November 27th, 2013
The Rising Popularity of Kratom Spurs Concern Over Legality
In a CBS article published last week, a drug named kratom was defined as a highly addictive legal drug similar to cocaine that has been gaining popularity in South Florida. Sold as an herbal remedy at Kava bars, head shops and convenience stores in the area, kratom comes from a tree in ...
November 26th, 2013
Less Funding for Mental Health Medication Research
Medical research companies seem to be spending less and less on mental health drugs, psychiatrists report. Considering ever-soaring numbers of Americans are purported to suffer from mental health issues such as depression and Alzheimer’s, it seems strange that companies are limiting funding for ...
November 19th, 2013
Sisa: The Drug Self-Medicating Greece’s Unemployed
Derived from the Persian word for glass, Sisa, is a destructive, cheap synthetic drug crawling through the poverty-stricken streets of Greece. While little is known about the drug, Open Democracy reports that it’s an enhanced form of crystal methamphetamine created by mixing amphetamines with a ...
November 18th, 2013
32 Charged with Large Meth Operation in Texas
Recently, federal prosecutors released an official statement announcing that 32 people have been charged with drug trafficking and conspiracy in relation to a methamphetamine distribution operation in Texas. Based in Stephenville, Texas, the meth operation named Brittany Barron Drug Trafficking ...
November 13th, 2013
Bottoms Up: Man Mistakes Liquid Meth for Health Drink
A 55-year-old British man recently died after drinking what he believed was just an awful tasting health drink, but was in fact a bottle of liquid methamphetamine — one of many bottles in the package with a cumulative value of $54,000. After taking the deadly dose, Romano Dias of ...
November 12th, 2013
Drinks in Disguise: Britain’s Safer Substitute
Imagine a world without hangovers, alcoholism, drunk driving, and the health risks of binge drinking. It sounds too good to be true, but it’s not. Scientists in Britain are designing a cocktail drug that mimics the effects of alcohol, but spares drinkers the dangerous and unpleasant side ...
November 11th, 2013
Drug Dealers Find a New Market on Instagram
The social networking site- where people post and comment on photographs and videos- has taken measures to block certain hashtags in an effort to eliminate the sale of illegal drugs by its users. Instagram issued the plan after a BBC investigation found users uploading images of narcotics and ...
October 8th, 2013
Silk Road: The Unraveling of an Illicit Online Market
Over the past two and a half years, the underground online market “Silk Road” has been described as the eBay of illicit goods and services, serving as an anonymous electronic black market where one could find and easily purchase everything from black tar heroin and cocaine to illegal firearms ...
October 2nd, 2013
Flesh-Rotting Drug, Krokodil, Has Made Its Way to the US (Warning: Graphic Images)
Hailing from Russia, a frightening, homemade drug has made its way to the US: Krokodil. The heroin-like substance is an extremely destructive mixture of over-the-counter codeine medication, alcohol, paint thinner, oil, and even gasoline. This toxic concoction has the power to physically rot the ...
October 1st, 2013
Nasal Spray a New Weapon for NYC Cops Tackling Prescription Drug Abuse
Law enforcement officers in Staten Island’s 120th Precinct — one of the most overdose-prone regions in New York City — will soon be carrying a new weapon in their pockets. Doses of naloxone, a drug that combats opioid overdose, will be provided as part of a new pilot program ...
September 26th, 2013
Dancing With Molly: Is MDMA Destroying EDM?
After two Electric Zoo Festival attendees died and three others were hospitalized, the Electronic Dance Music (EDM) community discusses the impact of its prevailing drug use (in particular MDMA- short for 3, 4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine). Four hours prior to tweeting her excitement about the ...
September 23rd, 2013
Lake Michigan’s On Drugs
Recent research published on Sciencedirect reveals a high concentration of prescription drugs in Lake Michigan. According to the findings by four University of Wisconsin researchers, the amount of pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs) pose a “significant threat to the health of the ...
September 6th, 2013
First US Hospital Program to Treat Internet Addiction Opens
According to an ABC News article published Wednesday, the United States’ first Internet addiction treatment center operated out of a hospital will be opening next week. For $14,000, Internet addicts can get their online dependency treated at the Behavioral Health Services at Bradford Regional ...
August 28th, 2013
Shady Drug Lodges: Another Reason Not to Stay at a Motel
According to King 5 News and the Seattle Times, a drug bust of colossal proportions occurred at three motels located on Highway 99 in Tukwila, Washington. An armada of local law enforcement agents flooded the three establishments and began arresting suspects. The raid was a result of monitoring ...
August 22nd, 2013
North Korea Funds State-Run Meth Labs, Now Experiencing Meth Epidemic
According to North Korean Review and an article by Max Fisher, The Washington Post’s foreign affairs blogger, North Korea is dealing with what is being called a crystal meth epidemic. The overwhelming number of meth addicts, particularly in the northern provinces of the country, is attributed ...
August 21st, 2013
People of Hempfest
Tens upon thousands of tokers blew some smoke at the 22nd Annual Seattle Hempfest. “When I was a kid I inhaled frequently. That was the point.” -President Obama
