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NEWS ABOUT: drug addiction

Jacko Doc Writes 'Dear Barack' Letter

(Newser) - A British doctor friend of Michael Jackson fired off a letter to President Obama—or "Barack," as she calls him—pleading for tougher laws for "unethical doctors" who ply patients with drugs. Dr. Susan Etok, who says she turned down more than $800,000 from the King... More »

New Heroin Addiction Treatment? Heroin

Scientists caution that controversial treatment has its downsides

(Newser) - Medical heroin may be effectively used to treat heroin addiction, Canadian scientists have discovered, but their dramatic findings may be railroaded over political and financial concerns, ABC News reports. Injectable diacetylmorphine, the active ingredient in heroin, resulted in 67% less illegal activity and illicit drug use after one year when... More »

Jackson 'Self-Harmed' to Get Drugs

Singer was spending $50K a month on prescriptions

(Newser) - Toward the end of his life Michael Jackson was so desperate for prescription drugs, sources tell investigators he harmed himself in an effort to get more, the Mirror reports. Jackson was reportedly spending nearly $50,000 a month on drugs including Vicodin, Soma, Xanax, Zoloft, Paxil, and Prilosec, and he... More »

Opium Addiction On Rise for Afghan Moms, Kids

(Newser) - Opium is taking a heavy toll on the women and children of Afghanistan, but it's addiction, not production, that's entering the spotlight. Opium is cheaper than a meal, staves off hunger, and brings the family some happiness, one addicted mother tells CBS News as she prepares opium tea for her... More »

Is Pot Addictive? Critics, Fans Fight Over Data

(Newser) - Advocates and critics of marijuana are wielding scientific data as the debate over legalization becomes one about addiction, the New York Times reports. "Science really has proven, if anything, that cannabis is likely one of the safest substances we can interact with,” says one marijuana legal reformer. But... More »

Was Jackson Healthy or On the Brink? Yes.

Drug-addled or ready to rock, his inner-circle tells it from all sides

(Newser) - Was Michael Jackson happy and healthy, or drug-addled and depressed in his final days? Depends who you ask. The AP compiles a list of contradictory reports from the star’s inner circle:
  • Concert promoter Randy Phillips initially told reporters Jackson was "a healthy, vibrant human being,” but later
... More »

MJ Popped 10 Xanax a Night

Plus, family argues over remains, and more

(Newser) - Michael Jackson was taking 10 Xanax pills a night, but that was an improvement—he “was doing better because he was down from 30 to 40” pills, according to a confidential document obtained by CNN. Among other details: To get prescriptions, he used his employees’ names and traveled to... More »

Let's Lock Up Casual Drug Users

Addicts need help, but casual users need jail: Monbiot

(Newser) - The head of the UN drug and crime office recommended last week that casual drug use be decriminalized and said users "need medical help, not criminal prosecution." We should certainly help addicts, but casual users of marijuana and cocaine belong in jail, George Monbiot of the Guardian writes.... More »

Jackson Nanny: 'I Had to Pump His Stomach Many Times'

(Newser) - Michael Jackson's former nanny says the pop icon was so addicted to prescription drugs that she had to pump his stomach regularly, the Times of London reports. “There was one period that it was so bad that I didn’t let the children see him," said Grace... More »

Now Paula Says She Wasn't Addicted

(Newser) - The Paula Abdul roller-coaster continues. The Idol judge says Ladies' Home Journal got it all wrong: She now insists she was never addicted to painkillers, and she never checked into a rehab facility, E! reports. “It was very stressful for me to hear that and to be quoted saying... More »

Legalized Pot, Cocaine Work OK in Portugal

(Newser) - Portugal decriminalized drug possession 8 years ago, so it must have high abuse rates, right? Not according to a new study from the Cato Institute, Time reports. Teen drug use and HIV infection from needles have declined, and more addicts now enter treatment programs. "Judging by every metric, decriminalization... More »

More Students Get Fix From Study Drugs

Adderall, Ritalin used to boost concentration despite health risks

(Newser) - Attention-deficit disorder drugs such as Adderall and Ritalin are gaining popularity on college campuses as an easy way for students to knuckle down, NPR reports. The drugs offer a “perfect kind of transition into a study mentality,” says one student, and can make work more pleasurable. But they’... More »

Drug Centers Hit by Worker Overdoses

Burnt-out harm reduction volunteers fall prey to addiction

(Newser) - Needle exchange programs have helped drastically cut rates of HIV infection among heroin users but often take a heavy toll on their volunteers, the Wall Street Journal reports. Unpaid or poorly paid staff members work long hours in tough inner-city conditions, often without proper training. All too often they end... More »

Surprise! Coked-Up Bees Get Buzzed, Too

Drugged-up bees get overexcited and dance like crazy

(Newser) - Coked-up bees get as buzzed as their human counterparts, the New York Times reports. Researchers probing the nature of addiction discovered that when bees were given a dose of cocaine their judgment was altered and they became much more enthusiastic about food finds, performing the waggle dance more often, faster,... More »

Winehouse Ex Back in the Pokey

Winehouse hubby violated bail

(Newser) - It’s shockingly back to prison for Amy Winehouse’s soon-to-be ex-hubby, the Independent reports. Blake Fielder-Civil reportedly broke the terms of his early-release bail by failing a drug test. He had earlier claimed to be clean, thanks to his forced stint in rehab. After failing the test, Fielder-Civil supposedly... More »

Coke Addicts Can Blame It on DNA

Newly uncovered gene boosts chance of getting hooked

(Newser) - A newly discovered gene can improve your chances of getting hooked on cocaine, scientists said today. A study of 670 cocaine addicts and 700 non-users found that addicts were 25% more likely to have the gene variant. The discovery could lead to DNA screenings for those likely to try the... More »

Winehouse Freaks Out as Hubby Freed

Singer hit photographer, flashed chest before passing out

(Newser) - Hours after her husband was freed from jail, Amy Winehouse went on a rampage reminiscent of darker days, the Sun reports. With makeup smeared across her face, Winehouse, 25, stormed from her London home and hit a photographer, asking, “Who wants some?” The singer flashed the group and sucked... More »

'Marcia Brady' Thanks Prozac for Her Life

Actress fought misery, addiction for years before drug saved her

(Newser) - Maureen McCormick fought drug addiction and depression for years after The Brady Bunch until antidepressants helped her “feel like a normal person for the first time in my life,” she writes in Newsweek. She struggled with private fears even when shooting the show and hit bottom in a... More »

Eat Your Way Out of Addiction: Experts

Foods that help make neurotransmitters may assist treatment

(Newser) - Good grub may be enough to rewire an addict's brain. The trick is to serve up meals that revive pleasure-inducing neurotransmitters disrupted by addiction, neuroscientists say. Foods as simple as steak, milk, and nuts can boost the brain's production of serotonin or glutamine, both of which help addicts recover. But... More »

Marcia: 'I Traded Sex for Drugs'

Brady Bunch darling reveals struggle with addiction, depression

(Newser) - The actress who played the nation's perky darling Marcia in the wholesome Brady Bunch TV family once traded sex for drugs during years in the abyss of depression and drug addiction, reports E! Online. Maureen McCormick, now 52, reveals her very un-Brady life in her new memoir, Here's the Story:... More »

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