India Fast Emerging Major Source of Party Drug Ketamine

India is fast emerging as a major source of ketamine or party drug, traditionally used as an anesthetic for animals, smuggled out by narcotics cartels due to its increasing popularity, especially in Southeast Asia. Known as the common man’s cocaine, ketamine is becoming a hit among college students and the youth in many countries, sources … Read more

Drug Use Among the Wabash Valley Work Force

Drug use among the Wabash Valley work force may be affecting employers more than they know. Product quality, on-the-job injuries and employee absences can all be related to employee drug use. The best way to determine if drug use is a factor is to randomly drug test employees. https://tribstar.com/news/x970729107/Employers-hear-update-on-drug-use-in-Wabash-Valley

Calif. Chamber of Commerce Fights Pot Proposition

The California Chamber of Commerce disagrees that Prop. 19’s effects would be minimal. Last week, the employer lobbying group began airing radio ads in Southern California detailing its opposition. “It creates a whole new protected class of employees and ties employers’ hands in maintaining a drug and alcohol-free workplace,” said Erika Frank, general counsel for … Read more

Teens Lie About Drug Use, Even When Tested, Study Tinds

Teens were 52 times more likely to test positive for cocaine use than report using it, while parents were 6.5 times more likely to do the same, the researchers said. Both groups misrepresented their illicit drug use despite knowing they would undergo a drug test. https://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/39830827/ns/health-addictions/

DOT Issues Final Rule on Drug Testing

On January 1, 2018, the Department of Transportation’s final rule amending its drug-testing program goes into effect.  In an effort to more closely align with the revised HHS Mandatory Guidelines established by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the rule clarifies existing drug-testing program provisions, makes technical amendments, and removes certain requirements for … Read more

Venezuela Captures Alleged Colombian Drug Lord

The last remaining fugitive capo of Colombia’s Norte del Valle drug cartel has been captured in Venezuela and will be extradited to the United States, President Hugo Chavez announced Tuesday. https://www.cnn.com/2011/11/28/world/americas/colombia-drug-arrest/index.html

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

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

Government: More than 22,000 dead in Mexico Drug War

More than 22,000 people have died in drug-related violence since Mexican President Felipe Calderon declared war on the nation’s narcotrafficking cartels in December 2006, a government report said Tuesday. https://news.blogs.cnn.com/2010/04/14/government-more-than-22000-dead-in-mexico-drug-war/