Drug News

Drug Overdose – California
Corey Haim Dead After Apparent Accidental Drug Overdose – abc GOOD MORNING AMERICA

Actor Corey Haim died from an apparent accidental drug overdose after he was rushed to a Los Angeles County hospital early this morning, according to the Los Angeles Police Department.

Marijuana – Colorado
Religious Marijuana Smoking Still Illegal: Judge – The Huffington Post

GEORGETOWN, Colo. — A Colorado man who says marijuana is a sacrament in his religion has been convicted of misdemeanor drug charges.

Drug Epidemic – World News
U.N. Official Addresses Increasing Drug Addiction In Developing Countries – Medical News TODAY

The U.N. Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) on Monday warned of an impending “health disaster facing developing countries if wealthy nations fail to control drugs,” Agence France-Presse reports.

Cocaine – North Carolina
Ayden, NC man sentenced for cocaine dealing – Thaindian News

GREENVILLE, NORTH CAROLINA (BNO NEWS) – A resident of Ayden, North Carolina, was sentenced to 52 months of imprisonment followed by five years of supervised release for aiding and abetting the distribution of more than 50 grams of cocaine base, U.S. Attorney George Holding announced on Wednesday.

Heroin – Colorado
5 men arrested in heroin incident on Tuesday – Colorado Connection

COLORADO SPRINGS, COLO. — A Colorado Springs police surveillance effort set in the area of Highway 115 and Star Ranch Road on Tuesday morning resulted in the arrest of five men on heroin charges.

Meth – Michigan
Two burned in Constantine meth fire – Kalamazoo News

CONSTANTINE–Two people were transported to Bronson Methodist Hospital early today after St. Joseph County Sheriff’s deputies say the pair was severely burned in a suspected methamphetamine explosion.

Alcohol – Australia
Injury Pattern More Serious Among Intoxicated Pedestrians - MedIndia

As Australians commence a season of parties and family get-togethers over the Christmas-New Year period, the AMA is highlighting the need for extra care with alcohol consumption and travel – not just for drivers, but also for pedestrians.

Cocaine – USA
Police: CA Raid Yields $1 Million Worth Of Cocaine – The Associated Press

More Than $1 Million Worth Of Cocaine Seized During Drug Raid In California

Painkillers – USA
Steven Tyler In Rehab For Painkiller Addiction – The Associated Press

Steven Tyler has entered a rehabilitation facility to treat an addiction to painkillers the Aerosmith frontman has taken to cope with 10 years of performance injuries.

GBL – United Kingdom
GBL drug death identified by UK doctors – BBC News

The first known death from a drug popular with clubbers has emerged the day the government banned it.

Cocaine – United Kingdom
£375m cocaine found on ‘UK’ Ship – The Sun

COCAINE worth a third of a BILLION pounds has been seized on a ship bound for Britain. Cops found an astonishing 1.5 tons of the drug on the Destiny Empress off the Spanish coast.

Marijuana – USA
Teen Marijuana Use Might Have Lasting Effects on Mood, Anxiety – HealthScout

Marijuana use among teens may trigger neurological changes in the developing brain that lead to increased anxiety and stress levels that could persist into adulthood, new animal research suggests.

METH – USA
Idaho Meth Project targets minorities – FOX Idaho News

A year after a campaign was launched to warn teens and young adults away from methamphetamine through graphic television, radio, print and billboard ads, the Idaho Meth Project is targeting minority groups.

METH – USA
Shaken or cooked, meth can still kill – San Marcos Daily Record

It hasn’t been seen on the local level yet, but narcotics authorities are on the lookout for a new generation of methamphetamine that is said to be easier and cheaper to make, but just as dangerous as old-style “cooking” operations.

ALCOHOL – USA
Internet Can Help Curb Drinking Among College Students – US News and World Report

Heavy drinking is a growing problem among university students, but an Internet-based intervention may help them control their alcohol use, a new study finds.

ADDICTION – USA
Addicts Celebrate Continuing Recovery – WSMV News

Hundreds of people in middle Tennessee are battling addictions, whether it be to drugs or alcohol. In honor of this month being National Recovery Month, hundreds met at Centennial Park Tuesday to celebrate their continuing recovery from addiction.

ALCOHOL – USA
College Drinking Reduced by Online Interventions – Join Together

College students who received Internet-based screening and brief interventions were less likely to drink alcohol.

ALCOHOL – UK
Scottish alcohol death toll up to six times UK average – The Scotsman

Deaths linked to alcohol in some areas of Scotland are six times higher than the UK average, new figures reveal. The death rate in Glasgow Shettleston last year was 574 per cent of the UK national average.

ADDICTION – USA
Narconon Louisiana: The Solution To The Drug Addiction Epidemic – Trans World News

Narconon Louisiana, a non-profit drug and alcohol rehabilitation facility, opened its doors in 2006 as a resource for locals struggling with addiction. In an area that had seen some of the worst devastation in years after Hurricane Katrina, there was no real solution in place for the rampant drug use.

PRESCRIPTION – USA
OPD takes prescription drug abuse fight statewide – WFIE News

Owensboro Police will be joining the so-called Drug Diversion Task Force set up by the Kentucky Attorney General to fight prescription drug abuse. Police say it’s a growing problem.

PRESCRIPTION – USA
Calif. Drug Database to Target Prescription Abuse – ABC News

California is about to join 20 other states who have a database to monitor people abusing prescription drugs. The idea is to prevent people from going to different doctors to get their drugs.

PRESCRIPTION – USA
What parents should know about teen use of prescription – The Plain Dealer

The fact of the matter is that teens are abusing prescription and over-the-counter drugs in alarming numbers. This is the first of two columns about that abuse, and what parents need to know.

ALCOHOL – USA
Scotland Ranked Eighth In The World For Alcohol Consumption – Red Orbit

Scotland has been ranked No. 8 in the world in terms of alcohol consumption, according to statistics analyzed for the government. In 2007, Scots consumed nearly 50 million liters of pure alcohol, with those over 16 consuming the equivalent of 11.8 liters per person. By comparison, the figure for England and Wales was 9.9 liters.

HEROIN – USA
Heroin use on rise in burbs – Albany Times Union

A number of factors have contributed to the influx of the drug, officials say, including proximity to New York City, rising cocaine prices and the economy. But while the number of heroin-related arrests have increased, the number of patients seeking help to break their addiction has decreased.

COCAINE – UK
SAA introduces anti-drug measures after London arrest – AFP

South African Airways (SAA) said Sunday it was introducing stiff anti-drug measures after its crew members were arrested with a drugs haul last week at London’s Heathrow airport.

ALCOHOL – UK
Alcohol and young people: what’s the attraction? – Guardian

This statistic comes from a recent glut of research into how much alcohol young people consume, when they do it and where they’re getting it from. But do we know enough about why they drink?

ALCOHOL – USA
Tougher penalities proposed for selling booze to minors – Access North Georgia

Hall County Commissioners are looking at tougher penalties for alcohol vendors who sell to minors; the Commission reviewed code amendments Monday morning.

METH – USA
Use of meth in San Diego County down, but deaths up – San Diego Union Tribune

Use of methamphetamine in San Diego County is down, but more people are dying from using it, according to a report from the county’s Methamphetamine Strike Force.

METH – USA
Missouri leads country in methamphetamine incidents – Connect TriStates

A Missouri state law that went into effect in 2005 allows people to purchase a maximum of two boxes of medicine that contains pseudoephedrin, a main ingredient in the manufacturing of the drug methamphetamine.

PRESCRIPTION – USA
Mothers tackle prescription drug abuse – Lansdale Reporter

Justina McIntyre and Lynette Angstadt are two mothers who share a loss and the pain that comes with it. Now, they are coming together to make sure other parents don’t suffer the same pain and have a chance to save their children’s lives.

DRUGS – USA
Wave of Drug Violence Is Creeping Into Arizona From Mexico – The New York Times

The raging drug war among cartels in Mexico and their push to expand operations in the United States has led to a wave of kidnappings, shootings and home invasions in Arizona, state and federal officials said at a legislative hearing on Monday.

PRESCRIPTION – USA
FDA issues warnings on Indian-made generic prescription drugs – Los Angeles Times

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Tuesday put the Indian generic drug giant Ranbaxy on notice that it would block entry to the U.S. market of 25 generic prescription drugs widely used by American consumers.

PRESCRIPTION – USA
Prescription drug abuse vexes the medical profession – The Plain Dealer

Some say prescription drug abuse is on the rise among health-care professionals. Others say the numbers have not changed much, but that drugs of choice are more powerful, and addicted professionals often go to greater lengths to get them.

DRUGS – USA
Drug abuse by teens takes prescriptive turn – Sioux Falls Argus Leader

Teens increasingly are becoming addicted to prescription and over-the-counter drugs, substances as lethal as any illicit drug but often more readily available.

METH – USA
Hot New Country Group to Help Raise Money for Idaho Meth Project – Local News

One of country music’s hottest new groups will be in Idaho Falls to help raise money for the Idaho Meth Project.

METH – UK
Crystal meth: easy to make, highly dangerous and devastating some US states – Channel 4 News

It is one of the most dangerous drugs known to man and can be made from legal and easily obtainable ingredients.

ADDICTION – USA
Alcohol and Drug Addiction Recovery Month set; State, local agencies partner together – Cape Coral Daily Breeze

The Department of Children and Families will join community partners across the state to bring local awareness to the issue of drug and alcohol addiction.

ADDICTION – USA
Fundraiser to benefit addiction treatment groups – Albany Times Union

While addicts struggle to recover, some of the agencies that serve them struggle to survive.

DRUGS – USA
Family Day – CASA

A Day to Eat Dinner with Your ChildrenTM is a national movement to inform parents that the parental engagement fostered during frequent family dinners is an effective tool to help keep America’s kids substance free. Family Day reminds parents that Dinner Makes A Difference!

DRUGS – USA
College Campuses Concerned About Prescription Drug Abuse – Trans World News

Many campuses nationwide are taking prescription drug abuse seriously. Adderral, Ritalin, and other prescription drugs are being abused at an alarming rate.

PRESCRIPTION – USA
Prevent prescription drug abuse – The Spectrum

As parents, we worry about our teenagers and drugs. We see the results of teen drug use in the media, our neighborhoods and sometimes in our own families. Did you know that a significant source of the drugs teens abuse is our own medicine cabinets?

ALCOHOL – UK
Fall Semester - A Time For Parents To Discuss The Risks Of College Drinking – Medical News Today

As college students arrive on campus this fall, it’s a time of new experiences, new friendships, and making memories that will last a lifetime. Unfortunately for many, it is also a time of excessive drinking and dealing with its aftermath-vandalism, violence, sexual aggression, and even death.

DRUGS – UK
Experts Encourage More Research Into Drugged Driving - New Study Guidelines Released – Medical News Today

Driving under the influence of drugs, also known as drugged driving, is a growing problem in many countries. In the United States alone, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reports that more than 17,000 people were killed in alcohol-related crashes in 2006.

PAINKILLER – USA
OxiContin the drug of choice of abusers – Jacksonville Daily News

When it comes to the abuse of prescription drugs in Jacksonville, police say OxiContin is by far the local favorite.

PAINKILLER – UK
Recalls – The Associated Press

Watson Pharmaceuticals Inc. said one lot of 75 microgram-per-hour Fentanyl Transdermal System patches is being recalled from wholesalers and pharmacies.

DRUGS – USA
Olympics Officials Admit Endless Battle with Drug Cheating – Join Together

Amid a wealth of new designer drugs and ways to elude testing, International Olympic Committee (IOC) officials acknowledge that they may never be able to guarantee an Olympics free of doping scandals.

ALCOHOL – UK
Men unaware of link between alcohol and cancer – Cancer Research UK

The message that drinking alcohol increases the risk of cancer is not getting through to the majority of men, an international charity has warned.
DRUGS – USA
Cocaine Use Rising in England as Cannabis Declines – Bloomberg

Use of cocaine and ecstasy rose in England and Wales last year as the number of people smoking cannabis declined, a government report showed.

HEROIN – USA
Youths’ heroin use rises – Akron Beacon Journal

Heroin abuse among white youth and young suburban adults is increasing in Ohio, according to a new report released today.

ALCOHOL – USA
Universities Move to Correct Misconceptions on Student Drinking Norms – Join Together

Several universities are working hard to correct some students’ notions about the extent of drinking in campus, armed in some cases with detailed data on actual patterns in student drinking behaviors.

ALCOHOL – USA
Alcohol, Tobacco Products Remain Popular in Tough Times – Join Together

Consumers worldwide are leaving room for purchases of alcohol and tobacco products even as they tighten their belts on other spending during difficult economic times

METH – CANADA
Meth ingredients easy to find – Barrie Advance

After the bust of a would-be meth lab in Essa Township last week, The Advance wanted to see how easily ingredients needed to create the drug could be obtained in Barrie.

METH – USA
Meth cravings are really intense – Barrie Advance

It’s known as speed, meth, chalk, ice, crystal, or crystal meth but no matter what it’s called, methamphetamine is a highly addictive drug.

METH – USA
Fantastic Freebies: Me Not Meth T-shirts – Wallet Pop

If you give register for a free account with http://www.menotmeth.org, and then fill out this form, the organization will send you up to 2 free Me-Not-Meth t-shirts or tank tops.

DRUGS – USA
Effective Border Enforcement Spurs More Addiction in Mexico – Join Together

Better border enforcement that is making it increasingly difficult for Mexican cartels to transport illegal drugs into the United States is being cited as the reason for a spike in drug addiction in Mexico.

PAINKILLER – FRANCE
US fentanyl deaths topped 1,000 over 2 years – International Herald Tribune

More than 1,000 people died over two years from an illegal version of the painkiller fentanyl, the government reported Thursday in its first national tally of those deaths.

PAINKILLER – USA
Feds blame at least 1,000 deaths on overdoses from illegal fentanyl – The Star-Ledger

At least 1,000 people nationwide died from overdosing on fentanyl created in illegal laboratories, according to a federal investigation that began after a cluster of the deaths was reported in New Jersey two years ago.

PRESCRIPTION – USA
Prescription medication teens’ drug of choice – Ventura County Star

The most popular pills include anti-anxiety medications such as Xanax and Valium, pain pills including Oxycontin and Vicodin, drugs for attention deficit disorder like Adderall and Ritalin, and Soma, a muscle relaxant.

PRESCRIPTION – USA
4 ways to keep your teens from abusing prescription drugs – Indianapolis Star

One in five teenagers admits to having used prescription drugs to get high, according to the Partnership for a Drug-Free America. Today there are more new abusers of prescription drugs than of marijuana.

PRESCRIPTION – USA
Deaths From Prescription Drugs, Alcohol Mix Increase Greatly – Chattah Box

A new study published in the Archives of Internal Medicine has shown that more people than ever are dying from accidental drug overdoses. These are being caused by mixing prescription drugs with street drugs, and alcohol.

ADDICTION – USA
Pain pill abuse serious – Muskogee Daily Phoenix

Oklahoma was recently ranked worst in the nation for pain reliever abuse by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.

DRUGS – UK
Rapid rise seen in fatal medication errors at home – The Associated Press

Deaths from medication mistakes at home, like actor Heath Ledger’s accidental overdose, rose dramatically during the past two decades, an analysis of U.S. death certificates finds.

DRUGS – UK
Mexico battles drug addiction – United Press International

Health officials report drug addiction is a growing problem in Mexico since the government’s crackdown on cartels and stepped-up U.S. border enforcement.

DRUGS – USA
Drug-abuse backlash in Mexico – Arizona Republic

Mexico confronts a growing problem with drug addiction, a phenomenon that some experts blame on the Mexican government’s crackdown on drug cartels and stepped-up U.S. border enforcement.

HEROIN – USA
Student heroin use meeting – WWMT News

A Kalamazoo County community will come together to fight a dangerous trend Monday. They are concerned over teenagers abusing heroin and other drugs.

METH – USA
Expert educates law enforcement about dangers of meth – Foster’s Daily Democrat

Meth is more addictive than cocaine, crack-cocaine and amphetamines, and meth labs are driven by addiction, not by finance.

ALCOHOL – USA
Trailer donation aids Elkins’ alcohol awareness program – Northwest Arkansas Times

Elkins police have a way to transport their donated drunk driving education golf cart thanks to an additional donation by a local business, Ranalli Farms.

ALCOHOL – USA
Stemming the Tide of Alcohol? – red Orbit

When the head of the Royal College of Physicians says we are on the verge of a “tsunami” of alcohol-related health problems, perhaps we should all put down our pints or wine glasses and listen.

RITALIN – USA
AntiDepressants and Suicide – Injury Board

All but lost in the story is the fact that David had been prescribed “Ritalin, Zoloft and antidepressants, each with the broken promise of some return to normalcy.”

ALCOHOL – UK
Pub chains flout drinking rules – Times Online

Pub chains are flouting their own rules on responsible drinking by selling double measures of spirits cheaper than singles, offering two-for-one promotions and holding happy hours where prices are slashed.

METHAMPHETAMINE – NEW ZEALAND
Ecstasy and cocaine gain ground on P – Stuff

NEW Zealand is winning the battle against methamphetamine, but ecstasy and cocaine use has doubled, an international drug report says.

PRESCRIPTION – USA
Prescription Drugs Found Online, Abused by Teens – Westport News

A Columbia University study has shown that prescription drugs can be easily bought on the Internet, while another study by the Partnership for a Drug-Free America indicates that many teens are abusing them.

METH – USA
Madison County Officials Meet With DEA to Discuss Meth Enforcement – WAAY

Madison County leaders were briefed Thursday by a Drug Enforcement Administration on the latest methods of fighting methamphetamine production.

DRUGS – UK
Scotland’s Higher Death Rate Partly Explained By Drug Abuse – Medical News Today

Death rates in Scotland are higher than in England and Wales, and a new study published on bmj.com finds that drug abuse in Scotland is a key factor contributing to this difference.

ALCOHOL – UK
California Alcohol Problems Drain $38 Billion Annually – Medical News Today

Marin Institute, the alcohol industry watchdog, held a news conference and town hall meeting in Los Angeles today to release the disturbing findings of its landmark report, The Annual Catastrophe of Alcohol in California. Such a comprehensive study has never been done in California.

ALCOHOL – USA
Tell NCAA President Myles Brand that Beer Ads Don’t Belong in College Sports Television – Take Action

Since 2005, 348 institutions of higher education — including Arizona State, Ohio State, Texas Tech, and the Universities of Florida, Minnesota, and Nebraska — and 16 athletic conferences have endorsed the Campaign for Alcohol-Free Sports TV’s “College Commitment” pledge to work toward eliminating beer advertising during televised college sports.
DRUGS – USA
Family Meals Have Greater Protective Effect on Girls – Join Together

University of Minnesota researchers have found that while middle-school girls who share regular family meals see beneficial effects throughout their teenage years on substance-using behaviors, boys do not experience the same effects from a regular family presence at the dinner table

ADDICTION – USA
3rd National Conference on Women, Addiction and Recovery – Join Together
The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s Center for Substance Abuse Treatment, in partnership with New Century Institute and the Florida Alcohol and Drug Abuse Association, is pleased to host “The 3rd National Conference on Women, Addiction and Recovery: Inspiring Leadership, Changing Lives.”

HEROIN – USA
Multnomah County Warns Of Fatal Heroin Overdoses – eMaxHealth

A handful of overdose deaths in the last few weeks, along with a steady rise in heroin-related deaths over the past year, have raised concerns among county health officials.

PAINKILLER – USA
Illegal narcotic linked to death increase – United Press International

At least 1,000 people died in a two-year surge of fatalities resulting from an illegal version of the painkiller fentanyl, government officials said.

PAINKILLER – USA
Illegal Painkiller Cited in Overdose Surge – The Wall Street Journal
A two-year wave of deaths caused by an illegal street version of the powerful painkiller fentanyl claimed more than 1,000 lives, the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported in the government’s first assessment of the outbreak’s toll.

COCAINE – IRELAND
How the cocaine trade is spreading – Irish Times

It also gives a revealing glimpse into the huge transatlantic cocaine trade from Latin America now targeting Ireland as a transit point and destination. The case shows how this country has joined certain West African states, together with Spain and Portugal as parts of those smuggling routes.

DRUGS – AUSTRALIA
Drug, alcohol violence surge at Albany Hospital – ABC News

The WA Country Health Service says there has been an increasing level of violence towards staff at the Albany Hospital from drug- or alcohol-affected patients.

ALCOHOL – USA
Alcohol limit for boaters to be reduced in line with drivers – Kansas City Star

Boaters beware: The legal blood-alcohol content for driving a watercraft will go from 0.10 to 0.08 beginning Aug. 28 under legislation sent to Gov. Matt Blunt of Missouri.

RITALIN – USA
Liddell Laboratories Sends Open Letter to Consumer Reports - In Defense of Homeopathy – Market Watch

The British Homeopathic Journal, Frei & Thurneysen, 2001, This study was performed on 115 children (average age 8.3 years) comparing homeopathic treatment with that of methylphenidate (Ritalin) for children suffering from ADHD symptoms.

HEROIN – USA
Heroin deaths prompt warning – Lebanon Daily News

A rash of heroin-overdose deaths — at least three in the past week — have prompted the Lebanon County coroner to issue a warning to users. Dr. Jeffrey Yocum said yesterday that tests are being done to determine if the heroin is especially pure or if it is laced with another deadly substance.

HEROIN – USA
U.S. fentanyl deaths top 1,000 over 2 years – USA Today

More than 1,000 people died over two years from an illegal version of the painkiller fentanyl, the government reported Thursday in its first national tally of those deaths.

HEROIN – USA
More than 1,000 fentanyl deaths tracked to Mexican drug operation – Detroit Free Press

More than 1,000 deaths linked to the painkiller fentanyl were reported nationally during a two-year span, traced to a drug operation in Mexico, according to a report released today by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

PAINKILLER – USA
Number of overdoses from painkiller peak – ABC Local News

Three years ago, doctors in Chicago started noticing a wave of overdoses of the painkiller Fentanyl.

PAINKILLER – USA
Report: Wayne County third in nation for fentanyl deaths over two-year period – Det News

Wayne County was third in the nation in fentanyl-related deaths during the worst epidemic of fatal overdoses involving the potent painkiller, according to a report released today by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

PRESCRIPTION – USA
Prescription for addiction: Health Department to create drug abuse focus group – The Missoulian

The hydra-headed problem of prescription drug abuse has struck a chord with the Missoula City-County Health Department, and the agency is developing a focus group to address the crisis.