Expert: Dr. Kim Makoi
Bio: Dr. Kim Makoi has been a chiropractor in San Francisco for more than 11 years. He is also an addiction specialist.
Filmmaker: Sam Lee

Duration : 0:1:4

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While many communities are just beginning to figure out how to handle this legal drug problem, anti-drug groups in Tennessee have had a head start. For years, Tennessee held the unwanted distinction as the nations top state for prescription drug abuse. That is changing, thanks to hard work and cooperation.

The people from Tennessee will share their experiences during this hour-long MCTFT broadcast. There will be no expert panel discussion, just advice from the people in the field.

Learn how citizens in Tennessee discovered the problem and took control. Hear from coalition leaders, law enforcement, doctors, pharmacists, insurance executives, and others. See what they did so you can bring it into your own communities.

Learning Objectives:

See how anti-drug groups in Tennessee discovered the prescription drug problem
Find out how cooperation is making a difference
Learn what law enforcement officers are seeing and how they are adapting to the new drug problems
Hear how health care providers are trying to protect themselves and their patients

From the public domain, courtesy of the Multijurisdictional Counterdrug Task Force Training (MCTFT)

Duration : 0:59:56

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Duration : 0:23:26

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Narcotic painkillers
Sedatives and tranquilizers
Stimulants
Experts don’t know exactly why this type of drug abuse is increasing. The availability of drugs is probably one reason. Doctors are prescribing more drugs for more health problems than ever before. Online pharmacies make it easy to get prescription drugs without a prescription, even for youngsters.

Some people experiment with prescription drugs because they think they will help them have more fun, lose weight, fit in, and even study more effectively. Prescription drugs can be easier to get than street drugs: Family members or friends could have a prescription. But prescription drugs are also sometimes sold on the street like other illegal drugs. A 2006 National Survey on Drug Use and Health showed that among all youths aged 12 to 17, 6% had tried prescription drugs for recreational use in the last month.

Why? Some people think that prescription drugs are safer and less addictive than street drugs. After all, these are drugs that moms, dads, and even kid brothers and sisters use. To Angie, taking her brother’s ADHD medicine felt like a good way to keep her appetite in check. She’d heard how bad diet pills can be, and she wrongly thought that the ADHD drugs would be safer.

But prescription drugs are only safe for the individuals who actually have prescriptions for them. That’s because a doctor has examined these people and prescribed the right dose of medication for a specific medical condition. The doctor has also told them exactly how they should take the medicine, including things to avoid while taking the drug — such as drinking alcohol, smoking, or taking other medications. They also are aware of potentially dangerous side effects and can monitor patients closely for these.

Other people who try prescription drugs are like Todd. They think they’re not doing anything illegal because these drugs are prescribed by doctors. But taking drugs without a prescription — or sharing a prescription drug with friends — is actually breaking the law.

Duration : 0:5:0

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Duration : 0:2:16

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Co-authors Constance Curry and Kristina Wandzilak discuss the struggles with drug and alcohol addiction at the heart of their book, “The Lost Years: Surviving a Mother and Daughter’s Worst Nightmare.”

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Constance Curry and Kristina Wandzilak talk about “The Lost Years: Surviving a Mother and Daughter’s Worst Nightmare.”

This riveting memoir of survival and transformation reveals the true story of a daughter’s decline into alcohol and drug addiction, prostitution and homelessness, and her mother’s efforts to rescue her. – Book Passage

Kristina Wandzilak is the Executive director of Full Circle Intervention, a nationally recognized presenter and author. She has worked in the chemical dependency field since 1994. Kristina has been specializing in intervention since 1998 and opened the doors of Full Circle Intervention, with the vision of bringing respectful intervention to families who are in crisis with addiction.

Constance Curry has been in co-dependency recovery for many years. She has studied and tried to understand the disorder that took over her life and the lives of those she loved most. She has been on various educational speaker panels for practicing therapists and teachers talking on the intricate subject of addiction and family recovery.

Duration : 0:7:27

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Duration : 0:2:13

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