Tag Archives: Addiction and the Law

‘Affluenza’ Drunk-Driving Teen Ethan Couch May Still Face Jail

Drunk-driving teen Ethan Couch plowed into a group of good Samaritans, killed four people, paralyzed a friend and injured at least 11 others, yet got no jail time. The judge who heard testimony that the 16-year-old suffers from an affluent-kid condition dubbed “affluenza” sentenced him to a decade of probation under court monitoring, and a […]

Silk Road Returns to Bedevil Law Enforcement

It’s baaaaack! Only a couple of months after being seized and shut down by FBI cyber-agents, the drug-peddling site Silk Road is up and running again on that hidden section of the Internet known as the Deep Web. The original founder of this infamous virtual trading post, Ross William Ulbricht, is still tucked safely behind […]

Return to Dust: Bane of the ’70s, PCP Now a Supporting Player in the Saga of Aaron Hernandez

This post has been updated to reflect the latest developments in the criminal case against Aaron Hernandez. The powerful street drug PCP, largely unheard of since its violent heyday in the 1970s, may go higher profile as the saga of former New England Patriots star Aaron Hernandez continues to unfold. Hernandez, already charged with murder […]

Canada Launches Free Market for Marijuana

Medical marijuana isn’t going away any time soon. Twenty U.S. states have medical marijuana programs (and two of those have also legalized the drug for recreational use) and the system in Canada is about to be ramped up in terms of production and hopefully, quality. The Canadian government legalized medical use of the drug in […]

Feds Seize Underground Drug Market Silk Road

The seizure of the Silk Road, a heavily barricaded and highly trafficked website hawking drugs and hit men alike, and the arrest of its mastermind, the formerly elusive Dread Pirate Roberts, will perhaps slow down the online illegal drug trade, but no one involved in the ongoing war against drugs has any illusions that long-term […]

U.S. Moves to Scale Back Mandatory Drug Sentences

In a speech before the American Bar Association on Aug. 12, U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder revealed a plan for reform of the federal court system that could dramatically affect the way that drug crimes are prosecuted. Looking to rein in mandatory sentencing guidelines, which have frequently forced judges to impose steep prison terms on […]

Parents Who Support Marijuana Legalization Want Strict Rules for Kids, Survey Finds

With the wave of public approval for the legalization of marijuana sweeping the country, a new study shows that even parents who were once pot smokers want tough restrictions in place to protect their kids from the dangers of the drug. Two key restrictions most parents favor are: Make 21 the legal age for using […]

Man Dies After Paranoid Reaction to Magic Crystals

Daniel Parks’ wife had fallen asleep, shattered after a long day at the UK-based music festival Bestival. Daniel locked himself in the bathroom—his mind frazzled by his use of drugs over the weekend—and took a kitchen knife with him. He mutilated his lower arms, sending blood cascading down onto the floor of the small cubicle […]

Federal Rules Eased for Opioid Addiction Treatment Drug

A relaxed rule is good news for drug addiction facilities. Federal regulators are allowing more flexibility for physicians prescribing buprenorphine, a drug important in treating those with an opioid addiction. According to the American Medical Association, this move is an important one in a nation representing the consumption of 99 percent of the manufactured hydrocodone. […]

Mexican Drug Cartels Using Cannons to Fire Marijuana Across Border

The manufacturer with a strong demand in the market often seeks to get the product to market through the most efficient means possible. Very few manufacturers would rely on makeshift cannons to complete the task. This medium is not too outrageous for Mexican drug cartels, however. According to a recent Time magazine report, borders won’t […]

First-of-Its-Kind Study Finds Marijuana in Blood One Month After Abstinence

The legalization of marijuana in states like Colorado requires additional regulation to make the legalization safe for all residents. For instance, there are many adverse effects associated with the use of cannabis, such as an increased risk of psychotic episodes. In addition, cannabis use may impact other areas of physical and mental health. The legalization […]

DEA’s First Bitcoin Seizure: A Stark Warning for Anybody Walking Down the Silk Road

 News has surfaced that the DEA has made its first seizure of the online currency Bitcoin; a landmark moment for law enforcement’s battle against online drug sales. Many drug users scour the “Deep Web,” using the encrypted online currency to purchase illicit narcotics from the online drug marketplace Silk Road. This has attracted the attention […]

Domestic Violence and Substance Abuse in Women – The Importance of Getting Help

Abuse by a domestic partner causes both physical and emotional pain.  Sometimes that pain can trigger substance abuse in the woman being victimized. If you (or someone you love) are in a violent relationship and struggling with an addiction, finding help is critical to your healing. This article will help you learn more about the […]

Addiction Treatment to Gain Big Boost Under Obamacare

Health care is a controversial and complex issue, especially now as political wrangling is hitting full tilt in states that are reluctant to accept Medicaid expansion on the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. Today, only one penny of every dollar that is spent on health care will go to assist a person facing debilitating […]

The Staggering Costs of Alcohol and Drug Addiction

“Drug addiction is a chronic relapsing brain disorder characterized by a compulsion to take a drug with loss of control over drug intake.” – Scripps Research Institute Both alcoholics and drug addicts struggle with the mental, emotional, spiritual and physical consequences of their substance abuse. But what, exactly, is the difference between an alcoholic and […]

Designer Drugs: What They Are and Why Their Use Is Growing: Part III

A lack of scientific literature describing designer drug substances easily leads to unpredictable effects upon human use and no real guidelines on how to treat overdose cases in the medical environment. Of course, this means no safety evaluation or regulation in the course of manufacturing, even in the cases where the drug is still legal. […]

Pot Dealer in U.K. Sentenced to Writing Essay

Write a 5000-word essay or do 240 hours of community service?  Although a formal poll hasn’t been taken, it’s not hard to guess the choice most convicted drug dealers would make.  Yet, a 32-year-old UK man said he was “shocked” to hear the sentence handed down to him by the judge.  He was reportedly unable […]

Silk Road Called the eBay for Drugs

Buying illegal drugs online is as easy as a dive into the “Deep Web.” An eBay auction or an Amazon purchase is so well-documented that it seems utterly impossible to go that route, but there is an equivalent site operating in the Deep Web (also called the Deepnet, the Invisible Web, the Undernet or the […]

Study Examines Brain Reaction in DUI Repeat Offenders

More than 30 years ago, the public was made aware of a growing crisis on American roads. Too many people were drinking more than their fair share of alcoholic beverages and then getting behind the wheel of a car. In too many situations, the individual did not have the capacity to safely operate the vehicle […]

Women Arrested for Drunk Driving Increases While Men Take More Care

For those women who are striving for greater equality between the sexes, women are definitely gaining on men in one key area: arrests for drunken driving. According to a Chicago Tribune story, women are racing to catch up to men in DUI arrests, who still greatly outnumber women. With this gap still in place, how […]