Fifty people were arrested last week in southwest Florida. Operation Southwest Shopper targeted people that were illegally purchasing prescription drugs.
Those arrested were charged with obtaining a controlled substance by fraud, sale and delivery and forging a doctor’s certificate.
The arrests were just part of a continued effort to fight the epidemic of prescription drug abuse in Florida.
Posts Tagged ‘drug abuse’
More Arrests In Crackdown Against Prescription Drug Sales
Saturday, January 28th, 2012New legal synthetic drug
Thursday, March 31st, 2011
Police say that one person died and ten others were hospitalized last week in Blaine, Minnesota after a mass overdose of a legal synthetic drug. Several of the teenagers ingested 2 C-E, which is a “cousin drug” of 2 C-B, a controlled substance. Law enforcement officials think chemists can make 2 C-E by slightly altering the illegal 2 C-B, and making it into a illegal drug.
Two of the teens were in critical condition. The police are conducting tests to find out what exactly the drug was made from. The drug was purchased online.
“Just because you have an assumption that it’s legal and you can buy it online, in no way is it safe…one person is dead, ten people are hospitalized,” said a sheriff’s spokesman.
Epidemic of prescription drugs spreading in high schools
Wednesday, March 30th, 2011
It has been reported that twenty percent of students in high school have abused prescription drugs. The epidemic of prescription drugs has posed a challenge for law enforcement and school officials, as well as for parents.
It is important to know how to dispose of unused prescription drugs, so as to minimize the chances of abuse by your child or their friends. Many communities around the United States have initiated take back programs, some even designating entire days to safely ridding medicine cabinets of the prescription drugs. Many pharmacies will take back unused prescription drugs, no questions asked. For participating pharmacies, visit
www.disposemymeds.com . Many pills can be mixed into coffee grounds or cat litter, then thrown away with the rest of the household garbage in a tightly sealed plastic bag. Some pills can be flushed down the toilet, but check before you do to make sure this will not harm your plumbing. For more information on safe disposal of prescription drugs, visit www.fda.gov
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Ohio’s fight against opiate addiction
Wednesday, March 23rd, 2011
Treatment officials in Ohio are pleased with Governor John Kasich’s support and funding for the fight against the state’s severe problem with opiate addiction. Under the previous administration of Ted Strickland, budget cuts resulted in addicts scrambling for treatment services in Ohio.
Governor Kasich has now set aside $4.6 million dollars for treatment, but Stacey Frohnapfel-Hasson, the spokeswoman for the Ohio Department of Drug Addiction and Alcohol Services, is encouraged with the governor’s move. The Ohio Department of Drug Addiction and Alcohol Services funnels state and federal treatment services money to 50 local mental health and recovery boards across the state.
“It’ll help,” said Frohnapfel-Hasson. “We’ve been so historically underfunded.”
Young drug users are sharing needles
Monday, March 21st, 2011
A new study of illegal drug use in south Florida finds that young drug users are sharing needles in increasing numbers. The study learned that cocaine and crack are not as popular as in previous years.
“Here’s a generation that’s not that familiar with the high risk of injection drug use,” said Jim Hall, the author of the study and the director of the Center for the Study and Prevention of Substance Abuse at Nova Southeastern University.
The study found that in the first half of 2010, people who died from oxycodone overdoses were between 35 and 50 years of age. According to Hall, these people were most likely part of a demographic that began using drugs when they were younger.
Mike Starr has died from the disease of drug addiction
Friday, March 18th, 2011
Another celebrity has unfortunately succumbed to the disease of drug addiction. Mike Starr, the former bassist for Alice in Chains, died in Salt Lake City earlier this week.
Starr, 44, was arrested in February for felony possession of a controlled substance. Police found six Xanax pills and six pain pills on Starr when he was arrested.
“It’s a terrible shock and tragedy,” said Starr’s father.
In 2009, Starr was a part of VH-1′s show, Celebrity Rehab, where he received treatment for heroin addiction at the Pasadena Recovery Center.
Drug abuse can increase infection
Thursday, March 17th, 2011
A new study finds that illegal drug users have an increased risk of being exposed to microbial pathogens. As a result, this group of people are more prone to serious infections and diseases.
Drug abuse can increase infection risk by encouraging the growth of germs and suppressing the immune system of the user.
“Drugs such as cannabis and opiates have been shown to directly suppress immune function. Methadone has also been shown to enhance HIV replication in immune cells. What’s more, dead or damaged tissue at an injection site provides an ideal anaerobic environment for certain pathogens to grow,” said Dr. Karishma Kaushik, one of the study authors.
Genes can influence the severity of addiction
Tuesday, March 15th, 2011
The U.S. Department of Energy’s Brookhaven National Laboratory has completed a study that found that people addicted to drugs, who have a certain genetic composition, have fewer neurons in certain areas of their brains. Those addicted to drugs have less neurons in the areas responsible for decision making, self-control, learning and memory.
“This research shows that genes can influence the severity of addiction,” said Nelly Alia-Klein, an author of the research study. “This research shows that genes can influence the severity of addiction. The results suggest that addicted individuals with low MAOA (monoamine oxidase A) genotype may need a different kind of treatment than other addicted individuals who carry the high MAOA genotype.”
The research study was a combined effort from scientists from Brookhaven National Laboratory, Stony Brook University, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism and the National Institute on Drug Abuse.
Exercise can reduce marijuana use
Monday, March 14th, 2011
Researchers at Vanderbilt University are examining people who use marijuana heavily to help understand what exercise does for the brain. It is hoped that the research will contribute to learning about exercise as a modality for prevention and treatment. This is the first study to show that exercise can reduce the use of marijuana in people who do not want to seek treatment for their addiction.
“There is no way currently to treat cannabis dependence with medication, so this is by considering the magnitude of the cannabis problem in the U.S. And this is the first time it has ever been demonstrated that exercise can reduce cannabis use in people who don’t want to stop,” said study author Peter Martin, M.D., director of the Vanderbilt Addiction Center.
Ohio state funding to end for drug treatment
Friday, March 11th, 2011
The governor of Illinois has decided to end funding for drug treatment in the state. The budget cuts have drug treatment centers and their providers concerned about the potential damage it will cause for addicts. But Governor Pat Quinn is not budging from his decision.
“What do you think drug addicts do when they want to get treatment and they can’t? They go back to drugs…and end up in hospitals or prisons,” said Michael Darcy, president of Gateway Foundation, a chain of Illinois substance abuse treatment centers.
Most state officials and drug treatment experts in Illinois believe the state is “shooting itself in the foot” by cutting money for treatment. Experts strongly believe that funding the drug treatment centers ultimately prevents crime, while avoiding publicly funding hospitalization of drug addicts and state funded prison terms.
“These are not cuts that are going to save the state money,” said Bruce Carter, the executive director of Wells Center, a drug treatment center in Jacksonville. “People with addictions who don’t get treatment are going to end up in prisons. That costs a lot more. It’s very frustrating to save money in this way.”