April 5th Drug Addiction News

ADDICTION – UK
Fears over painkiller addiction – Metro UK
Growing numbers of people are becoming addicted to over-the-counter painkillers, doctors are warning.

DRUGS – USA
Drugs stand between kids and emotions – Star Gazette News
Weekdays, weekends, free periods during school days, are all common times for substance use and abuse.

DRUGS – USA
'Drugs 101' informs parents – The Indiana Gazette
At first glance, it looked like a typical teenager's bedroom. Clothing and magazines such as "Seventeen" and "People" littered the floor and bed, and soda cans and makeup sat atop a table. A closer look, however, revealed items - pills, pipes and clothing emblazoned with drug-related slang and imagery - that hinted at something more dangerous.

ADDICTION – USA
The addicts on more than 70 over-the-counter pills a day – The Daily Mail
Growing numbers of housewives and professionals are becoming addicted to over-the- counter drugs, doctors have warned.

PRESCRIPTION – USA
Doctors Sound Alarm Over Sleeping Pills – Red Orbit Breaking News
More young, overstimulated, stressed-out Americans are taking prescription sleeping pills before stumbling to bed.

PRESCRIPTION – USA
Michigan Ranks Among Top States In Nation In Teen Abuse Of Prescription Drugs – Medical News Today
The latest research shows that Michigan has one of the highest rates of teen prescription drug abuse in the country, as teens turn away from street drugs and use prescription drugs to get high.

DRUGS – USA
Hanover Park details drug test plan – The Daily Record
small but supportive group of about 40 parents showed up Wednesday night for the Hanover Park Regional High School District's panel discussion of its proposed drug-testing policy.

METH – USA
Meth plagues Indian Country especially hard – Billings Gazette
Not long ago, most people here had never even heard of meth. Today, most know someone on meth or in prison because of it.

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.

ALCOHOL – USA
Prom night: Limos, tuxes, dresses - and safety – Gloucester Daily Times
When it comes to high school graduation plans, no parent wants to be this year's "Prom Grinch." But most parents worry about safety.

DRUGS – USA
Drug use survey results to be released – Sun Journal
The act of using inhalants to get high is one of the topics Patricia Duguay will speak about during a special public program on Wednesday at Mountain Valley Middle School.

March 19 Drug Headlines

PRESCRIPTION – USA
Prescription Drug Use Joins Binge Drinking as Campus Drug Problems – Join Together
A 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 Institute
Clerks 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 Today
A 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 Content
Montana 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 News
The 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 – WLNS
A 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 Commoner
Children living in meth labs might as well be taking the drug directly.

ALCOHOL – ROMANIA
College Life Oozes Drug and Alcohol Abuse – Playfuls
Almost 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 Boise
The 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 Independent
In 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 Back
The 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: News
A 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 – RAND
Pro-drinking messages are delivered to adolescents through mass media, peers, and adult drinking behavior.

METH – USA
Montana Fights Meth, and Pulls No Punches – ABC News
Montana 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 Dealer
The 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 News
Oregon has one of the highest rates of painkiller abuse in the nation, especially among teenagers.

March 13 Drug Headlines

PAINKILLERS – USA
Hunting new option in balance between painkiller's help, and abuse – South Coast Today
Scientists 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 Intelligencer
Addiction 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 – Spiked
The ‘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 Today
It'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" – KCPW
After 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 Journal
With 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 Mail
A 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 – MSNBC
Growing misuse of pain meds drives hunt for drugs with no exploitation risk.

March 7 Drug Headlines

METHADONE – USA
Scientists get a fix on methadone risks – NZZ Online
Swiss scientists say hundreds of thousands of patients and drug addicts should no longer receive the most widely used form of methadone because of heart attack risks.

ALCOHOL – AUSTRALIA
Alcohol abuse `should be prime focus' – The Advertiser, Adelaide
Alcohol abuse is the nation's biggest social drug problem, the incoming chief of the Mental Health Council of Australia has warned.

PRESCRIPTION – USA
Prescription drug abuse on the rise – News 14 Carolina
Believe it or not, the new drug of choice for teens might be right in your medicine cabinet.

PRESCRIPTION – USA
Prescription-painkiller abuse on the rise – United Press International
Teenagers and young adults are abusing prescription drugs in staggering numbers, and the crippling effects of this addiction must be addressed head-on.

METH – CANADA
RCMP warn students about crystal meth – The Coaster
To some people it is more valuable than diamonds, more precious than gold. You can smoke it, snort it, or inject it.

METH – USA
Methamphetamine on the decline? – Daily Review Atlas
Are the new methamphetamine laws finally putting a dent in the annual drug trade? That depends on whom you ask.

OPIUM – USA
U.N.: Afghan opium harvest rising – CNN News
A "cancer of insurgency" in southern Afghanistan could drive the 2007 opium poppy harvest to record levels, the U.N. drug agency chief said Monday.

ADDERALL – USA
Prescription stimulant abuse rising on campuses – SIU Daily Egyptian
The abuse of prescription stimulants is most prevalent among whites, members of fraternities or sororities and students with poor grades, according to a report released by the National Institute on Drug Abuse.

METH – USA
Mom's Against Meth Air New Anti-Drug Movie Nationwide – Fox 12 Boise
A nationwide group called Mothers Against Meth has created a film called "Crystal Meth: They Call It Ice".

OPIUM – USA
Record Opium Crop Possible in Afghanistan, U.N. Study Predicts – The New York Times
Afghanistan’s opium harvest could be bigger than last year’s record crop, with nearly half of the provinces showing an increase in planting this year.

OPIUM – USA
U.N. forsees Afghan poppy harvest boom – Boston Globe
The U.N. Office on Drugs and Crime predicted that last year's harvest record would be broken by an increase in 15 provinces.

PAINKILLER – USA
Study finds Utah tops nation in nonmedical painkiller abuse – Daily Herald
A federal study of painkiller use found Utah lead the nation in nonmedical use of prescription drugs in 2004 and 2005.

METHADONE – USA
Methadone, a New Killer – Canyon News
Methadone, which is a drug, comes in pill form as well as in liquid.

Feb 28 Drug Headlines

METHADONE – USA
Methadone abuse continues to grow – Herald Net
It's the "easy-to-get" nature of the drug that has led to the spike in methadone deaths, according to government officials.

PESCRIPTION – USA
Prescription Drug Abuse on the Rise – News Max
When you think of drug abuse, you might imagine a frantic crack addict handing over cash to dealer in a seedy part of town. What about this portrait of drug abuse? A middle-class person walks up to a pharmacist and hands over a forged prescription for some pain killers.

PAINKILLERS – USA
Daily painkiller raises heart attack risk – The Age
THE safety of popular over-the-counter painkillers and anti-inflammatory drugs has been questioned after a huge Harvard study found prolonged use can increase the risk of heart attacks and strokes.

PAINKILLERS – USA
Painkiller Risk: High Blood Pressure – Health Sentinel
The most widely used medicines in the world -- over-the-counter pain drugs -- raise a person's risk of high blood pressure.

METH – USA
War on Drugs no help as meth epidemic worsens in the U.S. – Trans World News
Methamphetamine is a highly addictive psychostimulant drug that can have horrifying side effects, but perhaps the most shocking thing about this drug is that the FDA and Big Business may be contributing to its spread in pursuit of profits.

MARIJUANA – USA
Driving While Young: Teens and Marijuana – ABC Local News
With so many tragedies involving young drivers, our Eyewitness News special project "DWY: Driving While Young" looks at the dangers teens face behind the wheel.

MARIJUANA – USA
Lawmakers target marijuana-flavored candy – AJC Capitol Updates
A bill that would ban the sale of marijuana-flavored candy to children in Georgia won approval from a legislative committee this morning, advancing the proposal toward a vote in the House of Representatives.

METH – USA
Boys & Girls Club takes meth program to schools – The Verde Independent
The clubs have been presenting the nationally acclaimed MethSMART program in West Sedona and Big Park elementary schools in Sedona and Mingus High School in Cottonwood over five weeks.

OPIUM – THIALAND
The war that won't go away – Bangkok Post
Like most wars, the society problem often labelled as the ''war on drugs'' is a matter of many small battles. This war has had many ups and downs. It should not be surprising that drug trafficking and usage are increasing once again.

OPIUM – USA
Opium eradication starts in Afghanistan – Houston Chronicle
Anguish creased the weathered face of the opium farmer as a U.S.-trained eradication team swept through his farm fields in this southern Afghan village.

Feb 21 Drug Headlines

METH – NEW ZEALAND
People power filling gap in drug battle – New Zealand Herald
The 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 News
The 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 Eye
After 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 Zealand
At 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 Post
People 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 News
Students 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 Gazette
The 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 Affairs
n 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 Back
A poll conducted by the University of South Alabama reveals strong demand for confidential random drug testing programs.

Feb 1 Drug Headlines

METH – AUSTRALIA
Schools may lead meth fight – The Border Mail
Schools 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 Independent
With 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 TV
The 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 News
The 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 Network
FDA 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: report
Schools 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 Targum
According 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.com
Workers 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 Rugby
Pierre 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 Online
Pharmaceutical 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 Times
The 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 – CNN
Some 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 Together
Random 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 Health
At least two people have become intoxicated by drinking hand-sanitizing gels, a potentially deadly habit, doctors reported Wednesday.

Jan 7 Drug Headlines (and 6 & 5)

PAINKILLERS – USA
Arthritis sufferers "misusing painkillers" – Park Tribune
Thousands of patients with severe arthritis are adding over-the-counter medication to prescribed drugs because GPs are limiting their doses amid safety fears, it is claimed today.

PRESCRIPTION – INDIA
More Americans Die Due To Side Effects From Prescription Drugs Every Year: Report - Med India
According to a newly published article by genetics and law experts at the Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law, legal liability is a powerful driver that could dramatically hasten the development of personalized medicine.

CODEINE – NEW ZEALAND
Dry Mouth Condition Affecting Younger People – News Wire
A chance discovery by Otago University, in research about a little-known dry mouth condition called xerostomia, is generating interest worldwide.

ALCOHOL – USA
Many Hispanics Shun Help for Alcohol Abuse – Forbes.com (Healthday News)
Hispanics and blacks with alcohol problems are less likely than whites to seek help, a new study finds.

ALCOHOL – UK
Youngest Drinkers Likelier To Use Alcohol For Stress Relief As Adults – Medical News Today
The younger someone starts drinking alcoholic beverages, the more likely he or she is to reach for a drink to relieve stress when older, a large new study suggests.

Jan 4 Drug Headlines

METH – USA
Meth: The Overstated Assiction – Coastal Post Online
The Department of Justice has declared today National Methamphetamine Awareness Day. What better way to observe it than taking a break from the hype?

ADDICTION – USA
Kicking an addiction, with real people – International Herald Tribune
NEW YORK: Every time they turn around, smokers are being lectured by nonsmokers about health risks and costs to society, but many of them keep smoking anyway, so pharmaceuticals and anti-smoking groups are turning to smokers and ex-smokers themselves to make the point.

OXYCODONE – USA
Drug deaths on the rise – York Daily Record
Drug users walk a razor's edge between the ultimate high and death, and, in York County last year, the prescription drug Fentanyl became the rage, according to the York County Corner's Office.

PAINKILLERS – USA
Painkiller's toll high – Courier Post
A wave of overdoses involving fentanyl, a powerful narcotic often mixed with street drugs, killed at least 98 people in the tri-county area last year, state officials say.

METHADONE – USA
Methadone toll hits W.Va. hardest – Charleston Gazette
A new study reveals that almost 4,000 Americans died of an overdose of the prescription drug methadone in 2004, more than any other prescription narcotic.

ADDICTION – USA
More Legal Controversy Over Zyprexa
The recent $500 million dollar class action settlement on the part of drug manufacturer Eli Lilly makes necessary a reexamination of the industry's legal responsibility to its customers and the crucial relationships between the FDA, the manufacturers, and the doctors who ultimately prescribe the drugs they make. The company agreed to pay an average of $27,000 to the 18,000 plaintiffs involved in the suit, each of whom claimed to have been damaged by Lilly's top drug, the antipsychotic Zyprexa.

Jan 2 Drug Headlines

ALCOHOL – USA
Teens binge drink, U.S. study finds – CNN Health
Nearly half of all U.S. high-school students admit to recently drinking alcohol illegally, and most of them were binge drinkers, according to a government survey published on Tuesday.

METH – USA
Montana researcher unlocks dangers meth holds for kids – Times-News
The dope is cooked over a backpacking stove instead of on a putrid hot plate, and the woman in a lab coat and latex gloves is a post-doctorate fellow, not a drug manufacturer.

PAINKILLERS – USA
A Painkiller Reminder - Washington Post
A recent Food and Drug Administration proposal to add stronger warning labels to several popular types of over-the-counter painkillers, noting they pose a risk of liver and stomach damage, shouldn't scare most consumers into avoiding the products entirely, experts say.

METHADONE –USA
Methadone toll hits W.Va. hardest – Charleston Gazette
A new study reveals that almost 4,000 Americans died of an overdose of the prescription drug methadone in 2004, more than any other prescription narcotic.

Dec 26 Drug Headlines (and 23, 24 & 25)

GENERAL – US
Survey: Teens abusing more legal drugs – Examiner
That’s the increasingly popular way for teenagers to get high, according to a new government survey. “This is a phenomenon that has been going on for the last five years,” said Michael Gimbel, Sheppard Pratt Health System’s director of Substance Abuse Education. “We’re seeing a huge increase in teenage use of legal drugs, prescription drugs. The kids actually call it ‘pharming.’ ”

CODEINE – TAIWAN
Foundation says doctors over-prescribing for kids – Taipei Times
Doctors are prescribing redundant and excessive levels of medicines for children, according to the results of a survey released yesterday by the Taiwan Health Reform Foundation. Of the 15 prescriptions that the foundation sampled, 13 were determined to be improper. Eleven contained at least five kinds of medicines, although some had as many of 13.

PAINKILLERS – USA
FDA urges mandatory painkiller warnings – Washington Times
The Food and Drug Administration yesterday proposed mandatory labeling for over-the-counter painkillers aspirin, acetaminophen and ibuprofen.

COCAINE – INDIA
Cocaine on 94 percent of Spanish banknotes: study – DNA World
MADRID: Traces of cocaine can be found on 94 percent of banknotes in Spain, a country that has one of the world's highest rates of users, according to a study published on Sunday.

METH – USA
Survey will help gauge knowledge, attitudes about meth – STLToday.com
HILLSBORO — How much do you know about methamphetamine? In Jefferson County, which has led the state since 2003 in the number of meth lab raids, the Methamphetamine Action Coalition is planning to survey county residents next spring to gauge public knowledge and attitudes about the drug. The aim is to help develop education, prevention and treatment programs.

PESCRIPTION – USA
Prescription Drug Fraud – Weau.com
Many people are traveling this holiday weekend, and taking their prescription medications with them. But, pharmacists say some of those people are using holiday travel as an excuse to get drugs they plan to sell or use themselves.

METH – USA
Strokes in Young People Could be Due to Meth – Scientific America
The drug known on the streets as crystal meth could increase the risk of stroke and major tears in neck arteries, neurologists report.

GENERAL – USA
Drugs, alcohol abusers getting younger – Daily News
SANTA CLARITA — Specialists who work with local kids in therapeutic programs and in the schools say drug and alcohol use among teens and adolescents is skewing younger and younger.

Dec 20 Drug Headlines

GENERAL – UK
COKE EPIDEMIC GRIPS NATION: Addiction has tripled in 5 years – Daily Record UK
SCOTLAND 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 News
SCOTLAND'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 Gleaner
The 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 News
While 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 Tribune
WASHINGTON -- 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 Mail
The 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 - Time
An overdose of Tylenol can damage the liver. The problem is, we’re often taking it when we don’t even realize it.

Dec 19 Drug Headlines

PAINKILLERS - CANADA
U.S. officials push to beef up painkiller warnings - The Star
Federal 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 Sun
A 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 Today
Christmas 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 Today
An 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 injuries
A 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.

Dec 4 Drug Headlines

GENERAL - US
Law enforcement divided about decriminalizing drugs
Vermont's top law enforcement official disagrees with a county prosecutor's call for decriminalizing illegal drugs.

OTC - US
Cough medicine drug a hallucinogen for some - CNN
Young people are increasingly abusing a drug found in nonprescription cough medicines that can produce hallucinogenic effects, but at a risk to their well-being, researchers said Monday.

GENERAL - UK
Campaign launched to reduce festive season drug deaths in Glasgow
A pre-Christmas information campaign to prevent drug-related deaths among users during the high-risk festive holiday period in Glasgow is being launched today in conjunction with Scottish Drugs Forum.

HEROIN - UK
U.K. to Give Free Heroin to Addicts - Join Together
A pilot program in Brighton and Hove, England will distribute free heroin to addicts in a bid to cut crime and addiction, The Argus reported Nov. 25.

HEROIN - US
Injection Drug Use Up Among Younger Heroin Treatment Clients - Join Together
Injection is increasingly becoming the prevalent route of administration among younger heroin users admitted to treatment, according to data from the national Treatment Episode Data Set (TEDS).

PAINKILLER - AUSTRALIA
Lawyers called in to fight methadone move - Mercury
A group of Wollongong business owners have joined forces to fight the possible relocation of Wollongong's controversial methadone clinic to their backyard.

ALCOHOL - AUSTRALIA
Ross Fitzgerald: Turning a blind eye to alcohol addiction - The Australian Opinion
A hard-hitting American study from the Rand Corporation - hardly a soft and fuzzy organisation - found that every dollar spent on treating drug and alcohol addiction saved seven dollars in law enforcement. But this research has had little impact on policy directions in any country, let alone the US.

GENERAL - AUSTRALIA
Prisons director denies rise in inmate drug use - ABC News
Tasmania's director of prisons has rejected union claims of a marked increase in drug use by inmates at the old Risdon Prison site.

GENERAL - US
Council to weigh bouncer law - Boston.com
The City Council is expected to hold a hearing this afternoon to discuss a proposal that would require background checks on bouncers and other security staff members at bars and clubs.

PRESCRIPTION - US
Parents Worry About Prescription Drugs, Too - Human Events
Methamphetamine and marijuana aren't the only drugs parents worry about. The problems caused by prescription combinations called "drug cocktails" have finally broken into the national news stream.

OPIUM - AFGHAN
60% leap in opium production in 2006 - Asia News
This was denounced by the United Nations and the US government. Drug cartels have their own armies that fight operations by Kabul and NATO. One-third of the national GDP comes from opium.

COCAINE - CANADA
Cocaine use on the rise in northern Manitoba - CBC
RCMP and addictions officials in northern Manitoba say they're dealing with a rapid rise in cocaine use and trafficking this year, but also an increase in the number of people seeking help for their addiction.

METH - US
Meth gets big part of blame surge in prisoners - Sioux City Journal
Methamphetamine is being blamed for much of the increase in South Dakota's prison population in 2005. South Dakota's 11.9 percent growth in inmate numbers last year was the largest in the nation.

METH - US
Methamphetamine spreads eastward from West - Arbiter Online
Scientists know methamphetamine as one of the most dangerous psycho stimulant drugs created. Broken down, ‘meth’ has a longer acting morphine-like effect in which people use in replacement of a morphine or heroin addiction.

HEROIN - IRELAND
Heroin deaths cause concern - Emigrant
Following the unexplained deaths of six heroin addicts in the previous 10 days, the National Disease Surveillance Centre on Saturday warned other addicts to seek medical advice if they became ill. There is concern that a contaminated batch of the drug is being sold on the streets of Dublin. Post-mortem examinations have been conducted on the five men and one woman but it will be some time before toxicology tests are complete.

Dec 1 Drug Headlines

PRESCRIPTION - US
Warning on Paxil - New York Times
Women who are pregnant, or plan to be, should avoid taking Paxil because of a risk of birth defects, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists has warned.

METH - US
Collateral damage of methamphetamine addiction
Monroe County ranks among the top five counties in Tennessee for methamphetamine lab seizures. Law agencies say they are making progress in stamping out meth use across the state, but their work isn't done yet.

METH - US
State's mission to curb methamphetamine
Methamphetamine, by any name, is a dangerous drug migrating from western states and Mexico, state officials warned Thursday. Gov. M. Jodi Rell joined U.S. Attorney Kevin J. O'Connor, Chief State's Attorney Kevin T. Kane, Public Safety Commissioner Leonard C. Boyle and other law enforcement and health officials to ask for the public's help in fighting the drug.

MARIJUANA - US
Medical Marijuana: California Supreme Court Rules Patients Can Transport It
The California Supreme Court ruled Monday that the state's medical marijuana laws allow people to transport the drug as long as they can show it was for their personal medical use. The court said that the law protects even patients carrying large amounts of weed as long as they can show it is consistent with their medical needs.

HEROIN - US
Growing heroin addiction problem in Waterford
Heroin addicts trying to kick the habit in Waterford have to wait a minimum of ten months before they can even get assessed for suitability for the methadone programme operated from the HSE’s Community Care building on the Cork Road.

PAINKILLER - US
Painkillers may reduce effectiveness of vaccines
The intake of painkillers at the time of vaccination may reduce the effectiveness of the vaccine, suggests a new study. When a person is vaccinated, the goal is to produce as many antibodies as possible to effectively neutralise the infection, reported science portal EurekAlert.

COCAINE - IRELAND
Cocaine deaths here may be under-reported, says poison doctor
The Director of the National Poisons Information Centre in Dublin’s Beaumont Hospital, Dr Joe Tracey, said he is “convinced there are an awful lot more people dying from cocaine than are being picked up” and the Centre recorded only two cocaine deaths last year.

OPIUM - AFGHAN
Afghanistan's progress might be thwarted by Opium production
Afghanistan's soaring opium production threatens to wreck efforts to rebuild the country after years of war, the UN and the World Bank have warned.

Nov 29 Drug Headlines

GENERAL - WORLDWIDE
Drugs and the law around the world - The Herald
Information 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 News
New 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 - Scoop
The 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 Herald
Teenagers 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 Guardian
A 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 Times
Efforts 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 Together
People 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 Together
Human 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 plantation
Police 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 Mail
The 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 Star
Afghanistan'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.

Nov 27 Drug Headlines

ALCOHOL - AUSTRALIA
Schoolies' dangerous drinking - Herald Sun
Alcohol is clearly the drug of choice among school leavers celebrating on the Gold Coast, with almost a quarter drinking to the point where they are physically sick. More than 85 per cent of schoolies surveyed by drug education centre DRUG ARM said they had consumed alcohol within the past 24 hours.

ALCOHOL - US
Alcohol Involved in One-Third of Suicides - Join Together
A third of suicide victims in a recent study had alcohol in their system, and about 10 percent tested positive for other drugs, such as opiates, cocaine, marijuana, or amphetamines, according to researchers at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

OPIUM - AFGHANISTAN
War on drugs strengthens Afghan mafia
Afghanistan’s war on drugs has been marred by corruption that has strengthened the grip of an increasingly powerful mafia on the country’s narcotics trade, a report by the World Bank and United Nations said. Over the past five years, the British-led counter-narcotics strategy had penalised the country’s poorest farmers and strengthened networks of organised crime, consolidating the trade among a tiny elite of traffickers, the damning report said.

ECSTASY - AUSTRALIA
Ecstasy study turns dance floor into lab - ABC Australia
The idea of being followed around a nightclub by a researcher bent on taking a blood sample and measuring your temperature may not be your idea of a good time.

COCAINE - US
Test Strips For The Rapid Detection Of Cocaine
Saving the life of a poisoning victim is often a matter of minutes. It is best when the emergency doctor can perform a reliable diagnosis on the spot to determine which poison or what type of drug overdose a patient is suffering from.

PAINKILLER - US
Methadone Use for Pain Control May Result in Death and Life-Threatening Changes in Breathing and Heart Beat - FDA Public Health Advisory
FDA has received reports of death and life-threatening side effects in patients taking methadone. These deaths and life-threatening side effects have occurred in patients newly starting methadone for pain control and in patients who have switched to methadone after being treated for pain with other strong narcotic pain relievers.

PAINKILLER - US
Deaths, side effects prompt new methadone warning - CNN
People starting treatment with methadone have died and suffered life-threatening side effects, health officials said Monday in warning of the dangers of overdosing on the painkiller.

PAINKILLER - US
Warning issued on dangers of methadone - Seatle PI
People starting treatment with methadone have died and suffered life-threatening side effects, health officials said Monday in warning of the dangers of overdosing on the painkiller.

PAINKILLER - US
FDA Issues New Methadone Warning - CBN News
It's a drug that's been used to treat heroin addiction -- and, increasingly, as a pain-reliever. And now, the government is warning of the dangers of using too much methadone.

HEROIN - US
Police: Heroin cases rise sharply in state - Chicago Tribune
Authorities say heroin has become increasingly easy to find in Indianapolis and other parts of the state. The Indiana State Police estimate they will investigate nearly 700 heroin cases this year -- twice as many as last year and triple the number of cases in 2004.

GENERAL - BANGKOK
Asean aims to be drug-free by 2015 - Bangkok Post
Representatives of Asean member countries and local, regional and international NGOs are meeting now in Bangkok to seek concrete solutions to the drug problem in the region, with a goal of making Asean a drug-free region in 2015.

MARIJUANA - US
Marijuana petition drive for 2008 ballot is under way - Wood TV
Michigan residents could legally use marijuana on private property for recreational or medical purposes under a measure proposed for the 2008 statewide ballot.

MARIJUANA - US
Petition drive seeks to legalize marijuana use in Michigan - WZZM 13
Michigan residents could legally use marijuana on private property under a measure proposed for the 2008 ballot.

Nov 22 Drug Headlines

ALCOHOL - US
Britons 'in denial' over alcohol - BBC
Britons are in denial about the effect of drinking excess alcohol on their health, according to a survey. Only 12% of adults questioned worried about the effect of drinking too much alcohol on their health, according to insurer Legal & General.

OPIUM - UK
Smoking opium could make a comeback in Britain - Times Online
Opium smoking much beloved by Victorian intellectuals could be making a comeback in Britain a national drugs conference was warned yesterday. International drugs experts believe that traffickers faced with off-loading a record crop of opium poppies in Afghanistan are not bothering to refine opium into heroin but smuggling it direct for sale.

ECSTASY - UK
Call for ecstasy to be downgraded - BBC
Ecstasy and LSD should be downgraded from Class A to Class B, a government adviser on drugs law has proposed. Professor David Nutt, who chairs a committee of a drugs advisory council, said grouping the drugs with others in Class A, like heroin, was an "anomaly".

GENERAL - NEW ZEALAND
Cultural Differences Blamed For Maori Drug Addiction - Newswire
A new study reveals that Maori are twice as likely as non-Maori to become addicted to drugs.

OPIUM - UK
Smoking opium could make a comeback in Britain - Times Online
Opium smoking much beloved by Victorian intellectuals could be making a comeback in Britain a national drugs conference was warned yesterday. International drugs experts believe that traffickers faced with off-loading a record crop of opium poppies in Afghanistan are not bothering to refine opium into heroin but smuggling it direct for sale.

GENERAL - IRAN
One person dies every two hours from drug addiction in Iran - Iran Focus
One person dies every two hours from drug addiction-related illnesses in Iran, according to new statistics released by the government.

PAINKILLER - SWEDEN
Painkiller addiction kills two youngsters - The Local, Swedens News in English
Police are concerned about the use of highly addictive painkiller Tradolan among young people in Tierp, north of Stockholm. The deaths of two 17-year old boys have been linked to the drug Expressen reports. Police say both boys hade high amounts of Tradolan in their bodies at the time of death.

GENERAL - US
Changing Your Diet Can Improve Your Mood - NBC 11
Kim Goldman's despair was so bad she couldn't work. Even prescription anti-depressants failed to pull her out of a deep depression.

COCAINE - US
Love Your Heart: Just Say 'No' to Cocaine - The Crimson
Sinners, take note. Sex won’t increase your risk of a heart attack—but cocaine could up your chances nearly 24 times over, according to two Harvard researchers.

Nov 20 Drug Headlines

Updated Articles

PAINKILLER - CANADA
Canadians abusing prescription painkillers more than heroin
According to recent research, which was sponsored by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), Canadians have been abusing prescription painkillers in greater numbers than they have heroin.

PRESCRIPTION - US
Adderall Growing Addiction on Campus
Marijuana and alcohol are two substances long considered the biggest abuse worries among college students. But a new danger is sneaking its way onto campuses, including those in Hawaii.

Original Post

PAINKILLER - CANADA
Painkiller abuse more common in America than heroin - China View
A new study conducted in seven Canadian cities has revealed that abuse of prescription painkillers such as OxyContin or Demerol is becoming more prevalent than heroin.

GENERAL - AUSTRALIA
Babies born on 'ice' - News.com.au
Nineteen babies born at the Royal Hobart Hospital had to be given morphine last year to withdraw from hard drugs including the deadly illicit amphetamine cocktail ice.

GENERAL - AUSTRALIA
Liberals take hard line on 'soft' drugs - The Age
MINIMUM sentences for drug traffickers and a specialist unit to treat "ice" addicts are the cornerstones of the Liberals' policy to crack down on drugs.

PRESCRIPTION - UK
Legal but dangerous - Times On-line
Concerns are growing over the safety of so-called legal highs following the publication of a report which questioned their safety. The New Zealand Medical Association stated that herbal party pills, which are being used increasingly by students, have a range of serious side effects and should be avoided. Party pills, which contain the ingredient benzylpiperazine (BZP) have become cheaply and widely available in the UK, often being sold at mainstream club nights.

GENERAL - CANADA
Parents Helping Parents to Prevent Drug Abuse as Part of National Addiction Awareness Week - Canadian Home and School Federation
The Canadian Home & School Federation (CHSF), the country’s first established voice for parents, is busy helping parent leaders across Canada to inform parents to prevent substance abuse.

HEROIN & PRESCRIPTION - US
More students seeking help for addiction to heroin mixture - KLTV
A growing number of Dallas children have become addicted to a combination of heroin and over-the-counter cold medicine they call "cheese."

PRESCRIPTION & HEROIN - CANADA
OPICAN study in seven Canadian cities reveals prescription opioid abuse more prevalent than heroin - EurekAlert
A 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.

GENERAL - US
Drugs: Family Docs Join the Drug War - Newsweek
In the war on drugs, the White House has tried just about every weapon—punitive policy, rehab programs, ads featuring fried eggs. For its next strike, it has some new recruits: family doctors. Seventeen states currently have simple, federally funded drug-and-alcohol-screening programs in place at major trauma centers.

PRESCRIPTION - US
Ritalin not right for children - Press Connects
Children with ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder), are not "Ritalin deficient," so why are they given this addictive drug with serious side effects to suppress symptoms instead of looking for what is causing the symptoms? Hidden food allergies have proved to be culprits, especially wheat and sugar. Environmental sensitivities, such as perfume and pollens, "set off" susceptible children.

METH - US
National Methamphetamine Awareness Day planned for November 30 - CCH Internet Research NetWork
In efforts to generate awareness about the damaging effects of methamphetamine abuse on individuals, families and American communities, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) has announced that it will sponsor National Methamphetamine Awareness Day on November 30, 2006.

METH - US
Tribes take on meth - The Norman Transcript
Some Oklahoma Native American tribes -- a few flush with money from gaming operations -- have stepped up their spending on combating methamphetamine use.

GENERAL - AUSTRALIA
Babies born addicted to 'ice', doctor says - ABC.net.au
The doctor at the Royal Hobart Hospital in charge of caring for babies born to drug-addicted mothers is calling for parents to be screened before they take their children home. Every year up to 20 newborn babies are treated at the hospital for severe drug addictions.

Nov 16 Drug Headlines

Updated Articles

PAINKILLER - US
Conflicting reports on painkiller's safety - MSNBC
Researchers looking at the safety of various arthritis and headache remedies said Thursday they had found some more evidence that the popular analgesic naproxen may cause heart problems.

Original Post

ALCOHOL - UK
U.K. Study Finds Alcohol is Real 'Date-Rape' Drug - Join Together
A U.K. study on the use of so-called "date-rape" drugs found that a familiar drug was involved in most sexual assaults: alcohol.

ALCOHOL - UK
Alcohol found to be major 'drug' in cases of date rape - Scotsman
The first major study into alleged "drug rape" cases in the UK found massive evidence that victims had been drinking, and no cases of the notorious drug Rohypnol.

GENERAL - IRELAND
Illegal drug use 'is in decline' - BBC
The use of illegal drugs has fallen in Northern Ireland, latest figures suggest. The number of young adults using illegal drugs has dropped from 43% in 2001 to 36% in 2005.

METH - AUSTRLIA
Drug 'cooks' to be tracked by database - The Age
Amphetamine "cooks" and other illegal drug producers who move around Australia will soon be tracked on a new police database. Police ministers meeting in Adelaide have signed an agreement to set up the database to help combat the growth of clandestine drug laboratories.

COCAINE - US
Report: Cocaine top killer in Big Bend - Tallahassee Democrat
More people are dying from cocaine overdoses than from any other illegal drug in the Big Bend, according to a report released this month from the Florida Department of Law Enforcement.

HEROIN & ALCOHOL - US
Knox students at risk - Knox Local News
Knox County high school students are using heroin and drinking and driving more than their peers nationwide. Almost one in three said they've been offered, been sold or been given drugs at school, Youth Risk Behavior Survey statistics show. The Knox County Health Department conducted the survey in fall 2005.

ALCOHOL - SWITZERLAND
Campaigners call time on binge drinking - Swiss Info
Growing concern over binge drinking in Switzerland has prompted alcohol prevention groups to focus on the issue during a national awareness campaign on Thursday.

COCAINE - US
Simple Dipstick Test For Cocaine, Other Drugs
Researchers at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign have developed a simple "dipstick" test for detecting cocaine and other drugs in saliva, urine or blood serum. The test is based upon DNA-gold nanoparticle technology, and can be packaged in user-friendly kits similar to those used for home pregnancy tests.

Nov 9 Drug Headlines

Updated Articles

PAINKILLER - US
Another Recall for Generic Drugmaker - MSNBC
For the third time in five years, Perrigo pulls pain reliever from shelves.

PAINKILLER - US
11 Million Bottles of Painkillers Are Recalled - New York Times
As many as 11 million bottles of store-brand acetaminophen, the pain killer, were recalled by the manufacturer today because some of the caplets in the bottles are contaminated with metal fragments.

Original Post

GENERAL - UK
Teach drugs at nursery - TES
More than 100 children aged under 12 were treated for substance abuse in Wales last year. Most were referred for alcohol and cannabis abuse, but some were also treated for cocaine, heroin and crack addictions.

OXYCODONE - US
Oxycodone responsible for most drug deaths on Treasure Coast
The powerful painkiller Oxycodone was responsible for the most deaths among the 35 drug-caused fatalities on the Treasure Coast in the first half of 2006, according to a recent report released by Florida's medical examiners.

METH - US
Health Department To Test Homes For Meth Residue - KUTV 2 Salt Lake City
Health department officials are offering to test homes in Cache, Rich and Box Elder counties for methamphetamine-related chemicals under a recently approved program. Methamphetamine is an addictive drug that stimulates the central nervous system and is usually made from common household chemicals that can leave dangerous residue behind in buildings where the drug is made and used.

Nov 8 Drug Headlines

Updated Articles

PAINKILLERS - US
Antioxidants may make more effective pain-killers than morphine - SAWFS News
A new research on a mouse model has boffins hopeful that antioxidant-based pain killers will, in the future, become a viable alternative to addictive medications such as morphine.

MARIJUANA - US
Major marijuana initiatives defeated - Personal Blog
Efforts to legalize marijuana for either recreational or medical use were defeated yesterday in three states. In Colorado, where Amendment 44 sought to legalize possession of an ounce of pot for adults, only 38% of the voters favored the inititative.

ALCOHOL - UK
Alcohol dependence: International policy implications for prison populations
Results - Alcohol dependence emerged as the most prevalent substance use disorder in both UK prisons and in the US sample. Relative frequencies of abuse and dependence for alcohol and other drugs revealed that dependence on a given substance was more prevalent than abuse as defined by the current diagnostic criteria.

Original Post

GENERAL - UK
Charles demands help for a lost generation - Telegraph
The Prince of Wales will today highlight the plight of 1.2 million unemployed and under-educated young people facing a grim future because they have been abandoned "on the margins of society".
2006, November 8

ALCOHOL - US
Alcohol Bad For Lungs As Well As Liver - Medical News Today
Chronic alcohol abuse disrupts the proteins that keep fluids out of the lung, lowers a protective antioxidant, disrupts immune defenses and can lead to a condition known as 'alcoholic lung,' according to research to be presented at the conference, "Physiological Genomics and Proteomics of Lung Disease."
2006, November 8

OPIUM - AFGHANISTAN
Afghanistan 'to spray poppy crop' - e-Ariana
The Afghan government has for the first time accepted that aerial chemical spraying could be considered to curb the cultivation of opium poppies. Poppy production across Afghanistan has increased by 60% since 2005.

OPIUM - AFGHANISTAN
Tajiks Struggle to Stem Tide of Drugs - IWPR
Narcotics experts are predicting a surge in illicit drugs entering Tajikistan en route to Russia and Europe following the record opium harvest in Afghanistan. They are calling for joint efforts to create a security belt around Afghanistan to check the flow of drugs.

PRESCRIPTION - US
Students Abusing 'Smart Drugs' To Keep Grades Up - CBS2 Chicago
For years, students pulling all-nighters have gulped coffee to stay awake. But now growing numbers are popping pills -- and not to party.

PRESCRIPTION - UK
Revealed: The thousands of drug addicts - Chronicle LIve
A lost generation of over the counter prescription pill addicts is today revealed. It is thought as many as 45,000 people in the North East are in the grip of addictions to sleeping pills and drugs like Valium, diazepam and temazepam.

ALCOHOL - UK
Rapid Rise in U.K. Alcohol Deaths Reported - Join Together
Alcohol-related