In the mood for a documentary on Netflix tonight? You can’t do much better than these four examinations of our nation’s drug policy in action, in the past and today. Expect to see much that’s troubling, but expect to be enlightened as well, not just about our nation’s love/hate relationship with substance use, but also […]
Former New England Patriots tight end Aaron Hernandez was convicted Wednesday of first-degree murder and weapons charges in a 2013 killing for which PCP use allegedly played a role. Hernandez, who’d pleaded not guilty to the execution-style slaying, was sentenced to life in prison without parole.
Drug abuse is a well-known issue for a substantial minority of teenagers living in the U.S. and in many other countries. Possible consequences of this abuse include disrupted growth and development, conduct problems at home or in the classroom, increased involvement in risky behavior and increased chances of underperforming in school or dropping out of […]
Alcoholism is the well-known term used to describe a physical dependence on the (typically unrestrained) consumption of alcohol. Polysubstance or polydrug addiction is a lesser-known term used to describe a simultaneous addiction to at least two substances, including any combination of alcohol, illicit/illegal drugs and mind-altering medications. In a study published in September 2014 in […]
Collectively, young adults are significantly more likely to abuse drugs or alcohol than people in younger or older age groups. One of the key factors in determining the likelihood of substance intake is the amount of self-perceived risk that an individual attaches to drug or alcohol consumption. As part of a yearly survey project called […]
Carl Hart was starting his career as a neuroscientist and beginning a professorship at Columbia University when he first heard reports of the crack epidemic that was supposedly wreaking havoc across black America. Motivated by a desire to help the community he came from, Hart began researching drug addiction and ways to help people. But […]
When it comes to sentencing drug offenders, research indicates that addiction treatment is often a better option than jail time, both in effectiveness and cost. But is court-ordered treatment and forced rehab the answer?
On July 9, 2014, the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) released its strategy for the upcoming year. Michael Botticelli, the current drug czar who assumed his position in March, released the official National Drug Control Strategy at an event in Roanoke, Va.
Forty percent of pilots killed in plane crashes had taken over-the-counter or illegal drugs prior to takeoff in recent years, a marked climb over the last two decades, a new safety report has found. The share of pilots using at least one drug rose from 9.9 percent to 39 percent over the study period, which […]
Addiction is a harmful disease, and not just for the addict. Drug addicts and alcoholics impact everyone in their lives, but those they love are often hurt the most. If you have been living with an addict you might be at the end of your rope. You see the problem. You have been patient and […]
FBI is reportedly reconsidering its current policy against hiring marijuana users. Why the proposed switch? The realization that many successful computer hackers are also marijuana smokers has come to light. Excluding marijuana users could be costing the agency some of the most able hackers in an age of spiraling cyber-crime. The public talk about changing […]
Adults who were the victims of child abuse have increased chances of developing substance use disorders as adults, research has shown. In addition, adults with such a history are known to have increased risks for developing a mental illness unrelated to substance use. In a study scheduled for publication in October 2014 in the journal […]
Legendary soul singer Bobby Womack, 70, who overcame decades of drug abuse to resume his music career and be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, has died. The cause of his death hasn’t been determined.
Another concertgoer appears to have fallen victim to an overdose, this time a 24-year-old university student attending the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival in Indio. Kimchi Truong of Oakland, who was taken to a hospital last weekend after collapsing at the festival, died Thursday as the result of an apparent drug or alcohol overdose, according to the Riverside […]
Prison terms for certain nonviolent drug offenses will be shortened starting this fall in an attempt to ease overcrowded federal lockups around the nation, a bipartisan commission has decided. The reduction for time spent behind bars will become official Nov. 1 absent action by Congress, and is expected to drop the population in federal prisons by 6,500 inmates, […]
Dr. Greg Skipper of Promises Treatment Centers this week told Jim Thornton and Diane Thompson of KNX Radio that the incredible potency of the heroin found on the streets today can be a fatal threat to anyone addicted to opiates. Dr. Skipper, a fellow of the American Board of Addiction Medicine and Director of Professionals […]
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 […]
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 […]
Toronto Mayor Rob Ford’s been the pie-faced punch line since his blustery denials of drug use were disputed by video of him smoking crack. TV’s Late Night with Jimmy Fallon, on the eve of the Thanksgiving Macy’s Parade, even joked that the portly Ford does helium benders.
“Lady Gaga says she’s addicted to pot, so be on the lookout in case she starts exhibiting any odd behavior.” — Stephen Colbert A performer who wears raw meat knows how to get attention, so it was no surprise that Lady Gaga would announce this week that she’ll be the first singer in space. What […]
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 […]
The celebrity drug addiction story is one we’ve all heard numerous times. From the Keith Richards to the Lindsay Lohans and the Charlie Sheens, we expect excess from some of our celebrities. Others, however, cultivate such as wholesome image or play seemingly innocent characters in movies or TV shows that we’d never expect them to […]
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 […]
Drug addiction and celebrity culture have had a long and tumultuous relationship. Fame comes with a strong sense of freedom, and easy access to illicit substances seems to be part of the package. The story is all too familiar—the star is catapulted into fame and the lifestyle that comes along with it, and then its […]
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