Drug News

MARIJUANA – USA
Illinois Senate approves medical marijuana bill – KXAN.com

“For every touching story that we have heard about the benefits of those in pain, I remind you today that there are a thousand times more parents who will never be relieved from the pain of losing a child due to addiction.”

PRESCRIPTION DRUGS – USA
I-Team: NYC Targets Pain Pills as Latest Health Scourge – NBC New York

To combat pain pill addiction, Farley’s office is launching a campaign that looks … “For a toothache, do I really need something like OxyContin?”

ALCOHOL ABUSE – USA
Are Women Bigger Binge Drinkers Than Men? – Cosmopolitan

According to new research, female college students tend to exceed the drinking guidelines created by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse.

PRESCRIPTION DRUGS – USA
Wrongful Death Suit Brings Attention to Prescription Pain Medication – Albany Times Union

After spending six seasons in the NHL, Derek Boogaard earned a reputation for being one of the toughest professional hockey players in the league. When he died from an accidental overdose of prescription drugs in 2011, Boogaard showed signs of chronic traumatic encephalopathy, a brain ailment caused by repeated blows to the head, as well as a high level of alcohol in his blood.

HEROIN – USA
Killer Heroin Use Widespread, Will Education Cut Use? – Cape May County Herald

Heroin in Cape May County is killing young adults from “good” families in “nice” neighborhoods. In the last month, the county has experienced nine heroin overdoses with five of them fatal.

ALCOHOL ABUSE – SWITZERLAND
Alcohol abuse linked to domestic violence – SwissInfo.ch

Almost every second woman who is subject to abuse says that alcohol consumption is a problem in her relationship, according to a study.

HEROIN – USA
Heroin dealer hopes others learn from his mistakes – KRCG

Week after week, heroin makes headlines. Overdoses are all-to common and dealer arrests have become the norm.
Right now, there are about 31,250 people incarcerated in Missouri. Many of those struggling with a alcohol and/or drug abuse problems.

DRUG ABUSE – USA
Gateway Drugs that Every Mom Must Know About – Hive Health Media

However, doctors report that the use of opioid drugs like Oxycontin has been shown to very easily lead to heroin use and addiction, partly due to a decrease in the cost of heroin.

PRESCRIPTION DRUGS – USA
Treatment needed to keep Rx abuse from leading to heroin – Marion Star

In 2011, the most recent year statistics are available, 1,765 Ohio residents died from unintentional drug overdoses. More than 65 percent had opiates — a family of drugs that include brand name pills such as Percocet and Vicodin, legitimate but highly abusable medicines, and heroin — in their system.

DRUG REHAB – USA
Funding Restored to Prince William’s Jailhouse Drug Rehab Program – Potomac Local

Over the last four years, the recidivism rate [for inmates who don’t complete the DORM program] was 55%… the recidivism rate for inmates who complete the DORM program for the same four years…it’s an overall average of 27%.

ALCOHOL – AUSTRALIA
GIRLS as young as 13 are undergoing rehab for alcohol addiction – Perth Now.com

The girls are getting younger, they are coming in at 13 or 14 and have been drinking for a couple of years already. “Eventually we will need to start going out to primary schools if we want to prevent this.We would have to go back to eight and nine-year-olds and start working with them.”

DRUG ADDICTION – USA
Everything You Think You Know About Addiction Is Wrong – Take Part

David Sheff’s new book, ‘Clean,’ aims to completely change how we think about the epidemic that takes thousands of lives every year.

ALCOHOL ADDICTION – UK
Dog given award for helping Sleaford man beat alcohol addiction – This is Lincolnshire

A dog that helped a Sleaford man kick alcohol addiction has been given an award for bravery. “Before, I was in the pit of despair and hardly left my flat. Now, she gets me out of the house for walks and we meet people and I now have something to get out of bed for.

PRESCRIPTION DRUGS – USA
Rx. drug scourge: Staten Island is the front line in the war on prescription drugs – Silive.com

An urgent wake-up call has gone out to doctors on Staten Island: More than ever, this borough is Ground Zero in the deadly abuse citywide of prescription painkillers.

ALCOHOL – UK
Blue’s Lee Ryan: I loved going into rehab for my alcohol addiction – Now Magazine Online

Blue’s Lee Ryan has confessed that he recently went to rehab – and loved it. The outspoken star struggled with an addiction to alcohol for a long time but it became much worse last year after he split from fiancée Samantha Miller, the mother of his son Rain, 4. Lee quietly checked himself into rehab after the break-up caused his booze problems to spiral out of control.

PRESCRIPTION DRUGS – USA
OxyContin abuse: can it be slowed? – The Grio

Millions of OxyContin prescriptions are written each year and it is an oft-abused medication. But, OxyContin is not alone. Nearly 1.8 million Americans were addicted to some form of prescription pain reliever in 2011, much more than those addicted to cocaine and heroin combined.

PRESCRIPTION DRUGS – USA
Abuse-resistant OxyContin will be only version available: FDA – Los Angeles

Three years after it approved a version of the opioid analgesic OxyContin designed to discourage the painkiller’s abuse, the Food and Drug Administration has effectively barred the original form of the drug from ever reaching the legal U.S. market. The agency says it will approve no new applications from generic drug manufacturers to produce cheaper versions of OxyContin in its original form.

DRUG REHAB – USA
Video: Gov. Christie touts Jim McGreevey’s jailhouse drug rehab program as model alternative to war on drugs “failure” – NJ.com

After teary-eyed testimonials from a dozen prisoners, Christie calls the program a model for his efforts to expand drug courts, which require criminals with substance abuse problems to get treatment.

PRESCRIPTION DRUGS – USA
Gaps in prescription drug abuse treatment exist despite Missoula effort – Missoulian

In 2001, the number of people in Montana whose deaths were linked to prescription drugs was 112. The number of people in Missoula who died then from pills? Eleven. One decade later, the Missoula community had put the spotlight on the problem and launched an effort to address it. But the number of Missoulians who still died? Twenty-two. And the number of Montanans whose deaths were tied to prescription drugs was 192.

DRUG REHAB – USA
Lindsay Lohan Chats With Piers Morgan About Drugs, Rehab – Hollywood Reporter

Prior to Lindsay Lohan entering rehab at the Betty Ford Center to receive 90 days of treatment, the starlet spoke candidly about partying, drinking, drugs and getting advice from Meryl Streep. “I don’t think there’s anything wrong with people taking time to just be by themselves,” Lohan said about rehab. “I think people want to see me do that. They will keep saying the same things about me if I don’t.”

PRESCRIPTION DRUGS – USA
Brooke Mueller in rehab for prescription drug abuse, rep says – Los Angeles Times

Brooke Mueller, ex-wife of Charlie Sheen and mother to his twin boys, has been getting treatment for prescription drug abuse since Friday. Brook had her children taken away and given to Charlie’s other ex-wife, Denise Richards.

ALCOHOL – UK
As someone who uses alcohol as a prop myself, I can see there’s a problem – Guardian

A new health report focuses on the problems alcohol is causing, rather than the problems that make people drink. Still, either way: there’s a problem

PRESCRIPTION DRUGS – USA
Is Lindsay Lohan Getting Drugs in Rehab? – Cambio

LiLo is currently at The Betty Ford Center and TMZ reports that she IS being administered Adderall, a highly addictive prescription drug that many people abuse to help suppress appetite. While the drug is supposed to treat ADHD and Lindsay has obtained a prescription for it, her need for the drug has been called into question in the past.

ALCOHOL – USA
Barrington group warns of alcohol abuse during graduation, prom season – Barrington Courier-Review

With prom and graduation season nearing, the Barrington Area Drug Prevention Coalition is reminding parents and their children to be safe. “We talked about the strategies that go through our minds to prevent getting into certain situations,” said Meredith Slott, a BHS senior who was on the panel. The students said parental involvement is extremely important. Some parents also expressed frustration for what they see as a lack of supervision on the part of other parents. “Parent involvement is huge,” said Scott Nelson, another BHS senior on the panel. “A lot of times you can have great kids but an irresponsible parent can make all the difference.”

PRESCRIPTION DRUGS – USA
OxyContin a gateway to heroin for upper-income addicts – USA Today

Powerful prescription painkillers have become pricier and harder to use. So addicts across the USA are turning to this more volatile drug. The new twist: Heroin is no longer just an inner-city plague.

PRESCRIPTION DRUGS – USA
Teen Prescription Drug Abuse Jumps 33% – About.com

The prescription drug abuse epidemic in the United States has begun to affect our children as a new national survey shows a 33% increase in prescription drug use by teens since 2008.

DRUG REHAB – USA
Lindsay Lohan Hits NYC Bar Scene… 4 Days Before Rehab – TMZ.com

Sources at the bar tell us … Lohan rolled in to the place with 9 or 10 friends to watch some of her pals perform at a “Jam Fest” event. We’re told Lindsay sat quietly at her table for roughly 3 hours and didn’t suck down one drop of alcohol — just soda.

PRESCRIPTION DRUGS – USA
Prescription Drug Abuse: Top 10 Things CDC Says You Should Know – PBS

Austin Box “gutted through” pain. He was upbeat, alert and seemingly at the top of his physical game on a three-day trip to St. Louis. But the day after they returned, Austin was found unconscious in a friend’s home. He died after being taken to the hospital, at age 22. The toxicology report showed five different pain medications and an anti-anxiety drug in Austin’s system — a cocktail that ended up stopping his heart.

DRUG REHAB – USA
Cory Monteith, ‘Glee’ star, completes rehab for drug abuse after admitting himself in March – NY Daily News

Cory Monteith is looking good after checking out of rehab. The “Glee” star “voluntarily admitted himself to a treatment facility for substance addiction — and friends say ‘he looks great.’

PRESCRIPTION DRUGS – USA
Which Prescription Drugs Do Americans Abuse Most? – PBS

This abuse primarily occurs when people take medication not prescribed to them or take their own prescription drugs at a higher dosage than recommended by their doctor. The most commonly abused prescription drugs fall into three categories: Opioids (pain relievers), depressants and stimulants.

DRUG REHAB – USA
Obamacare Will Provide Regular Citizens the Same Rehab Services Celebs Get – Policy Mic

At least a quarter of that 23 million are ineligible for health insurance coverage, but thanks to health care law changes being implemented next year, anywhere from 3 million to 5 million people will be eligible for Medicaid sponsored programs.

DRUG REHAB – USA
Overdose Protection Act Signed – Atlantic Highlands Herald

Today Governor Chris Christie signed the bipartisan Overdose Protection Act (S2082) into law. The legislation takes a two-prong approach to help prevent drug overdose deaths in New Jersey. First, it provides legal protection to people who are in violation of the law while they are attempting to help a drug overdose victim. Secondly, it eliminates negative legal action against health care professionals or bystanders who administer overdose antidotes in life-threatening situations.

DRUG REHAB – USA
Former Guns N’ Roses Drummer Steven Adler Checks Into Rehab, Postpones Summer Tour – Loudwire

The former Guns N’ Roses drummer has been battling with drug and alcohol issues for over two decades, even appearing on the VH1 programs ‘Celebrity Rehab with Dr. Drew’ and ‘Sober House.’ It was just announced that Adler’s issues with substance abuse have become too serious once again, but the drummer will hopefully kick his demons for good with this latest rehab stint.

DRUG REHAB – AUSTRALIA
Demand Rises For Holistic Alcohol & Drug Rehab, Australian Addiction And Trauma Treatment Centre Enquiries Increase 50% – San Francisco Gate

Over the past year, the demand for natural mental health services and alcohol & drug rehabilitation at The Australian Addiction and Trauma Treatment Centre has risen. The holistic centre has experienced a 50% enquiry increase from those seeking an alternative approach to healing.

PRESCRIPTION DRUGS – USA
3 Doors Down Bassist Enters Rehab – Pollstar

The latest news about 3 Doors Down’s Robert Todd Harrell is that he’s voluntarily checked into a drug treatment facility. The bassist, who is facing charges including vehicular homicide by intoxication, was released from jail Tuesday on $100,000 bond.

ALCOHOL – AUSTRALIA
Mandatory rehab for drunks – Katherine Times

Repeat problem drinkers in Katherine will be required to undertake mandatory alcohol rehabilitation under a new plan to reduce alcohol related harm and anti-social behaviour. Minister for Alcohol Rehabilitation, Robyn Lambley, said a new approach was required to end the cycle of alcohol abuse in the region.

PRESCRIPTION DRUGS – USA
Study finds many parents underestimate dangers of teens abusing prescription drugs – Fox News

More parents need to talk with their teens about the dangers of abusing Ritalin, Adderall and other prescription drugs, suggests a new study that finds discouraging trends on kids and drug use.

DRUG REHAB – USA
Drug, alcohol rehab: an empty promise? – Delmarva Now

The repeated failure of drug/alcohol rehabilitation can be attributed to a single factor: It only addresses the symptoms, i.e., the act of abusing alcohol or drugs. In large part, it ignores the individual’s emotional and behavioral attitudes that brought on the addictions to begin with.

ALCOHOL /COCAINE – USA
Paul Williams is a ‘Loved One’ – overcoming substance abuse to hit the high notes – New York Daily News

The famed songwriter and actor – now playing at the Cafe Carlyle – returned from the brink to come back clean and sober with a message of gratitude and trust. “The fact is I did rehab twice and was never ‘outed’ by the press,” he says.

PRESCRIPTION DRUGS – UK
Sharon Osbourne ‘Devastated’ by Ozzy Osbourne’s Relapse – Rolling Stone

Sharon Osbourne is “devastated” by her husband Ozzy Osbourne’s relapse into drinking and taking drugs over the past year and a half. “Everybody knows he’s been struggling with this his entire life and I never knew that he was using prescription drugs,” Sharon Osbourne said.

ALCOHOL – USA
’10 Ways Alcohol is Shaping Our Future’ Infographic – amog.com

Most of us like to enjoy an alcoholic beverage from time to time. And, for the responsible adults out there who do partake in the occasional drink, there’s nothing wrong with that. However, as we should be aware, there is a dark side to alcohol.

DRUG REHAB – USA
Lohan Adderall: Lindsay Lohan demanding drugs in rehab? – Examiner

Lindsay Lohan is allegedly demanding Adderall be given to her in rehab. The “Mean Girls” star takes the drug for her ADHD, but some fans believe it has been the cause of many of the actress’ problems.

PRESCRIPTION DRUGS – USA
‘We can stop this epidemic,’ CDC boss says at Rx-drug abuse summit in Orlando – Orlando Sentinel

FDA Commissioner Margaret Hamburg said the prescription-drug abuse crisis is of enormous and devastation proportions. “There is much to be done and we must act now,” she said.

DRUG REHAB – USA
GLEE CORY MONTIETH DRUG REHAB PART DEUX – The National Enquirer

Glee star CORY MONTETIH is singing another song –checking into a rehab facility for substance addiction.

ALCOHOL ABUSE – USA
Bobby Jenks was in rehab when the Red Sox released him last year CBS Sports – CBS Sports

Right-hander Bobby Jenks was checked into rehab when the Red Sox released him last summer.

COCAINE – USA
Stevie Nicks Warns Drug Users To Save Up For Rehab – 13WHAM-TV

Former Fleetwood Mac singer Stevie Nicks admits her cocaine habit almost killed her, adding, “I went to a plastic surgeon and he looked in my nose and said, ‘You have a really big hole in your nose; it’s very dangerous… Your next hit of coke could be your last hit of anything.”

DRUG ADDICTION – USA
Charges dismissed against drug-abusing moms – WBIR

Several mothers jailed and charged for taking illegal drugs while pregnant have seen their cases dismissed.

DRUG REHAB – USA
Top Receivers, ‘Honey Badger’ among Vikings’ pre-draft visits – 1500 ESPN

Former LSU safety Tyrann Mathieu, who sat out last season and spent time in drug rehab after being kicked off LSU’s team, is projected as a mid-round draft pick as a defensive back.

PRESCRIPTION DRUGS – USA
New law to fight against prescription drug abuse takes effect – WBIR

A new state law requiring doctors to check a patient’s drug history before prescribing certain medications is now in effect.

PRESCRIPTION DRUGS – CANADA
Canada second highest in world for prescribed opiate drug use – The Star

Part of the new strategy will be to “look at off-loading some of the reliance from pharmacological support or remedies, to non-pharmacological . . . yoga, massage or what have you,” he says. “There are many ways by which we can attenuate harm or pain. We’re a society that kind of wants the one-stop fix.”

DRUG ADDICTION / PRESCRIPTION DRUGS – USA
Retired cop: Legalize drugs to cut crime, addiction – Florida Today

“Legalization does not help stop the abuse of drugs, in fact prescription drugs are the most regulated form of controlled substances we know, yet today they are the most widely abused. Prescription medication has caused almost a thousand deaths in Brevard County alone during the past five years.”

DRUG ABUSE – USA
Potential unintended consequences of school drug raids – Patriot Ledger

Emergency room visits in eastern Massachusetts involving drugs surpassed that of much larger metropolitan areas in 2011, including New York City. In fact, the region had the highest rate of any metropolitan area in the nation. Drug abuse has reached epidemic proportions and we must do everything – that works – to combat it.

PRESCRIPTION DRUGS – USA
Vermont lawmakers confront drug abuse – Reformer

Painkiller abuse is a big problem in Vermont, and state legislators have crafted a big bill designed to combat it.

DRUG REHAB – USA
Common Barriers to Beating Drug Addiction – Hive Health Media

Overcoming any form of drug addiction is never easy. Addictions have the potential to take control of a person’s life. It can even go so fast that drug use seems necessary for mere survival. As dark and difficult as drug use can be, many former users can testify that there is a way out. It is often a long process that involves a lot of courage, hard work and support.

ALCOHOL / DRUG – ABUSE
New Report Connects Risky Behavior to Drug and Alcohol Addiction – Albany Times Union

A new report assesses the connection between sexual promiscuity and a greater likelihood to encounter alcohol or drug addiction

DRUG REHAB – USA
Matthew Perry is helping drug addicts beat their demons – Metro UK

Friends legend Matthew Perry says he’s finally found ‘meaning’ in his life by helping drug addicts beat their demons. The 43-year-old, who privately battled his own addiction to prescription pills, admitted his drug-addled past has also dashed a dream of running for US President one day. ‘My life has a lot more meaning now that I try to help people,’ said Perry.

DRUG ABUSE – USA
Five Celebrities Open Up About Drug Use – Opposing Views

Some have just caved to their curiosity and tried smoking some weed while others had a hard struggle and fell into drug addiction with harder substances. Luckily they’ve all managed to move past their addictions, deciding to get clean and work on their amazing careers.

ALCOHOL – USA
Indie Rocker Jason Molina Dies Following Battle With Alcohol Abuse – ABC News

Singer songwriter Jason Molina, who recorded under the names Songs:Ohia and the Magnolia Electric Co., died Saturday at age 39 at his home in Indianapolis. His label, Secretly Canadian, said he died of “natural causes.” Molina struggled with alcoholism for years, and, after more than a decade of recording and touring, he disappeared from public view in 2009 to deal with his drinking problem.

DRUG REHAB – USA
Lindsay Lohan accepts plea deal with rehab – CNN

Lindsay Lohan agreed to spend 90 days in a “locked in” drug rehab facility as part of a plea deal to settle criminal charges against her Monday.

PRESCRIPTION DRUGS – USA
NC DOJ sponsors student video contest to fight prescription drug abuse – My Fox 8

North Carolina high school students are being given an opportunity to fight prescription drug abuse and overdose deaths by entering a video contest sponsored by Attorney General Roy Cooper and the N.C. Department of Justice.

DRUG REHAB – USA
Spring Training Report: Evan Gattis Could Make Braves Opening Day Roster – The Chattanoogan

Instead of sending their son to college, Gattis’ parents sent him to drug rehab for a month and then to Prescott, Ariz., for three months of outpatient treatment.

PRESCRIPTION DRUGS – USA
PRESCRIPTION DRUGS – War on drug addiction – Bluefield Daily Telegraph

When he met with children at a small Wyoming County middle school in late 2011, U.S. Sen. Joe Manchin was moved by the stories of families ruined by prescription drug addiction. “They lost everything — they lost their home. They lost their families.”

ALCOHOL & PRESCRIPTION DRUGS – USA
Lindsay Lohan To Be Treated For Alcohol & Prescription Drug Abuse While In Court Ordered Rehab – Radar Online

“The main problem when it comes to Lindsay ever getting sober is her absolute denial that she has any substance abuse issues. Once again, she is only going to rehab purely because it’s a slightly more attractive alternative than going to jail.”

ALCOHOL – UK
In the battle against alcohol abuse, the buck stops at the government – The Guardian

It’s more important to protect the freedom of a market, than it is to protect individuals, families and communities ravaged by alcohol abuse.

PRESCRIPTION DRUGS – USA
Prescription drug abuse among Grand Forks area youth “out of control” – Grand Forks Herald

The way law enforcement officials describe it, prescription drugs are so common among young people in the Grand Forks region now that they are practically a form of currency.

PRESCRIPTION DRUGS – USA
Prescription drug abuse bill would allow members of the public to administer Narcan to reverse opioid overdoses – Vermont Digger

The House Human Services Committee, with help from the House Judiciary Committee, is attempting legislative alchemy, melding two bills and one new initiative into H.331. The combined bill is an attempt to stave off opioid abuse at several stages, including the time at which a prescription is written and the moments following an overdose.

ALCOHOL ABUSE – USA
Report: Alcohol abuse costs Wisconsin $6.8 billion – Duluth News Tribune

MILWAUKEE — A new report says abuse of alcohol in Wisconsin costs the state an estimated $6.8 billion a year in health care, lost productivity, crime and premature death.

PRESCRIPTION DRUGS – USA
Authorities warn of danger of prescription drug abuse – WWMT-TV

Experts are warning parents about what they’re calling the number one drug problem in the U.S. and in Michigan. You might think they’re harmless, but the CDC says prescription pain killers cause nearly 15,000 deaths every year.

HEROIN / PRESCRIPTION DRUGS – USA
The Heroin Scourge: Prescription drugs are often gateway to trouble – Delaware County Daily Times

By many accounts, the gateway to heroin addiction is not through other illicit drugs like cocaine or marijuana, but through prescription opiates like Oxycontin or Percocet.

PRESCRIPTION DRUGS – USA
City sets up drop boxes to collect old prescription drugs – Dayton Daily News

Across America young people, ages 12 to 17, have made prescription drugs the number one substance for abuse in their age group.

DRUG ADDICTION – USA
Maine program to help children of drug addicts seeks to change culture – Bangor Daily News

Instead of asking a drug-addicted parent, “What’s wrong with you?” a partnership of nearly three dozen agencies and providers in eastern Maine is now going to ask, “What happened to you?”

PRESCRIPTION DRUGS – USA
Painkiller Abuse Spreading to Western US – Wall Street Journal

Timothy Martin has details of the epidemic in painkiller abuse that has gripped the Southern and Eastern U.S. and that is now taking hold of Western states as well.

PRESCRIPTION DRUGS – USA
Babies born hooked on mom’s prescription drugs – WRTV Indianapolis-Mar 9, 2013

And the misuse and abuse of prescription drugs by pregnant women — whether intentional or unknowingly — is
on the rise in East Central Indiana.

DRUG REHAB – USA
Billy McKnight, the father of McCready’s oldest son, said McCready was in rehab for only about 18 hours before being released – USA Today

Mindy McCready threatened suicide after losing custody of her sons earlier this month, yet she was allowed to leave a court-ordered drug rehabilitation program just days before she apparently killed herself at her Arkansas home, her ex-boyfriend said Monday.

PRESCRIPTION DRUGS – USA
Drug Abuse More Likely Among High School Dropouts – WebMD

“Dropouts are at increased risk of substance abuse, which is particularly troubling given that they are also at greater risk of poverty, not having health insurance, and other health problems. We have to do everything we can to keep youth in school so they can go on to lead healthy, productive lives, free from substance abuse.”

ALCOHOL – UK
Teenagers with ADHD are more likely to abuse drugs and alcohol, even if they’re given medication – Daily Mail

Teenagers with the hyperactivity disorder ADHD are more likely to abuse drugs and alcohol, new research has found. The researchers found that when the subjects were an average of 15 years-old, 35 per cent admitted using one or more substances, compared with 20 per cent of non-ADHD teens. By the age of 17, cannabis use was ‘particularly problematic’, with 13 per cent hooked compared to three per cent of teenagers without the condition.

PRESCRIPTION DRUGS – USA
Drug overdose deaths rise for 11th consecutive year – Examiner.com

Prescription drug abuse and addiction are at epidemic proportions. Driving the increase in deaths are pharmaceuticals, especially opioid analgesics.

DRUG REHAB – USA
Lutherville Drug Expert Criticizes ‘Celebrity Rehab’ Following Country Singer Suicide – Hunt Valley Patch

“It shows that drug/alcohol treatment should be a private/long-term experience that is between the patient, their family and their therapist, not the general public.”

PRESCRIPTION DRUGS – USA
Target 9 investigates prescription drug abuse epidemic (Part 3 of 3) – WTOV9

The goal is to stop drug addiction before it worsens, or, before it’s too late. “It’s not a just say no message, that’s something that they tried in the 80s that I’m not sure was that successful. This is more a, “If you do decide to go down this path, this is what could happen to you. You could die.”

ALCOHOL – IRELAND
Cabinet to sign off on delayed alcohol strategy – Irish Examiner

Alex White, the junior health minister, yesterday said the strategy — which is expected to consider measures including minimum pricing and restrictions on sponsorship and marketing by drinks manufacturers — will be presented to Cabinet next month.

DRUG REHAB – USA
Defending Dr. Drew: Pinsky Not to Blame for ‘Celebrity Rehab’ Deaths – Big Hollywood

The suicide of troubled country crooner Mindy McCready, who appeared on season three of Celebrity Rehab, inspired a fresh round of sniping against Dr. Pinsky. His recent work on VH1′s Celebrity Rehab with Dr. Drew makes him a plump target whenever a series “patient” succumbs to his or her addictions.