Drugs & Vice

Health Canada Approves Heroin Maintenance

"Last Friday, Health Canada used some creative rule-reading to approve a program that would provide prescription heroin to a small number of hard-core users, and the Conservative health minister isn't happy. But doctors, advocates, and the users themselves are quite pleased -- and once again, Canada stays on the cutting edge when it comes to dealing smartly with heroin use. Health Canada approved access to prescription heroin for at least 15 people who are completing their participation in Vancouver's Study to Assess Long-term Opioid Dependence (SALOME), which is testing whether prescribing heroin was more effective than prescribing methadone." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingHealth Canada Approves Heroin Maintenance

Marijuana Legalization Activists Target States For 2014

"Alaska and Oregon may become the next states to legalize marijuana for recreational use, as early as next year some proponents say. But the big battle over marijuana prohibition will come in 2016 with the next presidential election. Although a slim majority of Americans support legalization, younger voters may vote for change in higher numbers than older generations, Mason Tvert, a spokesman for the Marijuana Policy Project, says. That group, and others, plan to target state legislators in five states, including Rhode Island and Hawaii, to legalize the drug by 2017. UN drug control officials remain alarmed by challenges to marijuana prohibition in America, Germany, and Uruguay." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingMarijuana Legalization Activists Target States For 2014

Texas lawman sentenced to 1 year prison for protecting drug smugglers

"A Houston-based federal judge Monday ordered a former Starr County lawman to spend a year in prison after he admitted to taking money from drug traffickers in exchange for police information. Ramirez was arrested on March 12. He pleaded guilty a month after to a violation of the Hobbs Act, which deals with public servants taking bribes. According to court records, from January 2006 to September 2008, Ramirez accepted about $30,000 from drug traffickers in exchange for the location of Texas Department of Public Safety troopers. Before his arrest, Ramirez was in charge of the jail division for the Starr County Sheriff’s Office." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingTexas lawman sentenced to 1 year prison for protecting drug smugglers

Officer indicted for illegal drug prescriptions, fake disability claims

"Authorities say Driscoll, who was in his police uniform, went to a CVS Pharmacy in Burlington on July 10, seeking to obtain Percocet pills. Burlington police were notified and an investigation was launched. Officials allege Driscoll had presented five fraudulent prescriptions to CVS pharmacy between May and July of 2013, and that he received more than 260 Percocet tablets through these false prescriptions. Officials said they also learned Driscoll passed false prescriptions for pain medication at an Osco Pharmacy in a Burlington supermarket. In all but one instance, Driscoll is accused of dropping off and picked up medications while in his police uniform." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingOfficer indicted for illegal drug prescriptions, fake disability claims

Delcambre officer accused of altering pain med prescriptions

"A Delcambre police officer has been arrested after being accused of altering his pain medication prescriptions. Police Chief James Broussard asked Louisiana State Police to investigate, and state police detectives discovered Raleigh Cheramie, 38, altered his prescriptions seven times between March 2013 and August 2013, according to Trooper Stephen Hammons. 'He would alter them so he could receive more than the prescribed number of pills,' he said." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingDelcambre officer accused of altering pain med prescriptions

Poor Training Of Narcotics Officers Contributes To Culture Of Ignorance

"Examples of training courses advertised by the CNOA include inflammatory titles such as 'The Eradication of Medical Marijuana Dispensaries in Los Angeles' or 'Initial Contacts with Persons Claiming Protections Under California’s Medical Marijuana Laws and Statues.' Through the author’s own words, his article shows the institutional bias of the CNOA as an entity, and the author as an individual. It is this language that points to the perception that the narcotics officers are more interested in deliberately undermining the intent of the Compassionate Use Act by lumping all use as criminal in nature. This leads to subverting the law instead of fairly enforcing it." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingPoor Training Of Narcotics Officers Contributes To Culture Of Ignorance

CDC: Painkillers Kill Four Times More than Cocaine and Heroin Combined

"A powerful report spanning 10 years from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has revealed that painkillers are actually responsible for a whopping four times as many deaths as both heroin and cocaine combined. While the previous report documented in 2011 found that 12 million were actually on prescription painkillers purely for the high it gives, the new CDC papers found that there was a massive 415% rise in the overall rate of fatal painkiller overdoses from 1999 to 2010. We’re talking about a higher fatality rate than those who are dosing up on heroin and cocaine." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingCDC: Painkillers Kill Four Times More than Cocaine and Heroin Combined

Man killed by half-ton of marijuana

"A man carrying 500 kilos of pot in his car lost his life when the illegal merchandise in the back of the vehicle slammed into him during an auto accident. The victim was traveling from the Brazilian state of Mato Grosso do Sul to Sao Paulo this past Saturday when he refused to stop at a Federal Highway Patrol roadblock. A chase ensued over a three mile stretch of road, which ended with a fatal crash against a tree after the man lost control of his car. The impact resulted in the man being crushed against the steering wheel by the bricks of marijuana he was transporting." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingMan killed by half-ton of marijuana

Maryland: Court Upholds Traffic Stop Over Third Brake Light

"Police in Maryland can stop and interrogate a driver if he is driving a car with a burned out third brake light. The Court of Special Appeals ruled earlier this month that allowing the car to continue with only two functional brake lights would pose a safety hazard to the public. The detective said he smelled marijuana and ordered both of its occupants out of the car. As he started looking inside the car, he spotted a handgun that belonged to Smith. Maryland does not allow citizens to carry a firearm except in rare circumstances. Smith appealed the firearms possession conviction, arguing the initial stop was invalid because state law only requires a vehicle to have two functioning brake lights." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingMaryland: Court Upholds Traffic Stop Over Third Brake Light

Victim in bra-shakedown case: Officer got off easy

"The case dates back to May 21 when Officer Dustin Fetz asked Zoe Brugger to shake out her bra during a traffic stop. A report released to the media on Wednesday afternoon revealed the results of an FBI investigation that Fertz did not violate Brugger’s civil rights. The report also said Officer Fetz would be retrained. Chief Lisa Womack did decide to suspend Fetz for one day. Earlier this month, the State Attorney called Fetz’s actions 'demeaning' and 'egregious.' Fetz pulled Brugger and her boyfriend over for a broken headlight but at one point believed Brugger may have had drugs so he asked her to 'pull her shirt up, pull her bra out from her breasts, and to shake.' Fetz never found any drugs." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingVictim in bra-shakedown case: Officer got off easy