SPRINGFIELD -- Gov. Rod Blagojevich signed into law Thursday a bill banning the sale of the pure form of a drug commonly found in over-the-counter cough medicines. The law would make illegal to sell, possess, deliver or distribute dextromethorphan, known as DXM, unless it was obtained through a prescription or an over-the-counter medicine, such as Robitussin, which contains acceptable doses of the drug, Blagojevich said. The law, which takes effect immediately, arose from the September 2003 death of an Illinois State University student who overdosed on DXM bought in pure form over the Internet, according to a statement from the governor's office. [continues 73 words]
NEW YORK - Teenage smoking and drinking continue to drop, but teen abuse of prescription drugs has become "an entrenched behavior" that many parents fail to recognize, a survey released today shows. For the third straight year, the Partnership for a Drug-Free America study showed that about one in five teens have tried prescription drug painkillers such as Vicodin or OxyContin. It also indicated that many teens feel that experimenting with prescription drugs is safer than illegal drugs. Forty percent said prescription medicines were "much safer" than illegal drugs, while 31 percent said there was "nothing wrong" with using prescription drugs "once in a while." The study further found that 29 percent of teens believe prescription pain relievers are nonaddictive. [continues 238 words]
Teenage smoking and drinking continue to drop, but teenage abuse of prescription drugs has become "an entrenched behavior" that many parents fail to recognize, according to a survey being released today. For a third straight year, the Partnership Attitude Tracking Study, conducted by the Partnership for a Drug-Free America, showed that about 1 in 5 -- about 4.5 million -- teenagers have tried painkillers such as Vicodin or OxyContin to get high. Forty percent of teenagers surveyed said prescription medicines were "much safer" than illegal drugs, while 31 percent said there was "nothing wrong" with using prescription drugs "once in a while." The study also found that 29 percent believe prescription pain relievers are not addictive. [continues 62 words]
While teen smoking and drinking continue to drop, a survey to be released today indicates that teenage abuse of prescription drugs has become "an entrenched behavior" that many parents fail to recognize. For a third straight year, the Partnership for a Drug-Free America study showed that about one in five teens have tried prescription drug painkillers like Vicodin or OxyContin to get high. It also indicated that many teens feel experimenting with prescription drugs is safer than illegal highs. Forty percent said prescription medicines were "much safer" than illegal drugs, while 31 percent said there was "nothing wrong" with using prescription drugs "once in a while." The study further found that 29 percent of teens believe prescription pain relievers are non-addictive. [continues 435 words]
While teen smoking and drinking continue to drop, a new survey indicates that teenage abuse of prescription drugs has become "an entrenched behavior" that many parents fail to recognize. For a third straight year, the Partnership for a Drug-Free America study showed that about one in five teens has tried prescription painkillers like Vicodin or OxyContin to get high -- about 4.5 million teens. It also indicated that many teens feel experimenting with prescription drugs is safer than illegal highs. [continues 139 words]
For $5 Million, Arizona Can Grow Its Population Of Meth Users -- Just Like Montana The voice wafting over the airwaves is identified only as Jen, 15. In the flat tone of someone who's seen it all and hated every minute, Jen describes first using crystal meth as an 11-year-old. Later, while using, Jen got raped, but she didn't report it, didn't even seem to care. After all, her rapist provided her with more drugs. "That's when I started selling my body for meth," Jen says. "I don't know anyone who's quit using meth after they tried it a couple times, or just once." [continues 2629 words]
Meth in middle school. Meth in the womb. Meth as father-daughter time. The Arizona Republic series "Shattered by Glass: Children and Meth," shows how the drug has insinuated itself into what should be safe spaces. Home. School. How it invades sacred places, like a child's relationship with parents. It can be overwhelming to read of a 12-year-old girl asking her dad to share his meth. It goes beyond chilling to enter the world of a 14-year-old girl who scrawled her anger into a Betty Boop diary, decided "life sucks" and turned her mother in for cooking meth. [continues 528 words]
Local Programs Reach Out To Help The Ross County Sheriff's Office responded Thursday to a call of drug paraphernalia found in a 15-year-old boy's pants pocket. Inside the boy's pocket were two straws covered in white powder- allegedly a crushed Vicodin tablet. He reportedly used the straws to snort the prescription medication. This is a common instance around the country and in Ross County. A study released by the Partnership for a Drug Free America found 18 percent of teens have used Vicodin without a prescription. "The usage of painkillers is a big problem," said pediatrician Amy Luckeydoo, of Smith and Fleischer. "They're thought of as party drugs." [continues 117 words]
Random student drug testing could become a reality at Willcox middle and high schools by fall. The Willcox School Board approved forming a committee of community members to solicit public opinion to see if there is need for a school drug-testing policy, If so, they will also recommend a draft student drug-testing policy for the district. Following two town hall meetings and evidence of need, a policy would be drafted and presented to the board in June or July for approval, amendments or rejection. [continues 676 words]
Parents, there is something right under your nose that your child could be abusing to get high. According to the Arizona Criminal Justice Commission, inhalant use is up, with one out of 10 students in eighth to 10th grade saying he or she has used an inhalant to get high. These inhalants are as close as the kitchen sink or your child's classroom. This is National Inhalant Prevention Week, and now is a perfect time to talk with your child. [continues 187 words]
Forum To Address Impact Of Heroin, OxyContin Abuse From Nancy Reagan's simple "Just Say No" campaign to the billions spent each year trying to stop traffickers and producers, Americans have long waged war against illegal drugs, most with the conviction that it is a fight both winnable and worth winning. But here's a chilling fact: In three counties south of Boston -- Bristol, Norfolk, and Plymouth -- the number of fatal overdoses from heroin, OxyContin, and other narcotics has continued to soar since 1990. The state Department of Public Health recorded 13 overdose deaths among residents of those counties in 1990. In 2003, the most recent year for which the agency has data, that total had jumped more than 12 times, to 158. [continues 1320 words]
Three suspected methamphetamine labs were found Friday during a search at a residence on the corner of Grant Street and First Avenue in Willcox. The property, enclosed by a fiberglass panel fence which obstructs the view of the yard and residence from the outside, is owned by [Name redacted], 46. Flasks, chemicals and tubing were found when a search warrant for [Name redacted]' property was executed by the Willcox Police Department and the Phoenix -based HIDTA (High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area) task force at 8 a.m., said Police Chief Jake Weaver. [continues 415 words]
Legalizing Marijuana Still Up for Debate Clinton tried it but didn't inhale. Kanye wrote a song about it, and the Kottonmouth Kings base their entire lives around it. Marijuana has found a place in numerous people's lives, and most people are OK with that. Now there's even a book about experiences and thoughts while smoking marijuana--the illegal substance that some organizations are fighting an uphill battle to change the negative image revolving around the drug. This past December three guys--Arj Barker, Doug Benson and Tony Camin--published The Marijuana-Logues, a humorous book parodying The Vagina Monologues that replaces the female anatomy with an illegal substance. The book, as the authors write, is "written by stoners, for stoners, about stoners." [continues 981 words]
WHAT DO WE LEARN ABOUT DRUGS FROM PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENTS? In 1987 the famous image of the egg and the frying pan was seared into our collective conscience. Let's all say it together - This is your brain (hold up egg). This your brain on drugs (crack egg in frying pan). The commercial operated on a scare tactic philosophy and was targeted at the potential drug user - teenagers and young adults. Fast forward to 2005 and the image is of small schoolboy singing a nursery rhyme. [continues 757 words]
'It's Really Not Hard To Get Hold Of' Abuse Rate Among Students At 5% To 10% And Is Rising, Concordia Officials Say When Valerie needed a boost during her final exams at Concordia University, she didn't brew a pot of strong coffee or open a can of the energy drink Red Bull. Instead, she popped a powerful little pill. "It helped me focus for eight hours straight," said Valerie, who spoke on the condition that her real name not be used. [continues 826 words]
Organization Making Strong Push In State Hit Hard By Drug Arizona television viewers will see a series of tough anti-drug messages this month as the Partnership for a Drug-Free America's state chapter presents an educational campaign against what officials say is a methamphetamine epidemic. The six TV commercials unveiled at a Wednesday news conference in Phoenix include one featuring 27-year-old Paul Delgado, a Glendale college student and waiter who served two prison terms because of his meth addiction. [continues 400 words]
Locking Up Cold Medicine Makes The Politicians Feel Good -- But It Won't Put A Dent In Arizona's Meth Habit If you're super bored, or really desperate, you can make crystal meth from Tylenol Cold/Severe Congestion cool-burst caplets. You need denatured ethanol, or acetone, or anhydrous ammonia. You need iodine crystals and red phosphorous. And then you need 16,560 Tylenol caplets -- a purchase that alone will set you back $3,857, plus tax. But if you get enough of those ingredients, and buy those 690 boxes of Tylenol, and spend hours boiling and filtering and then filtering all over again, you could, conceivably, end up with crystal meth. [continues 5498 words]
National Campaign Opens in Louisville Todd Zaborac knows what it's like to feel the euphoric surge of invincibility that comes with a methamphetamine high. He also knows the damage the drug can do -- it ruined his teeth, aged him prematurely and landed him in trouble with the law. Zaborac, 29, said he recognized himself in some of the images unveiled yesterday in several television spots aimed at educating people about the dangers of meth use. The messages are part of a campaign sponsored by the Partnership for a Drug-Free America and the Office of National Drug Control Policy that was unveiled yesterday in Louisville. [continues 285 words]
When Adrienne Rodriguez walked into a bathroom at her middle school Tuesday, she found six girls huddled in a stall, one of them crying, shaking and vomiting. "I went in and said, 'What's wrong?' and she just hugged me and said, 'Don't tell nobody, don't tell nobody,' " said Rodriguez, 15. But Rodriguez ran to the cafeteria at Loggers Run Middle School west of Boca Raton and told a teacher. The girl and three other students apparently overdosed on over-the-counter cold medication and were taken to West Boca Medical Center, authorities said. [continues 986 words]
The spots are intended to show that the human toll of the drug reaches beyond just the user. Methamphetamine fighters in Iowa who successfully campaigned for restrictions on the sale of over-the-counter cold medicines announced Monday that they will take their message directly to the public. Federal and state officials, with the support of Gov. Tom Vilsack, rolled out a series of television advertisements Monday that aim to convey the human toll of the drug not only on users, but their children and neighbors. [continues 509 words]