Drug News

DRUG DECRIMINALIZATION – PORTUGAL
Mixed Results For Portugal’s Great Drug Experiment – NPR
‎
When Portugal decriminalized all illegal drugs in 2000, officials hoped to reduce addiction rates and drug-related violence. Today, more users are in rehab, …

DRUG REHAB – USA
Woman says drug court changed her life – WALA-TV FOX10

Phipps appeared before Judge Wilters, who gave her the choice to join the drug court rehab program in place of a Class “C” Felony drug charge. She agreed. …

DRUG REHAB – USA
Eric Clapton memorabilia goes on sale – ITN
‎
Rock legend Eric Clapton puts more than 70 guitars and 70 amplifiers up for auction to raise money for his drug and alcohol rehab charity. …

DRUG ADDICTION – USA
Exercise and drug use: What do they have in common? – Slate Magazine
‎
But if exercise works as a treatment for drug addiction, we don’t know exactly why. It’s possible that a sweaty session at the club merely serves as a …

SUBSTANCE ABUSE – USA
Survey: Drug, alcohol use among youth increasing – My West Texas

A mother tearfully talks about her son’s drug addiction. Ford Smith and Jeaneen Pruitt were among speakers Thursday night at a drug prevention forum …

DRUG ADDICTION – USA
Local medical officials learn more about drug addiction – WKYT
‎
Operation UNITE held a meeting in Prestonsburg where the officials learned more about addiction and what they can do to not become part of the problem. …

DRUG ADDICTION TREATMENT – USA
Senate Committee Clears Syringe-Access Bill – The Jersey City Independent

… and the sale of any syringe would have to be accompanied by information about the safe disposal of syringes and drug addiction treatment. …

PRESCRIPTION DRUG ABUSE – USA
Pasco gets boost in fight against prescription drug abuse – Tbo.com

NEW PORT RICHEY – Pasco officials hoping to curb the raging prescription drug epidemic just got a dose of good news. …

DRUG REHAB – USA
Art program at Johnson Museum helps addiction recovery effort – Ithaca Journal ‎

Groups of about 20 from CARS and the Van Dyke Addiction Treatment Center in Ovid come to the museum twice a month. Ryan takes the groups on a tour and …

DRUG REHAB – IRAQ
Iran plans to set up 5 drug rehab centers – Press TV

Iran plans to set up five new rehabilitation centers to treat thousands of drug addicts in the provinces of Isfahan, Kerman, Khorasan, Sistan-Baluchestan, …

HEROIN/COCAINE – USA/DOMINICAN REPUBLIC
Trio of Royal Caribbean Crewmembers Charged With Smuggling Heroin and Cocaine – Cruise Critic

While Baltimore was spared from the worst of the weekend snow, crewmembers from Royal Caribbean’s Charm City-based Enchantment of the Seas were charged on Tuesday in connection with another sort of white powder.

HEROIN – IRELAND
Galway in grip of growing heroin crisis – Galway Bay FM

The scale of Ireland’s heroin problem has been brought into sharp focus by a new pan-European report which concluded that seven in every 1000 people in Ireland are heroin users.

METH LABS – USA
Cheyenne officials try to deal with ‘meth house’ – Billings Gazette ‎

Associated Press Eric Wade Miller pleaded guilty to possession of methamphetamine lab equipment in his former residence in Cheyenne, Wyo., following a probe …

PARTY DRUGS – UK
Fears over new legal party drugs that are ‘as dangerous as cocaine’ – Daily Mail ‎

‘It is becoming increasingly clear that ‘legal highs’ are far from harmless and can have similar health risks to drugs like cocaine, Ecstasy and speed. …

COCAINE – USA
Cocaine Eggs Found at LAX – NBC Los Angeles

Agents said the traveler told them the eggs were for his two children

PRESCRIPTION DRUGS – USA
The Pill Mill Problem in Florida: Fighting Prescription Abuse Amid Rise of “Pill Tourism” – Catholic Online‎

This investigation has shed light on the growing problem of prescription drug abuse in Florida. Florida leads the nation in dispensing oxycodone, …

PRESCRIPTION DRUGS – USA
Prescription drug abuse is fastest-growing drug problem in country – Chicago Sun-Times

The Highland Park couple has since made a full-time job of educating teens and their parents about prescription drug abuse, the fastest-growing drug problem …

DRUG TREATMENT – RUSSIA
Medvedev warns against forceful treatment of drug addicts – RIA Novosti

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev warned on Friday against illegal and forceful methods of drug addiction treatment in …

DRUG ADDICTION – USA
Janice Dickinson Suffers Panic Attack on ‘Celebrity Rehab’ – Gather Celebs News Channel

Drug addiction is no laughing matter, and some people think that just because people aren’t smoking crack or shooting heroin they don’t have real drug problems.

DRUG TREATMENT/DRUG COURT – USA
Drug Court Coming to McHenry County – Patch‎

“There’s a buzz because it could really help lighten the load in the court system and reduce drug addiction,” he said. Another outcome of drug court is that …

SUBSTANCE ABUSE – USA
New Study Shows Dramatic Shifts in Substance Abuse Treatment Admissions – Newswise ‎

“This substantial rise in drug treatment admissions for illicit drugs, particularly for marijuana and misuse of prescription drugs, shines a necessary spotlight on these problems and the need for early intervention, treatment, and recovery support services…

DRUG COURT/TREATMENT – USA
NH federal court gives drug addicts second chance – WCAX‎

Convicted drug addicts are getting a second chance under an innovative New Hampshire federal drug court …

HEROIN – USA
Man allegedly shoots heroin while driving – Laconia Citizen

Police Department arrested a local man on several charges after he barely evaded a head-on collision while apparently trying inject himself with heroin.

METHAMPHETAMINE – USA
Meth project gets matching grant – Twin Falls Times-News ‎

State officials are encouraging donations to the Idaho Meth Project to take advantage of a matching grant offered this month. In the two years since the statewide prevention campaign began, teen meth use in Idaho has dropped by 52 percent.

PRESCRIPTION DRUGS – USA
Ohio county fights extreme pill addiction problem – Washington Post

Health officials say nine of every 10 fatal drug overdoses in Scioto (pronounced sy-OH’-toh) County are caused by prescription drugs.

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.

Prescription Drug Abuse – USA
The quiet epidemic – The Baltimore Sun

There isn’t much attention paid to prescription drug abuse, except perhaps when a Hollywood star dies from an overdose. However, it is estimated that nearly one in five Americans has used prescription drugs for nonmedicinal reasons, and 15 percent may be abusing prescription drugs. This silent epidemic has become the leading cause of addiction.

Teen Drug & Alcohol Prevention – Florida
Sarasota students taught dangers of alcohol and drug abuse – mysuncoast.com

SARASOTA – Sometimes teens may hear from some of their peers that using drugs and alcohol is really cool.

Prescription Drug Reform – New Zealand
Radical prescription drug reform in New Zealand – THE MEDICAL NEWS

Getting access to the latest medication may become a costly affair for New Zealanders. Talks on getting a Trans Pacific Strategic Economic Partnership between the US and New Zealand are taking place.

Rehab Instead of Jail Time – New York
Michael Douglas Ask’s For Pardon And Want His Son In Rehab – NEWS PROVIDER

Actor Michael Douglas asked “indulgence” for his son Cameron Douglas, who will know on Tuesday what his sentence for drug dealing is.

Drug Testing – Louisiana
Drug testing of welfare recipients bill passes first hurdle – WAFB

BATON ROUGE (WAFB) – A bill requiring welfare recipients to be drug tested easily passed out of the House Health and Welfare Committee with a new look Wednesday afternoon.

Drug Prevention – Canada
Operation: Street Smart helps parents learn about drug abuse – Mansfield News Journal

ONTARIO — About 25 residents attended Operation: Street Smart, a program aimed at helping parents keep children off drugs.

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.