Drug News

HEROIN – UK
Pete Doherty: who will stop the Pied Piper of heroin? – Telegraph.co.uk

Three children, three bright futures, three pairs of grief-stricken parents. And one man linking them all: Pete Doherty, the singer – the not-so-angelic singer. Thirty-two years old, 15 court appearances in eight years, 25 drugs convictions, plus three more for burglary, driving without insurance and assault.

METHADONE/HEROIN – UK
Failure to help drug addicts is costing Britain £3.6bn a year – The Independent

Its author, Kathy Gyngell, said: “By sponsoring addiction, drug treatment has entrenched a costly dual dependency – on drugs and on welfare.” Three-quarters of those in treatment programmes are on methadone, amounting to 150000 people.

PRESCRIPTION DRUGS/HEROIN – USA
Atlantic County narcotics officer says teen drug use rising – Press of Atlantic City

An Atlantic County narcotics investigator told a state commission investigating the rise in drug use among teenagers that he has seen many high school students progress from getting drugs from their parents to buying heroin on the streets.

METHAMPHETAMINE – USA
Local drug addict speaks out about success of Georgia Meth Project – WRDW TV

They are graphic commercials, showing drug use at its worst, but
new research shows The Georgia Meth Project is working. Information released by Governor Deal today shows, more teenagers believe meth is dangerous, and they say the ads are sending a message loud and clear.

ALCOHOL – USA
Alcohol is teen drug of choice – Rochester Democrat and Chronicle

Teens reported consuming alcohol more than any other drug. They also reported having the lowest levels of perceived harm from drinking alcohol.

ALCOHOL – USA
Gun Owners More Likely to Abuse Alcohol – Laboratory Equipment

Binge drinking, chronic heavy alcohol use and drinking and driving are all more common among gun owners than among non-owners, even after adjusting for age.

DRUG AND ALCOHOL ABUSE – USA
Teens’ toxic combo: Boredom, alcohol and drugs – St. Augustine Record

Summer is often a point of concern for parents as their young people tend to have more free time and less adult supervision. These two factors can be a toxic combination fueled by boredom and risky decision making when it comes to alcohol and other drug use.

PRESCRIPTION DRUGS – USA
A County Takes Down Prescription ‘Pill Mills’ – NPR

Behind her is a memorial to victims of prescription drug abuse. Many of the clinics are blamed for prescription drug abuse in a state where the leading cause of accidental death is unintentional drug overdose.

Marijuana – Arizona
Border agents recover $1.3 million in marijuana – azcentral.com

TUCSON – Border Patrol agents working a desert area in southwestern Arizona Sunday recovered 1,700 pounds of marijuana worth an estimated $1.3 million.

Crack Cocaine – California
87 year old crack dealer Ola Mae Agee jailed – Thaindian News

Los Angeles, Nov 1 (THAINDIAN NEWS) It is often said that old habits die-hard and that might be exactly the case in the case of Ola Mae Agee. At the very advanced age of 87 years Ola has been jailed for a-year-and-a-half for dealing in crack cocaine. Ola was arrested after an undercover cop managed to get the octogenarian to sell him a crack.

Teen Pot & Alcohol Abuse – USA Study
Study: Heavy Alcohol and Pot Use May Damage Teen Brains – Join Together

New research found adolescents who abused marijuana and alcohol scored lower on a battery of intellectual aptitude tests than their drug-free peers, HealthDay News reported Oct. 19.

Drug Sentencing Reform – USA
Reforms of crack sentencing take effect – UPI.com

DENVER, Nov. 1 (UPI) — Federal drug sentencing reforms took effect Monday, but Colorado’s U.S. attorney does not expect dramatic changes.

Alcohol & Drug Abuse – USA
Alcohol Is Most Harmful Drug, Followed By Heroin And Crack – Medical News TODAY

Alcohol is the most damaging drug to the drinker and others overall, heroin and crack are the second and third most harmful, Professor David Nutt and colleagues wrote in the medical journal The Lancet today. When all factors related to self harm and harm to others are considered, alcohol comes out top. The authors explain that drugs, including tobacco products and alcohol are major contributors to damage to individuals as well as society as a whole.

Heroin – Australia
168 kg of heroin seized in Australia – Thaindian News

London, Nov 2 (IANS) Australian authorities have seized 168 kg of heroin, the fifth biggest shipment of the contraband ever to be smuggled into the country, hidden inside a consignment of wooden doors from Malaysia to Sydney, a media report said Monday.

Youth & Alcohol Study – UK
Brit Kids Get Drunk for About Half the Cost of a Chocolate Bar – MeDINDIA

A recent study has revealed that youngsters in the UK can get drunk for half the price of a chocolate bar.

Drug-Related ER Visits For Kids – USA
Kids Under 6 Made Majority of ER Visits for Accidental Drug Ingestion – Join Together

Children five years old and younger account for 69 percent of visits made to the emergency room in 2008 for accidental ingestion of drugs — and adults should take heed, HealthDay News reported Oct. 15.

Marijuana – Mexico
Marijuana packages seized in Mexico had Homer Simpson labels – Thaindian News

TIJUANA, MEXICO (BNO NEWS) — Around 105 tons of marijuana – which would have been sold for around 4.2 billion pesos ($337 million dollars) in roughly 210 million packages – were seized in Mexico’s drug-plaged north on Monday.

Cocaine – Kansas
Sixteen people charged in KCK cocaine-distribution ring – The Kansas City Star

Sixteen people are charged with distributing more $4.2 million in cocaine in the streets of Kansas City, Kan., federal officials announced Monday.

Alcohol – UK
‘Drunk’ dad leaves 3-year-old son in car for 25 hours – Thaindian News

London, Oct 19 (ANI): A ‘drunk’ father left his three-year-old boy alone in a car for up to 25 hours.

Meth – USA
Killer Meth: America’s Greatest Drug Threat – Drug Addiction Treatment

Five years is a long time in the evolution of drug use. In August 2005, Newsweek magazine published a story claiming that meth was “America’s Most Dangerous Drug.” A lot has changed in the drug landscape in America since then, and it’s gotten to the point where many experts believe that killer meth is America’s greatest drug threat.

Underage Drinking – Nebraska
Solutions Sought For Alcohol-Related Crashes – KETV.com

OMAHA, Neb. — Frustration mounted in a meeting Wednesday of educators, law officials and advocates on how best to contain the problem of underage drinking.

Substance Abuse – USA WWE
Substance Abuse In WWE Dogs Linda McMahon’s Senate Run – THE 33 CW Dallas Fort Worth

In December 2007, a performer for World Wrestling Entertainment named Lance Cade suffered a devastating shoulder injury during a show in Atlanta….

Meth – California
CVS to pay $75 million fine for selling key meth ingredient – 10 NEWS WTSP.com

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Federal prosecutors say CVS Pharmacy Inc. has agreed to pay $75 million in fines for allowing repeated purchases of a key methamphetamine ingredient that led to a spike in Southern California drug trafficking.

Drug Trafficking – Mexico, Colombia
U.S. Treasury targets Mexican drug cartel – UPI.com

WASHINGTON, Oct. 14 (UPI) — The U.S. Treasury Department said it placed sanctions on a Mexican pilot for training drug carriers for the Sinaloa drug cartel.

Drug Dealers Arrested – UK
Nine arrests in anti-drugs raids in Coventry – BBC NEWS Coventry & Warwickshire

West Midlands Police organised early-morning raids as part of an operation against drug-dealing in the city.

Teen Drug & Alcohol Abuse Prevention – Nebraska
Peer Pressure Targeted In Drug, Alcohol Abuse – KETV.com

OMAHA, Neb. — A group of Omaha teenagers from five high schools gathered Thursday to try to change the way their peers respond to messages about drugs and alcohol.

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.

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.

Marijuana – Texas
Mom nabbed over kid drug dealer – KTEN 10, Associated Press

SAN JUAN, Texas (AP) – A 22-year-old south Texas woman is behind bars after her neighbors reported that her 4-year-old daughter was trying to sell a brick of marijuana.

Prescription Drug Abuse – Australia
We Must Stop Prescription Drug Abuse With Transparency, Australia – Medical News TODAY

The Australian Nursing Federation said the abuse of opiates based prescription drugs is a rising problem in Australia and we need urgent electronic streamlining of health records to stop the abuse.

Drug Trafficking – Saudi Arabia
210 drug traffickers held in Saudi Arabia – Thaindian News

Riyadh, Sep 29 (IANS) Saudi authorities Wednesday said they have arrested 210 drug traffickers, including Indians, in the last three months.

Meth – Mexico to Colorado
Nine indicted in alleged Mexico-Colo meth ring – Colorado connection

DENVER (AP) — The Colorado Attorney General’s office says it has indicted nine people suspected of importing as much as 50 pounds of methamphetamine from Mexico into Colorado.

Teen Drug & Alcohol Use – Study
Popularity Affects Drug And Alcohol Consumption – Medical News TODAY

The consumption of drugs and alcohol by teenagers is not just about rebellion or emotional troubles. It’s about being one of the cool kids, according to a study by led by researchers at the Universite de Montreal.

Drugs Trafficking to USA – Puerto Rico
DEA: Mailmen in Puerto Rico Shipped Drugs to US – CBSNEWS

7 Postal Workers Indicted on Charges They Shipped Heroin, Cocaine and Marijuana Through the Mail to Texas, Calif. and Ariz.