B.J. Palmer spoke and wrote of the effectiveness of chiropractic in aiding the addicted person. The Board-Certified Addictionologist Program, beginning its 12th year on March 29, 2003 in Las Vegas, brings subluxation-based chiropractic full circle.

Upon completion of the 150-hour program -- consisting of 10 modules, one weekend a month for 10 months -- the Certified Addictionologist (C.Ad.) credential is granted. Participants may begin with any module at any time, and take the modules in any order, at any location.

The American College of Addictionology & Compulsive Disorders (ACACD) has graduated approximately 1,000 chiropractors. It has helped position D.C.s and other professionals with Board Certification as primary intervention resources for our country's top cause of death and crime (more than 50 million people are affected by the disease of addictions and compulsive disorders).

A research study funded by the Florida Chiropractic Society conducted at Exodus Addiction Hospital with Dr. Robert Duncan of the University of Miami School of Medicine, clearly showed the effectiveness of subluxation-based chiropractic in the treatment of addiction.

The project was the first research done on a human population by randomized clinical trial demonstrating subluxation-based chiropractic's efficacy for state of well-being. The project also showed that chiropractic has little or no placebo effect, a long-standing criticism of our detractors.

The Journal of Psychoactive Drugs, a world leading peer-reviewed medical journal, published a landmark paper on "Reward Deficiency Syndrome," which introduces the role of subluxation correction in addiction and compulsive disorders.

In February, 2001, Molecular Psychiatry, rated second in the world among medical journals and published by Nature magazine, published the success achieved in addiction treatment through correction of the subluxation, using Torque Release Technique. This achievement was honored by a Discovery Channel documentary, which was aired 11 times last year.

It is estimated that up to 20% of our nation's population suffers from the disease of addiction. Since recovery and recovering individuals require total avoidance of all mood-altering substances, chiropractic is the primary intervention resource in such cases.

According to ACACD Program Coordinator Michael Davis, D.C., C.Ad., "Addiction is a multifactorial disease having psychological, genetic, metabolic and spiritual components. The most significant mechanism of this disease process is manifest through neurophysiological insult within the dorsal horn of the spinal cord as expressed in the 'Brain Reward Cascade Model,' which aligns itself with the known causes of the vertebral subluxation."

The cost of drug addiction to the nation -- in dollars, loss of productivity, death and the breakdown of the family unit -- is staggering. Despite spending millions of dollars, the government and others involved in the "war against drugs" have found themselves fighting a losing battle.

This is due, in large part, to the lack of meaningful education and training offered to the medical profession. Also, the available medical treatment tool, pharmacological intervention, is contraindicted in addiction cases, since patients require drug-free treatment. For this reason, the chiropractic profession may represent the best hope of effectively helping the millions of people affected by this disease. Four hundred drug courts throughout the nation embrace alternative sentencing and are beginning to include chiropractic care.

The Board Certification Program and Credential (C.Ad.) offered by the ACACD is approved/certified by: the State of New York, Office of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Services (OASAS); the Florida Certification Board (FCB); and the Israel Certification Board -- member boards of the International Certification & Reciprocity Consortium (ICRC); and the State of Nevada Bureau of Alcohol and Drug Abuse (BADA). The ICRC provides reciprocity services to approximately 41 U.S. states, Canada, and five foreign countries, as well as all branches of the U.S. military, and Indian Health Services.

Until recently, use of the title "Addictionologist" was limited to physicians, thereby defining Addictionologist as physician-level Board Certification.

The ACACD is the only national educational initiative to offer the C.Ad. training that grants the C.Ad. designation to all the professionals, and the only program that certifies D.C.s in the field of addiction and compulsive disorders.

The program -- co-sponsored by Nova Southeastern University, St. Martin's College of Milwaukee, and the World Chiropractic Alliance -- satisfies the requirement for advanced certification for D.C.s participating in managed care programs when Board Certification is required.

Starting this month, the program will also be held in Melbourne, Australia. The Royal Melbourne Phillip & Preston Institutes and RMIT University (CARPP), now make a team of six prestigious co-sponsors. Australia's drug courts will be providing Tourque Release Technique to their offenders this year.

For more information on this program, call 800/490-7714 or 305/535-8803, or visit the American College of Addictionology & Compulsive Disorders online at www.ACACD.com.