Archive for June, 2010
DUI laws in Michigan
Last Updated on Monday, 28 June 2010 02:39 Written by editor Tuesday, 29 June 2010 12:05
Michigan has lowered its tolerance for drunk driving over the last decade becoming one of the newest states of the United States to enforce tougher DUI laws. In the past, Michigan DUI laws were light on offenders creating too tiers that those under the influence could fall into, the category of impaired driving with a BAC of .08-.09 and the category of drunken driving beginning at .10 BAC. This little discrepancy allowed many drivers convicted of drunk driving to appeal the sentencing and often receive a lighter sentence as a result with the correct representation.
Speaking about the new DUI laws in Michigan, the then Secretary of State Terri Lynn Land stated that less in this case is always more and the lower limit will create greater penalties so that the roads become a safer place to travel on. Land added that the new laws were put in place so that drivers have a better chance of arriving home safe.
Director of the Michigan Department of State Police, Colonel Tadarial J. Sturdivant, seconded Land’s thoughts stating that now with the growth in effective technology, the new laws can be enforced with many new types of evidence so that all offenders will be duly prosecuted for their actions.
The new DUI laws in Michigan make it the 44th state to acknowledge that .08BAC is the best standard for drunk driving with many studies performed to back up the fact that a lower BAC law will save lives on the road. In fact, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration estimates that across the US if all states would adopt similar laws to the DUI laws in Michigan around 400 to 600 lives could be saved annually.
Those convicted of driving drunk in Michigan also face stiff consequences that include up to 93 days in jail, a $500 fine, up to 360 hours of community service, up to a six month license suspension, and up to six points on a driver’s license. These are the consequences for a first time offender of the DUI laws in Michigan, a repeat offender faces much stiffer consequences and mandatory jail time.
Tags: DUI laws | Posted under Michigan Rehab | 2 Comments
Circular drug addiction in Michigan
Last Updated on Tuesday, 22 June 2010 12:51 Written by editor Tuesday, 22 June 2010 12:51
One of the largest problems facing Michigan today is the amount of citizens that are continually prosecuted for abusing drugs. In fact, the problem has extended quite a bit in the last two decades to include not only abuse of illegal drugs, but also regular and social abuse of controlled substances such as depression medications and narcotics that are misused in prescription format.
Today, many Michigan legislatures recognize that drug use is circular in Michigan, which means that drug abuse in Michigan occurs routinely because once the abuser is arrested, detained, and adequately punished within the justice system they are returned back onto the street into the same environment. Due to the fact that room at government mandated Michigan drug rehab centers is not sufficient, most people receive jail time after arrest and then once time is served are returned to the street.
The dilemma is that despite the best intentions, many people who formally abused drugs in Michigan return to the same environment where they quickly fall back into the habits of people around them. Due to the fact that they do not have a place to turn after their sentence, little money due to loss of employment during their detainment, and the same friends who also abuse drugs, once on the street they have little choice but to engage in the same behavior for the same reasons: money, social acceptance, and addiction.
Reform in the justice system is currently under review in the state with an emphasis on including more mandatory Michigan drug rehab programs in sentencing as an alternative to jail time since those facing serious addictions and poor living conditions may best benefit from learning how to improve their lives. If given the proper stepping stones to create a better life outside of addiction, the belief is that many people would be able to succeed in staying clean once back on the streets.
The main problem with the growth of Michigan drug rehab is the high cost of building mandatory systems, however, if you have a loved one that is in and out of the justice system on a regular basis placing them in a such a facility upon their release may be the best option for helping them to maintain a better quality of life.
Tags: Drug addiction | Posted under Michigan Rehab | No Comments
Rapid drug detox vs. long term drug detox in Michigan
Last Updated on Tuesday, 15 June 2010 12:51 Written by editor Tuesday, 15 June 2010 12:51
For the last twenty years, when it comes to beating substance abuse the tagline has been ‘rapid deetox’ that allows you to quickly beat addictions to powerful drug substances such as opiates. However, whlei the idea of overcoming an addiction on the fast track may seem appealing, especially to those who are addicted to prescription drugs and want to get back to professional lives, it may actually be the worst decision you can make.
This is due to the fact that after twenty years all the evidence of actual high success rates points back to traditional drug detox in Michigan programs versus those that touted their rapid methods. There are two reasons for this, one of which has to do with the body’s response, and one has to do to the response of the person who is actually fighting the addiction.
The first reason that traditional drug detox in Michigan works much better is due to the physical properties of substance abuse. In order for rapid detox to work, all chemicals from a drug must be immediately removed from your system. However, most medical experts will tell you this is extremely unsafe due to the fact that an addicted persons’ body will have become heavily dependent on the drug. Rushing detox can lead to serious withdrawal complications that can even include death; which is hardly the way to beat an addiction.
The second reason that traditional drug detox in Michigan works much better is due to the actual circumstances that involve drug detox. Most of the time when a person becomes addicted to drugs it is safe to say that they develop the lifestyle habits of a person with a serious addiction. Thus, even if they manage to beat the physical addiction by cleaning up in rehab, they will renter a lifestyle that has not been addressed to avoid a relapse.
Thus, the best way to approach drug detox in Michigan is to find a rehab center that focuses on both the physical, mental, and lifestyle elements that are involved with the drug addiction so that when you kick your addiction you not only stop using, but kick it out of your life for good.
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The medical marijuana controversy and Michigan law
Last Updated on Tuesday, 8 June 2010 01:44 Written by editor Tuesday, 8 June 2010 01:44
Despite the fact that marijuana is a controversial drug that poses danger to those that become addicted to it, the state of Michigan legalized it for medical use which has resulted in a large mix of emotions from those who support the proposals and thus that fear its legalization may lead to an increase in those who are addicted to it. 12 major cities within the state have in fact already passed initiatives that decriminalize its use on a medical basis which is notable given Michigan is the only Midwestern state to allow the drug to be used.
Opponents of the proposals that in Michigan worry that legalizing marijuana will lead to enforcement issues and eventually the outbreak of pot shops such as those that exist in California due to its new deregulation of the popular street drug. Of more concern, is the fact that the issue of drug purity will not be addressed properly and those who are allowed medical clearance for the drug will take advantage of its use and sell it on the streets making access to the drug much easier for those that seek it.
Other concerns from the main Michigan marijuana opponent group, Citizens Protecting Michigan Kids, is that if marijuana is legalized for medical use children will begin to perceive it as they do other drugs such as alcohol and prescription drugs such as Vicodin. The link between these socially acceptable drugs and their abuse among children has been vastly explored and found to lead to a higher teen abuse rate. Thus, legalizing marijuana for any reason will decriminalize the drug and confuse children that are susceptible to peer pressure.
At the moment marijuana use in Michigan for medical reasons is acceptable, but only for those with medical conditions such as HIV, cancer, and multiple sclerosis. Due to the fact that the law was only passed in 2008 it has not yet been assessed what problems will arise from its legalization, but law enforcement officers have already stated that it can be difficult to prosecute properly for medical use since a court of law will hear a medical defense with or without a proper licensed medical marijuana card.
Tags: Michigan law | Posted under Michigan Rehab | No Comments
