Category Archives: Drug Dependency

MONTREAL - Fear is the only thing keeping downtown Montreal from having a supervised injection site (SIS) for drug users, health care and drug dependency experts from across Canada said Thursday. The Supreme Court ruled unanimously in September that Vancouvers Insite centre could not be closed because it would jeopardize the health and lives of its users. In December, Montreals public health department released a report calling for the creation of three supervised injection sites and one mobile unit. Quebecs health minister Yves Bolduc has said he supports the creation of sites. In early April, researchers at the University of Toronto recommended two such sites be created in Ottawa, and another three in Toronto. Yet seven months after the Supreme Court decision, Montreal is still without an SIS, and a large part of the reason is based on the publics fear of drug addicts, experts said at Fridays forum titled Integrating Supervised Injection Services into Health Care and Community. It was part of the 21st annual Canadian Conference on HIV/AIDS Research going on this week. The experience in Vancouver shows us clearly the difficulties they lived in trying to open we are living the same difficulties here in Montreal, said … Continue reading →

MONTREAL Fear is the only thing keeping downtown Montreal from having a supervised injection site (SIS) for drug users, health care and drug dependency experts from across Canada said Thursday. The Supreme Court ruled unanimously in September that Vancouver's Insite centre could not be closed because it would jeopardize the health and lives of its users. In December, Montreal's public health department released a report calling for the creation of three supervised injection sites and one mobile unit. Quebec's Health Minister Yves Bolduc has said he supports the creation of sites. In early April, researchers at the University of Toronto recommended two such sites be created in Ottawa and another three in Toronto. Yet seven months after the Supreme Court decision, Montreal is still without an SIS, and a large part of the reason is based on the public's fear of drug addicts, experts said at Friday's forum titled Integrating Supervised Injection Services into Health Care and Community. It was part of the 21st annual Canadian Conference on HIV/AIDS Research going on this week. "The experience in Vancouver shows us clearly the difficulties they lived in trying to open we are living the same difficulties here in Montreal," said Louis … Continue reading →

"We want to divert people out of the criminal justice system into early medical assessment and treatment." Picture: Lukman S. Bintoro Source: The Advertiser SA Drug and Alcohol Services helped 3071 low-level drug users avoid prison sentences and equipped them to beat dependency last financial year. Under the drug diversion program those referred by police or courts increased from 2546 in the previous 12 months. The program provided low-level users valuable lessons on the risks in illegal drug taking - and a chance to change their lives. SA Drug and Alcohol Services director Dr Robert Ali said the program was particularly effective for people concerned about the heath implications of drug use. "It's another way of going to people who are thinking about stopping drugs and can get those people an appointment with an expert," he said. "We want to divert people out of the criminal justice system in to early medical assessment and treatment," he said. Participants are regularly drug tested and those found using illegal drugs can be dropped from the program. In total, 37 per cent dropped out last year for a variety of reasons. Dr Ali said successes far outweighed the disappointments, especially when participants complete … Continue reading →

NEW LONDON, Conn. (AP) A New London burglary suspect got stuck in a chimney while trying to get away from police. Authorities say 18-year-old Dean Lachappelle fled the Southern Council on Alcohol and Drug Dependency Thursday night when officers tried to serve him with an arrest warrant for third degree burglary. They say Lachappelle ran into a nearby apartment building and climbed onto the roof. He then tried to go down a chimney, but got stuck. Police say they heard screaming coming from the chimney and found Lachappelle. Firefighters responded to the scene to help get him out. Lachappelle was taken to a hospital with minor injuries. WTNH-TV reports he's being charged with second degree burglary and interfering with police. Bond has been set at $75,000. Information from: WTNH-TV Authorities say 18-year-old Dean Lachappelle fled the Southern Council on Alcohol and Drug Dependency Thursday night when officers tried to serve him with an arrest warrant for third degree burglary. They say Lachappelle ran into a nearby apartment building and climbed onto the roof. He then tried to go down a chimney, but got stuck. Read the original post: TRUE STORY: Connecticut Burglary Suspect Gets Stuck in Chimney … Continue reading →

Kentuckys drug abuse problem is a lot of problems. Its a personal crisis for tens of thousands, its a plague for thousands of families, its a drain on law enforcement at every level, its an expense for employers and government. And its a huge public health problem. More Kentuckians die from drug overdoses than car crashes. Some drug dependency arises when people treat symptoms with pain killers because they dont have access to or cant afford the medical care they really need. There are also doctors who make a lot of money prescribing pain killers for almost all comers. Compounding all this is a shortage of treatment for people trying to fight their dependency. There has been a 900 percent increase in people seeking treatment for substance addiction in Kentucky in the past decade. More than 25,428 Kentuckians were admitted to drug and alcohol rehab programs in 2010. Kentucky is one of the few states that doesnt offer substance-abuse treatment through Medicaid. That will change soon. The legislature has approved Gov. Steve Beshears proposal to add $11.6 million in Medicaid funding the first year of the biennial budget to treat about 4,500 people, increasing to $14.9 million and an additional … Continue reading →

A horrific story by The Bee's Marjie Lundstrom and Sam Stanton begins, "Despite the fact that her infant son hadn't been seen by family members or authorities for at least two months, a drug- using mother was ordered released from jail in June by the Sacramento County Juvenile Court." The story of "Baby Dwight" has trickled out, in large part because of persistent digging by The Bee's reporters. What happened in that court? How could the court release the mother, Tanisha Edwards, without anyone knowing the whereabouts of Dwight Stallings, her child who is still missing? We're not even sure of the name of the judge or court referee who authorized Edwards' release. We may never know answers to these basic questions because of the routine secrecy in juvenile dependency court. This incident should spark new efforts to open these court proceedings to the public. Things, however, are not moving in that direction. Legislation by Assemblyman Mike Feuer, D-Los Angeles, to launch a four-year pilot to open dependency court hearings in three counties stalled last year, and died in February. A similar bill by then-Assemblyman Darrell Steinberg, D-Sacramento, died in 2004. Feuer's Assembly Bill 73 clearly stated the problems with … Continue reading →

EAST HARTFORD, CT (WFSB) - A second woman claimsshe is a victim of East Hartford doctor, Edwin Njoku who is currently accused of raping a patient. According to court documents, the woman says she went to Njoku to get treated for drug addiction but she claims the doctor used that to his advantage to get sex. Njoku faces a previous lawsuit filed by a woman who claims he forced her to have sex with him afterpelvic surgery. Her suit claims theirsexual relationship has left her body permanently damaged. His license to practice medicine in Connecticuthas been suspended pending the outcome of an investigation. The second woman, according to herlawsuit, claims she was bribed to have sex with thedoctor. Her attorney says his clientfirst went to Njoku in 2005 or 2006 to be treated for drug dependency. The woman was a licensed practical nurse but voluntarilydid notrenew her license a few years ago because of the problem. The woman's lawyer says Njoku gave herVicodin or similar narcotic prescription medications and after the third visit started demanding sex in exchange for a renewal. According to her lawsuit, thesexual encounters took place inside Njoku's home in East Hartford. The woman says their sexual … Continue reading →

James Kennedy and his wife Teri Kennedy spruce up the roadside memorial for their son Joseph "Joey" Kennedy, a ritual that brought the father to tears. Photo by Stacie N. Galang For a brief moment, James Kennedy became overwhelmed. He paused, brought his left hand still holding the artificial daisy to his mouth and squeezed tight his eyes to hold back the tears. Two years, one month and 22 days after his son Joseph Joey Kennedys body was discovered lifeless off the side of Camino Capistrano in San Juan Capistrano, James Kennedy and his wife Teri Kennedy returned to the roadside memorial this week to replenish the flowers for Easter. Im telling you this is a nightmare, said the father, whos lived in San Clemente since 2004. That nightmare is the death of his son to the unrelenting grip of drug abuse and addiction. My son wanted to get sober, said James Kennedy, a fit, 50-something dad who seems like just about the last guy to tear up. He died from one of the most deadly diseases on the planet. James Kennedy is one of a growing number of parents joined by loss and grief to combat the prescription drug … Continue reading →

A Minneapolis firefighter set to go on trial next month for allegedly selling meth out of his Coon Rapids home has now been charged with selling dope from his fire station. Lawrence Anthony Wajda, 42 and a 20-year veteran of the Minneapolis Fire Department, was taken into custody during a search Wednesday, March 28, at Fire Station 19. Police said they got a warrant to search the station based on information from a confidential informant. A woman who was at the station at the time, Autumn Marie Ronning, 33, of Foreston, was also taken into custody and she, too, was charged Wednesday by Hennepin County prosecutors. Wajda is charged with fifth-degree drug possession, a felony. He's being held in the Hennepin County Adult Detention Facility with bail set at $10,000. Ronning is also being held, and Anoka and Ramsey counties have warrants out for her arrest in drug-related cases. The criminal complaint against Wajda says that when police searched him at the fire station, on the University of Minnesota campus, they found 0.5 gram (0.017 ounce) of methamphetamine. When they searched his sleeping area, they found a bag with a single pill they later determined was 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine, more commonly known … Continue reading →

ATLANTA Georgia lawmakers have passed a bill that would require welfare recipients to take a drug test before receiving benefits. GOP supporters of the measure say it would save taxpayers money but opponents say its unconstitutional and uncharitable. The bill would target what supporters call abuse of a government benefit, namely the federal welfare program. Its similar to a Florida law a federal judge has blocked because it violates the Fourth Amendments protection from unlawful search. Sen. Jason Carter, an Atlanta Democrat, says the state must have a reason to single out one group. If you search someone, require a drug test, intrude into their private lives for no reason, with no reason to believe they have been using illegal drugs, not only is it wrong, its unconstitutional, and we will be litigating it and litigating it and litigating it, Carter said during Senate floor debate. The General Assemblys own legislative counsel also says the bill may not be constitutional. Atlanta attorney Shelley Sennerfitt says theres no proof welfare recipients are likelier to take illegal drugs, and the courts have struck down other laws where there was no evidence. "One of the things the courts have said is, if youre … Continue reading →