Drug News

HEROIN – USA
Heroin ‘junkie’ thanks cops after arrest – Madison.com

A heroin addict who told police he shoots up three times a day was thankful after his arrest early Sunday morning, Madison police reported. …

HEROIN – USA
Now a Lawyer, Once a Heroin Addict – CBS News

Jeff Glor reports on the story of a reformed heroin addict who earned his GED behind bars and a law degree after being released. Rick Dyer, 58, …

METHAMPHETAMINE – USA
Farnham: ‘Shoot every meth head,’ but don’t take away my Sudafed – Pulaski County Daily News

Pseudoephedrine is the main component to make meth and several Missouri communities have already instituted a prescription only policy through local …

METHAMPHETAMINE – WORLD
Meth Project Named Third Most Effective Philanthropy In the World – Business Wire

Meth Project Founder Thomas M. Siebel Recognized on Annual List of “25 Best Givers” and Commended for Significantly Reducing Meth Use

PRESCRIPTION DRUGS – USA
Are students turning to Adderall to get A’s? – The Massachusetts Daily Collegian

“I love Adderall,” she added. “I love it. I can write papers in, like, an hour and a half; I don’t eat all day and then I’ll smoke weed, get really retarded, and it’s so fun.”

PRESCRIPTION DRUGS – USA
NY bust: Medicaid patients’ Rx drugs go to dealers – The Associated Press

The report examined Medicaid abuse in New York, California, Illinois, North Carolina and Texas, high-volume states in Medicaid prescription drug payments. …

SYNTHETIC MARIJUANA – USA
DEA targets synthetic marijuana – WPDE

“They’ve placed it in a category right alongside heroin, right alongside marijuana, right alongside ecstasy or other club drugs. in other words there are no …

COCAINE – ITALY
Python found guarding cocaine – UPI.com

Police in Italy said they had to evade a white python to plant listening devices near the cocaine stash of a drug ring in the Neapolitan Camorra …

DRUG REHAB – USA
Saving lives, and souls, his way: Unconventional minister helps addicts, but stirs controversy – News & Observer

The ministry runs food distributions for the poor, a drug rehab program and transitional housing in Elgin and St. Charles. HELPS gets no government funding …

DRUG TREATMENT – USA
Serial rehab-goer Lindsay Lohan has been released and she’s already back on the roads – Daily Telegraph

Despite the fact that LiLo’s recent spates of jail and drug rehabilitation were down to various driving offences, the Californian powers-that-be have once …

ALCOHOL TREATMENT – UK
Pharmacists trained to recognize alcoholism – Get Bracknell

“I am delighted that Bracknell Forest Council’s drug and alcohol action team is once again providing innovative solutions to alcohol treatment and together …

ALCOHOL TREATMENT – USE
Tax repeal dries up alcohol treatment dollars – Cape Cod Times

Now that it’s been removed, and with the state possibly facing a $2 billion deficit, alcohol-abuse treatment advocates are bracing for a crisis, …

PRESCRIPTION DRUGS – USA
Hawaii hands in half ton of prescription drugs – NECN

Hawaii residents have turned in more than half a ton of prescription drugs in response to program encouraging people to hand in unused, …

PRESCRIPTION DRUGS – USA
Prescription Drug use Doubles in Teens and Young Adults – eMaxHealth

Prescription drug use has doubled among teens and young adults since 1994, found in a new analysis. Researchers warn that higher use of prescription drugs …

PRESCRIPTION DRUGS – USA
Grants to help groups fight prescription abuse by teens – KOAM-TV

The money will be used in Jasper County to educate teens on prescription and over-the-counter drug abuse. In Newton County, more programs will teach teens …

PRESCRIPTION DRUGS – USA
Students abusing pills to study should be expelled – Daily Sundial

Academic dishonesty is a greater reason for a student to get expelled, and taking these prescription drugs is academic dishonesty. Adderall and Ritalin give …

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.

Oxycodone – USA
‘Big Brother 9′ Winner Released To Drug Treatment – The Associated Press

‘Big Brother 9′ Winner Facing Drug Charges Released To Drug Treatment After Posting Bail

Alcohol – USA
ND Measure Would Raise Taxes On Wine, Beer, Liquor – The Associated Press

Raising North Dakota’s taxes on beer, wine and liquor would provide up to $2 million a year for programs that teach about the dangers of underage and binge drinking, says an advocate who wants a statewide vote on the issue.

Drug Money Smuggling – Mexico
U.S. drug cartel crackdown misses the money – The Associated Press

TIJUANA, Mexico – Every day, criminals shove proceeds from U.S. drug sales in their shoes, tape it to their torsos, stash it under dashboards — or just wire it electronically to Mexico. It all adds up to $25 billion a year.

Drugs – World News
3 Al-Qaida Suspects Charged In African Drug Case – The Associated Press

US Charges 3 Al-Qaida Suspects With African Drug Smuggling Into Europe

Underage Drinking – USA
Drunk 4-Year-Old Hayden Wright Steals Christmas Gifts, Drinks Beers, Has Very Merry Xmas – Crimesider

Hayden’s mother, 21-year-old April Wright, woke up at 1:45 a.m. and panicked when she realized he was missing. She found Hayden, drunk, outside the house drinking a 12-ounce can of beer Tuesday.

Alcohol Related Death – Germany
German Police: Missing US Man Fell Drunk In River – The Associated Press

German Police: Missing American Student Most Likely Fell Drunk Into Frankfurt River

Methadone – UK
The Big Question: Is methadone being over-prescribed as a treatment for drug addiction? – The Independent

A dispute has erupted over the treatment of drug addicts in prisons. According to the former government drugs tsar, Mike Trace, the Ministry of Justice and the Department of Health are battling to impose their differing approaches. The Ministry of Justice is said to favour pushing addicts towards abstinence, while the Department of Health is understood to back the “maintenance” prescribing of methadone to keep addicts stable.

Olympics – World News
IOC Withholds Jones’ 100-Meter Gold From Thanou – ABC News

The International Olympic Committee on Wednesday reallocated two individual medals stripped from Marion Jones for doping, but in an unprecedented move withheld her 100-meter prize from Greek sprinter Katerina Thanou because of her “disgraceful” behavior in evading drug tests at the 2004 Athens Olympics.

Oxycodone – Canada
Oxycodone Linked to Rise in Opioid-Related Deaths – HealthDayNews, Inc.

In the Canadian province of Ontario, painkiller abuse appears to have boosted the number of deaths from the drug known as oxycodone.

Narcotics – USA
Ky. Clinic Killing Highlights Region’s Drug Issues – The Associated Press

As the only doctor in a 30-mile swath of Appalachia, Dennis Sandlin was committed to using a tracking system designed to curb prescription drug abuse, an epidemic in the area he had served for nearly two decades.

Drugs – USA
Bodybuilders See Kidney Damage With Steroids – The New York Times

Many competitive bodybuilders take anabolic steroids to achieve their freakishly exaggerated physiques. That is no secret. But steroids can be only one part of an extreme regimen that can wreak havoc on the body. Human growth hormone, supplements, painkillers and diuretics can also be used to create the “shrink-wrapped” muscles so prized in the aesthetic.

Alcohol – USA
Drinkers Can Track BAC with New iPhone App – Join Together

A new iPhone application helps users keep track of their blood-alcohol content (BAC) and sends warning messages if data indicates the user is “buzzed” or legally intoxicated.

ALCOHOL – USA
Government: Growth in women who drink and drive – The Associated Press

The number of women arrested for drunken driving has jumped nearly 30 percent in the past decade, a dangerous trend that was all too evident when a wrong-way crash involving a woman in New York killed eight people.

ALCOHOL – USA
Crackdown on drunk driving begins Friday – The Capital Times

Hundreds of police officers and deputies will be out in force this weekend, cracking down on drunks who think it’s okay to get behind the wheel.

ALCOHOL – USA
Alcohol Rehab and Your Health – Trans World News

The abuse of alcohol, an addiction to alcohol can destroy your life on many different levels.  The number of people who have lost jobs, broken relationships and literally gone broke as a result of their alcohol addiction is huge.

PAINKILLER – USA
Even Pain Killer Addiction Requires Professional Treatment – Trans World News

The chemical nature of painkiller addiction makes it particularly tough to beat. Prescription painkillers like morphine, codeine, and oxycodone are linked to the same kind of drug dependency that underlies heroin abuse.

PAINKILLER – USA
Common painkiller more effective in fracture pain – Press TV

A simple over-the-counter painkiller is reported to be more effective in alleviating pain in children suffering a fracture than the more powerful combinations.

COCAINE – USA
U.S. Currency Contaminated with Cocaine – Join Together

The vast majority of U.S. paper money in circulation contains traces of cocaine, a new study finds. CNN reported Aug. 18 that researchers found that 90 percent of $1, $5, $10, $20 and $50 bills tested had detectable cocaine residue. Bills from major cities were more likely to test positive than those from smaller cities.

DRUGS – USA
More women held for driving while intoxicated, study finds – CNN News

Arrests for women driving under the influence jumped by nearly 30 percent during the decade ending in 2007, according to a study released Wednesday by the U.S. Transportation Department.

ADDICTION – USA
Narconon Graduate Handles Addiction Permanently – Trans World News

Feeling “helpless, undeserving and pretty hopeless “was what Paul experienced for more than 12 years while addicted to drugs. Paul says the more he used the more his life fell apart to the point that he was so self-destructive, his family finally stepped in to help him.

ALCOHOL – UK
Poor diet and alcohol abuse behind tripling of liver cancer – Wales Online

Poor diet and alcohol consumption, together with drug use are seen as the main factors behind the increase.

DRUGS – USA
Rx drugs leading cause of King County drug deaths – KOMO News

Deaths from prescription drugs have surpassed illegal drugs as the leading cause of drug-related deaths in King County, according to a new report released on Wednesday.

PRESCRIPTION – USA
Prescription painkillers cause most King County drug deaths – Seattle Post Intelligencer

Abuse of prescription drugs is the leading cause of drug-related deaths in King County, a new report has found. In 2008, prescription opiates caused 153 of 256 drug-related deaths in King County.

PRESCRIPTION – USA
Dentists Seen as Source for Prescription Pain Pills – Join Together

Individuals addicted to prescription pain medications often turn to dentists as a source for drugs like codeine, Vicodin and OxyContin.

HEROIN – USA
Narconon Trois-Rivieres Cites ‘Hillbilly Heroin’ as Canadian Drug Addiction Crisis – PR Newswire

Legally prescribed by doctors and different medical practices, this narcotic is also regularly bought on the street and by methods of doctor-to-doctor shopping.

ALCOHOL – USA
Task force meets about campus alcohol problems – University Daily Kansas

The new University Alcohol Task Force is considering several proposals to change policies regarding alcohol on campus. The task force, which includes a variety of University staff, officials and students, held its first meeting Tuesday afternoon to discuss ways to curb alcohol use in light of recent alcohol-related student deaths.

ALCOHOL – USA
Survey reveals drug, alcohol use at L-S – Lincoln Journal

Drug and alcohol use and abuse is a problem, not only at Lincoln-Sudbury Regional High School, but also at high schools across the region, the state and the nation.

ALCOHOL – UK
Thousands of children drinking seven pints a week – Telegraph

A third of children aged 11 to 15 who drink, consume more than 15 units in a week, the equivalent of seven pints of lager or one and a half bottles of average strength wine.

HEROIN – USA
Walpole chief: Heroin use on the rise – Daily News Transcript

Cheap heroin has flooded the streets of Walpole and the area in the past few months, causing some painkiller addicts to turn to the notorious drug – occasionally with lethal consequences.

MARIJUANA – USA
Chart of the Day: Marijuana/alcohol biggest problem for youth – Seattle Post Intelligencer

Most people under the age of 18 admitted to drug-assistance programs in King County last year were admitted for marijuana use, according to a report released Wednesday.

RITALIN – USA
What are signs of drug use? – Star News

I think a family member may be using drugs.  What are some of the physical signs that I can look for that might indicate whether they are using drugs or not.

ALCOHOL – USA
Narconon Arrowhead Provides Alcohol Rehab for San Francisco Residents – Trans World News

Alcohol-related problems cost the city of San Francisco an estimated $175 million annually indicating an urgent need for alcohol education and effective alcohol rehabilitation.

ALCOHOL – UK
India toxic alcohol toll tops 100 – BBC News

The number of people who have died in the western Indian state of Gujarat after drinking toxic illegal alcohol has now risen to 107, police say.

METH – USA
Narconon Arrowhead Provides Inpatient Rehab for San Francisco Residents – Trans World News

Methamphetamine is the primary drug threat in California not to mention the easy availability of cocaine, heroin, club drugs and illegally obtained prescription drugs indicating an urgent need for drug education and inpatient rehabilitation.

PRESCRIPTION – USA
Coroner reissues warning on prescription drugs – Pekin Daily Times

The rate of prescription drug overdoses in Tazewell County has dropped since a rash of deaths in February, said Tazewell County Coroner Dennis Conover, but the public needs to beware of abusing the medications prescribed to help them.

ALCOHOL – UK
What Is An Alcoholic? What Is Alcoholism? What Is Alcohol Abuse? – Medical News Today

An alcoholic is a person who suffers from alcoholism – the body is dependent on alcohol. An alcoholic is addicted to alcohol.

MORPHINE – NEW ZEALAND
Popularity of painkiller OxyContin a concern – TVNZ

One drug among the cocktail Michael Jackson is believed to have used before his death is proving popular with New Zealanders.

PAINKILLER – USA
FDA considering banning painkillers Vicodin, Percocet, Darvocet – Tulsa World

We won’t know the fate of these drugs for months. Currently, the FDA is considering banning narcotics like Vicodin and Percocet, two popular painkillers because they contain acetaminophen (Tylenol).

PRESCRIPTION – USA
Prescription medication abuse continues among Staten Island young adults – Staten Island Advance

The prescription drug-abuse scourge that plagues Staten Island’s young people shows no sign of slowing down.

HEROIN – USA
Heroin takes hold again — with younger abusers – Indianapolis Star

Heroin use is on the rise again, though this time it is reaching younger people in the suburbs of Central Indiana and elsewhere.

PAINKILLER – USA
Top Pain Pills May Be Banned – Join Together

A federal advisory panel has recommended that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) ban the painkillers Percocet and Vicodin because of their damaging effects on the liver.

DRUGS – USA
This Is Your Country on Drugs: How the DARE Generation Got High – Alternet

During the mid- to late nineties, American teens got as high as any group of young folks since the seventies, right under the noses of the people who had kicked off the last national indulgence.

DRUGS – AUSTRALIA
Danger signs for smoking drugs – The Age

Popular anti-smoking drugs could soon be forced to carry strong warnings about the risks they pose to mental health, including suicidal thoughts.

DRUGS – USA
Ontario’s Oxycodone Abuse – Prescriptions Can be Deadly – Trans World News

Oxycodone is put into many different forms of pain relief medications that are given as prescriptions and also bought illegally on the street.  The most famous of these drugs is OxyContin, which has an ability to become severely habit forming and the user can build a very dangerous tolerance to the drug.

PRESCRIPTION – USA
Over-the-counter painkillers and prescriptions could be deadly combination – Canton Repository

Taking over-the-counter painkillers along with certain prescription painkillers can cause liver failure, warned Food and Drug Administration (FDA) officials late last week.

ALCOHOL – USA
Alcohol Responsible for Over Half of Russian Deaths in One Decade – Join Together

More than half of deaths among Russians ages 15 to 54 were attributable to alcohol consumption during the 10-year period following the collapse of the Soviet Union in late 1991, compared to less than 4 percent worldwide, according to a new study led by the Russian Cancer Research Center.

METH – USA
Study: Cognitive Functions Can Recover After Methamphetamine Use – Join Together

Researchers at the University of California at Davis reported that certain cognitive deficits resulting from methamphetamine use can be recovered, although recovery takes at least a year

PRESCRIPTION – USA
Prescription Drug Abuse: Crisis in America – Imperial Valley News

Drugs have had a devastating impact on American society for more than a century.  The human toll of drug abuse- the lost talent and potential of those who have died in drug related incidents- is immeasurable.

ALCOHOL – USA
Environment plays a key role in Drug and Alcohol Rehabilitation – Trans World News

Mountainside Treatment Center is located in the breathtaking serene environment of the foothills of the Berkshires. Our experience shows that the correct environment plays a vital role in a person’s recovery from drug addiction and alcoholism.

PRESCRIPTION – USA
Narconon Graduate Successfully Recovers From Prescription Drug Abuse – PR News Wire

Ramsy Darwish knows what it’s like being addicted to prescription pain medication. In a recent story called America’s “Other” Drug Problem Prescription Medication Abuse with CNN’s Rick Sanchez, Ramsy shared his story of addiction and recovery and how he got help, finally ending up at the Narconon Freedom Center drug and alcohol rehabilitation program.

ADDICTION – USA
Narconon Arrowhead Provides Drug Rehab for Minneapolis Residents – Trans World News

Minneapolis like many states through out the United States is struggling. It’s residents are struggling not just from the pressure of a bad economy but from the pressure of addiction.

ADDICTION – USA
Drug Addiction and Substance Abuse Root Cause of Crime – Trans World News

History will view this time as a dark age – an age where an entire generation suffered from drug addiction and were thrown into prison to recover, much like Bedlam.

DRUGS – USA
Drug Rehab Services Helps Ontario OxyContin Abusers – Express Press Release

OxyContin abuse is a very serious problem that does impact the residents of Ontario. Drug Rehab Services receives many calls from families looking for help who have a loved one slowly dying form an OxyContin addiction.

ADDICTION – USA
Narconon Arrowhead Supports Outpatient Drug Rehab for New York Residents – Trans World News

New York State Department of Correctional Services (DOCS) began a new Work Release program in 2007 for inmates who were eligible.  The outpatient programs chemical dependence assessments and counseling are provided by (OASAS) Office of Alcohol and Substance Abuse Services a not-for- profit organization.

PRESCRIPTION – USA
Prescription drug abuse growing in Indiana – Indianapolis Star

The latest drug threat isn’t coming from street dealers or makeshift laboratories. It’s coming from your medicine cabinet. A new state report released last week found that while street-drug use is still a problem, prescription-drug abuse is increasing at an alarming rate.

ALCOHOL – USA
Alcohol-detection device would keep the vehicle from starting if the driver is drunk – The Plain Dealer

Drunken driving kills. And now the auto industry and federal government are collaborating on research they hope will kill drunken driving.

ALCOHOL – USA
Alcohol detector would prevent car from starting if driver is drunk – The Plain Dealer

Advocates say the new devices — still in preliminary development phases — would be a far cry from the Breathalyzer-type ignition interlocks that Ohio judges order convicted drunken drivers to install to keep their cars from starting if they’ve been drinking.