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“I was only 17 and had undergonesurgery for a disc that was rupturedin my back due to a car accident. Istarted taking the prescriptions oxy/roxycotin after I gave birth to my son,Kayden, to deal with the pain that Istill had from the accident. Before Iknew it, I was ingesting more than15 pills a day. When the clinic I wasgetting my pills from was raided, I hitthe streets and started stealing.“Thank goodness for my family.They took care of my son while myaddiction drove me to the streets formore than a year. Life on the streetstook everything from me — mytime with my son and being able tohelp him when he got real sick, myrelationship with my son’s dad andmy own health. By the time of myfirst arrest, I only weighed 115 pounds.It was only after I spent almost amonth in jail did I decide to come toDAccO for treatment. Unfortunately,my addiction started trying to takeme back less than a month after Ientered the program. I thought I couldstill use and when I was offeredsome pills, I took them and got high.My counselors at DAccO knew I hadrelapsed and had me tested whenI came back from escorting anotherclient to the hospital. When I testedpositive, I was arrested and put backin jail for another 43 days.“I thank God that neither the judge,DAccO nor my family deserted me. …I know now how much I was hurtingeveryone around me and how muchI missed, but I also feel so lucky thatKayden still loves me and puts upwith me. I want to let others knowthat recovery is great and you canhave it if you want it.”— KellieThe new working definition of Recoveryfrom Mental Disorders and Substance UseDisorders is as follows: “A process of changethrough which individuals improve their healthand wellness, live a self-directed life, and striveto reach their full potential.”Everyday peopleNearly 75 percent of all adult illicit drugusers are employed, as are most bingeand heavy alcohol users. Studies showthat when compared with nonsubstanceabusers, substance-abusing employees aremore likely to• change jobs frequently• be late to or absent from work• be less productive employees• be involved in a workplace accident• file a workers’ compensation claim.Source: Substance Abuse and Mental HealthServices AdministrationMarijuana use increases as alcoholuse decreasesMarijuana use among teens rose in 2011 forthe fourth straight year – a sharp contrast tothe considerable decline that had occurredin the preceding decade. Daily marijuana useis now at a 30-year peak level among highschool seniors.“Synthetic marijuana,” which until earlierthis year was legally sold and goes by suchnames as “K2” and “spice,” was added to thestudy’s coverage in 2011; one in every ninehigh school seniors (11.4 percent) reportedusing that drug in the prior 12 months.Alcohol use – and, importantly, occasionsof heavy drinking – continued a long-termgradual decline among teens, reachinghistorically low levels in 2011.Source: National Institutes of HealthA weed by any other nameKnown as incense or “fake weed,”K2 and similar substances are syntheticcannabinoids much more powerfulthan marijuana, according to the DrugEnforcement Administration.Sold by the gram in brightly coloredpackets, the substances, when smoked,could induce overexcitement, hallucinations,paranoia, agitation and anxiety, not tomention high blood pressure, panic attacksand seizures.The fake drugs were sold online and in drugparaphernalia shops and convenience storesbefore the Drug Enforcement Administration(DEA) banned the use and sale of their keyingredients in March 2011. Shortly afterthe DEA announced its ban, some of themanufacturers started advertising other fakepotproducts. Many of them are sold onlineand are showing up in the Tampa Bay area.Sources: Tampa Bay Times and Drug EnforcementAdministration14 tampabay.com/nie