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It is an absolute dramatic and startling fact that – over the past five years – a heroin tsunami has washed over middle and upper middle class America. Maybe it’s even your boss who is strung out on heroin. Heroin is going mainstream. (more…)

The percentage of Americans who say they currently smoke marijuana has nearly doubled since 2013, a new survey finds.

Thirteen percent of adults in the U.S. now say they currently smoke pot — up from 7 percent in 2013, according to the new Gallup poll.

The percentage of Americans who said they had ever tried marijuana also increased since 2013. This year, 43 percent of Americans said they had tried the drug — up from 38 percent in 2013, according to the poll. [Where Americans Smoke and Grow Marijuana (Maps)]

Recreational marijuana use is legal in four states(Colorado, Washington, Alaska and Oregon) and the District of Columbia. In addition, half of U.S. states have some version of a medical marijuana law, according to Gallup. In November, four more states will vote on whether to allow medical marijuana.

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There is always some new substance, it seems, that kids (and a growing number of adults) appear willing to try to get high.

Parents have now been warned to watch for Imodium abuse. The over-the-counter anti-diarrhea drug is increasingly being used among opioid addicts who can no longer access pills, or who may be trying to self-treat their drug dependence. (more…)

In this day and age, incredible medications exist to improve the quality of life for seniors. Unfortunately, studies show that certain medications that help tremendously with pain also have the potential to be very harmful. The abuse of and addiction to prescription painkillers among seniors is a growing problem. (more…)

Watch Cliffside Malibu founder Richard Taite join Bill Maher to discuss America’s opioid epidemic on Real Time @HBO:

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Your next “cocktail” could be just a coffee stirrer, glass of water and a pouch of powdered alcohol away, provided your state isn’t one of the 31 (and counting) that have already banned the substance. Palcohol, a new take on powdered booze, isn’t even available for sale in the U.S., yet legislation is popping up all over the place to prevent its distribution.

Palcohol was the brainchild of a guy named Mark Phillips, an avid outdoorsman who longed to enjoy a cocktail at the end of a day spent in nature, without the burden of toting vodka bottles and mixers in his small pack. This incarnation of powdered alcohol has taken years to get off the ground, and offers selections like vodka, rum and a few mixed cocktails, all of which feature similar alcohol content to their liquid equivalents. (more…)

Alcohol acts as a diuretic. Early in the night (before the seriously regrettable stuff), your body pulls that water from your blood plasma. But as the night wears on, you dehydrate even more. At this point, your body will pull water from the brain to keep your other organs functioning properly. “When the brain doesn’t have enough water it stretches the [cell] membranes, which causes that hangover headache we are all familiar with,” says Damon Raskin, M.D., the chief medical officer for Cliffside Malibu, a drug and alcohol rehab center. (more…)

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Unconfirmed reports from the news site TMZ indicated that Prince was treated for an overdose of the painkiller Percocet after the emergency landing. His jet took off again a few hours later.

Doctors typically prescribe Percocet for severe pain, said Dr. Damon Raskin, the chief medical advisor at the drug rehabilitation center Cliffside Malibu. It’s considered a high-risk drug, and doctors cannot call a prescription into a pharmacy, but rather must write a prescription on paper or electronically transmit it using a secure system. (more…)

Cliffside Malibu’s chief medical adviser Dr. Damon Raskin visits the set of Fox Studio 11 to discuss the dangers of Fentanyl and how to avoid the deadly opiate. (more…)

HOUSTON – As federal drug enforcement agents and Houston police continue their crackdown on pain clinics prescribing medications with few questions asked, health officials are ramping up efforts to better treat those addicted to pain pills. (more…)

ERIC ALBRECHT | THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

Columbus lawyer Pam Makowski, 58, unwittingly became dependent on the opioid painkiller Percocet by taking it as prescribed through a painful complication after hip-replacement surgery last year. “I didn’t crave it,” she said, yet she felt horrible if she didn’t take it. (more…)

Cliffside Malibu goes the extra mile (and then some) for its patients. (more…)

The pharmaceutical industry has provided the world with incredible medical breakthroughs. Because of Salk’s (and Sabin’s) research and generosity, polio no longer ravages bodies or brings fear to communities. Diabetes can be managed with a number of products, giving diabetics a higher quality of life than ever before. (more…)

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LOS ANGELES (CBSLA.com) — California’s largest organization of physicians is officially supporting the legalization of pot and not just medical marijuana. (more…)

Former head coach Steve Sarkisian has sued USC for $30 million for wrongful termination and failure to help him treat his alcoholism. (Sarah Reingewirtz/Staff Photographer)

Former USC coach Steve Sarkisian filed a lawsuit against the university on Monday saying he was “kicked to the curb” instead of being allowed to seek treatment for alcoholism. (more…)

Richard and his team have saved countless lives.

The Cliffside Malibu could be an exclusive hotel, with its designer décor, unparalleled views of the Pacific Ocean and an eye watering price tag. In reality: it’s a rehab centre favoured by the rich and famous. (more…)

It was Nov. 22 that changed 22-year-old Jeff Louis’s life. Overwhelmed after receiving a $700 tip from Lifepoint Church in Mentor, Louis shared how his heart overflowed in a raw account on YouTube. (more…)

A pizza delivery driver who has been fighting to overcome an addiction relapse was recently moved to tears after he was surprised with a $700 tip from members of an Ohio church, and the selfie video of his emotional reaction is going viral. (more…)

Constance Scharff of Cliffside Malibu.

Constance Scharff had been sexually abused for years by her father when she took her first drink, the first of many. She was 11 years old. (more…)

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For some, it had been a long time coming.

In August, USC head football coach Steve Sarkisian appeared intoxicated at a pre-season event in August but, blamed his drinking problem on a medication. (more…)

USC football coach Steve Sarkisian

By Scott Wolf, Los Angeles Daily News

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In a stunning and rapid turn of events, USC coach Steve Sarkisian was fired Monday, just one day after appearing intoxicated at a team meeting and missing practice and just hours after he was placed on indefinite leave. (more…)

Cathriona White, the stunning Irish born former girlfriend of actor and comedian Jim Carrey, was found dead of an apparent suicide, according to law enforcement sources in Los Angeles. (more…)

Jim Carrey’s ex-girlfriend has been found dead after apparently taking her own life just days after breaking up with the Hollywood star. (more…)

MOM stars Anna Faris (right) as Christy, a newly sober single mom raising two children in a world full of temptations and pitfalls, and Allison Janney as her passive-aggressive, recovering alcoholic mother. 2013 CBS Broadcasting, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Allison Janney picked up another Emmy for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series for her performance in CBS’ hit series “Mom.”

Allison Janney is an accomplished, seven-time Primetime Emmy winner. Her latest win for Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy came last night (Sunday) at the awards show, and it was also a tip of the hat to showrunner Chuck Lorre’s series “Mom.” (more…)

President Barack Obama signs the Clay Hunt Suicide Prevention for American Veterans Act, which calls for evaluation of existing mental health and suicide prevention programs and expands the reach of these programs for veterans.

September is suicide prevention month and September 10th was world suicide prevention day.

People observed World Suicide Prevention Day on Sept. 10th to raise awareness about and reach out to those affected by suicide. (more…)

Welcome to Malibu, Rehab City

There’s one place the rich and famous head to sober up – Malibu. So why is the town turning against its biggest business? Ann Friedman visits the rehab riviera where they will clean you up – and clean you out

‘Some people have a lot of entitlement or narcissism, but does that mean they don’t get to recover?’: Robert Weiss, Senior VP of Elements Behavioral Health, at Promises Malibu. Photograph: Barry J Holmes

On the drive up to Cliffside Malibu in early September, a breeze is swaying the palm trees that frame a view of the crystalline-blue Pacific. It smells of saltwater and dusty sage. The pristine white clapboard house, situated near the top of the hill on a secluded cul-de-sac, has raffia wallpaper and overstuffed leather couches. Small bundles of fresh rosemary and lavender rest on top of each of the beds, which are fitted with 1,000-thread-count sheets. It’s lunchtime, and the meals here, many of which are made using produce from the organic orchard on the premises, rival those on the menu at five-star restaurants. (Today it’s seaweed soup, Korean-inspired beef sushi, sesame cucumber salad, Perrier.)

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Expert: What Will It Take for Lamar Odom to Get Help?

Lamar Odom is reportedly attempting to self-treat his addiction problems. Now, sources close to his wife Khloé Kardashian and her family are questioning if this is the best solution for the NBA free agent.

Life & Styleasked Richard Taite, CEO and founder of Cliffside Malibu, for his take on the situation — and if self-treatment can be an effective solution for addiction. 

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‘Naked and bloody’ rehab patient spotted running down the street from Malibu rehab clinic as wealthy neighbors try to have it shut

The beachside dream city of Malibu is becoming a nightmare to some residents as high-end rehab centers take over precious real estate and attract Hollywood celebrities, paparazzi, and the occasional crazy naked man.

The posh occasional residences of stars like Lindsay Lohan and Britney Spears are becoming so numerous in Malibu—which is home to 35 rehab facilities but just 12,600 people—that some have called it the world’s Capital of Detox.

Residents are now fighting back to stop the constant expansion of the facilities and roll back the rehab tide.

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An Intervention for Malibu

MALIBU, CALIF. — Cliffside, Summit, Milestones, Seasons. The names suggest New Age spas or, perhaps, recent-vintage vineyards. They sprawl across the scrubby foothills of this storied coastal town and survey its expensive, eroding beaches, their comforts rivaling those of world-class resorts.

They promote their privacy and exclusivity even as they bask in the reflected glory of their celebrated patrons. (Anyone who passed a newsstand last month knows that Lindsay Lohan spent her summer vacation at Cliffside.) And they’re spreading. As of July, there were 35 state-licensed drug and alcohol rehabilitation facilities in this city (population 12,645), in addition to a multiplying number of unlicensed sober-living homes.

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Cliffside Malibu’s Richard Taite on NBC Extra Discussing Lamar Odom and Kourtney Kardashian

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Cliffside Malibu

Inside the 2013 MTV VMA Swag Bag: Rehab Addiction Books, Salty Beer Nuts, Chocolate Syrup and More

The MTV Video Music Awards are quickly approaching this weekend, and we’re buzzing with excitement to take in all of the outrageous costumes, creative beauty looks and incredible performances that are sure to be in store.

And while our favorite celebs ramp up for their red carpet moments this Sunday at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, you should know that they each walk home with some pretty swag to sweeten the deal.

That’s right, the official 2013 MTV VMA talent gift bags are always filled to the brim with enticing loot, and this year is no different!

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MTV VMA Gift Bags special swag item may save lives this year

The MTV Video Music Awards are quickly approaching this weekend, and the official MTV VMA talent gift bags are always filled to the brim with loads of great swag and this year is no different!

Here are the noted highlights: Brooklyn Nets Gear from Adidas: As a tribute to Brooklyn hosting the event this year, recipients will take home plenty of products boasting the city’s name including a hoodie, plus other goodies from local companies like H. Fox & Co. chocolate syrup, a gift certificate to SoulCycle, Ovenly salted bar snacks and local luxury rehab center, Cliffside Malibu’s book “Ending Addiction for Good,” a bestseller written by CEO Richard Taite, who is quickly becoming the go-to man for the answers in the media because of his no-nonsense straight talk.

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Why The Brains of High-Powered People Might Be More Prone to Addiction

It’s no secret that the best leaders among us – the most driven, dedicated, and outside-the-box thinkers – are wired a bit differently from the rest. In fact, it’s been suggested that a decent chunk of the “ C-Suite” crowd may have more sociopathic and psychopathic tendencies than the general population.

These traits, which ideally fall not too far into the realm of pathology, are thought to be the very qualifications that propel an individual into stardom in the first place. But there’s another comorbidity that’s also more common in the high-powered achievers: The likelihood for substance abuse. And most experts agree that this overlap is also quite logical, and it’s readily explained in psychological, molecular, and neurological terms. How to handle it in the office is a little less clear-cut.

David Linden, PhD, a neuroscience professor at Johns Hopkins’ School of Medicine and author of The Compass of Pleasure: How Our Brains Make Fatty Foods, Orgasm, Exercise, Marijuana, Generosity, Vodka, Learning, and Gambling Feel So Good, has spent some time analyzing the addiction research and has argued that the traits that make a good CEO – risk-taking, strong drive for success, obsession, dedication, novelty-seeking – are precisely what make a “good” addict.

He says that the pleasure derived from success, and in particular from risky or novel business ventures, is borne of the very same brain pathways that make substance use so irresistible to some. It’s all about pleasure-seeking and reward, but the mechanics of this push-pull system are not exactly what you might guess.

“The general idea is counterintuitive,” says Linden. “When you wonder what would make someone an addict, you might think, ‘if a person gets above-average pleasure from smoking or gambling, then they’d do it more.’ This is completely reasonable. But it’s completely, explicitly, 180 degrees wrong. The genetic variations that predispose a person to being an addict seem to be mutations that dampen the dopamine system.”

This can be any number of variations – to dopamine synthesizing enzymes, transporters, or receptors. “So what happens, then, is people seek set point of pleasure: A normal person can go to the tavern and have a couple of drinks for an effect, but my friend who has an addiction risk has to have ten to get to the same place.”

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Cliffside Malibu’s Richard Taite on Access Hollywood

Cliffside Malibu

Cory Monteith Overdose: Didn’t Need to Happen Says Expert

“Glee” actor Cory Monteith died of mixed drug toxicity involving heroin and alcohol. He was 31.

“Toxicology results did not indicate any presence of the drug fentanyl,” the coroner’s office said in a statement Wednesday.

Fentanyl is an opioid narcotic with similar behavior as morphine and, according to a reports in Canada, experts speculated there may have been a link between it and an uptick in heroin overdoses reported in Abbotsford, British Columbia.

“Our frontline officers have spoke with many individuals who have reported being concerned about the potency of heroin that is currently being bought, sold and used,” Constable Ian MacDonald told CBC News this morning. “A possible explanation for the increased potency and the overdose may be the presence of fentanyl in the drugs.

“Hotel staffers found Mr. Monteith dead in his room at the Fairmont Pacific Rim in downtown Vancouver on Saturday after he had missed his 12 p.m. checkout time.

Monteith’s remains were cremated at his mother’s request. TMZ reports that his distraught father (the couple is divorced) was unable to see his son before the cremation. “I always loved both my sons and am going to miss Cory very very much. I’m saddened at the fact that I couldn’t have been there to see my son before he was cremated.”

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Headline News: Cory Monteith’s shock death, investigation on cause begins today

Cory Monteith’s shock death will be investigated today, as an autopsy is scheduled.

Monteith was found dead around noon on Saturday in a hotel in downtown Vancouver, Canada.  During a press conference with Canadian police on Saturday night, it was noted that Monteith had been dead for some time before his body was found, but foul play was ruled out. Monteith checked into the hotel on July 6 and was expected to check out on Saturday.

Monteith had been public about his struggle with addiction and checked into a rehabfacility in late March.  It was his second time in a treatment facility.

Monteith was the “Glue of Glee” according to his director Adam Shankman.  Finn in the popular Fox series, and credited “Glee’s” success with helping him to turn his life around.

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Addiction Experts Weigh in on Cory Monteith’s Death: Patients Need Longer in Rehab to Successfully Overcome Their Demons

He was said to been healthier than he had been in some time, but today (Monday) new pictures emerged of Cory Monteith which suggest he was drinking alcohol with his friends in Vancouver just days before his death.

The 31-year-old, who completed a month-long stint in rehab for substance addiction in April, was seen “laughing and drinking beers” with friends on July 6, reports TMZ.

On Saturday, he was found dead by hotel staff.

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Cliffside Malibu Founder Praises Repeal of DOMA

 Gay Pride March 2012 on Fifth Avenue in New York city on June 24, 2012

Fifth Avenue – New York City, NY, USA © Janet Mayer / PRPhotos.com

Cliffside Malibu founder and coauthor of the #1 bestselling Amazon.com book Ending Addiction for Good, Richard Taite, has spoken out about the repeal of DOMA and the repercussions it may have on addiction rates.

“The repeal of DOMA and the recognition of the rights of gay and lesbian individuals in our society could save many from becoming addicts,” says Taite.

Cliffside Malibu is a top notch rehab which offers effective and evidence-based care in a private setting with a multitude of treatment options focusing on helping people overcome their addictions to re-engage with their families and lives.

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