Addiction

A recent study by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) revealed that since 1992 the number of older Americans being admitted into substance abuse treatment has nearly doubled. And even though alcohol remains the top reason for admission among this age group, the study showed a sharp rise since 1992 in the illicit drug abuse involving admissions and this older age group (ages 50 and older).

Among this age group, admissions since 1992 due to heroin abuse more than doubled, cocaine abuse quadrupled, and prescription drug abuse rose from 0.7 percent to 3.5 percent. The study also found that admissions involving abuse of multiple substances nearly tripled from 13.7 percent to 39.7 percent since 1992. (Medical News Today)

While over three quarters of these admissions involved a primary use of a substance beginning by age 25, there was a significant increase in the proportion of admissions that involved a substance introduced within five years prior to admission. In 2008, cocaine abuse is an example of a leading cause of admission that older Americans reported having begin use within five years prior to admission. Prescription drug abuse was second.

Researchers for the study explained the findings as indication of “the changing scope of substance abuse problems in America.” It also raises new wellness concerns for the health and social services already providing assistance to seniors.

The study is also an example of the indiscriminate nature of substance abuse, and the need to de-stigmatize addiction in order to best treat those suffering and at-risk.

On June 8, 2010, The New York Times ran an article about a new drinking game trend that encourages binge drinking, icing, that’s spread from college campuses across the U.S. to social networking sites, such as Twitter and Facebook, to blogs. It has become the first viral drinking game.

“Icing” involves the malt beverage Smirnoff Ice. The premise of the game is that at any social gathering a friend might hand another friend a Smirnoff Ice (typically a warm one), and the receiver has to drink all of it at once while kneeling on one knee. However, if the receiver is carrying a bottle of Smirnoff Ice himself (the game is more popular among men than women), then the initial giver must drink both of the bottles, all at once, while kneeling on one knee. Most of the participants describe Smirnoff Ice as an unpleasant drink, which heightens the aspect of losing and reinforces the carrying of defense Ice. It’s no surprise that the sales of Smirnoff Ice has skyrocketed.

Many have questioned Smirnoff Ice’s involvement in the viral ad campaign, but Smirnoff has denied all accusations. Some young adults who documented the spread of the game said that many would stop Icing “if it turns out that they’re being used to market a drink they don’t really like.”

Smirnoff Ice and its parent company released a statement that read: “Icing is consumer-generated, and some people think it is fun. We never want under-age ‘icing’ and we always want responsible drinking.” However, the very nature of the game, through it’s encouragement of the dangerous act of binge drinking, is irresponsible. Whether involved or not, it seems the responsible thing for Smirnoff Ice to do at this point would be discourage such games as “Icing” and to remind its consumers about the dangers of binge drinking. They should not be reiterating the game as something that people think is ‘fun’.

No matter under-age or of-age, making a game of binge drinking is always dangerous.
Here are some health problems associated with binge drinking:

• Alcohol poisoning.
• Liver disease.
• High blood pressure, stroke, and other forms of cardiovascular disease.
• Neurological damage.
• Sexually transmitted diseases.
• Unintentional pregnancy.
• Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (if pregnant women binge drink).
• Unintentional injuries (such as car accidents, falls, etc.).
• Intentional injuries (such as injuries from firearms, domestic violence, etc.).

In addition, studies have shown that the younger one begins drinking, the more likely they are to develop alcohol dependence.