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We’re so excited to congratulate our very own Joe Wiesen on winning Florida Behavioral Health Association’s 2021 peer support specialist of the year award! The award is based on the criteria of Professionalism, Technical / Clinical Skills, Expertise, Contribution to Human Services. Joe is so positive and brightens up every room he goes […]
Florida Blue has this to say: “Our mission of helping people and communities achieve better health goes far beyond physical health,” said Susan Towler, executive director of the Florida Blue Foundation. “We can help build stronger communities by supporting local organizations that address the barriers preventing the most vulnerable people from reaching their highest health […]
Substance use disorders (SUDs) are characterized by recurrent use of alcohol or drugs (or both) that results in problems such as being unable to control use of the substance; failing to meet obligations at work, home, or school; having poor health; and spending an increased amount of time getting, using, or recovering from the effects […]
What Are E-Cigarettes? E-Cigarettes are known by a few names, from E-cigs, vapes, pens, hookah, and more variations. E-cigarettes come in many shapes and sizes. Most have a battery, a heating element, and a place to hold a liquid. E-cigarettes produce an aerosol by heating a liquid that usually contains nicotine—the addictive drug in regular […]
What is Kratom? “Kratom” refers to both Mitragyna speciosa, a tree native to Southeast Asia, and to products derived from its leaves that are marketed as herbal supplements. Kratom leaves contain many chemical compounds (known as bioactive alkaloids) that can affect the body. The most well-studied compounds related to kratom are mitragynine and 7-hydroxymitragynine. Much is […]
What is Heroin? Heroin is an opioid drug made from morphine, a natural substance taken from the seed pod of the various opium poppy plants grown in Southeast and Southwest Asia, Mexico, and Colombia. Heroin can be a white or brown powder, or a black sticky substance known as black tar heroin. How do People […]
Cocaine is a powerfully addictive stimulant drug made from the leaves of the coca plant native to South America. Although health care providers can use it for valid medical purposes, such as local anesthesia for some surgeries, cocaine is an illegal drug. As a street drug, cocaine looks like a fine, white, crystal powder. Street […]
Opioids are a class of drugs that include the illegal drug heroin, synthetic opioids such as fentanyl, and pain relievers available legally by prescription, such as oxycodone (OxyContin®), hydrocodone (Vicodin®), codeine, morphine, and many others. All opioids are chemically related and interact with opioid receptors on nerve cells in the body and brain. Opioid pain relievers are generally […]
What is Fentanyl? Pharmaceutical fentanyl is a synthetic opioid, approved for treating severe pain, typically advanced cancer pain. It is 50 to 100 times more potent than morphine. It is prescribed in the form of transdermal patches or lozenges and can be diverted for misuse and abuse in the United States. However, most recent cases of […]
