Republicans who do not support the measure. Plus, a similar effort failed to gain any momentum in 2011. While success would make it easier for states like Colorado and Washington to implement their new legalization plans, there are still too many unanswered questions before such a move would be successful.

On the other hand, polls are showing favorable results for those arguing for the legalization of marijuana as the majority of Americans appear to support it. Would legalization, however, allow for the proper protection of youth who have access to the substance? Likewise, would it truly generate the tax revenue desired? Government regulation of any market doesn’t tend to lead to substantial profits.

As this process plays out, all eyes in the substance abuse industry are likely to be on this legislation.

More about legalizing marijuana nationwide: Two States Okay Recreational Marijuana Use – What’s Next?