March 8 Drug Headlines

ALCOHOL – USA
Surgeon General Calls for Action on Underage Drinking – Join Together
Noting that alcohol "remains the most heavily abused substance by America's youth," acting U.S. Surgeon General Kenneth Moritsugu, M.D., M.P.H., called for government, school officials, parents, communities, and youth themselves to do more to prevent underage drinking.

METH – CANADA
‘People’s lives are destroyed’ – Williams Lake Tribune
Last week Williams Lake Indian Band hosted a workshop to help front-line workers get up to speed on drugs, particularly crystal methamphetamine, or just crystal meth.

OPIUM – NEW ZEALAND
Opium Production Could Rise Yet Again, UN Reports – Scoop, Independent News
After Record Afghan Crop In 2006, Opium Production Could Rise Yet Again, UN Reports.

METH – USA
Anti-meth group to launch new ads – Montana Forum
Targeting 1st-time users.The project was started by the Thomas and Stacey Siebel Foundation in 2005 with the goal of significantly reducing first-time use of meth by teenagers.

ALCOHOL – USA
Surgeon General Urges Action on Underage Drinking – Treatment Online
In an official confirmation of a widely recognized issue, Surgeon General Kenneth Moritsugu issued a call to arms regarding underage drinking, calling alcohol the "drug of choice" for teens and urging all corners of society to act toward minimizing the problem.

METH – USA
Meth seminar to focus on helping service workers – Black Hills Pioneer
Meth affects everyone in the community, even people who may never give it a second thought.

METH – USA
State, counties plan anti-meth ad campaign – Tucson Citizen
Adolescents with rotting teeth, bloody sores and other disfigured features will grace Arizona TV screens and newspaper pages next month as part of $5 million campaign against methamphetamine use.

MARIUJANA – CANADA
More young people smoke pot than tobacco, survey finds – The Vancouver Sun
Average age of first marijuana use is 14.7 years, compared to 13.9 years for tobacco and 14.1 years for alcohol.

ALCOHOL – USA
Study: 7.2 million U.S. teens binge drink – MSNBC
Americans need a wake-up call about the widespread use of alcohol by millions of underage drinkers.