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Showing posts from December, 2010

Mandatory DUI Checkpoints for New Years Eve

 Mandatory DUI Checkpoints Channel 10 news out of St. Petersburg, Florida is reporting that Florida is implementing "No Refusal" checkpoints for the upcoming New Years Eve celebration.  A "No Refusal" means that if you refuse a breath alcohol test during a traffic stop you will be issued a warrant by an on-site presiding judge that will allow police to perform a mandatory alcohol blood test. There are two sides to ever story so here are the prevailing arguments for and against the mandatory DUI checkpoints: CON: Keving Hayslett, a DUI defense attorney believes that the the mandatory blood test as a violation of constitutional rights.  Hayslett continued his argument by saying, "It's a slippery slope and it's got to stop somewhere." He concluded, "what other misdemeanor offense do we have in the United States where the government can forcefully put a needle into your arm?" PRO: Linda Unfried, from Mother's Against Drunk D

Vivitrol Enhances The Treatment for Heroin and Opiod Addiction

The U.S.D.A recently approved the drug Vivitrol for the treatment of opioid  and heroin addiction. Vivitrol is an extended release formulation of naltrexone, an opioid receptor antagonist. Clinical trials have shown Vivitrol to be effective in preventing not only relapse to drug use following detoxification, but also to diminish cravings that often drive it. The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA)  reported that heroin addiction afflicts an estimated 810,000 people in this country. NIDA's website states that in 2008, 1.85 million people in the U.S. met the diagnostic criteria for abuse or dependence on opioid pain relievers, such as Oxycontin and Vicodin.

Marijuana Smoking Increases as Binge Drinking Slows Among U.S. Teens

The federal government recently issued the results of their annual drug abuse survey in which they concluded that U.S. teens are gravitating more towards smoking marijuana than cigarettes and fewer are binge-drinking. Government Survey Data The survey of 46,482 students from 396 schools found that 16 percent of eighth-graders, typically 13 and 14 years old, admitted to using marijuana, up from 14.5 percent in 2009. More than 21 percent of high school seniors, aged 17 and 18, said they had used marijuana in the past 30 days, while 19.2 percent said they smoked cigarettes. This is the first time marijuana use has passed cigarette use in the survey. About 23 percent of high school seniors admitted to binge drinking in the past two weeks, compared to 25 percent in 2009 and 31.5 percent in 1998. The survey found more than 6 percent of high school seniors use marijuana every day, up from 5 percent last year. More than 3 percent of 10th graders and 1 percent of eighth graders said t

Top Big Ten University Looks to Tighten Up Drug Testing Protocols

The University of Iowa aims to reinforce their drug testing policy after it was determined that several of the school's football players have found ways to avoid or sidestep the testing. The program suffered another "black-eye" after the arrest of Derrell Johnson-Koulianos a Hawkeye wide receiver. Johnson-Koulianos was arrested on misdemeanor drug charges.   Athletics Director Gary Barta said, "We did find pretty strong evidence there are a couple ways our student-athletes have, and probably have at some point, gotten around the test in some way."   Kirk Ferentz , Iowa 's Football coach saw a need to " tighten up " their drug-testing system." Pittsburgh based Mobile Medical Corporation ( MMC ) with offices nationwide, offers a vast array of compatible screening solutions designed to meet any Drug Free Workplace initiative nationwide. MMC works directly on the college campus to collect tests, reinforce testing protocols and manage data.

Synthetic Marijuana Making Local and National Headlines

Synthetic Marijuana, also known as "K-2" or "Spice" is a mixture of common herbs sprayed with synthetic chemicals that mirror the high of Marijuana. The synthetic product is sold as incense in head shops, tobacco stores and convenient stores. So far, twelve states have banned the sale of Synthetic Marijuana - (Kansas, Georgia, Alabama, Tennessee, Missouri, Louisiana, Mississippi, Arkansas, Oregon, Illinois, Michigan, and Kentucky). The American Association of Poison Control Centers reported that within the past year there have been over 500 cases of negative reactions to the still legal yet dangerous drug. On the national level the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) recently designated certain chemicals that are present within Synthetic Marijuana to the same category that heroin and LSD are part of and further emphasizes the need to be able to test blood and urine for Synthetic Marijuana use. On the local level- The Herald Online reported that Fort Mill,