Yes, a tourist might be approached to buy pot. But on the beaches or in the markets, it’s usually fun, fun, fun, and then fly or cruise away. But this week tourists would have seen something very different in the Jamaican capital of Kingston, similar to what has been happening in parts of Mexico since … Read more
WASHINGTON — Could a once-a-month alcoholism shot keep some of the highest-risk heroin addicts from relapse? A drug that wakes up narcoleptics treat cocaine addiction? An old antidepressant fight methamphetamine? This is the next frontier in substance abuse: a Better understanding of how addiction overlaps with other brain diseases is sparking a hunt to see … Read more
WINFIELD, Mo. — Mexican drug smugglers are increasingly peddling a form of ultra-potent heroin that sells for as little as $10 a bag and are so pure it can kill unsuspecting users instantly, sometimes before they even remove the syringe from their veins. An Associated Press review of drug overdose data shows that so-called “black … Read more
Rationalization and denial are key concepts in addiction treatment. To recover, addicts admit they have rationalized their habit (“I use so much less than my friends.”) and denied they have a problem (“I can handle it. It’s not affecting my job.”) Here’s another barrier to recovery from addiction: “I’m too smart for this to become … Read more
Results of a study on sudden death show there is no such thing as safe recreational cocaine use, the researchers said, and suggest the 12 million Europeans who use cocaine are putting their lives on the line. “The notion that recreational cocaine use is ‘safe’ should be dispelled, since even small amounts may have catastrophic … Read more
EL PASO – The threat of cartel drug violence is forcing civilians along the border to take up arms. The threat is also taking a toll on Texas law enforcement officers in West Texas. CHANNEL 5 NEWS traveled to El Paso where the violence there flared up several years ago. Culberson County Sheriff Oscar Carillo … Read more
The brains of ecstasy users show low levels of a certain protein, a finding that may explain why many feel they need to turn to higher doses of the drug. In Tuesday’s issue of the journal Brain, Stephen Kish of the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health in Toronto and his colleagues confirmed that low … Read more
In this week’s “A Piece of My Mind” column in The Journal of the American Medical Association, a specialist in addiction offers a riveting tale of his own tragic drug habit. Dr. McCracken confesses to a daily, decade-long marijuana habit and three years of abusing opioids injected intravenously. But because of his extensive knowledge of … Read more
BRASILIA – PRESIDENT Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva on Thursday unveiled a national war on crack cocaine, a drug that is increasingly causing addiction, health problems and crime in Brazilian cities and towns. ‘At least in Brazil there are no big dealers. They are basically small-time. The drug is scattered everywhere, which makes it difficult … Read more
The headlines about “cheese” heroin overdose deaths have faded, but Dallas-area treatment centers still struggle to keep up with a high number of teens as young as 13 addicted to the mix of heroin and sleep aids. “It hasn’t let up,” said Janet Anselmo-Henson, manager of the Dallas County juvenile department’s substance abuse programs. … Read more