During a crackdown on drunk drivers police may use the sobriety checkpoint as a way to take impaired drivers off the road.  During this all drivers may be stopped by the police without any suspicion being evident.  They may also be given DUI tests even though there is no probable cause.  These have involved quite a bit of controversy as the US Constitution states that this is against the rights of the people.  However the Supreme Court has stated that it is acceptable under certain circumstances. Currently ten states do not allow them as they say the violate the constitution and two states do not allow them even though they are not illegal.

DUI sobriety checkpoints are used to reduce the number of impaired drivers on the road.  They are usually set up on a temporary basis often during holiday periods when there are traditionally more drunk drivers on the road and usually late at night when statistics show most drunk drivers are on the road.  They are often heavily advertised to prevent fun seekers from even contemplating taking their vehicle on a night out.  At the checkpoint the police will use a system to stop certain cars or in fact stop ever car.

If they are suspicious that impairment exists then they may ask the driver to leave the vehicle and undertake specific tests.  These tests can include walking in a straight line, alphabet recital, touching nose etc.  They may also perform a breath alcohol test.  This helps to determine the amount of alcohol in the blood.  If it is above the legal limit then an arrest may be made.

Statistics have shown that these checkpoints are not effective and that 3 times as many people are convicted of DUI by roving police patrols out looking for suspicious drivers.  However the police state that it is just another way to get the message out that impaired driving will not be tolerated.

Information provided by Knoxville DUI attorney helping drivers with legal services.

Impaired Drivers and Sobriety Checkpoints is a post from: Healthizm

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No one really wants to consider the fact that his or her friend, family member or even a co-worker might have a chemical abuse problem. However, the disturbing reality is that drug and alcohol addiction continues to affect millions of people and the problem shows no signs of slowing down. In fact, there has been an increase in the types of drugs that individuals are developing dependence issues on, and the progress in pharmaceutical recourses and prescription options is part of the reason, unintentionally and unfortunately, for this.

Legally prescribed pain medications as well as certain psychotropic prescriptions have a high addiction potential and while most of the people who take them for legitimate reasons don’t intend to become addicted, the possibility is still there.

There is also the potential for the narcotic and high potency prescription pain medicines to be sold on the street or black market. This contributes to the dependency and addiction potential of these medicines. Meanwhile, the standard illegal street drug varieties are still available and widely used. And today, drug intervention and treatment programs offer services to a more diverse population of users, and the treatment models used apply to different categories of drugs. And while it seems that as long as there are drugs that have an addition or dependency potential available, there will be the need for treatment programs and interventions, and acknowledging that there is a problem is always the first step toward recovery.

Growing Need for Drug Treatment and Intervention Programs is a post from: Healthizm

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For women, alcohol abuse is created from a different set of circumstances and genetics than for men.  Part of the reason women have more difficult time with alcohol stems from the fact that they also have more problems and issues and situations that act as the trigger for a dependence on alcohol.  The study done to show this difference came from Columbia University’s National Center and Substance Abuse.  As a result of the differences found in alcohol abuse in women and men, many an addiction treatment center are rethinking the away the handle female abusers of alcohol.

Demonstrating the expansive findings of all kinds of substance abuse in young girls and women during a study that took ten years, the book called “Women Under the Influence” shows that because of media, peer, and societal pressure to look slender, girls will use drugs in order to alter their appearance to fit the standards of beauty in their culture.  They will further use drugs stress relief, as a reduction of sexual inhibitions, medication for depressive states, and to make themselves feel better in general.  A good alcoholism  intervention typically deals with all the issues causing the addiction in the first place.

Other situations that cause a dependence on drugs and alcohol originate in pasts that had sexual abuse.  As a result women typically will be much more likely to abuse drugs than men because they are more susceptible to sexual abuse when younger.  Major life calamities like a newly emptied nest, divorce, lost jobs, or a failed pregnancy will also induce drinking.  And because women also often live out their spouses , they will take to drinking to medicate any lonely feelings they have or insecurities about their financial future.  Hormonal problems are another big factor.

Treatment for drug addiction is of course available for women in all kind of various situations.  They can also help women discover the triggers specific to their cases that causes their addiction to alcohol, drug, or other commonly abused substances.

Reasons for Alcohol Abuse Differ in Women and Men is a post from: Healthizm

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