May 16th Drug Addiction News

PAINKILLERS – USA
A warning too big to ignore – Journal Gazette
Recent overdose deaths involving a prescription painkiller have prompted Kosciusko County officials to erect a graphic billboard warning residents of the potentially fatal consequences of abusing the drug.

DRUGS – USA
Prescription Painkillers Becoming Popular Target Among Thieves – KOTV News
Clearly, the friendly neighborhood pharmacy has become a more risky business. Pharmacies have security cameras.

HEROIN – USA
What's in your cheese? How about a little heroin – Frost Illustrated
It has become the popular method to achieve a high in the classroom. Even with the media publicity over the number of youths dying, the number of users is increasing.

COCAINE – CANADA
Cocaine: the real thing? – The Labradorian
Of the many drugs which originate from plants, cocaine is one of the most powerful, if not the leader of the pack.

METH – USA
Meth Wars: Legislation Used In The Fight – KAUZ News
If you've been sick the past couple years and bought Sudafed you noticed a difference in getting the drug. Its because of the Combat Meth Act of 2005, which is aimed at limiting access to possible meth cooks.

CANNABIS – AUSTRALIA
Super cannabis alarm – Herald Sun
Police fear a new form of incredibly potent cannabis is destined to hit Australia.

METH – USA
Flavored Meth Gaining in Popularity – Reiten Television KXMB Bismarck
Some of the scariest monsters look lot like the guy next door. They're out there trying to push methamphetamine on our children. Their latest tool...flavored meth.

May 7th Drug Addiction News

DRUGS – UK
Don’t do drugs…Drugs are bad…Okay? – Drink and Drugs News
Let's learn from the failures of drug education in schools and change the emphasis to drug prevention.

METH – UK
Crystal meth: coming to a town near you – Times
It has been an epidemic in America and a major problem in many other parts of the world. Now it may be our turn to be hit by the world’s most addictive drug

DRUGS – GERMANY
Report Paints Mixed Picture of German Drug and Alcohol Use – DW World
Germany's annual report on drugs and addiction was released this week showing a overall decrease in drug-related deaths, but alarming data on prescription drug addiction and youth drinking.

COCAINE – USA
Cocaine use rising locally – Standard Speaker
Cocaine use may have eclipsed heroin in the Hazleton area for the first time in years, according to police and a drug-prevention expert.

COCAINE – USA
Crack cocaine now a local ‘epidemic’ – The Daily Review
While methamphetamine use has declined in Bradford County, crack cocaine use has now reached “epidemic” proportions in the county.

METH – USA
Meth marks the Tier: What you should know about this dangerous drug – Press and Sun-Bulletin
Meth is a very large problem in this country as well as the world. It shows no boundaries and spares no one. Since d-Meth was invented, the meth epidemic has taken off.

METH – USA
Dealers' latest lure: sweetened meth – Indianapolis Star
Manufacturers adding powdered drink mix to bitter drug to take edge off for new users.

METH – USA
Strawberry Quick, Meth's Dangerous New Form – Associated Content
They are calling this new form of meth "Strawberry Quick" and it looks like Pop Rocks candy that sizzle in your mouth. In it's current form, it is dark pink in color and has a strawberry scent to it.

CODEIN – UK
Taking painkillers can make your headaches worse – The Daily Mail
Taking too many headache tablets can made headaches worse, doctors have warned.

DRUGS – USA
Substance Use Among Young Military Personnel Differs From Civilians – Join Together
Young adults in the military report substantially different patterns of substance use than their civilian counterparts.

DRUGS – USA
Study finds alcohol advertising and marketing are associated with adolescent drinking – RAND
Children's exposure to alcohol advertising during early adolescence appears to influence both beer drinking and their intentions to drink a year later.

METH – USA
New form of meth heading this way; 'Strawberry Quick' combines drug with mix to give better taste – The Benton Courier
A new form of methamphetamine called "Strawberry Quick," targeted at a new, and possibly younger, market, could make its way into Saline County.

PRESCRIPTION – USA
Teen girls, young women outpace males for prescription drug abuse, dependence – Battle Creek Enquirer
A new data analysis finds alarming trends in prescription drug abuse. While overall illicit drug use is declining, the abuse of prescription drugs, particularly narcotic pain killers, remains disturbingly high.

April 26th Drug Addiction News

HEROIN - FRANCE
Drugs may cause addiction by 'remodelling' brain - PARIS (AFP)
A heroin addict aching for a fix years after kicking the habit is not simply weak-willed but may be tormented by enduring changes in the brain caused by the drug itself, according a groundbreaking study released Wednesday

COCAINE – USA
'Cocaine' drink pulled from local shelves – The Stamford Times
Hundreds of cases of an energy drink called Cocaine have been seized by the state, which accuses the Las Vegas company that produces it of not licensing it as required by law.

METH – NEW ZEALAND
Crystal meth fear may hit cold medicines – Stuff
LONDON: Some cold medicines may become prescription-only in Britain to prevent criminal gangs using them to make the crack-like drug, crystal meth.

DRUGS – USA
Drug overdoses up: Coroner sees more drug-related deaths – Shelby County Reporter
Shelby County Coroner Diana Hawkins continues her mission to combat an increase in the number of teens and young adults dying from substance abuse.

METH – UK
Is meth abuse a UK problem? – BBC News
The use of methamphetamine - commonly known as "crystal meth" or "ice" - could be spreading in the UK.

MARIJUANA – USA
Marijuana sold in U.S. stronger than ever – MSNBC News
The marijuana being sold across the United States is stronger than ever, which could explain a growing number of medical emergencies that involve the drug.

ALCOHOL – USA
Study: Men, women show alcohol problems differently – CNN Health News
Women with drinking problems may show it in different ways from men, which could make their alcohol abuse harder to detect, according to new research.

CANNABIS – NEW ZEALAND
US cannabis becoming more potent – TV3 News
US government experts claim the marijuana being sold across the United States is stronger than ever, which they say could explain a growing number of medical emergencies involving the drug.


MARIJUANA – US
U.S. marijuana grows stronger than before – Scientific America
Analysis of seized samples of marijuana and hashish showed that more of the cannabis on the market is of the strongest grade, the White House and National Institute for Drug Abuse said.

MARIJUANA – USA
Feds say marijuana still getting stronger – Team 4 News
The amount of the substance in marijuana seized last year reached eight-point-five percent, according to the White House drug-control policy office.

April 25th Drug Addiction News

ADDERALL – USA
Eight Wake Forest student films to be featured at screening – Wake Forest University
The film explores the growing underground culture of Adderall use on college campuses.

METH – UK
Addicts turn Lemsip into 'crystal meth' – ITV News
Addicts are turning flu drugs like Lemsip and Benylin into the lethal street narcotic crystal meth, the government has revealed.

METH – UK
Crystal meth fears over medicine – BBC News
Some over-the-counter flu remedies could face restrictions, amid fears that they are being used to produce the highly addictive drug, crystal meth.

ALCOHOL – USA
Higher beer taxes, 21 drinking age reduces traffic deaths of young people – PIRE
Communities with few alcohol regulations could consider raising taxes on beer as a way to reduce drunken driving fatalities among young people.

ALCOHOL – USA
Comparing Alcohol Policies Between Countries: Science or Silliness? – PLoS Medicine
It seems self-evident that it would be useful to have a way of comparing alcohol policies between countries. A metric to compare countries would enable improvements or changes to be monitored.

DRUGS – UK
Statistics on Drug Misuse, England, 2007 (full report) – The Information Centre
For the first time, this annual statistical bulletin presents information on drug misuse among both adults and children.

ALCOHOL – UK
Binge drinking raises cancer risk – BBC News
Women who drink the equivalent of roughly two bottles of wine over a weekend more than double their risk of breast cancer, say Danish researchers.

PRESCRIPTION – USA
8 Ways To Prevent Teen Prescription Drug Abuse – Pushing Back
Teens are turning away from street drugs and the stigma that goes along with using them, and abusing prescription drugs to get the same type of high.

April 23rd Drug Addiction Headlines

ADDICTION – PAKISTAN
Drug addiction festering menace posing serious threat to young scions – Associated Press of Pakistan
Drug addiction, a festering menace is not only injurious to an individual but also imperils the health of the entire social fabric with fast cascading impact.

METH – AUSTRALIA
$150m to tackle ice epidemic – Melbourne Herald Sun
A NEW $150 million drugs package to tackle the in Australia is expected to be announced by Prime Minister John Howard today.

CANNABIS – UK
Heavy cannabis use by teens is more dangerous than alcohol – The Independent
Heavy users of the drug were between three and six times more likely to use other drugs.

ALCOHOL – USA
Prom season - Authorities on lookout for alcohol – Hagerstown Morning Herald
As prom and graduation season approaches, local law enforcement officials have a message for teens - and their parents. By all means celebrate, but we'll be watching.

ALCOHOL – USA
Lower drinking age vs. alcohol abuse – Pahrump Valley Times
Among college students, drinking has gone "off campus and underground," increasing risks while decreasing institutions' abilities to manage the risks.

DRUGS – UK
Deadly new drug being peddled on Chippenham's streets – Wiltshire News
D01 is a powerful amphetamine which is injected into the blood stream and is being pushed by dealers in the town

PRESCRIPTION – INDIA
Prescription drugs, ganja-the new "in" thing – Zee News
From an occasional puff or a beer -youngsters in the country are now stepping up their party style, causing concern among parents as well as law enforcement agencies.

METH – CANADA
Salvation Army tackles crystal meth problem – Canadian Christianity
Crystal Meth, she said, needs special attention because it differs from other drugs in several ways. It is easily produced, cheap and readily available, and it also leads to quicker and more permanent brain damage than other drugs.

ALCOHOL –USA
La Crosse Police Hold First Alcohol Education Class – WKBT News
Those who received a public intoxication warning in La Crosse are getting an eye-opening look into the dangers of binge-drinking.

ALCOHOL – USA
DRUG ABUSE SURVEY: Alcohol tops list of drug concerns – My Web Times
Survey results clearly show alcohol is the most common substance abused by youths, a finding that did not surprise school officials and coalition members.

METH – USA
Forum will focus on anti-meth effort – Statesman Journal
A panel of officials, including state Rep. Betty Komp, will talk at a town-hall meeting about efforts to fight the illegal drug methamphetamine.