Popular Synthetic Drug Simple to Obtain From China, Experts Say

By Join Together Staff | July 23, 2012 | 1 Comment | Filed in Drugs &Legislation


The popular synthetic drug methylone, a key ingredient in “bath salts,” is simple to order online from China, experts tell The Virginian-Pilot.

In one recent case that ended up in federal court, two Virginia men emailed a lab in China, wired several thousand dollars to an English-speaking customer service representative and received 100 pounds of the drug in the mail, according to the newspaper.

“It’s probably easier than buying a case of wine online,” said Richard Yarow, an attorney for a man who pleaded guilty to assisting one of the importers wire money to China. “When you buy wine you at least have to show ID” upon delivery, he added.

Methylone is a white crystalline powder. In addition to being used to make bath salts, it also can be snorted, swallowed or mixed into drinks. The drug costs about $350 per ounce on the street. Importers charge $2,600 to $4,000 per pound.

Methylone was legal in most places in the United States until recently, and was sold online and in some gas stations and head shops. Some states began banning synthetic drugs last year, and more have followed suit this year.

Earlier this month, President Obama signed legislation that bans synthetic drugs. The law bans harmful chemicals in synthetic drugs such as those used to make synthetic marijuana and bath salts.

Bath salts are marketed under names such as “Ivory Wave,” “Purple Wave,” “Vanilla Sky” or “Bliss.” The drugs mimic the effects of cocaine, LSD, Ecstasy and/or methamphetamine. According to the Drug Enforcement Administration, users have reported impaired perception, reduced motor control, disorientation, extreme paranoia and violent episodes. Bath salts have become increasingly popular among teens and young adults.

Packages sent to the United States are subject to inspection, but drug-sniffing dogs usually cannot detect methylone and other synthetic drugs, according to federal agents. A spokesman for U.S. Customs and Border Protection told the newspaper they cannot prevent people from ordering things off the Internet

Sage Stallone Was not an addict

By SHEILA MARIKAR (@SheilaYM)
July 19, 2012




Authorities do not believe Sage Stallone was a drug addict, a source familiar with the case told ABC News, in part, because his weight did not indicate drug addiction.

At the time of his death last Friday, Stallone was 5 feet 7 inches tall, and weighed 188 pounds, and wasn't the rail-thin figure often associated with addiction.

The family of the 36-year-old actor and son of action-star Sylvester Stallone met with the Los Angeles County Coroner's Office Tuesday and expressed worry that Sage Stallone may have been overmedicated before his death. The meeting focused on the status of the investigation.

The Los Angeles Police Department's robbery-homicide division had been brought into the investigation, but officials said it remained primarily a coroner's investigation and that there were no signs of foul play.

Sage Stallone's mother had hinted at the pain her son was in in the weeks before he died after undergoing extensive dental surgery.

Sasha Czack, Sylvester Stallone's first wife, told the New York Post that her 36-year-old son had been on pain pills when he died after having had five teeth pulled. The extractions took place two weeks before he was found dead in his Los Angeles-area apartment Friday.


Sylvester Stallone released a new statement Monday, calling for an end to "the speculation and questionable reporting" about his son's death.
It could take weeks to learn Sage Stallone's official cause of death. A spokesman for the Los Angeles County Coroner said Sunday that the results of the 36-year-old actor's toxicology tests would not be known for approximately six weeks. An autopsy was completedSunday.
When the Post asked whether he was taking painkillers afterward, she said, "Wouldn't you be?"Czack said she advised him not to get the surgery, telling the Post, "I've heard about people dying having multiple procedures done to your mouth. Do not have more than one tooth [pulled]."

"When a parent loses a child there is no greater pain," he said in a statement to TMZ. "Therefore, I am imploring people to respect my talented son's memory and feel compassion for his loving mother, Sasha. This agonizing loss will be felt for the rest of our lives. Sage was our first child and the center of our universe, and I am humbly begging for all to have my son's memory and soul left in peace."

On Sunday, Sage Stallone's attorney said his client "never had any serious health problems" and no "history of drug or alcohol abuse."

"Sage was a really young, very sensitive, and very talented kid," attorney George Braunstein told People magazine. "There has been no indication that there was anything wrong in his life."

Sage Stallone's body was found by a housekeeper, who called authorities. While there was no suicide note found at the scene, authorities said there were bottles of prescription drugs.

Sage Stallone played Rocky Balboa's son in "Rocky 5" in 1990 and appeared in the movie "Daylight" with his father. He also directed the 2006 short film "Vic."

Burning Tree Long Term Texas

Burning Tree is a long term drug & alcohol rehab that specializes in chronic relapse. http://www.BurningTree.com/
Mission“Love, Service, and Excellence: We are here to serve!”

The Burning Tree Team offers you and your family the opportunity to create a life of excellence beyond sobriety by providing effective long term relapse prevention treatment. The heart of Burning Tree is our staff. We value the dedication and passion that the staff invests in your treatment with a supportive environment allowing for personal, professional and financial growth.
DescriptionBurning Tree provides relapse prevention & dual diagnosis programs specializing in long term residential drug and alcohol treatment for adults with a relapse and co-occurring history.

We serve the substance abuse relapse adult who has been to other treatment programs and in and out of 12 step programs and just can't seem to get and stay sober. Alcohol & drug rehab treatment, co-occurring and a relapse prevention plan are our primary roles.

We are a long term drug rehab treatment center licensed by the Texas Dept of State Health Services.



Contact Info
Phone 1 (866) 287-2877
Website http://www.BurningTree.com

Bill Would Require Most Painkillers to Have Safeguards to Prevent Abuse

By Join Together Staff | July 19, 2012 | 3 Comments | Filed in Legislation,Prescription Drugs & Prevention


A bill to be introduced Thursday in the U.S. House would require most painkillers to have safeguards to prevent abuse, The Wall Street Journal reports.

Under the provisions of the bill, most prescription painkillers would have some form of abuse deterrence, such as being more difficult to crush or inject. The exact details of how drug manufacturers could meet the new standards are vague, the article notes. The bill does not set time lines for compliance.

If pain medications did not adopt the safety features outlined in the bill, they would be removed from the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) approved list of generic drugs. While several brand-name painkillers, such as OxyContin and Opana, have tamper-resistant formulations, most generic painkillers do not.

Patents for OxyContin and Opana are set to expire in 2013. The FDA has not yet ruled whether abuse-deterrent features will be required on the generic versions of those drugs.

“This bill should help protect first-time users and younger people who gain access through relatives or their own family’s medicine cabinets,” the measure’s lead sponsor, Rep. Bill Keating of Massachusetts, told the newspaper. Congress is “understanding the scope of this and looking at it as a major public health epidemic,” he added.

He said there is broad bipartisan support in the House for the measure. The bill’s cosponsors are Republicans Mary Bono Mack of California and Hal Rogers of Kentucky, and Democrat Stephen Lynch of Massachusetts.

The Generic Pharmaceutical Association opposes the bill. “The proposed legislation would be detrimental to patients and could potentially remove FDA-approved safe and effective generic medicines from those who rely on them,” said the group’s president, Ralph G. Neas. “Addressing prescription-drug abuse is of utmost importance to the generic pharmaceutical industry. Policy makers should let the medical evidence guide actions in addressing this critical issue.”

NJ Governor Signs Measure Requiring Treatment for Low-Level Drug Offenders

By Join Together Staff | July 20, 2012 | Leave a comment | Filed in Community Related, Drugs, Legal, Legislation & Treatment

New Jersey Governor Chris Christie on Thursday signed a measure that requires treatment for low-level drug offenders who otherwise would go to prison, according to The Star-Ledger.

The law establishes a $2.5 million pilot program that will expand drug courts in three New Jersey counties. It also expands the types of crimes that make inmates eligible for drug court, which will now be mandatory for those inmates. The article notes drug court programs require inmates to undergo intensive outpatient or inpatient treatment. In order to qualify, inmates must have a drug addiction, be receptive to treatment and be deemed able to be helped by treatment. The inmates appear regularly before judges, who determine whether they are meeting the terms of the five-year program.

“When I outlined this proposal six months ago, I made it clear that our commitment to our most vulnerable was not just a matter of dollars and cents, it was about reclaiming lives. No life is disposable and every life can be redeemed, but not if we ignore them,” Governor Christie said in a news release. “Once again by putting people before partisanship, we are providing optimism and hope to individuals and families torn apart by addiction. Once fully phased in over five years, this program will provide mandatory drug treatment to appropriate offenders who are not a threat to society and who suffer from the disease of addiction—redeeming lives and healing families.”

New Jersey spends $42,000 to house an inmate for one year, compared with $11,300 for drug courts, according to the newspaper. Governor Christie wanted inmates in every county to qualify for mandatory drug treatment, but Democratic legislators objected to the cost. The governor agreed to their suggestion of a five-year period to phase in the program to all counties, to allow the state time to fully fund the program, while giving private treatment facilities time to expand.

THE PARTNERSHIP OF DRUGFREE NEW BILINGUAL RESOURCES

Dear Joseph,

As a Hispanic mother of two children, I recognize the need to empower Hispanic parents and grandparents to take action in preventing teen substance abuse. That’s why we just launched new, online tools for Hispanic parents and families at “Habla Con Tus Hijos.” This free, bilingual (Spanish/English) resource offers help to Latino parents who want to prevent their children from abusing drugs and alcohol.

Clear, understandable content is brought to life with customized checklists, how-to guides and videos featuring Hispanic parents and experts touching on various aspects of substance abuse for those who are at different stages in raising their children.

I sat down with Telemundo television network to tell them more about this unique resource – take a look at the extensive news coverage that helped us reach more families in the Hispanic community.

I also spent time talking directly with Latino parents on Univision Radio’s popular, live call-in program, "The Doctora Isabel Show,” where we discussed new research showing that rates of substance abuse among Hispanic teens are at much higher levels than those of teens from other ethnic groups.

Working together, we can protect our children from the dangers of drugs and alcohol abuse. Please tell a friend about “Habla Con Tus Hijos” today.

Thank you,

Monica Liriano
Associate Director, Consumer Research & Multicultural Programs
The Partnership at Drugfree.org

P.S.Text DRUGFREE to 50555 and reply YES to make a $10 donation to The Partnership at Drugfree.org. Your gift will help to continue important programs that help Hispanic families.

Message & data rates may apply. Full Terms at mGive.org/T