Drug News
Wednesday
April 18 Drug Addiction Headlines
HEROIN – USA “Cheese” heroin killing kids in Dallas – Hot AirAs many as 17 Dallas County teenagers have died since 2005 from overdoses of the popular new form of heroin known as “cheese” – the most visible sign yet that more youths are caught in the grip of a growing crisis. METH – USA Scottsdale Students Get First Look at Arizona's New Meth Prevention Campaign – PR NewswireEarlier today at Cocopah Middle School in Scottsdale, a classroom of eighth-graders got a first look at some of the television and print advertisements that depict the detrimental impacts of Meth use and that will ultimately be seen by teens across Arizona. CANNABIS – UK Cannabis use rife among teens – Scenta NewsResearch from Queen’s University Belfast has discovered that one in ten school children who had reported using cannabis at least once had now become daily users. ALCOHOL – UK British least likely to be breath-tested – Times OnlineBritain has one of the worst records in Europe for reducing deaths from drink-driving, according to a study that calls for much tougher enforcement of the limit. HEROIN – USA Lethal heroin drug mix plagues Dallas schools – Seattle TimesThe number of Dallas students getting hooked on a new drug called "cheese" is skyrocketing, with arrests for the heroin mix up 82 percent this school year. CANNABIS –UK One-third of pupils have tried cannabis by the age of 15 – The IndependentOne in three young teenagers have used cannabis, some on a daily basis, according to new research. The study appears to confirm growing fears among teachers that joints have become the 21st-century equivalent of smoking behind the bike sheds. METH – USA Flavored Meth Making Its Way To Siouxland – KTIV NewsMethamphetamine labs are declining in number in the Hawkeye State after a state law disrupted the flow of some raw materials used to make meth. PRESCRIPTION – CANADA Cramming students cautioned against taking stimulant without prescription – CBC NewsIt is not known how many students are using Dexedrine to study. Robin Tribble said its use is widespread among her friends in first year who live in residence. Some of the people are now dependent on Dexedrine for studying, she said. Labels: alcohol, cannabis, heroin, methamphetamine, prescription
April 11 Drug Addiction Headlines
ADDICTION – USA Children Teaching Children About Addiction – WOLX NewsThe students also pick up some coping skills, when dealing with peer pressure and violence. METH –USA Huntsman Combatting Utah's Growing Meth Addiction – BYU NewsnetIt all began when Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr. visited the House of Hope, a drug rehabilitation center in Salt Lake City that provides treatment to mothers whose lives have been overcome by addiction. CANNABIS – UK Drug campaigners warn of cannabis threat – East Anglian Daily TimesSTRONGER and more potent forms of cannabis are on the streets of Suffolk and being used increasingly by youngsters who assume the drug is safe. CANNABIS – AUSTRALIA Campaign to stop teens smoking cannabis – Brisbane TimesThe NSW government is launching a $600,000 advertising campaign in a bid to cut down the number of young students smoking cannabis. CANNABIS – AUSTRALIA Cinema ad blitz targets cannabis – 2GB NewsTeenagers heading to the cinema over the school holidays are being warned about the dangers of cannabis use. Labels: cannabis, marijuana, methamphetamine
Thursday
March 29 Drug Headlines
METH – USA Officials Warn Of Candy-Flavored Meth – WTVMThere are reports across the country warning of candy-flavored methamphetamine. Meth use is down, so dealers are trying to come up with new ways to sell the drug. METH – USA Meth Task Force – WDEF NewsCandy, powdered drink sweetener, even chocolate -- common household objects and all tools of the meth trade nowadays...anything to hook your children on the deadly drug. METH – USA Phoenix's Crystal Meth Education Videos Heading to Schools Statewide – Prime NewswireVideos aimed at educating students on the dangers of crystal methamphetamine are on their way to schools all around Arizona. METH – USA Wet is a Problem in East Texas – KTRE Lufkin NewsIt's a popular way to get high and its affects are disturbing. People are smoking marijuana joints or tobacco cigarettes dipped in embalming fluid. On the street, it is known as wet or water. CANNABIS - UK Cannabis farm caused road collapse – AnanovaPolice discovered an illegal cannabis farm in Leeds after it caused part of a road to collapse. MARIJUANA – Africa No hash matzos? Marijuana not kosher for Passover – SABC NewsMarijuana is not kosher for Passover, a pro-cannabis advocacy group says, advising Jews who observe the week-long holiday's special dietary laws to take a break from smoking the weed. ADDICTION – USA Man dies from addiction after making anti-drug film – Bowling Green NewsHe was extremely satisfied, wanting to do more in getting the word out and showing kids what meth harm does. Labels: cannabis, marijuana, methamphetamine
Wednesday
March 28 Drug Headlines
ALCOHOL – UK Substance Abuse And Teenage Pregnancies Could Be Reduced By Improving School Culture, UK – Medical News TodayImproving the institutional culture (ethos) of schools in the UK may help reduce substance abuse and teenage pregnancies, says an article in this week's BMJ. METH – USA Meet the new meth – Metro USReports of methamphetamine with candy, soda and fruit flavors have been received by Drug Enforcement Administration agents across the country. PRESCRIPTION – USA Prescription Abuse Increases Among College Students – Salve Regina University Mosaic OnlineImagine an unknown conglomeration of prescription pills being poured into a bowl, then grabbing a handful and ingesting a random and often dangerous combination of drugs in hopes of getting high. PRESCRIPTION – USA Teen Prescription Drug Misuse Becoming Growing Problem – KOTVPolice say teenagers misusing prescription drugs has become a huge problem that keeps getting bigger and it's not just happening in big cities ADDERALL – USA Adderall for overweight teens – SMU Daily CampusAdderall, an amphetamine, has many side effects, including decreased appetite, insomnia, increased anxiety and irritability. METH – USA Man chronicles his death by meth use – MSNBCA former trucker whose documentary chronicled an agonizing descent as methamphetamine ravaged his body has died, optimistic to the end that his story would keep others from the highly addictive stimulant. METH – USA Mo. Man Who Documented Meth Use Dies – The New York TimesA southeast Missouri man who drew global attention for his documentary about how methamphetamine hopelessly ravaged his body died Monday still optimistic his film steers others from the highly addictive stimulant. CANNABIS – NEW ZEALAND Cannabis linked to lung cancer risk – The New Zealand HeraldCannabis smoking may cause 5 per cent of lung cancer cases in people up to middle age, according to a New Zealand study. DRUGS – USA Open Letter To Parents: Is This Where Your Teen Goes To Get High? – Pushing BackThe National Youth Anti-Drug Media Campaign has launched an Open Letter advertising campaign to help educate parents about the risks of abuse to teens. Labels: adderall, alcohol, cannabis, methamphetamine, prescription
Tuesday
March 27 Drug Headlines
CANNABIS (SKUNK) – UK So how dangerous is skunk? – The IndependentOur decision to drop The Independent on Sunday's 1997 decriminalise cannabis campaign has been applauded and decried throughout the world. At the heart of the controversy is the link between skunk and schizophrenia. TRANQUILIZER – USA Prescription drug abuse on the rise – WHOI ABC NewsMedical professionals say they are seeing more and more people abusing prescription drugs. METH – GERMANY Meth Now Comes In Flavors – Short NewsThe newest thing to come to the meth problem facing the US is flavored Meth. Officers have found meth on the street in flavors such as cola, Strawberry Quick, and chocolate. ALCOHOL – USA Survey: Drug, alcohol use by 12th-graders down – The Daily RecordDrug and alcohol use among local 12th-graders has decreased slightly in the last two years, according to recently released numbers from the statewide Healthy Youth Survey. METH – USA DEA sees flavored meth use – AZ CentralReports of candy-flavored methamphetamine are emerging around the nation, stirring concern among police and abuse-prevention experts that drug dealers are marketing the drug to younger people. Labels: alcohol, cannabis, methamphetamine, prescription, tranquilizer
March 26 Drug Headlines
CANNABIS – BULGARIA The Independent:UN warns of cannabis dangers as it backs 'IoS' drugs 'apology' – Focus NewsThe United Nations has issued an unprecedented warning to Britain about the growing threat to public health from potent new forms of cannabis. METH – CANADA Meth curse can strike anywhere – Edmonton Sun NewsA city drug cop says the meth-induced downward spiral of the privileged daughter of Alberta's top judge proves the demon drug doesn't discriminate between victims. PRESCRIPTION – USA Prescription drug dangers, focus of campaign – NBC NewsIt's spring cleaning that could save someone's life. Operation Medicine Cabinet is getting parents to throw out unused drugs. ALCOHOL – USA Alcohol, tobacco make top 10 list of risky drugs – MSNBCBritish study rated the substances more dangerous than marijuana, Ecstasy. METH – USA Yuma, we have a problem: Meth is everywhere – Yuma SunYou could pretty much go to any neighborhood and probably find meth - either someone using it or selling it. METH – USA Meth dealers hit the schoolyards with a new bag of tricks – Catoosa County NewsMeth is old news in Georgia. Since appearing on the scene around 2001, it quickly became the state’s fastest spreading drug problem. HEROIN – USA Heroin a problem in Valley schools, police official says – East Valley TribuneParents leaving Gilbert’s annual drug prevention seminar Thursday night felt prepared to begin a conversation with their kids about drugs. ALCOHOL – USA Alcohol, drugs and violence impact the youth – eMax HealthA new survey of Washington students shows most kids are saying no to alcohol, drug use, and other risky behaviors, but too many continue to risk their health. OPIUM – CANADA Ninety per cent of British heroin is from Afghanistan, says U.K. attorney general – Victoria Times ColonistNinety per cent of the heroin in Britain comes from Afghanistan’s booming poppy trade. METH – USA 'Meth is a monster,' says recovering addict – Ventura County StarMethamphetamine has invaded Ventura County. In the past five years, addiction to this devastating stimulant has surpassed heroin, cocaine and other drugs Labels: alcohol, cannabis, heroin, methamphetamine, opium, prescription
Thursday
March 22 Drug Headlines
ADDICTION – GERMANY Cannabis Addiction Treatment at All-Time Highs, Potent "Skunk" Blamed – Short NewsSuper-strength varieties of home-grown skunk are replacing the North African hash found in Britain, which can approach strengths 25 times that of plants grown just a decade prior. OPIUM – MALAYSIA Narcotics police – Malaysia StarThe Narcotics Department continues a battle against drugs that began in the 1800s. OPIUM – AFGHANISTAN Drug Chief Says Opium Production In Southern Afghanistan "Out Of Control" – Radio Free AfghanistanThe situation is out of control in the southern part of [Afghanistan], in some provinces [opium poppy cultivation] increasing, in some provinces stable, but we don't have a specific number. METHADONE – USA A Fatal Dose – NewsweekHospital administrators confirmed to NEWSWEEK and NBC News last week that five veterans there died of overdoses of illegal and prescription drugs in less than three months this winter. METH – USA Gritty MT meth ads grab attention – KTVB NewsAs efforts to cut down on the use of methamphetamine use in the State of Idaho gear up, many are looking across the border to a groundbreaking project in Big Sky Country. METH – USA "LIFE OR METH" – NBC NEWSFinancial losses, ruined lives and cries for hope, all part of a one-hour prime time program tonight. METH – USA Meth Abuse – Black Hills TodayYoung people, ages 12-14, who live in small towns like those across South Dakota are over 100 percent more likely to use meth than those living in large cities. METH – USA Register for Meth Awareness Conference – Eastern Arizona CourierAttorney General God-dard was at the forefront of the initial state efforts to combat crystal meth. His campaign to target the production, distribution and use of crystal meth helped to bring this public health issue out of meetings and into the public eye. COCAINE – COLUMBIA Ireland and Scotland Face-Up to Increasing Cocaine Abuse – Shared ResponsibilityFollowing revelations of Irish and Scottish drug consumption figures indicating a two- and three-fold increase in cocaine use, respectively, both countries gear up to battle this trend. PRESCRIPTION – USA Prescription drug abuse on rise, especially among rural youth – Muskogee Daily PhoenixAbuse of prescription drugs has begun to rise, particularly among youths in rural or small communities. PRESCRIPTION – USA Students Selling Prescription Drugs – Omaha ABC NewsTeenagers selling illegal drugs. It’s not an unfamiliar crime but it seems more teens are being caught peddling prescription drugs to classmates. OXYCODONE – CANADA Issue must be addressed – Fort Frances Times OnlineMy thanks to Jeff Tilbury for his letter last week drawing attention to the exploding oxycodone addiction problem in our local communities. CANNABIS – UK Rethink urges government action over cannabis – Craegmoor Healthcare NewsYoung people are not sufficiently aware of the dangers of smoking high-strength cannabis. CANNABIS (SKUNK) – UK Skunk: growing danger on the streets – The TelegraphA record number of people are now seeking treatment for cannabis addiction as high-strength strains of the drug take a grip on users. Labels: cannabis, cocaine, methadone, methamphetamine, opium, oxycodone, prescription
Wednesday
March 21 Drug Headlines
CANNABIS – UK Record number of youngsters seek help for cannabis problems – Norwich Evening News An increasing number of young people are suffering severe mental health problems as a result of smoking cannabis, new figures have revealed. CANNABIS – UK Police issue warning about super strength Cannabis – ic LiverpoolStrength cannabis so potent that just one puff can cause schizophrenia is being grown by Merseyside drug gangs. METH – USA Community group forming to fight meth – Rome News TribuneA local non-profit group is forming a community coalition to fight the effects of methamphetamines. METH – USA County helps fund meth task force – Glenwood Springs Post IndependentA regional study of methamphetamine use and related crimes is under way that will help quantify the problem in Garfield County. ALCOHOL – USA Teen alcohol laws apply to everyone – The OlympianA new initiative has been launched in Washington state to curb teen alcohol consumption and to educate parents about the dangers of underage drinking. ALCOHOL – USA Report: Fewer City Teenagers Using Drugs And Alcohol – NY1Health officials say fewer city teens are using drugs and alcohol, but there is still reason for concern. ALCOHOL – USA Report: Drug, alcohol use down among NYC teens – ABC NewsDrug and alcohol use about city teens is declining, and it's actually below the national average. Labels: alcohol, cannabis, methamphetamine
Tuesday
March 20 Drug Headlines
METH – USA Montana airs provocative anti-meth ad campaign – WAVY TV 10Jarring, provocative, and effective is how some describe Montana's efforts to keep teens away from meth. HEROIN – USA Dallas Health Warns of Dangers of Cheese Heroin – eMax HealthHeroin is an old drug that is making a major come back in a new form known on the streets as cheese. COCAINE – USA West Africa becomes a hub for cocaine traffic to Europe – Baltimore SunA landmark shift in trafficking routes has transformed West Africa into a hub for cocaine smuggling from South America to a booming European market. ALCOHOL – USA Video steers teens away from alcohol, drugs – The Grand Rapids PressA video from Mothers Against Drunk Driving will be in the back of Cameron Morgan's mind when he faces choices dealing with alcohol. METHADONE – USA Using methadone as a painkiller is proving deadly – The Wichita EagleThe increasing use of methadone for pain relief, rather than to help people overcome addiction, has led to a sharp spike in deaths, both nationally and in Kansas. ALCOHOL – USA Increasing Alcohol and Drug Abuse Among the Nation's 'Best and Brightest' – The Epoch TimesCollege presidents are reluctant to take on issues they feel they cannot change and this growing public health crisis reflects today's society where students are socialized to consider substance abuse a harmless rite of passage. CANNABIS – UK Cannabis addiction soars as drug gets stronger – Daily MailRecord numbers of teenagers are having treatment for addiction to super-strength cannabis. METH – CANADA Stay away from meth, pregnant women warned – Star PhoenixIt's very difficult to know the (troubles) that meth causes in humans because there's very little documentation about what they're exposed to. CANNABIS – UK How the Independent on Sunday got it horribly wrong on Cannabis – Transform Drug Policy FoundationThe facts are all over the place. On the front cover Jonathan Owen informs us that skunk today 'is 25 times stronger than the resin sold a decade ago'. CANNABIS (SKUNK) – UK Skunk and soap – The GuardianTwo products: heavily reconstituted hashish from Morocco, known as soap, and indoor-grown skunk. SLEEPING PILLS – AUSTRALIA One in ten Aussies pop sleeping pills – The AgePopular sleeping tablet, Stilnox, can have bizarre side-effects, prompting some people to binge eat or even drive while asleep. Labels: alcohol, cannabis, cocaine, heroin, methadone, methamphetamine, prescription, sleeping-pills
Monday
March 19 Drug Headlines
PRESCRIPTION – USA Prescription Drug Use Joins Binge Drinking as Campus Drug Problems – Join TogetherA new report from the National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse (CASA) finds that 49 percent of U.S. college students ages 18-24 are binge drinkers and that growing numbers of students are misusing prescription drugs. ALCOHOL – USA Young people able to buy beer at stores even without proper ID – Pacific InstituteClerks at grocery and convenience stores were more likely to sell alcohol to a young person without asking for an ID than other stores. ALCOHOL – USA Binge Drinking And Drug Abuse On The Increase Among US Students Report Says – Medical News TodayA new study suggests that binge drinking and drug abuse is on the increase among American students and that colleges should do more to address the problem. METH – USA Montana Gives Meth a Face – Associated ContentMontana teens are tuning into more than music videos these days. The state has launched a provocative ad campaign in hopes of fighting the rampant use of meth within its borders. ADDICTION – USA Drug Addiction vs. Drug Dependence: Same or Different? – About NewsThe fear of addiction keeps doctors from prescribing opioids to relieve pain and keeps patients from controlling their pain. PRESCRIPTION – USA Drinking and Prescription Abuse Growing at Colleges – WLNSA new report says binge drinking and prescription drug abuse are a growing problem among college students. METH – USA Seminar looks at how children are affected by meth use in their homes – Salem Times CommonerChildren living in meth labs might as well be taking the drug directly. ALCOHOL – ROMANIA College Life Oozes Drug and Alcohol Abuse – PlayfulsAlmost half of U.S. college students dabble one time too many in alcohol, marijuana, sedatives, painkillers and stimulants – they might call it freedom and independence, but they are risking their lives. METH – USA Eagle Meth Meeting Focuses on Growing Drug Problem – Fox 12 BoiseThe governor's March Against Meth began 15 days ago, and already several communities have gotten involved. SKUNK – USA Skunk: How the 'safe' drug of choice for the hippy generation became a serious health hazard – The IndependentIn 1997, when this paper called for decriminalisation, 1,600 people were being treated for cannabis addiction. Today, the number is 22,000. DRUGS – USA New Anti-Drug Ad Hits the Airwaves – Pushing BackThe Partnership for a Drug-Free America and the Alliance for Consumer Education (ACE) released a new public service announcement. PRESCRIPTION – USA E.R. Visits Up for Prescription Drug Abuse – About: NewsA new report indicates that abuse of prescription and over-the-counter drugs is increasing, while the abuse of illegal drugs remains about the same. ALCOHOL – USA Adolescent Drinking: It is Not Just About Limiting Media Exposure – RANDPro-drinking messages are delivered to adolescents through mass media, peers, and adult drinking behavior. METH – USA Montana Fights Meth, and Pulls No Punches – ABC NewsMontana is one of the worst states in the nation when it comes to methamphetamine addiction, and it's one of the best at coping with it. METH – USA Class to help fight against meth – The Wabash Plain DealerThe Southwood High School Adult Farmer Committee and Purdue Extension of Wabash County will host a Meth Awareness class Monday, March 19. PAINKILLERS – USA Oregon Has High Rate Of Painkiller Abuse – KOIN NewsOregon has one of the highest rates of painkiller abuse in the nation, especially among teenagers. Labels: alcohol, cannabis, methamphetamine, painkillers, prescription
Thursday
March 15 Drug Headlines
ALCOHOL – USA Crackdown on serving alcohol to minors – Vail Daily NewsIt could happen on any given night at any given bar. Minors trying to order alcohol is not an uncommon event in Eagle County. PRESCRIPTION – USA Sleeping Pill Advertisement Targeting Children Illustrates Need for Congress to Reform Prescription Drug Ads – Yuba NetThis advertisement geared to children going 'back to school' is outrageous, and we urge the FDA take stronger and more timely actions in cases such as this. PRESCRIPTION – USA Emergency Room Visits Climb for Misuse of Prescription and Over-the-Counter Drugs – Media NewswireEmergency room visits related to the nonmedical use of pharmaceuticals, including prescription and over-the-counter drugs, increased 21 percent from 2004 to 2005. METH – USA Dangers of Methamphetamine – News 10 NowParticipants in Tuesday's Methamphetamine meeting found out everything from signs and symptoms, the different types and how it's made. OPIUM – IRAN NATO predicts opium-free northern Afghanistan in few years – Islamic Republic News AgencyAccording to assessment by experts in Afghanistan, the entire northern half of Afghanistan will be opium free in a few years. OPIUM – USA Afghanistan's poppy conundrum – Spero NewsThis year's eradication campaign in Helmand seems to be accomplishing little except beefing up support for the Taliban. COCAINE – UK Cocaine problem on the rise, police reveal – Newry DemocratPeople think that only the bad ones take drugs but there are a lot of good kids using them as recreation. The downside is that a lot of parents say their kids are only smoking blow and that it won’t do them any harm. That’s not true. CANNABIS – UK Cannabis cultivation ‘booming’ in Britain but law enforcement hitting local supplies – Drugscope NewsGrowing cannabis commercially near the point of sale can dramatically increase profits, but this increases the risk of detection. There are significant implications for police resources in trying to keep up with the growers who are becoming increasingly smart in establishing new farms and avoiding arrest. Labels: alcohol, cannabis, cocaine, methamphetamine, opium, prescription
Tuesday
March 13 Drug Headlines
PAINKILLERS – USA Hunting new option in balance between painkiller's help, and abuse – South Coast TodayScientists are hunting new ways to help millions of pain sufferers — from addiction-resistant narcotics to using brain scanners for biofeedback — amid a worrisome rise in abuse of today's top prescription painkillers. ADICTION – USA On TV: 'Addiction' takes pains to show us real drug abuse – Seattle Post IntelligencerAddiction is a demon that can slip into anyone's house without warning. Once inside, it can take a lifetime to evict. DRUGS – UK Just Say No to this ‘radical rethink’ on drugs – SpikedThe ‘Get Unhooked’ adverts offer a powerful endorsement of the myths underlying both current drugs policy and the RSA’s radical rethink. PRESCRIPTION – AUSTRALIA Prescription drug abuse on the rise: report – The World TodayIt's usually illicit drugs that capture the headlines but research in Melbourne shows it is the abuse of prescription drugs that should be arousing real concern across the nation. RITALIN – USA Ritalin Bill "Not Perfect, but Good Step for Parents" – KCPWAfter a five-year battle, parents' rights advocates got a victory late Friday when Governor Huntsman signed the so-called "Ritalin Bill." METH – USA Meth slide – Daily JournalWith meth arrests down by more than 30 percent in Northeast Mississippi in 2006, it appears that new laws designed to slow the manufacturing of the drug may be working. CANNIBIS – NEW ZEALAND Cannabis 'greatest enemy' – The Nelson MailA Golden Bay man whose son started taking cannabis at 15 says drugs are the "greatest enemy for parents in the world". PAINKILLERS – USA Scientists explore abuse-resistant painkillers – MSNBCGrowing misuse of pain meds drives hunt for drugs with no exploitation risk. Labels: cannabis, methamphetamine, painkillers, prescription, ritalin
Friday
Feb 22 Drug Headlines
METH – NEW ZEALAND Tenfold increase in methamphetamine entering NZ – New Zealand HeraldPolice and customs officials say the amount of pure methamphetamine ("P") entering New Zealand has increased tenfold in the past year. METH – USA Local students are winning war on meth – Lake County LeaderThe first-time sensation of meth is so powerful that someone dumb enough to try the drug is almost instantaneously hooked. They will never again attain that first ‘high’, but will ruin their lives in the attempt. MARIJUANA – USA U.S. Is Sued Over Position on Marijuana – New York TimesFrustrated by government policy and inaction, a group of advocates for medical marijuana sued two federal health agencies on Wednesday over the assertion that smoking it has no medical benefit. ADDICTION – UK 'We can help each other' – The GuardianIn 1967, Mollie Craven, the mother of a heroin addict, wrote an article in the Guardian appealing to readers to start a self-help group for addicts and their families. Now, 40 years later, Addaction is Britain's leading drug charity. ADDICTION – UK Kicking old habits – The GuardianIt's a quiet morning in a quiet road just off Mare Street in Hackney, east London. Drop-in hours are not until the afternoon, but already people are arriving at the doors of Addaction Hackney Community Drug Service. HEROIN – USA Parents confront deadly heroin mix – KVUEParents and community leaders, concerned about a cheap and deadly drug that has invaded a cluster of northwest Dallas schools, demanded Wednesday that school and police officials take the problem more seriously. CANNABIS – SWITZERLAND 'Cannabis is not for cows' – IOL NewsSwitzerland's agriculture ministry has called on the country's farmers to stop feeding their cows cannabis. Labels: cannabis, heroin, marijuana, methamphetamine
Thursday
Feb 21 Drug Headlines
METH – NEW ZEALAND People power filling gap in drug battle – New Zealand HeraldThe Government strategy on methamphetamine is under attack from P campaigners who believe the approach is not working - so they are investing thousands of dollars in their own community campaigns. ALCOHOL – USA Students encouraged to participate in alcohol study – UW-Madison NewsThe University of Wisconsin System is conducting a survey of undergraduates this month to better understand the impacts of alcohol and other drug use by UW students. ALCOHOL – USA Surveys examine alcohol use – LHU Eagle EyeAfter two consecutive Mondays and Tuesdays of surveying, the Wellness Center and Safe Haven are preparing to compile the data they gathered regarding LHU students and alcohol use. CANNABIS – NEW ZEALAND Testing for Cannabis may prompt Athletes to switch to P – Radio New ZealandAt least one sports official has suggested that might encourage some athletes to use P, rather than risking being caught for cannabis use. MARIJUANA – USA Long-Term Marijuana Use May Impair Lung Function – Washington PostPeople who smoke marijuana for a long time face many of the same kinds of respiratory problems -- such as phlegm, coughing and wheezing -- as long-term cigarette smokers. METH – USA Silverton students spread the word about meth – Silverton Appeal NewsStudents saw images of beautiful people whose teeth had rotted, who had sores on their faces and whose weight had dwindled to barely survivable levels. PAINKILLERS – USA Drug-laced ‘lollipops’ found at Damascus High School – Maryland GazetteThe lollipop drugs are sold on the street for $20, even though their retail value is $9. PESCRIPTION – USA FEDERAL GOVERNMENT ISSUES NEW GUIDELINES FOR PROPER DISPOSAL OF PRESCRIPTION DRUGS – New and Public Affairsn the face of rising trends in prescription drug abuse, the Federal government today issued new guidelines for the proper disposal of unused, unneeded, or expired prescription drugs. DRUGS – USA Poll: 90% Support Drug Tests for Students – Pushing BackA poll conducted by the University of South Alabama reveals strong demand for confidential random drug testing programs. Labels: alcohol, cannabis, marijuana, methamphetamine, painkillers, prescription
Tuesday
Feb 12 Drug Headlines
PRESCRIPTION – USA Deaths from drug poisoning on the rise – Food Consumer Deaths from prescription drug poisoning increased by 68 percent between 1999 and 2004 in the United States, becoming second only to motor vehicle crashes as a cause of unintentional deaths in the country. DRUGS – USA Dramatic rise in accidental drug-overdose deaths reported – CNN HealthThe number of accidental drug overdose deaths rose from 11,155 in 1999 to 19,838 in 2004, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. OPIUM – USA Drug Eradication In Afghanistan – Voice of America NewsAfghan police, supported by NATO forces, are about to begin a poppy eradication campaign in Afghanistan’s Helmand province PRESCRIPTION – USA Prescription Medicine Safety – ABC NewsIt's that time of year when everyone seems to be coming down with something.You may find yourself rustling through your medicine cabinet and finding an old prescription, but are you putting yourself in danger? ALCOHOL – UK Drink label 'warning to mothers' – TelegraphBottles and cans of alcohol should carry health warnings aimed at pregnant women, similar to those seen on tobacco products, campaigners said yesterday. DRUGS – USA White House Releases National Plan To Combat Drug Use in America – ONDCPNew Drug Control Strategy Focuses on Reducing Both Demand and Supply; Highlights Success in Reducing Meth Use, Addresses Emerging Prescription Drug Threat. DRUGS – USA 84 Percent of Employers Require Pre-Employment Drug Tests – Join TogetherMore than four out of five U.S. employers now require pre-employment drug tests, and 39 percent conduct random drug testing of employees. HERION – THAILAND No letup in drug war – Bangkok PostOut of the media spotlight, anti-narcotic officers are continuing their fight against smugglers along the borders. METHADONE – USA Methadone overdose on rise – ExaminerOverdoses of methadone — used as a replacement drug for opiate addicts but also an increasingly popular painkiller — can lead to heart and breathing problems and death. PRESCRIPTION – USA Illegal drug use declines, prescription drug abuse climbs – The World LinkIllegal drug use in the United States has dropped sharply since 2001 but abuse of prescription drugs remains a problem. CANNABIS – UK DRUGGIES IN DEADLY GRIT WEED ALERT – The PeopleA DEADLY new type of cannabis called grit weed is sweeping Britain. DRUGS – USA CDC finds dramatic rise in drug deaths – Oblerlin TimesThis is the first study really to describe the large relative increases in poisoning mortality rates in rural states. Historically, the drug issue has been seen as an urban problem. Labels: alcohol, cannabis, heroin, methadone, opium, prescription
Feb 6 Drug Headlines
COCAINE – ITALY Cocaine use on the rise – Wanted in RomeCocaine use has more than doubled in Italy between 2001-2005. METH – USA Meth addicts stealing sprinkler heads – KVBC NewsThieves are after another metal for drug money. And they've already targeted two neighborhoods in the valley. ALCOHOL – UK FTBs willing to sacrifice alcohol and holidays to get on first rung – Assetz NewsThe pleasures of boozy nights and holidays, sometimes at the same time, go out of the window for many first time buyers trying to get on to the property ladder, claims new research. PRESCRIPTION – USA Overdoses of prescription drugs skyrocket – Yakima Herald Republic onlineStatewide deaths linked to prescription drugs such as hydrocodone and methadone increased by more than 800 percent in a 10-year period, according to new research. METH – USA Crackdown slows meth labs: Sheriff: Mexican ice, a purer form of methamphetamine, takes up slack – Texarkana GazetteLaws limiting the sale of cold medications containing pseudoephedrine, a precursor to methamphetamine production, have decreased the number of meth labs law enforcement finds in this area. METH – USA Small crowd, many questions about meth – Dunn County NewsA small crowd asked some big questions at the follow-up community forum on methamphetamine at Colfax High School Tuesday evening. METH – USA Second National Conference on Methamphetamine, HIV, and Hepatitis Underway in Salt Lake City – Stop the Drug WarAround a thousand people, including some of the nation's foremost experts in treating, researching and developing responses to methamphetamine use, gathered at the Hilton Hotel in downtown Salt Lake City METH – USA Meth Destroying Teeth of Prisoners, Causing Dental Budget to Soar – KRNV NewsMethamphetamine use can turn a healthy set of teeth into a rotting mess. And its widespread use is causing a surge in the dental budget of Nevada's prison system. CANNABIS – UK YOUNGSTERS INFORMED ABOUT DANGERS OF DRUG AND ALCOHOL MISUSE – Isle of Man TodayYoung people are helping to shape the future of drug and alcohol education. RITALIN – USA Public School Bonanza – The American DailyHere are ten reasons why parents should keep their kids in public schools Labels: alcohol, cannabis, cocaine, methamphetamine, prescription, ritalin
Thursday
Feb 1 Drug Headlines
METH – AUSTRALIA Schools may lead meth fight – The Border MailSchools may become the first line of defence in the battle against drugs like ice or crystal meth, which can turn users into violent criminals, or even killers. METH – USA Meth Coalition Task Force meets with area students – The Pilot IndependentWith a raise of hands, nearly all of the youth present indicated that someone they know is currently using methamphetamine. PAINKILLERS – USA F-D-A unveils initiatives to better handle drug safety – WIS TVThe folks who regulate what's in your medicine cabinet say they're making changes in the way they handle drug safety matters. ALCOHOL – USA Berkeley council backs new alcohol statutes – Mercury NewsThe council this week gave preliminary approval to an ordinance that will require bartenders, cocktail servers, liquor store clerks and others in alcohol sales or service to take a four-hour training class that will teach them not to sell to minors and to cut off customers when they've had too much to drink. ALCOHOL – USA Survey: Are Alcohol Ads Targeting Children?With a large audience viewing in to the Super Bowl every year, commercials have become a high light on it's own and drawing its own hype. PRESCRIPTION – USA Prescription Drugs | FDA Announces Initiatives To Improve Prescription Drug Safety, Public Education – Kaiser NetworkFDA on Tuesday announced several initiatives designed to improve prescription drug safety, including increased monitoring of adverse events after drugs have been approved and are on the market. METH – AUSTRALIA School programs can cut ice use: reportSchools may become the first line of defence in the battle against drugs like ice or crystal meth, which can turn users into violent criminals, or even killers. ADDERALL – USA New study focuses on prescription drug abuse – Daily TargumAccording to results from a recent study conducted by a Massachusetts psychopharmacologist, prescription attention deficit hyperactivity disorder drugs have grown in popularity amongst college students. ADDERALL – USA More Teens Abusing ADD Drugs – WREX.comWorkers at Rosecrance Health Network say more and more teenagers admitted there abuse attention deficit disorder and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder drugs, all without a doctor's prescription. CANNABIS – UK Cannabis popular in France? – Planet RugbyPierre Bordry, the owner of 'Agence Française de Lutte contre le Dopage (the French agency of the war against doping) gave the results of tests on rugby players in the last quarter of 2006. PRESCRIPTION – USA Many Drug Ads Fail to Properly Inform Patients – Treatment OnlinePharmaceutical ads, once heavily regulated by law, have become an unavoidable presence in the world of prime-time television, billboards and magazines, and internet campaigns. PRESCRIPTION – USA F.D.A. Widens Safety Reviews on New Drugs – New York TimesThe Food and Drug Administration announced changes yesterday that were intended to ensure that marketed drugs are as safe as advertised ALCOHOL – USA School to test for students' weekend drinking – CNNSome teenagers who drink over the weekend could be in big trouble come Monday morning. ALCOHOL – USA N.J. School to Test Students for Alcohol – Join TogetherRandom urine tests will be administered to students at Pequannock Township High School in New Jersey starting next month, ABC News reported Jan. 29. ALCOHOL – USA U.S. doctors warn of poisoning from hand gels – CNN HealthAt least two people have become intoxicated by drinking hand-sanitizing gels, a potentially deadly habit, doctors reported Wednesday. Labels: adderall, alcohol, cannabis, methamphetamine, painkillers, prescription
Monday
Jan 22 Drug Headlines
ALCOHOL – AUSTRALIA Alcohol mixed with other drugs proves popular with students – Melbourne IndymediaOld research has already found many high school children are increasing the risks of drug use by mixing different substances. PESCRIPTION – USA Report: Drug deaths on the rise – The Derrick and News HeraldIn addition, reports show that more people are using more potent and addictive drugs than in years past. DRUGS – USA LETTER: Honest communication – Lufkin Daily NewsIt's smart business to educate our kids about the risks of using drugs. But that message is best delivered by qualified health care professionals and counselors, not by uniformed police officers and DARE. CANNABIS – AUSTRALIA Cannabis, alcohol ‘most popular mix’ – The AgeCannabis and alcohol are the most popular combination of drugs for Australian students, and the general population, research shows. ADDICTION – USA Professor to discuss meth issues – Record CourierBolstered by community interest, the Partnership of Community Resources is hosting a University of Nevada, Reno, professor Thursday who is to discuss the medical aspects of methamphetamine. METH – USA Rising meth use ripples through community – Amador Ledger DispatchWhen it comes to the toll the rise in methamphetamine use is taking on the nation and its cities, the health effects can get especially ugly. DRUG – CANADA Drug Endangered Children Act gives police tool to halt abuseAs a member of Edmonton's green team, RCMP Cpl. Ian Gillan has seen too many heartbreaking cases of young children being neglected or abused because of their parents' drug activity. Labels: alcohol, cannabis, methamphetamine, prescription
Thursday
Dec 20 Drug Headlines
GENERAL – UK COKE EPIDEMIC GRIPS NATION: Addiction has tripled in 5 years – Daily Record UKSCOTLAND is facing a fast-growing cocaine and crack problem, shock figures out yesterday reveal. METHADONE – SCOTLAND Widespread use of methadone 'fails to tackle the damage of drug abuse' – Scotsman NewsSCOTLAND'S reliance on methadone is failing to tackle the damage wreaked on society by drug abuse, it was claimed yesterday, as new figures showed a massive rise in the use of the heroin substitute. ALCOHOL – JAMAICA The genesis of alcohol abuse - Jamaica GleanerThe younger a boy is when he starts drinking alcohol, the more likely he will be a risky drinker as an adult, says the results of a four-year survey of male Marine Corps recruits that raises concerns for society at large. METH – CANADA Meth ed falling short – Goldstream NewsWhile we applaud the provincial government’s efforts to fund groups like the Crystal Meth Victoria Society to educate students about the dangers of crystal methamphetamine, the bottom line is it amounts to far too little far too late. CODEINE – USA Stronger warnings urged for painkillers - Chicago TribuneWASHINGTON -- The government on Tuesday proposed stronger safety warnings for non-prescription painkillers found in most family medicine cabinets, as well as many an office drawer and gym bag, including aspirin, Tylenol, Advil, Motrin and Aleve. CANNABIS – CANADA Drug-driving rate doubles in 15 years – Globe and MailThe number of people getting behind the wheel after smoking pot has more than doubled in the past 15 years, a trend spurred by the belief that being nabbed for drugged driving is far less likely than being caught driving drunk, new research shows. PAINKILLERS – CANADA The FDA's Painkiller Warning: How to Avoid Taking Too Much - TimeAn overdose of Tylenol can damage the liver. The problem is, we’re often taking it when we don’t even realize it. Labels: alcohol, cannabis, codeine, methadone, methamphetamine, painkillers, prescription
Wednesday
Dec 19 Drug Headlines
PAINKILLERS - CANADA U.S. officials push to beef up painkiller warnings - The StarFederal health officials on Tuesday proposed sterner warning labels for acetaminophen, aspirin and ibuprofen, again cautioning millions of Americans who take the nonprescription pain relievers regularly of potentially serious side effects. CANNABIS - CANADA Drug driving doubled since 1989 - Edmonton SunA study coming on the heels of federal efforts to discourage drug-impaired drivers indicates driving under the influence of marijuana and hashish has more than doubled since 1989. The survey by the Canadian Centre on Substance Abuse says young males are driving under the influence of cannabis as often as, or more often, than they drive under the influence of alcohol. ALCOHOL – USA Too Much Christmas Cheer? A Number Of Tips On Staying In Control Over The Festive Season - Medical News TodayChristmas is a time when the drinks flow freely- there are more parties than usual and the temptation is to overindulge a little. After all, there are always New Year’s resolutions! PRESCRIPTION – USA FDA Panel Recommends Warning For Adult Antidepressant Suicide Risk - Medical News TodayAn FDA advisory panel on Wednesday voted 6-2 in favor of updating black box warnings on antidepressants to state that there is an increased suicide risk for young adults up to age 25, the New York Times reports (Carey, New York Times, 12/13). ALCOHOL – CANADA Blood alcohol levels have paradoxical effect on brain injuriesA study led by trauma surgeon Dr. Homer Tien out of Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, shows that alcohol has a paradoxical effect on mortality of patients admitted to hospital with a traumatic brain injury (TBI). ALCOHOL - UK Alcohol Abuse 'Severely Impairs the Brain'Excessive alcohol consumption over an extended period of time can have a drastic impact upon the brain, new research suggests. Scientists in Germany, Britain, Switzerland and Italy examined 15 alcoholic men and women over a period of 38 days after they stopped drinking and the changes observed in their brains were remarkable. Labels: alcohol, cannabis, painkillers, prescription
Tuesday
Dec 18 Drug Headlines
ALCOHOL - UK Britain's booziest Christmas ever - The IndependentPrice wars in supermarkets and drink promotions in pubs are making alcohol cheaper than ever. And we're lapping it up, as this exclusive survey for the 'IoS' reveals. Which is why police are calling for a ban on advertising aimed at young drinkers and doctors are warning of record levels of liver disease. Sophie Goodchild and Marie Woolf report GENERAL - BRAZIL Brazil's teenagers - gangs and drugs - The StarFor teenagers in Rio de Janeiro's mean slums, working in the drug trade is a lucrative way to make a living. It's also a fast way to dying. Youths as young as 11 start off as messengers and look-outs for the drug gangs that control the packed shantytowns known as favelas, then earn promotion to soldiers or sellers. ALCOHOL - AUSTRALIA Baby labels on alcohol - The Daily TelegraphWarning labels telling pregnant mothers they risk doing irreversible harm to their unborn children by drinking could be put on alcoholic products after the number of damaged babies has soared. ECSTASY - UK The Ecstasy and the agony - UK TimesAs the first wave of Ecstasy users reach their forties, research suggests that the drug can cause long-term brain damage COCAINE - COLOMBIA & ECUADOR Ecuador just says no to Colombia coca fumigation - CNNEcuador will not back down from its demand that Colombia halt aerial fumigation of coca plantations along their shared border, President Alfredo Palacio said. CANNABIS - US Pot is called biggest cash crop - LA TimesThe $35-billion market value of U.S.-grown cannabis tops that of such heartland staples as corn and hay, a marijuana activist says. PRESCRIPTION - US Sleep Medicine Ambien Abused by Teens - Join TogetherSome adolescents are misusing the prescription sleep medication Ambien, which they say causes hallucinations and blackouts. MARIJUANA - MEXICO Mexican Officials Find Nearly 1,800 Marijuana Fields - Fox NewsMexican soldiers and federal police sent to restore order in Michoacan state have discovered 1,795 marijuana fields in the past week and seized or destroyed marijuana worth about $8.2 million, security officials said Monday. MARIJUANA - US OPD: 381 percent more marijuana confiscated this yearThe Street Crimes Division of the Owensboro Police Department increased their arrests by 37 percent and cash recovery to 43 percent. But the biggest change, they confiscated 381 percent more marijuana than in 2005. GENERAL - US In jail study, most inmates used marijuana, cocaine - The HeraldMore men and women are being booked into the Snohomish County Jail with marijuana and cocaine in their systems than any other drug, including methamphetamine, according to a new study. CANNABIS - NEW ZEALAND Police to target cannabis growingCannabis growing season is under way in the Taupo district and so is a police crackdown into the operations. GENERAL - SCOTLAND Cold turkey plan for Scots addicts - The ScotsmanThe biggest shake-up of drugs policy for 20 years is to be pushed through by Labour in a bid to get Scotland's 50,000 addicts off heroin and other deadly substances. HEROIN - AFGHAN Governor of Afghanistan's biggest opium-producing province replaced; 5 killed in violence - International Herald TribuneThe Afghan government has fired the governor of its biggest drug-producing province, while clashes and a suicide bombing killed six militants and wounded six U.S.-led coalition troops, officials said Monday. Labels: alcohol, cannabis, cocaine, ecstasy, heroin, marijuana, prescription
Wednesday
Dec 12 Drug Headlines
GENERAL - MEXICO Calderon vows war against notorious drug gangs - CNNSoldiers stopped cars and frisked passengers Tuesday, searching for drugs or weapons. Helicopters swooped low over remote mountaintops, looking for signs of opium and marijuana fields. Ships patrolled Mexico's main Pacific port, a hub for drugs arriving from Central America and Colombia. OPIUM - AFGHAN Walters Says Poppies in Afghanistan Will Be Sprayed - Join TogetherThe director of the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) said at a news conference that Afghan poppies will be sprayed with herbicide to combat a steep rise in opium production in Afghanistan, the Associated Press reported Dec. 9. GENERAL - MEXICO Mexico launches drugs crackdown - BBCThousands of Mexican troops are patrolling the streets in Michoacan state in an anti-drug trafficking drive ordered by President Felipe Calderon. GENERAL - UK Christmas crackdown on city drugs - BBCAnti-social behaviour and illegal drug use in Leicester city centre are to be targeted as part of a police operation to clean up the city. Plain-clothed and uniformed officers will work with the force's passive drugs dog to "disrupt and detect" people involved with illegal drugs. ALCOHOL - UK What's your poison? - The GuardianMany of us would like to believe that different types of alcohol can produce very different effects. If only it were that simple, reports Emine Saner ALCOHOL - US B Vitamins Are Efficacious for Alcoholic Polyneuropathy - Join TogetherBoth the direct toxic effects of alcohol and alcoholism-associated vitamin deficiencies can cause mild to incapacitating sensorimotor polyneuropathy. GENERAL - AUSTRALIA Northern Rivers a haven for drugmakers: Police - Northern StarThe Northern Rivers is becoming a manufacturing centre for drugs aimed at the Brisbane and Gold Coast markets, police fear. And despite recent big busts, the problem is growing. CANNABIS - US Young cannabis users 'suffer from paranoia and blackouts' - 24 DashAnti-drug campaigners have called for urgent research into the effects of cannabis on teenagers' mental health after a survey found half of young users suffer paranoia and blackouts. GENERAL - MEXICO Thousands of Mexican troops ordered to arrest smugglers, burn marijuana and opium fields - Boston HeraldSoldiers stopped cars and frisked passengers Tuesday, searching for drugs or weapons. Helicopters swooped low over remote mountaintops, looking for signs of opium and marijuana fields. Ships patrolled Mexico’s main Pacific port, a hub for drugs arriving from Central America and Colombia. HEROIN - CANADA Addicts turn to hillbilly heroin - Edmonton SunHeroin use is fading out in Canada, but local addicts are increasingly turning to "hillbilly heroin" to bring them down from cocaine and meth highs, say cops and outreach workers. HEROIN - US City heroin's havoc in hinterlands - Philadephia Daily NewsI've been teaching at a northeastern Pennsylvania community college for the last three years. The region has been a gold mine for heroin dealers from the "Badlands" area of North Philadelphia that serves as an open-air drug market. I've quickly learned to identify those students who are users and have come to realize that heroin isn't just an inner-city problem. PRESCRIPTION - US Waismann Method of Detoxification Successfully Treats Severe Morphine and Methadone Levels While Leaving Patients With Reduced PainThe Waismann Method of Opiate Detoxification announced today the successful treatment of two patients taking dangerously high doses of prescription pain-relieving drugs. Both patients are now opiate-free and in less pain than they were prior to detoxification. OPIUM - AFGHAN The Drug Czar Has Another Brilliant Idea - Stop The Drug WarAfghanistan is in flames. The Taliban are resurgent. The opium economy provides livelihoods for millions of Afghans. And now, US drug czar John Walters announces over the weekend, that Afghanistan will begin spraying the poppy fields with glyphosate, the same stuff we've been using with such great success in Colombia against the coca crops. METH - US White House tabs coalition: Anti-drug efforts recognized - News ZapWith less than one year under its belt, the Northeast Valley Coalition Against Methamphetamine garnered recognition from the Bush Administration. Paul Skoczylas, staff member of the President’s Office of National Drug Policy, presented to the group Nov. 30 a certificate commending the coalition’s meth prevention and education efforts. Labels: alcohol, cannabis, heroin, methamphetamine, opium, prescription
Thursday
Dec 6 Drug Headlines
METH - US Click here for drug offenders in your area - MSNBCInternet registries of rapists or pedophiles are available in every state, but a new breed of criminal now is experiencing the notoriety of being outed online — people convicted of making or selling methamphetamine. METH - US California Using Fiction to Fight Methamphetamine - Join TogetherThe state of California has distributed thousands of copies of a book warning against the dangers of involvement in the methamphetamine trade to immigrant laborers from Mexico, the Associated Press reported Nov. 24. CANNABIS - CANADA CANNABIS: CANADA STOPS THERAPEUTIC USE - AGIThe Canadian Federal Government decided to cancel the Medical Marijuana Research Program (MMRP), that is, the research programme on the medical use of marijuana. OPIUM - AFGHAN Drug Addiction on Rise With Afghan Kids - Washington PostFarida's son inherited her drug addiction in the womb, and drank her opium-laced breast milk. And when he cried and fussed, she calmed him with specks of opium diluted in tea. HEROIN - BULGARIA HEROIN SMUGGLING RING BUSTED IN BULGARIA - Sofia EchoA joint operation of the police and of Interior Ministry anti-crime structures busted in the town of Sliven a heroin smuggling-ring responsible for trafficking from Bulgaria to EU. PRESCRIPTION - US Oxycodone is drug of choice in Rock Hill Pharmacy break-ins - Record OnlineThe drugstore break-ins are a sign of the times, Sullivan County District Attorney Steve Lungen said. It's not just OxyContin, a time-release form of oxycodone that relieves severe pain. People have gotten oxycodone, hydrocodone, morphine, fentanyl, methadone and other narcotics through forged prescriptions or street deals. PRESCRIPTION - US Parents told they could be the ones supplying their kids with drugs - The Fincastle HeraldHunt is a Roanoke Area Youth Substance Abuse Coalition (RAYSAC) representative and told those at the workshop one of the fastest growing areas of drug abuse today is found in medicine cabinets around the area. Teens are stealing prescription drugs from parents, grandparents and neighbors. COCAINE - CANADA Cocaine use on the rise: Thompson problem areaAddiction experts believe cocaine use is on the rise in Thompson, and police are seizing more of the drug than ever before in the northern mining city. Labels: cannabis, cocaine, heroin, methamphetamine, opium, prescription
Friday
Nov 29 Drug Headlines
GENERAL - WORLDWIDE Drugs and the law around the world - The HeraldInformation on laws for different countries PRESCRIPTION - US Parents blame antidepressant for toddler's heart defect - CNN* A mom fears the Paxil she took while pregnant caused her son's heart defect. * FDA says two studies suggest paroxetine, or Paxil, increases birth defect risk. * Paxil's labeling was changed last year to warn about the risks of birth defects ALCOHOL - US Prenatal Alcohol Exposure Appears To Increase An Infant's Stress Response - Medical NewsNew findings indicate that the days between conception and pregnancy recognition may be critical for the development of stress-response systems among infants whose mothers consume alcohol. PAINKILLER (METHADONE) - US One pill to kill say methadone bereaved - ScoopThe FDA yesterday warned health care professionals about the dangers of methadone including cardio-toxicity, saying Prescribers' should read and carefully follow prescribing information. Methadone is a synthetic opiate commonly given to opiate addicts so their lives will be less chaotic. METH - NEW ZEALAND Fears drop in price of P attracting more teens - New Zealand HeraldTeenagers as young as 14 are trying methamphetamine or P as the price of the drug has halved in the last year, a drug education group Welltrust says. ALCOHOL - UK Britain's binge drinkers begin to sober up - The GuardianA tide of binge drinking that threatened to engulf Britain has started to recede, according to official figures yesterday. OPIUM - US A step towards breaking a dark embrace - UK TimesEfforts to clamp down on the opium trade in Afghanistan have only swelled the power of the drugs barons and have failed to stop the business reaching “unprecedented levels”, according to the World Bank and a United Nations agency. MARIJUANA - US Calif. Court Gives More Protection to Medical Marijuana Users - Join TogetherPeople found by police to be carrying even seemingly large amounts of marijuana can defend themselves in court by claiming that they are medical-marijuana users, the California Supreme Court has ruled. ECSTASY - US Ecstasy Can Quickly Hurt Brain, Researchers Say - Join TogetherHuman brain cells can be altered and damaged by low doses of ecstasy, leading to reduced blood flow to the brain, researchers say. CANNABIS - EUROPE/HUNGARY Police bust Europe's largest cannabis plantationPolice have busted Europe's largest ever cannabis plantation at an abandoned Slovakian slaughterhouse where top-notch technology was used by Austrian and Hungarian men to grow a copious amount of weed, a Hungarian county police reported on Wednesday. HEROIN - AFGHAN Afghans to use herbicide on nation's poppy crop - The Globe and MailThe United States has persuaded Afghanistan to spray herbicide on poppy fields in an effort to slow the country's opium boom, according to a senior Western diplomat. OPIUM - AFGHAN Opium trade flourishing - Indy StarAfghanistan's criminal underworld has compromised key government officials who protect drug traffickers, allowing a flourishing opium trade that will not be stamped out for a generation, an ominous U.N. report said. Labels: alcohol, cannabis, ecstasy, heroin, marijuana, methamphetamine, opium, painkillers, prescription
Tuesday
Nov 26 Drug Headlines
GENERAL - UK Annual report 2006: the state of the drugs problem in EuropeContains: Overview of the European drugs phenomenon in 29 countries. Drug facts, figures and analyses: across Europe and by country. Latest trends and social, legal and political responses. GENERAL - UK The really tough way to control drugs is to license them - Times OnlineThe latest figures from the European drug monitoring agency indicate that Britain leads the continent in cocaine and heroin use and is equalled only by Denmark for cannabis. Given how often prohibitionists abuse Holland’s proactive drugs policy, it is worth noting that twice as many Britons as Dutch use cocaine and a third more use cannabis. HEROIN & OPIUM - CANADA Prescription Opioid Abuse More Prevalent Than Heroin, OPICAN Study In 7 Canadian Cities RevealsA new study conducted in seven Canadian cities reveals that prescription opioids, and not heroin, are the major form of illicit opioid use. These findings raise questions about the current focus of Canada's drug control policy and treatment programs. OPIUM - AFGHAN Afghanistan Produces 92% of Illegal Opium - The Media LineA staggering 92 percent of the illicit opium worldwide is being produced in Afghanistan, a United Nations narcotics researcher said. HEROIN - US Heroin use rising in IndyWhile the drug still makes up a minority of the cases at Indianapolis' drug court, heroin is increasingly easy to find on the city's streets, according to police, as it is elsewhere in Indiana and the nation. COCAINE - US Clinics on the way for wealthy cocaine-usersClinics targeted at treating cocaine addicts from middle-class and professional backgrounds may open in business districts or wealthy suburbs around the country under proposals from two government bodies. CANNABIS - MALTA Malta has one of lowest rates of cannabis use in EuropeMalta has one of the lowest prevalence rates of once in a lifetime use of cannabis (3.5 per cent) in Europe even though it is the most commonly used illegal substance in Europe, according to the recently published 2005 Annual Report of European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction. METH - MEXICO Mexican meth production on riseSuccessful U.S. efforts to control the sale of chemicals used to produce methamphetamine has led to a mushrooming production of the drug in Mexico. GENERAL - US Addiction Awareness a Yearly AffairThere is a special program underway in the Prince George area, but it isn't just because of Addiction Awareness week. The poster at left, shows not just a message about saying no to drinking and driving, it also features a stylized marijuana leaf, and some "pills". It is spreading the word that driving sober means more than just keeping clear of booze. HEROIN - UK Quick fix for the heroin epidemic is a counsel of despair - The ScotsmanToday, there are an estimated 240,000 heroin addicts in the UK, committing an average of 435 crimes a year each to raise the £30,000 it costs to keep them in the drug. Labels: cannabis, cocaine, heroin, methamphetamine, opium
Nov 25 Drug Headlines
COCAINE - UK Powder to the people - Guardian UnlimitedCocaine has conquered Britain. This angry little island is in thrall to an angry little drug. ALCOHOL - US Tests find alcohol in many suicides - Washington TimesMore than a third of those who committed suicide in 2004 tested positive for alcohol, according to a federal study. The test results, taken from suicide victims in 13 states, also showed that 10 percent had opiates, cocaine, marijuana or amphetamines in their system, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said in the report, which was released Thursday. GENERAL - AUSTRALIA Drug ghouls prey on the schoolies - Herald SunMore than half the schoolies surveyed by the Herald Sun yesterday said they had been offered drugs. Most said they had been asked whether they wanted ecstasy or cannabis, but some also said they had been offered cocaine, speed and acid. CANNABIS - UK 'I'll fight on to save youths from drugsA magistrate who is calling for the reclassification of cannabis has said he will continue to work to protect youths from the drug after receiving support from the Magistrates' Association. MARIJUANA - US After 20 years, war on marijuana changes - KentuckyPolice destroyed more marijuana growing outdoors in Kentucky this year than they had in more than a decade, according to numbers compiled by state police. Labels: alcohol, cannabis, cocaine, marijuana
Nov 24 Drug Headlines
New ArticlesGENERAL - AFGHAN Afghan Drug Boom Fuels Child Addiction RatesDoctors estimate that there are more than 2,000 drug-addicted children in the western city of Herat alone. GENERAL - UK Addicted to Failure - The TimesThe most optimistic reading of the remarks by Europe’s top anti-drugs official yesterday was that the war against drugs is in a quagmire. In Britain, new government statistics suggest that there is a serious and growing drug problem. Although the illicit nature of drug use means that no calculation can ever be wholly accurate, the Home Office estimates are probably more robust, and more alarming, than anything previously published. METH - MEXICO Mexico Produces Most of Methamphetamine Coming into USAs methamphetamine abuse continues its scourge of the country, state and federal elected officials have worked over the last two years to pass laws restricting sales of over-the-counter products containing pseudoephedrine. Original ArticlesALCOHOL - US CDC Says Alcohol a Factor in One of Three Suicides - Anxiety, Addiction and Depression TreatmentsThe Center for Disease Control and Prevention reported that post-mortem toxicology screenings found alcohol present in 33% of suicides across 13 states. Opiates were involved in 16%. Maybe most worrisome is that, as Reuters reports, the number of suicide deaths that involved drugs and alcohol didn't change even when drugs were the suspected method of suicide. CANNABIS - UK Cannabis is linked to rising child crime and harder drugs - Times OnlineMagistrates are calling for tougher laws on cannabis to halt a crime wave among children who are stealing to buy drugs and graduating to more dangerous drugs. The demand for the Government to move the drug back to Class B from Class C for young offenders came yesterday as two reports showed that Britain’s drug problems continue unabated. GENERAL - UK Britain's £5.9bn a year drug habit - THe GuardianThe UK has 327,466 hardcore "problem drug users" who are regularly using either heroin, crack or cocaine, research revealed yesterday. The figure is far higher than a previous estimate of 270,000. HEROIN - UK Killer heroin on our streets - Get Reading UKPolice fear a batch of killer heroin is in circulation following the deaths of two men in two days. They have issued an urgent warning to heroin users to beware shooting up a deadly dose of the drug. HEROIN - UK BAD HABIT TO GIVE ADDICTS HEROIN - Daily Record UKTRYING awfully hard to understand the logic behind prescribing heroin for druggies on the NHS. It would, according to the police, cut burglaries, muggings and shop-lifting by half because the junkies wouldn't have to steal to feed their habits. Except some might think, at a time when medication is being denied to those suffering from early stage Alzheimer's, that shelling out £15,000 a year for each addict is not maybe the best use of our resources. HEROIN - UK NHS to give addicts free drugs - The ArgusDrug addicts are to be prescribed heroin on the NHS in a controversial plan to cut crime and get users off drugs. Addicts would be allowed to inject themselves under supervision as part of a scheme costing £12,000 to £15,000 a year for every user. OPIUM - UK & AFGHANISTAN British troops wary of joining Afghan war on drugs - Daily TimesDespite being urged to do so by Afghan and western counter-narcotics chiefs, British troops are wary of joining the offensive against the drugs trade in Afghanistan, The Daily Telegraph reported on Thursday. British commanders reportedly stand accused of taking too soft a line on opium farmers, and forces in the southern Helmand province – where the majority of British soldiers are based – are being asked to bomb or ambush drug smugglers. COCAINE - UK Britain leads Europe in cocaine useA study finds that cocaine use in Europe is highest in England and Wales with Spain ranking second. In England and Wales, cocaine use has tripled among all adults and quadrupled among those aged 15 to 24 in the past 10 years, the BBC reported. COCAINE - UK Cancerous substance in cocaine? - Female FirstDrug users have been cautioned that the drug is more commonly being cut with a chemical which places them at a 'very high risk of getting cancer'. COCAINE - UK Britain leads Europe in cocaine use - Washington TimesA study finds that cocaine use in Europe is highest in England and Wales with Spain ranking second. In England and Wales, cocaine use has tripled among all adults and quadrupled among those aged 15 to 24 in the past 10 years, the BBC reported. METH - US ‘Meth is Death Week' planned for Jan. 21-27 - Daily CitizenPlans are coming together for a planned county-wide week-long observance in January to raise the local awareness about the continuing methamphetamine problem in Greene County. Tabbed “Meth is Death Week” - the public awareness campaign is sponsored by Greene United Against Meth (GUAM), a pro-active grassroots organization, that has been involved in educating the public about the perils of meth use in the community for more than three years. GENERAL - UK Rising drug addiction costs UK £15 billion annually - Earth TimesThe rise of drug abuse in the UK is costing its tax payers £15 billion. This figure has arisen in a Home Office study that was published recently. The amount is made up of drug related crimes, health service usage, drug-related deaths and the socio-economic care of addicts. MARIJUANA - CANADA Marijuana more addictive for youthYoung people can easily become dependent on marijuana because their brain is still developing, says an expert on youth substance abuse. Labels: alcohol, cannabis, cocaine, heroin, methamphetamine, opium
Wednesday
Nov 14 Drug Headlines
PRESCRIPTION - US & JAPAN FDA to parents: Watch for 'abnormal behavior' onTamiflu - CNNMore than 100 recent cases of delirium, hallucinations and other unusual psychiatric behavior in Japanese patients treated with Tamiflu should have parents watching for similar reactions when treating their children with the flu drug. That's the new advice from the Food and Drug Administration in adding a new precaution to the label of the influenza drug, prescribed about 2 million times a year in the United States. GENERAL - AFRICA Teenager wins battle against addiction - The Herald, South AfricaIn the biannual alcohol and drug abuse trends study conducted by the Medical Research Council for the period July to December 2005, it was found that the Eastern Cape had the highest percentage of known cocaine and mandrax users in South Africa. GENERAL - US Wipes Used to Detect Drugs on School Surfaces; Foreheads Eyed - Join TogetherSome New York area schools are using "DrugWipes" to detect drug residue left on surfaces such as student lockers from contact with student sweat, the New York Post reported Nov. 13. GENERAL - RUSSIA Officially drugs kill 8,000 Russians yearly, unofficially 70,000Eight thousand deaths were registered from illegal drug use in Russia last year, but unofficial estimates suggest total drug-related fatalities may be as high as 70,000 per year, the government's narcotics watchdog said Tuesday. GENERAL - CANADA Mental Disorders and Substance Abuse Costs Ontario $34 Billion - Canada News WireA new study released today by the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) reveals that, in the year 2000, the economic cost of mental disorders and substance abuse in Ontario was $33.9 billion. ALCOHOL - UK Alcohol Concern: New Evidence on Alcohol - Related Deaths are just the Tip of the Iceberg - Alcohol ConcernFigures just released by the Office for National Statistics putting alcohol-related deaths at 8,386 do not fully capture the scale of the problem, Alcohol Concerns Annual Conference will hear today. The charity, which is launching a national campaign to persuade Government and local health authorities to put more money into alcohol treatment services has just released a new report: Wasted: lives lost to Alcohol. CANNABIS - US Cannabis: A token issue no longer - The Daily ReveilleThese ballot initiatives asked voters to legalize the possession of marijuana in some way. South Dakotans were asked to decide whether they should become the 12th state in the Union to allow medical marijuana. OPIUM - AFGHANISTAN If not opium, then what? - Channel 4 NewsIt's difficult to exaggerate the scale of the opium production problem in Afghanistan. President Karsai has said that either Afghanistan destroys opium or opium will destroy Afghanistan. The United Nations estimates that poppy cultivation is up by nearly 60 per cent this year. MARIJUANA - ITALY Government lifts marijuana limit - Italy MagazineThe centre-left government announced on Monday that it had raised the amount of marijuana a person can carry without being arrested for dealing. PRESCRIPTION - US Academic Doping In Local Classrooms - WKRCThe search for academic perfection may be fueling a disturbing drug trend on local high school and college campuses. Nationally, one in 10 teenagers say they've taken Adderall or Ritalin without a doctor's order. The stimulants, typically prescribed for ADHD, are often taken from parents' medicine cabinets and sold to classmates. METH - UK Drug use 'behind crumbling euros' - BBCUsers of the drug crystal methamphetamine may be causing euro banknotes to disintegrate, German police have told Der Spiegel magazine. Sulphates used in the production of the drug could form sulphuric acid when mixed with human sweat, they say, causing banknotes to corrode. Labels: alcohol, cannabis, marijuana, methamphetamine, opium, prescription
Monday
Nov 12 Drug Headlines
CANABIS - UK Dealers get desperate as drug supply dries up - The ObserverDrug dealers are under pressure from a nationwide police blitz on cannabis farms. The clampdown, which has targeted farms producing potent 'skunk', has seen prices almost double in some cities, according to Drugscope, the drugs awareness charity, which calculates street values based on interviews with dealers. PRESCRIPTION - US Hyperactive children ‘need exercise, not drugs' - Sunday HeraldA leading child development expert has sparked fury among campaigners after claiming that children with attention deficit disorders could be prescribed exercise instead of drugs. Professor Richard Bailey, who has worked with Unesco as an expert adviser for physical education and sport, argued that some youngsters diagnosed with the conditions such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) may be suffering from a lack of exercise. CANNABIS - PHILIPPINES Police To Burn 2,500 Fully-Grown Cannabis Trees - La Union, Philippines (AHN)The Philippine National Police in northern Philippines is set to burn some 2,500 fully-grown marijuana trees as part of the government's campaign against the illegal growing of cannabis. CANNABIS - US As pot grows, so do crimes - Post Star"Historically we've seen more home invasions robberies for marijuana than for any other drug," said Glens Falls Police Detective Sgt. Lloyd Swartz. While proponents of the drug argue it should be legalized and that its effects on society are far less troublesome than so-called "harder" drugs like cocaine and heroin, local police see the trouble it causes daily. METHADONE - US Methadone, the quiet killer -- Part 1 - Wood TVSince January 2005, 24 methadone-related overdose deaths have occurred in Kalamazoo County. Nearly all were accidental. Labels: cannabis, methadone, prescription
Friday
Nov 3 Drug Headlines
CANNABIS - SPAIN More cannabis used in Malaga than in any other province - SUR in EnglishWhether as marihuana or hashish, the people of Malaga are the Andalusians who use most cannabis on a regular basis, this being defined as those who have used it in the past six months. Addiction to the drug has doubled in the province over the past decade. Only 5.6 per cent of the population used it regularly in 1994 and now the figure has risen to 11.2 per cent. 2006, November 3 CANNABIS - US, CA State marijuana seizures hit all-time high - Chico ERThe California Department of Justice said its Campaign Against Marijuana Planting resulted in the eradication of nearly 1.7 million plants this season. The number reflects the seizure of pot plants in 34 California counties, and is up more than 500,000 plants over last year. 2006, November 3 HEROIN - US, TENNESSEE Heroin use above the national average among Knox County high school students - WBIRIt's highly addictive -- it can kill -- yet more and more young people in East Tennessee are using heroin. Consider these numbers: In the US 2.4% of high schoolers say they've taken heroin. In Tennessee 1.8% 2006, November 3 PRESCRIPTION - US Cough syrups, painkillers, analgesics... kids hooked on medicine highs - LUdhiana NewslineThe menace of drug addiction is increasing among the city’s schoolchildren. Many 10-15-yr-olds are in its grip. While smoking was nothing new, the latest craze is cough syrup, drugs like Proxyvon, Parbanspas and capasules of Opiate Analagesic, say the city’s medical practitioners. 2006, November 3 METH - US Meth users are finding ways around new laws, forum told - STL TodayDespite new laws limiting access to a key ingredient in methamphetamine, the drug remains a serious problem in Jefferson County, speakers at a forum on meth abuse said this week. A large part of the problem is that methamphetamine is so extremely addictive, they said. 2006, November 3 OPIATE - US, MAINE Acadia Hospital Launches Campaign To Combat Opiate Addiction - WCSH 6According to Acadia Hospital, Maine is among the states with the highest rate of opiate addiction in the country. On Thursday, the hospital launched a campaign to target the problem. 2006, November 2 PRESCRIPTION - US Med students get crash course in drug pitches - CNNMedical schools in several states are boosting programs that teach doctors and students to challenge the sales pitches of drug companies and avoid being dazzled by them. 2006, November 3 ALCOHOL - US New Evidence On Why Alcohol Consumption Is A Risk Factor For Cancer - Medical News TodayWhy is alcohol consumption a risk factor for cancers of the oral cavity, pharynx, larynx, and esophagus? Scientists long have suspected that the culprit is acetaldehyde, a compound produced as the body breaks down the alcohol in beer, wine and hard liquor. 2006, November 3 COCAINE - UK Colombian women appeal to conscience of cocaine users - Guardian UnlimitedFive Colombian women who have survived kidnapping, bombs and landmines have come to Britain to tell cocaine users that they are helping to fuel violence and death in Colombia. The aim is to prick the conscience of the west by highlighting the side-effects of the cocaine trade. 2006, November 3 PRESCRIPTION - US Prescription Addiction Haunts Millions - KETVPrescription drug addiction has been called an epidemic, and a recent study showed that more than 15 million Americans admitted abusing prescription drugs -- doubling over a decade. 2006, November 3 GENERAL - US Piperazines - what to do with an emerging 'legal high'?The piperazines are a 'family' of drugs with similar chemical structures. Some amongst this group of drugs are used medically (including famously, Viagra) and others, are in an as-yet unclassified legal wilderness and have found a market on the (annoyingly named) 'legal high' recreational drugs scene for their stimulant effect, similar to amphetamines or ecstasy, although of lower potency. 2006, November 3 Labels: alcohol, cannabis, cocaine, heroin, methamphetamine, opium, prescription
Nov 2 Drug Headlines
GENERAL - UK Piperazines – how to regulate an emerging recreational drug not covered by existing legislationA new ‘family' of drugs, the piperazines, has emerged on the recreational drugs market over the past couple of years. Some are licensed medicines but others currently have an ambiguous legal status in the UK, with some possibly covered by the Medicines Act 1968 and others awaiting decisions on their classification under the Act by the MRHA. 2006, November 2 GENERAL - SCOTLAND Dozens of drug dealers arrested - BBCPolice have made more than 100 drug-related arrests in the latest phase of a campaign against dealers. Officers have seized drugs worth £64,000 and nearly £30,000 in cash in the six-week Scottish campaign. 2006, November 2 COCAINE - EU UN Drugs Chief Tells Europe to Wake up to its Cocaine Problem - United NationsAt a meeting today in London to launch a campaign on shared responsibility and the global problem of illicit drugs, the head of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), Antonio Maria Costa, warned Europe that it was heading for a cocaine crisis. 2006, November 2 COCAINE - EU Europe warned of cocaine crisis - United Press InternationalThe U.N. narcotics czar warns that Europe is headed toward a cocaine crisis as many governments there continue to be in denial of the problem. 2006, November 2 COCAINE - EU Europe facing cocaine crisis, U.N. drug chief says - International Herald TribuneEurope is heading for a cocaine crisis, with demand for the drug rising across the continent even as it holds steady or falls elsewhere in the world, the U.N.'s drug chief said Thursday. 2006, November 2 GENERAL - AUSTRALIA Heroin, ecstasy addicts turn to ice - Herald SunHeavy heroin and ecstasy abusers are increasingly adding the dangerous street drug ice to their substances of choice, new national surveys have revealed. 2006, November 2 OPIUM - AFGHANISTAN Afghanistan's next opium crop likely to match this year's record harvest, officials say - Sign on San DiegoAfghan farmers now planting opium poppies will probably reap a harvest comparable to this year's record crop, in part because insurgents are preventing effective counter-narcotics work, officials said Thursday. 2006, November 2 MARIJUANA - US Marijuana measure lacks senseThere are signs up around the state that read: Make Colorado Safer. Yes on 44. We can't argue about safety, but we're voting no on Amendment 44. The initiative proposes a change to the Colorado statutes that legalizes the possession of less than an ounce of marijuana for adults 21 years old and older. 2006, November 2 COCAINE - US The killing power of cocaine - Benetton TalkIt is not only those who consume it who are the victims of the cocaine. Cocaine victims are local victims as well. In the producing countries like Colombia, victims range from those kidnapped to those mutilated in their fight against the production of the drug. 2006, November 2 COCAINE - US Documentary captures Miami's cocaine craze in the 1980s - Sun-SentinelDuring the heyday of the cocaine trade in Miami during the 1970s and early '80s, drug smugglers and dealers fueled by Colombia's Medellin cartel transformed the city from a sleepy retirement community into one of the country's hot spots. The cocaine industry was a $20billion annual business in the South Florida metropolis. 2006, November 2 CANNABIS - US Pot makes you crazy - The ExonentMarijuana users beware. This product may cause hallucinations or psychotic behavior. Users may also experience periods where they believe they are a god. Researchers and scientists have been studying the effects of marijuana on the brain for years. Now they are asking themselves a new question. Can marijuana usage cause psychosis? 2006, November 2 METH - US Crystal Meth Detected In Newborns' Hair - MedPage TodayMethamphetamine can be detected in the hair of newborns whose mothers used the drug during pregnancy, researchers here have found. 2006, November 2 METH - CANADA Jury weighs recommendations in overdose death - Sun Ottawa NewsA coroner's jury began deliberating today on how to save the lives of people like Wade Hatt, who died last year after being given a massive overdose of methadone at a Centretown clinic. 2006, November 2 Labels: cannabis, cocaine, drugs, marijuana, methamphetamine, opium
|
|
|
Drug News Feed