Category Archives: Drugs

3 October 2012 Last updated at 02:15 ET Drugs worth almost 500,000 have been seized in the first two weeks of a police initiative against street dealing across Northern Ireland. Operation Torus has seen police carry out 2,148 searches and make 352 arrests. It has been supported by a billboard and social media campaign to encourage people to report drug dealing. Assistant Chief Constable Drew Harris said he was not surprised by the response. "Drug dealing is an issue of concern for all communities and tackling the supply, distribution and sale of illegal drugs is a policing priority," he said. "We will continue in our robust efforts to disrupt and arrest those involved in the sale and supply of drugs, bring individuals before the courts and work with communities and partner agencies to reduce the threat of harmful and illegal activity." The drugs found during the searches have included cannabis, herbal cannabis, cocaine, mephadrone and prescription drugs. The PSNI has also doubled the number of dogs trained in the detection of drugs. Read the original post: Drugs worth £500,000 seized in NI … Continue reading →

Via The Victory Formation: Why no love for Moses Malone or Dr. J? A Philadelphia drug-dealer was busted over the weekend for allegedly selling 140 bags of dope, the Philadelphia Daily News reports. The name imprinted on the bag? Miami Heat superstar forward, LeBron James. It is unknown just how popular LeBron James brownstone was selling in the Philly area, but police say Marlon Guess, 19, attempted to sell about $105K worth of it in one shot. I have to say, not a very bright move on his part. As a result, his bail to be sprung is set at $250K. Upper Darby Police Superintendent, Michael Chitwood, had the great Captain Obvious line following the arrest: I dont think LeBron James would be too happy with this drug-dealer dude using his name on these street bags. Gee, ya think? For what it is worth, this is commonplace within the drug-selling business. Often times, drugs will be nicknamed after celebrities or places, as a way to market the drug without getting detection from authorities. Of course, this usually comes to an end when you actually attempt to sell to the authorities like this genius. H/T Philly.com More The Victory Formation Go … Continue reading →

ALBANY, New York, October 2, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- According to a new market report published by Transparency Market Research (http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com) "Infertility Drugs andDevices Market - Global IndustryAnalysis, Size, Share and Forecast,2010 - 2017", the overall infertility drugs and devices market was estimated at USD 3,553.5 million in 2010 and is expected to reach an estimated value of USD 4,776.4 million by 2017, growing at a CAGR of 4.3% from 2012 - 2017. The global infertility drugs market revenue for the year 2010 was estimated at USD 2,486.7 million and is expected to reach an estimated value of USD 3,352.7 million in 2017, growing at a CAGR of 4.3% from 2012 - 2017. The global infertility devices market revenue was estimated at USD 1,066.7 million in 2010 and is expected to reach an estimated value of USD 1,423.6 million by 2017, growing at a CAGR of 4.2% from 2012 - 2017. Browse thefull reportathttp://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/infertility-drugs-devices-market.html The key growth drivers for infertility drugs and devices market include rising number of infertile people, increasing worldwide obesity and rising disposable incomes of the consumers. Other driving factors include rising number of smokers, increasing stress and pollution, adoption of babies by homosexual couples and the availability … Continue reading →

Last week I focused on drug advertisement for Low T catching up with all the attention given to menopausal women with declining hormones. But women still are the primary targets for pharmaceutical advertising, in part because they can be captured for multiple productsif not quite from the cradle, at least from puberty, through pregnancy, to menopause and to grave. What are some of the consequences of this relentless focus on womens hormones and common symptoms? For one, it seems to promote a nation of hypochondriacs. It is extremely profitable for pharmaceutical companies, but it is not so good for the target of this attention, women. For example, for the younger set, we have a new illness, Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder (PMDD). In my day, it was moodiness at that time of the month, more typically known as bitchiness. We didnt have an ICD-9 or DSM code. We had uncomfortable days but knew that this, too, would pass. Now cyclical hormones are a disease. The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, revision four, made the diagnosis official, although an example of a depressive disorder not otherwise specified. It is said to affect 3-8% of reproductive age women. Not everyone agrees that … Continue reading →

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - The cheap and popular heart drugs known as beta-blockers may be overused in many patients, exposing them needlessly to bothersome side effects, a new study suggests. Researchers found that people with stable heart disease who took beta-blockers were no less likely to die from their condition, or to suffer a heart attack or stroke, than were those not on the medications. Although the study is not conclusive, it "is definitely going to make some waves," said Dr. Lydia Bazzano of Tulane University in New Orleans, who studies heart disease prevention, but wasn't part of the new work. "I think there are probably plenty of people out there who are getting (beta-blockers), but don't need them," Bazzano told Reuters Health. Beta-blockers such as atenolol and metoprolol slow the heartbeat and lower blood pressure. They are known to shield against future heart attacks in people who just had one and can be helpful in certain types of heart failure. Older studies have suggested staying on beta-blockers in the long run may be beneficial, so many doctors have their patients take the drugs indefinitely. But those results predate modern treatment, researchers say. And whether or not beta-blockers can … Continue reading →

SPRINGFIELD, Mo -- Cheap drugs and limited liability--Generic drug makers have made it affordable for many Americans to get the medicine they need, but what happens when they make a drug that causes harm? Should generic drug makers be held to the same standard as name brand drug makers? According to the Supreme Court the answer is no. That decision--made more than a year ago--is trickling down to lawsuits all over the country. Chances are if you have a prescription bottle at home it could contain a generic form of the drug. "Right now about 75-80% of all drugs are generic drugs,"said lawyer Grant Rahmeyer. Generic drugs have become popular over the years. It is partially due to the Hatch-Waxman Act at the federal level back in the 1980's. "Prescription drug costs were just skyrocketing out of control. They did everything they could to push more generic drugs out into the market. It's been extremely successful," said Rahmeyer. "I think it comes down to one thing and that's drug costs," said Mercy Drug Information Specialist Terry Baker. "Generic drugs saved $193 billion dollars in 2011." A little known Supreme Court ruling nearly a year ago has put generic drugs in … Continue reading →

10/01/2012 . (TMZ) Johnny Lewis was a good guy whose life changed forever earlier this year -- after a very bad experience with drugs ... sources close to Lewis' family tell TMZ. We're told the "Sons of Anarchy" star was "mentally healthy" -- until an episode early this year, when he dabbled with an undisclosed drug. Our sources say the incident triggered a "psychotic break" and he never recovered from it. Family sources tell us ... after the episode Johnny changed dramatically -- he became mentally unstable and began to "self-medicate" to deal with the problem. The family says doctors told them Johnny's condition was classified as "co-occurring disorders." Translation -- by abusing drugs to treat the mental condition, Johnny was simultaneously troubled on 2 fronts. As for the nature of the mental disorder -- family sources say they were never able to get Johnny stable enough to get a clear diagnosis. As for the landlady's murder -- they do not believe it was triggered by a drug-fueled rage. We're told doctors had given Johnny medicine to stabilize his condition and when he was taking it he seemed fine, but when he got out of jail 6 days before the … Continue reading →

There are fears that India's poorest could lose access to vital medicines if big drug companies succeed in curbing the country's generic medications industry. Several pharmaceutical giants are using India's courts in an attempt to block the production of key generic drugs used by cancer sufferers and those with HIV. Generic Indian drugs cost a fraction of the price of the equivalent products. Essentially, the drugs are local copies of those originally produced by international pharmaceutical companies. The availability of cheap generic anti-retro viral drugs that prevent HIV being passed from mothers to their children is what has stopped the disease from reaching full-blown epidemic levels in India. Anjali Gopalan, who heads India's NAZ foundation, which is committed to raising awareness about HIV, says the drugs are the difference between life and death. "At some level we've been able to arrest the spread of the infection, but suddenly we are seeing high prevalence districts crop up all over the country," she said. "Without these cheap anti-retro drugs it is sure death for our people. Without them this infection is going to go viral. Without these drugs people are going to die horrible deaths." As well as HIV, generic drugs are … Continue reading →

Emma L'Aiguille faced court today in Kuala Lumpur in relation to an alleged seizure of methamphetamine in the car she was travelling in. Kuala Lumpur: Lawyers for Emma L'Aiguille, the Australian mother of six accused of drug trafficking and facing the death penalty if convicted, have asked the prosecution to drop the charges, promising that she will act as a witness in any related cases. Ms L'Aiguille, who was arrested in July when police allegedly found more than one kilogram of methamphetamine in the back seat of the car she was driving, made a brief appearance in the Kuala Lumpur Magistrates Court today, when her case was rescheduled for November 9. Ms L'Aiguille, 34, sobbed as she hugged her mother and sister over the wooden partition that divides the public gallery from the dock where the accused must sit. At court ... from left, Emma L'Aiguille's mother Amanda Innes, a friend, and her sister Amber Lawn. Photo: Liz Gooch Prosecutors had been expected to present a chemist's report today that would confirm the quantity of drugs seized from the car. However, because the report is not yet ready, the case was postponed. Advertisement Ms L'Aiguille has been charged under Section … Continue reading →

Latest Mental Health News By Brenda Goodman, MA WebMD Health News Reviewed by Louise Chang, MD Sept. 27, 2012 -- Seniors who take certain kinds of drugs to treat anxiety or insomnia may be more likely to develop dementia than those who do not, a new study shows. Seniors are often prescribed benzodiazepines or similar drugs to help with sleeping problems or anxiety. And even though most of these drugs are only meant to be used for a few weeks or months at a time, the drugs can be habit forming. Studies have found that many older adults stay on them longer, sometimes for years. The new study, which is published in the BMJ, compared the risk of dementia in two groups of French seniors -- 95 who were recent users of any of 23 benzodiazepines or similar drugs at the start of the study and 968 who were not. During the next 15 years, doctors diagnosed 253 cases of dementia. Thirty people (32%) who had taken benzodiazepines or similar drugs developed memory loss and difficulty thinking, compared to 223 people (23%) who had not taken them. Drugs used by people in this study included Ambien, Halcion, Klonopin, Restoril, Valium, … Continue reading →