REN

Ren

After working in addiction treatment for several years, Ren now travels the country, studying drug trends and writing about addiction in our society. Ren is focused on using his skill as an author and counselor to promote recovery and effective solutions to the drug crisis. Connect with Ren on LinkedIn.


Ren in Information on U.S. States
February 22, 2024

CDC Reports U.S. Overdoses Reach New High

The CDC recently published its most current provisional data regarding total U.S. drug overdoses for the 12 months between May 2022 and April 2023. According to the new data, 112,024 people across the U.S. died from drug overdoses in that period, compared to 110,394 deaths in the May 2021 to April 2022 period.

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Ren in News
January 25, 2024

What Is the Scope of Fentanyl Use Today?

Fentanyl, the powerful synthetic opioid that is similar to morphine but is anywhere from 50–100 times more potent, has become the leading cause of drug overdose fatalities in the United States. Its widespread use is extremely grim because even as some people who struggle with addiction try to avoid the drug, dealers increasingly add fentanyl to their drug supplies to make each batch more potent, addictive, and dangerous.

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Ren in Drug-Related News
January 11, 2024

New Research Data Shows Cannabis and Hallucinogen Usage Rates Continue to Rise Among Adults

While it’s common for certain drug use trends to come in and out of popularity, the trend of cannabis and hallucinogen use has been quite concerning in that usage of these drugs has steadily risen, uninterrupted, for several years. Further, interest in these drugs and experimentation with them has escalated among young adults ages 19 to 30 and middle-aged adults ages 35 to 50...

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Ren in Recovery
January 4, 2024

Commit to Getting Clean in 2024

The scope of drug addiction in America continues to expand, and annual deaths from drug-related causes continue to increase. 2024 can be the Year of Recovery, but the family members and loved ones of people who struggle with addiction will need to step in and help their loved ones find and enter treatment. Doing so has never been more important or urgent, as the drugs of today are increasingly potent and often lethal.

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Ren in Information on U.S. States
December 19, 2023

Latest Findings Show Number of Addicts in America Doubled in Recent Years

According to the latest National Survey on Drug Use and Health, about 16.5% of people aged 12 or older in the U.S. in 2021 (46.3 million people) met the criteria for addiction and needed substance use treatment. This is significant news because, in years prior, the reported figure for addicted Americans was closer to 19 to 21 million people.

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Ren in National News
December 12, 2023

Michigan Healthcare Scheme Involved Opioids

A story broke in early 2023 that revealed a Detroit-area doctor had been sentenced to nearly 17 years in prison and was ordered to pay $30 million. The crime? Leading a scheme to bill Medicare and private insurers for unnecessary painkiller injections and for writing prescriptions for millions of opioids.

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Ren in Sobriety
December 7, 2023

Staying Clean and Preventing Relapse During the Holidays

The holidays are a time of celebration and joy, but they can also be a difficult season for those in recovery from drug and alcohol addiction. Stress, tense emotions, high expectations, social demands, year-end career targets, and other factors combine to add additional pressures on those in recovery, pressures that could become overwhelming and lead to relapse.

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Ren in Alcohol Abuse
December 6, 2023

Alcohol Consumption in One’s Youth Now Connected to Another Health Harm Later in Life

Findings from a UK study connected young adult alcohol use to frailty later in life, particularly as it pertains to losing muscle mass. According to the report, those examined in the study group with the lowest muscle mass drank about a bottle of wine daily.

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Ren in Alcohol Abuse
November 30, 2023

Data Now Suggests Home Delivery of Alcohol During Pandemic Created Permanent, Long-Term Harm

New business strategies sprung up during COVID-19 lockdowns. While many such ideas were innovative and helpful, some caused harm. For example, one strategy implemented by alcohol manufacturers involved delivering alcohol to the doorsteps of people who could not leave their homes due to lockdowns or COVID-19 quarantines.

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Ren in Alcohol Abuse
November 22, 2023

The Concept of “Holding One’s Liquor” Likely a Fallacy

A group of researchers found that people who regularly drink excessively were still impaired after heavy drinking, even if they thought they had a greater tolerance of alcohol. According to the researchers, the idea that heavy drinkers can somehow manage the effects that alcohol has on them, i.e., that they can “hold their liquor,” is almost certainly false.

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