Drug News

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.

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.

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.

Marijuana Arrests – California
More Than 4 Dozen Arrested In Mendocino Anti-Pot Sweep – CBS San Francisco

COVELO, Mendocino County (AP) — A major drug sweep in rural Mendocino County has netted more than four dozen arrests as authorities crack down on rural marijuana gardens.

Drug Abuse Awareness – USA Military
Department Monitors Substance Abuse Trends – U.S. Department Of Defense

WASHINGTON, Oct. 1, 2010 – October 25 starts Red Ribbon Week for drug awareness, and this year Defense Department officials hope to shed light on what may be a disturbing new trend in substance abuse by servicemembers, according to the department’s director of health promotion and preventative services policy.

Celebrity Drug Use – USA
Hollywood Celebrities and the Drug Scene – MeDINDIA

Analysing the drug scenario has revealed the manner by which Hollywood celebrities get their fix.

Drug Rehab Again – Lindsay Lohan, USA Celebrity
LINDSAY LOHAN COMMITS HERSELF TO BETTY FORD – ALLVOICES

The troubled Lindsay Lohan has committed herself to the Betty Ford Clinic to treat her drug and alcohol addiction.

Drunk Driving – Michigan
Officers: Drunk man drove woman to police – UPI.com

CLAWSON, Mich., Sept. 30 (UPI) — Police in Michigan said they arrested a man who was allegedly drunk when he drove an intoxicated woman to the police station for questioning.

Cocaine – South America
Denise Van Outen finds £90k of cocaine – Telegraph.co.uk

Denise Van Outen, the television presenter, found almost £100,000 of cocaine while hiking in the Andes.

Teen Substance Abuse Prevention – USA
Frequent Family Dinners Linked To Lower Tobacco, Alcohol And Marijuana Use Among Teens – Medical News TODAY

American teenagers who regularly have family dinners are much less likely to have used drugs, alcohol or marijuana compared to their peers who have family dinners infrequently, according to a new study – The Importance of Family Dinners VI – carried out by researchers from The National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse (CASA), Columbia University. Those defined as having family dinners frequently did so from five to seven times per week, while those who had family dinners fewer than three times a week had infrequent family dinners.

Prescription Medication Collection – USA
The Push to Empty Medicine Cabinets – abc NEWS VIDEO

DEA sets up “take-back” locations where people can dispose of unused medication.

Cocaine – UK
Flight attendant jailed for drug smuggling – Brighouse ECHO

A flight attendant who tried to smuggle cocaine into the UK, via Heathrow, by hiding it in her bra and knickers has been jailed for seven years.

Rehab – USA Celebrity
Lindsay Lohan to check into rehab once again – Thaindian News

Sep 27 (THAINDIAN NEWS) After her release from the Lynwood jail on Friday night on a $300,000 bail, actress Lindsay Lohan is reportedly taking her recovery from drug addiction to another level.

Drug Troubles in USA – Jamaican Musician
Buju Banton’s drug trial the talk of Jamaica – klewtv.com3

KINGSTON, Jamaica (AP) – The U.S. drug trial of reggae star Buju Banton is the talk of Jamaica, where islanders are debating his guilt or innocence on street corners, in offices, in letters to the editor and on social networking websites.

Substance Use Prevention For Adolescents – USA
Ban Tobacco Ads And Restrict Alcohol And Erectile Dysfunction Ads, Urges The American Academy Of Pediatrics – Medical News TODAY

The monumental task of persuading children and adolescents to say “No” to drugs, alcohol and tobacco is being constantly undermined by the $25 billions’ worth of advertising and marketing each year, which has precisely the opposite effect, says the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP). The AAP adds that children should not be exposed to erectile dysfunction ads before ten at night.

Prescription Drugs – Massachusetts
A Wave of Addiction and Crime, with the Medicine Cabinet to Blame – The New York Times

BOSTON — Police departments have collected thousands of handguns through buy-back programs in communities throughout the country. Now they want the contents of your medicine cabinet.

Drug-Related Trouble – UK
Britain’s youngest mother aged 12 evicted over ‘wild drug-fueled parties’ – Thaindian News

London, Sept 24 (ANI): The woman, who became Britain’s youngest mother after a one-night stand at the age of 12, has been evicted from her home for throwing “wild drug-fueled parties”.

Alcohol – New Mexico
DWI/Drug Court graduates extol program’s value – News-Bulletin.com

John Savedra was on a mission: He was drunk, but he wanted to get drunker. So he hopped into his Jeep CJ5 with the intention of buying more beer and almost ended up killing himself.

Drug Tainted Water – Spain
Cocaine And Ecstasy Detected In Waters Of The L’Albufera In Valencia – Medical News TODAY

The water in the canals and irrigation channels in the L’Albufera Natural Park in Valencia contain cocaine, ecstasy and a further six drugs. This has been confirmed by a study carried out by researchers from the University of Valencia (UV), who have issued a warning about the continued presence of these substances on wildlife and human health.

Heroin – UK
Pembrokeshire heroin conspiracy gang jailed – BBC NEWS South West Wales

Eleven drug gang members have been jailed for a total of over 30 years for supplying heroin in Pembrokeshire.

Marijuana – Kansas
US woman receives marijuana along with shoe order – Thaindian News

Kansas, Sept 24 (ANI): A free gift along with a pair of shoes ordered online is nothing unusual, but when that gift turns out to be marijuana, it is an entirely different matter.

Overdose – USA
Accidental Overdose Still a Leading Cause of Young Adult Deaths – Drug Addiction Treatment

Accidental overdose claims the lives of more than 26,000 people each year in the United States, and reached record levels in 2006. In fact, death by unintentional overdose is the second leading cause of death for teenagers, and the primary cause of death for young adults in the mid-30s and mid-40s age group.

Fake Cocaine – California
Prison guard charged with trying to sell fake drugs – FOX 5 SAN DIEGO

SAN DIEGO – A prison guard faces a federal drug charge after authorities say he wanted to sell cocaine provided to him during a sting.

Prescription Drug Abuse Prevention – Ohio
Drug bill would make database ‘go live’ (video) – CoshoctonTribune.com

COLUMBUS — Two Republican Ohio House members plan to introduce legislation to revamp how the state’s dangerous-drug database can be used in an effort to keep pills off the streets.

Illegal Drugs – USA
Illegal Drug Use Up Sharply Last Year – The Huffington Post

WASHINGTON — The rate of illegal drug use rose last year to the highest level in nearly a decade, fueled by a sharp increase in marijuana use and a surge in ecstasy and methamphetamine abuse, the government reported Wednesday.

Heroin – Australia
Biker gang reportedly gets hands on heroin – UPI.com

SYDNEY, Sept. 15 (UPI) — A biker gang has obtained most of a large shipment of Chinese heroin that arrived in Australia in July, law enforcement officials said this week.

Painkiller Addiction – USA Celebrity
Eminem’s Struggle with an Addiction to Painkillers – Drug Addiction Treatment

Fame, money and a recording contract aren’t enough to keep a star away from the destructive world of drugs. Surprisingly, some may have believed they have escaped the curse if they never lay a hand on illegal substances. For too many, however, the relief is not sought in something they buy from a dealer on the street, but instead something a well-trusted physician will prescribe.

Prescription Drug Abuse – USA
The quiet epidemic – The Baltimore Sun

There isn’t much attention paid to prescription drug abuse, except perhaps when a Hollywood star dies from an overdose. However, it is estimated that nearly one in five Americans has used prescription drugs for nonmedicinal reasons, and 15 percent may be abusing prescription drugs. This silent epidemic has become the leading cause of addiction.

Teen Drug & Alcohol Prevention – Florida
Sarasota students taught dangers of alcohol and drug abuse – mysuncoast.com

SARASOTA – Sometimes teens may hear from some of their peers that using drugs and alcohol is really cool.

Prescription Drug Reform – New Zealand
Radical prescription drug reform in New Zealand – THE MEDICAL NEWS

Getting access to the latest medication may become a costly affair for New Zealanders. Talks on getting a Trans Pacific Strategic Economic Partnership between the US and New Zealand are taking place.

Rehab Instead of Jail Time – New York
Michael Douglas Ask’s For Pardon And Want His Son In Rehab – NEWS PROVIDER

Actor Michael Douglas asked “indulgence” for his son Cameron Douglas, who will know on Tuesday what his sentence for drug dealing is.

Drug Testing – Louisiana
Drug testing of welfare recipients bill passes first hurdle – WAFB

BATON ROUGE (WAFB) – A bill requiring welfare recipients to be drug tested easily passed out of the House Health and Welfare Committee with a new look Wednesday afternoon.

Drug Prevention – Canada
Operation: Street Smart helps parents learn about drug abuse – Mansfield News Journal

ONTARIO — About 25 residents attended Operation: Street Smart, a program aimed at helping parents keep children off drugs.

Drug Sniffing Dog For Rent – Arizona
Ahwatukee woman has drug-sniffing dog for rent – azcentral.com

An Ahwatukee woman is turning the war on drugs into a business with the help of her specially trained dog.

Drug Paraphernalia – Florida
Lawmaker pushes ban on drug paraphernalia – THE ST. AUGUSTINE RECORD

TALLAHASSEE — A reformed crack addict-turned-lawmaker is targeting the instrument of his affliction: the glass pipe.

Drug Rehabilitation – USA Actor
Antonio Banderas praises wife for kicking drug habit – Thaindian News

London, April 12 (ANI): Spanish actor Antonio Banderas has praised his wife Melanie Griffith for the courage she has shown in her ongoing battle with addiction.

Prescription Drug Abuse – USA
Complicating Doctors’ Work: Prescription Drug Scams And Excessive Paper Work – Kaiser Health News

News outlets examine two issues affecting doctors’ work: patients fraudulently seeking prescriptions and overwhelming paper work.

Drink Specials Banned – UK
U.K. Bar Owners Face Jail Time for Drink Specials – Join Together

Bars in the U.K. are being banned from running “all you can drink” specials, and owners who violate the new rules could face six months in prison and more than $30,000 in fines, the Telegraph reported April 6.

Meth Lab – South Carolina
Police Searching for Meth Lab Suspect – abc NEWS Charleston

Berkeley County, SC – Authorities need your help looking for a man they say was running a meth lab out of his home with his child inside. Drug agents busted a home on Beauregard Street near Summerville Friday night.

Marijuana – USA
NFL Draft Class’s Marijuana Use ‘Epidemic,’ Scouts Say – The Huffington Post

The 2010 NFL Draft class is a highly regarded group of pro football prospects, but some NFL scouts worry that a problem lies beneath the surface. Sports Illustrated reports that “numerous NFL personnel evaluators” are worried by the number of players with marijuana use in their past. According to one source, nearly a dozen potential first-round draft choices could be red-flagged for using the drug in college.

DUI – New Jersey
Doc Gooden busted on DUI charges in NJ: report – New York Post

Former Mets and Yankees ace Dwight “Doc” Gooden was busted again — this time in New Jersey after getting into a car crash while under the influence of drugs with a child in his vehicle, authorities said.

Heroin – UK
Fewer Women Entering Heroin Addiction Treatment – More Successfully Completing Treatment, England – Medical News TODAY

Far fewer women are entering treatment for heroin addiction and more women are successfully completing treatment for drug dependency than ever before. A detailed study of statistics about women in treatment in England shows a 19 per cent fall in the number of adult females under 30 entering heroin programmes over the last five years – 1,000 fewer female addicts than in 2005.

Meth – Arizona
Woman in animal-cruelty case gets prison for meth – azcentral.com

TUCSON – A Tucson woman on probation for animal cruelty two years ago has been sentenced to six months in prison after admitting to using drugs.

Drunk Teaching – California
Drunk Teacher: Tonya Neff Arrested In Alleged Drunken Teaching – The Huffington Post

THERMAL, Calif. — A Southern California school teacher has been arrested for allegedly teaching while drunk.

Marijuana – Colorado
Home invasion, medical marijuana plants stolen – Colorado Connection

COLORADO SPRINGS, COLO. — Three men wearing orange masks broke into a home just before 5 a.m. Wednesday, menaced the residents with a pistol, beat them up and also shocked them with a stun gun, according to Colorado Springs Police Department.