Pharmacology
Update 2008
Kevin Scheel
MS, MAC, LADC
Kevin Scheel
Director of Educational Services,
Distance Learning Center for
Addiction Studies
 http://www.DLCAS.com
kscheel@dlcllc.org
866
431-4240
Pharmacology
The broad science concerned with
drugs, their sources, their physical
and chemical properties, their actions
in the body, and their use in the
treatment of disease.
Pharmacotherapeutics
 The
study of the use of drugs in the
treatment of disease.
Agonists
 These
drugs can be substituted for
the drug of abuse to provide a more
controllable form of addiction. The
properties and actions of these drugs
are similar to those of particular
abused drugs.
Antagonists
 These
drugs occupy the same
receptor sites in the brain as specific
drugs of abuse. However, they do not
produce the same effects as the
abused drugs, and they are
non-addicting.
Tolerance
 Reduction
in the effects of a drug with
repeated use. This often leads the
user to increase the dose if possible
in order to regain the original effects.
The Most Dangerous Drug
 Instructions:
Following will be an
alphabetical listing of various drugs of
abuse. For the next 5 minutes,
please think about each drug and it's
"dangerous" potential. Then do the
following:
First, list what criteria you use to
determine a drugs dangerousness
 Next, rank the drugs from the most
dangerous (1) to the least dangerous(10)

 Alcohol
 Marijuana
 Cocaine
 Methamphetamine
 Ecstasy
 Oxycontin
 Inhalants
 Salvia
 LSD
 Xanax
THE FOLLOWING VARIABLES
EFFECT THE ONSET AND
CONTINUATION OF DRUG
ABUSE AND ADDICTION
The User
 Heredity
 Innate
Tolerance
genetically
determined sensitivity (or
lack of sensitivity) to a drug that is
observed on first exposure before
there is any experience with the drug.
 Speed
of developing Acquired
Tolerance
Pharmacokinetic
(homeostasis)
Pharmacodynamic (neurochemical)
Behavioral
 Cross-tolerance
 Likelihood
of experiencing
Intoxication as Pleasure
 Psychiatric Symptoms
 Prior Experiences/Expectations
 Propensity for Risk Taking Behavior
The Environment
 Social
Setting
 Community Attitudes
 Peer Influence; Role Models
 Availability (or Lack) of other
Reinforcers (sources of pleasure or
recreation)
 Employment
or Educational
Opportunities
 Conditioned Stimuli: Environmental
cues become associated with drugs
after repeated use in the same
environment
The Psychoactive Substance
 Availability
 Cost
 Purity/Potency
 Pharmacokinetics
 how the body absorbs, distributes,
transforms or metabolizes, and excretes
the drug.
The Psychoactive Substance,
continued
 Mode of Administration
 Chewing (absorption via oral mucous
membranes)
 Gastrointestinal
 Intranasal
 Intravenous
 Sub-cutaneous
 Intra-muscular
 Inhalation
Today’s Schedule
 Review
current statistics on drug
use/abuse
 Discuss drugs of abuse that are
creating new problems/concerns for
addiction professionals
 Identify resources for staying current
Current Use Statistics
 2007
MONITORING THE FUTURE
SURVEY
 http://www.monitoringthefuture.org/
 2006
NATIONAL SURVEY ON DRUG
USE AND HEALTH
 http://www.oas.samhsa.gov/nhsda.htm
2007 MTF
Overview – The Good News

Overall, the results are very positive  From
2006 to 2007, the percentage of 8th graders
reporting lifetime use of any illicit drug declined from
20.9% to 19.0%.
 Reported past year use among 8th graders declined
from 14.8% to 13.2%.
 Past year prevalence has fallen by 44% among 8th
graders since the peak year of 1996.
 Past year prevalence has fallen 27% among 10th
graders and 15% among 12th graders since the peak
year of 1997.


Cigarette smoking continues to fall to the lowest rate
in the survey's history. Between 2006 and 2007,
declines were observed in lifetime, past month, and daily
cigarette use among 8th graders. Although there were no
1-year declines for 10th and 12th graders, all grades
have continued a longer term trend of declining cigarette
use. 1
Past year use of marijuana by 8th graders declined from
11.7% in 2006 to 10.3% in 2007. Between 2001 and
2007, past month marijuana use declined by nearly 25%
for 8th, 10th, and 12th graders combined.
Since 2006, past year steroid use
decreased in 8th, 10th, and 12th graders
combined from 1.3% to 1.1%.
 Methamphetamine abuse continues to
decline - between 2006 and 2007, lifetime
and past year use among 8th and 12th
graders decreased.


A substantial long-term decline was
observed in past year alcohol use among
8th graders, down to 31.8% from its peak
of 46.8% in 1994. Additionally, past year
use of flavored alcoholic beverages
among 10th graders decreased from
48.8% in 2006 to 45.9% in 2007.
2007 MTF
Overview – Areas of Concern


In 2007, 15.4% of 12th graders reported using a
prescription drug nonmedically within the past year2.
Vicodin continues to be abused at unacceptably high
levels.
Attitudes toward substance abuse, often seen as
harbingers of change in abuse rates, were mostly stable.
However, among 8th graders, perceived risk of harm
associated with MDMA decreased for the third year in
a row. Attitudes towards using LSD also softened among
10th graders this year.

Between 2005 and 2007, past year abuse
of MDMA increased among 12th graders
from 3.0% to 4.5%; and between 2004 and
2007, past year abuse of MDMA increased
among 10th graders from 2.4% to 3.5%.
2006 NATIONAL SURVEY ON
DRUGS USE AND HEALTH – Illicit Drug Use
Illicit Drug Use

In 2006, an estimated 20.4 million Americans aged 12 or older were
current (past month) illicit drug users, meaning they had used an
illicit drug during the month prior to the survey interview. This
estimate represents 8.3 percent of the population aged 12 years old
or older. Illicit drugs include marijuana/hashish, cocaine (including
crack), heroin, hallucinogens, inhalants, or prescription-type
psychotherapeutics used nonmedically.

The rate of current illicit drug use among persons aged 12 or older in
2006 (8.3 percent) was similar to the rate in 2005 (8.1 percent).

Marijuana was the most commonly used illicit drug (14.8
million past month users). Among persons aged 12 or
older, the rate of past month marijuana use was the
same in 2006 (6.0 percent) as in 2005.

In 2006, there were 2.4 million current cocaine users
aged 12 or older, which was the same as in 2005 but
greater than in 2002 when the number was 2.0 million.
However, the rate of current cocaine use remained
stable between 2002 and 2006.

Hallucinogens were used in the past month by 1.0 million
persons (0.4 percent) aged 12 or older in 2006, including
528,000 (0.2 percent) who had used Ecstasy. These
estimates are similar to the corresponding estimates for
2005.

There were 7.0 million (2.8 percent) persons aged 12 or
older who used prescription-type psychotherapeutic
drugs nonmedically in the past month. Of these, 5.2
million used pain relievers, an increase from 4.7 million
in 2005.
In 2006, there were an estimated 731,000
current users of methamphetamine aged
12 or older (0.3 percent of the population).
 Among youths aged 12 to 17, current illicit
drug use rates remained stable from 2005
to 2006.


Among persons aged 12 or older who
used pain relievers nonmedically in the
past 12 months, 55.7 percent reported that
the source of the drug the most recent
time they used was from a friend or
relative for free.
Alcohol Use
 Slightly more than half of Americans aged 12 or older
reported being current drinkers of alcohol in the 2006
survey (50.9 percent). This translates to an estimated
125 million people.
 More than one fifth (23.0 percent) of persons aged 12 or
older participated in binge drinking (having five or more
drinks on the same occasion on at least 1 day in the 30
days prior to the survey) in 2006. This translates to about
57 million people.
Tobacco Use
 In 2006, an estimated 72.9 million Americans aged 12 or
older were current (past month) users of a tobacco
product. This represents 29.6 percent of the population
in that age range. In addition, 61.6 million persons (25.0
percent of the population) were current cigarette
smokers; 13.7 million (5.6 percent) smoked cigars; 8.2
million (3.3 percent) used smokeless tobacco; and 2.3
million (0.9 percent) smoked tobacco in pipes.
Initiation of Substance Use (Incidence, or First-Time
Use)
 The illicit drug use categories with the largest number of
recent initiates among persons aged 12 or older were
nonmedical use of pain relievers (2.2 million) and
marijuana use (2.1 million). These estimates are not
significantly different from the numbers in 2005.
 In 2006, there were 783,000 persons aged 12 or older
who had used inhalants for the first time within the past
12 months; 77.2 percent were under age 18 when they
first used.
Substance Dependence, Abuse, and Treatment
 In 2006, an estimated 22.6 million persons (9.2 percent
of the population aged 12 or older) were classified with
substance dependence or abuse in the past year based
on criteria specified in the Diagnostic and Statistical
Manual.



3.2 million were classified with dependence on or abuse of both
alcohol and illicit drugs
3.8 million were dependent on or abused illicit drugs but not
alcohol
15.6 million were dependent on or abused alcohol but not illicit
drugs.

There were 4.0 million persons aged 12 or
older (1.6 percent of the population) who
received some kind of treatment for a
problem related to the use of alcohol or
illicit drugs in 2006.
 More
than half (2.2 million) received treatment
at a self-help group.
Discuss drugs of abuse that are
creating new problems/concerns
for addiction professionals
Alcohol - Absinthe
 Absinthe
is an anise-flavored liqueur
distilled with oil of wormwood, a leafy
herb
 Absinthe also contains flavorful herbs
such as hyssop, lemon balm, and
angelica
 Active
ingredient is thujone, a
neurotoxin
 Popular in underground circles in
Europe and the United States
 Linked to convulsions, madness, and
death
History
 Wormwood
used medicinally since the
Middle Ages to exterminate
tapeworms while leaving the human
host uninjured and even rejuvenated
by the experience
 At the end of the 18th century, the
herb became recreational as people
discovered they could get high
 Unacceptably
dark
bitter
green color
mixed with water and sugar
elaborate spoons and glasses
Side-Effects
 Renal
failure
 Convulsions
 Involuntary evacuations
 Abnormal respiration
 Foaming at the mouth
Alcohol - AWOL
without liquid (AWOL) –
process introduced first in Asia and
Europe that allows people to take in
liquor (distilled spirits) without actually
consuming liquid
 Alcohol
machine
vaporizes alcohol and mixes it
with oxygen, allowing the consumer to
breathe in the mixture
AWOL
machine produces a very fine
alcohol mist
continual intake of this mist over a
twenty-minute period is the equivalent of
taking one shot of distilled spirits
introduced to the United States in
August of 2004
health
and safety risks of inhaling
alcohol vapors are unknown and many
legislators are promoting legislation to
ban alcohol inhalation machines
Michigan has made it illegal to possess,
sell or use an AWOL machine, and at
this time, sixteen other states have
banned the device
Effects
 Largely
unknown at this time
marketed
as low-carb, no hangover, no
worry for DWI
rapid delivery to brain a concern for
physical effects
Oxycontin
 Known
as the 'hillbilly heroin,'
OxyContin is the brand name for a
semisynthetic opioid analgesic
prescribed for chronic moderate to
severe pain.
 Its active ingredient is oxycodone,
which is also found in drugs like
Percodan and Tylox.
 OxyContin
contains between 10 and
160 milligrams of oxycodone in a
timed-release tablet, which provides
continuous relief for up to 12 hours
 It is more potent than hydrocodone
(Lortab, Vicodin) and has a greater
potential for abuse
 Oxycodone
is also found in at least
45 other drugs on the market,
including Percocet
 Painkillers such as Tylox contain 5
milligrams of oxycodone and often
require repeated doses to bring
about pain relief because they lack
the timed-release formulation
 Since
hitting the U.S. market in 1996,
OxyContin has become one of the
most popular -- and most abused -medical painkillers
 More than 7.2 million prescriptions
have been dispensed annually since
2001

1.
Two primary factors set OxyContin
abuse apart from other
prescription drug abuse.
OxyContin contains a much larger
amount of oxycodone than other
prescription pain relievers
2.
Large profits are to be made in the
illegal sale of OxyContin – 40mg
tablet costs approximately $4 by
prescription, yet it may sell for $20
to $40 on the street
Treatment Considerations
 Two
types of treatment have been
documented as effective for opioid
addiction
long-term,
residential, therapeutic
community type of treatment
long-term, medication-assisted
outpatient treatment
antagonist
maintenance with naltrexone
agonist with methadone and levo alpha
acetyl-methadol (LAAM)
FDA has also approved the partial
agonist buprenorphine (Suboxone) ,
which holds great promise for treatment
Methamphetamine
 Discovered
in 1919 in Japan from its
parent drug, amphetamine
nasal
decongestants and bronchial
inhalers.
 More
pronounced effects on the
central nervous system.
 Popular
use in World War II resulted
in more than 20 years of popularity as
prescription medication.
 Today – one of the most popular illicit
drugs – easily made in clandestine
laboratories with inexpensive OTC
ingredients.
 Methamphetamine
is commonly
known as "speed," "meth," and
"chalk."
 In its smokable form, it is often
referred to as "ice," "crystal," "crank,"
and "glass."
 White,
odorless, bitter-tasting
crystalline powder.
 Causes increased activity, decreased
appetite, and a general sense of wellbeing.
 The effects of methamphetamine can
last 6 to 8 hours.
Pattern of Use
 Can
be smoked, snorted, orally
ingested, or injected.
 Immediately after smoking the drug or
injecting it intravenously, the user
experiences an intense rush or "flash"
that lasts only a few minutes and is
described as extremely pleasurable.
 Snorting
or oral ingestion produces
euphoria – a high but not an intense
rush.
 Snorting produces effects within 3 to
5 minutes, and oral ingestion
produces effects within 15 to 20
minutes.
 Most
often is used in a "binge and
crash" pattern.
 Tolerance occurs within minutes –
pleasurable effects disappear even
before the drug concentration in the
blood falls significantly – “binge” use
is the result.
Long-term effects
 Long-term
methamphetamine abuse
results in many damaging effects,
including
violent
behavior
anxiety
confusion
insomnia
psychotic
features, including paranoia,
auditory hallucinations, mood
disturbances, and delusions (for
example, the sensation of insects
creeping on the skin, which is called
"formication").
Medical Complications
 Rapid
heart rate, irregular heartbeat,
increased blood pressure, and
irreversible, stroke-producing damage
to small blood vessels in the brain.
 Hyperthermia (elevated body
temperature) and convulsions.
 Inflammation
of the heart lining
 Damaged blood vessels and skin
abscesses (IV use)
 Violent behavior, paranoia, anxiety,
confusion, and insomnia
 Calcium loss and resultant problems
Treatment options
 The
most effective treatments for
methamphetamine addiction are
cognitive behavioral interventions
 Recovery support groups also appear
to be effective adjuncts to behavioral
interventions
 Currently
there are no particular
pharmacological treatments for
dependence on amphetamine or
amphetamine-like drugs such as
methamphetamine
 Antidepressant
medications are
helpful in combating the depressive
symptoms frequently seen in
methamphetamine users who
recently have become abstinent
Hallucinogens - SALVIA

Salvia divinorum – a powerful
psychoactive plant, member of the sage
genus and the Lamiaceae (mint) family.
 Diviner's
Sage, Magic Mint, ska María
Pastora, Sally D, Sage of the Seers, or
simply Salvia (although the genus name is
shared among many plants),
 Used
by the indigenous Mazatec
shamans for healing during spirit
journeys
 The plant is found in isolated, shaded
and moist plots in Oaxaca, Mexico
 Traditional
chewing
methods of use
& swallowing fresh leaves
crush the leaves to extract juices, then
drink (usually mixed with water)
dosages vary from as few as 6 leaves to
as many as 120 when using these
methods.
 Modern
methods of use
smoking
chewing
tinctures
made with grain alcohol
Duration of effect
 If
smoked the main effects are
experienced quickly – intense 'peak'
reached within a minute or so and
lasts for about 1-5 minutes
 5-10 minutes, less intense with return
to normal after about 15 to 20
minutes.
– 10 to 15 minutes for
effects lasting 40 to 50 minutes but
producing much milder and lighter
effects than other methods of dosing
 Bitter taste is usually so objectionable
that most individuals will not chew the
leaf long enough to obtain any kind of
psychedelic effect
 Chewing
Effects
doses – spontaneous laughter,
mild closed-eye visuals, stuttering or
strobing visual effects, enhanced or
distorted depth perception, and a
heightened sense of color and texture
may be experienced
 Low
doses – trance-like state,
time distortion and open-eye visuals
become increasingly apparent;
sensations of falling, similar to, but
more pronounced than what is
occasionally felt at the onset of sleep
 Moderate
doses – dimensional distortion,
vertigo, feelings of intense
exhilaration and/or panic, hearing
voices, loss of speech, dissociation,
reports of experiencing alternate
realities, out-of-body experiences
 High
Marijuana – Pot 2.0
 University
of Mississippi’s Marijuana
Potency Project reports the average
levels of THC rose from 3.5 percent in
1988 to 7 percent in 2003 to 8.5
percent in 2006
 highest concentration of (THC) found
in a cannabis (marijuana) sample is
33.12
Inhalants
WHY INHALANT USE IS INCREASING
1. Potentially abused products, when
used as designed, are legal, useful
and serve many appropriate needs in
society
2. Almost inexhaustible supply -- over
1,000 products can be abused
3. Products are universally available -- at
home, school and convenience, grocery
and auto supply stores
4. Products are free or generally
inexpensive
5. Laws prohibiting sale of products to
minors are difficult to enforce; legal
consequences of use are minimal
6. No complex paraphernalia are necessary
to abuse products
7. Youth do not have to go to a "dealer" to
obtain products (they can be bought
and/or are available in the home and at
school)
8. Use can occur anywhere
9. Products are easy to conceal
10. Use is difficult to detect
11. Targeted education and awareness
programs are not available in many
schools and communities
12. Adults are generally not aware of the
problem and tend to deny that their
children may be sniffing or huffing
13. Young people are generally unaware of
the consequences of use
Glossary of Terms
Bolt, Bullet, Climax, Locker Room,
Rush. Street names for butyl nitrite, which
is packaged in small bottles.
 Poppers and Snappers. Street names for
ampoules of amyl nitrite.
 Whippets. Balloons or plastic bags filled
with nitrous oxide.

Sudden Sniffing Deaths. Death, usually
due to heart failure, within minutes of
using an inhalant.
 Texas Shoe Shine. Spray paint containing
toluene.
 Torch or Fire Breathing. Igniting exhaled
volatile gas, such as propane or butane.


“Sniffing," "Snorting," "Bagging"
(fumes inhaled from a plastic bag),
"Huffing" (inhalant-soaked rag in the
mouth). Terms for inhaling substances.
Types of Inhalants
 Volatile
gases
solvents
such as butane gas fumes, or
liquids, such as gasoline or paint thinner
include spray paint, paint and wax
removers, hair spray, odorants, air
fresheners, cigarette lighter fuels,
analgesic sprays, and propellant gases
used in aerosols such as whipped
cream dispensers
 Nitrites
"poppers'
or "rush," some nitrite
products are sold as room odorizers.
use of nitrites has fallen off dramatically
in recent years
 Anesthetics
principal
substance of abuse is nitrous
oxide
colorless, sweet-tasting gas used by
doctors and dentists for general
anesthesia
"laughing gas”
 The
National Inhalant Prevention
Coalition - community education and
awareness on the dangers of inhalant
use. http://www.inhalants.com
OTC – Dextromethorphan
 "DXM,"
"robo," "skittles," "Vitamin D,"
"dex", "tussin," "syrup heads."
 Non-prescription
cough suppressant
dextromethorphan is an emerging
problem among school-aged youth
and young adults in the United States
 Intoxication
comes from swallowing
large doses of cough syrup, known as
"robodosing" or "robo-tripping" or
taking handful of cough suppressant
pills, sometimes called "skittles"
(an
appearance similar to the popular
fruit candy – includes such OTC’s as
Coricidin®)
 The
drug creates a depressant effect,
as well as a mild hallucinogenic
effect, when taken in large doses, and
is often used as an alternative to
ecstasy
Adverse Effects
decreased
ability to regulate body
temperature, resulting in reduced
sweating and increased body
temperatures - "rave-related heat
stroke."
dry mouth and loss of body fluid, from
the anti-cholinergic effect of the drug
dry
itchy skin and occasional patches of
flaky skin
blurred vision, hallucinations, cognitive
alterations, delusions, and a
dissassociative state
nausea, abdominal pain, vomiting,
vomiting of blood
irregular
heartbeat, high blood pressure,
numbness of fingers or toes, redness of
face, headache
loss of consciousness
death (rarely)
Principles of Drug
Addiction Treatment
1.No single treatment is appropriate for all
individuals.
2.Treatment needs to be readily available.
3.Effective treatment attends to multiple
needs of the individual, not just his or her
drug use.
4.At different times during treatment, a
patient may develop a need for medical
services, family therapy, vocational
rehabilitation, and social and legal
services.
5.Remaining in treatment for an adequate
period of time is critical for treatment
effectiveness.
6. Individual and/or group counseling and
other behavioral therapies are critical
components of effective treatment for
addiction.
7. Medications are an important element of
treatment for many patients, especially
when combined with counseling and
other behavioral therapies.
8.Addicted or drug-abusing individuals with
coexisting mental disorders should have
both disorders treated in an integrated
way.
9.Medical detoxification is only the first stage
of addiction treatment and by itself does
little to change long-term drug use.
10. Treatment does not need to be voluntary
to be effective.
11. Possible drug use during treatment must
be monitored continuously.
12. Treatment programs should provide
assessment for HIV/AIDS, hepatitis B and
C, tuberculosis and other infectious
diseases, and counseling to help patients
modify or change behaviors that place
them or others at risk of infection.
13. Recovery from drug addiction can be a
long-term process and frequently requires
multiple episodes of treatment.
WEBSITES FOR STAYING CURRENT ON
DRUGS OF ABUSE

NIDA Homepage
Excellent resource with a great deal of research
information and many downloadable articles. Be sure to
check out the NIDA Notes link, and be sure to sign-up for
the monthly publication. NIDA also has a Resource/Link
page with multiple links with NIDA constituent
organizations, grantees and Government sites of interest
http://www.nida.nih.gov/

Rx List
Reference to prescription medications. This directory of
drugs has medical information about their use and side
effects, as well as the ingredients found in each drug.
This site can be searched by using either the brand or
generic name of the drug.
http://www.rxlist.com

The Lycaeum
An organization that is definitely dedicated to the
promotion of “controlled substance use.” A valuable
resource, none-the-less, to gain insight into the mind set
of the user thinking and to stay current with information
that is on the street regarding the use and “benefit” of
specific drugs. Check out the graphics link – an
excellent resource with pictures, drawings, etc., of
various natural and synthetic drugs.
http://www.lycaeum.org/

The Texas Commission on Alcohol and
Drug Abuse, Research Publications
Scroll down to “A Dictionary of Slang Drug Terms, Their
Generic and Trade Names, and Pharmacological Effects
and Uses” (October 1997). Click and download – an
excellent resource for counselors.
http://www.dshs.state.tx.us/sa/research/Slan
gTermsProfiles.shtm

The Indiana Prevention Resource Center
at Indiana University
Articles, information, and links for prevention efforts
across the United States. Also has an excellent graphics
section for pictures and slides of various drugs of abuse.
http://www.drugs.indiana.edu

The National Addiction Technology
Transfer Center Website
Homepage for the ATTC project – valuable links to all of
the online resources that are participating in this national
project which is geared toward expanding the knowledge
base of the professional addiction counselor.
http://www.nattc.org/

Center for Substance Abuse Research
(CESAR)
The Center for Substance Abuse Research (CESAR) is a
research center within the College of Behavioral and
Social Sciences, University of Maryland College Park. A
primary mission of CESAR is to collect, analyze, and
disseminate information on the nature and extent of
substance abuse and related problems in Maryland and
nationally.
http://www.bsos.umd.edu/cesar/cesar.html

The Wisconsin Clearinghouse
Offers up-to-date information on substance abuse policy
issues, legislation, prevention materials, resource
information, news and links.
http://wch.uhs.wisc.edu/

The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse
and Alcoholism (NIAAA)
The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism
(NIAAA) supports and conducts biomedical and
behavioral research on the causes, consequences,
treatment, and prevention of alcoholism and alcoholrelated problems. NIAAA also provides leadership in the
national effort to reduce the severe and often fatal
consequences of these problems.
http://www.niaaa.nih.gov/

Substance Abuse and Mental Health
Services Administration (SAMHSA)
SAMHSA's mission is to assure that quality substance
abuse and mental health services are available to the
people who need them, and to ensure that prevention
and treatment knowledge is used more effectively in the
general health care system. (Managed care is among the
topics covered on this site.)
http://www.samhsa.gov/

The Office of National Drug Control Policy
ONDCP is authorized to develop and coordinate the
policies, goals, and objectives of the Nation's drug
control program for reducing the use of illicit drugs.
http://www.whitehousedrugpolicy.gov/

American Society of Addiction Medicine
The nation's medical specialty society dedicated
to educating physicians and improving the
treatment of individuals suffering from
alcoholism or other addictions.
http://www.asam.org/

The Distance Learning Center for Addiction
Studies
Staying current with addiction and treatment information
is necessary to insure quality of care and service to the
field. The DLCAS provides distance training via the
internet in a variety of topic areas. A joint venture of
DLCAS and Hazelden.
http://www.dlcas.com/