Doctored Cocaine Raises Alarms in Twin Cities

Two people died and three others became ill after using tainted cocaine now making its way into the Twin Cities, state health officials said Monday. And, experts say, it may only be the beginning of a more widespread problem in Minnesota. The deadly addition to the cocaine was Levamisole, an anti-worm veterinary medication added to … Read more

More Teens May Be Getting High off Prescription Drugs

One high school student in five has taken a prescription drug without a doctor’s order, according to a nationwide survey. Abuse of a prescription drug was most common among white students (23 percent), followed by Hispanics (17.2 percent) and blacks (11.8 percent), according to Danice Eaton of the CDC’s Division of Adolescent and School Health … Read more

Contaminated Cocaine Can Cause Flesh to Rot

“Cocaine abusers — already at risk for an abnormal heartbeat, blood pressure problems, hallucinations, convulsions and stroke — can add another potential health complication to the list: rotting flesh.” https://health.usnews.com/health-news/family-health/infectious-diseases/articles/2010/06/01/contaminated-cocaine-can-cause-flesh-to-rot.html

Ciudad Juárez, Mexico: The World’s Most Dangerous Place?

The light is falling, the heat is letting up and gunmen have arrived at the modest house with the concrete front yard where there is a birthday party going on. With quiet efficiency, they approach the painted wrought iron gates and begin spraying the adults with bullets. Three men crumple to the ground, dead. Two … Read more

Targeting Brain Circuits for Addiction, Relapse

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

Deadly, Ultra-Pure Heroin Arrives in US

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

A Cautionary Tale: Smart People and Addiction

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

West Texas Hard Hit by Mexican Drug War

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