Drug News

Continuing Drug Violence – Jamaica
Jamaica: 73 killed in hunt for alleged drug lord – The Buffalo News World & Nation

Jamaican security forces kicked down doors and arrested dozens of people in a bullet-pocked slum Thursday, and said the death toll from four days of fighting sparked by the search for a reputed drug lord has risen to 73.

Underage Drinking Prevention – Florida
School’s out: Time for parents to warn kids about underage drinking – St Petersburg Times

May is a month full of excitement. The days get longer, the air gets warmer, and for many, thoughts turn to celebrations as the school year winds down and graduation ceremonies begin in seven days.

Methamphetamine Study – UK
Snails yield drug addiction clue – BBC News

In an unusual experiment, scientists have used pond snails to study the effects of methamphetamine, better known as crystal meth, on the brain.

Marijuana – Massachusetts
Shalrie Joseph admits pot use – BostonHerald.com Sports

FOXBORO – Revolution captain Shalrie Joseph revealed yesterday a positive test for marijuana prompted his recent leave of absence from the team.

Methamphetamine Trafficking – Mexico
Mexican port captain jailed for alleged drug ties – Associated Press

MEXICO CITY (AP) – Mexican marines have arrested the captain of a major Pacific coast port that has become a hot spot for the smuggling of methamphetamine precursor chemicals, accusing him of drug trafficking ties.

Alcohol Abuse Prevention – World News
First global effort to fight alcohol abuse takes off  – NewScientist

THE first global plan to tackle the demon drink has been backed by almost every country in the world.

Cocaine Smuggling – Argentina
Angie Sanclemente Valencia, Beauty Queen, Arrested On Drug-Trafficking Charges – Huffington Post

BUENOS AIRES, Argentina — A Colombian model accused of leading a drug-trafficking gang that persuaded pretty young women to smuggle cocaine to Mexico was arrested Wednesday after evading Argentine police for five months.

Meth Lab Fire – Michigan
Police: One-pot meth lab sparked car fire Wednesday north of Parchment – mlive.com

COOPER TOWNSHIP — Police believe a one-pot methamphetamine lab sparked a car fire Wednesday night just north of Parchment, authorities said.

Heroin Overdose Death – Michigan
18-year-old woman charged with delivering a fatal dose of heroin to 24-year-old man – mlive.com

An 18-year-old  Washtenaw County woman was arraigned this afternoon on a charge of delivering a controlled substance causing death.

Marijuana – Indianapolis
Zach Randolph Drug Investigation: NBA All-Star Called ‘Major Marijuana Supplier’ – The Huffington Post

Memphis Grizzlies big man Zach Randolph is accused of being a “major marijuana supplier,” TheIndyChannel.com reports. According to the web site, a reliable informant was first to raise the charge.

Teen Prescription Drug Abuse Prevention – Virginia
Program planned on teens and drugs – Richmond County Daily Journal

Prescription drug abuse is a dangerous path for any teenager to walk down, but there are ways to steer them from that path.

Drug Violence – Jamaica
Jamaica violence continues, deaths mount – UPI.com

KINGSTON, Jamaica, May 27 (UPI) — Jamaican forces reported securing positions in a Kingston area believed to be the stronghold of a fugitive drug suspect wanted by U.S. officials.

Drug & Immigration Reform – USA
US President Barack Obama sending troops to the Mexican border – Thaindian News

Illegal immigrants and drugs from the Mexicans are posing challenges to the United States and Barack Obama’s promised immigration reform.

Drug Violence – Jamaica
Jamaica’s death toll reaches ‘at least 44′ – Thaindian News

Kingston, May 26 (THAINDIAN NEWS) The death toll in the gun battle in Jamaica has reached ‘at least 44’. The gun battle is going on between police and gunmen in Kingston who are loyal to the alleged drug lord Christopher “Dudus” Coke.

Biophysical Drug Rehab – USA
The Benefits of a Biophysical Drug Rehab Program – Ezine @rticles

Millions of people have unfortunately failed at traditional types of treatment programs, which has left them searching for alternative solutions for their substance abuse problems. As a result, more and more former addicts are turning to biophysical drug rehabs.

DUI Checkpoints – Colorado
Sobriety checkpoints set for Friday, May 28 – Colorado Connection

COLORADO SPRINGS, COLO. –Drinking and driving this weekend? Better watch out.

Opium – China
Opium worth $12,816 seized in Hong Kong – Thaindian News

Hong Kong, May 26 (IANS) Opium worth 100,000 HK dollars ($12,816) soaked with clothing items were seized at the Hong Kong airport, Customs officials said.

Underage Drinking – Arizona
Mesa cheerleader’s suspension raises school policy questions – azcentral.com

The code of conduct for cheerleaders at Mesa Red Mountain High School clearly states that the use of alcohol will result in immediate expulsion from the team.

Black Tar Heroin – Mexico/USA
Ultra Pure Mexican Heroin Puts US Drug OD’s on Rise – Thaindian News

May 25 (THAINDIAN NEWS) While the battle over US border laws such as the one in Arizona rages on, drug smugglers from Mexico are peddling more and more of a new danger into the US, an ultra pure form of heroin that can be bought as cheaply as 10 dollars for one bag, and can kill users who are now aware of it’s potency with the first shot, sometimes before the can even have a chance to remove the needle from their own veins.

Alcohol Monitoring Device – Lindsay Lohan
Lindsay Lohan ordered to wear alcohol monitoring bracelet – Thaindian News

May 25, 2010 (Sampurn Wire): Actress Lindsay Lohan faces more troubles after failing to make an appearance at a mandatory hearing in the California court last Thursday. Judge Marsha Revel, who had initially issued an arrest warrant against Lohan, said that she can remain free on bail but ordered her to wear a Scram device on her ankle and submit to random drug tests.

Anti-Drug Efforts – China
Beijing cracks down on drugs, prostitution – Thaindian News

New Delhi, May 25 (ANI): Police in Beijing have launched a crackdown on drugs, gambling and prostitution Monday to clean up the city and advocate a healthy lifestyle.

Suspected Drug Overdose – USA Music Artist
Slipknot’s Paul Gray Is Dead! – Thaindian News

May 25, (THAINDIAN NEWS) Sad news for all metal fans – ‘Slipknot’ bassist Paul Gray was found dead in a hotel room on Monday, May 24. The metal star’s body was found at the Plaza Hotel in Urbandale, Iowa by an employee of the hotel. No foul play has reportedly been suspected. The speculated cause of death is drug overdose but sources close to the band insist that the bassist was not a drug addict.

New Party Drugs Emerging – UK
After party drug ‘meow meow’ – the new legal high is pond cleaner NRG-1 – Thaindian News

London, May 25 (ANI): Just five weeks after the banning of killer party drug ‘meow meow’, the market has been flooded with potentially lethal replacements, and all of them are legal.

Addiction & Overdose Prevention – USA
US aims to reduce drug addiction deaths – Globe Newspaper Company

WASHINGTON — For the first time, the federal government has set a goal of reducing diseases and deaths caused by drug addiction, as well as the number of American teens and adults who use illegal substances.

Drug Violence – Jamaica
State of emergency declared in Jamaican capital – TimesOnline

The Jamaican authorities placed the capital Kingston under a state of emergency and urged people to leave the city’s roughest neighbourhoods overnight, as police clashed with armed gangs over the possible extradition of a drug suspect to the United States.

Cocaine – UK
Harry Porter town Alnwick a hotbed of cocaine use – Thaindian News

London, May 24 (ANI): Alnwick, the small market town in Northumberland, England, made famous by the two Harry Potter flicks lensed here, has now become a hotbed of cocaine use.

Anti-Drug Spokesman – Cameron Douglas
Michael Douglas’ jailed son hopes to become anti-drug spokesman – Thaindian News

London, May 24 (ANI): Hollywood actor Michael Douglas’ imprisoned son Cameron has made up his mind to change his life for the better after he gets out of the jail.

‘Spice’ Ban – USA
Places race to outlaw K2 ‘Spice’ drug – USA TODAY

Nearly a dozen states and several cities are banning or debating bans on K2 — a packet of herbs coated with a synthetic chemical that mimics a marijuana high when it’s smoked — amid fears that its use is spreading among young people.

Underage Drinking Death – Florida
Mom tried for party-related manslaughter – UPI.com

ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla., May 20 (UPI) — Witnesses testified against a Florida mother, the state’s first parent to be charged with manslaughter stemming from an underage drinking incident.

Meth – Arizona
Mesa man arrested on meth, weapons charges near school zone – azcentral.com

A self-proclaimed methamphetamine user was arrested after cutting through a business complex to avoid a red light and having drugs and a weapon in his possession while in a school zone, police said.

Alcohol Related Deaths – World News
WHO Says 2.5 Million People Die from Alcohol-related Issues Globally – MedINDIA

The World Health Organization (WHO) has said that over 2.5 million people across the world die from alcohol-related issues annually. The leading health authority also said that alcohol is now the leading killer worldwide.

Marijuana Arrest – Nebraska
Wisconsin Man Held After Neb. Drug Arrest – The Associated Press

YORK, Neb. — Nebraska authorities said a Wisconsin man was arrested after nearly 64 pounds of marijuana was found in his car.

Liquor Ban – Canada
Ontario bans Dan Aykroyd’s skull-shaped vodka – THE GLOBE AND MAIL

“The image of the human skull is the thing that’s really problematic for us,” said LCBO spokesman Chris Layton. “That’s an image that’s commonly associated with death. It’s especially problematic at a time when there are concerns around binge drinking by younger adults, which in some cases unfortunately has resulted in alcohol poisoning.”

Drug Related Arrest – South Carolina
Suspect Surrenders in Drug Deal Shooting – abc NEWS 4 Charleston

North Charleston, SC – Police say a man surrendered to authorities who was wanted for a shooting during a drug deal in North Charleston.

Marijuana – Seattle
Lawyer: ‘Prince of Pot’ to plead guilty – UPI.com

SEATTLE, May 21 (UPI) — A Canadian man known as the “Prince of Pot” has agreed to plead guilty in Seattle to a charge stemming from his marijuana seed business, his lawyer said.

Drug Making Chemicals Seized – Mexico
80 tonnes of drug-making chemicals seized in Mexico – Thaindian News

Mexico City, May 21 (IANS/EFE) A huge consignment – 80 tonnes – of chemicals used for manufacturing synthetic drugs have been seized in Mexico’s Manzanillo port, the Mexican navy has said.

Heroin Bust – Massachusetts
Police find child during heroin bust – Eagle Tribune

HAVERHILL — As drug arrests go, it appeared relatively routine — two people using heroin in a car on a back road.

Overdose Death – Pennsylvania
Pa. man charged with overdosing daughter – UPI.com

LANCASTER, Pa., May 20 (UPI) — Prosecutors say a Pennsylvania man admitted giving his 4-year-old daughter a fatal dose of prescription drugs last month.

Alcohol Abuse Reduction Strategy – World News
WHO adopts global strategy to combat alcohol abuse – Associated Press

GENEVA (AP) — Nations adopted a global strategy to reduce alcohol abuse on Thursday, breaking decades of silence on one of the leading causes of death and facing down an industry wary of new taxes and advertising controls in developing markets.

Meth – Tennessee
Washington County drug bust produces 10 pounds of meth, 5 arrests – Johnson City Press

JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. (AP) — Authorities in northeast Tennessee say they found 10 pounds of methamphetamine when they stopped a pickup truck.

Overdose Death – Michigan
Overdose death pulls community together – The Detroit News

Pinckney — The Pinckney Coalition, a substance abuse prevention group, held a meeting Wednesday that drew about 400 in the wake of last month’s heroin overdose death of a high school graduate and 9 deaths in the area since 2007.

Underage Drinking Prevention – USA
Liquor Wholesalers, Allies in Congress Want to Ban Wine Shipments – Join Together

The threat of underage drinking and overconsumption of alcohol are among the reasons cited by backers of a bill in Congress that would ban direct shipments of wine to consumers, the Associated Press reported May 14.

Oxycontin Trafficking – Alabama
Ala. bondswoman charged with trafficking drugs – The Associated Press

Police in Tuscaloosa say narcotics investigators have arrested a bail bondswoman accused of trafficking Oxycontin.

Meth – Michigan
Kalamazoo police investigating backyard fire find meth components burning – mlive.com

KALAMAZOO — Public Safety officers investigating smoke coming from the back yard of a house in the 700 block of Woodward Street late Tuesday found rubbish that was burning to be meth lab components.

Prescription Mistakes – USA
Mother Mistakes Ambien for Thyroid Medication – abc NEWS/Health

95,000 Take Wrong Drugs, Confusing Sleeping Pills With Sex Drugs, Preparation H for Toothpaste

Drug Bust – Russia
Former Miss Russia busted for drug possession – Thaindian News

New York, May 19 (ANI): Former Miss Russia Anna Malova has been charged for criminal possession of narcotics, forgery and criminal impersonation of a physician.

Drug Testing – Study
Study presents new technique that makes drug testing possible through exhaled air – The Medical News

A new study from the Swedish medical university Karolinska Institutet presents a new technique that makes drug testing possible through exhaled air for the first time. By examining people who had received emergency care for an amphetamine overdose, the researchers found that in all cases there were traces of amphetamine and metamphetamine in the exhaled breath.

Illegal Drug Administration – Tiger Woods’ Doctor
Woods’ doctor charged for administering illegal drugs – Thaindian News

London, May 19 (ANI): Controversial Canadian doctor Anthony Galea, who is known to have treated ace golfer Tiger Woods, has been charged for administering illegal drugs, including human growth hormone.

Alcohol Companies Targeting Young Drinkers – USA
Alcohol Companies Use New Media to Lure Young Drinkers: Report – ScoutNews, LLC

WEDNESDAY, May 19 (HealthDay News) — Alcohol companies are increasingly using the latest new media technologies — including cell phones, social networking sites, YouTube and other features of the expanding digital universe — to reach young drinkers, a new report contends.

Drunken Behavior – UK Celebrity
Robin Hood star Jonas Armstrong ‘swore at police’ – BBC News

Robin Hood star Jonas Armstrong has been fined for being drunk and disorderly outside his mother’s home.

Drug Related Arrests – New Jersey
New Brunswick traffic violation leads to arrests of 4 on drug charges – nj.com

NEW BRUNSWICK — What started with a New Brunswick police officer approaching an illegally parked car ended with the driver and three passengers being arrested on drug charges.

Marijuana – New York
Teens allegedly attempted pot theft – UPI.com

NEW YORK, May 17 (UPI) — Authorities in Upstate New York said a homeowner who allegedly caught two teens trying to burglarize his garage may face marijuana-growing charges.

Overdose Death – Wisconsin
Wis. mom sentenced for teaching son how to use drugs – The Associated Press

RACINE, Wis. (AP) — A Waterford woman who taught her son how to use drugs has been sentenced to eight years in prison for causing the overdose death of the 16-year-old.

Heroin – India
Delhi Police seize heroin worth millions of rupees – Thaindian News

New Delhi, May 17 (ANI): Delhi Police of Monday seized a large cache of heroin, believed to be worth millions of rupees, in the capital from two persons.

Teen Drug Abuse – Missouri
Teen drug abuse remains a problem – News-PressNOW.com

Interviews with students and teachers at Central High School show that drugs are an underground problem with America’s youths.

Drug Smuggling – Canada
Canadian businessmen charged with drug smuggling – Calgary Herald

VANCOUVER — Two B.C. entrepreneurs are facing drug-smuggling charges after U.S. authorities found two people hiding in the woods of a Washington park with marijuana-stuffed backpacks stashed nearby.

Bank Note Ban – UK
Britain Bans Criminals’ Favorite Banknote – AolNews

LONDON (May 13) — If you’re not a drug smuggler, terrorist or money launderer, you’ll probably never handle a 500-euro note. Law enforcers call these elusive high-denomination bills — each worth about $630 — “bin Ladens”: They know they exist, but normally it’s only the bad guys who see them.

Mephedrone Arrest – Scotland
Woman arrested as police seize £31k haul of banned drug mephedrone  – DailyRecord.co.uk

A £31,000 haul of the recently banned drug mephedrone has been seized in a city centre, police said today.

Prison Camp for Cameron Douglas – Pennsylvania
Michael Douglas’ son ‘transferred to prison camp in Philadelphia’ – Thaindian News

New York, May 17 (ANI): Michael Douglas’ son, Cameron, has been moved to a minimum-security prison camp in Lewisburg, Philadelphia, according to reports. Cameron, a heroin addict, was given five-year jail term on April 20 for dealing crystal meth in New York.

Alcohol Abuse – British Troops
Drinking a Big Problem for British Troops in Afghanistan and Iraq – Join Together

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) has plagued many U.S. veterans of the Afghan and Iraq wars, but for British troops alcohol abuse seems to be the bigger problem, Reuters reported May 13.

Meth – Florida
Man faces meth charges after apartment fire – The Daytona Beach News-Journal

DAYTONA BEACH — Authorities suspect an apartment fire early Sunday was sparked by a meth lab.

Prescription Drug Overdose Deaths Increase – Ohio
Dramatic increase in accidental overdose deaths mystifies experts – Dayton Daily News

Some theories: a rise in cheap opiates, easy access to drugs and little help for addicts.