Drug News

PAINKILLER – USA
Lethal Drug Cocktails: I’ll Bet You Didn’t Know That… – About.com

More people die from misusing prescription drugs that were legally prescribed than from illegal drugs bought on the street!

PRESCRIPTION – USA
Prescription abuse more deadly than illegal drugs – Charlottesville Daily Progress

Prescription drug abuse is on the rise and so are the deaths attributed to it, according to a state medical examiner epidemiologist who compiled data for the most recent annual report, which was released last week.

PRESCRIPTION – USA
A New Look at Drug Safety – Fierce Prescription Drug Critic Sidney Wolfe Appointed to FDA –

Those who are frustrated by FDA leniency towards new, insufficiently tested and/or potentially dangerous drugs on the American market will be happy to know that the Caesar Millan of prescription drugs, former NIH researcher Dr. Sidney Wolfe, has been hired to rehabilitate the FDA.

HEROIN – UK
Contaminated heroin in circulation – The Star

Police have warned drug users in South Yorkshire to be on their guard for a contaminated batch of heroin in circulation in the area.

ADDICTION – USA
Bees help scientists study addiction – San Francisco Chronicle

Buzz has a whole new meaning now that scientists are giving bees cocaine. To learn more about the biochemistry of addiction, scientists in Australia dropped liquefied freebase cocaine on bees’ backs, so it entered the circulatory system and brain.

ADDICTION – NEW ZEALAND
Increased demand for addiction services – Radio New Zealand

It says the aftermath of the New Year is often the time when alcoholics and drug addicts review their lives and decide to seek help.

COCAINE – CHINA
Scientists test cocaine on bees – Xinhua

Australian scientists have undertaken research to discover the effect that cocaine has on bees. Academics at Macquarie University applied a drop of cocaine solution to the backs of the insects and monitored their dance communication system, used to inform other bees where to find food and how good it tastes.

METH – USA
Film shines light on Delta meth – Montrose Daily Press

Wednesday, a statewide spotlight on the methamphetamine scourge shone on Delta, whose sheriff, county judge and recovering users were featured in the documentary “Crystal Darkness.”

ALCOHOL – INDIA
60 pc increase in alcohol consumption among youths – The Hindu News

The growing ‘westerinisation’ of Indian culture has resulted in a 60 per cent increase in alcohol intake among youths in the country, especially among those staying in college hostels, according to a recent ASSOCHAM survey.

ALCOHOL – NEW ZEALAND
Alcohol-based mouthwash linked to cancer – Radio New Zealand News

The Ministry of Health says people should not be using mouthwashes that contain alcohol long-term, following a review indicating it can cause cancer.

METH – USA
Meth lab numbers rise in Tennessee – WREG TV News

Tennessee authorities reported a rise in methamphetamine seizures across the state in 2008. The Times-Free Press reports police seized 542 labs for the year as of September, the most recent numbers available – an increase of more than 21% compared to the same period in 2007.

METH – USA
Illinois Meth Project starts advertising blitz – Olney Daily Mail

The Illinois Meth Project introduced new advertisements this week with the aim of preventing methamphetamine use among area teens.

COCAINE – CHINA
Scientists test cocaine on bees – China Daily

Australian scientists have undertaken research to discover the effect that cocaine has on bees.

DRUGS – UK
New Test Will Catch Sports Cheats On New Endurance Drugs – Medical News Today

Avoiding detection just got harder for drug cheats who try to use a particular range of untested, but potentially enhancing, compounds. In the past, tests have been developed once a drug is known to be in circulation.

PRESCRIPTION – USA
Successful prescription round-up program faces uncertainty – WCLO Radio News

With strained resources, the Rock County Health Department is examining ways to keep its pharmaceutical collections a success.

DRUGS – AUSTRIA
CCHR Says New Mental Health Study on College-Aged Students Misleading – PR Inside

CCHR charges that pharmaceutically influenced research and opinion is fueling the broadening definition of “mental disorder” and eliminating the need for a psychiatric label to dole out dangerous psychotropic drugs.

ALCOHOL – USA
SD-area beach bans alcohol after a boozy 2008 – San Jose Mercury News

San Diego County’s only booze-friendly beach last summer will have a dry season this year. The state is banning alcohol at Silver Strand State Beach near Coronado from March 16 to Sept. 30 this year.

ALCOHOL – USA
State extends alcohol ban at Silver Strand beach – San Diego Union Tribune

Silver Strand State Beach stood alone last summer, the only beach in the county where a beer or glass of wine was legal. No more.

METH – USA
‘Crystal Darkness’ program points to dangers of meth – Sequoyah County Times

Sequoyah County agencies and Sallisaw police are ready for the broadcast of the statewide anti-drug program, “Crystal Darkness: Meth’s deadly Assault on Our Community.”

PRESCRIPTION – USA
Prescription drug abuse rising – Huntington Herald Dispatch

Nearly 200 people from varied backgrounds came together on Thursday in a fight against prescription drug abuse.

PRESCRIPTION – USA
Seniors Mixing Prescription and O.T.C. Drugs – The New York Times

Almost 70 percent of older adults who take prescription medications also use non-prescription drugs, dietary supplements or both, researchers have reported, and one in 25 older adults is at risk of suffering a bad reaction to a poor combination of drugs.

METH – USA
Oilers to Help in Crystal Meth Program – Our Sports Central

At Crystal Darkness Oklahoma Watch Party: The Tulsa Oilers are taking part in a statewide initiative to fight methamphetamine abuse in Oklahoma.

METH – USA
Anti-meth group targets Colorado – The Coloradoan

An anti-methamphetamine group is launching a Colorado effort, with drug recovery and prevention experts taking calls tonight after a television documentary.

ALCOHOL – UK
Middle-class bingers: Young teenagers in affluent areas ‘are more likely to abuse drink and drugs’ – Daily Mail

Middle-class children living in suburbs and rural areas are bigger binge-drinkers and drug-takers than peers in the inner-cities, a survey said yesterday.

COCAINE – USA
U.S. steps up anti-drug efforts in West African nations – Houston Chronicle

Alarmed by the rise in Latin American drug traffic in West Africa, nations including Colombia, Brazil and the United States are establishing or increasing their police presence in that unstable region.

PRESCRIPTION – USA
PA Green: Prescription Drug Disposal Program – MSNBC News

Pontiac Illinois is a couple hours south of Chicago. Kids there want you to think before flushing your old medicine. Paul Ritter, a teacher p2d2 founder says, “We do know that right now there are a lot of pharmaceuticals in our water supply. We know that it is impacting organisms.

PRESCRIPTION – USA
Rise in prescription drug deaths renews call for state registry – TampaBay

Fatal prescription drug overdoses in Florida jumped more than 20 percent last year. More than 3,000 cases were reported — painkiller addicts, kids stealing Valium from their parents’ medicine cabinets, alcoholics who mix booze with Xanax.

PRSCRIPTION – USA
Summit could help find answers to prescription drug abuse – Huntington Herald Dispatch

In the past, talk of drug abuse tended to focus on illegal drugs — marijuana, heroin, powder cocaine, crack and meth, among others. In recent years, however, it has become clear that abuse of prescription painkillers must be addressed.

ALCOHOL – UK
Teenagers ‘turn to alcohol and drugs to cope with school stress’ – Telegraph

One in three 16-year-olds are turning to alcohol, cigarettes and drugs to cope with the pressure of looming exams and coursework deadlines, a new study suggests.

HEROIN – USA
Heroin use increase in Beloit – WKOW TV News

Heroin use is on the rise in Beloit, but the community might not have the resources to stop its spread.

ALCOHOL – USA
Prevent Drunk Driving by Highlighting Risk of Arrest, Researchers Say – Join Together

Perceived risk of arrest is among the biggest deterrents to drunk driving, according to researchers who said that having laws on the books alone is not sufficient to deter those at high risk of driving under the influence of alcohol.

ALCOHOL – USA
Incentives promote alcohol education – St. Cloud Times

The drunk who assaulted an employee caused Denise Brigham to close her store and attend court hearings for the suspect. The drunk who knocked the electrical meter off her store wall caused the compressors to fail and the food to spoil and led to hours of work assessing damages for insurance purposes.

METH – USA
Meth conference focuses on alcohol, prescriptions – The Casper Journal

In the last six months of 2004, Casper Police Chief Tom Pagel told the community that he believed 80 percent of Casper’s crime had a direct connection to methamphetamine.

METH – USA
Fighting back against meth – The Native American Times

It takes just one try and then you are likely hooked. Tragically, methamphetamine, typically referred to as meth or crystal meth, has taken hold of our communities, filled our prisons and destroyed lives.

PRESCRIPTION – USA
Prescription Monitoring Law Sought For State – Tampa Tribune

Prescription drugs now kill more Floridians than heroin or cocaine, yet the state does not monitor the prescribing and dispensing of deadly painkillers, such as oxycodone.

PRESCRIPTION – USA
Summit focus on prescription abuse – Huntington Herald Dispatch

Prescription drug abuse remains a problem across the Tri-State, as the number of deaths from drug overdoses in the state rises and drug busts by authorities increasingly turn up pills like OxyContin.

PRESCRIPTION – USA
New IA Law Helps Fight Prescription Drug Abuse – KPTM TV News

An Iowa state law approved in 2006 to help fight prescription drug abuse and distribution is now finally in taking effect. Already pharmacists and local lawmakers across the river in Council Bluffs say it could make a big difference.

DRUGS – USA
Drug Addiction Treatment Center Offers to Get you Clean: You Pay Later – PR Web

This week, Treatment Alternatives of Florida is launching a new affordable drug rehab program for those with a budget. With over 20 years in recovery experience, they know that at many times the last thing an addict has is a steady income.

ALCOHOL – USA
Youth Drinking Higher Where Alcohol Outlets Proliferate – Join Together

Adolescents who live within walking distance of a liquor store or other alcohol outlet are more likely to engage in binge drinking or drive drunk, according to researchers from the Pardee RAND Graduate School in Santa Monica, Calif.

ALCOHOL – USA
Teen profiles on MySpace rife with references to sex, alcohol use and violence – Capital Times

A browse through the Web pages and social lives of local teens is a virtual visit to their messy bedrooms — full of blaring music, colorful posters, gossip, and, in this age of exhibitionism spawned by cell phone cameras, hundreds and hundreds of photos.

METH – USA
How you can prevent meth use in GJ – KJCT News

Efforts continue to rid Mesa County of Meth.  A movie filmed in Grand Junction, “Child Help: Crystal Darkness”, will air across Colorado Wednesday evening.

METH – USA
News First will air special program to fight Meth – KOAA News

A national study shows some 10 million Americans have tried methamphetamine. It’s a highly addictive drug sold in almost every city across the country. Wednesday night News First 5/30 and broadcasters across the state will run a special program to take a closer look at this important issue.

ALCOHOL – UK
Fingerprint technology helps keep out under-age customers – CRP News

A high-tech fingerprint scanner is helping to tackle underage drinking. Staff at Bargain Booze in Chorley, Lancashire, use biometric fingerprint scanners to prevent youngsters from buying booze.

DRUGS – AUSTRALIA
Aussies trying to kick drug habits – Science Alert

The majority of Australians support policies aimed at reducing alcohol, tobacco and illicit drug use, and are also making efforts to kick their own drug habits, according to a report released today by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare.

MORPHINE – CANADA
Police issue warning over missing medication – 680 News Radio

Toronto police have issued a public safety alert after medication was lost. Police say several kinds of medication went missing in the Danforth Rd. and Woodbine Ave. area yesterday.

METH – USA
Doubling up on meth scourge – Rocky Mountain News

The program is meant to shock. Its targets are youths and their parents. Colorado Crystal Darkness is a half-hour documentary about methamphetamine addiction airing on the same night on both local PBS stations, though KBDI-Channel 12 will offer additional information, turning it into a two-hour prime-time package.

DRUGS – UK
Majority Of Teens Discuss Risky Behaviors On MySpace, Studies Conclude – Medical News Today

In a pair of related studies released by Seattle Children’s Research Institute and published in the January 2009 issue of Archives of Pediatric & Adolescent Medicine, researchers found that 54 percent of adolescents frequently discuss high-risk activities including sexual behavior, substance abuse or violence using MySpace, the popular social networking Web site.

PRESCRIPTION – USA
Prescription drug collection proving fruitful – Princeton Times Leader

A prescription drug collection program initiated by the Caldwell County Sheriff’s Department and the Pennyrile Narcotics Task Force in May has proven a success, Sheriff Stan Hudson said this week.

DRUGS – UK
Department Promoting Early Substance Use Screening Process – Medical News Today

The Wyoming Department of Health is strengthening its promotion of early screening for substance use-related health issues by reimbursing Wyoming healthcare providers who participate through its EqualityCare (Medicaid) program.

DRUGS – CHINA
China makes “obvious achievements” fighting drugs last year – Window of China

The Ministry of Public Security said on its Web site Sunday that antidrug organizations across China made “obvious achievements” last year in stopping drug sources and improving rehabilitation methods.

HEROIN – USA
Our view: Heroin in our communities – Northwest Herald

Although it might be difficult for some to believe, heroin is indeed a problem in suburban, rural McHenry County. In 2008, heroin accounted for 16 of 24 drug-related deaths. In 2004, there were two heroin-related deaths, and in 2005, 2006 and 2007, there six such deaths each year.

DRUGS – UK
More Asian women ‘use hard drugs’ – BBC News

A growing number of Asian women are using Class A drugs, according to leading Asian drugs charity Nafas.

Alcoholic liver disease soars among the young as hospital admissions more than double – Daily Mail

The number of young people suffering from liver disease caused by alcohol has more than doubled since Labour came to power.

DRUGS – UK
Police vow to step up drugs campaign – The Sentinel

More than 510 homes have been searched by police battling to stamp out drugs in Stoke-on-Trent and officers have pledged the war against dealers will continue in 2009. Crime reporter Aimi Moores looks at what has been achieved so far.

DRUGS – UK
Database to collate drug deaths – BBC News

A database of personal details of drug death victims in Scotland is to be kept in an effort to prevent fatalities.

ALCOHOL – UK
Alcohol ‘toll on young soaring‘ – BBC News

The number of young people admitted to hospital with liver disease linked to drinking too much alcohol has soared, government figures for England show.

ALCOHOL – USA
New year means new laws take effect in California – Mercury News

The new year will bring a host of new laws to California, including another crackdown on drunken drivers and new rules for wave pool operators.

ALCOHOL – USA
Drunken-driving accidents increase over New Year’s holiday – Issaquah Press

The Christmas and New Year’s holiday period is the deadliest time of year for drunken-driving accidents, according to recent federal safety data.

METH – USA
The drug that delivers nothing but ‘Crystal Darkness’ – Edmond Life and Leisure

It kills, it steals, and it destroys lives. It’s called methamphetamine and it is a drug that has plagued the United States.

HEROIN – UK
Mixed heroin leads to overdose fears – Ballymena Times

Heroin users in Ballymena and across the Northern Trust area are being warned of the increased dangers of suspected contaminated drugs, after an increase in the number of overdoses over the last week.

ADDICTION – USA
Bees can experience drug addiction, new research shows – Los Angeles Times

Bees, not unlike some starlets we can think of, can become addicted to cocaine, according to a new study published in the Journal of Experimental Biology.

PRESCRIPTION – USA
Understanding Warning Labels On Prescriptions – WBZ TV News

Thos colored labels on your prescriptions may be eye-catching, but these auxiliary labels, as pharmacists call them, can be dizzying and not as straight-forward as you think.

PRESCRIPTION – USA
Prescription Information Needs to be More Useful – Pharmaceutical Technologies Magazine

A newly released study from the US Food and Drug Administration demonstrates that the printed information retail pharmacies provide to patients regarding medication use and risk of their prescriptions is not easy to read or understand.