While filming ‘The Soloist’ the Block buster real life story of a homeless music prodigy living on the streets of Los Angeles., Robert Downey jr recalls being approached by homless people who knew about the actor’s lifelong battle with drugs and addiction.

Downey joked saying  ”I was surprised that my street cred on Skid Row was pretty high.”  It never occured to me that people would be like ” Dude, I was in the County jail with You.”

Downey, opens up about his feelings and reservations about playing a role that hit so close to home -Being in this environment that is so reminiscent and symbolic of the darkest depths of drug abuse, really struch a cord. For the actor, ” it became this incredibly wonderful humbling and humiliating expreience”  a 3 month field trip to remind you where drug abuse can take you.

Many people you know have probably battled with the disease of addiction.  Most people don’t talk about it though, they keep it a secret because they are ashamed. They don’t want anyone to label them a criminal or derelict; it makes no sense for those who’ve overcome such insurmountable odds to keep it a secret because we as a community don’t understand the disease.

The In The Rooms Foundation is an organization whose purpose is to break the stigma of  drug addiction and alcoholism in society.  They believe that recovery is an asset, not a liability, whereas most of the world still has a negative view of the “addict”.  Do you know someone who turned their life around and become an acceptable, responsible, productive member of society? Have you been touched by this disease from either a family member or friend and don’t know that its possible for them to recover? The foundation’s goal is to make this message available to all those who are willing to receive it.

People in recovery are standing up and showing their face, and they need YOU to show your support as well!

The In The Rooms Foundation is hosting an event called The Rally For Recovery, a 5K walk, festival and concert with up to 5,000 people walking over the MacArthur causeway on Saturday, September 12, 2009.  All funds raised for the event are going to education and prevention campaigns across the local community.

We would like you to show your commitment to the recovery movement on September 12, and walk with us in Miami.  Registration for the walk is $9 and includes admission to the entire all-day event and an event T-Shirt, ending in the afternoon with a concert by Eric Burdon and The Animals. If you can’t attend, please make a donation to allow someone less fortunate to walk in your place.

Check out this link for more information about the InTheRooms.com Rally For Recovery: Official Rally For Recovery Website

The ‘Baby boomer’ generation florished in the 1960’s and spawned an unforgetable era defined by it’s appetite for sex, drugs, and all things rock n roll. Those days of free sex,love and great rock n Roll are long passed, the love child of fantasy and lengend, yet baby boomers are still keeping the hay day of drugs alive and kicking – scarffing down anything from ecstasy pills to snorting cocaine.

 According to Peter Delany, from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, Baby Boomers are using/abusing drugs at a higher than normal rate – nearly double that of previous generations.

Save the Date September 12th, 2009 – Rally for Recovery. We’ll be celebrating National Recovery month with a Walk, a Festival, and closing the Day out with a Concert – Featuring Music sensation Richie Supa, who’ll be performing his PRISM award winning song “In The Rooms.” American Tatoo Icon Ed Hardy is rumored to be designing the T-shirts for the event as well – Don’t Miss Out. For More info visit: www.intherooms.com

A Day of Fun, Music, Dancing, and Recovery!

Hogens Berman Sobol Shapiro: Vytorin and zetia makers settle class – action lawsuit with a proposed payout of $41.5 million dollars to it’s victims. This lawsuit settles claims regarding the safety and efficacy of popular prescription drugs.

Boston – Drug manufacturing giants Merck & Co. and Schering – Plough Corp were forced to settle allegations the companies suppressed critical information about the efficacy and safety of two of their prescription drugs vytorin and zetia. Attorneys representing consumers and  third party payors announced the proposal, as well as similar claims with 35 states and a claim for $5.4 million with the district of Columbia.

West Virginia, Jackson County – The tragic drug related death of Teen Video Gamer, Christopher J. Rhodes, 19 has jumpstarted a revolution of change in the county. Christopher died last December of a drug overdose, since then Ace Gaming, a local gaming shop, began what is hoped will be an awareness campaign and an annual fundraiser. The goal is to combat the county’s rampant Teen drug problem.

The fundraising event will be something befitting of Christopher himself – a Video Game Tournament. The Event will be Held Saturday August 15th, 2009 for The Jackson County Anti-Drug Coalition…In honor of the Christopher J. Rhodes Memorial Foundation.

For More info visit: Ace Gaming Center – 235 Washington Street, Ravenwood, West Virginia 26164

                              Phone: 304 – 273 -0011

                              www.acewv.com

“When a child uses drugs, we assume that he/she is the only one who suffers. However, the family is suffering as much if not more, becuase they see their child in trouble and yet they are powerless to help them.” These are the words of a Former Crack Cocaine and Crystal Meth Addict located in florida, we’ll call him “Z”

When I used, I knew my family was feeling the pain to, but I didn’t care - I just wanted the high. As my addiction got more and more out of control, I started to notice the obviuos. I noticed my rapid weight Lost, bad breathe, Bad hygiene – Sometimes I’d forget to take showers for days.

I also started to notice that my family who became so fustrated with their failure to fix my addiction, that they began ressembling me. My Mother started loosing weight, started having nervous spells, couldn’t sleep, lost her apitite for life or anything else – she became addicted to wanting to help me/ fix my addiction. I mention my mother here, but my entire family – my sister, two brothers and even my farther started looking like addicts. As addicts we forget that the families also suffer, they serve the same sentence that we serve – our pain is their pain.

When I decided/court ordered to go into rehab, my family served that sentence with me as well – all three  times I relapsed. Now, it’s been almost 4 years since the last time I picked up. I have to say, the feeling of being clean is greater than any high I’ve ever exprienced. Since rehab “I am finally able to be a son to my parents, a brother to my siblings and a friend to all those who beleived and stood by me even when all hope seemed lost.”

Last Month – senior vatican officials publicly denounced women who used the Abotion Pill, stating that “women who use the pill would be volunteeraly excommunicating themselves from the faith.” The statement also went on to say that this excommunication also extends to doctors who prescribe the pill as well as nurses who administer it.  The Abortion Pill (Mifepristone, Mifeprex, and Mifegyne) has been available in much of the U.S. and Europe since the 1990’s.

Among the many factors affecting drug use among teens – “peer presure” ranked the highest. Even those who consider themselves as living above the influnce of peer presure have found it difficult to refuse using drugs, especially when they are convinced that their social status and popularity are on the line. Marijuana, ecstacy, and Hallucinogens such as mushrooms are among the most common drugs for first time teen users.

There is a common perception among the public, that illegal drugs pose a bigger problem than drugs prescribed in a hospital. However, that’s not the reality…according to Dr. Ronald Lim, hospitals are the new breeding ground for drug misuse.

Many of the people who suffer from  addiction, no longer need dealers. They can simply get high on drugs commonly found in their medicine cabinets. So widespread is this practice that Dr. Lim calls it “an epidemic.” According to the U.S. Department of Health Services “Prescription drug abuse has almost doubled from 2000 to  2007.”

This problem has recieved a much needed spot light, primarily because of priscription drug misuse in the recent deaths of Pop Legend Michael Jackson and high profile celeb Anna Nicole Smith.

There seems to be no end in sight for the many phshical and emotional disorders that prescription drugs now treat. Opioids and benzoiazepines if used properly will treat anxiety, dpression, insomnia, stree, panic attacks and even pain – If used incorrectly, they can lead to  drug addiction.

Dr. Lim says that the public needs to change its’ perception about prescription drugs… many of which affect the mind, behaviour or mood much like street drugs. In fact, these priscription drugs can even be more addictive because most who become addicted never thought it would happen., after all, if their doctors prescribed it, how addictive could it be…