HOT OFF THE PRESS - WE MADE IT TO PARLIAMENT!!!

RECOVERY DAY RECOVERED

A beautiful record of yesterday's wonderful gathering is offered here by Dr. Bill Hay. The piece includes words and many delightful pictures and a video.

RECOVERY DAY 2013 IS HERE!

Every thing a person needs to know about our big event this Sunday can be found here.

Except for this late breaking news.

RECOVERY DAY is now an officially declared Provincial Proclamation here in British Columbia.



JOIN US AT NOON AT THE GEORGIA STREET SIDE OF THE VANCOUVER ART GALLERY FOR AN EXTRAORDINARY EVENT AND A FABULOUS GOOD TIME, SHARING IN THE TRIUMPHS OF  RECOVERY.

Marijuana Not a 'Safe Drug,' Review Finds

While so much of the privileged world finds a quantum of solace in the move to legalize pot,  The Odd Squad's Al Arsenault discovered green heaven ain't exactly all it's cracked up to be:

THURSDAY Sept. 5, 2013 -- Contrary to popular belief, marijuana is not a "safe drug," particularly for teens, a new review reveals.

Researchers found that marijuana (cannabis) could be especially harmful for teenagers, since it affects the addiction processes in their developing brains. The findings are troubling since marijuana is a popular drug among teens, the researchers added.

"Of the illicit drugs, cannabis is most used by teenagers since it is perceived by many to be of little harm. This perception has led to a growing number of states approving its legalization and increased accessibility. Most of the debates and ensuing policies regarding cannabis were done without consideration of its impact on one of the most vulnerable population, namely teens, or without consideration of scientific data," study authors Didier Jutras-Aswad, of the University of Montreal, and Dr. Yasmin Hurd, of New York's Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York City, wrote in a news release from the University of Montreal.

They added, "While it is clear that more systematic scientific studies are needed to understand the long-term impact of adolescent cannabis exposure on brain and behavior, the current evidence suggests that it has a far-reaching influence on adult addictive behaviors, particularly for certain subsets of vulnerable individuals."

Marijuana interacts with the brain through chemical receptors situated in the areas responsible for learning and management of rewards, motivated behavior, decision-making, habit formation and motor function. Since the structure of the brain changes quickly during adolescence, marijuana can affect how these traits develop, the researchers noted.

In their review, they examined more than 120 studies on various aspects of marijuana and the teenage brain, including the biology of the brain, the brain's chemical reaction to marijuana and the influence of teens' genetic make-up and environment. They also analyzed previous studies on the "gateway drug" phenomenon, or an association between marijuana use and later addiction to other serious drugs and psychosis.

"When the first exposure occurs in younger versus older adolescents, the impact of cannabis seems to be worse in regard to many outcomes such as mental health, education attainment, delinquency and ability to conform to adult role," Jutras-Aswad explained.

Only about one in four teenage marijuana users will become dependent on the drug, which suggests that certain genetic and behavioral factors play a role in whether or not the drug use will continue, the researchers found. They added that marijuana dependence can be inherited or result from other psychological factors.

"Individuals who will develop cannabis dependence generally report a temperament characterized by negative affect, aggressivity and impulsivity, from an early age. Some of these traits are often exacerbated with years of cannabis use, which suggests that users become trapped in a vicious cycle of self-medication, which in turn becomes a dependence," Jutras-Aswad said.

The researchers concluded that marijuana is not harmless, and genetic or psychological screening can help identify those at greatest risk of abusing the drug.

"The objective is not to fuel the debate about whether cannabis is good or bad, but instead to identify those individuals who might most suffer from its deleterious effects and provide adequate measures to prevent this risk," Jutrus Aswad said in the news release.

"Continuing research should be performed to inform public policy in this area," added Hurd. "Without such systematic, evidenced-based research to understand the long-term effects of cannabis on the developing brain, not only will the legal status of cannabis will be determined on uncertain ground, but we will not be able to innovate effective treatments such as the medicinal use of cannabis plant components that might be beneficial for treating specific disorders."

YEAH! INT'L RECOGNITION FOR RECOVERY DAY 2012!

The following was sent to AnnMarie McCullough, the publicist and marketing director for The Orchard Recovery Centre. AnnMarie was also one of the four original creators of Recovery Day 2012, a Canadian first. She is now the Chair of the planning committee for Recovery Day 2013, which will be a national event this year with similar rallies and marches in a dozen cities across the land.

Join us on Georgia Street in front of the Art Gallery on Sunday September 8th for music, dancing, gratitude shares and reading of the Mayor's Proclamation once again naming this date officially as RECOVERY DAY in Vancouver.

 

Dear Ms. McCullough,

Congratulations! The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) is pleased to announce that your event was selected by a panel of judges as the winner in the Rally and Walk/Run Events category of SAMHSA’s Recovery Month Annual Event Award Program. Your event was recognized as exceeding expectations and as a reflection of your commitment to expand the breadth and reach of National Recovery Month in 2012.

As the winner in this category, your organization is invited to send a representative to accept the award at the 2013 Recovery Month luncheon. The luncheon will be held at the J.W. Marriot in Washington, DC, on Wednesday, September 4, from 12 to 2 pm.

Again, congratulations and thank you for your amazing efforts to promote the messages that behavioral health is essential to overall health, prevention works, treatment is effective, and people can and do recover!

Sincerely,

Scott Rieder on behalf of the Recovery Month Awards team

Account Executive | Vanguard Communications

RECOVERY HAS MANY PATHS AND MANY COLORS

 

The glamour, fun, excitement of Pride, minus the hangover

 

Clean, Sober and Proud party a new option at a celebration where 'everything has a beer tent at the end of it'

 

By Jessica Barrett, Vancouver SunJuly 27, 2013

 

 

Photograph by: Nick Procaylo, PNG, Vancouver Sun

 

Guiseppe Ganci doesn't remember much of the Pride celebrations of his youth - despite the fact that he's participated nearly every year since the age of 16.

Pride is nothing if not a big party, and for much of Ganci's life, that meant getting blackout loaded.
"It simply was, you know, what am I going to do to party this weekend," he recalls.

So when he quit drinking and using drugs, Ganci felt like he no longer fit in at the biggest event of the queer year.

"Over time, as I started to get into recovery in my 30s, I was having a real difficult time (figuring out) how to celebrate Pride because everything has a beer tent at the end of it."

That prompted Ganci to introduce a Clean, Sober and Proud parade float five years ago, along with a team from the Last Door Recovery Society, where he's director of community development. The move proved popular with the recovery community, but once the parade was over, there was no place for those avoiding drugs and alcohol to continue the party.

But this year, the first Clean, Sober and Proud party will offer all the glitz, glamour and fun of Pride minus the hangover.

The event includes all the necessary ingredients for a bumpin' dance party, from DJs to bands to drag queens - and all performers are part of the recovery community.

According to Ganci, the event is the first sober evening event to be officially supported by any Pride society in North America. While many Pride parades offer safe drug-and alcohol-free spaces during the day for those feeling triggered or overwhelmed by the often debauched festivities, Ganci said it's equally important to have a place where the sober community can let loose.

"Just because you don't drink doesn't mean your life is boring," he said. "You know, we're
not patients, we're just people who want to have fun."

Offering a place to party is hugely important for the gay recovery community, said Matthew Taylor, a performer at the event.

As a program manager with the Health Initiative for Men, a non-profit dedicated to promoting mental, physical and sexual health for gay men, Taylor said the prominent club and bar culture within the LGBTQ community means substance abuse is a reality for many people as they come to terms with their sexuality and sense of self.

"My own experience was that I was looking for validation and I was looking for acceptance in
my life," says Taylor, who is seven years sober.

"In the gay community I think it's even more pronounced just because (we're) looking to belong, looking to fit in and a lot of our community centres around entertainment and bars and dancing and clubs and the nightlife. And that's neither good or bad, it just is."

Taylor said people who do choose to mark Pride, or other elements of gay culture, by indulging in drugs or alcohol shouldn't be judged. But those who decide that's not a healthy option deserve somewhere else to go.

"It's so important to tell people, 'Hey, it's OK, you have a choice.' "

Introducing a sober party at Pride is an overdue addition to the annual affair that furthers its mandate of inclusion, said Vancouver Pride Society president Ray Lam.

"It's obviously really necessary," said Lam, acknowledging the majority of Pride parties take place in or around bars or nightclubs.

He said the Pride Society decided against adding a beer garden last month to its East Side Pride events - which kick off the run-up to Pride - to ensure at least one outdoor festival remained alcohol-free. The Pride Society is also contributing financially to the Clean, Sober and Proud party to ensure ticket prices aren't a barrier to entry.

For Ganci, who admits he felt like "a loser" at his first sober Pride, going alcoholfree has allowed him to see all the shades present in Pride's rainbow.

"Pride's about unity, Pride's about activism, Pride's about love, Pride's about education, Pride's about celebrating everything that there is about life, but it's hard to know that when your main goal is to drink and use drugs."

The Last Door Society's Clean, Sober and Proud party takes place Sunday, Aug. 4, at the Vancouver International Film Festival Vancity Theatre. Tickets are $10 in advance, $15 at the door available at Cleansoberandproud.com.

Jbarrett@vancouversun.com Twitter.com/vancityjess

© Copyright (c) The Vancouver Sun

CLEAN AND SOBER - WITHOUT ANY FUSS

• The photo shows seven men standing outside Union Gospel Mission in Vancouver's Downtown East Side.

   Why are they all so happy and full of smiles? Let me be the first to tell you; on Monday July 22nd they attended the in-house AA meeting to celebrate sobriety and the taking of both a one year and a two year cake. 

  Now here is where things get really interesting, not only are they Alumni of the Mission but they are also resident's of Servant House also known as the Servant's Of Hope Society, located in East Vancouver. 

  This year marks a milestone for the society in that after nine years of operation the house has not only met a complete minimum of one year but a grand total of "Thirty Years of Sobriety" In your Freaking face Harmies.

  That's right I said it, no more food lines, free Crack Pipes, free Methadone, free Needles, no more Robbing, Stealing; no more visits to the health services, no more court cases, none of it in fact. They are all steadily employed and Pay Taxes,ironically to a system that supports the very thing they have all escaped from. 

   
  Abstinence works! here is a shining example; hard work and support based services have made all the difference. Today they do not walk alone but together supporting each other as well as many who need to see and hear that recovery works. 

  Sean Heaney has been quietly running a small residential centre on the east side of town for years. He is one of the several folks who without much fanfare has been doing great recovery work for years. Let's give him our individual and collective thanks and help out wherever and whenever we can.