Drug News

PRESCRIPTION – USA
Prescription Drug Diversion: The new wave of drug abuse – KVBC News

Authorities say a new wave of drug dealing has hit Nevada hard. It’s called “prescription drug diversion,” the illegal sale of prescription drugs.

PRESCRIPTION – USA
New Study Blames Prescription Drugs for Bulk of Fatal Overdoses – US News and World Report

Research published today in the Journal of the American Medical Association confirms the growing threat posed by abuse of prescription opiates and calls on clinicians to help prevent future cases of addiction and overdose.

PRESCRIPTION – USA
Report reveals deadly prescription drug abuse – Ocala

Prescription drugs kill far more Floridians than illicit drugs, largely because they are widely misused and easily accessible.

PRESCRIPTION – USA
What’s up Doc? — Prescription drug fraud on the rise in N. Arlington – The Leader Newspaper

Prescription drug fraud has become more prevalent at local pharmacies, particularly in North Arlington, where a noticeable increase of arrests has been reported. The increase has been so substantial that the police created a separate code in July to sort the crime into its own category.

PAINKILLER – USA
Rural America Painkiller Deaths Spike 550% in 5 Years – Med Headlines

Perhaps even more alarming is that two-thirds of the West Virginians dying from painkiller overdoses didn’t even have a prescription for the drugs.  Prescription painkillers are often of the narcotic class of drugs, which can only be dispensed under very controlled circumstances and require strict monitoring by prescribing physicians.

PAINKILLER – USA
Study: Painkiller Abuse is Causing a Spike in Overdose Deaths – State Journal

The study, appearing the Journal of the American Medical Association, found that nearly two-thirds of the West Virginians who died from overdoses in 2006 were killed by medications they did not have a prescription for.

ADDERALL – USA
Freshmen turn to psychostimulant during finals week – SJU the Hawk

As the end of the fall semester steadily approaches at Saint Joseph’s, more and more students are feeling the stress of cramming for finals.

DRUGS – USA
Cramming for the exam – Joliet Herald News

In September, the anti-drugs advisory group Drug Education UK warned in The Guardian that students who use energy drinks not only were dependent on them, but had reduced levels of concentration. And it’s not just a handful of students consuming them.

ALCOHOL – USA
Teens Favor Painkillers, Alcohol and Marijuana Over Stimulants – The Wall Street Journal

Many teens are still abusing prescription painkillers, even as the use of stimulant drugs declined, according to an annual study of teen drug and alcohol use released today.

ALCOHOL – USA
Health Tip: Alcohol Safety: Read these suggestions before you say “cheers” – US News and World Report

Before you raise your glass for a holiday toast, remember that alcohol is best consumed in moderation. The U.S. National Library of Medicine offers these suggestions for holiday drinking.