Drug News

Drug Abuse – Afghanistan
UN survey finds ‘major drug abuse’ in Afghanistan – Thaindian News

Kabul, June 21 (DPA) The number of opium and heroin users in Afghanistan has risen 75 percent in the past five years, as total users of illegal drugs reached one million, a UN survey released Monday found.

Teenage Prescription Drug Abuse – USA
Risky behavior – htrnews.com

One in five high school students in the United States has taken a prescription medication that was not prescribed for them, a new survey shows.

Meth Lab – Ohio
Men accused of running meth lab at Ohio rest stop – Ohio.com / Associated Press

MONROE, OHIO: Ohio authorities have arrested two Tennessee brothers they say ran a methamphetamine lab out of a stolen car at a highway rest stop.

Alcohol Rehab – USA Actor
Chris Klein heads to Utah rehab – UPI.com

LOS ANGELES, June 21 (UPI) — Chris Klein’s publicist says the actor is seeking treatment for alcohol addiction at Utah’s Cirque Lodge after his second DUI arrest.

Adderall Abuse – USA
Adderall: The Most Abused Prescription Drug in America. – The Huffington Post

Adderall is abused mostly by college students and young adults. Estimates are that somewhere between 20-30 percent of college students regularly abuse Adderall.

Overdose Death – New York
Koppel’s Son Died From Overdose of Drugs, Alcohol – abc NEWS / Entertainment

NYC medical examiner: Ted Koppel’s son died from overdose of heroin, coke, Valium, alcohol

Faking Disorder for Prescription Drugs – USA
Faking ADHD For Drug Prescription Quite Easy, Study Finds – The Huffington Post

According to a new study, feigning symptoms of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder to obtain a prescription to drugs like Adderall and Ritalin is fairly easy.

Major Drug Bust – Colorado
Colo. drug bust may be connected to Mexican cartel – KWGN Denver

Colo. drug bust may be connected to Mexican cartel

Marijuana – North Carolina
NC police seize more than 200 pounds of marijuana, arrest 4 people after traffic stop – The Charlotte Observer

LINCOLTON, N.C. (AP) — North Carolina police have seized more than 200 pounds of marijuana and charged four people with drug trafficking.

Drug Control Policy Discussion – Oklahoma
Officials discuss drug control policy during Oklahoma City gathering – NewsOK

The director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy on Saturday discussed ways to close the drug addiction treatment gap. R. Gil Kerlikowske told mayors that solving drug problems will require regional efforts.

Opiate Deaths – Colorado
Opiate deaths up 400% - coloradoan.com

Larimer County residents have been dying due to drug overdoses in increasingly larger numbers during the past decade. And since 2007, the most fatal drugs have been prescription opiates, which include many common painkillers.

Heroin Arrests – Arizona
Sheriff’s deputies arrest nine in heroin bust in Fountain Hills – azcentral.com

Maricopa County sheriff’s deputies have arrested nine adults over the past 10 days in a Fountain Hills heroin bust that netted more than 50 grams of heroin, officials said.

Cocaine and Methamphetamine Bust – Colorado
Drug probe huge – Longmont Times

BOULDER — A Boulder District judge on Wednesday morning unsealed a Boulder County grand jury 127-count indictment of 17 people suspected of running a major cocaine and methamphetamine ring in Longmont.

Hashish Smuggling – Spain
Moroccan drug ring uses divers to smuggle hashish to Spain – Thaindian News

Madrid, June 10 (DPA) Spanish police have discovered a drug ring using divers to help bring hashish from Morocco to Spain, police said Thursday, describing the method as unprecedented.

Heroin and Cocaine – Ohio
Three plead to drug charges: All arrested at Palms Motel  - recordpub.com

Three of eight people arrested in March during a Portage County Drug Task Force bust at the now-closed Palms Motel in Streetsboro have pleaded guilty to felony drug charges for selling heroin and cocaine to undercover drug agents.

Alcohol – Lindsay Lohan
Warrant Issued Against Lindsay Lohan Again! – Thaindian News

Lindsay Lohan came close to being arrested again on Tuesday after her bracelet sounded an alarm.

Marijuana – New Jersey
Trenton couple is charged with possessing 24 pounds of pot – nj.com

TRENTON — A couple from the city were allegedly caught with 24 pounds of marijuana in a raid in Pennsylvania, a report in the Times of Trenton said.

Adderall Abuse – USA
Adderall – The College Student’s Pill of Choice – Drug Addiction Treatment

While Adderall is an important medication for those suffering with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), there are others who find the medication to be useful for non-medical reasons. According to a recent post in NWTN Today, Adderall is being increasingly abused by college students.

ADDICTION – NETHERLANDS
Teenage cannabis addiction on the rise – Expatica

The number of Dutch under-18s addicted to cannabis is on the increase. Many of them begin smoking pot regularly at age thirteen, and get into such difficulties that they have to be admitted to a rehab clinic.

COCAINE – USA
Cocaine’s detrimental effect on the cardiovascular system – Staten Island Advance

After marijuana, cocaine is the second most used illicit drug in the United States. It has been shown to have many detrimental effects; many of these effects involve the heart.

COCAINE – USA
DEA Warns of Tainted Cocaine; But it’s Government’s Fault – Opposing Views

This week the federal government warned that “substantial levels of cocaine” may be contaminated by levasimole hydrochloride, an anti-parasitic agent used in animals that kills white blood cells, leaving people vulnerable to potentially fatal infections.

COCAINE – USA
Crack Cocaine: Danville’s drug of choice – Madison Messenger

Crack cocaine breaks all social, economic and racial barriers as dealers supply addicts in affluent neighborhoods and impoverished housing projects.

METHADONE – USA
Oklahoma authorities say methadone use on the rise – KFSM News

Oklahoma authorities say the number of people dying from methadone use is growing. Last year, 110 people in Oklahoma died from either methadone overdoses or overdoses in which methadone was used in combination with other drugs.

ADDICTION – USA
Russia Heroin Addiction “Spreads Like Wildfire” – Addiction Inbox

Last week, both the New York Times and the Los Angeles Times declared that heroin addiction has reached epidemic proportions in Russia. However, Soviet drug enforcement officials have a plan: They have called on the United States to defoliate Afghanistan.

ADDERALL – USA
Adderall abuse not worth it in the long run – Chicago Flame

Now that the semester is well underway all us students have reached that big hurdle of surviving the first round of exams for the classes we have. Even though the college life is a high-pressure lifestyle many students are capable of making the grade through honest studying and dedication.

HEROIN – USA
Young and Suburban, and Falling for Heroin – New York Times

The kids weren’t all right. They lived in the same comfortable Long Island town and were barely in their teens when they took their first hit of marijuana or sip of alcohol, propelling them on dark journeys they couldn’t seem to escape. Within a couple of years, they were in heroin’s grip.

METH – USA
First visible sign of meth use is rotten teeth – The Payson Roundup

What continuous or extended use of meth does to your mouth is permanent and cannot be “naturally repaired.” “Meth Mouth” has been so well documented, references are showing up in current fiction novels.

METH – USA
New Methamphetamine Addiction Treatment Promising – Trans World News

Methamphetamine is a white, odorless, bitter-tasting crystalline powder that easily dissolves in water or alcohol and is taken orally, intra-nasally (snorting the powder), by needle injection, or by smoking.

PRESCRIPTION – USA
Kenmore: Hospital reclaims unused prescription pills – Tonawanda News

Modern medicine is working day and night to give mankind a pill to cure just about everything, but when used or disposed of improperly those same drugs can do even more harm.

PRESCRIPTION – USA
Prescription pill-popping soars among white-collar Victorians – The Age

Addiction to prescription painkillers is soaring, with the number of Victorians being treated in hospital emergency departments more than doubling in the past five years.

DRUGS – USA
End Drug Abuse And Get Your Life Back – Trans World News

Statistics state that over 28 million adults and young people are abusing drugs. You do not have to become a part of this statistic, but if you already are there is help.

METH – USA
Cheaper and easier way to make meth moves into Wythe and Smyth counties – WSLS News

State police are worried about a growing drug trend they’re just starting to see in our area. It’s called the “shake-and-bake.”

PRESCRIPTION – USA
Unwanted prescription drugs collected – WIVB News

A program aimed at helping the environment took place in Niagara County on Saturday. The cars kept coming and going. They were all doing their part to recycle unwanted pharmaceuticals.

ALCOHOL – USA
Your Opinion: Stop teens’ access to alcohol – Battle Creek Enquirer

According to scientific research, most teens who drink obtain alcohol from social sources. This means they are sneaking alcohol from their parents’ homes; having older friends buy it; or are obtaining it at parties.

PRESCRIPTION – USA
Prescription Drug Abuse Hits Campuses Hard – Trans World News

Many campuses nationwide are taking prescription drug abuse seriously. “Aderall, Ritalin, and other prescription drugs are being abused at an alarming rate,” comments Mary Rieser, Executive Director of The Atlanta Recovery Center. “We have seen an increase in the past few years of college students seeking help for their prescription drug addiction.

ALCOHOL – AUSTRALIA
Alcohol Awareness Study 2009 – Salvation Army

The results from this study suggest that the awareness of the consequences of underage drinking, as set out in the NHMRC guidelines, is low amongst Australians and in particular, young people.

ALCOHOL – UK
Alcohol misuse: tackling the UK epidemic – British Medical Association

A term of common use and variable meaning, generally taken to refer to chronic continual drinking or periodic consumption of alcohol which is characterized by impaired control over drinking, frequent episodes of intoxication, preoccupation with alcohol, and the use of alcohol despite adverse consequences.

ALCOHOL – UK
Alcohol firms not encouraging underage drinking despite growth in online ads – Guardian

Despite a doubling in the amount of alcohol ads running online, advertisers are not breaking marketing restrictions designed to protect under-18s, according to a report from the advertising regulator.

METH – USA
Report: Iowa meth and marijuana on rise – Mason City Globe Gazette

Iowa’s top state drug enforcement official says Iowa is not ready for medical marijuana, meth is making a comeback, and the newest drug threat is lurking in your medicine cabinet.

ALCOHOL – UK
Focus: Drunk and disorderly – Times Online

Just in case you missed it, this week was supposed to herald the start of a new dawn of moderation and temperance among Scotland’s drinkers.

METH – USA
‘Shake-N-Bake’ Meth Dangerous – Fort Smith Times Record

Clandestine methamphetamine labs referred to as “Shake-n-Bake” are cropping up across the country, but have yet to become a prevalent problem in local areas.

ADDERALL – USA
Up to 25% of college students use stimulants to get by – Examiner

Anyone who has gone to college knows students must balance an active social life with studying, and sleep. College students in their prime, meet people, make connections–and in the end, the physiological need for sleep can sometimes prevent simple studying and class attendance.

ADDICTION – USA
Addiction recovery group now meets in Edmond – Edmond Sun

You know you have a drug addiction. But you don’t know where to get help. One option to consider is Edmond Drug Addicts Anonymous, a new 12-step recovery group. Group members want to reach individuals who may be suffering from an addiction.

ADDICTION – USA
Addiction recovery and nutritional supplements – Examiner

It is a time to help people understand that substance abuse is a health crisis on a national scale. It is also important to recognize that a person suffering from addiction can be treated and that recovery is possible.

OXYCOTIN – USA
How to tell if someone is abusing Oxycontin or other pain medications – Examiner

Most Americans have recently become familiar with the relatively new pharmaceutical drug Oxycontin. This powerful opioid painkiller has become very popular on the streets as a drug of abuse, though Heroin is still very much available and in demand.

PAINKILLER – HONG KONG
Painkiller Tylenol recalled – Health and Community

Jacobson Medical (Hong Kong) is recalling Tylenol Extended Relief Tab 650mg as the painkiller has been sold in unregistered packages, the Department of Health said today.

ALCOHOL – USA
Binge Drinkers Often Drive Drunk, Researchers Say – Join Together

A study of 14,000 binge drinkers found that 12 percent admitted driving after their most recent episode of heavy alcohol consumption.

COCAINE – USA
Cocaine Cutting Agent Leads to Illness – Join Together

Drug users who ingested cocaine cut with a substance called levamisole have contracted a blood disease known as agranulocytosis in Massachusetts and other states.

COCAINE – USA
Dramatic rise in cocaine addiction – RTE News

There has been a dramatic increase in the number of people treated for cocaine addiction, according to figures released by the Health Research Board.

DRUGS – UK
Blueprint Drugs Education: The Response of Pupils and Parents to the Programme – Home Office

The Blueprint drug education programme was an evidence-based, multi-component programme that was piloted in 23 schools in England during the spring terms of 2004 and 2005.

ALCOHOL – UK
Drink a factor in surgery deaths – BBC News

Alcohol abuse was a factor in the deaths of one in 15 patients who died in hospitals last year while under the care of surgeons, figures have shown.

DRUGS – UK
Kicking the habit of drug-driving – Times Online

Taking up two parking spaces would be considered bold. But three? Well, that is a little reckless, given the circumstances. With a flourish, G-Star brings his Subaru Impreza to a diagonal halt in the temporary police car park, composes an expression somewhere between hurt innocence and pliant confusion, and blows into the Breathalyser.

ALCOHOL – USA
National Alcohol and Drug Addiction Recovery Month – Addiction Inbox

Recovery Month, an annual September observance highlighting the benefits of substance abuse treatment, kicked off on August 31 when President Obama issued a proclamation.

METH – USA
Feds plan $9 million ad campaign to fight meth in MO, elsewhere – Kansas City Star

It’ll run now through November and appear on TV, in newspapers, online and on billboards. Missouri (but not Kansas) was one of 16 states that were deemed to have the worst meth rates in the nation.

METH – USA
Missouri no longer alone in meth fight – Missouri Net

Missouri has the dubious distinction of being the methamphetamine capital of the country and largely has been left to fight meth on its own. That, though, is changing. National attention has come to the fight against meth.

ALCOHOL – USA
Russian Leader Set to Tackle Nation’s Drinking Problem – Join Together

Russian President Dmitri Medvedev, who calls alcoholism a “national calamity,” plans to work with the nation’s parliament this fall to tackle the country’s drinking problem by proposing an increase in taxes, stricter labeling laws, and restrictions on where alcohol can be sold.

MARIJUANA – USA
Male Sexual Problems Caused by Marijuana Use, Study Says – Join Together

Men who smoke marijuana may have more problems achieving orgasm during sex than abstainers, according to a new Australian study.

DRUGS – USA
After Drug Rehab, Is Relapse A Part Of Recovery? – Press Release

While many schools of thought point to relapse rates of up to 60%, there is one drug treatment program that defies the odds when helping addicts recover from addiction.

ADDICTION – USA
Celebration to be held for those who have overcome addictions – South Carolina News

Coastal Recovery Center is planning a special event to increase awareness of addictions, treatment, and recovery in Myrtle Beach. According to a news release from Coastal Recovery Center, the event will celebrate people in recovery from addiction with their inspiring testimonies of their changed lives.

ADDICTION – USA
Addiction Recovery Celebration Scheduled for Durham – My NC

The Durham Center will team this month with Partnership for a Healthy Durham, Duke University Health System, Urban Ministries of Durham, El Centro Hispano and DurhamTRY to hold its fourth annual Recovery Celebration Block Party as part of National Alcohol and Drug Addiction Recovery Month.

METH – USA
Anti-meth ads seek to show addiction’s toll on Oklahomans – News OK

New anti-methamphetamine ads start this month and target Oklahoma and 15 other states, the White House drug czar said Tuesday.

ADDERALL – USA
Keep those pills in shape – Fierce Pharma Manufacturing

B arr Labs initiated a recall in mid-August for generic Adderall tablets that may contain too much of the active pharmaceutical ingredients dextroamphetamine and dl-amphetamine, posing a superpotency risk to users of the ADHD drug.

HEROIN – IRELAND
Use of heroin and cocaine still rising, report finds –Irish Times

Heroin and cocaine use continues to rise throughout Ireland, a new study by the Health Research Board shows.

DRUGS – USA
Substance Abuse Treatment Advisory: Emerging Issues in the Use of Methadone Spring 2009 – Docuticker

This Advisory presents current information on the increase in deaths related to methadone, particulary in combination with other substances or some medications.

ADDICTION – USA
Addiction to prescription drugs a big problem in area – WWL TV News

Addiction to prescription pain medication has been in the news lately with the death of Michael Jackson. Local doctors say this area has one of the highest rates of prescription addiction in the country.

DRUGS – USA
College Kids Drug Abuse Study Time – Trans World News

6.4 percent of college students reported having used Adderall for nonmedical use in 2006 and 2007, according to the National Survey on Drug Use and Health. Adderall is usually prescribed to treat attention-deficit disorder.

ALCOHOL – IRELAND
LIMITING THE EXPOSURE OF YOUNG PEOPLE TO ALCOHOL ADVERTISING – Department of Health & Children

On behalf of the Alcohol Marketing Communications Monitoring Body, I am pleased to present our Third Annual Report (for 2008) to the Minister for Health and Children.

DRUGS – UK
Nearly 1 in 10 Scots admits driving after taking drugs – The Scotsman

Motorists in Scotland are the most likely in the UK to get behind the wheel after taking drugs – but the least likely to drink and drive.

ALCOHOL – IRELAND
Alcohol addiction - The industry must share the burden – Irish Examiner

In recent years there has been much hype about our drugs problems, but usually when people talk about drugs, they are not talking about the most prevalent and most abused drug in the country – alcohol. Irish people spend more on alcohol annually that any other people.

ALCOHOL – IRELAND
Alcohol a factor in 50% of youth crime – Irish Examiner

Alcohol is a critical factor in about half of all recorded juvenile crime, according to a report.

PRESCRIPTION – USA
Pain relief can spiral into addiction to prescription drugs – CNN International

People who abuse prescription drugs often do so believing the pills are safe because they are prescribed by doctors and approved by the Food and Drug Administration, addiction experts tell CNN.

ALCOHOL – USA
Canadian Bars Require ID Swipes, Create Blacklist – Join Together

Some bars in Victoria, British Columbia are requiring patrons to swipe their ID cards, then using the data collected to compile and enforce a blacklist of customers who previously have been involved in fights, been kicked out of other bars, or are involved in gangs.

PRESCRIPTION – USA
New database to help combat prescription drug abuse – South Lincoln County News

While media attention has been focused on the methamphetamine epidemic, prescription drug abuse has been increasing. Nationally, the non-medical use of prescription drugs is higher than the abuse of cocaine, heroin and hallucinogens combined.

HEROIN – USA
Heroin a problem even in Antigo – Chicago Tribune

Heroin has been a drug most common in big cities, but the police chief says even Antigo in central Wisconsin is experiencing a rise in cases involving the potent and illegal drug.

HEROIN – USA
Antigo Police Are Seeing An Increase In Heroin On The City Streets – WSAW News

An illegal street drug you might not think of being a problem here in Central Wisconsin appears to be the drug of choice in Antigo.

ALCOHOL – USA
Alcohol abuse on rise among US soldiers: reports – AFP

Nearly twice as many US army soldiers today compared to six years ago are either alcoholic or engage in damaging behavior such as binge drinking, according to army statistics.

ALCOHOL – USA
Alcohol Abuse, Addiction Affect Suicide Rates – eMax Health

Factors that affect suicide rates include drug addiction and alcohol abuse. Studies also shows that being male, or part of a minority group, affects the incidence of suicide.

ADDERALL – USA
Abuse of ADHD medications by teens: an urgent report – Examiner

The Iowa Statewide Poison Control Center (ISPCC) has issued an urgent report to Iowa physicians concerning the abuse of medications for attention deficit/ hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).  In the past two days, the ISPCC has seen an increase in the number of teens and young adults, ages 13 to 24, who have abused or misused medication prescribed for ADHD.

ALCOHOL – USA
Alcohol’s dehydrating, disorienting effects affect judgement – Ocean City Today

The beach might seem like the perfect place to drink alcoholic beverages, but it isn’t the safest place to do so.

ALCOHOL – USA
Drug and Alcohol Treatment through Integrated Method of Recovery – Trans World News

For many people suffering from drug and alcohol addictions the first step to recovery is often a treatment center that focuses on ending the substance abuse and carving a path of sobriety for the rest of their life.

METH – USA
Motorcycle Ride Benefits Meth Awareness – Rome News Wire

Members of a local church teamed together Saturday Morning to bring awareness and raise money against methamphetamines.

HEROIN – USA
Many on Long Island learn of heroin’s tight grip – Newday

Across Long Island, thousands of people, some barely in their teens, are learning that heroin addiction is a monster not easily conquered. The drug holds its users in a tight grasp and won’t let go without a mammoth struggle.

ADDERALL – USA
More students using ‘academic steroids’ despite risks, ethical questions – Contra Costa Times

A 2006 Northeastern University study found misuse of so-called “Academic Steroids” is most prevalent at private colleges on the East Coast. But interviews with dozens of students and administrators show a culture of Adderall abuse is taking root in the Bay Area and the state.