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Substance Abuse
Substance abuse has a range of definitions related to disaproval over use or overuse of mood altering substances. These fall into four main categories: Substance abuse may lead to addiction or substance dependence. Medicaly, dependence requires the development of tolerance leading to withdrawal symptoms.

Alcoholism and Drug Addiction Intervention
A drug and alcoholism intervention is an attempt by family members and friends to help a chemically dependent person get help for his or her addiction.

Oxycontin Addiction:
Oxycontin is a prescription painkiller used for moderate to high pain relief associated with injuries, bursitis, dislocations, fractures, neuralgia, arthritis, lower back pain and pain associated with cancer. It contains oxycodone, an opium derivative and is produced in a time released tablet. Oxycontin commonly referred to as OC, OX, Oxy, Oxycotton and kicker, was introduced in 1996 and has had a rapid escalation of abuse. The tablets can be chewed, crushed and snorted like cocaine, crushed and dissolved in water and then injected like heroin. The most serious side effect is respiratory depression, particularly dangerous for the elderly. Oxycontin addiction and demand has resulted in pharmacy robberies and forged prescriptions. The estimated number of people aged 12 or older with an oxycontin addiction has increased from 1.9 million in 2002, to 3.1 million in 2004. The largest increase occurred among young adults aged 18 to 25.

Heroin Rapid Detox
As an Opioid heroin use escalates as the body’s tolerance for the drug increases. The increased tolerance is the cause of many overdose deaths given that the heroin user may be injecting 3 to 5 times the lethal dose in order to maintain their high. Rapid detoxification from high tolerance heroin use is extremely dangerous and can be fatal. Relapse for a heroin user after some period of absence can also be fatal as their tolerance level is no longer present and the same amount used during their last episode prior to a period abstinence will often kill the user.

Binge Drinking:
According to a rent study conducted by Kathryn Graham, et al of the University of Western Ontario psychology department "Depression is most strongly related to a pattern of binge drinking," Binge Drinking is defined in the study as consuming at least 5 alcoholic beverages at one sitting. Whether Binge Drinking resulted in the development depression or whether depression contributed to a persons binge drinking was unclear in this study.

Oxycodone Addiction
Oxycodone works by stimulating certain opoid receptors that are located throughout the central nervous system, in the brain and along the spinal cord. When the oxycodone binds to the opoid receptors, a variety of physiologic responses can occur ranging from pain relief, to slowed breathing to euphoria. Withdrawal reactions include anxiety, irritability, sweating, trouble sleeping and diarrhea.

Alcohol Addiction
Alcohol Addiction is a chronic disease characterized by a strong craving for alcohol, a constant or periodic reliance on use of alcohol despite adverse consequences, the inability to limit drinking, physical illness when drinking is stopped, and the need for increasing amounts of alcohol to feel its effects.

Inpatient Treatment is most often residential in that they require that the client live within the facility during treatment. Inpatient treatment centers and programs are a higher level of care than outpatient programs and provide more intensive services and treatment than lower levels of the care continuum.

drug rehab, drug treatment, addiction treatment

New York Drug and Alcohol Rehab Programs and Addiction Treatment Centers

New York Drug and Alcohol Addiction, Substance Abuse and Rehabilitation Treatment Situation

New York City has a historical association with drug trafficking for more than half a decade. The State is home to numerous ethnic groups; it is surrounded by a large coast line, multitude of freeways and serves numerous major cities within a few hours drive. This places New York as an ideal location for drug trafficking and this opportunity has not missed by many drug cartels

Cocaine Addiction

The primary drug traffickers who control the cocaine smuggling and distribution are the Colombian and Mexicans. These traffickers bring in large quantities of cocaine in the State, where it is re packaged and distributed through various networks both across and out of the State. New York is the hub for the majority of cocaine smuggled into the NE corner and also into Canada. The majority of cocaine arrives via the multitude of freeways in automobiles, vans and trucks. At the retail level, the cocaine is distributed by various smaller groups including gangs and other ethnic minorities (Puerto Ricans, Filipinos, Italians), who all work for the hierarchical Hispanic cartels.
Cocaine abuse is a major problem in all cities in the state. The powder cocaine is usually converted to crack which is available in all of New York. The majority of this crack cocaine is found in the inner ghettoes and associated with gang violence, crime, thefts, murders, inner-city poverty and prostitution.

Heroin Addiction

Heroin is readily available in most cities in NY. The heroin trade has always been under the control of the Colombian and Dominican organizations operating in the New York metropolitan area. The majority of heroin is smuggled in from South American and controlled by the Colombia-based traffickers. Much of the heroin is brought in via the interstate from Mexico but a fair amount is smuggled in through the two large NY airports.

Over the last decade, the Columbian drug cartels have become sophisticated and have used ingenious methods of bringing the drug into America. Heroin has been found packed in furniture, clothes, microscopes, shoes, toupees, and even animals. The heroin trafficking and abuse problem has increased all over NY.

Methamphetamine Addiction

Methamphetamine for some reason is not as commonly abused in NY as are the other drugs. The majority of methamphetamine is brought into NY from the west coast and the trade is primarily controlled by the Asians and Hispanic drug cartels. In addition, local methamphetamine laboratories have become popular. Despite the ban of ephedrine from cough supplies, these clandestine laboratories still manage to get the chemicals necessary for synthesis of the methamphetamine. Because of the large size of the State and numerous empty isolated factories, methamphetamine factories have been springing up all over the State. However, law enforcement agencies have been quite productive in eradicating these laboratories as soon as they spring up.

Club Drugs

New York continues to experience high levels of importation, trafficking, and abuse of MDMA (Ecstasy). The majority of club drugs are smuggled in from Europe and Israel. However, Canada has recently emerged as a significant source for MDMA production. MDMA is also smuggled in from other States using couriers and parcel post services. Because of the large use by college students, the club drug trade is now being controlled by various drug organizations, which includes the Russian, Israelis, Dominicans, Blacks and Mexicans.

Besides MDMA, other club drugs, such as GHB, ketamine, PCP and steroids, while available, are less prominent problems in New York City.

Marijuana Addiction

Most of the marijuana entering the New York City is from Mexico. The drug is smuggled in automobiles, trucks, campers and US parcel post service. Law enforcement agencies report a continued increase in the shipment of marijuana from Jamaica, which is transported and distributed by Jamaican trafficking organizations, in addition, the pure variety of marijuana known as BC bud, is increasingly being smuggled in from Canada.

With a recent increase in immigrants from Somalia, Khat has become a common substance of abuse. Khat is a plant leaf which is chewed and can produce mild euphoria. Awareness by the law enforcement agencies has led to seizures of tons of the product recently.

Pharmaceutical Drugs

Current investigations indicate that abuse of hydrocodone products such as Vicodin, hydrocodone oxycontin, benzodiazepines methadone, xanax and oxycontin continues to be a problem in New York. The major methods of obtaining these drugs are forged prescriptions, pharmacy break INS, “doctor shopping, employee theft and via the internet. The pharmaceutical drug market has also been infiltrated by fake pills, the majority which are smuggled in from Mexico.

Substance Abuse Prevention

DEA Mobile Enforcement Teams were established in response to the overwhelming problem of drug-related violent crime in towns and cities across the nation. In March 2005, the METs prioritized investigations to target and dismantle methamphetamine trafficking organizations and clandestine laboratory operators. In addition DEA Regional Enforcement Teams were developed to augment existing DEA division resources by targeting drug organizations operating in the United States where there is a lack of sufficient local drug law enforcement.

Money Laundering

New York City is one of the world’s financial capitals, presenting numerous options for the movement and laundering of drug proceeds. Every type of banking is available in NY to mask illegal activity. Additionally, numerous large scale money shipment and/or money laundering organizations are active in New York, servicing national and international drug organizations. These transportation/laundering organizations regularly conduct thousands of cash trafficking groups. Despite the extensive financial systems available in New York, many trafficking organizations choose to physically smuggle bulk cash out NY City.

Drug Laws

DPA is headquartered in New York City and is intensely involved in drug reform campaigns in the city and state. In 2005, DPA won a significant victory in the passage of a bill that eliminates criminal penalties for the possession of naloxone or Narcan—an opioid antagonist that is life saving for someone who has overdosed on morphine or a related opiate. The bill also requires the Department of Public Health to track and report overdose deaths in New York.