Drug News

DRUG REHAB – USA
Drug rehab better option than prison – Vineland Daily Journal‎

Drug addicts who go to prison and don’t get treatment to break their habit come out still addicted and inevitably fall back into crime.

PRESCRIPTION DRUGS – USA
Oklahoma tops in prescription painkiller abuse – New England Cable News

Sherri Carwithin was lying on the hardwood floor of her south Oklahoma City home when police found her body, clad in pajama bottoms and a T-shirt. Perched on her chest was her small dog, Patches, who growled at the arriving officers. The 51-year-old woman, who had a history of chronic back pain and prescription drug abuse, last was seen alive four days earlier, when she asked a neighbor to give her a ride to the pharmacy.

DRUG ADDICTION – MEXICO
Children Hired to Work as ‘Mules’ by Mexican Drug Gangs – Fox News

Mexican drug gangs have found a new way to transport drugs across the border. Children are being used as “mules” to ferry drugs across the border into the United States or sell them in a nearby Mexican town. Luis Alberto is only 14 but has the wizened gaze of a grown-up hardened by life. He never met his father, worked as a child, was hired by a gang to sell drugs and then got addicted to them.

PRESCRIPTION DRUGS – USA
Prescription drug abuse efforts under way in county schools – Mount Airy News

The national statistics are alarming: One in four teens will abuse some form of prescription drugs before graduating high school. Nationwide, 100,000 Americans will die this year from prescription drug abuse. That number translates to 270 per day, or twice the number who will be killed in a car accident. With statistics like these, it’s easy to see why the Surry County Schools has become involved in a county-wide task force to raise awareness of prescription drug abuse.

DRUG ADDICTION – USA
Workshop aims to disable those enabling drug use – Naperville Sun
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Why won’t Johnny quit using drugs? Don’t ask his family. … factors can keep loved ones from stepping in to start the process of treatment and recovery.

PRESCRIPTION DRUGS – USA
Prescription drug dependence an epidemic in East Central Indiana – Muncie Star Press
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Since 2009, drug overdoses have caused or contributed to 62 deaths in Delaware County. Add Henry County to the mix, and the two counties have seen a combined total of 77 overdose-related deaths in the past three years. “That’s a significant number, and I think there’s probably a bigger problem than we’re seeing. We’re just seeing the tip of it.”

MARIJUANA – USA
New wrinkle in pot debate: stoned driving – The Seattle Times
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Authorities envision a legal threshold for pot that would be comparable to the blood-alcohol standard used to determine drunken driving. But unlike alcohol, marijuana stays in the blood long after the high wears off a few hours after use, and there is no quick test to determine someone’s level of impairment.

ALCOHOL ABUSE – USA
Liquor Law Changes Encourage Alcohol Abuse – Hartford Courant‎

Liquor law reform advocates say liquor stores in Connecticut’s border towns would better be able to compete with stores from neighboring states that are not restricted by our laws. They say expanding store hours, lifting the ban on Sunday sales and repealing minimum price barriers would help Connecticut stores. But the reforms also run counter to countless health initiatives aimed at lowering alcohol consumption. Expanding alcohol availability is a step in the wrong direction when it comes to combating alcoholism and drunken driving.

PRESCRIPTION DRUGS – USA
One addict’s story of prescription drug dangers – NCPR

Jennifer Smith’s addiction severely strained her relationship with her family, forced her to quit her job as a nurse, lead to several stints in drug rehabilitation programs and eventually landed her in jail.

ALCOHOL ABUSE – UK
Alcohol Abuse: Young People Should Be Educated At Sexual Health Clinics, Say Experts – Huffington Post UK
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Young people should be educated on the dangers of alcohol abuse when they attend sexual health clinics, experts have said. With more than 1.5million young people attending the clinics every year, the NHS has been told it is missing “key opportunities” to tackle the “growing problem” of sexually transmitted diseases and hazardous drinking.

PRESCRIPTION DRUGS – USA
Authorities see rise of prescription drug abuse – NCPR

“Spiraling out of control.” And, “Almost an epidemic.” That’s how police, prosecutors, doctors, pharmacists and drug counselors describe the rise of prescription drug abuse in communities across the North Country.

MARIJUANA – USA
Marijuana use up, alcohol use down among US teens – CBS News
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“One thing we’ve learned over the years is that when young people come to see a drug as dangerous, they’re less likely to use it. That helps to explain why marijuana right now is rising.” It’s the fourth straight year marijuana use grew among teens compared with last decade when pot use declined among teens.

CLUB DRUGS – USA
Club Drugs; A Good Time Or A Death Sentence? – Official Wire
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Since the 1980’s there have been dance parties going on called “Raves”. They first became popular in England and have since gained popularity in the U.S. as well. These parties usually consist of many people coming together to dance to electronic music while neon colored lights flash around the dance floor. These parties are often held in remote location such as barns or warehouses so as to avoid raiding. Aside from dancing, most of the people who attend also use drugs.

METHAMPHETAMINE – USA
Three homes in methamphetamine raid deemed unsafe – Daily Press

Three of five homes where 10 people allegedly produced methamphetamine have been deemed unsafe for habitation because of chemicals found inside the homes that were presumably used to make the drug. The new charges are a result of an “analysis of her other children’s rooms” where trace amounts of meth were found.

HEROIN – USA
Alaska teen who was injected with heroin dies – CBS News

‎An Alaska teenager allegedly injected with heroin by a 26-year-old man died Thursday, almost a week after suffering the drug overdose.

CLUB DRUGS – CAFFEINE MIST – USA
Caffeine Mist Is a ‘Club Drug,’ Says Schumer – ABC News
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A caffeine mist marketed as “breathable energy” may become a health hazard for teens and young people. Aeroshot Pure Energy, made by Breathable Foods in Cambridge, Mass., comes in a lipstick-size tube designed to spray a mist of caffeine and B vitamins that dissolve in the mouth, according to the company. The availability and the company’s marketing could sway teens and young adults to mix it with alcohol, creating a potentially dangerous combination. In a statement, Schumer called the product a “club drug” that is “designed to give users the ability to drink until they drop.”

ALCOHOL ABUSE – WORLDWIDE
Alcohol Abuse: Is Binge Drinking Impacted By Romantic Relationships? – Huffington Post
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Who you date could influence how you drink, according to a new study from Dalhousie University in Halifax, Canada.

PRESCRIPTION DRUGS – USA
Online pharmacies feed prescription drug abuse – New York Daily News

America’s addiction to prescription drugs is fed via the Internet, not just through prescriptions signed by a doctor. “Controlled prescription drugs like Oxycontin, Xanax and Ritalin are easily purchased over the Internet without a prescription, yet physician awareness of this problem is low.”

HEROIN – USA
Heroin epidemic brings death to Metro East – The Telegraph

The number of heroin deaths prompted authorities to institute new ways of investigating the incidents, and law enforcement officials and educators were moved to set up a continual education program to reach parents and students.

ECSTASY – USA
Victim’s kin warn about ecstasy – The Province

An Abbotsford family struggling to cope with the tragic loss of their teenage daughter at Christmas is warning other parents and teens of the dangers of ecstasy.

METHAMPHETAMINE – USA
Injected drug linked to higher suicide risk – Zee News
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Drug abusers who inject themselves with methamphetamine had an 80 higher chance of attempting suicide than those who rely on other substances, says a study.

PRESCRIPTION DRUGS – USA
Veterans Possibly Targeted By Prescription Drug Abusers – NBC4i.com

There is a new trend in the world of prescription drug abuse: veterans possibly being targeted by prescription drug abusers who want large amounts of drugs quickly.

ALCOHOL ABUSE – USA
Domestic abuse increases significantly over the holidays – KNDO

Domestic abuse increases significantly over the holidays. Domestic violence crimes happen more around this time every year. Alcohol usage is increased and that can sometimes lead to unfortunate tragedies in the family. It’s a national problem. During night patrols, officers will respond to several calls of family fights during the holidays.

HEROIN/MARIJUANA/COCAINE – USA
25 Charged with Supplying Heroin, Marijuana, Cocaine in Moon, Beaver County, Pennsylvania – Moon.Patch.com

25 facing drug charges in a roundup led by investigators from the Pennsylvania Attorney General’s office that stretched from Beaver to Allegheny counties.

MARIJUANA – USA
Pot smoking may more than double crash risk – USA Today

Drivers who get behind the wheel after using marijuana run more than twice the risk of crashing compared to others, a new study finds.

DRUG REHAB – USA
30 Days in a Drug Rehab: A Shortchange, Not a Shortcut – San Francisco Gate

Many people that continue to relapse after leaving treatment may not need more of the same but longer stays in treatment before being discharged.

PRESCRIPTION DRUGS – USA
Rx for Danger: Total weight of pills, not amount of drugs in them, triggers longer sentences – Orlando Sentinel

Todd Hannigan wanted to end his life. He ended up with a 15-year-prison sentence instead. Two years ago, Hannigan, now 43, took a bottle of Natural Light and 31 of his mother’s painkillers to Orlando’s Cherry Tree Park, where a police officer caught him drinking the beer at a picnic table.

ALCOHOL – USA
How alcohol use was cut at two Seattle schools – The Seattle Times
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Alcohol use at Nathan Hale and Roosevelt high schools has nearly been cut in half in the past four years. How did they do it?

HEROIN – USA
Overdoses indicate heroin use up in Saginaw – Chicago Tribune

A rise in the number of heroin overdose cases in Saginaw has authorities worried wider use of the drug is making a comeback.

METHAMPHETAMINE – AUSTRALIA
Surge in crystal meth use prompts concern at mental health effects – Syndey Morning Herald
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Use of crystal methamphetamine, or ice, by drug users in Australia has increased significantly since last year, research shows. Almost half of injecting drug users and a quarter of regular ecstasy users this year reported using ice in the previous six months

ECSTASY – USA
Man faces 20 years on Ecstasy charge – Daily Comet‎

NEW ORLEANS – A 27-year-old Gretna man faces up to 20 years in prison after pleading guilty to conspiring to traffic in the synthetic drug Ecstasy.

ALCOHOL – USA
Two-Question Screen Can Help Doctors Spot Teen Alcohol Problems – Time Healthland

Two questions asked during a regular pediatrician’s visit could help identify youth with drinking problems.

PRESCRIPTION DRUGS – USA
Prescription pills fuel crime, treatment in Maine – Portland Daily Sun

A recent string of pharmacy robberies in the Portland area has seized the attention of local law enforcement. City investigators are still working to identify the people or single individual responsible for demanding an undisclosed amount and type of pharmaceutical drug from three Portland CVS pharmacies.

HEROIN/PRESCRIPTION DRUGS – USA
Pain pills and heroin ravaging the suburbs – The Seattle Times
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“The drugs completely take over,” Stelcher said. “It was killing me. If I’d had it my way, I would have been dead.” His wife got him into rehab.

DRUG REHAB – USA
Massive cuts could close almost every state drug rehab – Northwest Cable News
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Proposed cuts from DSHS would close almost every outpatient drug treatment center, methadone clinic and detox facility in Washington.

PRESCRIPTION DRUGS – USA
Medical professionals deal with patients’ suffering, addiction – The Mountain Press
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“The problem is the prescription drug abuse is so out of control, we see patients who are there (in the emergency room) for the wrong reasons on an hourly basis.”

DRUG REHAB – USA
Matt Hardy Now Facing Drug Charges – Southern Pines Pilot
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On Monday, Matt Hardy (Hardy Boyz – six-time World Wrestling Entertainment World Tag Team Champions) posted a video online saying that the last two months have “definitely been the worst months of my career” and that he plans to seek treatment. “I have made the voluntary decision to go to rehab and get myself together.

ALCOHOL/DRUG ABUSE – USA
WWU has launched two campaigns to address student drinking, drug use – The News Tribune

BELLINGHAM – In the longstanding struggle to curb alcohol abuse among college students, Western Washington University launched two campaigns this year to provide students with accurate, non-judgmental information about alcohol and drugs.

DRUG REHAB – USA
Steel Magnolia’s Joshua Scott Jones enters rehab – CBS News
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Jones, the male half of duo Steel Magnolia, has entered treatment for alcohol and substance abuse.

MARIJUANA – USA
Relaxed state laws blamed for increase in marijuana use – Contra Costa Times
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“It is disturbing to see an increase among kids,” Jones said. “Society is getting to the point where (marijuana is) more and more acceptable. It’s why we’re so adamant not to allow it. We want to keep it out of the hands of kids.

PRESCRIPTION DRUGS – USA
Boeing arrest points to US workplace drug problems – Reuters
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The arrest of more than three dozen people on drug charges at a Boeing (BA.N) military aircraft plant highlights the growing problem of prescription drug abuse by U.S. workers, experts said on Friday.

DRUG ADDICTION – USA
Opana spikes overdose deaths – Bluefield Daily Telegraph

During the press conference, Bluefield, Va., Police Chief Harry Cundiff said that the drug trade often to leads to crimes such as breaking and entry, metal thefts and passing bad checks. “If you take away drug addiction, it would put us out of a job.”

PRESCRIPTION DRUGS – USA
Woman finds hope in recovery from prescription pill abuse – Sacramento Bee

A 2009 study found that 16 million Americans ages 12 and older took prescription drugs for nonmedical purposes at least once in the prior year, according to the National Survey on Drug Use and Health by the Substance Abuse Mental Health Administration.

DRUG ADDICTION – USA/PORTUGAL
Portugal takes proper approach to ‘drug war’ – The Detroit News

Despite more than $40 billion spent every year on the US drug war and 500000 people behind bars on drug related offenses, drugs are as available as ever. But what is the alternative? What would happen if a society decided to treat drug use as a health issue instead of a criminal justice issue? What if we stopped the futile effort of using force to decrease drug consumption? What if we decriminalized drugs, not just marijuana, but all drugs like heroin, cocaine and meth?

PRESCRIPTION DRUGS – USA
CSI Star Charged With Hillbilly Heroin Possession – antiMUSIC.com

Former “CSI” star Gary Dourdan has been charged with drug possession — after officials determined he was carrying oxycontin when he smashed into several parked cars in Hollywood on June 13.

MARIJUANA/HEROIN – USA
Drug Enforcement Administration Says Marijuana Same As Heroin – ThirdAge

The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) ruled on July 8, 2011 that marijuana has no accepted medical use and will remain classified as an addictive and dangerous drug, similar to heroin.

ALCOHOL – USA
New alcohol education program may avert binge drinking abuse – Oregon Daily Emerald

More than other schools, the University has its fair share of alcohol abuse. In fact, according to the American College Health Association, the number of University students who had used alcohol within the past month was 12 percent higher than students surveyed nationwide.

PRESCRIPTION DRUGS – USA
Abuse of Prescription Drugs by Young Teens on the Rise – Patch.com

There is good news coming from the 2010-2011 Pride Survey of young teen drug and alcohol use in Rockland County. But there is also disturbing information about the gradual increase in the abuse of prescription drugs by 10th graders and even 8th grade students.

ECSTASY – SCOTLAND
Fear over killer Ecstasy pills at music festival – Scotland on Sunday

POLICE have warned revellers at the T in the Park festival to beware of any drugs bought on the site after officers seized a shipment of Ecstasy with a street value of £80000. Police warned that Ecstasy tablets six times stronger than normal have been sold in the west of Scotland.

DRUG REHAB – CHINA
Teenage drug abusers fight addiction, seek rehab – China Daily

Eji Lhaze was 14 when he first took “ice”, thinking it was no different from cigarettes. “I was curious how it tasted, because my pals seemed to enjoy every bit of it and sleep like babies after a dose,” he said. “So I just tried a sip.”

PRESCRIPTION DRUGS – USA
Florida laws get tougher to crack down on prescription drug abuse – Wink News

Today’s declaration that Florida’s prescription drug abuse crisis is a public health emergency is an aggressive launch of the strong criminal and administrative penalties that are now in effect and will crack down on pill mills in Florida. This ban along with the Prescription Drug Monitoring Program will strengthen the oversight of the prescribing of highly addictive drugs and save lives.

DRUG REHAB – USA
U.S. Supreme Court rules longer prison terms not allowed for drug rehab – Sacramento Bee

This was longer than it might have been, but the judge noted that it was long enough to make Tapia eligible for a drug treatment program at a federal prison.

ALCOHOL AND DRUG ABUSE – USA
Nearly Half of US Teens Smoke, Drink Alcohol, or Use Drugs – WebMD

Nearly half of all American high school students smoke, drink alcohol, or use illicit drugs, according to a new report.

METHAMPHETAMINE – USA
Hope and recovery – Honolulu Star-Advertiser

Thierry Wood said she was devastated when she called police in 2007 to arrest her 14-year-old daughter, Nina, whose behavior had become erratic and violent because of her methamphetamine addiction.

ECSTASY – SCOTLAND
Two men die after taking extra-strong ecstasy pills – Herald Scotland

Ecstasy tablets six times stronger than normal may have caused the death of two men in the west of Scotland.

HEROIN – MEXICO/USA
As poppy fields flourish in Mexico, heroin use surges in US – MiamiHerald

What was once a problem largely confined to hubs in California and Texas, Mexican traffickers have expanded into the Midwest and the Atlantic Seaboard. Using savvy marketing tactics, they’ve also repositioned heroin commercially, revamping its image from the inner-city drug of yore, with its junkies and needles, into a narcotic that can be snorted or smoked, appealing to suburban and even rural high school youth.

MARIJUANA – USA
Marijuana Driving Accidents On The Rise – Slate Magazine

Driving while under the influence isn’t just for drunks anymore. There’s a largely unrecognized group causing a growing number of accidents — minor and fatal — across the country: drugged drivers. And many of them may be causing accidents with their use of pot.

MARIJUANA – USA
In Connecticut, Carrying A Small Amount of Marijuana Downgraded from Misdemeanor to Fine – Foxnews.com
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The Connecticut Senate narrowly approved legislation on Saturday that decriminalizes the possession of small amounts of marijuana.

DRUG REHAB – USA
Oscar De La Hoya Enters Drug Rehab for Substance Abuse – Larry Brown Sports

Former boxer and current promoter Oscar De La Hoya has reportedly entered drug rehab to address a substance problem.

DRUG REHAB – USA
Whitney Houston — 30 Days of Rehab Ain’t Enough! – TMZ.com

Whitney Houston is voluntarily seeking additional treatment for drug and alcohol … TMZ has learned — after completing a 30-day out-patient rehab program earlier this week.

PRESCRIPTION DRUGS – USA
Jeff Conaway Tragedy: Does Dr. Drew Pinsky’s ‘Celebrity Rehab’ Help or Hurt? – foxnews.com

“As usual, Jeff was most likely taking too many medicines. He probably got pneumonia and sat at home too long and was intoxicated by the prescription drugs and didn’t realize he was so sick, and by the time he got to hospital he was in shock. At one point he looked like he was going to make it, but his kidneys shut down.”

DRUG ADDICTION/DRUG COURT – USA
‘I wanted to get off drugs, I just didn’t know how’ – Annapolis Capital

Sharon and Wes Sudduth spent a decade watching as their daughter Melissa Sudduth abused cocaine and heroin and cycled through the county detention center on misdemeanor drug and theft charges.

ALCOHOL – USA
Alcohol abuse and teens – OneNewsNow

11% of the alcohol consumed in the United States is consumed by underage kids. That’s a staggering statistic.

ALCOHOL – SCOTLAND
AFS fears over alcohol abuse in parents – Alcolim

Campaigners in Scotland have raised concerns over the number of parents engaging in high levels of alcohol abuse, it has been revealed. Alcohol Focus Scotland (AFS) has called for action against the 330,000 children under 16 living with a binge-drinking parent.

METHAMPHETAMINE – USA
Sen. Schumer wants drug website shutdown – YNN

Senator Charles Schumer is asking the government to shutdown a website he calls a digital black market for drugs. Heroin, methamphetamine and cocaine are among the drugs being anonymously sold and bought on the site known as Silk Road. The Senator says the site launched in February and uses restricted access and several layers of secrecy to avoid detection.

METHAMPHETAMINE – USA
Waukomis woman pleads guilty to contributing to death of her daughter – NewsOK.com

Linda Tucker had 10 times the lethal dose of the drug in her system when she died, a state medical examiner reported. Authorities said she had taken the drug with her mother, older brother and her mother’s boyfriend. She lay unresponsive in the back seat of a vehicle for several hours before her mother went for help, but it was too late.

MARIJUANA AND ECSTASY – UK
More teens on drugs: After 10 year decline marijuana and ecstasy use rises – Daily Mail

‘We encourage parents and caregivers to pay attention to the warning signs of teen drinking and other drug use, in order to intervene early and effectively. ‘If you suspect a problem, do not wait to get help for a child who is struggling with substance abuse.

PRESCRIPTION DRUGS – USA
$36M to be used to fight prescription drug abuse in Ohio – Dayton Daily News

John Kasich on Tuesday announced $36 million in federal and local funds would be used to fight the scourge of prescription drug abuse, which now accounts for more deaths statewide than car accidents or suicides.

DRUG REHAB – AUSTRALIA
User had not fallen far enough to qualify for rehab – Logan West Leader

With no permanent home, Deborah has been “couch surfing” with her child for 12 months, mostly at the homes of other drug addicts. She was turned away from the city’s only residential rehabilitation centre because her addiction “wasn’t bad enough”.

DRUG ADDICTION – USA
The end of racing’s drug addiction? – ESPN

Something big, bigger than a press release from RCI, needs to happen now, something to really build up momentum for the anti-drug cause. And the Breeders’ Cup is exactly the organization that should lead the way.

SUBSTANCE ABUSE – INDIA
More city schoolchildren get hooked to whiteners – Times of India

CHENNAI: Counsellors working among alcoholics and drug addicts in the city are seeing a rise in the number of youngsters addicted to whiteners and other inhalants. At least 20 children are undergoing de-addiction from whiteners in the city.

DRUG ABUSE – SOUTH AFRICA
Painful accounts of drugs at tribute – Independent Online

Orgill lost her only son, Troy, three years ago when he committed suicide because of his drug addiction. She said: “One day he told me he loved me and an hour later I was cutting a rope from his neck trying to breathe life into him.”

ALCOHOL ABUSE – USA
State invites Alaska community coalitions to apply for alcohol abuse prevention grant – Greenfield Daily Reporter

ANCHORAGE, Alaska — Alaska officials are encouraging community coalitions statewide to apply for grants to develop alcohol prevention programs. The state is planning to issue six grants for programs focusing on alcohol use among residents.

ALCOHOL – USA
Program aimed at preventing teen alcohol fatalities – Dothan Eagle
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The Houston County Substance Abuse Partnership staged a mock fatal car accident for seniors and juniors at Rehobeth High School on Wednesday morning.

DRUG ADDICTION – KENYA
Kenya: UN Promises to Help Country Treat Drug Addicts – AllAfrica.com‎

The UN has pledged to support Kenya treat drug addicts. Visiting United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime executive director Yury Fedotov said drug dependence is a disease that must be dealt with.”UNODC recognizes that drug dependence is a disease and …

ECSTASY – USA
Greater brain risks from “real-world” ecstasy use – Los Angeles Times‎

For a glimpse into real-world drug use, Australian researchers went to parties where people were using a drug known as ecstasy – and discovered that users’ brains were at far more risk from the drug than anyone had suspected …

DRUG COURTS – USA
In Drug Courts, Judges Practice Their Own Version of Justice – And “Treatment” – AlterNet‎

Drug courts must be standardized, they must be held accountable and they must not be our primary policy approach to drug use and addiction. Sign up to stay up to date on the latest Drugs headlines via email.

PRESCRIPTION DRUG ABUSE – USA
Exeter PD takes back Rx – Foothills Sun Gazette‎

Medicines that languish in home cabinets are highly susceptible to diversion, misuse, and abuse. Rates of prescription drug abuse in the US are alarmingly high, as are the number of accidental poisonings and overdoses due to these drugs.

PRESCRIPTION DRUG ABUSE – USA
Is statewide database needed to battle prescription abuse? – Central Florida News 13 ‎

Atkins survived and is talking to classrooms about the dangers of prescription drug abuse. Now he wants law enforcement and state leaders to shut down pill mills. “Because this is killing so many people.”

PRESCRIPTION DRUG MONITORING – USA
Floridians Are Maybe Starting To Understand Their Governor Is A Grifter – Huffington Post

This is the most important weapon in the fight against prescription drug abuse…” Sen. Mike Fasano, R-New Port Richey, who has been a champion of efforts to fight prescription drug abuse and sponsored the drug monitoring legislation.

MEDICAL MARIJUANA – USA
Should medical marijuana be regulated like other prescription drugs? – ConnectMidMichigan.com‎

In 2008, Michigan voters approved the use of medical marijuana. Since then, there hasn’t been a lot of accountability. Prescription drug commercials tout the benefits of their products, but they also come with warnings.

LEGALIZING MARIJUANA – USA
Kerlikowske opposes legalizing marijuana – Buffalo News‎

And while prescription painkiller drugs also are legal, Kerlikowske said, abuse of those drugs is skyrocketing throughout the nation, causing a major public health problem. “Prescription drug use is legal . . . and we can’t control it.”

HEROIN – USA
St. Louis A “Hot Spot” In Battle With Heroin – FOX2now.com
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A top agent with the US Drug Enforcement Agency says St. Louis is among the “hot spots” nationally in a growing fight against heroin. Michael Kress, a supervisory special agent with the DEA, says the drug is flourishing here.