Party Drug Called “Benzo Fury” Presents Dangers, Rat Study Suggests

By Join Together Staff | April 9, 2013 | Leave a comment | Filed in Drugs, Research & Young Adults

A party drug known as “Benzo Fury” can have dangerous consequences, a new study of rodents suggests. It has both stimulant and hallucinogenic effects, Reuters reports. The drug is a synthetic, laboratory-designed substance.

Benzo Fury can be purchased online, and is popular in Britain and the United States, the article notes. Researchers at Britain’s University of Roehampton found the drug produced an effect on the brains of rats that was similar to hallucinogenic, addictive drugs such as cocaine or amphetamines. It may lead to high blood pressure by constricting blood vessels, the researchers said.

“It’s in the combination of these stimulant and hallucinogenic properties that the greatest danger lies,” said lead researcher Jolanta Opacka-Juffry. She presented her findings at the British Neuroscience Association conference in London. She added, “It’s possible that the reason these drugs are so popular is because they are seen as safer than their illegal counterparts,” so it is “important to challenge such assumptions.”

Commentary: Alcohol Awareness Month: Help for Today, Hope for Tomorrow

By Robert J. Lindsey | April 9, 2013 | Leave a comment | Filed in Alcohol & Community Related

Alcohol is the number one drug problem in the United States and it impacts every single person in our country, either directly or indirectly. Each April since 1987, the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence, Inc. (NCADD) has sponsored NCADD Alcohol Awareness Month to increase public awareness and understanding, reduce stigma, encourage individuals and families to seek help and to engage local communities in bringing attention to alcoholism and alcohol-related problems.

This April, NCADD has chosen the theme, “Help for Today, Hope for Tomorrow.” During the month of April, NCADD’s national network of affiliates as well as schools, colleges, churches, and countless other community organizations will sponsor thousands of activities that create awareness and encourage individuals and families to get help for alcohol-related problems.

Why is Alcohol Awareness Month so important?
 18 million people age 18 and older have an alcohol use disorder.
 Alcohol causes about 80,000 deaths per year. It is the third leading preventable cause of death in the U.S.
 Alcohol costs our society $225 billion in lost productivity, health care, accidents, etc.
 One in four children grows up in a home with an alcohol problem.

Of particular concern to NCADD is alcohol use by young people because it is extremely dangerous. Alcohol is directly associated with traffic fatalities, violence, suicide, educational failure, alcohol overdose, prescription drug overdose, unsafe sex and other problem behaviors. Annually, over 6,500 people under the age of 21 die from alcohol-related injuries and thousands more are injured.

Here are some specific facts as they relate to young people and alcohol:
 Those who begin drinking before age 15 are four times more likely to develop alcoholism than those who begin at age 21.
 More than 1,700 college students in the U.S. are killed each year—almost five per day—as a result of alcohol-related injuries.
 Underage alcohol use costs the nation an estimated $62 billion annually.

Reducing underage drinking requires a cooperative effort from parents, schools, community organizations, business leaders, government agencies, the entertainment industry, alcohol manufacturers/retailers and young people.

Alcohol awareness is essential for the health of our country. As a nation, we need to wake up to the reality that for some, alcoholism and addiction develop at a young age and that intervention, treatment and recovery support are essential for them and their families. And, as a result of NCADD’s work and countless others, millions of individuals and families are living life in recovery.

For more information about NCADD Alcohol Awareness, visit the NCADD website at: www.ncadd.org.

Robert J. Lindsey
President/CEO of NCADD

Drug Policy Director Cites Significant Progress in Disrupting Illegal Drug Trafficking

By Join Together Staff | April 8, 2013 | Leave a comment | Filed in Community Related, Drugs & Government

The head of the Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP), Gil Kerlikowske, said there has been significant progress in disrupting illegal drug trafficking. He spoke in Tucson, Arizona, during a visit to inspect border security operations.

Kerlikowske said there has been an increase in communication with Mexican officials, according to Cronkite News Service. “We have, as we know, increased our drug seizures along the border significantly, the seizure of firearms going south and the seizure of money, which is critical for cutting off the head of the snake of the cartels,” he said.

A statement by ONDCP noted between 2009 and 2012, the Department of Homeland Security seized 39 percent more drugs along the Southwest border compared with 2005 to 2008. ONDCP has funded 18 Drug-Free Communities within 100 miles of the border in Arizona, California, New Mexico, and Texas. These coalitions provide outreach services to young people to prevent drug use before it begins.

Kerlikowske told the news service there has been a decline in use of cocaine and methamphetamine in the United States, but law enforcement continues to be challenged by synthetic drug use. “Synthetic drugs, which can be produced anywhere, are a serious concern, but I think that the more education and prevention we do, that works the best,” he said.

Arsenic Added To Beers By Widely Used Filtering Material

Arsenic Added To Beers By Widely Used Filtering Material

recoveryBox Daily Devotionals: Musical Monday - It Is Well With My Soul

recoveryBox Daily Devotionals: Musical Monday - It Is Well With My Soul: It Is Well With My Soul - Sung by the Isaacs When peace like a river attendeth my way When sorrows like sea billows roll What ever ...

National Alcohol Awareness Month observed with 2 town meetings

National Alcohol Awareness Month observed with 2 town meetings

Kentucky Governor Expected to Sign Bill on Opioid Overdose Antidote

By Join Together Staff | April 5, 2013 | Leave a comment | Filed in Community Related, Drugs, Legislation, Prescription Drugs & Treatment

A bill that would allow doctors to prescribe the opioid-overdose antidote naloxone is expected to be signed this summer by Kentucky Governor Steve Beshear, Cincinnati.com reports. The bill also would allow pharmacists to distribute the antidote.

Naloxone, sold under the brand name Narcan, safely reverses the potentially fatal side effects of an overdose of oxycodone, heroin and other opioids. It has been routinely used by emergency rooms and ambulance crews for decades. In the past few years, naloxone has been distributed free to opioid users and their loved ones, in a growing number of sites around the country.

A report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) found that widely distributing naloxone, and training people in how to use it, could save many lives. It has successfully reversed more than 10,000 drug overdoses since 1996, according to the CDC report. Naloxone is not effective in treating drug overdoses that do not involve opioids.

“It is clearly defined that people are dying from opiate overdoses – whether by prescribed medications or heroin,” Northern Kentucky public health activist Dr. Jeremy Engel told Cincinnati.com. “Either way, with this medication lives have been saved. Once your life’s been saved you have a chance to make better choices. If you’re dead, you don’t. I think it’s a win-win-win.”

  

SAVE THE DATE!

The Council of Southeast Pennsylvania, Inc. and PRO-ACT

are proud to announce the Philadelphia pre-release World Premiere

screening of the feature documentary film about the 23.5 million Americans

living in long-term recovery, and the emerging

public recovery movement that will transform how alcohol

and other drug problems are dealt with in our communities.

  

  

The moving story of The Anonymous People is told through the faces and voices of citizens,

leaders, volunteers, corporate executives, public figures, and celebrities who are laying it all on

the line to save the lives of others just like them. This passionate new public recovery movement

aims to transform public opinion, engage communities and elected officials, and finally shift problematic policy toward lasting solutions.

THURSDAY, MAY 23, 2013

Holy Family University, Philadelphia

VIP Reception 6 pm; Film 7 pm (doors open 6:45 pm); Q&A 8:30 pm

  

This event will include a VIP Reception at which attendees

will have an opportunity to talk with legislators and experts in the field 

as well as the creators and producer of the film

CLICK HERE FOR TICKETS

VIP Reception and film: $75

Film (in advance) $15; at the door $20

  

Help us to change the conversation

from problems to solutions for America's top health problem!

  

Sponsorship and Expo Opportunities Available

(Details to follow)

Any funds raised through this event will be used to support Advocacy and Recovery

 

www.councilsepa.org

Study Tests Safety of Drug Treatment for Meth Addiction

By Join Together Staff | April 3, 2013 | 2 Comments | Filed in Addiction, Drugs, Research & Treatment

Researchers at UCLA are studying a drug they hope will treat methamphetamine addiction, The Huffington Post reports. In a small study, the drug, Ibudilast, appeared to be safe and eased meth addiction.

The study included 11 people addicted to meth who were not seeking treatment. Some received the drug, and others got a placebo. The trial was the first of three phases of human testing required by the Food and Drug Administration for approval. It was meant to evaluate the safety of the drug taken in combination with meth, the article notes.

“Very preliminary results would indicate that Ibudilast may dampen craving and improve cognitive functioning,” said Dr. Aimee Swanson, co-investigator on the trial and research director at the UCLA Center for Behavioral and Addiction Medicine.

There are currently no drugs approved to treat meth addiction, the article notes. Counseling, in-patient rehabilitation or 12-Step groups often are not effective in treating meth addiction, Swanson said.

“When we see people come to participate in the trial, it’s really their last resort,” Swanson said. “Many of them can no longer hold down a job, they have strained relationships with family members. Gone went the cars, gone went the business, gone went the house, gone went the kids. The main focus of this person’s life is using meth.”

Swanson noted Ibudilast may prevent activation of central nervous system cells called glial cells that have been linked to drug dependence. “When you’re on meth, your whole brain is saying, ‘I need meth,’” she said. “If you could block meth from interfering with glial, it would allow the messages that you would like to be sending and receiving to actually get to your brain.”

The study took place in a hospital unit, which participants were not allowed to leave for three weeks. They received intravenous injections of meth two to three times per week while they were treated with Ibudilast.

The researchers will now move on to further testing, which will be funded by the National Institute on Drug Abuse, according to the article.

Prescription Drug Abuse Experts Meet to Discuss Options for Stopping Epidemic

By Join Together Staff | April 3, 2013 | Leave a comment | Filed in Advocacy, Prescription Drugs & Prevention

Experts are meeting this week to discuss how to stop the epidemic of prescription drug abuse, according to the Orlando Sentinel. They include leaders from government, the pharmaceutical industry, and public health and safety groups.

At the National Rx Drug Abuse Summit in Orlando, Florida, R. Gil Kerlikowske, Director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy, said the number of people who abused prescription drugs dropped from 7 million people in 2010, to 6.1 million in 2011. Prescription drug use by young adults ages 18 to 25 is also on the decline, the article notes.

Margaret Hamburg, Commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration, said a key step in reducing prescription drug abuse is the development of abuse-deterrent formulas.

Speakers also talked about the need to strengthen state prescription drug monitoring programs. These systems should be actively analyzed, and used in real time, to prevent patients from doctor shopping, they noted.

Thomas Frieden, Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said the nation needs a holistic approach to prescription drug abuse, which includes a combination of education, social changes, law enforcement, the healthcare industry and government working together.

Drug-Related Deaths Continue to Increase in the United States

By Join Together Staff | April 2, 2013 | Leave a comment | Filed in Prescription Drugs

Drug-related deaths increased 3 percent in 2010, and preliminary figures indicate the upward trend continued in 2011, the Los Angeles Times reports. The increase was largely driven by prescription painkillers such as oxycodone and hydrocodone.

“While most things are getting better in the health world, this isn’t,” said Tom Frieden, Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which released the new figures. “It’s a big problem, and it’s getting worse,” he told the newspaper. “The data supporting long-term use of opiates for pain, other than cancer pain, is scant to nonexistent. These are dangerous drugs. They’re not proven to have long-term benefit for non-cancer pain, and they’re being used to the detriment to hundreds of thousands of people in this country.”

In 2010, overdose deaths involving prescription painkillers increased to 16,651. That represented 43 percent of all deadly overdoses.

Frieden advocates the use of computerized drug monitoring systems that track prescriptions for painkillers and other commonly abused narcotics.

Almost One in Five High School Age Boys in U.S. Have Received ADHD Diagnosis

By Join Together Staff | April 2, 2013 | Leave a comment | Filed in Mental Health, Prescription Drugs, Treatment & Youth

Almost one in five boys of high school age, and 11 percent of school-age children overall, have received a medical diagnosis of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in the United States, according to new government data.

Many doctors are concerned that ADHD diagnoses and medication are overused in children, The New York Times reports.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) found an estimated 6.4 million children ages 4 to 17 had received an ADHD diagnosis at some point. This represents a 16 percent increase since 2007, and a 53 percent increase in the past 10 years.

The findings come from a CDC study of children’s health issues, which included interviews with more than 76,000 parents nationwide.

About two-thirds of those diagnosed with ADHD receive prescriptions for stimulant drugs such as Adderall or Ritalin. These drugs, while they can be very effective in treating the disorder, also have the potential for addiction, anxiety and even psychosis, the article notes.

The American Psychiatric Association is soon expected to change the definition of ADHD, in order to allow more people to receive the diagnosis and treatment, according to the newspaper.

A growing number of high school students are using ADHD drugs to help them get better grades. Teens get them from friends, buy them from student dealers, or pretend to have ADHD in order to get prescriptions. Abusing these drugs can lead to mood swings and depression, heart irregularities and extreme exhaustion or even psychosis during withdrawal, according to medical experts. There is little evidence about the long-term effects of young people abusing these stimulants.

CDC Director Dr. Thomas R. Frieden told the newspaper, “We need to ensure balance. The right medications for ADHD, given to the right people, can make a huge difference. Unfortunately, misuse appears to be growing at an alarming rate.”

“Celebrating Families” program for women in recovery and their children (ages 3-18).

Good Morning!

Time is running out!!   Please encourage your clients, friends or family to register for the “Celebrating Families” program for women in recovery and their children (ages 3-18).  It is very important that anyone interested contact Diane Catherwood to complete registration for participation!  I have included the attached flyer here again for you to pass along.  Space is limited!

“Celebrating Families” consists of 13 weekly sessions and includes a FREE family meal.  There will also be lots of giveaways and incentives throughout the program cycle, as well as FREE social activities outside the program sessions.

“Celebrating Families” is a program to help strengthen families and break the cycle of addiction to the next generation.  Some of the topics include: Healthy Living, Communication, Feelings & Defenses, Chemical Dependency Affects the Whole Family, Goal Setting, Healthy Boundaries, and more!

If you have any questions, please contact me any time.

Thank you,

Jessica Schwartz

Community Development Coordinator

The Council of Southeast Pennsylvania, Inc.

252 West Swamp Road, Unit 12

Doylestown, Pennsylvania 18901

Phone: (215) 345-6644 ext. 3122

Fax: (215) 348-3377

(800) 221-6333 - 24 Hour Information Line

jschwartz@councilsepa.org

 

Parents: Talk to Your Teens About Drinking Before They Start College

By Join Together Staff | April 1, 2013 | 1 Comment | Filed in Alcohol, Parenting, Prevention & Youth

Parents who discuss drinking with their teens before they start college can influence their children’s drinking behavior once they are at school, a new study suggests.

A parental talk can reduce the chances that light drinkers will become heavier drinkers, and increase the odds that teens who already drink heavily will reduce their drinking or stop, Time.com reports.

Effective strategies can include discussing why some teens drink and others don’t, and the potential dangers of drinking too much, the article notes.

The study included 1,900 students and their parents, who were surveyed in the summer before the teens started college, and again in the fall of the teens’ freshman and sophomore years. The parents were divided into four groups. One group was given a handbook to guide discussions. The book provided tips on starting casual and nonjudgmental conversations, as well as information on the risks of underage drinking.

A second group used the handbook, as well as “booster” discussions. A third group did not talk about drinking with their children until they had already begun school, and a fourth group was not given any instructions on talking with their children about drinking.

Before the study began, 51 percent of students described themselves as nondrinkers, 30 percent said they drank heavily on some weekends, and 15 percent drank moderately on weekends. An additional 5 percent said they were frequent, heavy drinkers. After 15 months of college, only 25 percent were nondrinkers and 29 percent were heavy drinkers.

Students whose parents talked to them about drinking before they left for school were 20 times more likely to have healthier drinking patterns, including not drinking at all, than they were to stay heavy drinkers 15 months later.

The researchers found parental talks were effective only if they took place before students left for college.

The study appears in the Journal of Studies of Alcohol and Drugs.

UPS Agrees to Settle Case Related to Illegal Internet Pharmacy Shipments

By Join Together Staff | April 1, 2013 | 1 Comment | Filed in Legal, Prescription Drugs & Prevention

United Parcel Service (UPS) has agreed to settle an investigation into online pharmacy shipments, The Wall Street Journal reports. The company will forfeit $40 million in payments it received from illicit online pharmacies, and will not be prosecuted.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of California’s investigation of UPS was part of the government’s efforts to stop illegal sales of prescription painkillers, the newspaper notes.

UPS also will implement a compliance program designed to ensure that illegal online pharmacies will not be able to use the company’s services to distribute drugs. According to a news release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, “UPS has cooperated fully with the investigation and has already taken steps to ensure that illegal Internet pharmacies can no longer use its services to ship drugs.”

“We are pleased with the steps UPS has taken to stop the use of its shipping services by illegal online pharmacies,” said U.S. Attorney Melinda Haag. “Good corporate citizens like UPS play an important role in halting the flow of illegal drugs that degrade our nation’s communities. We are hopeful that the leadership displayed by UPS through this compliance program will set the standard for the parcel delivery industry and will materially assist the federal government in its battle against illegal Internet pharmacies.”

According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, UPS knew that Internet pharmacies were using its services to distribute controlled substances and prescription drugs without valid prescriptions, but did not implement procedures to close the shipping accounts of those pharmacies.

The Drug Enforcement Administration is also investigating FedEx over similar issues. FedEx was not part of the settlement announced last week.

Saturday, May 18: Breakfast With the Angels Applebees.wmv From 8:00 to 10:00 am, please join COA for a delicious flapjack breakfast at the Applebee's Restaurant on Rt. 33 in  Hamilton, NJ!  The modest price of $8 per person will entitle you to all the flapjacks, sausage, coffee and orange juice you can consume, all delivered by friendly volunteer Angels! This is an important fundraiser for COA, since COA receives $5.50 of each ticket. To watch a video of the last Breakfast with the Angels, click the video link on the left. To help us plan, please purchase your ticket/s in advance. To purchase your tickets online now, click here. Your name will be on a VIP list and your table will be waiting for you when you arrive. For online ticket purchasers only, one party will be chosen at random to receive their breakfast for free, and will be refunded their entire purchase up to 10 tickets.  Thursday, April 4: Volunteer Meeting Have some extra time? Want to make a difference? City of Angels needs you! We are now planning several major events for later in 2013 and need people to help with event planning, promotion, staffing and other critical tasks. Come to the volunteer meeting at 6:30 pm on Thursday, April 4 at the Dwier Center (392 Church Street, Groveville, NJ) and find out how you can get involved. Pizza from Family Nest Italian Restaurant will be served, and maybe a few other goodies.... If you would like to volunteer but can't get to the meeting, contact COA's Director of Volunteers, Lynn Cranstoun, at lcwolflady@optonline.net.  Dwier Center Detour   For the next nine months, the bridge over Route 130, immediately in front of the Dwier Center, will be closed for construction. Here are the directions to go around the mess: At the five-way intersection by Picerno's Gas Station and the old fashioned clock, proceed straight onto South Broad Street instead of taking the right onto Church Street. Go straight on South Broad for about 1/2 mile, then turn right onto Main Street. Continue another 1/2 mile, then take a right onto Church Street. You will see Family Nest Italian Specialty Restaurant on the righthand corner. Dwier Center will be on the right, just down the road. For questions about alternative routes, contact cityofangelsnj@hotmail.com.

Tidbits   COA hosts support group meetings for both addiction sufferers and their families every day of the week at the Dwier Center (392 Church Street, Groveville, NJ). This includes 12-step meetings, a new Thursday night veteran's support group, Saturday night self-injury support group, Sunday night Spirituality Meeting, and the popular Sunday morning family support group, The Breakfast Club. To check out our online calendar, click here.     For directions to the Dwier Center, click here.      The COA website now offers an Addiction News Feed with the latest studies, reports, new and other info on addiction. It's updated in real time with the top 30 articles. To read the feed, click here.  New videos are up on the COA YouTube channel. To watch, click here.      Join COA's Pinterest community! To visit the boards, click here.          Keep current on COA activites - join the COA group on Facebook!  COA news is posted first on Facebook, and this page often has photos not available elsewhere. Click here to visit.   City of Angels NJ, Inc. is a non-profit organization that provides many services to addicts and their families including interventions, recovery support, Family Program, counseling services and more. All of our services are provided at no charge.

Penn Foundation Offering Grief Support Group for Parents Who Have Lost a Child to Substance Use The group meets weekly on Wednesday evenings at 6:00 pm. Meetings are held in Penn Foundation's Library (use Dayspring Entrance; click HERE for directions). The group is free, and no registration is required.     "Parents of children who have died due to substance use are a unique group of people with unparalleled grief and unprecedented need," says Sister Mary Julia McKenzie, Recovery Center Chaplain. "We provide support to these parents so they may find comfort in each other and a pathway to healing. We find that these grieving parents heal more quickly when in a supportive environment where they can share with other parents who have experienced the same thing."     For more information about this group, contact Sister Mary Julia McKenzie at 267.404.5099 or mmckenzie@pennfoundation.org.    Penn Foundation offers many other group enhancement opportunities. To view a complete list of groups, click HERE.

Recovery Center Offers Free Addiction Education Program Every Sunday    The Community Education program is offered free-of-charge to all family members and friends of Penn Foundation clients as well as interested members of the public. It is held every Sunday from 12:00 - 1:30 pm at the John W. and Emily Clemens Recovery Center (807 Lawn Avenue, Sellersville). The goal of Community Education is to provide education about the disease of addiction. It is designed to assist participants in understanding how substance abuse affects family members and friends of individuals who are abusing drugs or alcohol. Information is shared through lectures and group discussions. For more information, contact Sister Mary Julia McKenzie at 267.404.5099 or mmckenzie@pennfoundation.org.  Family Consultation Program Provides Support and Advice for Families Who Don't Know What to Do The Family Consultation program is designed to assist individuals who have identified family members or other loved ones struggling with alcohol or substance use, including problem drinking and abuse of prescription medications, and don't know what to do about it. A trained substance abuse counselor will meet with the family or significant others to discuss the specific situation and needs and will offer options for confronting the problem and engaging the user in treatment. For more information, call the John W. and Emily Clemens Recovery Center at 215.257.9999. Penn Foundation Part of New 2-1-1 Health and Human Services Directory Unveiled by the United Ways of Southeastern Pennsylvania    The United Ways of Southeastern Pennsylvania have unveiled a new, comprehensive Health and Human Services Directory - www.211sepa.org - to help more people more effectively find the help they need. This directory includes resources such as food banks, shelters, crisis intervention services, support groups, counseling, financial assistance, job training, home healthcare, transportation, childcare, after school programs, summer camps, disaster relief organizations, and much more.

Measures to Test Welfare Applicants for Drugs Advance in Texas, Kansas

By Join Together Staff | March 27, 2013 | Leave a comment | Filed in Community Related, Drugs, Legislation & Prevention

Bills that would require drug testing for welfare applicants advanced in Texas and Kansas this week.

In Texas a bill that would have resulted in children permanently losing benefits based on a third failed drug test by a parent was amended. The bill’s author accepted changes to ensure children would continue to receive benefits while their parents are in rehabilitation programs, the Austin American-Statesman reports.

Based on these changes, the state’s Health and Human Services Committee voted to approve the bill.

Under the bill, welfare applicants in the state would undergo drug screening. If the results indicated good cause to suspect drug abuse, applicants would be required to undergo drug testing. Applicants with previous felony drug convictions, or a prior positive drug test, also would be required to undergo drug testing. Applicants who tested positive would lost benefits for a year, but could reapply in six months, after they passed another drug test.

Children would receive benefits regardless of their parents’ drug test results.

The Kansas House approved a bill that would require drug testing of applicants for welfare or unemployment if they were suspected of drug abuse, according to The Wichita Eagle.

Under the Kansas bill, applicants who failed drug tests would be required to participate in drug treatment and job skills training, paid for by the state and federal government. If they applied and failed again, they would lose benefits for a year.

Anyone convicted of a drug felony would be barred from receiving welfare for five years. A second conviction would lead to a lifetime ban, the article notes.

The Kansas Senate has already approved the measure. According to the newspaper, the Senate is likely to agree to several minor changes approved by the House, before advancing the bill to Governor Sam Brownback.

Supreme Court Rules Drug-Sniffing Dog Searches are Unconstitutional

By Join Together Staff | March 27, 2013 | 1 Comment | Filed in Drugs & Legal

The U.S. Supreme Court ruled Tuesday that police must first obtain a search warrant before bringing drug-sniffing police dogs onto a suspect’s property to look for evidence, the Associated Press reports.

The decision may limit how investigators use search dogs to look for drugs, explosives and other hidden items, the article notes.

The court voted 5-4 to uphold a Florida Supreme Court ruling that threw out evidence seized based on an alert by a chocolate Lab named Franky. That court ruled the dog’s ability to detect marijuana growing inside a home in Miami by sniffing outside the house was unconstitutional.

Franky, who recently retired after seven years with the Miami-Dade Police Department, is responsible for the seizure of more than 2.5 tons of marijuana and $4.9 million in drug-contaminated money.

Government organizations around the country use thousands of dogs to sniff out illegal items, track criminals and search wreckage sites, according to the AP.

Last month, the U.S. Supreme court ruled police do not have to extensively document a drug-sniffing dog’s expertise to justify relying on the canine to search a vehicle.

The unanimous ruling overturned a Florida Supreme Court decision involving Aldo, a German shepherd. After the dog detected drugs in a pickup truck, a police officer searched the truck and found 200 pseudoephedrine pills and 8,000 matches, which are used to make methamphetamine. The Florida Supreme Court ruled police must compile detailed evidence of the dog’s reliability before probable cause to search the vehicle is established.

FedEx, UPS Say They Are Targets of DEA Probe Into Online Pharmacy Shipments

By Join Together Staff | March 28, 2013 | Leave a comment | Filed in Government, Legal, Prescription Drugs & Prevention

FedEx and UPS say they are targets of a Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) investigation into online pharmacy shipments, the Orlando Sentinel reports.

The DEA effort is aimed at cracking down on the country’s prescription drug abuse epidemic, the article notes. The agency will not confirm its involvement in the investigation, but both shipping companies have disclosed the probe in corporate filings, according to the newspaper.

Federal officials want the companies to take responsibility for the prescription drugs inside the packages they are shipping, the article states. FedEx spokesman Patrick Fitzgerald responded, “We are a transportation company — we are not law enforcement, we are not doctors and we are not pharmacists.” He added, “We have no interest in violating the privacy of our customers by opening and inspecting their packages in an attempt to determine the legality of the contents. We stand ready and willing to support and assist law enforcement. We cannot, however, do their jobs for them.”

Fitzgerald said FedEx asked the DEA to provide a list of online pharmacies that are suspected of illegal activity, so it can stop doing business with them. He said the agency has refused to provide a list.

UPS would not comment on the investigation, but stated in a corporate filing that it is cooperating with the probe.

Earlier this month, U.S. Representative John Mica of Florida sent a letter to DEA Administrator Michele Leonhart and Attorney General Eric Holder, asking them to recognize “the difficulty and unfairness of requiring those carriers to assume responsibility for the legality and validity of the contents of the millions of sealed packages that they pick up and deliver every day.”

Mica told the newspaper, “You can’t stop commerce; you can’t open every package. I’m only asking them [the DEA and Department of Justice] for a reasonable approach.”