Kelleigh Bannen plays “90 in 90” tour for drug addiction research and recovery

The above video features a duet with Bo Bice and Kelleigh Bannen as part of the “90 in 90” tour.  Kelleigh Bannen is a perfect example of a musician who grew up with a drug addiction problem in her family and made something positive out of it.  After losing her brother to an oxycodone overdose, Bannen vowed to take up the “90 in 90” tour that takes on a grueling concert tour of 90 concerts in 90 days to raise money for the Hazelden Foundation’s Butler Center for Research, which is an alcohol and addiction research and recovery center.

Meth 360 outreach program aims to educate community on realities of addiction

The internet based outreach program Meth 360 is designed for individuals all over the world to take an active role in their communities by spreading the facts about meth addiction and the possibility of treatment and recovery.  Anyone can take part by visiting the Meth 360 website at  http://www.drugfree.org/Meth360/.  The website provides training, which allows the individual to be a presenter of the PowerPoint presentations created by Meth 360 or a coordinator who is in charge of organizing the events.

Meth 360 distinguishes itself from other community, outreach programs in that it aims to get the entire community involved by including addicts, law enforcement personnel, and prevention and treatment professionals as part of the presentations in order to deliver the “360 degree” point of view on the reality of meth addiction and meth addiction prevention.  After reading several different local publications that have mentioned the outreach program, it is easy to understand how the grass roots efforts of Meth 360 are beginning to take effect in community centers all over the U.S.

Celebrity Drug Abuse: Addiction in the World of Celebrities

Gary Busey
Substances Abused: Alcohol, Cocaine, GHB

Recently featured in Dr. Drew’s Celebrity Rehab on VH-1, Gary Busey may have found more fame with recent antics and crazy sayings, now coined “Buseyisms”, than his films. 
Gary Busey was arrested in May of 1995 for possession of cocaine and has been hospitalized in the past due to his excessive use of Cocaine and GHB.

Steven Adler
Substances Abused: Alcohol, Cocaine, Marijuana

Former Guns N’ Roses drummer Steven Adler also has new found success from his recent stay in Celebrity Rehab. Steven Adler suffered a stroke due to his excessive drug use and even suffered a few relapses while his stay in Sober House. In a recent interview with Howard Stern, Adler said that he has quit using illicit drugs and only smokes marijuana from time to time.     

Whitney Houston
Substances Abused: Alcohol, Cocaine, Marijuana

With such a high profile, you would think that Whitney Houston would know better than to try to walk through airport security with marijuana in her luggage but that’s exactly what she did in 2000. Since then, Whitney Houston’s sister-in-law has claimed that Houston has a serious problem with crack and has nearly overdosed several times.

Drew Barrymore
Substance Abused: Alcohol, Cocaine, Marijuana

Drew Barrymore admitted that she started drinking alcohol and smoking cigarettes at the age of 9. At 10, she began to smoke marijuana and by age 12, she was snorting cocaine. Although her childhood was surrounded by substance abuse Barrymore seems to have overcome her struggle with addiction.

Yasmine Bleeth
Substances Abused: Cocaine, Meth

Former Baywatch beauty Yasmine Bleeth entered the luxurious Promises Rehab Clinic in Malibu for the first time voluntarily in 2000 to help her overcome a cocaine addiction. While commenting on her addiction, Bleeth said, “It was almost like falling in love… It became my boyfriend, my best friend, my family.”

New Charles Manson Photo from Corcoran Prison

This new photo of Charles (Charlie) Manson has surfaced from the California State Prison in Corcoran. Manson, 74, took the photo as a part of a routine file update required for all inmates at Corcoran prison.

 

Charles Manson is currently serving a life sentence at Corcoran prison in California for conspiring to murder seven people (including actress Sharon Tate).

 

It has been said that excessive use of LSD was a major contributor to Charles Manson’s control over his followers.   

One Year Later, Has Heath Ledger’s Death Exposed the Growing Problem with Prescription Drug Abuse?

It has been just over a year that actor Heath Ledger was found dead in an apartment in Manhattan. According to sources, the prescription drugs found in Heath Ledger’s apartment were: Zopiclone, Diazepam, Lormetazepam, Temazepam, Alprazolam and Donormyl. Zopiclone, sold in the U.S. as Lunesta, is used to control insomnia. Diazepam is marketed as Valium, and is used as a sedative and to help insomnia. Loremtazepam is sold in the U.K. for treatment of severe insomnia. Temazepam, which may be known to some under the brand name Restoril, is a strong sedative and helps induce sleep. Alprazolam is known by its trade name Xanax and is used for anxiety and panic attacks. Donormyl is a drug made in France that is used for severe insomnia.

Every drug in the list has addictive properties. Some are widely abused in the U.S. or Europe. Side effects from these drugs include agitation, loss of memory, confusion and respiratory depression. The only good that may come from Heath Ledger’s tragic death is that it may have exposed the ever-growing problem with prescription drug use in the United States.

Overuse of prescription drugs, whether accidental or intentional, can result in catastrophe. In 2006, seven million Americans ages 12 and older were current abusers of prescription drugs and over two million people started abusing of prescription drugs, more than any other category.

If you think that you have a problem with prescription drugs, illicit drugs, alcohol or gambling, check out the online recovery community, www.InTheRooms.com.