Category Archives: Drugs

Matt Sayles / AP Rodney King, in Los Angeles on April 13, 2012 Rodney King, whose beating at the hands of police officers sparked national outcry and eventually led to the 1992 Los Angeles riots, died from an accidental drowning and had a number of drugs in his system including PCP and cocaine as well as alcohol, according to an autopsy conducted by Rialto, Calif., police. The San Bernadino County Sheriffs Department released an autopsy report on King, who was found dead by hisfiance at the bottom of his homes swimming pool on June 17. Police told the L.A. Daily News that Kings blood alcohol level was .06%, and that illicit substances had been found in his body. (MORE: Rodney King, Whose Police Beating Led to Los Angeles Riots, Dies at 47) Theres going to be no surprises. His death was ruled an accidental drowning, Rialto police Capt. Randy DeAnda told the Daily News. The investigation is now completed and basically the autopsy and toxicology reinforces our conclusions. San Bernadino Coroners officials say they believe the 47-year-old, a frequent swimmer, jumped or fell into the pool in a state of alcohol- or drug-induced intoxication. The effects of the drugs and … Continue reading →

By Amanda Gardner HealthDay Reporter WEDNESDAY, Aug. 22 (HealthDay News) -- Ninety percent of American high school students report that some of their classmates are using illicit drugs, including alcohol and tobacco, during the school day, a new survey found. When asked to estimate how many were involved, these teens reported that about 17 percent of students -- roughly 2.8 million -- are abusing drugs during the school day, according to the survey. "The findings are alarming but not surprising," said Bruce Goldman, director of substance abuse services at Zucker Hillside Hospital, in Glen Oaks, N.Y. "We know that teens abuse alcohol, cannabis, prescription medications. It makes sense that they do it at school where they congregate with their peers. Goldman was not involved with the survey, which was released Wednesday by the National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University (CASAColumbia), in New York City. The survey is a timely one, coming out soon after a U.S. government study found that more teenagers start drinking and smoking cigarettes and marijuana in June and July than in any other month. The new survey also found that schools can be a hub of drug-dealing activity, with 44 percent of … Continue reading →

CHICOPEE, Mass. (WWLP) - According to a new study, drug and alcohol use in U.S. high schools is more common than you may think. "I haven't seen anybody smoke or drink, but I've heard stories of people bringing alcohol into school--like in little nips and everything", said recent high school graduate Vera Kalatina of Agawam. The National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University is reporting that 9 out of 10 high school students say they have classmates who smoke, drink, or use drugs during school hours. This issue is not just limited to public schools either. Teens at private schools also reported that drugs are in their hallways too--that's a 50%increase from last year. Many teens agree it's problem that will, most likely, not solve itself. "I feel it's hard, but it's something that's probably just going to keep happening and keep happening more", said Jared Grabowski of Westfield. However in some parts of Western Massachusetts, statistics show that drug use in the schools is not an issue. For example, in Hampshire County, 88% of students surveyed in 2011 said that they have not used drugs or alcohol while at school. That's based on data from the … Continue reading →

Doug Menuez/Getty Images A new survey found that nearly one in five students do drugs, drink or smoke cigarettes during the school day. Marijuana was the drug easiest to buy on school grounds, kids said. They may be in the classroom, but their heads are somewhere else. Nearly one in five students do drugs, drink or smoke cigarettes during the school day, according to a jarring new survey by the National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University. While the revelation that 17% of high school students may be half in the bag on any given day may come as a shock to some parents or teachers, its old news to the 1,000 students surveyed. Some 86% told survey-takers that they were well aware their glassy-eyed classmates were stoned or drunk. It takes a teen to know whats going on in the teen world, said Emily Feinstein, who directed the 17th annual survey. Half of the students polled said they know who deals drugs at school and where students can go nearby to get high. Marijuana was the drug easiest to buy on school grounds, students said, followed by prescription drugs, cocaine and ecstasy. The survey of 12- … Continue reading →

If one of parents biggest worries is that their teenagers are exposed to drugs and alcohol at school, their fears are justified: Eighty-six percent of high school students say their classmates are smoking, drinking or using drugs during the school day, according to a national survey. The 17thannual back-to-school survey by the National Center of Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University shows that tobacco, alcohol and drug use are pervasive and relentless fixtures in the teen world, Joseph A. Califano, founder and chairman of the center, writes in a statement accompanying the survey results. He called the results profoundly disturbing. Some of the reasons: --Students estimate that 17% of their classmates are drinking, using drugs or smoking during the school day. And about half say theres a place on or near campus where this happens. --Teens estimated that 47% of classmates drink alcohol; 40% use drugs; 30% smoke cigarettes. --Sixty percent of high school students and 32% of middle school students say students keep or sell drugs on campus. (In private high schools, 54% said this happens.) The high school figure has been at least 60% in seven of the last eight years. --Forty-four percent say they know someone … Continue reading →

By Tony Daltorio - August 21, 2012 | Tickers: AZN, GSK, PFE, RHHBY.PK, SNY | 0 Comments Tony is a member of The Motley Fool Blog Network -- entries represent the personal opinions of our bloggers and are not formally edited. Global pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca Group PLC ADR (NYSE: AZN) has suffered since late last year thanks to both expiring patents on key drugs and several developmental drug failures. The company has a much more substantial patent cliff than many of its peers with about half of its $33 billion in annual revenues expected to disappear by 2016. On the experimental drug side, it recently ended a second stage trial of CytoFab, a potential blockbuster drug treatment for sepsis, because it was found to be ineffective. In December, the company took a $382 million writedown on two other drugs that failed in late-stage trials. So AstraZeneca's management has to come up with different ways to generate revenues in order to remain a big player in the pharmaceutical sector. One strategy management is now following was on display recently with its deal with Pfizer (NYSE: PFE). AstraZeneca sold the global rights for an over-the-counter version of its leading (with $4.4 billion … Continue reading →

PHILADELPHIA, Aug.22, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --The Intellectual Property & Science business of Thomson Reuters, the world's leading provider of intelligent information for businesses and professionals, today released the results of its study on orphan drugs, developed to treat rare diseases, finding that they have the potential to generate as much lifetime revenue as drugs used for more common health conditions. The findings are featured in the Thomson Reuters paper, "The Economic Power of Orphan Drugs," and in Drug Discovery Today. Rare diseases affect from a handful to up to 200,000 patients and include illnesses such as Cystic fibrosis, Wilson's disease, and Homozygous familial hypercholesterolemia. (Photo:http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20120822/NY61059-INFO) Life Sciences researchers at Thomson Reuters found that developmental drivers such as government incentives, shorter clinical trials and high rates of regulatory success make top orphan drugs as economically viable as non-orphan ones, even though the number of patients benefitting from them is significantly smaller than those benefitting from non-orphan medicine. "This new data gives economic validity to the importance of targeting rare diseases in the global pharmaceutical market," said Kiran Meekings, Ph.D., Life Sciences consultant at Thomson Reuters and co-author of the report. "Not only does such focus help those affected by rare diseases, of … Continue reading →

Most high school students say teen use of alcohol, tobacco, or other drugs occurs during the school day, often on campus, according to an annual survey. They estimate that about 17 percent of their classmates do so. Eighty-six percent of American high school students report that some of their classmates use alcohol, tobacco, or other drugs during the school day. Subscribe Today to the Monitor Click Here for your FREE 30 DAYS of The Christian Science Monitor Weekly Digital Edition That's among the most significant findings of an annual survey of teenagers about their perceptions of drug use, released Wednesday, by the National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University (CASAColumbia) in New York. The latest survey, the National Survey of American Attitudes on Substance Abuse XVII: Teens, gives parents a teen's-eye view of the relentlessness and pervasiveness of the school drug problem, says Joseph Califano Jr., founder and chairman emeritus of CASAColumbia and former US secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare. The survey gives a graphic portrait of what is going on in high schools and among high school students the fact that we have 9 out of 10 students saying that classmates are using drugs, drinking, … Continue reading →

RICHMOND, BRITISH COLUMBIA--(Marketwire -08/22/12)- Home organization is the key to keeping things under control throughout a busy school year. From back-to-school shopping to organizing student schedules, these tips and tricks will help your family make the transition from summer fun to back-to-school routines easier. Tip #1: Create a centralized, accessible family activities calendar The first step to creating a successful routine is having a clear picture of everyone's new schedules; classes, sporting events and additional extra-curricular activities. With so much going on, you'll want to create a home base where everyone can see what's happening at a glance. Using a simple paper wall calendar works well but there are now more high tech options that are particularly useful in households with older children. The Joy Factory Klick Wall Mount ($54.99) allows you to mount an iPad in a centralized location in the house so family members have easy access to enter their activities. This will also allow you to instantly sync family member's mobile devices, helping to keep everyone organized, on schedule and in the loop. Tip #2: Preserve memories, not junk As every parent knows, kids come home with a ton of papers and projects throughout the school year. … Continue reading →

Orphan drugs achieve blockbuster status in 2011 and generate over $50 billion in revenue PHILADELPHIA, PA, August 22, 2012 - The Intellectual Property & Science business of Thomson Reuters, the world`s leading provider of intelligent information for businesses and professionals, today released the results of its study on orphan drugs, developed to treat rare diseases, finding that they have the potential to generate as much lifetime revenue as drugs used for more common health conditions. The findings are featured in the Thomson Reuters paper, "The Economic Power of Orphan Drugs" and in Drug Discovery Today. Rare diseases affect from a handful to up to 200,000 patients and include illnesses such as Cystic fibrosis, Wilson`s disease, and Homozygous familial hypercholesterolemia. Life Sciences researchers at Thomson Reuters found that developmental drivers such as government incentives, shorter clinical trials and high rates of regulatory success make top orphan drugs as economically viable as non-orphan ones, even though the number of patients benefitting from them is significantly smaller than those benefitting from non-orphan medicine. "This new data gives economic validity to the importance of targeting rare diseases in the global pharmaceutical market," said Kiran Meekings, Ph.D., Life Sciences consultant at Thomson Reuters and co-author … Continue reading →