Drug News

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.

MARIJUANA – USA
Marijuana Addiction – Trans World News

THC content of modern commercial marijuana in some cases 15 to 20 times more powerful than the marijuana produced in the 60’s and 70’s, marijuana addiction is a real threat.

COCAINE – UK
The new cocaine crisis – Times Online

In recent years, many of Britain’s hospitals have seen a huge increase in what the white coats privately call “cocaine toxic” or “coke strokes”.

ADDICTION – USA
Benzodiazepines-Dangerous Drug Addiction – Trans World News

The benzodiazepine family of depressants is used therapeutically to produce sedation, induce sleep, relieve anxiety and muscle spasms, and to prevent seizures. In general, benzodiazepines act as hypnotics in high doses, anxiolytics in moderate doses, and sedatives in low doses. Of the drugs marketed in the United States that affect central nervous system function, benzodiazepines are among the most widely prescribed medications.

PRESCRIPTION – USA
Prescription Drug Abuse On The Rise – WJFW TV News

According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, 7 million people are currently abusing prescription pills. Prescription abuse is a serious problem many are dealing with. It’s gained popularity due to the availability of drugs like oxycontin, xanax, and vicodin.

METH – USA
As meth wanes, cocaine gains – Argus Leader

Cocaine offers a similar high for about the same cost as methamphetamine, and its popularity hinges in part on the decreased supply of locally produced methamphetamine.

METH – CANADA
Meth-laced ecstasy latest lethal drug to hit city – Winnipeg Sun

Winnipeg police have sounded the alarm again about ecstasy use, announcing yesterday that a 15-year-old boy recently died after taking a meth-laced capsule of the so-called party drug.

PAINKILLER – USA
Illegal Painkiller Overdoses Kill More Than 1,000 Americans – Medical New Today

More than 1,000 Americans died in 6 cities between 2005 and 2007 from overdosing on nonpharmaceutical fentanyl (NPF), in the biggest ever epidemic of overdoses involving illegally produced versions of the painkiller.

ADDICTION – USA
Ketamine Addiction – Trans World News

What many teens don’t realize is that Ketamine can be very addictive and can cause death. Ketamine can be purchased on the internet, so be aware of your child’s internet activity. don’t let them become another Ketamine casualty.

METH – USA
Home buyers should check for hidden and buried toxins – Los Angeles Times

Does your new dream home come with dangerous hidden extras — like a seeping oil well in the backyard or a former meth lab in the bedroom?

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.

DRUGS – UK
Scotland facing ‘drugs Doomsday’ – BBC News

Scotland could find itself facing a drugs Doomsday that would see primary school children following their parents into drug use, an expert has warned.

DRUGS – UK
The drugs scourge – The Herald

Drug-users tend to die young, but we know surprisingly little about those who survive the dangers of overdose or violence to which their lifestyle makes them susceptible.

DRUGS – UK
Drug abuse inquiry unravels secret of higher death rates in Scotland – The Herald

Drug abuse is a key factor behind previously unexplained higher death rates in Scotland compared to England and Wales, according to a study published today.

ALCOHOL – UK
Alcohol hospital admissions hide individual tragedies – BMA

The new government figures released today (Tuesday 22 July 2008) revealing that 811,000 people in England were admitted to hospital with alcohol misuse problems in 2006 hide the individual tragedies that hospital frontline staff see day in day out, said the BMA.

ALCOHOL –USA
Family Meals Can Help Teen Girls Avoid Drugs, Alcohol – The WashingtonPost

Eating meals together as a family can reduce a teen girl’s risk of turning to alcohol or drugs, a new study suggests.

ALCOHOL – UK
Frontline Health Staff See Individual Tragedies Of Alcohol Misuse Problems In England – Medical News Today

According to government figures published today, 811,000 people were admitted to hospital with alcohol misuse problems in 2006 in England. The figures hide the individual tragedies that hospital frontline staff see everyday, says the British Medical Association.

CANNABIS – SOUTH AFRICA
SA drug culture hit by ‘very dangerous’ cannabis – Daily Dispatch

A NEW strain of higher-potency cannabis was being produced that is more addictive than ever before, says a UN official.

DRUGS – USA
U.S. Ranks #1 in Consumption of Pot, Cocaine, Smokes – Alter Net

According to a new study released June 30 by the World Health Organization, the U.S. leads the world and — just in time for the Olympics — takes the gold for the use of tobacco, pot, and cocaine, far outpacing other countries.

DRUGS – USA
Random Student Drug Testing Stops Drug Use Before it Begins – Pushing Back

The goal of prevention is to stop substance use before it ever begins. Believing not only in this mission but in our ability to achieve it, this Administration outlined a strategy 6 years ago that called upon multiple sectors of society—parents, schools, employers, communities, and the media—to help Americans, and youth in particular, take a stand against drugs.

PROZAC – AUSTRALIA
Subsidised Prozac prescribed to children – NEWS.au.com

Several hundred thousand scripts for anti-depressants such as Zoloft and Prozac were last year prescribed to children and subsidised through the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme, despite the Federal Government’s own drug watchdog not recommending them for use by anyone under the age of 24.

METH – USA
Prosecutors seek help in anti-meth campaign – Visalia Times Delta

The Tulare County District Attorney’s Office is seeking volunteers to help put on a public awareness campaign about the Central Valley’s problem with crystal methamphetamine.

METH – USA
Crackdown on meth has made cocaine cheaper – Grand Junction Sentinel

Nearly anyone these days can recognize the hollowed-out features, skinny limbs and pockmarked skin that characterize someone hooked on methamphetamine, thanks in part to intensive local education campaigns.

ALCOHOL – USA
Prenatal Drinking, Environmental Enrichment: Effects On Neurotrophins Are Independent Of Each Other – Science Daily

Prenatal alcohol exposure may be particularly destructive for neurotrophins, a family of peptides that influence the growth, development and functional plasticity of the fetal brain.

ALCOHOL – USA
Prenatal Alcohol Exposure Endangers Neurotrophin Levels – US News and World Report

Exposure to alcohol prenatally could specifically be harmful to neurotrophins, peptides which are involved in the growth and development of the fetal brain, a new study shows.

ALCOHOL – USA
Alcohol + loud music = more alcohol – Los Angeles Times

Trying to limit your alcohol intake is tougher when you’re drinking in a bar with loud music, according to a new study.

ALCOHOL – UK
Loud music in bars makes customers drink more, say scientists – Telegraph

The study, to be published later this year in the journal Alcoholism: Clinical & Experimental Research, said the drinks industry already knows that music can have an effect on how long people stay in bars.

HEROIN – USA
Heroin deaths worry health officials – KEX

An increase of 32-percent in heroin deaths this year has Multnomah County health officials worried.

HEROIN – USA
Methadone Use is on the Rise, and the Effects are Deadly – Injury Board

According to the National Center for Health Statistics, overdoses caused by prescription painkillers are increasing, and Methadone abuse is escalating more rapidly than any other drug.

MWTHADONE – USA
FDA addresses Methadone Dangers – Injury Board

Issued back in 2006, this Health Advisory from the FDA warns against the dangers of methadone and includes important prescribing information for its safe use.

MARIJUANA – USA
Marijuana Mouth Spray: The New Pain Reliever? – Fox News

A new marijuana mouth spray aimed at relieving pain is being reviewed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in clinical trials, USA Today reported.

PAINKILLER – USA
Painkiller Patch Fentanyl May Have Killed 3,500 People, Warns FDA – Natural News

The popular patch version of the pain killer fentanyl is suspected in more than 3,500 deaths, and the FDA has issued a new warning about its use.

ADDICTION – USA
Addiction helps hide what’s within – Republican Eagle

In the past year I have written several letters about meth addiction and some of the feelings that go along with it. More and more people have come to me commenting on how they substitute the word alcohol in place of meth.

ADDICTION – CANADA
Regular exercise may counter addiction – Calgary Herald

A Davidson College study in drug and alcohol dependence compared self-administered cocaine use between two groups of caged rats — those with an exercise wheel and the rest without.

ADDICTION – USA
STAGES of Recovery program addresses addiction – Lubbock Online

According to a Texas Department of State and Health Services survey of college students conducted in spring 2005, 11 percent of Texas college students were frequent binge drinkers.

ALCOHOL – USA
Alcohol impact area proves power of community – The News Tribune

Neighborliness is a powerful thing. A few years ago, when Whitman area resident Pat McGregor started noticing his neighborhood declining around him, he knew that stopping the degradation would require cutting off the supply of cheap booze that keeps street drunks plastered.

ALCOHOL – UK
Bachelot seeks under-18 alcohol ban – The Press Association
France’s health minister said she is working on a Bill which would prevent under-18s drinking in bars or buying alcohol at supermarkets.

ALCOHOL – UK
Risky Drinking In Over 55s Becomes The Focus Of New Research – Medical News Today

A new study led by Simon Coulton, Professor of Health Services Research at the Centre for Health Services Studies, University of Kent, aims to improve services for over 55s caught up in ‘risky drinking’.

ALCOHOL – USA
U.K. Health Official Wants Zero Tolerance for Alcohol Use by Young Drivers – Join Together

Drivers ages 17 to 20 should not be allowed to legally operate motor vehicles with any detectable level of alcohol in their bodies, according to Sir Liam Donaldson, chief medical officer in England.

DRUGS – UK
Hair tests for drugs wins award – BBC News

Cardiff-based TrichoTech will receive royal recognition for work developing new ways of testing for substance misuse over periods of months.

DRUGS – UK
Drug Use, Smoking and Drinking among young people in England 2007 – NHS

This report contains results from an annual survey of secondary school pupils aged in years 7 to 11 (mostly aged 11 to 15). Overall, 7,831 pupils in 273 schools in England completed questionnaires in the autumn term of 2007.

PRESCRIPTION – USA
Prescriptions are top drug abused by teens – Cleveland Daily Banner

Nationwide prescription drugs have become the second most abused illegal drug, behind marijuana, among young people ages 12 to 17, but not in Bradley County.

METH – USA
Officials keep an eye out for meth – Morning Sentinel

But while they don’t produce a lot of the drug, Maine meth labs represent a subculture of drug users that officials are watching carefully.

MORPHINE – CANADA
‘Dode’ for a cheap high – South Asian Focus

Poppy powder, a derivative of highly addictive and illegal opium, is openly sold in some meat shops in Brampton and Mississauga. Its use is raising questions about its legality and potentially harmful effects for those seeking an unconventional ‘high’.

DRUGS – CANADA
SouthCoast Recovery, Orange County California’s Foremost Drug and Alcohol Rehab Center – Free Press Release Center

SouthCoast Recovery, a premier California alcohol and drug rehab center, announces the addition of a Adderall Treatment Program to its 30, 60, 90-day and six month residential treatment programs.

ADDICTION – USA
When you decide you can’t stop your addiction on your own, here is the rehab call – Trans World News

Privacy is and must be the bedrock of the drug rehabilitation process. Some drug treatment centers merely pay lip service to that principle. Cliffside Malibu makes it a way of life.

ALCOHOL – UK
No alcohol for young drivers call – BBC News

The legal blood alcohol limit should be cut to zero for drivers aged 17 to 20, England’s chief medical officer says.

ADDICTION – BULGARIA
The Sober Sources Network Offers Thorough Addiction Support – PR-USA

Addiction recovery, no matter the type of addiction, has become the focus of several online sites. The Sober Source Network is the flourishing and leading resource network offering support for alcoholism and addiction.

ALCOHOL – UK
Cops launch drink, drug, driving blitz – Evening Times

A SUMMER crackdown on drink drivers has been launched today with a series of high-visibility police patrols across the west of Scotland.

DRUGS – IRELAND
Illegal drug use - Urgent wake-up call needed – Drugs.ie

For too long people tolerated drink driving, but the carnage on our roads served as a wake-up call. The victims were often young people overcome by the influence of alcohol and a sense of bravado.

DRUGS – AUSTRALIA
Crack cocaine and heroin costs less than a pint of beer – Courier Mail

DEADLY drugs such as heroin and crack cocaine are being peddled for less than a pint of beer on the streets of England.

DRUGS – UK
Drug addiction: ‘The true cost often ends in tragic loss of life’ – Scotsman

It also demonstrates that addiction knows no bounds and that drug misuse is not confined, as many would choose to believe, to areas of deprivation.

PRESCRIPTION – USA
Medical Mixups; Hospital Prescription Drug Error Can Lead to Deaths – Injury Board

We have been aware of the shocking reality that 98,000 hospitalized patients die each year in the United States due to error for nearly a decade. What has been done?

PRESCRIPTION – USA
Drugstore slipups a prescription for death – New York Daily News

New York pharmacists filled an estimated 210,000 prescriptions with the wrong drug or dose in 2006, putting patients at risk of illness and even death, a new analysis shows.

ALCOHOL – USA
U.K. Docs Want Graphic Warnings on Alcohol Packages – Join Together

Alcoholic beverages should feature the same kind of graphic images and warnings found on tobacco products.

ALCOHOL – UK
Teachers to be given power to search for drugs, alcohol and cigarettes – Times Online

Teachers will be allowed by law to search children for drugs, alcohol and cigarettes in school under proposals today which will be accepted by the Schools Secretary.

ALCOHOL – UK
Teachers to get powers to search pupils for drugs and alcohol – Telegraph
Teachers will be given powers to search pupils for drugs and alcohol as part of a new drive to restore discipline in schools.

ALCOHOL – UK
France gets tough on alcohol – Scotsman

FRANCE is to ban drinking in public near schools and the sale of alcohol to minors as part of a crackdown on binge-drinking among youths.

METH – USA
Ads help teens see dangers of meth – The Arizona Republic

Over the last year, the Arizona Meth Project has delivered riveting depictions of the dangers of meth use to young Arizonans.

ALCOHOL – USA
FTC Supports Self-Regulation of Alcohol Industry Ads – Join Together

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) says that 92 percent of alcohol advertising meets the industry’s self-imposed threshold on limiting underage exposure to beer, wine and liquor ads and urged the industry to expand the self-regulatory standards to event sponsorships as well as TV and Internet ads.