New Perspectives

FRONT COVER SPRING 2016 ISSUE

CONTENTS To send a comment or

SPRING 2016 ISSUE

question, write to: New Perspectives BHS 6427 Penn Ave. S Richfield, MN 55423

FEATURES 08 JOHNWOODS New Perspectives director provides judgment-free treatment 12 VINCENT WILLIAMS He vowed to be sober, New Perspectives helped him keep his word 16 DEBRAWILLIAMS Operations manager has been with New Perspectives from the start

INTERESTED IN MORE FROM New Perspectives BHS? To learn more about our resources for living a healthy lifestyle, visit newperspectivesbhs.com/ or call (612) 465-8110

50 JAMES JUNKERS New Perspectives client will never take his alcoholism lightly again 54 A BIG WELCOMEMAT Multicultural treatment center accepts and supports everyone 58 MARTY LINDQUIST After eight stints in treatment and 26 months in jail, he is a sober man

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18 GLENN SMITH Helping the client help themselves

IN THE NEWS 24 TOOMUCH? Study cites concern over doctors’ prescribing habits 26 FORWARDMOVEMENT NIDA ‘Future’ survey finds declining teen substance use 28 BORNWITH IT Scientists Discover Possible ‘Meth Gene’ 30 ANTI-SMOKE SIGNALS Fresh Empire’s anti-tobacco appeal is all about staying independent 32 NOWOMANNOCRY The woman who doesn’t feel pain could help in making better painkillers

34 POWEROF ATTRACTION Researchers think magnets can help with drug addiction impulses 36 PUTTINGOURMONEYWHERE OURMOUTH IS Teen substance abuse research funding is steadily increasing 38 TO ENDTHE OPIATE EPIDEMIC Experts recommend better training, sticter oversight 40 LIVES LOST Drug and opioid overdose deaths increase in 2014

44 COLLATERAL DAMAGE Helping the children of addiction

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Relapse Prevention New Perspectives is a multi-cultural agency working

on the cutting edge of chemical dependency and mental health by providing integrated services to persons who abuse drugs and alcohol, are chemically dependent and who may be experiencing co-occurring mental health issues.

“One day during my prayers, it came to me that, with my expertise, I needed to open my own program.” -John Woods, New Perspectives Behavioral Systems director

A Beacon of Hope New Perspectives director provides judgment-free treatment

A black and white photograph hangs on the wall facing New Perspectives Behavioral Health Systems Director John Woods’ desk in his office.The caption places the photo in 1940s Chicago, where Woods spent his childhood. “That’s the neighborhood I grew up in.That’s where I was strung out, on the south side of Chicago,” says Woods. In his early Chicago days, Woods dropped out of school and was exposed to drugs. He started drinking wine and smoking marijuana, and he began selling drugs, dealing marijuana and cocaine. He abused codine, opiates and heroin, and he fell in love with the last two. “I didn’t think there was anything out here better than that. I felt like the scum of the earth. I was that kind of addict. My drug came before anything,” says Woods. “There was a time my mother wouldn’t call me to look at the side of her house. I was that bad.” Road to recovery Woods emphasizes his own addiction

“One of my main goals is to prepare the client to reintegrate into society.” -John Woods, New Perspectives Behavioral Systems director

struggles because he believes that his past will always keep New Perspectives judgment-free. He knows how bad addiction can be, but he also knows that there will always be hope. After 25 years of his drug-induced lifestyle, Woods went on methadone, a pain reliever used to treat narcotic drug addiction, for about two years. He then went through what he calls a series of setbacks before finally deciding to go to treatment. “I went to treatment only once. I never looked back. I graduated from treatment in 1973,” says Woods. In 1978, Woods got into the recovery field, working in a methadone clinic in Chicago. He then moved to Minnesota in 1993 and worked for a chemical dependency inpatient treatment center. “I kept seeing clients go repeatedly in-and- out of treatment,” says Woods. “One day during my prayers, it came to me that, with my expertise, I needed to open my own program.” Woods opened the doors to New Perspectives in 2008. Since then, the culturally specific treatment center has been a safe and welcome place for people of any race, religion, gender or sexual orientation to seek recovery.

Recovery to reintegration “One of my main goals is to prepare the client to reintegrate into society,” says Woods, who aims to strengthen a client’s entire lifestyle with healthy, positive choices not only as a way to recover from addiction, but also to become a better person. “There was a point in my life where I just wanted to be a heroin addict,” says Woods, who knows firsthand how much addiction can mess with every aspect of a client’s life. Taking care of yourself is important to your recovery. It is also vital to associate with other sober people. “We teach these things here,” says Woods. 

Our treatment program begins with a thorough assessment of each client and the development of individualized goals and objectives for healing.

If you or a loved one are suffering from an addiction, please call us, we can help. (612) 465-8110

A Better Kind of High Vincent Williams vowed to be sober, New Perspectives helped him keep his word

EDITORIAL 2 Vincent Williams has been arrested 43 times, but convicted only once. Legal problems were a constant in his life due to his addictions to crack cocaine, methamphetamine, PCP and marijuana. After that lone conviction, awaiting sentencing inside a county jail cell, Williams surrendered. “I fell to my knees and gave my life to Jesus Christ,” says Williams. Williams hit bottom. He vowed to become and remain sober. “That power came in and stripped me. I haven’t taken another drug since,” says Williams. When it came time for sentencing, Williams received two years probation and the requirement to get treatment from New Perspectives Behavioral Systems multicultural treatment center.

“I can encourage (clients) and let them know, ‘Hey, I was a 27-year addict on hard drugs, this is the way we do this.’ ” -Vincent Williams, New Perspectives former client 12

On the run Before making Minnesota his home, where he has now lived for 14 years, Williams was raised 50 miles west of Los Angeles in the town of San Bernardino, CA. His first exposure to drugs was at 14, smoking marijuana with his best friend’s older brother and the older brother’s friends. “My mother would say, ‘I don’t like you down at his house,’ but I looked up to him,” says Williams. “We went to grown folks’ parties. We thought it was cool.Then I got hooked.” He says crack got him in particular. Unable to get his substance abuse issues under control, Williams would move around the country trying to solve his problems with a geographical cure. “I was constantly running from state to state. I kept thinking, ‘If I go here, things could change,’” says Williams. His family began to notice his erratic behavior and made no mistake in identifying the problem - he needed to get clean. Williams’ family asked him to find a place to settle down and concentrate first on his health and his sobriety. Williams had a friend in Minnesota and decided to move here. His habits, though, did not break immediately. Williams was in legal trouble again, this time receiving a conviction and a probation sentence.The silver lining was that the sentence required he go to treatment at New Perspectives.

Sober life Just like his bumpy move to Minnesota, Williams stumbled in the beginning of the program, but he soon found his way and graduated. He got off of probation and started working for the Salvation Army and other charities. He got married, got his driver’s license, his own car and his own place. He began working as a driver for Menards and Pepsi, even coming back to New Perspectives to volunteer his time as a driver. Williams says he enjoys visiting New Perspectives. “I can encourage (clients) and let them know, ‘Hey, I was a 27-year addict on hard drugs, this is the way we do this,’” says Williams. Williams says that he loves living in Minnesota and visiting New Perspectives. Living sober is a better kind of high. He says at times he will visit family in California or become really busy with work here in the Twin Cities and be unable to stop by New Perspectives. But he always returns to Minnesota and he always stays in contact with John Woods, the founder and director of New Perspectives. “I love it here,” says Williams. “I got help here. I got clean here.” 

“I got help here. I got clean here.” -Vincent Williams, New Perspectives former client

AGENCY AD 3

Spirituality is a very important part of recovery that must be maintained in order to recover. It doesn’t matter what the individual practices as long he or she has this as part of their foundation.

AGENCY AD 4 New Perspectives offers African American History Education and its relevance to recovery

Never Judge a Book by its Cover

Operations manager has been with New Perspectives from the start

EDITORIAL 3

People often have preconceived ideas about New Perspectives Behavioral Systems, says Operations Manager Debra Williams. Williams has been operations manager with New Perspectives for five years, but has been with the culture, gender and sexual orientation specific outpatient treatment center since it opened in 2008. She and New Perspectives Director John Woods are longtime friends. “Working here has really taught me that you shouldn’t judge a book by its cover. I already knew that before coming here, but it’s really in your face here,” says Williams. Before New Perspectives, Williams was in the hospitality industry for many years. When ownership changed, her job changed as well, so she felt it was time for a change in profession. Williams began by helping Woods start the center in her free time before joining the staff full-time.

“People come in and we develop friendships.” -Debra Williams, New Perspectives operations manager

“People from all walks of life come here.” -Debra Williams, New Perspectives operations manager

No judgment Williams says she gets along with people easily and that she has enjoyed the opportunity to work with and get to know the clients. She says the center sees all kinds of people and she likes taking the time to learn more about them. “Sometimes they will start up a conversation and then you learn about what their occupation is or how many kids they have or what they are trying to accomplish,” says Williams. “People come in and we develop friendships.” Sometimes, Williams says, clients need to come to New Perspectives more than once. Because Williams and the staff get to know each client, the entire treatment center becomes invested in the client and really care about seeing them succeed, especially when they come back.There is no telling what kind of path each client takes, Williams says, so she and the rest of the staff emphasize being judgment-free and supporting everyone on their personal road to recovery. “People from all walks of life come here. Some come from well-to-do families, some from dysfunctional families, and some from your average family,” says Williams, noting that treating each client as an individual makes for a happier, healthier treatment center. “When someone shows a little resistance, you might be tempted to think they’re not going to make it. Or when someone is working the program well, you might think they are going to make it. A lot of the time, those perceptions are way off,” says Williams. That’s why Williams and New Perspectives are passionate about being judgment-free. 

Do-it-all Debra Williams is the operations manager, which has its own set of responsibilities, but she also fills in whenever a client or staff member needs her for anything. If there is a problem with the copier or the van, Williams is there to provide a helping hand. Her office is between the entrance and the meeting rooms, so she observes everything and notifies counselors with helpful information. She also helps counselors by providing an extra set of eyes on client attendance. The role of operations manager is a bit of a catch-all position. Williams is in charge of revenue and billing, both for the clients and for paying the treatment center’s bills. She makes sure that clients have their paperwork in order, that New Perspectives’ insurance contracts are in order, and accreditation and licensing with the state are up to date. When the center adds new staff, she makes sure background checks have been done and helps check their references.

AGENCY AD 6 Helping the Client Help Themselves

ong before his position as a New Perspectives counselor, Glenn Smith had a crack cocaine addiction. After getting clean, he was unsure of what to do with his new lease on life. He went back to school for criminal justice and received a bachelor's degree but was unable to nd gainful employment. He thought his inability to nd work might have something to do with the criminal record he accrued during his years of using crack cocaine. Smith pondered his future again. He wanted to work in a eld where his skills would be useful and where he could be helpful to others. “I asked myself, ‘What is it that I know well?’ I know a lot about addiction, but do I know anything about counseling?” Smith says he wondered. New Perspectives counselor doesn’t beat clients up to see progress

AGENCY AD 6 Glenn

Smith

“I want to be helpful in those areas, providing services to those less fortunate or those that have disabilities.at's where I looked for employment.

at's what led me to John Woods.” Addressing the client

Smith went back to school for chemical dependency counseling, worked for a bit in the eld, then went back to school again, this time for mental health counseling. He connected with New Perspectives treatment center and started talking with agency director John Woods. Soon afterwards, he began working as a counselor there. A focused mind Smith appreciates the ongoing learning experience of working at New Perspectives. As a recovering addict himself, he enjoys working with all kinds of people battling all kinds of issues. Most of all, he appreciates the opportunity to help others. “I found that my strength as a counselor is in serving a particular population.at population tends to be homeless, involved with the criminal justice system, maybe struggling with some mental health issues and a lack of education,” says Smith.

“Here, we don't beat a client up to see progress.” -Glenn Smith, New Perspectives counselor team to notify them of those strengths and weaknesses and help them build on that.” Smith enjoys working for New Perspectives. He believes the client-focused care, the directness of the program and the personal touches of the treatment center are some of their strongest qualities. “Many places attack clients to see change. Here, we don't beat a client up to see progress,” says Smith. “It’s client-centered. We meet the client where the client currently is. We don't lay down our plan, we help the client help themselves. No one knows what the client needs better than the client. We take that lead and we help direct and guide the client through that process of change.e client is the person who can identify what their weaknesses are and what their strengths are. If they can't, we’re here as a counseling

AD/INFO- GRAPH they say you are what you eat

New Perspectives BHS offers nutrition and health education to steer you and your body in the right direction.

Eat Healthy. Be HAPPY.

AD/INFO- GRAPH

COUNSELING & THERAPY

PHYSICAL HEALTH

SPIRITUAL HEALTH

New Perspectives BHS offers programs to people from all walks of life. Our Mission is to provide a service that will empower our clients to overcome their addictions and gain control of their lives, through implementing a holistic approach in the field of chemical dependency.

If this sounds like you, please call us at (612) 465-8110 or visit our website newperspectivesbhs.com for more information.

theinfluence.org is an online platform to have a voice in the national discussion on addiction and recovery.

Too Much? From the Office of Dr. Study cites concern over doctors' prescribing habits

Family physicians are the largest prescribers of opioid pain medications, even outpacing pain specialists, according to a recent study published in the journal JAMA Internal Medicine. The findings reinforce the need for prevention efforts that focus on prescribing behaviors of physicians as well as patients who are at risk of overdosing, the researchers say. “Overprescribing is a national concern, and mitigation efforts should not be oversimplified or targeted to a select few prescribers, or to regions of the country, or to patient populations or communities,” says Victoria Richards, associate professor of medical sciences at Quinnipiac University School of Medicine, in a HealthDay article on the study. According to the advocacy group Physicians for Responsible Opioid Prescribing, many prescribers underestimate the risks associated with opioids – especially the risk of addiction – and overestimate their effectiveness.

Prescription rates vary

painkiller prescriptions per person as those in the lowest prescribing state. Yet, health conditions that cause people pain do not vary much from place to place and do not explain this variability in prescriptions issued. These latest findings add fuel to those who advocate for stricter oversight of narcotic pain medication. Approximately

44 people die each day from prescription opioids, and opioid- related deaths have tripled since the 1990s. More than 80 percent of these deaths are accidental or unintentional, according to the CDC, which estimates that up to 60 percent of opioid overdose deaths occur in people without a prior history of substance abuse.

Another indicator of the need for more scrutiny of prescribing practices is that prescribing rates for opioids vary widely among states, says the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). In 2012, health care providers in the highest-prescribing state wrote almost three times as many opioid

Who is prescribing painkillers? In 2013, 15.3 million family practice physicians and 12.8 million internal medicine physicians wrote prescriptions for narcotic pain medication, researchers found in studying Medicare Part D drug coverage claims.The study also found that nurse practitioners wrote 4.1 million prescriptions for narcotic painkillers while physician assistants ordered up 3.1 million.The research, led by Dr. Jonathan Chen of Stanford University, focused on prescriptions for narcotic painkillers containing hydrocodone (drugs such as Vicodin), oxycodone (Oxycontin and Percocet), codeine and others in the opioid class. In studying prescriptions written by 808,020 American doctors in 2013, the researchers found that pain management specialists and anesthesiologists wrote the most prescriptions for opioids. On average, individual pain doctors ordered 900 to 1,100 prescriptions for painkillers in 2013, and anesthesiologists wrote nearly 500. By comparison, each family physician wrote an average of about 160 prescriptions. Because there are many more family doctors than specialists, as a group, their number of painkiller prescriptions was higher than for any other provider category—more than 15 million prescriptions collectively, followed by internal medicine physicians at just under 13 million. In total, these two groups wrote more than half of all opioid prescriptions in the country. Pain specialists, including those involved in the more invasive sub-specialty of interventional pain management, accounted for about 3.3 million prescriptions.

CDC issues draft guidelines In the wake of growing concern over the excessive use of prescription opioids, the CDC recently issued a draft Guideline for Prescribing Opioids for Chronic Pain.The document provides recommendations regarding when and how these drugs are used for chronic pain: selection, dosage, duration, follow- up, and discontinuation; and assessment of risk and addressing harms of opioid use. However, the Guideline is not a federal regulation; adherence to it will be voluntary, the CDC notes. 

NIDA ‘Future’ survey finds declining teen substance use

FORWARD MOVEMENT A recent survey of American middle and high-school students found that students’ use of most substances in 2015 continued its flat or downward trends of recent years—many dropping to the lowest levels in the history of the survey. These mostly positive results, gathered by University of Michigan for its annual Monitoring the Future survey, provide some cause for optimism about long-term trends, according to researchers. For example, fewer 12th graders than ever (17.2 percent) reported binge drinking five or more drinks on a single occasion in the past two weeks, and fewer than ever (37.7 percent) reported being drunk in the past year.The MTF has been conducted annually since 1975. Positive trends Teenage smoking has seen a downward trend year-over-year, according to the study. Among high school seniors, 5.5 percent reported daily cigarette smoking, down from 6.7 percent a year ago and 24.6 percent at its peak in 1997.This decline in cigarette use means that, for the first time, fewer seniors are daily cigarette smokers than are daily marijuana users. Use of inhalants, traditionally a concern in the youngest age groups, was at its lowest levels ever, and the drop in lifetime use of these substances since last year’s survey was significant among 8th and 10th graders (9.4 percent and 7.2 percent, respectively, down from 10.8 percent and 8.7 percent last year). Similarly, teens’ use of synthetic marijuana has

decreased in all grades surveyed since 2012, when the survey first started tracking use of these drugs. Non-medical use of prescription pain relievers was down significantly from five years ago and heroin use was at its lowest levels in the history of the survey —a positive note in the current opioid crisis that continues to strongly affect other age groups. However, non-medical use of the prescription stimulant Adderall remains high: 7.5 percent of 12th graders and 5.2 percent of 10th graders reported non-medical use of the medication. Marijuana use still remains high among teens, who may be vulnerable to the drug’s long-term, adverse effects on brain development.

A cautionary note Along with the encouraging results, the researchers also sounded a cautionary note in regard to teens’ use of marijuana and e-cigarettes.The study noted that marijuana use by teens use has remained relatively stable over the last decade, despite concern that wider availability and softening attitudes towards the drug would lead to increased use. However, marijuana use still remains high among teens, who may be vulnerable to the drug’s long-term, adverse effects on brain development. Six percent of high school seniors use marijuana daily or almost daily, which could have detrimental impacts on their current functioning and their future prospects. Also, surveys indicate increasing numbers of teens think marijuana use is not a health risk, indicating a lack of awareness of the harm it can do to the developing brain. The researchers also expressed concern that use of e-cigarettes remains high, with 9.5 percent of 8th graders, 14 percent of 10th graders, and 16.2 percent of 12th graders using these devices. While more information is needed on the health implications of e-cigarettes, the nicotine in many e-cigarette fluids can be addictive, and their vapor may contain other chemicals that might be harmful to the lungs.There is also concern that vaping may “re-normalize” smoking behavior and lead to traditional cigarette use among youth who start using e-cigarettes. Teen substance use is still a problem

In spite of the optimistic tone of the report, the researchers stress that the problems and consequences of adolescent substance use in America have not diminished. Far too many 8th, 10th and 12th graders continue to use drugs regularly or try them, possibly paving the way for substance use disorders, since adolescence is the period of greatest vulnerability for the brain changes underlying addiction. The researchers call for continued support of evidence-based prevention programs, training health care providers to identify and treat youth with substance use disorders, and empowering young people with the knowledge and resources to live healthy lives. 

Non-medical use of prescription pain relievers was down significantly from five years ago and heroin use was at its lowest levels in the history of the survey—a positive note in the current opioid crisis that continues to strongly affect other age groups.

BORN WITH IT Scientists Discover Possible 'Meth Gene’

Researchers have recently identified a gene that may play a role in meth addiction. New findings by Boston University School of Medicine researchers, published in PLOS Genetics, spotlight a gene called heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoprotein H1 (Hnrnph1). The research uncovered a link between this gene and how it effects behavior when stimulants are introduced. This new insight can help scientists understand genetic risk factors for addiction, along with some neuropsychiatric disorders. Also, this new understanding about how Hnrnph1 works could lead to the development of a prescription drug to help treat meth addiction, researchers say.

Need to identify targets

other findings to improve the treatment of both dopamine- related problems like attention- deficit hyperactivity disorder, schizophrenia, and bipolar disorder, along with dopamine- related neurodegenerative disorders like Parkinson’s or Huntington’s diseases. Scientists say the genetic epidemiology of meth use disorders is very complex. Efforts to understand the biological processes that increase susceptibility to meth use disorders (i.e., abuse, dependence and psychosis) have uncovered several genetic variants. However, more research needs to be done. Though gene research can led to breakthroughs in treatment, Boston University points out in its news release that genetics alone are not responsible for addiction. Environmental and social factors also play an important role.

The BU scientists discovered that Hnrnph1 “codes” for an RNA protein that regulates how other genes are processed in the brain. To better understand the genetic basis of meth addiction, the next step is to figure out the exact genetic targets of Hnrnph1. “A better understanding of the brain region and cell type-specific binding targets of Hnrnph1 will tell us more about the function of this gene and possibly identify new therapeutic strategies for minimizing risk and treating psycho-stimulant addiction — a disorder for which there is currently no FDA-approved drug,” says study co-author Dr. Camron Bryant in a news release from Boston University.

The study could also lead to

“A better understanding of the brain region and cell type- specific binding targets of Hnrnph1 will tell us more about the function of this gene.” — Dr. Camron Bryant, study co-author

Other factors in addiction According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), these are some of the environmental factors that come into play with addiction: • Friends and people addicts spend time with • Age when a person begins using drugs or alcohol • Neighborhood

• Availability of drugs and alcohol • Presence of mental health issues • Gender

These environmental influences interact with genetic factors to influence an individual’s susceptibility to addiction. While scientists hope to better understand the role genetics plays in addiction to meth and other drugs, much more research needs to be done to solve the puzzle.



Genetics alone are not responsible for addiction. Environmental and social factors also play an important role.

Tobacco statistics “What’s the deal with tobacco?” asks a Fresh Empire graphic. With this question, it launches into the ingredients found in cigarettes, along with the health and social side effects of smoking. Images on Fresh Empire’s website show fresh- faced youth looking directly into the camera as a way to deliver a straightforward and relatable source of information for young people. Fresh Empire does not rely on imagery alone. It also provides poignant statistics and cites research conducted by the HHS and Internal Agency for Research on Cancer, among other organizations: •Cigarette smoking causes 480,000 deaths per year. • Smokers die, on average, 10 years younger than non-smokers. • 16 million people have at least one disease caused by smoking. A graphic on the site shows what Fresh Empire calls “all sorts of nasty chemicals” in tobacco, along with unsavory facts about those substances. Listed first is carbon monoxide, which is found in car exhaust. Cigarettes contain arsenic, Fresh Empire informs readers, which is used in pesticides. And there’s benzene, found in gasoline. Another header states simply “keep your cash,” which leads to a statistic that smoking half a pack a day costs an average of $1,000 per year. “That’s a lot of cash to blow on cigarettes,” Fresh Empire states. “What would you rather spend $1,000 on?”

nti-smoke Signals

When you are addicted to tobacco, you are not in control. So says the main message of Fresh Empire, an Internet and TV campaign designed to inspire teens and young adults to stay away from cigarettes. Fresh Empire’s website—freshempire.betobaccofree.hhs.gov—has information and informational videos all about the consequences of smoking. Here, young people can learn about the chemical content of cigarettes, health risks associated with tobacco use and social drawbacks. Fresh Empire, sponsored by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), puts on events with performers such as rappers Silento and Stuey Roc, who deliver positive, tobacco-free messages. “Being fresh is about yourself.The empire is yourself, man,” says radio personality ET in video footage of a Fresh Empire concert. And Rock had this to say about tobacco use on a Fresh Empire video: “Smoking is not cool.” “Being fresh is about yourself. The empire is yourself, man.” - Radio personality ET Fresh Empire’s anti-tobacco appeal is all about staying independent

Online videos andTV ads The website has a series of short videos and TV ads, all with poignant soundbites and stories about the self-empowerment that comes from staying away from smoking. In a 30-second TV spot, young people, one after another, repeat the mantra, “I reject anything—including tobacco—that tries to control me.” Jayy Starr, a young hip-hop musician, stars in a commercial where she tells the story of her grandfather. He smoked cigarettes for many years and died of lung cancer. “Losing my grandfather has influenced my whole musical being, because it makes me more passionate,” Starr says in a behind- the-scenes video for the ad. “I’m not going to lose

young man in sunglasses and a scarf. Throughout the videos, television ads and web content, Fresh Empire implores young people to think of cigarettes as an affront to autonomy. Surrendering to nicotine is not being in control, they say. Therefore, smoking is not fresh. “Losing my grandfather has influenced my whole musical being, because it makes me more passionate. I’m not going to lose another person to cigarettes. To me, being a leader means being 

In another video, young people stand in the middle of the frame as messages flash on the screen alongside then. One reads “Long live Fresh Empire. Long live you. Live tobacco-free.” Another spot flashes empowering words for young women—“fresh,” “strong,” “boss,” “royal,” and “queen”—before a female voice-over says, “Fresh Empire is flippin’ the script in fashion, in hip-hop, in life.” Another video opens with the question “What’s Fresh Empire?” followed by a group of young people defining the tobacco-free movement. “It means looking out for you,” the first young man says. Another adds, “And your fam, too.” “When you are doing you, looking fresh, people follow,” says a stylish

tobacco-free.” -Singer Jayy Starr

another person to cigarettes. To me, being a leader means being tobacco- free.”

CONGENITAL INSENSITIVITY TO PAIN (CIP) is a very rare genetic mutation that prevents messages of

physical pain from reaching the brain.

STUDY METHODOLOGY Studying mice genetically modied to be without the Nav1.7 channel, Wood found that such mice had bodies that displayed a large increase in certain genes responsible for creating opioid peptides. Opioid peptides occur naturally in the body as the body’s painkiller and have a similar effect as opioids. In making more of the opioid peptides, the mice were blocking any feelings of pain, which might be the reason people suffering from CIP also don't feel pain. Wood thought that if he gave mice a medicine that reversed the effect of the opioid peptides, it may reverse the disorder. He gave the mice naloxone—a medication used to reverse opioid overdoses—and it worked. Wood gured the same disappointing drug trials, we now have conrmation that Nav1.7 is a key element in human pain,” Woods says. “The secret ingredient turned out to be good old-fashioned opioid peptides, and we have now led a patent for combining low dose opioids with Nav1.7 blockers. This should replicate the painlessness experienced by people with rare mutations, and we have already successfully tested this approach in unmodied mice.” could be done for humans. “After a decade of rather

Research researcher and his team of researchers studied a 39-year-old woman with CIP. Using a laser beam and a dose of naloxone, Wood helped the woman, who elected to participate anonymously, feel pain for the rst time in her life. “Used in combination with Nav1.7 blockers, the dose of opioid needed to prevent

Using a test subject with a genetic mutation that prevents her from feeling pain, scientists have conducted research that shows promise in creating more effective painkillers—and potentially decreasing the need for addictive opioids. Congenital insensitivity to pain (CIP) is a very rare genetic mutation that prevents messages of physical pain from reaching the brain. Sufferers of the disorder, as babies, will chew their lips until they bleed. Toddlers have to deal with more potential for falls, bumps and being hurt by hot or sharp things. Adults are at a higher risk of dying prematurely. The disorder leaves those aficted without channels known as Nav1.7, which carry sodium to sensory nerves. Understanding this disorder and channels of pain reception and delivery has led researchers to study the disorder for ways to block pain in those who don't have the disorder. Researchers thought they could block pain transporting channels in people without CIP so they can help those with chronic and painful ailments like arthritis. HELPING A WOMAN CRY In a study published by the journal Nature, John Wood, a University College London (UCL) Wolfson Institute for Biomedical

pain is very low,” says Wood in an UCL release. “People

with nonfunctioning Nav1.7 produce low levels of opioids throughout their lives without developing tolerance or

experiencing unpleasant side effects.”

As for this work leading to complete cessation of pain,

Wood tells the New Scientist that some research has found success, but nothing has led to the complete pain loss found in those that are naturally without Nav1.7 channels.

who doesn’t feel pain the Woman WHAT THE FUTURE HOLDS.... As for people with CIP, Woods says he doesn't know if treatment using naloxone is an option. Long-term use of naloxone could have side effects. What Woods can say, denitively, is that the mice in the experiment felt as little pain as mice who did not have the Nav1.7 channel naturally. Woods, his team, and the rest of the eld are working to ll in the research gaps to start answering these questions for humans. “We hope to see our approach tested in human trials by 2017 and we can then start looking into drug combinations to help the millions of chronic pain patients around the world,” Woods says.

Could help in making better painkillers.

Imperial College London professor Kenji Okuse reacted to Wood’s ndings to the New Scientist, saying that the research will provide more information to doctors about pain.

We hope to see our

“Opioids and Nav1.7 blockers could provide much stronger analgesics, but they will not necessarily be better for patients,” Okuse says. “If we take the combination therapy route, people would have to take opioids throughout the lifetime, which is not a welcome thing.”

approach tested in human trials by 2017 and we can then start looking

into drug combinations to help the millions of chronic pain patients around the world. — John Wood, University College London

Wolfson Institute for Biomedical Research researcher

PUTTING

OUR Money

Where Our Mouth Is

Teen Substance Abuse Research Funding is Steadily Increasing O

NIH Research On Adolescents A substantial contributor to the upward trajectory of teen substance use research is the National Institutes of Health (NIH). In September 2015, the organization launched a study on substance use and the adolescent brain called the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development Study (ABCD). The research, part of what the NIH calls a landmark study in teen substance use, awarded 13 grants to research institutions around the country. ABCD follows approximately 10,000 children who have yet to use any drugs, beginning at the age of either nine or 10, through the period of highest risk for substance use and other mental health disorders. Researchers will document exposure to nicotine, alcohol and marijuana as well as academic achievement, cognitive skills, mental health and brain structure and function using what the NIH has determined to be advanced research methods. rganizations like the National Institutes of Health have been steadily increasing research attention and funding for teen substance abuse prevention and treatment. This trend has fostered an expansion of this specific area of youth services to end early drug initiation during the highest risk period for an adolescent's life, according to the Chronicle of Social Change.

Hilton Foundation Also A Major Funder Sizeable teen substance use research contributions have also been donated by the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation, a family foundation that provides funds to nonprofit organizations. The Hilton Foundation donated $250,000 in 2009 for adolescent substance abuse research. In 2013, it gave $2 million to the American Board of Addiction Medicine to create a national Center for Physician Training in Addiction Medicine that educates and trains physicians on ways to prevent adolescent substance use through early intervention. Hilton is also a funder of the Screening, Brief Intervention, and referral to Treatment (SBIRT) model. SBIRT, designed by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), has a three-pronged approach to the teen substance abuse problem: screening, brief intervention and referral to treatment. Screening quickly assesses the severity of substance use and identifies appropriate treatment. Brief intervention focuses on shifting substance use motivation toward behavioral change. Referral to treatment provides adolescents that need more treatment with access to specific care, according to SAMHSA. The Hilton Foundation gave $1.64 million to the University of Minnesota Center for Adolescent Substance Abuse Research to study SBIRT in 2014. In 2013, they gave the Boston-based nonprofit health care advocacy organization Community Catalyst $2.5 million for educating policymakers about SBIRT.

In order to curb this health problem, the ABCD study seeks to find answers to “help inform prevention and treatment research priorities, public health strategies, and policy decision,” according to the NIH announcement. The questions include how the long-term influence of occasional use of marijuana, alcohol, tobacco and other substances—mixed together or alone—versus regular use impacts the developing brain. The study will also explore how using a specific substance impacts the risk of using other substances: what brain pathways link adolescent substance abuse and risk for mental health problems, what impact substance use has on physical health, or psychological development, information processing, learning, memory, academic achievement, and social development. Researchers will also study how drug initiation factors—like prenatal exposure, genetics, head trauma and demographics—influence substance use and consequences. “The ABCD Study is an important opportunity to closely examine, in humans, the hypothesized link between adolescent alcohol abuse and long-term harmful effects on brain development and function,” says George Koob, director of NIH’s National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA), in the NIH ABCD announcement. “Adolescents have access to high potency marijuana and greater varieties of nicotine delivery devices than previous generations. We want to know how that and other trends affect the trajectory of the developing brain.” ABCD Study Aims To Inform Prevention, Treatment “With advances in neuroimaging and other investigative tools, we will be able to look in greater detail at the impact of substance use on young people,” says Dr. Nora D. Volkow, director of NIH’s National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), in the organization’s ABCD announcement.

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"Not only are the recommendations comprehensive they were developed with input from a wide range of stakeholders, and wherever possible draw from evidence-based research:'

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“This is a complex epidemic with no simple solutions.” —Dr. G. Caleb Alexander, co-director of the Johns Hopkins Center for Drug Safety and Eectiveness at the Bloomberg School

AD Life change happens with New Perspectives

Multi-Cultural Program • Individual and Group Counseling • Chemical Dependency Assessments • Relapse Prevention • DWI Education Culture Specic Program • African American History Education • Value Creation • Condence/Self Esteem building Physical Recovery • Nutrition/Health Education • Mental Health Referrals

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HELP IS HERE FOR YOU New Perspectives is committed to providing comprehensive, multi-cultural substance abuse and mental health services to residents of Minneapolis and surrounding areas who may suffer from dependence or addiction to alcohol or other drugs.

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James Junkers walks into one of the group meeting rooms at New Perspectives Behavioral Systems and points to a chair in the front of the room.“That was my chair, right there, for many, many months, ” Junkers says. He hasn’t been back much since his last round of treatment for alcoholism other than to say hello, but he hasn’t forgotten how instrumental New Perspectives was in changing his life. Junkers is thankful, especially to New Perspectives Director John Woods. “(Woods) is the reason I am here sober and have a good life,” says Junkers. “I owe it to him.”

Editorial here

editorial here

“My family started stepping in. I can’t thank them enough.” -James Junkers, New Perspectives former client

Acceptance is the Answer New Perspectives client will never take his alcoholism lightly again

Editorial here At 18, Junkers bought a house. He had a girlfriend and a good job. His drinking, though, started controlling him more and more. Soon he only concentrated on getting to that next drink. Due to the carelessness and negative behavior that came with his escalating drinking, he lost the house and his girlfriend left him. Junkers then started going out more to drink. He received his first DUI shortly thereafter, his second 11 months after his first. Even though he had lost his house and his girlfriend and had mounting legal problems, all due to his drinking, Junkers denied there was any significant problem. “I thought, ‘Don’t drive anymore.’ Other than that, I thought my life was pretty functional,” Junkers says. His lawyer suggested he go through treatment, so Junkers tried New Perspectives. “I didn’t take it seriously,” Junkers says. After he failed urine screenings and skipped several meetings, Junkers got a call from Woods who told him to be at the next meeting or he’d be out of the program. Junkers hung up, walked across the street to a liquor store, bought three liquor shooters, poured them into a soda and drank it. Shortly thereafter, predictably, Junkers picked up his third DUI. He was no longer in denial. “I was crying in front of the judge. I walked out and talked to my sister. Personally, I didn’t think I could stop drinking. I thought I would die quitting,” Junkers says. His sister gave him the support he needed to walk back into court and be accountable for his actions. In order for Junkers to return to New Perspectives, he had to show Woods that he would put forward his best effort. Woods gave him another chance and Junkers has not had alcohol since. editorial here Cunning, baffling, powerful Junkers was born in Hawaii, but has lived in Richfield since he was in fourth grade. His father, who was an alcoholic, passed away when Junkers was 16. His mother worked and took care of Junkers and three more children all on her own. “I had free rein to run around and do as I please,” Junkers says of his childhood. He started smoking marijuana and drinking alcohol in high school. Though he says he always told himself he would never turn out like his father, Junkers began drinking at home every night.

“Without Mr. Woods and his honesty, I don’t think I would have ever made it through here.” -James Junkers, New Perspectives former client

 The individual he points to most, though, is Woods. “He’s such a big part of my life. I like everything about him,” Junkers says. “Without Mr. Woods and his honesty, I don’t think I would have ever made it through here.” 51 Tough love “My family started stepping in. I can’t thank them enough. They showed me some tough love,” Junkers says, adding that his sister is essentially his best friend, and she stopped talking to him. “She had enough of worrying and crying over me. We stopped talking for about six months. Then I went to court.” He is thankful for his immediate family, but also for the other clients who were in the group meetings. Junkers and the other clients formed a close-knit network. They would go out to dinner and support one another. “We were pretty much brothers,” Junkers says.

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Multicultural treatment center accepts and supports everyone

New Perspectives’ mission is to provide services that empower clients to overcome addiction and gain control of their lives. Regardless of who walks through the doors, treatment center staff help clients work to develop a life that is centered with responsibility and integrity. Clients recover better without far-fetched goals given to them. Meeting the individual where he or she is at can help them to break through the barriers they are putting up, says John Woods, New Perspectives Behavioral Systems founder and director. “We have a mixture of all types of people here,” says Woods. “We deal with clients individually.” New Perspectives is a culturally specific treatment center, a safe and welcoming place for people of any race, religion, gender or sexual orientation to work on recovery issues. Fully committed to helping clients grow as capable, productive people in society, New Perspectives is aware that each client needs different things to best build them up.The highly trained staff have the expertise, personal experience and compassion to provide motivation for a successful recovery for anyone.

“We are in the business of saving lives.” -John Woods, New Perspectives founder and director

Feeling at home Woods says certain groups of people fare better in treatment within a like-minded group, so New Perspectives works to accommodate clients with culturally specific programs and anything that might help a person feel more comfortable. For example, says Woods, “African-Americans do better in treatment with African-Americans.” No matter what their background, says Woods, working towards sobriety is very personal, but New Perspectives will do whatever it can to make things easier. Woods says some clients need to understand their identity and cultural history, particularly African-Americans. New Perspectives offers an African-American History meeting to its clients, which gives clients details about their culture, and in turn strengthens and adds value to their personal identity. Everyone, not just African-Americans, can benefit from adding value to their identity and by being better informed about the lives they lead. New Perspectives offers a Value Creation group meeting. The meeting works with adults, children and their families who have a history of abuse and chemical dependency.There is also a Confidence/Self-Esteem group meeting as well, which is designed to add value to a client’s idea of their personal identity. “In these meetings, we talk about who we are,” says Woods.

“We have a mixture of all types of people here. We deal with clients individually.” -John Woods, New Perspectives founder and director

One size fits none The treatment program involves a careful assessment of each client and the development of individualized goals and objectives for healing. New Perspectives’ clinicians carefully design personalized treatment plans to address each client’s chronic patterns of addiction disorders and individual risk factors. Individual focus is most effective, but New Perspectives staffers get to know clients personally because they care about helping others in their time of need.The clients get to know the staff, too, and become committed to the idea of helping others like themselves. Often, former clients come back to encourage those just like them. It gives current clients a tangible example of what recovery looks like. “Recovery is an inside job. No one can do this for you but you. You have to do this yourself,” says Woods. “Men and women, whoever you are, we accept you. No matter who it is, we are in the business of saving lives.” 

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