Drug News

Marijuana – Arizona
Border agents recover $1.3 million in marijuana – azcentral.com

TUCSON – Border Patrol agents working a desert area in southwestern Arizona Sunday recovered 1,700 pounds of marijuana worth an estimated $1.3 million.

Crack Cocaine – California
87 year old crack dealer Ola Mae Agee jailed – Thaindian News

Los Angeles, Nov 1 (THAINDIAN NEWS) It is often said that old habits die-hard and that might be exactly the case in the case of Ola Mae Agee. At the very advanced age of 87 years Ola has been jailed for a-year-and-a-half for dealing in crack cocaine. Ola was arrested after an undercover cop managed to get the octogenarian to sell him a crack.

Teen Pot & Alcohol Abuse – USA Study
Study: Heavy Alcohol and Pot Use May Damage Teen Brains – Join Together

New research found adolescents who abused marijuana and alcohol scored lower on a battery of intellectual aptitude tests than their drug-free peers, HealthDay News reported Oct. 19.

Drug Sentencing Reform – USA
Reforms of crack sentencing take effect – UPI.com

DENVER, Nov. 1 (UPI) — Federal drug sentencing reforms took effect Monday, but Colorado’s U.S. attorney does not expect dramatic changes.

Alcohol & Drug Abuse – USA
Alcohol Is Most Harmful Drug, Followed By Heroin And Crack – Medical News TODAY

Alcohol is the most damaging drug to the drinker and others overall, heroin and crack are the second and third most harmful, Professor David Nutt and colleagues wrote in the medical journal The Lancet today. When all factors related to self harm and harm to others are considered, alcohol comes out top. The authors explain that drugs, including tobacco products and alcohol are major contributors to damage to individuals as well as society as a whole.

Heroin – Australia
168 kg of heroin seized in Australia – Thaindian News

London, Nov 2 (IANS) Australian authorities have seized 168 kg of heroin, the fifth biggest shipment of the contraband ever to be smuggled into the country, hidden inside a consignment of wooden doors from Malaysia to Sydney, a media report said Monday.

Illegal Drugs – Retired US Judge
Retired U.S. judge busted in drug case – UPI.com

ATLANTA, Oct. 4 (UPI) — A retired U.S. judge in Georgia was released on bond Monday following his arrest on federal drug charges arising from an alleged relationship with a lap dancer.

Drug Testing Scandle – Illinois
Woman paid boy $1 for urine: cops – CHICAGO SUN-TIMES

A West Side woman has been charged with having a 9-year-old boy urinate in a cup for her drug test to get a new job.

Safer Behavior – Massachusetts Students
Students spread the word about safe sex and alcohol abuse – The Daily Free Press

“Sex on the Beach” went off with a bang as Boston University students learned about the negative repercussions of unsafe sex and alcohol abuse on Thursday.

Mephedrone – UK
Experts Report Big Rise In Enquiries About Recreational Drug Mephedrone In 2009-10, UK – Medical News TODAY

The Health Protection Agency’s National Poisons Information Service (NPIS) has reported a large increase in enquiries related to the recreational drug mephedrone in 2009-10.

Methamphetamine Lab – Florida
Two arrested after fatal motel shooting – nwfdailynews.com

PENSACOLA — Two people who were in a motel room during a fatal gunfight last week have been arrested on drug charges.

Youth Drug Rehabs Needed – South Africa
Concern over lack of youth rehabs – The Herald

FAMILIES of drug-addicted children in the Eastern Cape are being drained financially and emotionally by the absence of a government rehabilitation centre in the province, with some being forced to pay as much as R30000 a year at private facilities.

Cocaine Possession – USA Celebrity
Rapper Kid Cudi Pleads Guilty For Drug Possession – Thaindian News

Sep 28, (THAINDIAN NEWS) Rapper Kid Cudi pleaded guilty for criminal possession of Cocaine. Although he explained saying that he has “kicked off” the habit long time back, the court has ordered him to perform a two day long community service, and if he can successfully avoid further legal troubles and consumption of drugs, then his case may be dismissed within the next six months.

Drug Free Schools – India
Parents to take ‘anti-narcotics’ oath for drug-free Himachal – Thaindian News

Shimla, Sep 28 (IANS) Parents in Himachal Pradesh will take an ‘anti-narcotics’ oath at the time of their children’s admission to school to ensure that the kids are “not hooked to drugs”, a senior official said Tuesday.

Marijuana Seizure – Texas
$3 million drug bust in Central Texas – FOX10tv.com

FAYETTE COUNTY, Texas (KXAN) – Fayette County Sheriff’s deputies seized 2,000 marijuana plants from a 55-acre property at 14650 North SH 95 on Sunday.

Drug Trafficking Prevention – USA
FBI wants right to tap texts, emails and websites under proposed new bill – Thaindian News

Washington, Sept 28 (ANI): A new Bill proposed to be introduced in the United States Congress in 2011, would reportedly allow the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) to tap text messages, emails and networking websites.

Drug-Related Murder – Mexico
Small-Town Mayor Stoned to Death in Mexico – KTLA.com

MORELIA, Mexico — The mayor of the Mexican town of Tancitaro and his aide were found stoned to death Monday on a dirt road in the drug-plagued state of Michoacan.

Driving While Intoxicated – North Carolina
15 charges stem from DWI checkpoint – ENCToday.com

A DWI checkpoint in Jones County on Friday resulted in 15 charges, according to a news release issued Monday by the Jones County Sheriff’s Office.

Teen Substance Abuse Prevention – USA
Frequent Family Dinners Linked To Lower Tobacco, Alcohol And Marijuana Use Among Teens – Medical News TODAY

American teenagers who regularly have family dinners are much less likely to have used drugs, alcohol or marijuana compared to their peers who have family dinners infrequently, according to a new study – The Importance of Family Dinners VI – carried out by researchers from The National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse (CASA), Columbia University. Those defined as having family dinners frequently did so from five to seven times per week, while those who had family dinners fewer than three times a week had infrequent family dinners.

Prescription Medication Collection – USA
The Push to Empty Medicine Cabinets – abc NEWS VIDEO

DEA sets up “take-back” locations where people can dispose of unused medication.

Cocaine – UK
Flight attendant jailed for drug smuggling – Brighouse ECHO

A flight attendant who tried to smuggle cocaine into the UK, via Heathrow, by hiding it in her bra and knickers has been jailed for seven years.

Rehab – USA Celebrity
Lindsay Lohan to check into rehab once again – Thaindian News

Sep 27 (THAINDIAN NEWS) After her release from the Lynwood jail on Friday night on a $300,000 bail, actress Lindsay Lohan is reportedly taking her recovery from drug addiction to another level.

Drug Troubles in USA – Jamaican Musician
Buju Banton’s drug trial the talk of Jamaica – klewtv.com3

KINGSTON, Jamaica (AP) – The U.S. drug trial of reggae star Buju Banton is the talk of Jamaica, where islanders are debating his guilt or innocence on street corners, in offices, in letters to the editor and on social networking websites.

Substance Use Prevention For Adolescents – USA
Ban Tobacco Ads And Restrict Alcohol And Erectile Dysfunction Ads, Urges The American Academy Of Pediatrics – Medical News TODAY

The monumental task of persuading children and adolescents to say “No” to drugs, alcohol and tobacco is being constantly undermined by the $25 billions’ worth of advertising and marketing each year, which has precisely the opposite effect, says the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP). The AAP adds that children should not be exposed to erectile dysfunction ads before ten at night.

Illegal Drugs – USA Celebrity
T.I. Allegedly Had Codeine, Ecstasy, Marijuana During L.A. Arrest – MTV NEWS

Judge orders rapper to appear in court to explain why probation should not be revoked.

Drug Countries – President Obama
Obama names India, Pakistan among drug majors – Thaindian News

Washington, Sep 17 (IANS) US President Barack Obama has identified India, Pakistan, Afghanistan and 17 other countries as major drug transit or major illicit drug-producing nations.

Adolescent Drug Risks – USA
Not Just Robotripping: 5 Risky Things Kids Do – abc NEWS

Telltale Signs of Deadly Behaviors May Help Parents Keep Their Kids Safe

Drug Bust – North Carolina
Police: 14 arrested in drug bust – ENCTODAY.COM

HAVELOCK — A seven-month drug investigation involving city, state and federal authorities netted 14 arrests Wednesday of Havelock-area residents on 51 charges.

Alcohol Risks – USA Study
Alcohol Consumption After Breast Cancer Diagnosis May Increase Recurrence Risk – Medical News TODAY

In the Life After Cancer Epidemiology (LACE) study, 1,897 participants diagnosed with early-stage breast cancer between 1997 and 2000 and recruited on average 2 years post-breast cancer diagnosis were evaluated for the association between alcohol intake and breast cancer recurrence and death. The women, who were generally light drinkers, were followed for an average of 7.4 years. The study reported an increase in risk of breast cancer recurrence and breast cancer death, but no effect on total mortality, to be associated with consumption of 3 to 4 or more drinks per week when compared with women not drinking following their cancer diagnosis.

Alcohol Limit Questions – Commercial Pilots
Pilots’ Alcohol Limits Debated – abc NEWS / Travel

An airline pilot caught this week in Amsterdam for being over the legal alcohol limit just before takeoff highlights an issue among U.S. pilots that occurs once a month on average, government data show.

Illegal Prescription Drug Distribution – USA
South Carolina doctor sentenced for illegal drug distribution – Thaindian News

COLUMBIA, SOUTH CAROLINA (BNO NEWS) – A doctor, of Hilton Head, South Carolina, was sentenced to 41 months of supervised release for conspiring to illegally distribute oxycodone, U.S. Attorney Kevin McDonald announced on Friday.

Drug Prevention – USA & Mexico
U.S. and Mexico issued a declaration of drug demand reduction cooperation – Thaindian News

WASHINGTON, D.C. (BNO NEWS) – The White House announced on Friday that government officials from the U.S. and Mexico issued a declaration of drug demand reduction cooperation.

Drug Rehabilitation – World News
Narconon network celebrates its 44th birthday – Behavioral Health Central

The Narconon drug rehabilitation program began on February 19th, 1966, based on a decision by Arizona State Prison inmate by the name of William Benitez. After reading a book by humanitarian L. Ron Hubbard, “The Fundamentals of Thought”, Benitez recognized there could be a whole new approach to curing himself and helping others get permanently off drugs – concentrate on your abilities, rather than your addiction. It sounds simple now, but it wasn’t to an inmate who had tried every other method to get off drugs way back in ’66.

Prescription Drug Abuse – USA
Superwoman syndrome credited to popping prescription pills – Thaindian News

New York, Feb 26 (ANI): A survey has revealed that most women, who are overwhelmed by jobs, kids and commitments, pop prescription pills to boost their energy, calm them down or for any other non medical reason.

Drunk Driving – USA
Police: Drunk man drove off with gas hose – UPI.com

SOUTH BEND, Ind., Feb. 25 (UPI) — Indiana police said they arrested an alleged drunk driver who drove away from a gas station with the nozzle and hose still attached to his vehicle.

Drug Related Incarceration – USA
Michael Douglas’ son Cameron to stay in jail until sentencing – Thaindian News

New York, Feb 26 (ANI): It has emerged that actor Michael Douglas’ drug-dealing son, Cameron, will remain in jail until he is sentenced in April.

Drug & Alcohol Rehab – USA
‘Two and a Half Men’ star Charlie Sheen goes into rehab – Norwalk Reflector

LOS ANGELES (MCT) – In a surprise development Tuesday that casts doubt on the rest of its season, television’s top-rated sitcom, “Two and a Half Men,” halted production after its star Charlie Sheen announced he was checking into a drug and alcohol rehabilitation clinic.

Heroin – UK
Drug addict’s ‘letter to heroin’ published after her death –Telegraph.co.uk

The family of a teenage drug addict who wrote a moving letter to heroin days before she overdosed have released her words in the hope of inspiring other youngsters to steer clear of drugs.

Drug Addiction – USA
Kelly O: Drugs worse than being fat – Press Association

Kelly Osbourne claims she was looked down on for being overweight more than she was for her drug addiction.

Drug Testing – USA
Cubs minor leaguer says bring on testing – MESA, Ariz. – Southtown Star

While major league players, through their union, have resisted blood testing for performance-enhancing drugs, the Cubs’ top draft pick from last year said he’s all for baseball’s plan to start blood-testing minor leaguers for HGH.

Drug Prevention – USA
More Than $1.1 Million In Grants Available For Community-Based Drug Prevention Coalitions – Medical News TODAY

The White House Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) and the U.S Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is announcing the availability of more than $1.1 million for new Drug Free Communities Support Mentoring program (DFC Mentoring) grants. An estimated 15 new Mentoring grants will be awarded (up to $75,000 per grant, per year) to drug and alcohol prevention community coalitions from across the nation. The length of the project period is up to two years.

Prescription Drug Abuse – Nepal
Date rape drugs, prescription pill abuse rising, warns report – Thaindian News

Kathmandu, Feb 25 (IANS) The use of “date rape drugs” as well as abuse of prescription drugs is rising with India emerging as one of the main sources of drugs sold through illegal Internet pharmacies, drugs watchdog International Narcotics Control Board (INCB) has warned.

Imitation Marijuana – USA
Cops: Imitation pot as bad as the real thing – The Associated Press

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) – There may be nothing like the real thing, but some industrious marijuana users have seized on an obscure but easily accessible substance that mimics the drug’s effects on the brain – creating a popular trade in legal dope that has stymied law enforcement authorities.

Prescription Drug Addiction – USA
Lindsay Lohan Needs Three Months Of Rehab, Says Her Dad – RADARonline.com

“I’ve been trying to get into court with the judge for a long time,” Lohan told RadarOnline.com. “The last time she was in court the judge should have drug tested her. If she had, I know Lindsay would have come up dirty and she would have been thrown into rehab.”

Tax Increase For Substance Abuse Programs – USA
Beer tax increase discussed in House – The Charleston Gazette

CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Beer drinkers in West Virginia could pay 3 cents more per bottle or can under a House of Delegates proposal that seeks to raise money for substance-abuse programs.

Drug Trafficking – Colombia
Colombian navy destroys submarine meant for carrying drugs – Thaindian News

Bogota, Feb 18 (IANS/EFE) The Colombian navy found and destroyed a semi-submersible vessel with the capacity to carry between eight and 10 tons of cocaine in the province of Narino, but no arrests were made, a senior official said. The vessel was found in the town of Mosquera, near the Pacific, hidden in dense vegetation, Pacific Joint Command chief Gen. Justo Eliseo Pena told EFE.

Drunk Driving – Global News
Drunk Young Women Involved in Fatal Car Crashes in US on the Rise – MeDIndia

The number of young women driving under the influence of alcohol and involved in fatal car crashes is increasing, indicates research published in Injury Prevention.

Alcohol Fueled Violence – USA
Linda Newstrom: Mom Charged With Assaulting Son With Baseball Bat – The Huffington Post

CHARLEROI, Pa. — A southwestern Pennsylvania woman was charged with hitting her adult son with a Louisville Slugger after she allegedly came home drunk. Linda Newstrom, 49, faces a preliminary hearing Feb. 25 on simple assault and other crimes in Valentine’s Day incident.

Drug Overdose – USA
Brittany Murphy’s husband ‘ridiculously upset’ by pneumonia and drugs death verdict – Telegraph.co.uk

Assistant Chief Coroner Ed Winter has said Murphy’s death was “preventable”, and that she would still be alive if she had seen a doctor instead of self-medicating.

Drug Treatment – USA
Redmond O’Neal headed back to residential drug treatment – Los Angeles Times

The troubled son of Ryan O’Neal and the late Farrah Fawcett is headed back to a residential drug treatment program after being in custody since late December on a probation violation stemming from a series of drug offenses, a judge ruled Tuesday.

Cocaine Overdose – Australia
Doctor charged with 2 cocaine deaths – UPI.com

SYDNEY, Feb. 4 (UPI) — An Australian neurosurgeon was charged Thursday with killing two women who allegedly took fatal cocaine overdoses at his Sydney apartment.

Addiction Risk – USA
Cocaine or ecstasy consumption during adolescence ups addiction risk – Thaindian News

Washington, Feb 5 (ANI): A new study from the University of Valencia (UV) has shown that exposure to ecstasy or cocaine during adolescence increases the ‘reinforcing effects’ that make people vulnerable to developing an addiction.

Prescription Monitoring – USA
New Research Gives Insight To The Frequency Of ‘Doctor Shopping’ Occurring Within Prescription Monitoring Programs – Medical News Today

Research presented at the American Academy of Pain Medicine’s 26th Annual Meeting provides early published data analyzing information gathered from California’s prescription monitoring program, known as the Controlled Substances Utilization Review and Evaluation System (CURES).

Alcohol – USA
Reno Tops 100 Drunkest Cities List Of US – Thaindian News

Reno, Feb 5, (THAINDIAN NEWS) A recent survey of ‘Men’s Health Magazine’, has released the name of one hundred drunkest cities of the United States and it is quite surprising that Las Vegas, which is known for its casinos and pubs has not topped the list. According to the reports, Reno, which is also known as the “Biggest Little City” has claimed the number one spot on this list. It has not only pushed back Las Vegas but also New Orleans, which is known to be one of the best destinations for parties and entertainment.

OxyContin – USA
Ringleader of OxyContin drug-dealing crew sentenced to prison – Thaindian News

NEW YORK CITY (BNO NEWS) – The ringleader of an OxyContin drug-dealing crew on Wednesday was sentenced to over 11 years in federal prison, prosecutors said.

Meth – USA
Traffic stops yield 33 pounds of meth – azcentral.com

The Arizona Department of Public Safety seized approximately 33.5 pounds of crystal methamphetamine in two unrelated traffic stops last week, officials said.

Marijuana – Netherlands
Dutch Crack Down On Marijuana Tourism – GlobalPost

And what’s more, Dutch youth aren’t even interested in smoking weed.

Meth – USA
Ariz. woman allegedly tries to smuggle meth in milk – azcentral.com

NOGALES, Ariz. – Authorities say a Nogales woman has been arrested for trying to smuggle 1½ pounds of crystal meth in a can of powder milk across the Arizona border.

Drug Overdose – USA
Michael Jackson’s Doctor To Be Slapped With Manslaughter Charges – Thaindian News

Feb 3, (THAINDIAN NEWS) The death of pop legend Michael Jackson shocked the music lovers worldwide a few months back. The singer died under mysterious circumstances though it was said that he died of drug overdose.

Drug Rehab – USA
Rip Torn to go into rehab – Thaindian News

Connecticut, Feb 2 (THAINDIAN NEWS) Actor Rip Torn was arrested when the he tried to loot a Connecticut Bank, armed with a gun. He was apparently so drunk, that he believed that he was at home, and he even left his hat and boots by the door, according to the court statement by the actor. Later he was released, and now he is all set to enter rehab for his drinking problem.