Drug News

Drug-Related Deaths – Mexico
At least 5 dead after drug-related clashes in northern Mexico – Thaindian News

MONTERREY, MEXICO (BNO NEWS) — At least five people were killed and three others were wounded during deadly clashes between Mexican Marines and drug gangs in the northern region of Mexico.

Illegal Drugs – UK
Drug dealer stripped of £550,000 assets – THE INDEPENDENT

A jailed drug dealer was stripped of more than half a million pounds of assets today – including his house, yacht and three flats.

Youth Drug Treatment Services – Canada
Government Of Canada Works With Alberta To Improve Drug Treatment Services Aimed At Youth – Medical News TODAY

Laurie Hawn, Member of Parliament for Edmonton Centre, announced today, on behalf of the Honourable Leona Aglukkaq, Minister of Health, $6,488,367 in funding support for an early intervention drug treatment services project aimed at youth.

Prescription Drug Database – USA
States Linking Prescription Databases, Fight Abuse – abc NEWS/Technology

Starting next year, dozens of states will begin knitting together databases to watch prescription drug abuse, from powerful painkillers to diet pills.

Cocaine – Australia
Half-ton of cocaine found on sloop – UPI.com

BRISBANE, Australia, Oct. 15 (UPI) — About a half-ton of cocaine was found on a 40-foot sloop raided shortly after its arrival in Brisbane, Australian police said.

Synthetic Marijuana – Florida
Florida battles ‘legal’ marijuana – UPI.com

LANTANA, Fla., Oct. 15 (UPI) — Police in Florida are asking convenience store owners to stop selling synthetic marijuana, legal in the state because it’s sold as “incense,” authorities say.

Cocaine – Canada
Taser use questioned in drug user’s death – cnews Crime

In a state of excited delirium from a weekend of smoking, snorting and injecting cocaine, Marreel wreaked havoc on the hamlet of Fisher’s Glen in the county of Norfolk in southern Ontario, testified Norfolk OPP officers at the John Sopinka Courthouse in Hamilton Tuesday.

Methamphetamine & Cocaine Bust – California
$300K of meth and cocaine found at Calif. Border – DTVN RENO / Associated Press

SAN DIEGO (AP) – Border patrol agents busted a suspected drug smuggler after discovering nearly $300,000 in cocaine and methamphetamine hidden in a car bumper at a checkpoint near Pine Valley in San Diego County.

Partnership for a Drug-Free America – USA
New Name and Celebrity Spokesperson for The Partnership – Join Together

The Partnership for a Drug-Free America has a new name and a new spokesperson in actress Melissa Gilbert, the Associated Press reported Oct. 7.

Drug Abuse Reduction & Prevention – Canada
Government Of Canada Works With The Province Of Manitoba To Reduce Illicit Drug Use – Medical News TODAY

Joy Smith, Member of Parliament for Kildonan-St.Paul, announced today $6,363,708 in funding for drug treatment initiatives for the province of Manitoba under the National Anti-Drug Strategy. Joy Smith made this announcement on behalf of the Honourable Leona Aglukkaq, Minister of Health.

Drunk Driving – Nebraska
Crash Victim On Life Support – KETV.com

OMAHA, Neb. — One of two people critically injured in a suspected drunk driving crash has “no brain activity”, according to the Omaha police department.

Marijuana Legalization Issues – California
Legalizing marijuana in California would not substantially cut cartel revenues, study finds – e! Science News

Legalizing marijuana in California will not dramatically reduce the drug revenues collected by Mexican drug trafficking organizations from sales to the United States, according to a new RAND Corporation study. The only scenario where legalization in California could substantially reduce the revenue of the drug trafficking organizations is if high-potency, California-produced marijuana is smuggled to other U.S. states at prices that are lower than those of current Mexican supplies, according to the study from the RAND Drug Policy Research Center. RAND is a nonprofit research organization.

Illegal Drugs – USA High School
Grafton High Faculty Learns How To Spot Illegal Drugs – msnbc.com

Authorities in Taylor County say that the drug problem in the county isn’t getting any better.

Date Rape Drug – Washington
Cops Investigating Overdoses of 12 Teens on Spiked Drinks – abc NEWS / Health

Date Rape Drug Suspected After 12 People, Mostly Women, Overdose at College Party

Cocaine Addiction Treatment – USA Celebrity
Lohan under ‘cocaine dependence’ treatment – Thaindian News

London, Oct 12 (IANS) Actress Lindsay Lohan is reportedly being treated for cocaine addiction at the Betty Ford Clinic in Los Angeles. She is undergoing a rehab treatment programme as she has a dependency for the Class A drug.

Meth Lab Fire – Michigan
Man killed in fire early Tuesday in St. Joseph County; police say blaze may have been sparked by meth lab – Mlive.com

STURGIS TOWNSHIP — A man was killed early Tuesday in a garage fire that police say may have been sparked by a methamphetamine lab.

Drunk Driving – Nebraska
Coach: Husker Nation Affected By Drunken Driving Crash – KETV.com

OMAHA, Neb. — A teenager suspected of driving drunk and causing a chain-reaction crash on Saturday put four people in a hospital, including an assistant coach for the University of Nebraska-Lincoln golf team.

Marijuana – Nebraska
145 Pounds Of Pot Uncovered During Traffic Stop – KETV.com

OMAHA, Neb. — The Nebraska State Patrol said a Texas man was arrested Saturday on Interstate 80 when a trooper found 145 pounds of marijuana in the bed of his pickup truck.

Underage Drinking – Florida
Bus driver resigns over drunk students – UPI.com

BRADENTON, Fla., Oct. 8 (UPI) — Officials in a Florida school district said a bus driver resigned after several sixth-, seventh- and eighth-grade girls got drunk on her bus.

Prescription Drug Addiction – USA Celebrity
Actress Jamie Lee Curtis Discusses Prescription Drug Addiction, and Recovery – Drug Addiction Treatment

Addiction to prescription pain medications continues to come into the light, especially as more and more celebrities confess their problem. Prescription drugs are considered a possible factor in the death of Michael Jackson, and have become part of news stories surrounding actress Jamie Lee Curtis, who wrote in a published blog that she became hooked on morphine after completing cosmetic surgery.

Marijuana – Arizona
Boy, 14, crossing border caught with 2 pounds of pot – azcentral.com

More than two pounds were found in a Douglas teen’s backpack as he was crossing the port of entry from Mexico Thursday morning, authorities said.

Recovery Costs – USA
Who pays? Law changes are supposed to help with drug recovery – CoshoctonTribune.com

COSHOCTON — When the court orders a defendant into drug or alcohol treatment, chances are you, the taxpayer, are footing the bill.

Cocaine – USA Celebrity
Carrie Fisher did cocaine on set of ‘The Empire Strikes Back’ – Thaindian News

Melbourne, Oct 11 (ANI): Carrie Fisher’s addiction to drugs was in full swing during her role as Princess Leia in ‘The Empire Strikes Back’ in 1980, it has emerged.

Increase in Alcohol Consumption – Students
Study-abroad students increase alcohol consumption – Thaindian News

Washington, Oct 11 (ANI): New research from University of Washington has revealed that studying abroad is more like a prolonged spring break for some students – it can be months with fewer academic responsibilities, plentiful bars and alcohol, and parents far away.

Substance Abuse Treatment – Oregon
Demand for drug rehab in Oregon outpaces supply – KVAL.com

EUGENE, Ore. – Willamette Family drug treatment center’s resources are being stretched by an increase in addicts needing goverment assistance and relying on its services.

Drug & Alcohol Testing – Trinidad & Tobago
Consultant: Zero tolerance for alcohol on the job – Trinidad Express Newspapers

COMPANIES should institute random testing for drug and alcohol abuse for its employees, occupational health consultant Dr Carol Bhagan-Khan, has advised.

Substance Abuse Prevention – Canada
Government Of Canada Works With Yukon And Its Communities To Help Prevent Young People From Taking Drugs – Medical News TODAY

The Honourable Leona Aglukkaq, Minister of Health, announced over $1.7 million in Government of Canada funding support for three projects in Yukon under the National Anti-Drug Strategy; the first project focuses on drug treatment services and the other two on drug prevention aimed at youth.

Drug Prevention – New York
Public hearings for county drug panel – Times Beacon Record media

The Suffolk County Heroin and Opiate Advisory Panel, created this past summer to help end the drug epidemic in Suffolk County, will be holding the first of two public hearings on Thursday, Oct. 14, in Hauppauge.

Cocaine – SAMHSA Survey Results
Fewer Young Adults Seek Help For Cocaine And Crack Use – Medical News TODAY

New figures from the National Treatment Agency for Substance Misuse (NTA) show a sharp drop for the first time in the numbers of drug users seeking treatment for addiction to cocaine and crack.

Drug Testing – USA
Lawmaker Calls for Drug Testing the Unemployed – Drug Addiction Treatment

From the “things that make you go hmmm…” file comes a radical idea proposed by a South Carolina gubernatorial Republican nominee. Nikki Haley is calling for all of the state’s unemployed workers to undergo drug testing before being approved to receive unemployment benefits; South Carolina’s unemployment rate stands at eleven percent.

Mephedrone – Ireland
Mephedrone Ban Hasn’t Deterred Users in Northern Ireland – Drug Addiction Treatment

Mephedrone is a synthetic stimulant that produces effects similar to Ecstasy, amphetamines, and cocaine. Although the drug was outlawed in the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland earlier this year, researchers from Queen’s University Belfast have found that the ban did not deter people from taking the substance.

Marijuana – Nevada
Mom behind apartment drug shop pleads guilty – 8NEWSNOW.com

CARSON CITY, Nev. (AP) – A Nevada mother who papered her neighborhood with signs directing marijuana seekers to her apartment has plead guilty to drug and child endangerment charges.

Drug Trafficking Cops – Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico cops nabbed in huge drug sweep – UPI.com

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico, Oct. 6 (UPI) — Federal authorities arrested scores of Puerto Rican police Wednesday for allegedly colluding with drug traffickers, the U.S. Justice Department said.

Cocaine – New York
Dockworkers arrested in cocaine smuggling – UPI.com

NEW YORK, Oct. 6 (UPI) — Eight dockworkers have been charged with helping Panamanian drug dealers smuggle bags of cocaine through the Port of New York and New Jersey, authorities said.

Meth – Iowa
Iowa Warning Issued Over ‘Shake-And-Bake’ Meth Labs – KETV 7 abc

DES MOINES, Iowa — Methamphetamine cooks are turning to a more flammable way to make the illegal drug and Iowa drug enforcement officials have issued a warning to residents to protect themselves from fires and explosions.

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.

Alcohol – New York
Rise in EMS calls leads to concern over student drinking habits – The Miscellany News

Alcoholic, caffeinated beverages partially blamed for trend

Cocaine Detection – Study
New Method To Detect Cocaine Stored In Alcohol – From Outside The Bottle – Medical News TODAY

In two landmark studies published in the journal Drug Testing and Analysis (DTA), UK and Swiss research teams reveal two techniques proven to identify dissolved cocaine in bottles of wine or rum. These tools will allow customs officials to quickly identify bottles being used to smuggle cocaine, without the need to open or disturb the container.

Overdose Related Death – USA Celebrity
Comedian Greg Giraldo Passes Away At 44 – Thaindian News

Sep 30, (THAINDIAN NEWS) Highly acclaimed American comedian Greg Giraldo breathed his last on Wednesday after spending about five days in a medical facility where he was admitted over the weekend for drug overdose. The comedy artist passed away, due to complications that arose from the overdose of drugs, at the Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital in the presence of family members as well as friends. Greg Giraldo was 44 years old at the time of his demise.

Drug & Alcohol Death – UK
Brit man on dance drug dies after downing pint of vodka in 4 seconds – Thaindian News

London, Sept 30 (ANI): A Brit drinker who had taken the dance drug mephedrone died after downing a pint of vodka in four seconds, an inquest heard.

Drug Smuggler Fooled Employer – New Zealand
Drug smuggler hid past to get New Zealand hospital job – Thaindian News

Wellington, Sep 30 (IANS) A Nigerian drug smuggler who fooled immigration officials to get a job as a psychiatrist in a New Zealand hospital has been jailed for 16 months.

Methadone – Scotland
Time to get off methadone – Record View, Scotland’s Voice

The continuing rise in the cost of the country’s methadone programme is alarming. More than £105million over four years boils down to a massive £67,000-plus every single day.

Marijuana – Texas
Mom nabbed over kid drug dealer – KTEN 10, Associated Press

SAN JUAN, Texas (AP) – A 22-year-old south Texas woman is behind bars after her neighbors reported that her 4-year-old daughter was trying to sell a brick of marijuana.

Prescription Drug Abuse – Australia
We Must Stop Prescription Drug Abuse With Transparency, Australia – Medical News TODAY

The Australian Nursing Federation said the abuse of opiates based prescription drugs is a rising problem in Australia and we need urgent electronic streamlining of health records to stop the abuse.

Drug Trafficking – Saudi Arabia
210 drug traffickers held in Saudi Arabia – Thaindian News

Riyadh, Sep 29 (IANS) Saudi authorities Wednesday said they have arrested 210 drug traffickers, including Indians, in the last three months.

Meth – Mexico to Colorado
Nine indicted in alleged Mexico-Colo meth ring – Colorado connection

DENVER (AP) — The Colorado Attorney General’s office says it has indicted nine people suspected of importing as much as 50 pounds of methamphetamine from Mexico into Colorado.

Teen Drug & Alcohol Use – Study
Popularity Affects Drug And Alcohol Consumption – Medical News TODAY

The consumption of drugs and alcohol by teenagers is not just about rebellion or emotional troubles. It’s about being one of the cool kids, according to a study by led by researchers at the Universite de Montreal.

Drugs Trafficking to USA – Puerto Rico
DEA: Mailmen in Puerto Rico Shipped Drugs to US – CBSNEWS

7 Postal Workers Indicted on Charges They Shipped Heroin, Cocaine and Marijuana Through the Mail to Texas, Calif. and Ariz.

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.