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ACT ATOD Sector Research eBulletin - August 2016
The monthly ACT ATOD Research eBulletin is a concise summary of newly-published research findings and other research activities of particular relevance to ATOD and allied workers in the ACT.
Its contents cover research on demand reduction, harm reduction and supply reduction; prevention, treatment and law enforcement. ATODA's Research eBulletin is a resource for keeping up-to-date with the evidence base underpinning our ATOD policy and practice.
In the August 2016 issue
ACT Research Spotlights
ACT Sentencing Patterns for Drug Possession
On 16 August 2016 the ACT Attorney-General, Simon Corbell, released a series of ACT Sentencing Snapshots prepared by Dr Lorana Bartels of the University of Canberra. One of the Snapshots, no 5, deals with sentencing in the ACT Magistrates Court for drug possessions, specifically the offence of possessing a drug of dependence, possessing cannabis and possessing a prohibited substance other than cannabis. The data cover the period 1 July 2012 to 31 August 2015 and have been sourced from the ACT Sentencing Database.
During the three years and two months covered by the report, 117 sentences were imposed in the Magistrates Court for possessing a drug of dependence, 145 for possessing cannabis and 134 for possessing a prohibited substance other than cannabis, a total of 396 sentences.
With respect to possessing a drug of dependence (e.g. the unlawful possession of a controlled substance such as oxycodone), the most common sentence among the 117 cases was a good behaviour bond (44%), followed by a fine (28%), fully suspended sentence (9%), imprisonment (8 cases, 7%), partially suspended sentence (3%), periodic detention (1%), and other orders (9%). 89% of offenders were males and 11% females. Some 55% were sentenced for multiple offences.
With respect to possessing cannabis, the most common sentence among the 145 cases was a fine (76%), followed by a good behaviour bond (21%) and other sentences (3%). No-one was sentenced to imprisonment. 83% of offenders were males and 17% females. Some 68% were sentenced for multiple offences.
With respect to possessing a prohibited substance other than cannabis (e.g. heroin), the most common sentence among the 134 cases was a good behaviour bond (50%), followed by a fine (26%), imprisonment (13 cases or 10%), fully suspended sentence (8%), partially suspended sentence (4%), and other orders (3%). 85% of offenders were males and 15% females. Some 46% were sentenced for multiple offences.
Comment: ATODA is surprised to see, from these data, that 21 sentences of imprisonment were made during the 38 months under review. Although we are not privy to the details of the individual cases, the fact that these offenders were charged with the minor offence of possession of small quantities of drugs, rather than supply-type offences, and were sentenced to imprisonment, highlights the need to decriminalise these minor offences and to increase the number of people who use drugs who are diverted from the criminal justice system into interventions that are likely to assist them in overcoming substance use disorders and other life challenges.
Source: Bartels, L 2016, ACT Sentencing Snapshot: no. 5: drug possession, ACT Law Courts and Tribunal, Canberra, http://courts.act.gov.au/magistrates/services/act_sentencing_database_actsd_and_sentencing_snapshots
For more information: See the media release
Evidence underpinning the preferred model for the NSP at the Alexander Maconochie Centre
On 15 July the ACT Minister for Corrections, Shane Rattenbury, issued a media release titled 'Preferred model for Needle and Syringe Program at the AMC'. It advised that 'A safe, medically supervised injecting room has been identified by the Needle and Syringe Program Working Group as the preferred model for a Needle and Syringe Program (NSP) at the AMC [Alexander Maconochie Centre]. This decision has been taken by the Needle and Syringe Program Working Group (the Working Group) as they believe it is the most viable model for implementation in the unique environment of the AMC, following 12 months of consideration…The Working Group will further consult with staff and stakeholders over the coming weeks to form the detail of the model, which will then be presented to Corrective Services staff for a vote.'
By coincidence, the day before his announcement the prominent medical journal, The Lancet, published online a series of articles on the theme of 'HIV, prisoners, and human rights'. The core themes of the series are found in an article, one of the authors of which is Professor Kate Dolan from NDARC: Rubenstein, LS, Amon, JJ, McLemore, M, Eba, P, Dolan, K, Lines, R & Beyrer, C 2016, 'HIV, prisoners, and human rights', The Lancet, online ahead of print. Its contents are highly relevant to the deliberations of the AMC Working Group and the ACT Minister for Corrections:
Worldwide, a disproportionate burden of HIV, tuberculosis, and hepatitis is present among current and former prisoners. This problem results from laws, policies, and policing practices that unjustly and discriminatorily detain individuals and fail to ensure continuity of prevention, care, and treatment upon detention, throughout imprisonment, and upon release. These government actions, and the failure to ensure humane prison conditions, constitute violations of human rights to be free of discrimination and cruel and inhuman treatment, to due process of law, and to health. Although interventions to prevent and treat HIV, tuberculosis, hepatitis, and drug dependence have proven successful in prisons and are required by international law, they commonly are not available. Prison health services are often not governed by ministries responsible for national public health programmes, and prison officials are often unwilling to implement effective prevention measures such as needle exchange, condom distribution, and opioid substitution therapy in custodial settings, often based on mistaken ideas about their incompatibility with prison security. In nearly all countries, prisoners face stigma and social marginalisation upon release and frequently are unable to access health and social support services. Reforms in criminal law, policing practices, and justice systems to reduce imprisonment, reforms in the organisation and management of prisons and their health services, and greater investment of resources are needed.
What level of public support is there for prohibiting the sale of tobacco products to people born after 2000?
Is the smoking population hardening or softening as smoking prevalence falls - #1?
To what extent does the normalisation theory explain changes in adolescent drunkenness and smoking?
What is the relationship between the normalisation of drug use and the social supply of drugs?
How do smoking rates among pregnant women compare with smoking rates in the female population as a whole?
How effective is the NSW Magistrates Early Referral Into Treatment (MERIT) diversion program in protecting against recidivism?
How significant is the association between traumatic brain injury and substance use?
What is known about the extent and effect of stigma on people who inject drugs?
How long after heroin overdose is it feasible to intervene to attempt resuscitation?
What resources are available for assessing overdose knowledge in people who use opioids?
To what extent is there a relationship between the timing of income support payments and increases in the rate of illicit drug overdose deaths? Could staggering the delivery of payments reduce spikes in overdose deaths?
In what ways can drug consumption rooms improve the well-being of drug users and reduce overdoses?
How effective are managed alcohol programs in changing patterns of alcohol consumption and reducing related harm?
How do rates of alcohol consumption in Australia differ between different age groups?
Note: Many of the items referenced below are available from the Library of the Alcohol and Drug Foundation http://primoapac01.hosted.exlibrisgroup.com/primo_library/libweb/action/search.do?vid=ADF.
'The tobacco-free generation (TFG) proposal advocates prohibiting the sale of tobacco products to people born after the year 2000. In a world-first, the Tasmanian parliament is considering this proposed legislation'. Researchers based in Tasmania investigated levels of public support for the proposal among adults and adolescents. They conducted two cross-sectional studies in 2014: a telephone survey of 600 randomly sampled Tasmanians aged 18 years or over and a pencil and paper survey of 1,888 Tasmanian secondary school students aged 12–17 years. They found that 'Support for the TFG proposal was 75% among Tasmanian adults. Majority support extends across all sociodemographic subgroups, including 72% of current smokers…Of those aged 12–17 years, 68% supported the TFG proposal, including 64% of those born after the year 2000, who would be directly affected by the TFG proposal. Support was higher among non-smokers and those born before the year 2000'. They concluded that 'There is strong public support for the TFG proposal in Tasmania, even among smokers and people born after the year 2000'.
Trainer, E, Gall, S, Smith, A & Terry, K 2016, 'Public perceptions of the tobacco-free generation in Tasmania: adults and adolescents', Tobacco Control, online ahead of print.
Introduction: The hardening hypothesis proposes that as smoking prevalence declines the proportion of 'hardcore' or 'hardened' smokers will increase. The possible constructs of hardening include reduced motivation to quit, increased levels of addiction, increased levels of disadvantage and reduced quit rates among continuing smokers. Most previous studies have investigated only a single facet of the hypothesis. Data from a national population monitor was used to test the hypothesis using measures across all four hardening constructs.
Method: Data was analysed from a biennial population-based survey of New Zealand adults (aged 15 years+) from 2008 to 2014. Data were collected through face-to-face computer-assisted personal interviews.
Results: During a period of reducing smoking prevalence, there were no statistically significant changes in indicators of hardening including the proportion of smokers who were unmotivated to quit, unable to quit despite repeated attempts or receiving state benefits or on a low income. Quit rates did not change significantly over the study period…
Conclusion: This study provides evidence that robust tobacco control strategies that result in substantial declines in smoking prevalence are not accompanied by the hypothesised increase in 'hardcore' or 'hardened' smokers who are more addicted and less motivated and able to quit. The findings suggest that there is no need for substantial change in approach to achieve New Zealand's Smokefree 2025 goal on the grounds that the smoker population is becoming increasingly hardened.
Edwards, R, Tu, D, Newcombe, R, Holland, K & Walton, D 2016, 'Achieving the tobacco endgame: evidence on the hardening hypothesis from repeated cross-sectional studies in New Zealand 2008–2014', Tobacco Control, online ahead of print.
Background: It has been argued that as smoking prevalence declines in countries, the smokers that remain include higher proportions of those who are unwilling or unable to quit (a process known as 'hardening'). Smokeless tobacco and e-cigarettes have been promoted as a strategy to deal with such smokers. If hardening is occurring, there would be a positive association between smoking prevalence and quitting, with less quitting at lower prevalence. There would also be a neutral or negative association between prevalence and the number of cigarettes smoked.
Method: They examined US state-level associations using the Tobacco Use Supplement (1992/1993–2010/2011) and Eurobarometer surveys for 31 European countries (2006–2009–2012) using regressions of quit attempts, quit ratios, and number of cigarettes smoked on smoking prevalence over time.
Results: For each 1% drop in smoking prevalence, quit attempts increase by 0.55%±.07…in the USA and remain stable in Europe…, US quit ratios increase by 1.13%±0.06…, and consumption drops by 0.32 cig/day±0.02…in the USA and 0.22 cig/day±0.05…in Europe. These associations remain stable over time …, with significantly lower consumption at any given prevalence level as time passed in the USA (−0.15 (cig/day)/year±0.06…).
Conclusion: Consistent with prior research using different data and methods, these population-level results reject the hypothesis of hardening as smoking prevalence drops, instead supporting softening of the smoking population as prevalence declines.
Kulik, MC & Glantz, SA 2016, 'The smoking population in the USA and EU is softening not hardening', Tobacco Control, vol. 25, no. 4, pp. 470-5.
Comment: These and related studies provide guidance as to priority setting in tobacco control policies in low smoking prevalence jurisdictions such as the ACT. The absence of hardening and the possibility of softening mean that we need to maintain—indeed increase—implementing the existing strategies, as they have been shown to work well with the residual smokers. At the same time, we need to innovate to meet the needs of specific sub-populations of smokers, and adopt technological innovations, such as personal vaporisers containing nicotine, as adjuncts to standard approaches.
Israeli researchers applied a normalisation framework to examine changes in adolescent drunkenness and cigarette use in Israel between 1994 and 2010. They explained that 'the normalisation theory predicts that when alcohol or cigarette use becomes normal…alcohol and cigarette use behaviours become more attractive to well-adjusted adolescents. In turn one would expect to see more low risk adolescents use cigarettes and alcohol when prevalence rates are relatively high'. They expected that 'adolescents exposed to multiple risk factors to be at equal risk for drunkenness and cigarette use regardless of population level changes in alcohol and cigarette use'. They found that, 'Between zero and two risk factors, the risk of drunkenness and smoking increases for each additional risk factor. When reaching two risk factors, added risk does not significantly increase the likelihood of smoking and drunkenness. Changes in population level drunkenness and smoking did not systematically relate to changes in the individual level relationship between risk factors and smoking and drunkenness'. This led to the conclusion that, 'In a low prevalence country like Israel, the normalisation theory may not accurately explain changes in adolescent alcohol and cigarette use. In contrast, the multiple risk factor model explains the relation between risk factors and adolescent drunkenness and cigarette use well'.
Sznitman, SR, Zlotnick, C & Harel-Fisch, Y 2016, 'Normalisation theory: Does it accurately describe temporal changes in adolescent drunkenness and smoking?', Drug and Alcohol Review, vol. 35, no. 4, pp. 424-32.
Researchers described how the relative normalisation of recreational drug use in the UK has produced and fused with the relatively normalised and non-commercial social supply of recreational drugs. They conducted interviews with 60 social suppliers of recreational drugs in two studies: half students and half from the general population. They found that 'Both samples provided strong evidence of the normalised supply of recreational drugs in micro-sites of friendship and close social networks. Many social suppliers described "drift" into social supply and normalised use was suggested to be productive of supply relationships that both suppliers and consumers regard as something less than "real" dealing in order to reinforce their preconceptions of themselves as relatively non-deviant'. They concluded that 'The fairly recent context of relative normalisation of recreational drug use has coalesced with the social supply of recreational drugs in micro-sites of use and exchange whereby a range of "social" supply acts (sometimes even involving large amounts of drugs/money) have become accepted as something closer to gift-giving or friendship exchange dynamics within social networks rather than dealing proper. To some degree, there is increasing sensitivity to this within the criminal justice system'.
Coomber, R, Moyle, L & South, N 2016, 'The normalisation of drug supply: the social supply of drugs as the "other side" of the history of normalisation', Drugs: education, prevention and policy, vol. 23, no. 3, pp. 255-63, open access.
Comment: Research into social supply of illegal drugs in Canberra conducted by DPMP and local researchers, facilitated by ATODA and CAHMA, formed the basis of legislative changes to the thresholds of drug possession that differentiate possession for personal use from possession for the purpose of supply, a much more serious offence. The ACT Government's policy response, fully supported by ATODA, reflected the reality of social supply. See Hughes, C & Ritter, A 2011, Legal thresholds for serious drug offences: expert advice to the ACT on determining amounts for trafficable, commercial and large commercial drug offences, National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre, Sydney, https://ndarc.med.unsw.edu.au/resource/DPMP-monograph-22-legal-thresholds-serious-drug-offences.
How does smoking rates among pregnant women compare with smoking rates in the female population as a whole?
A study of smoking rates among pregnant women and the general female population used data from Australia, Finland, Norway and Sweden. It found that, 'In general, persistent smoking has decreased and late-pregnancy smoking rates are lower than daily smoking rates among all women. However, younger women are more likely to be persistent smokers regardless of pregnancy status. In Norway and Finland, persistent smoking was most common among young pregnant women and in Sweden there was an increased polarisation between age groups. In Australia, a steady decrease in smoking rates appears to have stalled in younger pregnant women'. The researchers concluded that 'Although smoking has declined substantially in recent decades, there are groups lagging behind this general trend. Young pregnant women are of particular concern in this respect'.
Reitan, T & Callinan, S 2016, 'Changes in smoking rates among pregnant women and the general female population in Australia, Finland, Norway and Sweden', Nicotine & Tobacco Research, online ahead of print.
Comment: This trend towards higher smoking rates among younger pregnant women is consistent with ACT data (as reported in the ACT Chief Health Officer's Report 2016). ACT Health is currently implementing a project targeting smoking during pregnancy among young women; the project includes a social marketing campaign and the provision of nicotine replacement therapy to young pregnant women.
Smoking rates are also known to be higher among a number of disadvantaged sub-populations in the ACT—e.g. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, people accessing alcohol and other drug services, people accessing mental health services, etc. Pregnant women in these sub-populations are likely to also require additional smoking cessation support, particularly if they are from younger age groups. ATODA has published a paper, 'Reducing smoking in the ACT among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women who are pregnant or who have young children', that make s number of recommendations on promoting smoking cessation among this sub-population.
A Drug Policy Modelling Program study sought to assess the impact of the pre-sentence Magistrates Early Referral Into Treatment (MERIT) diversion program in NSW on offending in the 12 months following exposure to the intervention. The researchers state that 'Our research has shown how MERIT participants were reconvicted within 12 months at a significantly higher rate than a comparison group identified as drug misusers following completion of an LSI-R assessment and sentence in non-MERIT NSW Local Courts and matched on relevant demographic and criminal history variables. Furthermore, when controlling for the influence of index penalty imposed, exposure to MERIT did not make a significant contribution to the prediction of reconviction at 12 months. The volume of known offending among those exiting the MERIT program was found to be significantly higher in the 12-month follow-up period (including when adjustments were made for time at reduced risk due to imprisonment). There were no associations observed between exposure to MERIT and changes in offence seriousness… Of those belonging to the MERIT group, program completion was found to have a significant protective effect against recidivism'.
McSweeney, T, Hughes, CE & Ritter, A 2016, 'Tackling "drug-related" crime: are there merits in diverting drug-misusing defendants to treatment? Findings from an Australian case study', Australian & New Zealand Journal of Criminology, vol. 49, no. 2, pp. 198-220.
Comment: A key take-home message from this important Australian study is that diversion to treatment, although important, is not sufficient. What is also needed is high quality treatment and high treatment completion rates among the diverted offenders.http://anj.sagepub.com/content/early/2015/01/29/0004865814555773
Background: The literature has opposing views regarding the magnitude of the association between substance use and TBI [traumatic brain injury]. Most studies have examined clinical samples which are not representative of the entire head injured population. Clinical samples provide very limited insight into TBI patients whom (sic) do not seek care.
Objectives: This paper examines the associations between TBI and substance use/misuse. Its primary aim is to test whether or not individuals with a past-year TBI have higher rates of substance use/misuse than Canadians without a TBI or back and/or spine injury controls drawing on self-report population level data.
Method: Using the 2009-2010 Canadian Community Health Survey, a nationally representative cross-sectional survey of Canadians 12 years and older, this paper assessed substance use (i.e., illicit drug use; drinking and binge drinking; current smoking) among those with a TBI, as compared to two control groups: (1) individuals with a back or spinal injury (BSI); and (2) healthy noninjured controls. Multivariate regressions (logistic and multinomial), both unadjusted and adjusting for a range of injury and sociodemographic covariates, were used in hypothesis testing.
Results: Those with a past-year TBI demonstrated significantly elevated rates of illicit drug use relative to non-injured Canadians. Relative to the BSI group those with a TBI were less likely to drink alcohol, did not differ in binge drinking, cigarette smoking and illicit drug use.
Conclusion: Health care professionals working with the TBI population should integrate screening, brief intervention, and referral programming as a means to reduce future harm related to substance misuse.
Allen, S, Stewart, SH, Cusimano, M & Asbridge, M 2016, 'Examining the relationship between traumatic brain injury and substance use outcomes in the Canadian population', Substance Use and Misuse, online ahead of print.
Background: Perceived experiences of stigma have been found to be associated with poorer psychosocial outcomes and engagement in risk practices among people who inject drugs. Yet the extent to which people internalize or accept the stigma surrounding their injecting drug use, and whether this is associated with risky injecting practices, is not well known.
Objectives: The aim of this study was to assess the extent of internalized stigma among a sample of people who inject drugs in Australia and identify socio-demographic, injecting risk, and mental health correlates.
Method: People who inject drugs were recruited from a needle and syringe program located in Sydney, Australia to complete a brief survey. The survey included measures of internalized stigma, severity of drug dependence, self-esteem, depression, and shared use of injecting equipment.
Results: The sample comprised 102 people who inject drugs. Internalized stigma was higher among participants who reported being depressed in the past month, and was also associated with greater severity of drug dependence and diminished self-esteem. There was no relationship between internalized stigma and shared use of needles or other injecting equipment in the past month.
Conclusion: Findings underscore the need for further investigation of internalized stigma among people who inject drugs. In particular, future research should assess the impact of implicit (i.e., subconscious) internalized stigma on mental health.
Cama, E, Brener, L, Wilson, H & von Hippel, C 2016, 'Internalized stigma among people who inject drugs', Substance Use and Misuse, online ahead of print.
The presence of 6-monoacetyl morphine (6MAM), an active metabolite of heroin, in the blood is suggestive of survival times of less than 20–30 minutes following heroin administration. The study of 145 heroin-related deaths in Sydney over the two years 2013-2014 aimed to determine the proportions of cases in which 6MAM was present, and compare concentrations of secondary metabolites and circumstances of death by 6MAM status. The mean age was 40.5 years and 81% were male. Circumstances of death included bronchopneumonia, apparent sudden collapse, location and other central nervous system (CNS) depressants. The study found that 6MAM was detected in 43% of the deaths. The conclusion of the researchers was that 'In heroin-related deaths in Sydney, Australia during 2013 and 2014, 6-monoacetyl morphine was present in the blood in less than half of cases, suggesting that a minority of cases had survival times after overdose of less than 20–30 minutes. The toxicology of heroin metabolites and the circumstances of death were consistent with 6-monoacetyl morphine as a proxy for a more rapid death…In the majority of cases, however, survival times appeared prolonged, with a substantial period of time in which resuscitation was feasible'.
Darke, S & Duflou, J 2016, 'The toxicology of heroin-related death: estimating survival times', Addiction, vol. 111, no. 9, pp. 1607-13.
Comment: This study provides further evidence underpinning opioid overdose mortality prevention programs: in the majority of overdoses there is time available for bystanders to call an ambulance, administer naloxone and carry out other life-saving interventions.
Background: Opioid overdose is a public health crisis. This study describes efforts to develop and validate the Brief Opioid Overdose Knowledge (BOOK) questionnaire to assess patient knowledge gaps related to opioid overdose risks.
Method: Two samples of illicit opioid users and a third sample of patients receiving an opioid for the treatment of chronic pain (total N = 848) completed self-report items pertaining to opioid overdose risks.
Results: A 3-factor scale was established, representing Opioid Knowledge (4 items), Opioid Overdose Knowledge (4 items), and Opioid Overdose Response Knowledge (4 items). The scale had strong internal and face validity. Patients with chronic pain performed worse than illicit drug users in almost all items assessed, highlighting the need to increase knowledge of opioid overdose risk to this population.
Conclusion: This study sought to develop a brief, internally valid method for quickly assessing deficits in opioid overdose risk areas within users of illicit and prescribed opioids, to provide an efficient metric for assessing and comparing educational interventions, facilitate conversations between physicians and patients about overdose risks, and help formally identify knowledge deficits in other patient populations.
Dunn, KE, Barrett, FS, Yepez-Laubach, C, Meyer, AC, Hruska, BJ, Sigmon, SC, Fingerhood, M & Bigelow, GE 2016, 'Brief Opioid Overdose Knowledge (BOOK): a questionnaire to assess overdose knowledge in individuals who use illicit or prescribed opioids', Journal of Addiction Medicine, online ahead of print, open access.
A Canadian study assessed the temporal patterns and causal relation between population-level illicit drug overdose deaths and income assistance payments using daily mortality data for British Columbia over a period of five years. The study found that '1343 deaths due to illicit drug overdose were reported in BC during 2009–2013; 394 occurred during cheque weeks (n = 60) and 949 occurred during non-cheque weeks (n = 202). Average weekly mortality due to illicit drug overdose was 40% higher during weeks of income assistance payments compared to weeks without payments…Consistent increases in mortality appeared the day after cheque disbursement and were significantly higher for two days, and marginally higher after 3 days, even when controlling for other temporal trends'. The researchers concluded that 'Our findings clarify the temporal relation and causal impact of income assistance payments on illicit drug deaths. We estimate 77 avoidable deaths were attributable to the synchronized disbursement of income assistance cheques over the five year period. An important consideration is whether varying the timing of payments among recipients could reduce this excess mortality and the related demands on health and social services…There is, therefore, a strong rationale for examining alternative disbursement schedules experimentally (e.g., varying the timing of cheque issuance among recipients, issuing smaller and more frequent cheques, etc.) in order to reduce this avoidable mortality and the demands on health and social services. Given the consistent increase in overdose deaths following cheque issue, there is a clear need for harm reduction and support services to be available during this time to mitigate adverse outcomes related to substance use and income assistance payments'.
Otterstatter, MC, Amlani, A, Guan, TH, Richardson, L & Buxton, JA 2016, 'Illicit drug overdose deaths resulting from income assistance payments: analysis of the 'check effect' using daily mortality data', International Journal of Drug Policy, online ahead of print.
Comment: So far as ATODA is aware, no studies have been conducted in Australia to determine if a relationship exists between the timing of financial support payments and drug overdose incidence. Such a study may have potential to guide overdose prevention programs. Note, however, that in British Columbia social welfare payments are made monthly whereas in Australia they are made fortnightly.
In what ways can drug consumption rooms improve the well-being of drug users and reduce overdose?
In 2012, Danish politicians passed a law that allowed drug consumption rooms (DCRs) to operate; among the objectives of this intervention were to improve the well-being of vulnerable citizens and to reduce the number of overdoses. Five Danish DCRs are currently operating. A team of Danish researchers undertook a national investigation focused on assessing the impact of Danish drug consumption rooms on the health and well-being of DCR clients and factors facilitating the acceptance of DCR clients in order to improve their health and refer them to social and health service providers. They conducted 250 hours of participant observation in the DCRs, followed by in-depth qualitative interviews with 42 DCR clients and 25 staff members. They found that 'DCR clients experienced a sense of social acceptance while inside DCRs. Members of staff conveyed a welcoming, non-judgemental attitude, and DCR clients were predominantly satisfied with the facilities. They prioritized forging relations with drug users so as to foster a sense of social acceptance within DCRs. The primary goal of staff members is to prevent overdoses by informing clients about strong drugs and by intervening in cases of intoxication. DCRs provide security to clients. In cases of health-related problems, DCR clients were referred to local health clinics. Members of the staff build bridges for DCR clients by guiding them towards drug treatment programmes and services in the social and the health sectors'. The researchers concluded that 'The study reveals a consistency between DCR clients and staff members with respect to appraisal of the importance of DCRs. Both clients and staff agreed that DCRs provide a safe haven in the environment in which DCR clients often live and that staff members approach to clients with the intention of promoting acceptance clears the path for the prevention and treatment of overdoses and providing referrals to healthcare facilities, to drug treatment centres and to social services'.
Kappel, N, Toth, E, Tegner, J, & Lauridsen, S 2016, 'A qualitative study of how Danish drug consumption rooms influence health and well-being among people who use drugs', Harm Reduction Journal, vol. 13, no. 1, pp. 1-12.
Comment: In 1999, during the previous epidemic of opioid overdose morbidity and mortality, the Legislative Assembly for the ACT passed the Supervised Injecting Place Trial Act. The establishment of Canberra's supervised injecting place was blocked by two independent members of the Assembly. Perhaps the time has come to re-visit the need for such a facility in Canberra, particularly in light of the demonstrated success of the Sydney Medically Supervised Injecting Centre and the continuing high rates of overdose in Canberra?
Managed alcohol programs (MAPs) are a harm reduction strategy for people with severe alcohol dependence and unstable housing. MAPs provide controlled access to alcohol usually alongside accommodation, meals, and other supports. Canadian researchers investigated patterns of alcohol consumption and related harms among MAP participants and controls from a homeless shelter in Thunder Bay, Ontario, in 2013. They found that, 'Compared with periods off the MAP, MAP participants had 41 % fewer police contacts, 33 % fewer police contacts leading to custody time…87% fewer detox admissions…and 32 % fewer hospital admissions…There were reductions in nearly all available LFT [liver function test] scores after MAP entry. Compared with controls, MAP participants had 43% fewer police contacts, significantly fewer police contacts (-38%) that resulted in custody time…70% fewer detox admissions…and 47% fewer emergency room presentations. NBA [non-beverage alcohol] use was significantly less frequent for MAP participants versus controls…Marked but non-significant reductions were observed in the number of participants self-reporting alcohol-related harms in the domains of home life, legal issues, and withdrawal seizures. Qualitative interviews with staff and MAP participants provided additional insight into reductions of non-beverage alcohol use and reductions of police and health-care contacts. It was unclear if overall volume of alcohol consumption was reduced as a result of MAP participation.' They concluded that 'The quantitative and qualitative findings of this pilot study suggest that MAP participation was associated with a number of positive outcomes including fewer hospital admissions, detox episodes, and police contacts leading to custody, reduced NBA consumption, and decreases in some alcohol-related harms. These encouraging trends are being investigated in a larger national study'.
Vallance, K, Stockwell, T, Pauly, B, Chow, C, Gray, E, Krysowaty, B, Perkin, K & Zhao, J 2016, 'Do managed alcohol programs change patterns of alcohol consumption and reduce related harm? A pilot study', Harm Reduction Journal, vol. 13, no. 1, p. 13.
A study using data from the Australian National Drug Strategy Household Survey from 1995 to 2013 examined whether recent declines in overall consumption of alcohol have been influenced by reductions in drinking among young people. The researchers found that, 'Controlling for age and period effects, there was significant variation in drinking participation and drinking volume by birth cohort. In particular, male cohorts born between the 1965 and 1974 and female cohorts born between 1955 and 1974 reported higher rates of drinking participation…while the most recent cohorts (born in the 1990s) had lower rates of participation…Among drinkers, the most recently born cohort also had sharply lower average consumption volumes than older cohorts for both men and women'. Their conclusion was that 'Recent birth cohorts (born between 1995 and 1999) in Australia report significantly lower rates of both drinking participation and drinking volume than previous cohorts, controlling for their age distribution and overall changes in population drinking. These findings suggest that the recent decline in alcohol consumption in Australia has been driven by declines in drinking among these recently born cohorts. These trends are consistent with international shifts in youth drinking'.
Livingston, M, Raninen, J, Slade, T, Swift, W, Lloyd, B & Dietze, P 2016, 'Understanding trends in Australian alcohol consumption—an age–period–cohort model', Addiction, vol. 111, no. 9, pp. 1590-8.
Comment: This population-wide reduction in alcohol use is a welcome trend, but at the same time we are seeing, in some parts of the nation including Canberra, increases in alcohol-related harms. This implies that we need to continue with population-focussed interventions to reduce overall levels of alcohol consumption (such as the ACT Government's recently abandoned proposal to reduce the hours of late night trading) and strengthen targetted alcohol harm reduction interventions in at-risk population groups.
Dolan, K 2016, Prisons need better drug treatment programs to control infectious diseases, The Conversation, 15 July, https://theconversation.com/prisons-need-better-drug-treatment-programs-to-control-infectious-diseases-62350.
European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction 2016, Health responses to new psychoactive substances, Publications Office of the European Union, Luxembourg, http://www.emcdda.europa.eu/publications/ad-hoc/nps-responses.
Foundation for Alcohol Research and Education 2016, Risky business: the alcohol industry's dependence on Australia's heaviest drinkers, Foundation for Alcohol Research and Education, Canberra, http://www.fare.org.au/2016/01/risky-business-the-alcohol-industrys-dependence-on-australias-heaviest-drinkers/.
Harm Reduction Coalition 2016, Alternatives to public injecting, Harm Reduction Coalition, New York, http://harmreduction.org/blog/sif-report/.
Jones, L & Sumnall, H 2016, Understanding the relationship between poverty and alcohol misuse, Centre for Public Health, Faculty of Education, Health and Community, Liverpool John Moores University, Liverpool, UK, http://www.cph.org.uk/publication/understanding-the-relationship-between-poverty-and-alcohol-misuse/.
Loughnan, A 2016, The drugs made me do it: can prescription side-effects be an excuse for crime?, The Conversation, 8 July, https://theconversation.com/the-drugs-made-me-do-it-can-prescription-side-effects-be-an-excuse-for-crime-45821.
McNeill, B 2016, Shedding light on a vaping trend: researchers study the use of e-cigarettes for illicit drugs, Virginia Commonwealth University, http://news.vcu.edu/article/Shedding_light_on_a_vaping_trend_Researchers_study_the_use_of.
Roxburgh, A & Breen, C 2016, Cocaine and methamphetamine induced deaths in Australia 2012, NIDIP Bulletin, National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre, Sydney, https://ndarc.med.unsw.edu.au/resource/cocaine-and-methamphetamine-related-drug-induced-deaths-australia-2012.
---- 2016, Drug-related hospital stays in Australia 1993–2014, National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre, Sydney, https://ndarc.med.unsw.edu.au/resource/drug-related-hospital-stays-australia-1993-2014.
Stewart, R & Altamore, T 2016, 'Developing a pill testing program for music festivals', ACT Population Health Bulletin, vol. 5, no. 2, pp. 16-8, http://www.health.act.gov.au/healthy-living/population-health#Bulletin.
Sutherland, R, Entwistle, G & Breen, C 2016, Stimulant and depressant overdose among a sample [of] regular psychostimulant users in Australia, 2007-2015, Ecstasy and Related Drug Trends Bulletin, National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre, University of New South Wales, Sydney, https://ndarc.med.unsw.edu.au/resource/stimulant-and-depressant-overdose-among-sample-regular-psychostimulant-users-australia-2007.
Tay, J 2016, Naloxone training in General Practice, Royal College of General Practitioners, http://www.rcgp.org.uk/clinical-and-research/bright-ideas/naloxone-training-in-general-practice.aspx.
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This "outlier" experience helped him to develop and grow both his own brands and increase the value of his brand partners as he was quickly becoming an influential professional skateboarder. By leveraging his influence and designing new concepts and ideas, he helped turn a rising footwear and apparel brand into a $500 million international company. He used that same expertise to build skate brands later in his career launching the world's first true professional skateboarding league Street League Skateboarding and a first of its kind skateboarding channel, ETN.
Network marketing is a legitimate business. First, it's based on providing people with real, legitimate products they need and want at a fair price. While some people do make a lot of money through network marketing, their financial benefit is always the result of their own dedicated efforts in building an organization that sells real products and services.
The prospect of working from home is becoming increasingly popular. According to The New York Times, a recent Gallup poll reports 43 percent of employees work remotely some of the time. Of those, the number working from home four to five days per week has jumped to 31 percent. Modern workers seem to be embracing the flexibility of working remotely, so it's not surprising that multi-level marketing companies (MLMs) are "poised for explosive growth," Forbes predicts.
They have the stay-at-home-mother meets women entrepreneur mixture working for them. What does that even mean? Means they have the practicality side of the company that is off the product and they have the sales, entrepreneur people them promoting it, too. Anyone who follows MLM knows its usually too "product practical" (see: Tupperware, Cutco) or too "opportunity-centric" (see: Herbalife).
Many self-proclaimed entrepreneurs send me invitations and accolades to join their favorite Multi-Level Marketing (MLM) or Network Marketing company, but these all sound like "get rich quick" schemes to me. For me, the essence of an entrepreneur is creating something new and innovative, whereas an MLM is a traditional formula on an existing product with a high premium on pyramiding.
When you're asking people to volunteer their time to sell a product or service, the experience needs to be fun. As adults, we all feel tremendous pressure in multiple areas of our lives. If a network marketing company starts to feel stale, unappreciative and a little corporate-y, consumers will invest their energies somewhere else. As Millennials hit the scene, it's important to understand that they're placing less emphasis on financial metrics. Companies need to always maintain a sense of humor and constantly show appreciation for their sales force. When a company starts leading with an iron fist and sends out warnings to fence in a sales force, it almost always backfires. People need to have fun with the brand and fun sharing the brand with others. If it's painful, forget about it.
MLM salespeople are not employees of the MLM company. Participants do not derive a salary/wage, nor do participants receive remuneration from the MLM company for their invested labor and expenses in their MLM "independent business". The income of participants, if any income is made at all, is derived only from commissions on their personal sales or their share of the commissions on the personal sales of their downlines (the MLM compensation structure).
The Internet has made it so easy now. In the old days you had to actually visit people, or at least call them, to pitch your fabulous new opportunity. Face-to-face marketing is still practiced, but it is not so common these days. Besides, no one really loves the idea of having someone over, so they go online where everyone can be as safe as they want. They create sites with videos, testimonials, and pictures.
Thank you for sharing your perspective on the Direct Sales/MLM companies. As a business owner and entrepreneur, there is often a lot of noise from many sources about what is the best way to grow and be of importance. One of the things I have learned and continue to learn is that we must really love what we do, believe in our offering, whether is it a product or service, and listen closely to our gut instincts. A business coach of mine once said being a prism is beautiful, but it is scattered light, focus on what you love. Another important thing to know for yourself , is that there are different learning styles. If you choose to join any company, MLM or otherwise, be clear with yourself how you best learn and thrive. Getting swept up in the cheering may feel good, and it may keep you motivated on some level, however, be clear on how do you retain knowledge and use it. If a company has a one size fits all approach, be very careful that you do not get swept away. Thank you again for sharing this information. It has helped me have another look at my goals and how to continue focusing on what I love to do.
These brothers from Israel changed the minds of the entrepreneurs behind the company, Seacret Direct, when they managed to take the typical start up business from the kiosk (you know those booths in the mall) to the beyond and turned it into a global direct selling company worth millions of dollars. These skincare product companies are pretty boring these days, but the company's dead sea products originate with a 5,000-year-old history and a huge fan following.
If Owner Two decided to expand his business and sponsors Owner Three, Owner Two would be credited for any sales volume that Owner Three produces. Lastly, because Owner One sponsored Owner Two, Owner One would also be credited for the sales volume of both Owner Two and Owner Three. It is this ability to generate revenue streams from multiple sources that has made network marketing a popular and profitable business for many.
If you decide to buy into the program and promote the products, you must be sure your marketing materials are truthful and that there's solid evidence to back up the claims you make about the products. Before you repeat any claims the company has made, verify that there's competent and reliable research to back them up. That's the standard the FTC uses when evaluating advertising claims.
The other company is Paparazzi. The advantage here is that the entire style is different. You're selling inexpensive pieces that people can buy easily – without having to order and wait for delivery. Paparazzi uses a purchase-first model, so you should plan and weigh up the risk carefully. But, there is certainly potential. If nothing else, the style is a welcome change from the countless jewelry companies that charge $50 or more for a single item.
I thought That your article was very good. My wife recently joined this company called World Ventures and me being me I figured it would be like some of the other companies that she has joined. You know a bunch of women companies scentsy, 31, etc but the reason I took notice is when she made 500. I know it's not much but i know if she can make that faster than she has with some of the others she has joined without my help then maybe this thing is the real deal. What do you know about it? I have met some of the people and they seem genuine unlike some of these others like Amway and I don't feel like it's all about freaking selling like most of the others. Just shoot it to me straight.
In the MLM industry nutrition companies are like the auto industry, most of the companies are the cheap and low quality choices, a few are in the Mercedes category, and only one company in the Rolls Royce category with 7.5 billion in sales, located in 90 countries, 300 scientist and 30 Ph.D's on staff, number one selling meal replacement shake and protein shake in the world, 90,000 private clubs and centers, Noble Prize winning scientist, research supported by major universities, proven success track record of more then 36 years, and already owns more then 33% of the meal replacement market, used by some of the worlds top athletes, product of choice for Pre-NFL combine, and the weight loss product that used by the Genesis book or world records for most weight loss in the shortest time – 403 pounds in 18 months. Picking the right company only comes down to whether you want the Rolls Royce or something else.
Meet Kyle & Kireston Kirschbaum The parents to five energetic boys, Kyle and Kierston Kirschbaum are a power couple in the Network Marketing Profession. Starting out as a casual customer, and then moving into the business side of the company, Kierston set the pace and laid the foundation for her family's future when the unexpected happened and ...…
At the time of release for this article, not all companies in this list have released their 2017 earnings, therefore we've used the 2016 earnings that are available. For a few of the companies who have gone public with their 2017 stats, we've included that in their descriptions. When all companies have released their earnings we will uppdate this list.
At the end of the 1990s, network marketers were learning to harness the power of the internet. The implementation of online shops and electronic orders made employing social networks much easier for individual distributors and businesses. Since the rise of social media platforms, it's become common to see advertisements by people in your network for companies like Rodan + Fields or ItWorks.
Now this company is a true innovator in the MLM industry. Their product: Herbal supplement capsules. Where can you find them? Everywhere! The pair that were the first to do it was a husband and wife that are behind Natures Sunshine. If you visit a local health food store (or your yoga fanatic friend's medicine cabinet) you are bound to find their product and proof of how well-known they truly are.
I love love love this article! I'm a business growth coach who works with small business owners and often leaders from other MLM's. From time to time I'll get someone who has been struggling significantly even getting started and I find that it's sheer absence of knowledge of the numbers. They are still under the impression that if I get three, and they get three then we're all going to be millionaires. It's very sad but the truth is not being told. Being in an MLM is hard. But it is very doable. I have had significant success in the past, while I am not in an MLM now. Nor do I want to be, you must be all In to make it work. Thank you for sharing this. I would love to interview you on one of my webinars
An example of a high-profile multi-level marketing company defending its practices is Herbalife Ltd., a manufacturer and distributor of weight-loss and nutritional products with more than 500,000 distributors. Although the FTC had been investigating Herbalife, it was activist investor William Ackman who shed a national spotlight on the company by shorting $1 billion of the company's stock in 2013. Ackman accused the company of operating a pyramid scheme and backed his allegations with a bet the company's stock price would fall under the weight of the scam.
Scentsy is an MLM company that manufactures wickless, scented and flameless candles with a lot of varying fragrance that leaves customers drooling. People, who haven't used this brand of candles, instantly fall in love with it once they do. Network marketers are given a good and lovable product to resell and the chances for success are really high.
Hmmm, what should I say about this company, well it still seems like they are far from "the finest and most-respectable retail energy provider in America," I feel this way because it was just a few years ago that they were dealing with a class action lawsuit. But when you have $1.5 billion in revenue in the bank from your global business, a lawsuit doesn't really seem to break your stride.
I agree with you that much of the industry is flawed, but what about an MLM that has a service rather than a product such as electricity. It's not like that could go out of style or that once you buy it you don't need it again or that your monthly supply is too much and you're going to stop the monthly subscriptions. I can honestly say that I cannot stand most MLM companies because regardless what you believe or how much you like the product, if you have to try to convince someone else to use it then inevitably the system is flawed and eventually your residuals will dry up. Electricity though, that's different in my opinion, no one has to convince me to use it, it just comes by default. Find me an MLM that is not selling so much as showing someone an alternative to what they already have to pay and I'd be interested.
The real key is this: Network marketing is all about leverage. You can leverage your time and increase the number of hours of work effort on which you can be paid by sponsoring other people and earning a small income on their efforts. J. Paul Getty, who created one of the world's greatest fortunes, said "I would rather make 1 percent on the efforts of 100 people than 100 percent on my own efforts." This very basic concept is the cornerstone of network marketing.
BRAND NEW COMPANY – Soft launch not even 30 days in – already breaking records for number of brand partners joining this business. First in the industry with its cutting edge technology for their all natural health and wellness products with a delivery system into the body for quick response and maximum absorption – so nothing is wasted or flushed away! Suggested for ages 4 years on up!!! And the founder has a proven track record of historical success in the industry! I would love to have you join me in this amazing adventure to freedom in so many definitions of the word – nothing to lose and everything to gain! What are you waiting for?
look if you go and search top MLM businesses, no matter what link you click on, the number one company is amway. Why everyone goes with different companies i don't get it, check it out compare to mary kay. Here's the thing though, I contract with amway, but my organization is worldwide. Mentorship organization. I feel which ever MLM business you choose, join a mentorship organization that is in that business. The reason why amway is number one is because of worldwide. it's only 10% of everyone that is in amway, yet 90% of the 6 and 7 figure earners are part of worldwide…why? because they broken down the company and know exactly how to succeed and retire quicker than someone who tries amway on their own or joins another mentorship company. what's the success rate? to those who do what others have done 100%. So at the end of the day, consider all of this. With amway and worldwide, it doesn't matter how old you are, where you come from, ANYONE can do it. Mary Kay is a female company, good luck getting a bunch of single dudes to make it with that.
Owner Two develops a business that also sells $100 USD worth of goods each month. Like Owner One, Owner Two receives a bonus for his sales volume on top of any retail profit he has made. By sponsoring Owner Two, Owner One who has generated $100 USD of sales, is also credited for the $100 USD produced by Owner Two. Therefore Owner One's total business sales volume is considered to be $200 USD.
They may have professional athletes like Drew Brees promoting their products, but that doesn't mean you should believe all of AdvoCare's claims. This MLM company sells shakes, supplements, and pills. In order to succeed with AdvoCare, as with others, you need to recruit more people to sell the same products. Constantly hitting up your family and friends to buy stuff from you can cause some tense relationships.
Walter J. Carl stated in a 2004 Western Journal of Communication article that "MLM organizations have been described by some as cults (Butterfield, 1985),[51] pyramid schemes (Fitzpatrick & Reynolds, 1997),[52] or organizations rife with misleading, deceptive, and unethical behavior (Carter, 1999),[53] such as the questionable use of evangelical discourse to promote the business (Höpfl & Maddrell, 1996),[54] and the exploitation of personal relationships for financial gain (Fitzpatrick & Reynolds, 1997)".[52][55] In China, volunteers working to rescue people from the schemes have been physically attacked.[56]
One of the giant SEO network marketers in the game is Rob Fore, and yet he promotes MLSP as his best venture. This should mean a lot to those out there. This company is still in the neighbourhood, even with all the steam clearing away, they still have something left to give the digital MLM industry (although they are up against companies like: Tecademics, Digital Altitude, Empower Network, Wealthy Affiliate).
Unlike many MLMs that sell products directly to consumers, Digital Altitude sells a business system to entrepreneurs in the form of courses and methods that teach them to effectively market their own companies. While many of the packages can cost thousands of dollars, Digital Altitude offers a $1 trial, making the risk to try its product very low for the consumer.
"Utah Attorney General Sean Reyes has been a supporter of the direct selling industry for many years," the organizers of the Direct Selling Edge Conference said in promoting his speech. "As a former business owner himself, Reyes applauds those who desire to manage their own businesses on their own terms," which is the kind of "be your own boss" come-on MLMs make to prospective members.
"Fast forward 10 years or so from the home equity line of credit losing, after we had paid off our home mortgage, we were in the process selling our home and purchasing another home," he wrote. "We had to close the unused line of credit. We had to get a satisfaction letter to move forward with the new home purchase. We were fortunate that we never had a need to tap into the line of credit for any purpose, including educating our children. While a home equity line of credit may be beneficial and perhaps needed by some we simply decided to live within budget and never had to use [it] for any purpose."
That brings up another difference between traditional franchises and MLMs: When you own a traditional franchise, you're not pressured to recruit other people to become fellow franchisees. In fact, if you did that, it could ruin your chances at economic success because you'd be competing with multiple business owners for the same customers. Also, that would be an illegal franchise pyramid scheme.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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About The NAACP Media Branch
The Media Area Branch NAACP was established in the early 1920's. The Branch formation was in response to a series of unfortunate incidents that occurred in the Borough. These events began when a white Media High School female was criminally assaulted in the rural section of town near Lima. In response to the dangers of the situation, community members John E. Jones and Percy O. Batipps, Sr. called on a group of local African American leaders to create a temporary organization for the general defense of the Black population… Read More
Join the NAACP in the Fight for Human Rights!
Loyal supporters like you are helping the NAACP make a big impact on civil rights and social justice all over the United States.
But our work is far from over. We need your help to continue the fight to make America a better place for citizens of all colors.
Voting Rights for Felons
If you have ever been incarcerated due to a felony conviction, you may register to vote upon your release from confinement.
The Crisis is the official publication of the NAACP. It is a quarterly journal of civil rights, history, politics, and culture and seeks to educate and challenge its readers about issues that continue to plague African Americans and other communities of color.


The construction company Skanska USA Building, Inc. stopped their involvement in the construction of the new Orthodox Church near the World Trade Center Memorial, Deezen reports. Reason for the halt are absent payments. After almost 3 years of construction work, a letter of Skanska has been released last week, informing its subcontractors of the contract termination, due to absent payment. Skanska regrets the current situation and colaborates with the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America to create alternatives and financing plans.
The archdiocese seeks to solve the financial problems and declared the building freeze to be temporality only.
Previous story Clear Answers for Ethical Problems?


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Marin County is a county located in the San Francisco Bay Area of the U.S. state of California. As of the 2010 census, the population was 252,409. Its county seat is San Rafael. Marin County is included in the San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA Metropolitan Statistical Area (San Francisco Bay Area) across the Golden Gate Bridge from San Francisco.


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Home / Anhui Province, China
The relationship between Anhui Province and Maryland encourages the exchange and cooperation in a wide range of areas including agriculture, economic development, trade, culture, education, environment, science, and technology. Anhui State has a population of about 60 million people and is governed by Wang Sanyun.
Both Maryland and Anhui Province have had Committees and Councils come together and discuss various ways they can help one another in education, business, environmental areas or healthcare. The committee meets quarterly and has established two sub-committees that focus on business and education.
On November 2018, Steven Drake and Mark Xu, Chair and Vice Chair, respectively, of the Maryland-Anhui Sister State Committee; Marylanders Vanessa Marcel, Heather Dellinger, and Jingwen Xu; and Felicia Pullam, Regional Manager, East Asia and Investment Lead, with the Maryland Department of Commerce participated in the opening ceremony of the Huangshan International Travel Agencies' Conference
The Maryland team, including Mark Xu and Steven Drake, with Director Li at the top of Huangshan Mountain.
On November 13, 2018, Steven Drake, Mark Xu, and Felicia Pullam toured Precedo.
On July 2nd, members of the Maryland-Anhui Sister State Committee held a meeting to elect the new committee chairperson. Steve Drake, the immediate past Vice-Chairman, accepted the committee's vote to take over as Chairman.
On July 2, the Office of the Secretary of State met with Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries (CPAFCC). The delegation visited Maryland to learn more about the Maryland Sister States Program. Maryland has maintained close relations with their Sister State, Anhui, a province in China.
On February 17, Anhui Friendship Association hosted its Chinese New Year Celebration Party, where a Letter of Appreciation was presented from the Office of the Secretary of State to the Co-Presidents of the AFA. This letter recognizes the important role the AFA has played in successful events, such as the June 2017 visit from Party Secretary Li Jinbin of Anhui Province, as well as the planning of MD-Anhui Promotion Week scheduled for May 2018 in Maryland.
On April 21, leaders from the Anhui Province, China, visit Annapolis for a State House tour. The Maryland – Anhui Province Sister State relationship is celebrating its 37th year.
Secretary of State John Wobensmith meets with He Jun, the Director of the Talent Work Leading Group Office of Anhui Province, along with Nathaniel Ahrens, Director of China Affairs at the University of Maryland.
On April 23, Maryland-Anhui Sister State Committee Members Steve Drake (Chair), Susan Payne (Vice Chair), and Nat Ahrens, Director of China Affairs at the University of Maryland meet with Director-General Wang Xin of the Anhui Foreign Affairs Office and Delegation. The meeting addressed closer ties as Sister States and potential investment opportunities.
On April 24, Secretary Wobensmith and Deputy Secretary Borunda met with Anhui Ministry of Foreign Affairs Director General Wang Xin and Delegation followed by a gift exchange. This meeting discussed investment opportunities in both states, as well as Anhui Week that is planned for early fall in Maryland.
On June 9, Governor Larry Hogan welcomed Party Secretary Li Jinbin and his delegation from Anhui Province, China, where they signed a Memorandum on Strengthening Strategic Cooperation. Party Secretary Li was also met by Senate President Mike Miller and Secretary of State John Wobensmith, who hosted a banquet in honor of the Party Secretary. Maryland and Anhui Province have had a Sister State relationship since 1980.
Steve Drake
sdrake@verizon.net
markxu2000@yahoo.com


On Friday, February 8, Kofi Annan, former UN Secretary-General, will deliver a special guest lecture at City College. His appearance, sponsored by the Colin L. Powell Center for Leadership and Service, marks the publication of his collected papers, a joint six-year CCNY-Yale project, led by principle investigator Jean Krasno. Professor Krasno is the Center's initiative director for multilateral diplomacy and international organizations.


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Category Archives: Europa League
Then Came the Longbows…
We'll have to check the archives, but we're pretty sure we just completed the longest publishing gap in the history of the BP. It's been a full week since the last post. Our bad. We've taken on another role at the day job, and have another project cooking up (more on that later), so the Backpost got moved to the backburner.
Let's ease it back in with this clip of Legia Warsaw fans launching a coordinated snowball offensive against Sporting CP and U.S. defender Oguchi Onyewu during warmups for their Europa League match last week:
The visitors shook off the attack and left Poland with a 2-2 first-leg result that sets them up fairly well for the second leg in Lisbon.
Leave a comment Posted in Europa League, Humor, Odds and Ends, Oguchi Onyewu, Yanks Abroad
Jozy Altidore Will Not Be Stopped
U.S. striker Jozy Altidore remains a man on a roll, scoring his seventh goal of the young season in AZ Alkmaar's 1-1 tie with Norwegian Black Metal band Ukrainian side FC Metalist Kharkiv in Europa League action today.
The 21-year-old New Jersey native settled a pass with a great touch at the top of the box, then buried an expert finish into the far corner. Take a look:
Ever since he left MLS in 2008 for a record $10-million transfer fee, Altidore has been a handful for defenders in Europe, drawing fouls and creating space for teammates. He's also improved at holding the ball up top as a target forward. But one element—a big one, for a forward—had been missing during his stints with Villareal, Hull City, and Bursaspor, and that was goal scoring.
He's taking care of that aspect pretty well so far this season, and we might be seeing the realization of all the potential he showed in 2006, when he made his Red Bulls debut as a precociously strong 16-year-old.
Leave a comment Posted in Europa League, Jozy Altidore, MLS Alums, U.S. national team, Yanks Abroad
Dempsey Scores Two in Fulham's Europa League Opener
U.S. midfielder Clint Dempsey buried a pair of headers to lead Fulham to a 3-0 win over Ukrainian side Dnipro in first leg of their Europa League play-in series last night at Craven Cottage.
Check out the goals here:
Deuce and Fulham are back in action on Sunday, traveling to Wolverhampton to take on Wolves and manager Mick McCarthy, who will look to keep any "disgruntled numpties" in check with a second straight win after beating Blackburn 2-1 last weekend.
Leave a comment Posted in Clint Dempsey, Europa League, Fulham, Mick McCarthy, MLS Alums, Premier League, Wolverhampton, Yanks Abroad
Guzan and Lichaj Start for Aston Villa in Hostile Vienna Encounter
U.S. goalkeeper Brad Guzan made several outstanding saves, and 21-year-old U.S. defender Eric Lichaj made his Aston Villa debut in a 1-1 Europa League tie at Rapid Vienna yesterday.
Lichaj, who did a brief, injury-marred stint at the University of North Carolina before enrolling in the U-17 residency program in Bradenton, Fla., turned in a steady performance at right back.
He signed with Villa in 2007 and has been loaned to Lincoln City and Leyton Orient. This year, it appears he has staked a claim to a place in the first team.
Guzan endured relentless taunting and several projectiles from the Vienna fans behind his goal.
Here is his account, as told to the Daily Mail:
"You try to do your best because the referee can't go into the stands and literally remove people. There were some objects like lighters and coins and stuff. We knew it was going to be hostile, but this is a result we will be happy to take and go back to Villa Park."
Leave a comment Posted in Brad Guzan, Eric Lichaj, Europa League, Yanks Abroad
Dempsey, Fulham, Fall in Europa League Final
U.S. midfielder Clint Dempsey became the first American player ever to appear in a European cup final when he came on in the 55th minute of Fulham's 2-1 loss to Atletico Madrid yesterday. (Former U.S. internationals David Wagner and Thomas Dooley, who were both born in Germany to American fathers, were members of the Schalke 04 team that won the 1997 UEFA Cup final, but neither one appeared in the two-leg final. Roy Hodgson was the coach of Schalke's opponent that year, Inter Milan.)
After the Cottagers' Simon Davies matched Diego Forlan's 32nd minute opener with a strike of his own five minutes later, Fulham began dominating possession. They couldn't find the net, though, and the game went to extra time tied at 1.
In the second extra period, after 116 minutes of play, Atletico's Sergio Aguero squared the ball for Forlan, who had Fulham defender Brede Hangeland all over him in the six-yard box. Forlan got a foot to it, bouncing the ball past Mark Schwarzer and in at the far post.
It was a brutal loss for Fulham, which had battled through 18 Europa League games to reach this final, the first in club history. Dempsey came on for a banged-up Bobby Zamora and had a few decent exchanges, but not a huge impact over all.
1 Comment Posted in Atletico Madrid, Clint Dempsey, Europa League, Fulham, Road to South Africa, Yanks Abroad
Clint Dempsey, Fulham Advance to Europa League Final
Just two and a half years ago, Fulham was on the brink of relegation from the Premier League. Yesterday, the Cottagers advanced to the Europa League final, defeating Hamburg 2-1 in their semifinal second leg.
That Roy Hodgson hiring has worked out quite nicely.
Fulham will face Atletico Madrid in the final on May 12 in Hamburg.
U.S. attacker Clint Dempsey came on for Bobby Zamora in the 57th minute yesterday and played the rest of the game. If Dempsey plays against Atletico on May 12, he'll become the first American ever to appear in a major European final.
Current L.A. Galaxy and former U.S. striker Jovan Kirovski was a member of the 1997 Borussia Dortmund team that won the Champions League, but he did not play in the final. And according to our crack team of researchers (hat-tip to Rich), there were two former U.S internationals (Thomas Dooley and David Wagner) on the Schalke O4 team that defeated none other than Roy Hodgson and Inter Milan on penalties in the 1997 UEFA Cup final. But neither of those Yanks played in the title game.
In addition to Kirovski, there have been eight Americans involved in the Champions League, but none of them reached the final. DaMarcus Beasley got to the semis with PSV Eindhoven in 2005.
In yesterday's game, Fulham fell behind in the 20th minute, then got a terrific goal from Simon Davies to pull even in the 69th minute before Zoltan Gera scored the winner off a corner kick scramble six minutes later.
Here are the highlights, moderated by an Eastern European crew in desperate need of coffee:
Leave a comment Posted in Clint Dempsey, Europa League, Fulham, MLS Alums, Road to South Africa, Yanks Abroad
"The American. The Texan. Clint Dempsey."
Fulham 4, Juventus 1.
Fulham goes through to the Europa League quarterfinals with a 5-4 aggregate win, thanks to this (and note Roy Hodgson's reaction):
Looks like Clint is shaking off that knee injury without too much trouble.
1 Comment Posted in Clint Dempsey, Europa League, Fulham, Golazo!, MLS Alums, Road to South Africa, Yanks Abroad


The Los Altos Brethren Preschool was established to provide children with a quality education based on Biblical principles and provide a program that is designed to meet the developmental needs of young children (3 to 5 years). We desire to assist in the development of the whole child, spiritually, mentally, physically, and socially.
A child learns through play – in all ways, a truth adults do not always understand.