DRUG STRATEGIES

Considering it cost the average pharmaceutical company $1.3 billion to develop a drug as of 2006 according to The Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America, it is no wonder drug manufacturers employ a variety of marketing strategies to help increase revenue. While some people are opposed to the marketing practices of the pharmaceutical industry, these companies create medicines that help patients live longer and healthier lives. Pharmaceutical companies still use traditional print- and broadcast-based marketing strategies like magazine ads, television and radio. However, online ad spending in the pharmaceutical industry increased 10.6 percent in 2010 according to e-Marketer, which suggests digital marketing strategies are becoming more prevalent for pharmacy manufacturers. Sampling Sampling is a marketing strategy pharmaceutical companies use to help patients experience their products for free. First, pharmaceutical companies approach physicians, and ask them if they wou

The most effective way to reduce teenage drug and alcohol abuse starts in the home. Parents need to educate themselves about the drugs that are prevalent in the community. They need to talk to their children with knowledgeable facts on the effects of the drugs and use examples of teenage tragedies from drug use. Parents should ensure that prescription drugs and alcohol are not accessible to teens in the home. Shut Down The Store At Home Alcohol and drugs can be easily accessible to teenagers in the home, especially if their parents have an unlocked medicine or liquor cabinet. Many of the drugs given for anxiety and pain relief by prescription are drugs teenagers are seeking. Opiates such as oxycodone and codeine--and tranquilizing drugs like valium are found in many homes, drugs which are prescribed following an injury or surgery. These drugs should not be left in an area accessible to teens. Some teens believe that if a drug is given to parents, then it is safe for them, too.

Staging an intervention for someone who is addicted to drugs is oftentimes a last resort for the family and friends of a drug addict. Being addicted to drugs can change a person's personality drastically and frequently leads to prison or even death. By staging an intervention for drug addiction, you can help a person get their life back in order. Instructions Ensure that the person in question indeed is in need of a drug intervention. See the Resources section for more details. You can find out about the science behind the effects of drugs on a person's body and learn to notice those effects. Form a group of friends and family willing to help stage the intervention. Locate people close to the individual in question, and ask that they participate. Inform the people you locate that the intervention must remain a secret. If the individual is informed about the forthcoming intervention, that can drastically reduce the effectiveness. Contact a trained professional to help you

Drug prevention is an important part of keeping at-risk youths and teens out of rehab and making good life decisions. There are a few different strategy options available that are designed to prevent drug use in high schools. The methods vary depending on the location and the risk of drug use in the area. Universal Program A universal program is a school and family integrated strategy where parents and families help with drug prevention. The school tries to bring the family into the mixture of preventing drug use in high school students by creating a sense of community. Getting parents involved with their child's lives is the main goal and preventative measure against drug use in high schools. The school might send home information to parents and encourage parent-teacher conferences to discuss methods parents can use at home to discourage drug use. The programs vary depending on the school. Selective Programs Selective programs are designed to prevent the use of a specific

Drug abuse can change the relationships with loved ones, according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse. Addiction affects the chemicals in the brain to change the behavior of the person abusing the drugs. Drug abusers often need outside help to recognize addiction and obtain sobriety from the substance. Family interventions help open the lines of communication within a family and encourage the drug abuser to seek treatment. Because all families have different dynamics, effective strategies will cater to both the family and substance abuser. Preparation Before beginning an intervention, the family must decide on their approach, according to intervention.com. Identify every family member and friend to be involved with the intervention. Hold a group practice session where letters or statements are communicated out loud. Informal Family This intervention approach involves family members meeting with the substance abusing individual in an informal setting. The family addresses c

Drug and alcohol abuse are pervasive problems. Many suffer in silence, with the isolation enabling the addiction to grow worse over time. While recovery can seem impossible, there is hope for healing. The road is long, and there will be many obstacles along the way, but with courage, patience and persistence, it is possible to learn a healthier lifestyle and habits. Admitting you have a problem with drug and alcohol abuse is a sign of tremendous courage and strength, and the beginning of the solution. Instructions Realize you have a problem with drug or alcohol abuse. This is a tremendous and courageous first step, as awareness is the catalyst for transformation; denial only enables addiction to fester. Getting sober also is an important part of the beginning of recovery. See your primary care doctor to get referred to an addiction medicine specialist if you experience withdrawal symptoms from becoming sober. Seek help. Reach out to trusted family and friends. Receive peer support

Effective drug enforcement strategies are multi-departmental and multi-agency cooperative strategies. Whether the strategy is for a state, a local community or the nation, cooperation is a requirement. The arresting departments, including the sheriffs, police and drug enforcement agencies, must work with departments that can track assets and money, such as the Treasury Department and asset control departments to eliminate the drug supply chain. Education and training also play an important role for drug users, prospective users, educators and law enforcement. Financial Tracking Drugs are purchased almost exclusively with cash. The cash that is exchanged is also smuggled in secret throughout the drug supply chain. The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) calls this "contraband." Although the DEA can investigate contraband, other agencies, including the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network, Treasury Department and the Office of Foreign Assets Control, can track assets bett

Drug trafficking can result in severe penalties, depending on the type and amount of the drug, as well as whether the suspect had any prior drug offenses. Someone with two or more prior drug offenses can be sentenced to life in prison, according to the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration. There are several drug trafficking criminal defense strategies. No Search Warrant If authorities did not go about getting the drug trafficking evidence in the proper manner, the evidence can be suppressed, or thrown out in a court of law. One way to properly obtain evidence is through a search warrant. The search warrant must provide a detailed description of the premises or vehicle to be searched, as well as the items authorities are looking to find. Authorities need a search warrant to look for evidence, and a search and seizure warrant to look for and confiscate the evidence. The only time a search warrant is not needed is when authorities have probable cause for the search. No Probable Caus

If you have a friend or family member with an addiction, seeing them constantly under the influence of drugs or alcohol can be painful to watch. The idea of giving them an intervention may seem difficult, but it is a great way to help them realize that they have a problem, or to help them to see the harm that their habit is causing. It will always be a difficult process, but there are some useful strategies you can employ. Family and Friends Ensure that many of the person's loved ones are present at the intervention. It can be difficult to get everyone together, but the idea is that the person sees how his or her addiction affects friends and family. Always be supportive, but don't hesitate to be honest. The idea behind an intervention is to get the person to admit that he or she has a problem for which they should seek help. You can't make the addict stop taking the substance in question, only he or she can decide to stop. Having a group of loved ones there shows that

Drug and alcohol abuse is a big problem. If you have a family or friend you are afraid is following a dangerous path then you need to do something about it. An intervention is a popular way to get the abuser to seek treatment. Here are some ways to make an intervention go smoothly. Someone They Trust According to druginterventions(dot)net, "If an intervention is done by someone the addict particularly trusts, it has a greater chance of being successful." You must stop protecting the abuser from consequences. Allowing the behavior to go on makes the addict think that what he or she is doing is okay. If there are no consequences then why stop? Enabling an addict's behavior is the worst possible thing you can do for their disease. Do Not Wait Do not wait any longer. The longer you wait the worse the consequences can get. Line up a treatment center and have a bag already packed for your family member or friend. This may be hard, but sometimes tough loves is the only t