Drug News

PAINKILLER – USA
U.S. issues warning on fentanyl patch use – Sun Journal

Improper use of patches that emit the painkiller fentanyl is still killing people, the government said Friday – its second warning in two years about the powerful narcotic.

METH – USA
APD: Mobile meth labs endanger residents – KRWE News

Drug users and drug dealers are taking their habits on the road, which could provide dangerous circumstances for Duke City residents.

METH – USA
Meth dealers have no boundaries, neither do law enforcement – KTRE News

The investigation actually began in Nacogdoches County, Precinct 4 by the constable’s office. After weeks of surveillance the arrest went down in Nacogdoches County, Precinct one.

METH – USA
Warning about shake and bake Meth – WALB News

South Georgia drug agents have a warning tonight about a new kind of Meth lab. They say the labs are dangerous and people might stumble innocently on them.

PRESCRIPTION – USA
Prescription Painkiller Dependence and Medically Assisted Recovery – Empow Her

Have you ever started taking pain medications only to discover that long after the pain had gone you were still taking the pills out of habit? Over 5.2 million Americans are currently using prescription pain relievers such as Vicodin, OxyContin, Morphine and Codeine non-medically.

PRESCRIPTION – USA
Sharing Prescription Meds Common Among U.S. Teens – Atlanta Journal Constitution

About 20 percent of U.S. teens exchange prescription drugs such as antibiotics and allergy medications with friends, a practice that can be dangerous and potentially deadly, warns a new study.

PRESCRIPTION – USA
Prescription abuse draws attention – Muskogee Daily Phoenix

The danger of local young people abusing prescription drugs is getting worse, according to the Muskogee Community Anti-Drug Network.

ALCOHOL – UK
Heavy drinking culture blamed for surge in oral cancers – Guardian

Growing numbers of 40-somethings are developing mouth, lip and tongue cancer because they drink too much alcohol, Cancer Research UK warns today.

ALCOHOL – UK
Teen Health Threatened By Binge Drinking And Smoking – Medical News Today

As teens head back to school, health teachers may want to revise their lesson plans. Temple researchers have found that kids who engage in heavy drinking will more than likely also engage in heavy smoking, and they say educators can help combat the trend by addressing both topics as one health risk.

PRESCRIPTION – USA
Prescription Drug Abuse Concern on College Campuses – Trans World News

According to the Archives of Internal Medicine, in a recent study of nearly 50 million U.S. death certificates, more than 224,000 involved fatal medication errors, including overdoses and mixing prescription drugs with alcohol and street drugs.

METH – USA
Meth labs can contaminate houses – Sand Mountain Reporter

The passage of the pseudoephedrine bill in 2006 reduced the number of methamphetamine labs in Marshall County dramatically. But the numbers are increasing again as methamphetamine cooks learn new ways of obtaining the base ingredient for manufacturing meth. The problem has not just gone away.

METH – USA
Narconon Offers Effective Drug Rehabilitation for Methamphetamine Addicts – Trans World News

According to a national survey, approximately ten million people in the United States have tried methamphetamine at least once.

ALCOHOL – UK
Alcohol deaths treble in Wales – Wales Online

Deaths from alcohol abuse in Wales have almost trebled in a generation, according to shocking new official figures. The latest statistics reveal the extent of the nation’s booze shame, leading experts to call for a revolution in the way we deal with drink.

ALCOHOL – UK
Growing problem of alcohol abuse among elderly uncovered – Times Online

A survey of more than 800 people over the age of 60 found 13 per cent said they drank more after retirement — despite the risks to their health.

ALCOHOL – USA
Study finds decline in alcohol use by drivers – San Francisco Chronicle

The number of drunk drivers on the roads has fallen sharply during the past 30 years amid tougher laws, stiffer enforcement and a shift in societal views on alcohol.

ALCOHOL – UK
Heavy, Daily Drinking Increases Risk Of High-Grade Prostate Cancer; Makes Preventive Drug Ineffective – Medical News Today

Researchers led by Zhihong Gong Ph.D. of the University of California San Francisco, examined the associations of total alcohol, type of alcoholic beverage, and drinking pattern with risks of total, low- and high-grade prostate cancer.

DRUGS – USA
Driver Survey Finds Less Drinking, More Drugs – The New York Times

Random roadside checks show that the percentage of people driving under the influence of alcohol appears to be declining, but many weekend drivers test positive for drug use.

HEROIN – USA
Heroin cases on the rise – KFVS News

If you think your neighborhood is safe from the drug problem, think again. Drug investigators say heroin dealers are moving into nicer neighborhoods, and in some cases closer to schools.

COCAINE – USA
Cocaine Abuse Still A Problem Drug Addiction – Trans World News

Seven percent of high school seniors have tried cocaine and one in six Americans has tried cocaine by the age of 30, according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse.

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.

ADDICTION – USA
Narconon of Georgia is presenting the facts about Marijuana Addiction – Trans World News

Some proponents of the legalization of marijuana have claimed that there is no evidence that marijuana causes harm, or is addictive. This is a small sample of cited works which indicate that this is not true. The information is freely available on the web at the National Institute of Health’s web site.

PAINKILLER – UK
Painkiller ban cuts suicides – North Wales Chronicle

A well-conducted study into the withdrawal of co-proxamol has provided good evidence that the drug’s withdrawal has reduced deaths from poisoning in England and Wales, and particularly suicides linked to co-proxamol overdose. This reduction was not accompanied by an increase in suicides using other drugs, although trends in other suicide methods were not tracked.

ADDICTION – USA
Drug Addiction And Meaningful Sobriety – Trans World News

With the number of drug rehab programs and drug treatment centers on the market, it can be hard to know where to turn for addiction counseling services. In choosing a drug rehabilitation plan that can work for you, it’s essential to keep in mind that you are a unique individual.

ALCOHOL – USA
Stay safe on the water – Laurel Leader Call

As the weather heats up and the Fourth of July weekend beckons, many people are heading to the beaches, lakes and ponds around south Mississippi for a little relief from soaring summer heat.

ALCOHOL – UK
Study blames alcohol for half 1990s Russian deaths – The Associated Press

A new study by an international team of public health researchers documents the devastating impact of alcohol abuse on Russia — showing that drinking caused more than half of deaths among Russians aged 15 to 54 in the turbulent era following the Soviet collapse.

DRUGS – UK
Families to receive antidote to help drug users who overdose – Guardian

Families of chaotic drug users are to be given an antidote to keep their relatives alive in the event of a heroin overdose in a pilot scheme to be launched this week.

DRUGS – UK
Cannabis, Cocaine and a nation with a drugs problem – PR CannaZine

Its been announced by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, that the United Kingdom is in the teeth of a cocaine epidemic, with the nation standing head & shoulders above the rest of the world when it comes to consumption of the class A drug.

PAINKILLER – USA
Europe Regulator Advises Ban on Painkiller – The Wall Street Journal

Europe’s main medical regulator recommended that a 50-year-old painkiller, already largely ordered off shelves in some places, be withdrawn from the European market out of concern that patients have been fatally overdosing from it.

PRESCRIPTION – USA
RX drug abuse a growing problem – Tampa Tribune

Highlands County Sheriff’s Capt. Randy LaBelle thinks illegal use of prescription drugs is not increasing just locally, but everywhere else as well.

PAINKILLER – USA
Rise in addiction prompts call for painkiller policy – The Sydney Morning Herald

Doctors groups are urging a radical rethink of how opioid drugs are supplied and controlled, amid evidence of a surge in the number of people addicted to prescription painkillers.

PAINKILLER – USA
Middle class painkiller drug users on the rise – WA Today

White collar, middle class people addicted to prescription painkillers are emerging as Australia’s new breed of drug users, doctors warn.

DRUGS – USA
Accessibility of Rx Drugs – KAMR News

According to the Partnership for a Drug-Free America, 61 percent of teens say prescription drugs are easier to get than any other drug. One reason…easy accessibility.

COCAINE – USA
Cocaine Users’ Brains Behave Differently from Non-Users’ – Join Together

Researchers from the Brookhaven National Laboratory and the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) have demonstrated that an area of the brain called the Anterior Cingulate Cortex (ACC) shows differences in levels of activity between cocaine users compared with non-users when performing a series of tasks.

CANNABIS – UK
Landlords beware of cannabis factories in rental properties – Money High Street

It’s National Tackling Drugs Week and the National Landlords Association (NLA) is advising landlords to beware of cannabis factories springing up in their rental properties.

OXYCODONE – USA
A Disturbing Rise in Oxycodone Deaths –

The number of accidental overdoses are up around the county now surpassing the number of people who die each year in motor vehicle accidents and by being shot to death.

DRUGS – USA
County Officials: OxyContin-Related Deaths On Rise – KGTV News

A popular painkiller is being blamed on a spike in the number of deaths in San Diego County, 10News reported.

HEROIN – USA
Heroin Use Increasing In Central Ohio, Agents Say – WBNS TV News

Heroin is so prevalent with teenagers and young adults, that some federal agents are calling it an epidemic, and they stress that central Ohio is not immune, 10TV’s Patrick Bell reported on Tuesday.

METH – USA
Statewide program launched to fight meth addiction – KHNL News

Crystal methamphetamine addiction costs Hawaii half a billion dollars a year.  A new campaign hopes to reduce that dangerous trend.

METH – USA
Meth Lab Busts Up In Ky – WLKY News

Kentucky law enforcement officials said meth lab seizures have increased by more than a third last year.

METH – USA
Herding Squirrels: Montana Meth Project – News & Observer

While it’s easy to to turn a blind eye and pretend that you are an exemplary parent and therefore your child is immune to peer pressure and the struggles of life in general, the wise, non-idiotic, slightly-aware parent knows that there is a big, giant world out there, and that world is waiting for your child.

DRUGS – UK
More young people seek help for problems with drugs as services expand – National Treatment Agency

Figures published today by the National Treatment Agency (NTA) for BBC Radio 1 have shown that more people than ever under the age of 30 are getting help for problems with drugs.

DRUGS – UK
Drug habits see a ‘major shift’ – BBC News

Counsellors in England alone saw 52,294 people aged 13-24, a rise of 12% in two years, according to data from the National Treatment Agency.

ALCOHOL – UK
Anti-binge drinking campaign reminds people to know their limits – Home Office

A new advertising campaign including a video which confronts young people with the reality of their drunken behaviour has been launched.

CANNABIS – UK
Drugs warning follows cannabis seizure – Isleofman

Detectives have been questioning four men, after cannabis resin with a street value of over £1,000 was seized in Douglas.

DRUGS – UK
Number of youngsters seeking help for drugs hit record level – Daily Mail

Drugs and alcohol are taking a heavier toll than ever on young people, with a record number treated for a problem last year.

PAINKILLER – AUSTRALIA
Painkiller study warns of overdose risks – ABC News

A national study of prescription painkillers has shown Australia is in danger of following a United States trend to an increase in drug overdose deaths.

DRUGS – UK
Youth drug treatment hits record – BBC News

A record number of young people in England sought treatment for drug or alcohol problems in 2007/8, according to figures obtained by the BBC.

ALCOHOL – USA
Parents: Kill a buzz, save a life – Los Angeles Times

Drug use among teens is pervasive. Nearly 45% of teenagers in grades 9 through 12 drink alcohol, and more than 25% of them binge drink, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s 2007 Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance.

METH – USA
Latest Montana news, sports, business and entertainment – KXMC News

The federal judge hearing the ASARCO bankruptcy case in Texas has approved environmental settlements that include major money for industrial cleanup in Montana.

METH – USA
Annual meth seminar to put spotlight on Floyd County drug problem – Rome News Tribune

The Floyd County Sheriff’s Office invites the community to participate in a methamphetamine awareness seminar Tuesday at The Forum to talk about the devastating effects it has on the community.

METH – USA
Thwarting meth use is goal of project –

Meth use dominates every court calendar he has, including paternity, domestic abuse and Child Protective Services, said the lead judge of the Special Division.

PRESCRIPTION – USA
Prescription drugs account for growing share of abuse among young people – Pittsburg Tribune Review

Prescription drugs account for growing share of abuse among young people. Prescription pills and painkillers such as OxyContin and Vicodin are gaining hold among people of all races, ages and demographics, officials said.

PRESCRIPTION – USA
Teens look to prescriptions for new thrills – Suffolk News Herald

According to the National Clearinghouse for Alcohol and Drug Information, the number of teen and young adult abusers of prescription painkillers has grown by more than 500 percent since the mid-eighties.

PRESCRIPTION – USA
Beach police hosting collection event for old prescription drugs – The Virginian Pilot

Residents looking to dispose of old prescription drugs can drop them off until 3 p.m. today at a collection event being hosted by the Virginia Beach Police Department.

HEROIN – USA
A ‘big problem’ – heroin – rattles small-town Milton – Wisconsin State Journal

Along with the usual year-end activities at the middle school here — a picnic for eighth-graders, a trip to Six Flags Great America — students were shuffled into an assembly Friday that no one saw coming just a few weeks ago.

COCAINE – USA
Contaminated cocaine reported in Seattle and Spokane – KPAX News

The contaminated cocaine the Seattle-King County Health Department is warning about has been around for years and may have caused the death of a woman from Spokane.

PAINKILLERS – USA
Painkiller Patch Can Lead To Addiction – Science Daily

Morphine patches are supposed to reduce use of painkillers, and provide more control over their use in chronic pain conditions. But researchers at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) and St. Olavs Hospital in Trondheim have found otherwise.

METH – USA
Students learn of the dangers of meth – El Defensor Chieftain

The Socorro Rotary Club, in collaboration with the Sheriff’s Department and Healthy Family Initiative, hosted an informative seminar on the dangers of methenphetamine use for students at Zimmerly Elementary School.

PRESCRIPTION – USA
Getting Rid of Unwanted Prescription Medication – WYTV News

Boardman Police are helping residents dispose of unused medications. The police have teamed up with Home Instead Senior Care to toss out unwanted and expired prescriptions and over-the-counter medications.

HEROIN – USA
Signals of heroin abuse – Aurora Beacon News

Here are some symptoms or clues from the Heroin Awareness Foundation that are key indicators of possible heroin use.

ALCOHOL – USA
Drug, alcohol testing coming to Carson High – Nevada Appeal

Drug and alcohol use has been prevalent among student-athletes for years. Weekend parties were, and still are, the norm. The only way a student-athlete has ever been penalized in the past is by getting caught red-handed or turned in by a fellow student. All that will change when school resumes in the fall, as Carson and Douglas high schools become the third and fourth schools in Nevada to go to mandatory drug testing of its student-athletes.

DRUGS – USA
Move over cocaine and heroin: Law enforcement fight a growing trend of prescription drug abuse – Shelby Star

They come in all colors, shapes and sizes.
Police have fought heroin, cocaine and meth for years. But now prescription drugs are a major problem.

HEROIN – USA
Back in heroin’s grasp: Deadly drug making a comeback on the Peninsula – WTKR TV News

On the street, they call it thunder, dust, junk or smack. Some shoot, smoke or snort it to feel the warm sensation — or to numb the pain. Like other drugs, heroin is popular one minute and fades into the background the next.

ALCOHOL – USA
Communication is key for parents addressing alcohol with children – Oshkosh Northwestern

For many parents, May signals the end of high school careers while for others it may mean their children having to readjust after returning home from their first year away at college.

DRUGS – USA
The Road To Wellness Begins With An Effective Rehab Program – Trans World News

Malibu is unlike any other place on the planet. From the beaches to the mountains, the ocean to the sky-there’s simply no environment quite like the Southern California coast, especially in terms of seclusion and tranquility.

PRESCRIPTION – USA
Prescription Drug Use Down in 2008 – Natural Products Marketplace

Prescription drug use fell in 2008 in the United States, reported the Associated Press. The decline is due in part because fewer drugs were launched; some, like Zyrtec, became available without a prescription; and some drugs faced safety issues that led to decreased use. Those factors seem to have a bigger impact than the recession.

PRESCRIPTION – USA
Forum tackles ‘devastating issue’ of prescription-drug abuse in Maine – Morning Sentinel

The conference, held at the Grandeur Sun Conference Center, attracted about 250 people, including law-enforcement and state officials, pharmacists, mental-health professionals and others. It was hosted by the group FertileGround of Brunswick.

ALCOHOL – UK
Youths Use Drink Labels To Choose Strongest Drink At Lowest Cost, Australia – Medical News Today

Contrary to the industry’s position that visible drink labels will promote responsible drinking, young people are, instead, using these visible standard drink labels to increase or even maximize the amount of alcohol they consume at the lowest cost possible.

ALCOHOL – USA
Illinois House Considering Alcohol Tax Increase – Tristate WTVW News

The Illinois House is mulling over a new proposal to raise the tax on alcohol by a nickel a drink. The five-cent increase would apply to a bottle of beer, a glass of wine, or a shot of liquor bought at a store, restaurant, or bar.

ALCOHOL – USA
Proposed alcohol tax could fund substance abuse programs – WJBD Radio News

Some Illinois lawmakers are looking to increase the tax on alcohol to help pay for substance abuse prevention and treatment services. The proposed tax being considered in the house amounts to about a nickel a drink.

PRESCRIPTION – USA
In Henrico, parents are warned about pill parties – Richmond Times-Dispatch

Rather than bringing snacks and sodas to some parties, teens are bringing whatever prescription pills they can glean from around the house.

ALCOHOL – USA
Alcohol bills become law – The Times-Journal

Three bills passed Thursday afternoon could have a significant effect on the future of alcohol sales in DeKalb County.

ALCOHOL – UK
Ministers target booze promotions – BBC News

Plans to ban “irresponsible” drinks promotions in pubs and clubs – such as pouring alcohol down someone’s throat – have been launched for consultation.

ALCOHOL – USA
City tightens alcohol consumption law – Star Community News

The Plano City Council adopted a revision to an alcohol ordinance that will reduce the areas of the city where beverages can legally be consumed.

ALCOHOL – USA
Can a Few Drinks a Day Lead to Alcoholism? – The New York Times

This week, Personal Health columnist Jane Brody writes on the Rethinking Drinking program at the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, created in part by Dr. Mark Willenbring, director of the agency’s Division of Treatment and Recovery Research.

DRUG – USA
Dump your Drugs Dangerous but “Legal” – The Gridley Herald

Everyone is aware that “street drugs” such as Heroin, Cocaine and especially Methamphetamine are very addicting substances.  Addiction can occur starting with the first use of these substances.

PRSCRIPTION – USA
Meeting about perils of prescription drug abuse on Staten Island – Staten Island Advance

An Islandwide town hall meeting to discuss teenage prescription drug abuse meant to highlight what officials have called a troubling epidemic will be held tonight at the Petrides School in Sunnyside.

ADDICTION – USA
Addiction Treatment for Public Safety Officers – Trans World News

In this day and age, the most stressful jobs include public safety officers.  For many professionals who are involved with public safety in their careers, the stress involved really can take its toll.

ADDICTION – USA
Addiction Will Run Your Life Until You Stop It With Rehab – Trans World News

Malibu rehab has to start with a personal decision. Addiction recovery, after all, isn’t a spectator sport. If you’re going to get better, it’s going to be because you make it happen-because you commit yourself to your luxury Malibu rehab program, and resolve to see the healing process through to its conclusion.

ADDICTION – USA
Millions of Children Live With Drug Addicts – Trans World News

Many understand that if a parent is abusing drugs or alcohol, these effects will be felt by the children involved.