Drug News

PARTY DRUGS – CANADA
Police uncover new party drug in GTA raid- CityNews ‎

“This is our first seizure and it does concern us as it is one more drug out on the street. It is a recreational drug and a party drug. It produces a similar effect as MDMA (ecstasy), amphetamines and cocaine. The street price is similar to cocaine.

ALCOHOL/DRUG ABUSE – UK
I strolled into riot jail and found inmates taking drugs & boozing – The Sun

As one inmate gleefully told me: “It’s still party time at Ford, man.” Last month a senior prison officer at the jail told me anonymously that security at McDonald’s was tougher than at Ford. So I decided to put it to the test. …

DRUG TREATMENT – USA
County to drop Prop. 36 drug treatment: Lack of state funding ends program for minor drug offenders – Santa Cruz Sentinel‎

SANTA CRUZ — The county’s Proposition 36 drug treatment program, which provides counseling services to minor drug offenders, will be phased out by March 1 due to a lack of state funding, officials said. Under the 2000 state voter …

HEROIN – USA
Few options for drug treatment – WLFI.com ‎

LAFAYETTE, Ind. – After three people overdosed on heroin last weekend, officials are raising concerns about the lack of treatment for the drug in our area.

DRUG COURT – USA
KY bill sends criminals to rehab, not jail – 14WFIE.com ‎

The cost for correctional facilities has increased by $300 million in the past 20 years, the house believes criminals with low level drug offenses should be considered for treatment instead of jail time to cut costs.

ALCOHOL – USA
Alcoholism and Drug Use in Baseball – BoSox Injection ‎

Cabrera spent 3-months undergoing alcohol abuse treatment at the end of 2009 and into 2010, but now faces a relapse and more issues related to his disease. Many fans are outraged and want him suspended, but what issue does a suspension solve?

ALCOHOL – USA
Many Kids Who Drink Get Liquor From Home: Report – BusinessWeek ‎

According to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, approximately 5000 youngsters and teens under the age of 21 die each year as a result of underage drinking, including deaths from falls, burns and drowning. …

PRESCRIPTION DRUG MONITORING – USA
Rogers urges Fla. governor not to cancel drug monitoring system – Lexington Herald Leader ‎

“On behalf of my constituents, who continue to suffer from out-of-control and escalating prescription drug diversion originating from your state, I respectfully ask that you reverse your position on the value of and unquestionable need for” the monitoring system.

DRUG ADDICTION – USA
Florida hospitals see rise in drug-addicted newborns – AZ Central.com‎

ORLANDO, Fla. – Florida’s prescription-drug epidemic – already responsible for nearly seven deaths a day – is taking its toll on the youngest, most vulnerable in its communities: newborns. In 2009, nearly 1,000 babies born in Florida hospitals were treated for drug-withdrawal syndrome.

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.

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.

Marijuana Arrests – California
More Than 4 Dozen Arrested In Mendocino Anti-Pot Sweep – CBS San Francisco

COVELO, Mendocino County (AP) — A major drug sweep in rural Mendocino County has netted more than four dozen arrests as authorities crack down on rural marijuana gardens.

Drug Abuse Awareness – USA Military
Department Monitors Substance Abuse Trends – U.S. Department Of Defense

WASHINGTON, Oct. 1, 2010 – October 25 starts Red Ribbon Week for drug awareness, and this year Defense Department officials hope to shed light on what may be a disturbing new trend in substance abuse by servicemembers, according to the department’s director of health promotion and preventative services policy.

Celebrity Drug Use – USA
Hollywood Celebrities and the Drug Scene – MeDINDIA

Analysing the drug scenario has revealed the manner by which Hollywood celebrities get their fix.

Drug Rehab Again – Lindsay Lohan, USA Celebrity
LINDSAY LOHAN COMMITS HERSELF TO BETTY FORD – ALLVOICES

The troubled Lindsay Lohan has committed herself to the Betty Ford Clinic to treat her drug and alcohol addiction.

Drunk Driving – Michigan
Officers: Drunk man drove woman to police – UPI.com

CLAWSON, Mich., Sept. 30 (UPI) — Police in Michigan said they arrested a man who was allegedly drunk when he drove an intoxicated woman to the police station for questioning.

Cocaine – South America
Denise Van Outen finds £90k of cocaine – Telegraph.co.uk

Denise Van Outen, the television presenter, found almost £100,000 of cocaine while hiking in the Andes.

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.

Party Drugs – UK
Party Drug Dependence Higher Among Gay Men, Expert Warns, UK – Medical News TODAY

In 2009, in response to patients experiencing severe withdrawal reactions from GBL, a party drugs clinic was established in South London. After a year of operation, it was clear that the majority of patients were gay men, consistent with recent findings that they are much more likely to use illegal drugs than the general population.

Marijuana – Colorado
Judge: State pot law no defense for drug charges – seattle pi

DENVER — A Colorado pot grower trying a first-in-the-nation drug defense based on Obama administration memos about marijuana saw his case take a serious blow Wednesday when a federal judge felled the effort.

National Drug & Alcohol Addiction Recovery Month – Pennsylvania
Alcohol and drug addiction a major community concern – New Pittsburgh Courier

Throughout the month of September, the United States will celebrate the 21st year of National Alcohol and Drug Addiction Recovery Month, focusing on “spreading the word that addiction is a medical illness, treatment is effective, and recovery is possible.”

Prescription Drug Disposal – Arizona
Arizona parents urged to dispose of prescription drugs – azcentral.com

One in five children abuse prescription drugs, according to the federal Drug Enforcement Administration, and to help fight the problem, law enforcement agencies throughout the state will be collecting unused or expired prescription drugs Saturday.

Drug Testing – USA
Use a Home Drug Test Kit to Check Your Child’s Saliva for Cocaine and Cannabis – MeDINDIA

A disposable drugs test, developed by Brit boffins, allows parents to check whether their wards have been taking cannabis or cocaine by analysing a droplet of their saliva.

Cocaine – Trafficking
Feds: Calif.-based team flew coke to Pa., lost bag – The Associated Press

PITTSBURGH (AP) – Twenty-two people conspired for a decade to fly cocaine from California to Pittsburgh while bypassing airport security measures but lost a drug-filled bag when it was mistakenly unloaded during a layover, federal authorities say.

Drug Sniffing Dog For Rent – Arizona
Ahwatukee woman has drug-sniffing dog for rent – azcentral.com

An Ahwatukee woman is turning the war on drugs into a business with the help of her specially trained dog.

Drug Paraphernalia – Florida
Lawmaker pushes ban on drug paraphernalia – THE ST. AUGUSTINE RECORD

TALLAHASSEE — A reformed crack addict-turned-lawmaker is targeting the instrument of his affliction: the glass pipe.

Drug Rehabilitation – USA Actor
Antonio Banderas praises wife for kicking drug habit – Thaindian News

London, April 12 (ANI): Spanish actor Antonio Banderas has praised his wife Melanie Griffith for the courage she has shown in her ongoing battle with addiction.

Prescription Drug Abuse – USA
Complicating Doctors’ Work: Prescription Drug Scams And Excessive Paper Work – Kaiser Health News

News outlets examine two issues affecting doctors’ work: patients fraudulently seeking prescriptions and overwhelming paper work.

Drink Specials Banned – UK
U.K. Bar Owners Face Jail Time for Drink Specials – Join Together

Bars in the U.K. are being banned from running “all you can drink” specials, and owners who violate the new rules could face six months in prison and more than $30,000 in fines, the Telegraph reported April 6.

Meth Lab – South Carolina
Police Searching for Meth Lab Suspect – abc NEWS Charleston

Berkeley County, SC – Authorities need your help looking for a man they say was running a meth lab out of his home with his child inside. Drug agents busted a home on Beauregard Street near Summerville Friday night.

Marijuana – USA
NFL Draft Class’s Marijuana Use ‘Epidemic,’ Scouts Say – The Huffington Post

The 2010 NFL Draft class is a highly regarded group of pro football prospects, but some NFL scouts worry that a problem lies beneath the surface. Sports Illustrated reports that “numerous NFL personnel evaluators” are worried by the number of players with marijuana use in their past. According to one source, nearly a dozen potential first-round draft choices could be red-flagged for using the drug in college.

DUI – New Jersey
Doc Gooden busted on DUI charges in NJ: report – New York Post

Former Mets and Yankees ace Dwight “Doc” Gooden was busted again — this time in New Jersey after getting into a car crash while under the influence of drugs with a child in his vehicle, authorities said.

Heroin – UK
Fewer Women Entering Heroin Addiction Treatment – More Successfully Completing Treatment, England – Medical News TODAY

Far fewer women are entering treatment for heroin addiction and more women are successfully completing treatment for drug dependency than ever before. A detailed study of statistics about women in treatment in England shows a 19 per cent fall in the number of adult females under 30 entering heroin programmes over the last five years – 1,000 fewer female addicts than in 2005.

Meth – Arizona
Woman in animal-cruelty case gets prison for meth – azcentral.com

TUCSON – A Tucson woman on probation for animal cruelty two years ago has been sentenced to six months in prison after admitting to using drugs.

Drunk Teaching – California
Drunk Teacher: Tonya Neff Arrested In Alleged Drunken Teaching – The Huffington Post

THERMAL, Calif. — A Southern California school teacher has been arrested for allegedly teaching while drunk.

Marijuana – Colorado
Home invasion, medical marijuana plants stolen – Colorado Connection

COLORADO SPRINGS, COLO. — Three men wearing orange masks broke into a home just before 5 a.m. Wednesday, menaced the residents with a pistol, beat them up and also shocked them with a stun gun, according to Colorado Springs Police Department.

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.