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Selena Gomez the superstar that started her fame at such a young age and continued to skyrocket in the spotlight is getting treatment for a concealed medical condition. Her ongoing fight with her public medical condition Lupus has been the center of the cause for her mental health issues. ” Selena is receiving treatment and has…

A Mexican couple caught bringing dismembered human remains in a baby stroller may have opened the case to killings of as many as 20 females, a leading prosecutor shared Monday. The man admitted to 20 killings, however, provided details consisting of the names of only 10 victims, said Alejandro Gomez, the chief district attorney of Mexico State,…

Standing United Is just days away from presenting the first annual “Comedy For A Cause ” featuring Mike Tyson, Russel Peters and many more in hopes of battling addiction. In just eight days comedians will take the stage at the City National Grove of Anaheim, working with Tyson Ranch and Standing United, together creating this event…

Charles Phifer trial starts today for a North Texas male implicated two years ago of beating his ex-girlfriend’s child to death. The male suspect was originally indicted for felony injury to a young girl. A grand jury has since included a capital murder charge. Cops and prosecutors said 4-year-old Leiliana Wright was killed in her…

The Opioid crisis has caused many hardships and eye openers for everyone. The only option we have is to tackle this epidemic head-on. Ingenious approaches have yielded success, but we need to take care to stop short of radical fixes, lest we intensify the extreme issue we are trying to remedy. A delegation of state…

The reality of addiction is very clear: Stories of animals being abused and intentionally hurt only to be taken to the veterinarian, just for their owner to keep the prescription drugs to sell or take themselves. As a forensic veterinarian, Dr. Melinda Merck is very familiar with these cases. She serves as a bridge between…

According to one little-noticed provision in the bipartisan opioids bill headed to President Donald Trump’s desk for his likely signature, this bill would allow hospice staff to destroy opioid medications that are expired, no longer needed by the patient because of a change in treatment or left over after the patient dies. Hospice workers will…

The country has begun its nationwide crackdown on the Opioid epidemic causing the market for heroin and addictive prescription painkillers to decrease. However, a leading narcotics prosecutor says it is also having an unintended impact– increasing traffic in artificial substitutes like fentanyl– which is 50 times more addictive than heroin– in addition to harmful new fentanyl derivatives…

In America “fake weed” is causing zombie-like behavior. In other countries more popular in the UK, they are users of “legal highs” gone too far. People who use these synthetic drugs are normally rushed to the emergency rooms after collapsing or falling into a comatose-like state, usually having to stay for a few days. Traditional…

Over the weekend a Richmond female has been arrested for trying to conceal 230 Suboxone strips in her vaginal area in hopes of getting them into the Augusta Correctional Center. The suspect identified as Angela Nicole Thomas, 40, is being held at the Middle River Regional Jail on felony charges for attempting to deliver drugs to prisoners and…

It all seemed like a normal first date to  a 24-year-old female, but took a dark turn and turned  into a nearly 24-hour-long Night-mare of roofies, human trafficking, and illegal drug trades The date began on a popular dating app, called SKOUT, which sets up complete strangers based upon their phones’ GPS coordinates and likes. The female…

Justice was finally served when a 160-year jail sentence was given to an Indiana man after his conviction in August on 10 counts of child molestation, leading to the pregnancy of his ten-year step old daughter. At his trial last month, Georgia native Nicholas Deon Thrash, 34, was found guilty of consistently molesting and drugging the little…

Early this morning 20-year-old Shawn Smith was arrested for tossing his 4-year-old brother from there apartment building, Boston Police identify the suspect as the victims older brother. He remains in custody after he admitted to tossing his bro off of the structure’s roofing system. Police responded to a 911 call around 3:30 a.m. Saturday on the 2400…

A New marijuana-based drug has resulted in a huge medical change in the United States government’s position on marijuana. The Drug Enforcement Administration has rescheduled Epidiolex to start selling the very first FDA-approved drug derived from marijuana but stopped short due to reclassifying all cannabidiol items. After announcing it’s the first federally authorized cannabis-based medication at the…

In less than five minutes, an individual can go from having zero contacts that could provide him or her with illegal compounds to a DM or text message away from a vial of LSD, other drugs, and even illegal weapons. It’s the harmful adverse effects of the social networks boom that has offered anyone, especially teenagers,…

Today is the day tickets go on sale as Mike Tyson provides the community with Comedy For a Cause benefiting Standing United on Thursday, October 18. Buy your tickets today and join Mike and good friends on their mission to Tackle and educate the addiction and homelessness that’s filling southern California. Starring  MC ‘d by…

“America’s dad” Bill Cosby also known as a registered sex offender was sentenced Tuesday to 3 to 10 years in a state jail. The 81-year-old comedian was founded guilty in April of drugging and sexually attacking Andrea Constand, a former Temple University women’s basketball administrator, who testified Cosby attacked her at his Pennsylvania home in 2004 after…

In a quiet Atlanta suburb, local police department confiscated what seemed to be cartoon shaped candy, recently after a hit-and-run mishap. Going Forward the media strongly suggest parents should be cautious for all those who interact with kids– especially with about a month to Halloween– investigators said Monday. Hapeville officers on Friday took cocaine and…

As people tidy up after Hurricane Florence created chaos through the Carolinas, after taking care of their physical requirements and security, people need to spend some time considering their mental health. Individuals who evacuated, lost their homes, or who had friends lose their lives and belongings on TV- might be feeling anxious, sad or stressed…

A north Arkansas mother was detained Wednesday after her injured child was evaluated for drugs, authorities reported. Samantha Laverty, 20, of Midway, was charged with second-degree battery and 2 counts of endangering the well-being of a minor. The Baxter County sheriff’s workplace said in a news release that Laverty’s 18-month-old child was hospitalized Sept. 11…

In a time where the lines of true selflessness tend to be blurred and obscure, this cloudiness materializes from a lack of genuine care for others who can do nothing for you in return. Infection reveals itself in many different forms: pride, monetary gain, selfishness, etc. It’s extremely important we identify and recognize the amazing…

During a new experiment researchers dosed the Beautiful alien-like creatures with MDMA, these scientists found that these complex animals share parts of Human-like response involved in social behaviors with humans. A brand-new study suggests that human beings might have more in common with octopuses than it appears: they both respond to a minimum of one…

Today marks the last day for the 1st annual Western States Opioid Summit in Anaheim California. The Social Model Recovery Systems (SMRS) and the California Consortium of Addiction Programs and Professionals have partnered to present the inaugural Western States Opioid Summit.The convention ran from September 19-21st, located at the Anaheim Convention Center, 800 W. Katella Avenue. This was…

In less than a month, Canada’s 10 provinces and 3 areas will join 9 American states and Washington D.C. that have completely legislated the recreational intake of cannabis. But even after October 17th, a Canadian who drives from Vancouver to Seattle may be asked by a border agent if they have actually smoked pot in…

Wendy Newton and Nicolette Green lives were taken by Hurricane Florence this week. The two mentally ill mothers were being transported by law enforcement to a psychiatric facility in South Carolina through the storm according to the New York Times. The females were riding in the back of a sheriff’s van driven by 2 deputies when water…

In today’s society, the topic of marijuana is still the white elephant in the room causing all sorts of opinions to surface — doesn’t matter whether you’re for or against them. Earlier this week actress Kristen Bell let fans in on a surprising detail about her house life with husband Dax Shepard. Bell confessed to the public…

A popular surgeon from Newport Beach and his sweetheart are accused of drugging and sexually attacking 2 ladies, Southern California authorities stated they think there could be many more victims. Grant William Robicheaux, 38, and Cerissa Laura Riley, 31, are accused of rape by giving his patients drugs, oral copulation by anesthesia and attacks with…

Marijuana is breaking the news once again. Everyone from Coca-Cola Co. to pharmaceutical companies are wanting to tap into possible healing usages of CBD, a cannabinoid found in cannabis. It’s a substance that’s catching more attention as the use of its source plant grows. The famous Soft drink  Coca-Cola is “carefully viewing” the marketplace for beverages instilled…

The newest tool in the battle against opioid overdoses is an affordable test strip that can help heroin users detect a potentially deadly impurity in their drugs. Sales of fentanyl test strips have blown up as a growing variety of overdose-prevention programs hand them out to individuals who use illicit drugs. Though they weren’t designed for it,…

Missouri mother is being charged with stealing and using the Pain medication suggested for her terminally ill child. According to authorities, officers were dispatched to a doctor’s workplace on Monday, Sept. 10, where they uncovered issues of neglect and substance abuse related to a young 20-year-old woman who is terminally ill and is supposed to be…

Early Last week, Elon Musk appeared on The Joe Rogan Experience, breaking the web when he took a single puff of marijuana at the two-hour-and-ten minute mark. In just under 15 seconds of a podcast that topped two-and-a-half hours, he relatively did enough damage to cause Tesla’s stock to plummet 9 percent, where it remained…

A video of two men playing with the limp body of their friend, who died of a suspected drug overdose surfaced on Facebook showing “a blatant disregard for human life,” stated by the Porter County Coroner Chuck Harris However, Indiana State police announce it does not appear any laws were broken when the two males took a…

Illinois medical patients will soon be able to have the choice to choose there pain medication, with cannabis being on the list of alternative treatment. Late August 2018, Gov. Bruce Rauner signed into law Senate Bill 336, which establishes the Opioid Alternative Pilot Program. Under the States Compassionate Use of Medical Cannabis Pilot Program Act,…

The well-known actor Ben Affleck has been battling addiction his whole life and just recently enduring intense rehab. During a two hour heated “confession session” at his current rehab facility Ben broke down to his ex-wife Jennifer Garner about his mistakes fueled by alcohol. The actor sat in misery while he shared the truth about…

Rapper and producer Mac Miller, age 26, has been found dead from an apparent drug overdose by the Los Angeles Police department yesterday at his home. Authorities have not yet released the substance that caused his premature death. Yesterday afternoon police responded to a 911 call for a death investigation on 11600 block of Valley Crest Road…

On Sunday, an incident occurred around the 3600 block of South Pine Avenue in Ocala when two Florida men led the Marion County Police on a chase in attempts to get away due to the large amounts of drugs, a loaded gun, and unlikely adorable friend.The offices of the county department released the body-cam and…

A major company known as, Purdue Pharma is being blamed for igniting the addiction and overdose epidemic due to their misleading Opioid marketing. They recently announced that they are funding efforts to help create a more affordable overdose antidote in hopes of saving lives. The company who produces copious amounts of OxyContin released Wednesday, September 5th that it would…

Shocking video was recently released by the Texas San Antonio Police, which shows a high-speed pursuit involving two people, one was the driver a female later identified by DPS and her infant that she further endangers by running through oncoming traffic. June 15th a 29-year-old woman by the name of Caitlyn Rodriguez was pulled over…

A potentially “Life-saving” drug has been making a lot of noise in San Diego County today. The awareness group, Moms United to End the War on Drugs, held a training seminar in Kearny Mesa to educate and train participating residents in the administering of this anti-overdose medication. The drug Naloxone, also known as Narcan, comes…

© Mineral County Sheriff Kelly Coltrain sits in a cell at the Mineral County Jail in Hawthorne. She died about an hour after her jailer asked her to mop her vomit from the floor. © Provided by Carol Fesser A family photo of Kelly Coltrain. RENO, Nevada — Locked away in a Nevada county jail for failing to…

A viral video that was passed around on social media last year has finally reached a conclusion after a now former teacher was accused of using drugs in her own classroom after her own students turned her in. Former Lake Central High School Teacher Samantha Cox, 24, was caught by a student who “had video…

A city in the midst of a heated dispute with a church that uses marijuana during their sermons has now been approved by a Riverside county judge to close it as of August 15th. Judge Sunshine Sykes authorized the move after nearly 9 months of the organizations operation, and months of confusion between authorities in…

ROBYN MERRETT August 24, 2018 10:00 PM Prince’s family is holding his former doctor responsible for his death two years ago. The family of the late “Purple Rain” singer claims Dr. Michael Schulenberg failed to treat Prince’s opiate addiction, which could have prevented his fatal overdose in 2016, according to the Associated Press. In the lawsuit filed in…

Hailey Beles loos outside while seated on the window still moments before attending Walworth County Court in Elkhorn By Jonah Beleckis jbeleckis@gazettextra.com ELKHORN Judge David Reddy’s voice was now booming. “Listen to me,” the Walworth County judge said. “Don’t interrupt me. Do not interrupt me. Do you understand?” Hailey M. Beles, a teenager sitting in…

LIGHTSPRING/SHUTTERSTOCK According to new estimates out this week, about 72,000 people in the United States died from drug overdoses in 2017. That’s up from 64,000 in 2016, when opioid overdoses accounted for more than 60 percent of those deaths. Drug overdoses are the leading cause of death for Americans under 50. They kill more people…

The Tech billionaire and co-founder of Broadcom Corporation and a female accomplice were arrested last week in a Las Vegas hotel room on suspicion of drug trafficking after a tip to the police by the hotel’s security team. According to jail records, Henry T. Nicholas III, 59, the co-founder Broadcom Corp and a woman named…

The common wisdom teeth removal procedure is one of the most common adolescent surgeries that 85% of young adults receive in their lifetime. Such a minor and ordinary surgery often comes with a prescription of opioid medications that a new study says is a dangerous leap into addiction that would otherwise be avoided in many…

Kirkersville Police Chief James Hughes Jr fatal overdose last May was initially ruled accidental, but new reports show while inadvertent, the drugs he consumed were not. An autopsy released last month said he died accidentally of “acute intoxication by fentanyl.” Now, all signs suggest the drugs ingested where previously seized from police evidence. Investigators found…

States overwhelmed with patients looking for the promises of the new anti-opioid measures orchestrated by the presidential administration are still struggling to reap the benefits of the programs goals. The walking wounded say while the help is supposed to be out there, it’s affordability is out of reach. Even U.S House Representatives agree the biggest…

An 8-year-old boy is dead because of a case of mistaken cereal and a neglectful parent. Curtis Collman III awoke early on June 21st and asked his dad Curtis Collman II that he was hungry and needed something to eat according to authorities. Collman II, 41, told authorities they had no food, but there was a plate…

Our minds are powerful things, they grow and change, with knowledge, with experiences and habits, and our brains adapt. It’s called neuroplasticity. And it’s part of your normal development, until a foreign substance manipulates it. Scientists are learning just how dramatic the effects of opioids can be on the human brain. “These are things we…

Last year, a Wisconsin news company has followed up with two former drug criminals who had graduated a treatment course accompanied by Vivitrol shots and heavy counseling. Back then; the program was a lifesaver for the two patients. “I’m not a slave to the obsession of the addiction,” said Dan Olson last summer. “I’ve pretty…

As disappointing as it is to see someone fall off the wagon when it comes to their sobriety, punishing them isn’t going to get them any further in their fight against addiction. Rationalizing relapse is not giving an addict an excuse; it is allowing them to feel their emotions and process through their own individual…

There’s a factory in Richmond, Indiana that’s scrambling for employees. Addiction has taken many of the prospective hires out of the worker pool, and instead of turning their backs and shutting their doors, the Belden Electric Wire factory is stepping in. The manufacturing company is offering to help addicted employees find sobriety and support themselves….

Many parents have seen their children starting down the addiction rabbit hole as early on as 9th grade, who are at a loss on where to turn to get their young loved ones help without derailing their education during a crucial time in their lives. A high school in Massachusetts has formed a solution to help teens…

When news broke of Demi Lovato’s public hospitalization due to unconfirmed reports of a heroin overdose, a public outcry from every day addicts asking where the compassion and understanding was for their own struggles was heard in comment forums across the Internet. Celebrity deaths were compared. Victims were named and blamed for their own “selfish”…

For the first time in 8 years, a ray of hope is emerging from a long near decade of unnecessary and avoidable deaths that drove down the life expectancy in the United States for three years in a row. According to Blue Cross Blue Shield Association’s data, diagnosis of opioid use disorder declined, with 5.9…

Stigmas attached to addiction are one of the leading causes of an addict’s hesitance to seek help. The disease of isolation is a lonely one, while those unaffected or unaware of the painful traits of dependency cast blame on the user’s selfish choices, the science of addition goes ignored. Last week the CDC’s director admitted…

Employment can be hard to find but even harder to keep when dealing with an addiction. After the United States’ economic downfall starting in 2007, the workforce has been slowly rebuilding to a more stable point. Now the newest challenge to labor pool has nothing to do with any economic decline, but instead a healthcare…

“Free the spores” is dead. Denver’s registered voters won’t have a chance to decriminalize psychedelic mushrooms on the next ballot this coming year. Known by their scientific name, psilocybin the natural growth has been rejected by a series of barriers from disapproving public rejections from the Denver elections division. Although the ballot approvals have not…

The once ‘Sober’ pop star Demi Lovato has been transferred from her Hollywood Hills home to a Los Angeles area hospital this afternoon from an apparent heroin overdose. Her condition is stable after she was found unconscious and revived with a dose of Narcan. A call placed at 11: 22am from Lovato’s block was confirmed…

As promised by New Jersey’s most recently appointed Governor Phil Murphy, the marijuana prohibition that may be on it’s way out of the state according to a new ordnance enacted yesterday. Starting today, New Jersey courts are ordered to suspend all marijuana prosecutions until Attorney General Gurbir Grewal and other law enforcement officials to develop…

Beloved 80’s actor Dennis Quaid is now talking about his former cocaine addiction in an interview with Meghan Kelly on The Today Show. Quaid was best known for The Rookie, The Parent Trap and The Right Stuff during the 80’s and 90’s. During his most successful years, Quaid admitted to using Cocaine so frequently he…

Dr. Robert Redfield, the director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has exposed his personal connection to the opioid crisis at last week’s conference in New Orleans. His son almost lost his life after consuming cocaine contaminated with fentanyl, the powerful painkiller responsible for more than half of all opioid related deaths for…

According to a the newest preliminary data from the CDC, 2017 will be the third year in a row the US life expectancy is in decline. Continuously unintentional drug overdoses are a contributing factor to the decline, as well as heart and lung disease, Alzheimer’s, stroke and diabetes. Suicides are rising these numbers as well,…

A new study suggests college students looking for a leg up in their academic game have been wasting their efforts by using the ADHD medication to boost their concentration and actually impair their function further. College campuses have been overwhelmed with the illicit use of the attention deficit hyperactivity disorder medications and it may be for naught….

Prison inmates are able to get contraband behind bars easier than most guards are able to detect. As much as some people want to believe inmates are locked down tight, prohibited objects do find there way into the hands of prisoners and dangerous things can happen. Florida prisons are flooded with synthetic marijuana and overdoses…

A horrific tragedy that occurred last April involving a young mother, who was self described as a drug addict, and her infant son has been declared a criminal homicide due to laced breast milk the infant consumed. The boy’s mother, 30-year-old Samantha W. Jones of New Britain Township, Pennsylvania is now awaiting a hearing to…

The old saying “you can’t pour from an empty cup” could not be more true when it comes to recovery and those who choose to share from their own experience. This story could be true for many sponsors and it’s important to remember how addiction is a life long fight, requiring maintenance and upkeep for…

A 23-year-old mother is only now facing lesser charges of gross misdemeanor child neglect after her two-year-old son consumed methamphetamine from her mother’s room. She had been released on bail following her original May 13th arrest and arrested again on a warrant issued on June 27th. Emily Elizabeth Rogers brought her 2-year-old son to the…

Finally, a non-opioid medication used for treating opioid withdrawals has been approved by the FDA! 23 Million people are currently suffering from addiction in the United States and only 10% of them are receiving treatment. And with name brand prices being what they are, it’s not hard to see why. The name brand drug Lucemyra,…

In a very honest Red Table Talk, Jada Pinkett Smith, her mother Adrienne Banfield-Jones and Willow Smith opened up about a problem facing every day families in massive proportions. Jones, The eldest of the three women and grandmother to Smith’s children was able to speak candidly about her prior struggle while raising her young family. “It’s…

Research from The Center for Drug Use and HIV/HCV Research (CDUHR) at NYU Meyers College of Nursing has made an alarming claim about teenage drug use that should be concerning to parents. According to the study, which surveyed 92,000 students who participated in analysis, 327 participants admitted to everyday useage along with up to 5…

Outside of the United States, Canada struggles with drug overdoses as well. While some believe Canada to be the health care model for the world, they are still not protected from drug addiction or unnecessary deaths. With a health care system in place that covers all it’s citizens, the country is overwhelmed with those waiting…

“Replacement” drugs are being utilized for opioid addiction after massive amounts of research and study and have had amazing results. But what happens when a recovering addict wants to use a more natural supplement to stave off cravings? Does Marijuana use negate one’s sobriety? New research wants to dispel stigma against alternatives to the proven…

Illinois has been ravaged by opioid addiction with an 82% increase of opioid overdoses from 2013 to 2016. The state is now trying to avoid further unnecessary deaths by implementing coverage through state ran insurance to help those affected by the deadly addiction. The state is now petitioning to the federal government to expand requirements…

Another step forward for the Cannabis movement, in an unexpected move from the FDA, rejected a request from an Anti-Marijuana group asking for a ruling to place marijuana and its derivatives on a list of restricted substances that are not “generally recognized as safe and effective.” The move is “not necessary for the protection of…

HGTV’s Flip or Flop’s Christina El Moussa is using her personal experience with inner demons and applying her skills to building a drug and alcohol rehab centers. After her divorce with her co-star Tarek El Moussa, she started to look outside herself and her own pain to see if she could help others. “Two years ago…

Addiction treatment can be tricky, at the present moment most opioid addicted users looking for sobriety are forced to weigh the options of inpatient or outpatient care, due to the dangers of withdrawal and the severity of the addiction. In a study published on Independence Day, The New England Journal of Medicine suggests that to…

Connecticut Governor Dannel P. Malloy signed a bill last month put together by advocates to expand opioid addiction treatments to prisoners in state prisons. Similar bills have failed, like the one that asked the state of Connecticut to An earlier bill had called on the state to make three medications — Methadone, Suboxone and Vivitrol…

The brain’s “Sex, drugs, and rock n’roll” neurotransmitter Dopamine, is the controlling element to all addictive properties, and studies have unlocked an informative look into what dependence looks like in the brain. And with almost 6% of the population affected by addiction, a closer look is necessary. In 2016, more than 64,000 people in the United…

We’re seeing a joint effort from all sides of the spectrum, attacking the opioid epidemic from the private sector and now the government. But who really gets to tell the doctors what to do? After all, they are the ones in the business of fixing, treating or healing patients from their pain. At what point…

Thanks to the hard working nose of a drug-sniffing working dog, hundreds of pounds dangerous fentanyl are now out of the hands of drug dealers near the port of Philadelphia. According to the U.S Customs and Border Protection, the fentanyl had a street of nearly $2 million dollars. The shipment was hidden inside barrels of iron…

Antidrug educators have always sold marijuana as a gateway drug leading curious drug users into more dangerous waters and eventually harder drugs. Education campaigns began entering grade schools to try and ward off inquisitive young adults from dabbling in marijuana use because eventually, you were exposed to other people who would offer harder street drugs…

Drug abuse will always have dangerous side effects on the body, as it is essentially poison within a human nervous system and sometimes its effects occur earlier than others. Teeth loss comes later on with long-term methamphetamine use, but now a dangerous amount of young adults are subject to an increased risk of brain hemorrhages….

Sad! Authorities found the mother of all scores this week during a narcotics operation on highway 31 in central Indiana. The Operation called “Operation Blue Anvil,” which spanned across 9 different agencies over the state. A unique pill formation was found resembling the current POTUS, Trump ecstasy pills. Also found was marijuana, marijuana edibles, heroin,…

Women struggling with addiction face different issues than men while battling the same disease. Recent numbers show an alarming spike in arrests, sexual assaults and child abuse cases as a result of female addiction numbers rise. Women overdose numbers have tripled; women inmates are the fasted growing in the correctional population in the entire country….

Studies conducted on passed heroin users brains and lab mice suggest an interesting connection to opioid users and brain stimulations that regulate sleep and addiction. Brain cells containing Hypocretin, also known as Orexin, are found within heroin addicted brains nearly 54% more than people without addiction. Hypocretin is a chemical messenger that moves the message…

According to data from the US Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMSHA), June and July are busy months in a teenager’s lifetime. When the days are hot and the nights are long, young adults try to fill their time with ‘epic’ summer stories to share with their friends when returning back to school….

Now that opioid medication prescribers are being met with dead ends from prescription limits to unemployed pharmaceutical reps, it looks like the opioid crisis is at the end of its reign. But in its place have come in substitutes that have the capability of becoming just as abused as their shamed counterparts. FDA Officials Douglas…

Within the US, all eyes are fixed on opioids. But around the world, every continent is different, while some share a similar struggle with an addictive substance. A new study released last month using records held by the World Health Organization (WHO), the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, and the Institute for Health…

To deter intravenous drug users from shooting up and potentially overdosing in public retail bathrooms, a chain of mini marts have began testing blue lights in their bathrooms. Turkey Hill Minit Markets. A chain with over 250 locations in Pennsylvania have teamed up with University of Florida’s Loss Prevention Research Council after a study showed…

A large scale investigation of a drug trafficking organization led to the arrest of 4 men in possession of enough fentanyl to kill half the population of Ohio. 22 pounds of fentanyl were seized, along with 2.2 pounds of meth and 10 ounces of heroin at a home in South Napoleon Ave in Columbus, Ohio….

Fentanyl’s strength was already known to be 50 to 100 times more potent than morphine, making an overdose difficult to be reversed by Narcan. Recently, a dangerous version of Fentanyl is being found within Pennsylvania state lines and its being called “Narcan resistant”, with a strong variant called Acryl-Fentanyl. Everyday, heroin is being cut with…

According to a study released last March, an uncomfortable trend is rising in the elder community. Many adult children are noticing an uptick in their parents drug use and are uncomfortable addressing the issue. When a child has to parent a parent, there is no easy way to address the concerning issue. Baby boomers drug overdoses…

Now that pharmaceutical companies have endured the wrath of angry patients, family members and survivors, profits are going down. More and more people are looking for alternatives to addictive and harmful medicines that have come to cause destruction throughout all 50 US states. Marijuana has been known for its powerful healing propertiesfor decades, but laws keeping…

Cities are now implementing opioid overdose protocols in public areas, Opioid manufactures are no longer pushing their addictive painkillers on physicians and now a major insurance company wants to join in on the defense. Cigna announced yesterday the company will work with local systems in hard-hit overdose areas until they are able to expand further….

A small town in Illinois will be one of the first in the nation to offer public access to Naloxone in an effort to combat rampant opioid overdoses facing the country. Elk Grove Village in Illinois has announced it will stock the antidote in libraries, park buildings and Village Hall, the town’s public works office servicing the…

Putnam County police officers had their jobs handled for them last week, when they received a surprising phone call from a concerned citizen. Douglas Kelly, 49, of Hawthorne, contacted the sheriffs’ department, inquiring if they could possibly test drugs he had purchased earlier. Florida man Kelly explained to officers that he had smoked what he believed…

Korn’s front man Jonathan Davis has been preforming with his band for nearly 25 years, and when you’re the lead singer of a mega successful rock band, temptations are everywhere. It’s nothing new in the music industry to have a wide array of drugs at a member’s disposal and he’s not the first, or the…

Our furry working friends are now exposed to a risk not seen before in the K-9 world, overdosing. While trained hounds help keep our officers safe and sniff out dangerous weapons, drugs and paraphernalia, they are also unknowingly risking their lives to find opioids before a human officer ever touches them. Last year, three south…

A new generic version of Buprenorphine, known in the rehab world as Suboxone, is now being produced by Mylan N.V and Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories thanks to an FDA approval. Suboxone combines buprenorphine and naloxone as a daily medication paired with addiction behavioral therapy. Brand name Suboxone costs about $200 a month without insurance, a price…

Now that a crackdown has been imposed on prescription painkillers containing hydrocodone by the US Drug Enforcement Agency, a new study suggests the decision may have caused an influx in the illicit buying and selling through online markets. Because of the 63, 632 deaths claimed by overdoses in the US in 2016, with over half…

French beard enthusiast and ‘Dark Web’ drug dealer plead guilty to drug distribution conspiracy charges following his arrest last August. Gal Vallerius, 36, was arrested at the Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport while on his way to the World Beard and Moustache Championships in Austin, Texas. He had traveled from Paris to compete in the full-beard…

The mother of a 5-month-old baby boy was arrested on homicide charges after throwing the infant against a wall, according to Bronx police. Joann McLeod, 30, reported her son as unresponsive to emergency services on June 4 around 10 in the morning. Raymond Profil Jr was pronounced dead at the nearby St. Barnabas Hospital and…

Some say it’s a life saving alternative to a crippling opioid addiction. Others say it’s a dangerous alternative being marketed and sold as an addiction management supplement in smoke shops, and it needs to be stopped. The DEA and the FDA have been fighting through fears and evidence and Kratom supporters insist on having their…

The side effects of every day medications that are made to cure common ailments are not as simple as an upset stomach, fatigue or bloating, and a new study shows just how many pills have much more severe adverse effects. Over 200 prescription and over the counter medications known for treating ordinary conditions such as…

The lesbian, gay and bisexual and trans adult community is no exception to drug addiction and abuse. While celebrating in Pride activities, drug use can skyrocket to dangerous numbers and lead to dangerous consequences. It is important to be aware of the numbers facing the minority community today. According to Substance Abuse and Mental Health…

A newly recovered addicts biggest fear is the dreaded withdrawal process, the physical pain of the bodies dependence, the cravings and depression stemming from heavy use and the doubtful thoughts that remind them that they are unable to keep themselves from using. MAT medications were formed to meet four goals, to block the ability to…

Actress Rose McGowan has been indicted on felony cocaine possession charges in Virginia yesterday. Following an arrest last year when she left a wallet behind on a plane where the cocaine was found, although she denies the substance was hers. McGowan maintains the drugs were planted by someone in connection with movie producer Harvey Weinstein,…

When the leading cause of death for persons under 55 is drug overdose, it is safe to say medical schools need to be keeping up with the latest drug addiction treatment trends. But a 2012 report by The National Center of Addiction and Substance Abuse showed that medical schools devote little time to teaching the…

Over the weekend actor-comedian Vince Vaughn was detained for an alleged DUI in Hermosa Beach according to reports. Both he and his passenger were detained at the checkpoint that had publicly boasted the warning of “zero tolerance” around 1am Sunday morning. When asked to step out of the car, both men initially refused and became…

A Queens doctor is facing hundreds of charges for his care of patients, including reckless endangerment, over prescribing and homicide. The licensed internal medicine physician, Dr. Lawrence Choy, 65, has been accused of a total of 231 charges, 200 of which were criminal counts of sale of a prescription for a controlled substance. Defense Attorney…

On the heels of a CDC report of rising suicides in the country, it was reported this morning that celebrity chef and television personality Anthony Bourdain was found dead this morning. Eric Ripert, a French chef and close friend of Bourdain’s found the renowned writer unresponsive in his French hotel room. CNN has confirmed his…

The CDC has reported an alarming statistic, suicide rates have increased 30% since 1999, and only about half of those had a known mental health condition. Depression was previously thought to be the major cause of suicide up to this time. The Centers for Disease Control said while many cases of mental illness have been diagnosed…

A recall has been announced, applying to Naloxone cartridges dispensed to hospitals, wholesalers and distributors between February 2017 to the following February of 2018. The drug maker Pfizer issued a voluntary statement claiming the recall was due to a “potential presence of embedded and loose particulate matter on the syringe plunger.” Pfizer bought out Naloxone’s…

On Tuesday the Senate passed legislation legalizing the possession of Fentanyl testing strips for the first time in Rhode Island. The vote passed with an outstanding 34:0 opposition, and three members abstaining from their vote. A similar bill in Maryland went into effect June 1st that allowed people to carry the strips without fear of…

The Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA) has released new statistics using information collected from across the United States. In addition to the GHSA, The Foundation for Advancing Alcohol Responsibility gather the data compiled in 2015 and it showed 44% of drivers involved in fatal crashes testing positive for illegal drugs. In 2015 the United States…

An 11-month-old child was revived this week with a dose of Narcan after ingesting her father’s prescribed Suboxone strips. The baby’s mother told authorities the father had been prescribed 8.2 mg strips of Suboxone and may have consumed some. Tuesday Wise County Sheriffs arrived to the home just outside of Pound, after receiving a call…

Successful handbag designer Kate Spade was found dead this morning in her Park Avenue apartment this morning. Kate is the sister in law to actor David Spade. She was 55. Police are investigating her death as an apparent suicide. The beloved fashioner was found hanged from a red scarf on her bedroom door by her housekeeper around…

A Highland Township man was revived in his home after overdosing on heroin last Friday, but his reaction to his own life saving was less than appreciative. The 25-year-old man was found in his Middle Road home around 5pm by his family, who then called for emergency services. When deputies from the Oakland County Sheriff’s…

Jonnie McIntosh lost her pregnant granddaughter in a drug deal last year, and two weeks ago her grandson overdosed on spice, or synthetic marijuana. The 70-year-old woman was so sick of the manufactured substance that she’s taking new measures to protect her family. When the drug dealers came back to settle her grandsons’ $20 debt from…

On July 6, 2017, a horrified grandmother saw her worst fear come to fruition in her own home. On June 1st, 2018 nearly a year after her grandson’s death, Detroit native Gail Townsend-Finley, 60, was charged with one count of Involuntary Manslaughter and one count of child abuse in the second degree. That July afternoon,…

David Leo Johnson, owner of a Temecula substance abuse treatment center pled not guilty to 30 counts of insurance fraud on Wednesday. His bail was set to $270,000 and Johnson is currently being held at the Byrd Detention Center in Murrieta. The 55 year old ran the Southern California Detox Treatment and Recovery (SCDTR) that claimed to…

Press Release – Jun 01, 2018 Anxiety turmoil affects 40 million adults in the US. This disorder interferes with daily living and often results in substance use, suicide attempts, depression, and other disarrays. Depression affects approximately 19 millions of American adults. Over 50% of people were diagnosed experiencing despair and with an anxiety disorder. Depression and coexisting…

Press Release – May 31, 2018 Freshman member of the conservative Freedom Caucus, Rep. Thomas Garrett (R-Va.) announced Monday that he has indeed abandoned his run for a second term in Congress, siting a personal struggle with an addiction to alcohol and a need to refocus his priorities on his family and taking the time to get help for his…

Past the enormous overdose toll across the country, the thousands of children being raised in foster care due to their parents drug abuse and the life expectancy lowered; innocent creatures under the sea are now being affected by the influx of opioids in the country. Mussels tested by researchers of the Washington State Department of…

Schizophrenia is a serious and chronic mental illness that affects how an individual believes, feels, and acts. New research indicates that pregnant women who are distressed have schizophrenia genes “turned on” in the placenta from complicated pregnancies The reason for schizophrenia is not fully understood, it is thought to be abnormalities in brain chemistry, possible viral infections/immune…

This Memorial Day Weekend has seen an increase in the number of people traveling by car this year, an increase in effort by police agencies across the country with planned DUI checkpoints, and the results of their effort have already proven an increase in suspected DUI arrests by Law Enforcement Nationwide. According to a statement…

An alarming number of calls have been placed to poison control centers on reports of child and teenage overdoses of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) drugs. Between 2000 and 2014, 156,000 calls were made nationwide, and the majority of them were boys under the age of 19. An average of 200 calls a week, or…

An addict in the midst of active addiction can be hard to reason with. Their mind believes they are still in control of their abuse despite the numerous factors in their daily life that should show them they are not. “I can stop anytime I want!” or “It’s my life and I can do what…

Nine Senators from West Virginia came together Tuesday to present new legislation that would curb the rising number of fraudulent cases going on behind the scenes in addiction treatment around the country. Originally proposed by Senator Shelly More Capito (R) of West Virginia and co-sponsored by Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D) of Nevada. Both senators…

In 2006, Perdue Pharma was under investigation for their illegal marketing tactics of the powerful pain killer Oxycontin, that caught the attention of the federal government. In 2002, Rudy Giuliani began working with the big pharma company and some now believe without the help of the former Mayor, Perdue could have stood to bear more…

There’s a lot of fingers being pointed around the roots of this current opioid crisis. Cartels trafficking the heroin over the borders, pharmaceutical companies pushing the doctors to spread their addictive pills further into the hands of consumers to increase their profit without considering the harmful future effects the drugs could have on the American…

San Francisco Mayor Mark Farrell announced Thursday his plan to include a first of its kind medical team that will treat the cities most vulnerable addicts. In his statement he included a $6 million-dollar budget proposal that included funding for a 10-person street team of specialists with the capability of treating 250 homeless addicts with…

Until recently, those struggling with heroin and prescription pain medication addiction were given limited options, and those options included more opioids. The argument of trading one addiction for another is common, despite the evidence of its proven success and the government’s approval to expand its access around the country to combat the opioid crisis. The FDA…

On July 1st, 2017, Nevada joined the ranks of Colorado, Washington and Oregon by legalizing the use of recreational marijuana in the silver state. Caesar’s Entertainment recently eliminated marijuana from the pre-employment drug screening process, allowing people who use recreational cannabis to no longer fear for their job when using the widely celebrated medicinal plant….

Dr. Richard Snellgrove of Fairhope, Alabama is set to appear for his trial on charges that he improperly prescribed fentanyl and other drugs to the former Three Doors Down guitarist, Matthew Roberts. Roberts was found dead on August 20, 2016 in a hotel hallway in West Bend, Wisconsin with his guitar case nearby and a…

The unnamed mother of a New Brunswick 3 year old only identified as “Molly” has lost custody of her 9th child due to her drug addiction. The Middlesex County Superior Court upheld the decision this week after Molly’s parents appealed the court’s decision to keep the child with her foster mom previously. The mother and father’s…

Scientists out of the University of Texas have released the findings from a new drug developed to combat alcoholism, with surprisingly positive results. The innovative drug simply called JVW-1034 invented by chemists’ James Sahn and Stephen Martin claim the compound could potentially ease withdrawal symptoms and block cravings. Every year, more than 15 million American’s…

National Insurance Provider Aetna has selected a few number of states to help address the opioid epidemic. When the foundation pledged $6 million to the states hit the hardest by opioid drug abuse, $1 million is set to be funded toward the Florida Alcohol Drug Abuse Association (FADAA), according to the state group. In May…

More and more healthcare professionals are being held accountable for their part in the opioid epidemic surging through the United States. Prescription rates are at an all time high, with enough prescription opioids in the country for every adult to have their own bottle of pills. According to a 2014 survey of people in treatment…

A Connecticut Rehabilitation center has agreed to pay $1,378,533 in civil settlements to the federal and state governments for submitting fraudulent or inaccurate insurance claims. The New Era Rehabilitation Centers located in New Haven and Bridgeport, CT provides Methadone maintenance services to Medicaid patients. New Era provides Methadone maintenance for Medicaid beneficiaries at the centers…

After ten years of investigation and more than three years after his original arrest in Spain in 2015, Columbian national Andres Lopez Elorza, 38, has been extradited back to the United States for his court appearance in Brooklyn on Tuesday. Elorza is a veterinarian accused of surgically implanting millions of dollars of liquid heroin into…

On the first day of May’s Mental Health Awareness month, the cause of DJ Avicii’s death has been announced as suicide due to self-inflicted wounds according to reports. His family alluded to his cause of death in a previous statement made April 26th where they spoke about his gentle nature and longing for more past…

Further on from the obvious drug overdose increases due to the current opioid crisis, health conditions arising from intravenous drug use is now making waves in the healthcare industries and forcing doctors to question, “who really deserves a second chance?” Doctors are sadly within their right to question such things, a statement from the Centers…

According to statistics, one in three elderly American’s are prescribed opioids to manage their pain. Doctors prescribe opioid medications for severe chronic pain that come with aging bodies, but once the pain is gone a new problem takes its place, dependence.  However, the nation’s biggest insurance provider doesn’t cover one of the follow up medications that manage…

National Prescription Drug Take Back day is right around the corner, this Saturday April 28th, and the event will run from 10am and end at 2pm. The government-organized day is used to help give the public a safe and responsible way to dispose of unwanted, expired or unused medications at various places within their own…

Canadian model Melina Roberge was dubbed the ‘Cocaine Babe’ who posted a collection of various pictures from her round the world “Cocaine Cruise” was in tears when she was sentenced to a minimum 4 years and 9 months in prison for drug trafficking. The 24-year-old brunette and another female accomplice Isabelle Lagacé, were used as…

Over the weekend, two celebrity deaths were announced within 24 hours of each other, Swedish EDM DJ Avicii and dwarf actor Verne Troyer. Though the two performers couldn’t be more opposite, they both battled the same disease. Alcoholism. 28-year-old Tim Bergling, famously known by his DJ name Avicii, was in Muscat, Oman, on vacation when…

A Minnesota prosecutor released new information nearly two years after his death with shocking evidence; the mega superstar believed he was taking Vicodin tablets instead of the Fentanyl that killed him. Family members of Prince attended the news conference where Carver County attorney Mark Metz furthered the bad news and told the public that after…

Addiction doesn’t discriminate, age, gender, social status or income bracket, anyone can be affected. This statement rung true with the most recent death of Matthew Melon, Cryptocurrency owner and banking heir. Matthew died suddenly at his hotel hours before he was due to check in at the Clear Sky Recovery Center in Cancun, Mexico. Melon…

Opioid addictions had been kept quiet in the past, but the scale has grown so large the country cannot hide the sick truth many of its citizens are suffering from. President Trump declares the nation in the midst of public health emergency, over 64,000 deaths contributed to Opioid overdoses alone. Now that the world is…

In a recent online published study, The number of drinks ingested in high school aged teenagers binge drinking can predict other health risk behaviors, according to Alcoholism: Clinical & Experimental Research. Using data from a 2015 Youth Risk Behavior Study, Ralph Hingson, Sc.D., M.P.H., and Wenxing Zha, Ph.D., both from the National Institute on Alcohol…

Today the Detroit Red Wings Play-by-Play Announcer Ken Daniels, visits Washington to share a different story, one that took place within his family, not on the Little Ceasers Arena in Michigan. Daniel’s lost his 23-year-old son Jaime, in 2016 when he overdosed on a deadly concoction of heroin laced with Fentanyl. Ken was interrupted while…

Back in November 2017, Facebook came under fire for the unregulated availability to purchase prescription opioids on the social media site, just three weeks after President Trump declared the opioid crisis a Public Health Emergency. 6 months later creator Mark Zuckerberg would have to answer for site’s lack of oversight to Congress. During this week’s 10-hour…

Imagine walking down an open farmers market, with vendors full of appetizing fruits, vegetables and specialty items at an arm’s length. Now imagine a place just like this, but replace the apples with cocaine, and the certified organic beets with stolen credit card information. A place like that exists, and it’s called the Dream Market. In…

As opioid addiction rises across the United States, the wave of dependency doesn’t end when a woman conceives. Mothers are told to abstain from drinking, drug abuse, caffeine, fish, lunchmeat, hair dye and countless other restrictions, but addiction doesn’t end so easily. Now the Supreme Court in Pennsylvania has stepped in to decided whether or…

A personal story on National Sibling’s Day. Some of the information has been changed or edited to protect the identity of the people in this story. My story is just like many others. I am not special because of what my family has gone through because we are just another number in the statistics of…

Parkland, Pulse Nightclub, the Sutherland Springs Baptist Church massacre. The assailants who carried out the horrific shootings all had a history of mental illness and mixed with the access to high powered firearms, resulted in the death of nearly 150 innocent people. While the nation continues to argue gun control and the underlying mental health…

On the east coast of the Unites States, entire states are being torn apart by the deaths of their loved ones, entire cities are facing bankruptcy just trying to make up for the emergency services that are reviving the overdosed citizens on the brink of death. But how has Rhode Island taking themselves out of…

In the United States there is an estimated 28.6 million people over the age of 12 who have used illicit drugs in the last 30 days. With the current opioid epidemic surging throughout every state in the nation, an estimated 11.8 million of those users misused opioids, including the 11.5 million-pain reliever’s misusers and 948,000…

Days after the three-part plan proposed by President Trump, Attorney General Jeff Sessions discusses the guidance for federal prosecutors to use when arraigning drug dealers for their crimes. “We will not hesitate to pursue maximum sentences allowed by law, and if appropriate, the death penalty. Our message should be clear. Business as usual is over,”…

Indianapolis has been startled by the newly created drug with a surprising ingredient, bug spray. The Indianapolis police force and emergency medical professionals have seen an increase in drug overdoses due to drugs mixed with Raid bug spray, known on the street as “Katy” or KD for short. Users who have smoked the combination have…

With a $6 Billion-dollar budget from Congress, Trump is ready to unveil his plans on fighting the opioid epidemic. Not known for his experience with drug addiction or drug crimes, Trump’s long awaited three-part plan has been unveiled. After waiting since his announcement in October of 2017, where he declared the nation was in a…

There’s a group of people in New Jersey who are using their experience with heroin addiction to save the lives of others who are at the lowest point of their lives. They’re not just talking about it, they’re acting on it. New Jersey’s opioid ravaged residents have been blessed with volunteers who are on call…

It is well known that drug addiction motivates crime, and the number of drug arrests for those crimes are sure to follow. In Lawrence County however, those numbers are staggering. 70% of all grand jury indictments made in the small county of just over 33,000 people are arrested on crimes related to drugs.  And that…