Drug News

PRESCRIPTION DRUGS – USA
Prescription Drug Abuse: Governors To Develop Best Practices For States – Huffington Post

The association plans to look at prescription drug abuse from perspectives that include medical, addiction, criminal justice and economic. The issues include trying to end addiction, pill mills, doctor shopping for prescriptions, and robberies of pharmacies. The goal is a comprehensive strategy tackling all aspects of the issue.

HEROIN – USA
Calif. cops dismantle major heroin pipeline – Police News

Police have shut down a heroin pipeline into the city, arresting three suspects. More than 5 pounds of heroin was seized during the investigation, which police said was enough to supply 192 people for a year.

METHAMPHETAMINE – USA
Mom’s Meth Use May Affect Kids’ Behavior – ABC News

At ages 3 and 5, children who had been exposed to methamphetamine in the womb had greater emotional reactivity and higher levels of anxiety and depression than their unexposed peers

ALCOHOL – UK
The alcohol debate: Forget young binge drinkers… middle-aged and middle class are UK’s main ‘legal high’ abusers – Mancunian Matters

“The first thing to say about alcohol is this: Alcohol is a very strong drug. Alcohol has only one use – it’s a recreational drug. Every year in the United Kingdom somewhere around 9,000 to 40,000 people die as a result of drinking alcohol (depending on how the figures are estimated), while about 2,000 die as a result of all illegal drugs put together.”

OPIUM – AFGHANISTAN
Lifting the veil on Afghanistan’s female addicts – Reuters

Smoking opium costs around 200 Afghanis a day ($4), a very expensive habit in a country where a third live beneath the poverty line. Women send their children to collect scrap and bottles to help pay for their habit, or resort to begging, extending a hand to cars from beneath their burqa on busy streets when their husbands have left home.

ALCOHOL – USA
Campaign targets underage drinkers, parents who provide alcohol – The Times and Democrat

Each year, thousands of teens are killed or injured in traffic crashes as a result of underage drinking. In 2006, more than 18 percent of all 15- to 20-year-old drivers and motorcycle operators killed in traffic crashes in South Carolina had blood alcohol concentration levels of .08 or higher, despite the fact that it is illegal for these drivers to drink any alcohol. Parents need to know that hosting a party or buying their kids or their friend’s kids alcohol is not only illegal, but is extremely dangerous for their teens, for others in the community, and for the parents themselves, given the legal ramifications they face.

HEROIN – USA
Affluent suburbs of Sacramento, Calif., see heroin influx – PennLive.com

Heroin, a drug most often associated with the gritty back alleys of big cities, is making a surprising surge in the affluent suburbs of Sacramento, becoming the new drug of choice.

PRESCRIPTION DRUGS – USA
State attorney general warns of prescription-drug perils – Smithfield Herald

The number of people who abuse drugs prescribed by doctors is on the rise. Teens commonly abuse the drugs, statistics show. One in four high school students will have used narcotics by the time they reach their senior year. Last year, more than 1,000 people in North Carolina died from prescription-drug overdoses.

DRUG REHAB – USA
‘Golden voice’ Ted Williams departs drug rehab – CNN International

Ted Williams, the homeless “golden voice” sensation on the internet, checked himself out of drug rehab 12 days after …

ALCOHOL AND DRUG ADDICTION – USA
Overhaul proposed in treatment of area alcohol and drug addicts – Dayton Daily News

A two-year study of Montgomery County’s alcohol and drug addiction services recommends an overhaul of the system, making treatment more individualized and immediate.

ALCOHOL ABUSE – USA
Alcohol delays, breaks marriages, study finds – CNN‎

The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) says 17.6 million adults in the United States abuse alcohol or are dependent on alcohol.

OPIUM – AFGHANISTAN
Opium addiction in Afghanistan includes infants – Malaysia Sun‎

Afghanistan is a major producer of the world’s opium and is facing an ever-increasing epidemic of drug use at home as well, with infants in some areas being …

BATH SALTS – USA
Officials fear bath salts are growing drug problem – AllVoices

Bath salts is an innocuous household item that most of us have in our homes, most likely, our bathrooms. Used to soak aching muscles, we would think nothing of leaving them stored, unsecured in our cabinets, right?

PRESCRIPTION DRUGS – USA
Senator committed to attacking drug abuse – Marietta Times‎

… we can better educate Ohioans about the dangers of prescription drug abuse. And save Ohio families while rebuilding our communities. The drug addiction …

PRESCRIPTION DRUGS – USA
PR firm with past ties to drugmakers to run Ohio’s anti-overdose program – Chillicothe Gazette‎

It also showed most doctors were not taking advantage of a statewide database designed to curb addicts’ prescription drug abuse. Fleishman, which had the …

ALCOHOL ABUSE – USA
Drinking is growing problem on campus – Texas A&M The Battalion

The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism said that binge drinking is defined as a pattern of drinking that brings one’s blood alcohol …

Mouth Swab Drug Testing – USA
Mouth Swab Drug Test Facts – Buzzle.com

Saliva drug test is one of the most common procedures for detecting drug abuse in potential users. Read about mouth swab drug test facts in the following article to know more.

Methamphetamine Lab Bust – Michigan
Fugitive at large after Sherwood Twp. drug raid – BattleCreekEnquirer.com

SHERWOOD TOWNSHIP — A fugitive is still at large today after police raided a suspected methamphetamine house in Sherwood Township.

Drug Labs Destroyed – Afghanistan
U.S.-Russia force raids Afghan drug labs – UPI.com

MOSCOW, Oct. 29 (UPI) — The first joint U.S.-Russian drug raid in Afghanistan destroyed four major laboratories, Russia’s top drug-fighter said Friday.

Anna Nicole Smith Drug Trial – Verdict
Verdict in Anna Nicole Smith Drug Case – abc NEWS VIDEO

Anna Nicole Smith’s psychiatrist and boyfriend are found guilty of conspiracy.

Marijuana & Heroin – Nebraska
Traffic Stop Leads To Pot, Heroin Confiscation – KETV.com

UTICA, Neb. — The Nebraska State Patrol said nearly 200 pounds of marijuana and 51 grams of heroin were seized during a search of a rental truck Thursday night near Utica along Interstate 80.

Drug Use Down, Pot Use Up – Florida Students
Florida students’ overall drug use down, but marijuana use up – The Palm Beach Post NEWS

WEST PALM BEACH — Overall drug use is down, but marijuana and alcohol use among Florida middle- and high school-students remains a concern, state officials said Thursday.

Mephedrone Seizure – Scotland
Police seize £500k haul of mephedrone at Glasgow Airport – DailyRecord.co.uk

POLICE have seized a £500,000 haul of the recently-banned drug mephedrone at an airport – the biggest amount captured in Scotland, it emerged today.

Cameron Douglas Drug Sentencing – New York
Michael Douglas’ Son Gets 5 Years – abc NEWS VIDEO

Cameron Douglas, 31, is sentenced for selling cocaine and crystal meth.

Drug Dealing – India
Goan drug dealer’s assets frozen – Thaindian News

Panaji, April 21 (IANS) Goa police has frozen all the assets, including cash, properties and investments, of a notorious drug peddler, a senior police officer said. It is the first time that such action has been taken against a drug peddler.

Opium & Heroin – Afghanistan
High Levels of Opium and Heroin Detected in Very Young Afghan Children – Drug Addiction Treatment

A team of researchers hired by the US State Department has found staggering levels of opium and heroin in Afghan children as young as 14 months. “I think we’ve opened a can of worms,” said Bruce Goldberger, one of the University of Florida scientists heading up the study, who spoke exclusively with Brian Ross for a report airing on World News with Diane Sawyer and Nightline tonight.

Alcohol Abuse – Research Study
Heavy Alcohol Use Linked to Cancer – HealthScout

WEDNESDAY, April 21 (HealthDay News) — Researchers say they’ve gained new insight into a link at the cellular level between alcohol consumption, aging and cancer.

PCP – USA
Driver arrested for driving at 5 mph in a ‘40 mph’ zone – Thaindian News

Farmington, Apr 21 (THAINDIAN NEWS) A driver was arrested in Farmington over the weekend, because he was driving at a speed of 5 mph in a ’40 mph’ zone. The 39 years old Isreal Nieves who belongs to Bloomfield, also had a passenger in the car, who is just 9 years old. When the police arrested Isreal Nieves, then they also found that he had the ‘PCP’ drug in the car.

Opium – India
India expresses concern over opium cultivation in neighbouring countries – Thaindian News

Vienna (Austria), Mar 12(ANI): India has expressed concern that more than 90 percent of the world’s opium production is taking place in its neighbourhood.

Border Control – Mexico & USA
U.S. Customs: Mexican cartels corrupt border agents – Associated Press

McALLEN — Mexican drug cartels are infiltrating federal law enforcement agencies along the southwest border and those charged with weeding them out say they don’t have the money to catch all the corrupt agents, homeland security officials told a U.S. Senate panel Thursday.

Meth Lab Bust – California
Pleasanton brothers ran meth lab, cops say – San Francisco Chronicle

Two brothers were arrested on suspicion of operating a methamphetamine lab hidden in a Pleasanton home, police said Thursday.

Drug Court Sentencing – Oregon
Ore. meth kingpins get more than decade in prison – StatesmanJournal.com

SALEM, Ore. — Two leaders of a Mexico-based methamphetamine ring that operated in Oregon and Washington state have been sentenced to more than a decade in prison.

Drunk Driving – Nebraska
Police: Man Drunk At DUI Sentencing – KETV.com

PAPILLION, Neb. — Authorities said a drunken driver showed up for his sentencing hearing drunk again.

Pre-Teen Inhalant Abuse – USA
12 Year Olds More Likely To Use Potentially Deadly Inhalants Than Cigarettes Or Marijuana – Medical News TODAY

More 12 year olds have used potentially lethal inhalants than have used marijuana, cocaine and hallucinogens combined, according to data released by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) in conjunction with the 18th annual National Inhalants & Poisons Awareness Week.

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 Trafficking – India
Indian sentenced to death in Malaysia for drug trafficking – Thaindian News

Kuala Lumpur, Jan 29 (IANS) A 48-year-old Indian was Friday sentence to death by the Malaysian High Court which convicted him of drug trafficking.

Ecstasy – USA
Texas man sentenced to federal prison for distributing ecstasy – Thaindian News

NEW ORLEANS (BNO NEWS) – A Texas man on Thursday was sentenced to federal prison for his role in an ecstasy drug conspiracy.

Illegal Drugs – USA
Federal Corrections Officer charged with accepting bribes – Thaindian News

MIAMI (BNO NEWS) – A Federal Corrections Officer on Thursday was charged with accepting bribes and attempting to possess cocaine with the intent to distribute.

Drunk Driving – USA
Drunk driver gets into more trouble after posting Facebook photo – The Buffalo News

LOCKPORT — Ashley M. Sullivan is in Niagara County Jail, and Facebook may be to blame as much as the car crash that killed a Niagara Falls man.

Illegal Drugs – USA
Michael Douglas’s son pleads guilty to dealing drugs – Telegraph.co.uk

The son of Oscar-winning actor Michael Douglas has admitted in a New York court to possessing heroin and dealing large amounts of methamphetamine and cocaine out of his hotel room.

Opium – Canada
Tombstone used to smuggle drugs into Canada! – Thaindian News

Vancouver, Jan 27 (IANS) Canadians police have seized a record quantity of drugs hidden inside a tombstone that was imported from Iran. Though drug smugglers have always been deploying newer methods of smuggling to beat police, this novel method has left many dumbfounded.

Opium – Afghanistan
US Tells Afghans To Grow Grapes Not Opium Poppy – The Huffington Post

The Taliban make Afghanistan’s opium business easy, offering credit, seeds and fertilizer to farmers to grow the drugs that fuel the insurgency.

Drugs and Alcohol – Canada
Disgraced cop’s career ‘finished’: Chief – Ottowa Sun

Disgraced Ottawa cop Jeff Gulick has lost his usefulness to the force and will never return to active duty, Police Chief Vern White vows.

Drugs – Mexico
Officials: Mexican drug kingpin captured – The Associated Press

Mexico has captured a kingpin accused of terrorizing his way to the top of a gang fighting for control of key U.S. drug routes — even ordering rivals dissolved in caustic soda. Tuesday’s arrest, announced by U.S. and Mexican officials, capped a series of victories in Mexico’s U.S.-backed war on narcotics.

Cocaine Drug Testing – UK
Fears over police ‘drug testing’ kits – BBC Newsbeat

A torch being used by police to check people for cocaine use may be harmful, according to an internal police report seen by Newsbeat.

Drugs – USA
Joe Namath’s Daughter Olivia Namath Arrested On Drug Charges – Thaindian News

Olivia Namath, the teenager daughter of Hall of Fame quarterback Joe Namath has been taken into custody from South Florida, as she was found in possession of liquor and marijuana- after her car was stopped by authorities. The incident took place on Sunday after police authorities stopped the speeding Mercedes in which the 19 year old girl was traveling with two other companions.

Alcohol – Russia
Russian soldier threatens to blow up shop for alcohol – Thaindian News

A Russian soldier in east Siberia’s Irkutsk region threatened to blow up a grocery store as he had no money to pay for an alcoholic beverage, police said.

Marijuana – USA

Pot Found During Traffic Stop Allowed as Evidence - The Associated Press

A federal appeals court says prosecutors can use 470 pounds of marijuana as evidence because the Nebraska traffic stop that led to the drug’s seizure was valid.

Opium – Afghanistan

US grapples with complexity of Afghan drug problem - The Associated Press

KHAN NESHIN, Afghanistan (AP) – The arrival of U.S. Marines has disrupted the illegal drug trade in opium-rich Helmand province – and that’s not necessarily a good thing.

Heroin – Scotland

Another Death Attributed to Anthrax in Heroin- MedIndia

Doctors in Scotland have confirmed another heroin related death in which the drug was contaminated with anthrax, bringing the number of such cases to three.

Alcohol – USA

Russian vodka drinkers pay the price - euronews

Heavy drinkers in Russia face a new headache – a financial one this time – in an attempt to cure the country’s chronic alcohol problem. Vodka is the tipple of choice as boozers prepare to down more than a few during the New Year and Orthodox Christmas holidays. But the cheapest half-litre bottle nearly doubled in price today, to 89 roubles (about two euros), to tackle Russia’s liquid love affair.

Alcohol – USA

It’s Not a Hangover, It’s an Allergic Reaction - HealthScout

For people with allergies and asthma, toasting the New Year could result in more than a hangover; it could also set off a variety of unpleasant reactions, warns an organization of allergists.

Drug War – Mexico

Slums are front lines in Mexican drug war - The Dallas Morning News

“In this block alone, all the teens were either killed or disappeared”, said Pedro Reyna Diaz, 46, whose two stepsons were among those swept up in the drug cartel warfare waged in this neglected neighborhood. “An entire generation was lost.”

Drug Overdose – USA
Autopsy Released On Springsteen’s Cousin – KCTV; Kansas City, MO

Medical Examiner Says Sullivan Died Of Acute Amphetamine, Heroin Intoxication

Drug Violence – Mexico
Drug Violence Overwhelms Tijuana – The Associated Press

This year was particularly tough for the already rough border city of Tijuana, besieged by drug violence and slammed by the economic downturn in the United States.

Drug Testing – USA
Workers May Lie About Drug Use, but Hair Doesn’t – The New York Times

…some job applicants may stop their drug use temporarily in anticipation of a test, or they may even find a way to cheat. The people in this category might face a new challenge: the hair test, a newer technology gaining acceptance among a small but growing number of employers.

Opium – Bankok
U.N. Says Opium Trade Is Expanding in Myanmar – The New York Times

BANGKOK — The United Nations warned on Monday that drug-control measures were “unraveling” in Myanmar, with opium farming in the country expanding for the third consecutive year.

Drug Prevention – USA
State receives $11M drug abuse grant – Rapid City Journal

PIERRE — The South Dakota Department of Human Services recently received an $11 million federal grant to bolster the statewide effort to deal with substance-abuse issues.

Prescription Drugs – USA
Report: Prescription Drug Abuse Growing – WHIOTV.com

DAYTON, Ohio — A new National Institute of Drug Abuse report suggests teen abuse of prescription drugs is on the rise.