Glen goes for Recovery!!

Drugs of Choice: Illegality does not always equate with Lethality

From GAWKER.com

Coroner Says Coca-Cola Addiction Responsible for Woman’s Death

 Neetzan Zimmerman

When 30-year-old Natasha Harris of Invercargill, New Zealand, died of a heart attack three years ago, her family suspected the cause of death was linked to her extreme fondness for Coca-Cola.

Drinking as much as 10 litres (2.5 gallons) a day left the mother of eight with myriad health problems, including cardiac arrhythmia, rotten teeth, and a full-blown addiction.

"(She would) go crazy if she ran out... she would get the shakes, withdrawal symptoms, be angry, on edge and snappy," Harris's mother-in-law said last year.

Harris's husband, Christopher Hodgkinson, recalled how his wife's health quickly deteriorated in the months prior to her death. "She had no energy and was feeling sick all the time ... She would get up and vomit in the morning," he said.

Coca-Cola has persistently maintained that, despite her daily consumption of twice the recommended caffeine intake and over 11 times the acceptable amount of sugar, Harris's death could not be definitively linked to her Coke habit.

But a coroner report released today claims to have done just that.

Wrote coroner David Crerar: "I find that, when all of the available evidence is considered, were it not for the consumption of very large quantities of Coke by Natasha Harris, it is unlikely that she would have died when she died and how she died."

Coca-Cola, however, continues to stand by its initial claim:

The Coroner acknowledged that he could not be certain what caused Ms Harris' heart attack. Therefore we are disappointed that the Coroner has chosen to focus on the combination of Ms Harris' excessive consumption of Coca-Cola, together with other health and lifestyle factors, as the probable cause of her death. This is contrary to the evidence that showed the experts could not agree on the most likely cause.

While Crerar agrees that Coca-Cola should not be held responsible "for the health of consumers who drink unhealthy quantities of the product," he does suggest in his report that Coca-Cola consider adding labels to its drinks warning consumers against the hazards of excessive consumption.

[screengrab via TVNZ]

Bluegrass Video

Here's a video of the bluegrass band, Old Dogs New Tricks performing Saturday in our Sanctuary at the Bluegrass Festival. Who says you can't have fun in recovery?


Old Dogs New Tricks on Facebook

Bluegrass Festival Pictures!!

This year's Bluegrass Festival was GREAT! The weather was warm and it was a fun day. Here are some pictures:

(Old Dogs New Tricks Bluegrass Band)

Bluegrass Festival This Weekend!! [SATURDAY]

REMINDER!!

Bluegrass Festival THIS SATURDAY! 

Tons of Bands

Massages

Haircuts

Free Hot Dogs and Burgers

Cornhole Tournament

Family Fun!!

Admission $5

Recovery Road Trip!!

This weekend, McShin President John Shinholser, Male Intake Specialist David Rook, five male clients, and myself drove from Richmond, VA to Jackson, MS for a recovery road trip! The purpose of our trip was to conduct and attend a Recovery Coach Training course taught by John Shinholser. Here at McShin, we have pioneered a recovery coach training curriculum, and train anyone (members of public, those is law enforcement and substance abuse field, for instance) to become a certified peer recovery coach. You can download an electronic version of our Recovery Coach Manual for FREE right HERE!

Here are some pictures from this weekend... 1600 miles is a long time inside a car.

Elevator from the Robert E. Lee building in Jackson. This is the building in which we held our Recovery Coach Training. 

Women's bathroom ... somewhere in Alabama

Mississippi barbecue! Super yummy!!

Old school arcade ... truck stop somewhere

Boiled peanuts, also in Alabama ... why are they black and wet?

Truck stop church ... Georgia

Our view from the Quality Inn in Pearl, MS

John Shinholser and Curtis Oliver during Recovery Coach Training. 

John Shinholser during Recovery Coach Training.

Latest on HB1672: Nasal Naloxone

HB 1672: Nasal Naloxone has made it out of subcommittee by a unanimous vote!! (Sub #1 of HWI). Next step: the bill must be approved by full committee on Thursday in time for cross-over to Senate approval.

Right now, we are working with the government to develop two pilot programs in the state to get this life-saving mechanism in the hands of those who need it most by the end of this year.

Here is a link to a training video on how to use nasal naloxone and how to recognize signs of an opiate overdose from a pilot program developed in North Carolina, The Lazarus Project.