Drug News

Prescription Drug Abuse – USA
Quest Diagnostics reports use of prescription opiates by American workers has increased by 40% – THE MEDICAL NEWS

Accidents do happen, but many times the incident could have been prevented when it is a result of prescription drug abuse.

Ending Drug Abuse – Georgia
Annual summit focuses on breaking cycle of drug abuse – times-georgian.com

Former NFL star Thomas “Hollywood” Henderson became aware of the effects of alcohol as a 10-year-old. He did not abuse the drug himself at that age, but he saw how it affected his mother and stepfather’s relationship.

Mephedrone Ban Request – European Union Nations
EU Calls For Ban on ‘Meow Meow’ Drug – MeDINDIA

The European Commission Wednesday called for a ban on suspected killer drug mephedrone, a popular ecstasy-like party drug known as “meow meow”, sold on the Internet and available in 12 EU nations.

Drug Trafficking – Massachusetts
Mass. Arrests 31 In Organized Crime Investigation – wbur.org

BOSTON — Authorities have charged 31 people in a yearlong investigation into organized crime and drug trafficking, including reputed New England mob capo Mark Rossetti.

Methamphetamine – Use During Pregnancy
Prosecution of Drug Abuse During Pregnancy – HEATH & WELLNESS

Kirsten Scharnberg, a Tribune National correspondent reported, “Tayshea Aiwohi is charged with consuming such huge amounts of crystal meth while she was pregnant that her son died of methamphetamine poisoning two days  after his birth” (Scharnberg, 2003). Cases such as this are appearing much more often in the spotlight recently. Prosecution against pregnant drug addicts has escalated greatly in recent years in a hope to protect the unborn fetus the women are carrying. Women who drink during pregnancy risk delivering a child with fetal alcohol syndrome, as well as mental retardation. Drug abuse exponentially increases the risk of miscarriage as well as much physical and mental impairment in the fetus.

Drug Abuse Prevention – US Air Force Musicians
Air Force musicians take a visible stand against drug abuse – U.S. AIR FORCE

10/21/2010 – SAN ANTONIO (AFNS) — The Air Force’s Band of the West is reaching out to thousands of school children in San Antonio with a “Stay in School” and “Say No to Drugs” message.

Cocaine & Meth – Oregon
Medford family members charged in drug bust – OregonLive.com, The Associated Press

MEDFORD, Ore. — Several members of a family have been arrested on charges of dealing methamphetamine, marijuana and cocaine.

Alcohol-Related Crash – Michigan
Covert man hurt in crash early Sunday morning – Mlive.com

PAW PAW — A 48-year-old Covert man was critically injured Sunday during an alcohol-related, two-car crash, according to the Van Buren County Sheriff’s Office.

Substance Abuse Grants – USA, SAMHSA
SAMHSA Awards Up To $6.7 Million In Grants To Expand Technology Assisted Care For Behavioral Health Services – Medical News TODAY

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) announced it is awarding a total of up to $6.7 million for three years to up to six grantees to expand their behavioral health treatment systems using technology-assisted approaches in communities that can most benefit from these types of integrated comprehensive services. This program is part of SAMHSA’s strategic initiative on preventing substance abuse and mental illness.

Marijuana & Crack Cocaine – North Carolina
Neighborhood shocked after man tries to sell drugs door to door – WMBF

MURRELLS INLET, SC (WMBF) – Neighbors in one Murrells Inlet development said they’re in shock after a man is arrested for trying to sell marijuana and crack to several people door to door.

Marijuana – Florida
Police find lost bong; suspect says thanks – UPI.com

BRADENTON, Fla., Oct. 17 (UPI) — A Florida man, arrested after admitting to police there was marijuana in his car trunk, thanked them for finding his bong, lost for seven years, officers say.

Prescription Drug Theft – Washington
Pastor charged with stealing pain meds – UPI.com

SPOKANE, Wash., Oct. 15 (UPI) — A pastor in Spokane, Wash., was arrested Friday for stealing prescription drugs from the home of a parishioner, police said.

Drug-Related Deaths – Mexico
At least 5 dead after drug-related clashes in northern Mexico – Thaindian News

MONTERREY, MEXICO (BNO NEWS) — At least five people were killed and three others were wounded during deadly clashes between Mexican Marines and drug gangs in the northern region of Mexico.

Illegal Drugs – UK
Drug dealer stripped of £550,000 assets – THE INDEPENDENT

A jailed drug dealer was stripped of more than half a million pounds of assets today – including his house, yacht and three flats.

Youth Drug Treatment Services – Canada
Government Of Canada Works With Alberta To Improve Drug Treatment Services Aimed At Youth – Medical News TODAY

Laurie Hawn, Member of Parliament for Edmonton Centre, announced today, on behalf of the Honourable Leona Aglukkaq, Minister of Health, $6,488,367 in funding support for an early intervention drug treatment services project aimed at youth.

Prescription Drug Database – USA
States Linking Prescription Databases, Fight Abuse – abc NEWS/Technology

Starting next year, dozens of states will begin knitting together databases to watch prescription drug abuse, from powerful painkillers to diet pills.

Cocaine – Australia
Half-ton of cocaine found on sloop – UPI.com

BRISBANE, Australia, Oct. 15 (UPI) — About a half-ton of cocaine was found on a 40-foot sloop raided shortly after its arrival in Brisbane, Australian police said.

Synthetic Marijuana – Florida
Florida battles ‘legal’ marijuana – UPI.com

LANTANA, Fla., Oct. 15 (UPI) — Police in Florida are asking convenience store owners to stop selling synthetic marijuana, legal in the state because it’s sold as “incense,” authorities say.

Cocaine – Canada
Taser use questioned in drug user’s death – cnews Crime

In a state of excited delirium from a weekend of smoking, snorting and injecting cocaine, Marreel wreaked havoc on the hamlet of Fisher’s Glen in the county of Norfolk in southern Ontario, testified Norfolk OPP officers at the John Sopinka Courthouse in Hamilton Tuesday.

Methamphetamine & Cocaine Bust – California
$300K of meth and cocaine found at Calif. Border – DTVN RENO / Associated Press

SAN DIEGO (AP) – Border patrol agents busted a suspected drug smuggler after discovering nearly $300,000 in cocaine and methamphetamine hidden in a car bumper at a checkpoint near Pine Valley in San Diego County.

Partnership for a Drug-Free America – USA
New Name and Celebrity Spokesperson for The Partnership – Join Together

The Partnership for a Drug-Free America has a new name and a new spokesperson in actress Melissa Gilbert, the Associated Press reported Oct. 7.

Drug Abuse Reduction & Prevention – Canada
Government Of Canada Works With The Province Of Manitoba To Reduce Illicit Drug Use – Medical News TODAY

Joy Smith, Member of Parliament for Kildonan-St.Paul, announced today $6,363,708 in funding for drug treatment initiatives for the province of Manitoba under the National Anti-Drug Strategy. Joy Smith made this announcement on behalf of the Honourable Leona Aglukkaq, Minister of Health.

Drunk Driving – Nebraska
Crash Victim On Life Support – KETV.com

OMAHA, Neb. — One of two people critically injured in a suspected drunk driving crash has “no brain activity”, according to the Omaha police department.

Marijuana Legalization Issues – California
Legalizing marijuana in California would not substantially cut cartel revenues, study finds – e! Science News

Legalizing marijuana in California will not dramatically reduce the drug revenues collected by Mexican drug trafficking organizations from sales to the United States, according to a new RAND Corporation study. The only scenario where legalization in California could substantially reduce the revenue of the drug trafficking organizations is if high-potency, California-produced marijuana is smuggled to other U.S. states at prices that are lower than those of current Mexican supplies, according to the study from the RAND Drug Policy Research Center. RAND is a nonprofit research organization.

Illegal Drugs – USA High School
Grafton High Faculty Learns How To Spot Illegal Drugs – msnbc.com

Authorities in Taylor County say that the drug problem in the county isn’t getting any better.

Date Rape Drug – Washington
Cops Investigating Overdoses of 12 Teens on Spiked Drinks – abc NEWS / Health

Date Rape Drug Suspected After 12 People, Mostly Women, Overdose at College Party

Cocaine Addiction Treatment – USA Celebrity
Lohan under ‘cocaine dependence’ treatment – Thaindian News

London, Oct 12 (IANS) Actress Lindsay Lohan is reportedly being treated for cocaine addiction at the Betty Ford Clinic in Los Angeles. She is undergoing a rehab treatment programme as she has a dependency for the Class A drug.

Meth Lab Fire – Michigan
Man killed in fire early Tuesday in St. Joseph County; police say blaze may have been sparked by meth lab – Mlive.com

STURGIS TOWNSHIP — A man was killed early Tuesday in a garage fire that police say may have been sparked by a methamphetamine lab.

Drunk Driving – Nebraska
Coach: Husker Nation Affected By Drunken Driving Crash – KETV.com

OMAHA, Neb. — A teenager suspected of driving drunk and causing a chain-reaction crash on Saturday put four people in a hospital, including an assistant coach for the University of Nebraska-Lincoln golf team.

Marijuana – Nebraska
145 Pounds Of Pot Uncovered During Traffic Stop – KETV.com

OMAHA, Neb. — The Nebraska State Patrol said a Texas man was arrested Saturday on Interstate 80 when a trooper found 145 pounds of marijuana in the bed of his pickup truck.

Underage Drinking – Florida
Bus driver resigns over drunk students – UPI.com

BRADENTON, Fla., Oct. 8 (UPI) — Officials in a Florida school district said a bus driver resigned after several sixth-, seventh- and eighth-grade girls got drunk on her bus.

Prescription Drug Addiction – USA Celebrity
Actress Jamie Lee Curtis Discusses Prescription Drug Addiction, and Recovery – Drug Addiction Treatment

Addiction to prescription pain medications continues to come into the light, especially as more and more celebrities confess their problem. Prescription drugs are considered a possible factor in the death of Michael Jackson, and have become part of news stories surrounding actress Jamie Lee Curtis, who wrote in a published blog that she became hooked on morphine after completing cosmetic surgery.

Marijuana – Arizona
Boy, 14, crossing border caught with 2 pounds of pot – azcentral.com

More than two pounds were found in a Douglas teen’s backpack as he was crossing the port of entry from Mexico Thursday morning, authorities said.

Recovery Costs – USA
Who pays? Law changes are supposed to help with drug recovery – CoshoctonTribune.com

COSHOCTON — When the court orders a defendant into drug or alcohol treatment, chances are you, the taxpayer, are footing the bill.

Cocaine – USA Celebrity
Carrie Fisher did cocaine on set of ‘The Empire Strikes Back’ – Thaindian News

Melbourne, Oct 11 (ANI): Carrie Fisher’s addiction to drugs was in full swing during her role as Princess Leia in ‘The Empire Strikes Back’ in 1980, it has emerged.

Increase in Alcohol Consumption – Students
Study-abroad students increase alcohol consumption – Thaindian News

Washington, Oct 11 (ANI): New research from University of Washington has revealed that studying abroad is more like a prolonged spring break for some students – it can be months with fewer academic responsibilities, plentiful bars and alcohol, and parents far away.

Substance Abuse Treatment – Oregon
Demand for drug rehab in Oregon outpaces supply – KVAL.com

EUGENE, Ore. – Willamette Family drug treatment center’s resources are being stretched by an increase in addicts needing goverment assistance and relying on its services.

Drug & Alcohol Testing – Trinidad & Tobago
Consultant: Zero tolerance for alcohol on the job – Trinidad Express Newspapers

COMPANIES should institute random testing for drug and alcohol abuse for its employees, occupational health consultant Dr Carol Bhagan-Khan, has advised.

Substance Abuse Prevention – Canada
Government Of Canada Works With Yukon And Its Communities To Help Prevent Young People From Taking Drugs – Medical News TODAY

The Honourable Leona Aglukkaq, Minister of Health, announced over $1.7 million in Government of Canada funding support for three projects in Yukon under the National Anti-Drug Strategy; the first project focuses on drug treatment services and the other two on drug prevention aimed at youth.

Drug Prevention – New York
Public hearings for county drug panel – Times Beacon Record media

The Suffolk County Heroin and Opiate Advisory Panel, created this past summer to help end the drug epidemic in Suffolk County, will be holding the first of two public hearings on Thursday, Oct. 14, in Hauppauge.

Cocaine – SAMHSA Survey Results
Fewer Young Adults Seek Help For Cocaine And Crack Use – Medical News TODAY

New figures from the National Treatment Agency for Substance Misuse (NTA) show a sharp drop for the first time in the numbers of drug users seeking treatment for addiction to cocaine and crack.

Heroin – India
Six drug peddlers arrested – Thaindian News

Kolkata, Oct 7 (IANS) Six members of a drug peddling gang, who used to extort money in the guise of Maoists, were arrested Thursday in West Bengal’s ultra-Left-affected West Midnapore district, police said.”Acting on a tipoff, we have arrested six people from Kaju forest near Benageria in Jhargram sub-division. Disguised as Maoists, they used to extort people. We have also recovered cash worth Rs.1.61 lakh, 30 grams of heroin, five mobile phones, SIM cards, firearms and ammunition from them,” Jhargram Police District Superintendent Praveen Tripathi said.

Substance Abuse Prevention – US Navy
Navy, substance abuse center form online program to help with abuse issues – jdnews.com

RICHMOND, Va. — The Navy is teaming up with a highly regarded addiction treatment center to provide Web-based support for thousands of sailors, their families and retired personnel struggling with alcohol and drug abuse.

Drug Use – UK
Drug users are turning to legal highs – report – BBC NEWS HEALTH

Young adults are turning to so-called legal highs as they seek alternatives to other drugs, according to experts.

Methamphetamine – Arizona
Border agents seize bundles of meth – azcentral.com

YUMA – U.S. Border Patrol agents seized several bundles of methamphetamine Tuesday at the Interstate 8 checkpoint east of Yuma.

Alcohol – USA Cancer Study
Poor Habits Double Number of Young Oral Cancer Patients – MeDINDIA

Oral cancer has doubled the number of young people affected because of drinking, smoking and a unhealthy diet, warn experts.

Marijuana – California
Deputies bust drug dealers at medical pot clinics – kmov.com St. Louis

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Los Angeles County sheriff’s deputies have seized marijuana and conducted raids at 16 locations across Southern California.

Underage Drinking Prevention – Ohio
ADAPT coalition ready to take on underage drinking – salemnews.net

LISBON – A coalition tackling underage drinking in Columbiana County secured grant funding recently – now the coordinator is recruiting people for community leadership teams to aid their efforts.

Heroin – New Jersey
15 charged in connection with alleged heroin distribution ring in Paterson – NorthJersey.com

Police have arrested 15 people in connection with an alleged heroin distribution network operating out of Paterson.

Mephedrone – Ireland
Mephedrone Use In Northern Ireland Post-Ban – Medical News TODAY

Researchers at Queen’s University Belfast have completed one of the first studies of mephedrone use in Northern Ireland since the drug was outlawed earlier this year. They found that the ban did not deter those mephedrone users surveyed from taking the substance

Prescription Drug Abuse – Late USA Celebrity
Anna Nicole Smith Portrayed as Coconspirator – abcNEWS / Entertainment

In a new twist at the Anna Nicole Smith drug trial, prosecutors are casting the dead celebrity model in the role of coconspirator who pressured her two doctors and her lawyer-boyfriend to provide her with excessive prescription drugs.

Crack Cocaine – New York
Eighteen people were arrested Friday in a large drug bust at Al’s Inn in Geneva – stargazette.com

The arrests stemmed from a search warrant executed at Al’s Inn, 408 Exchange St., following a six-month investigation into the sale of crack cocaine, according to Geneva Police.

Underage Drinking – Michigan
Woman, 19, injured after jumping from second-story window at party – Mlive.com

OSHTEMO TOWNSHIP — For the second time in about a month, a teenager who police said was intoxicated has sustained serious injuries while at an underage drinking party.

Illegal Drugs – Retired US Judge
Retired U.S. judge busted in drug case – UPI.com

ATLANTA, Oct. 4 (UPI) — A retired U.S. judge in Georgia was released on bond Monday following his arrest on federal drug charges arising from an alleged relationship with a lap dancer.

Drug Testing Scandle – Illinois
Woman paid boy $1 for urine: cops – CHICAGO SUN-TIMES

A West Side woman has been charged with having a 9-year-old boy urinate in a cup for her drug test to get a new job.

Safer Behavior – Massachusetts Students
Students spread the word about safe sex and alcohol abuse – The Daily Free Press

“Sex on the Beach” went off with a bang as Boston University students learned about the negative repercussions of unsafe sex and alcohol abuse on Thursday.

Mephedrone – UK
Experts Report Big Rise In Enquiries About Recreational Drug Mephedrone In 2009-10, UK – Medical News TODAY

The Health Protection Agency’s National Poisons Information Service (NPIS) has reported a large increase in enquiries related to the recreational drug mephedrone in 2009-10.

Methamphetamine Lab – Florida
Two arrested after fatal motel shooting – nwfdailynews.com

PENSACOLA — Two people who were in a motel room during a fatal gunfight last week have been arrested on drug charges.

Youth Drug Rehabs Needed – South Africa
Concern over lack of youth rehabs – The Herald

FAMILIES of drug-addicted children in the Eastern Cape are being drained financially and emotionally by the absence of a government rehabilitation centre in the province, with some being forced to pay as much as R30000 a year at private facilities.