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| BREAKING NEWS: Teens Report Higher Use of Performance Enhancing Substances | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Dangerous Trends Reinforce Need for Tighter Regulation of “Fitness Products” | |||||||||||||||||||||||
The Partnership for Drug-Free Kids today released new research from the latest Partnership Attitude Tracking Study (PATS), a nationally projectable survey that tracks teen drug and alcohol use and parent attitudes toward substance abuse among teens. The research, sponsored by MetLife Foundation, shows a significant increase – a doubling – in the reported lifetime use of synthetic human growth hormone (hGH) among teens.
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According to the survey, 11 percent of teens in grades 9-12 reported “ever having used” synthetic human growth hormone without a prescription, up dramatically from just 5 percent in 2012.
These findings underscore teens’ growing interest in performance enhancing substances, as well as the need for tighter regulation and more accurate labeling of “fitness-enhancing” over-the-counter products implying they contain synthetic hGH. | |||||||||||||||||||||||
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Thursday, July 24, 2014
Wednesday, July 23, 2014
More Than 46,000 Drug Offenders Eligible for Early Release Under Plan
July 22nd, 2014/
More than 46,000 drug offenders will be eligible for early release from prison, after the U.S. Sentencing Commission voted to reduce terms for low-level drug traffickers who are already incarcerated. The vote was unanimous, NPR reports.
The sentences could be reduced by an average of more than two years, unless Congress stops the plan by November 1.
“This amendment received unanimous support from Commissioners because it is a measured approach,” Judge Patti B. Saris, Chair of the Commission, said in a news release. “It reduces prison costs and populations and responds to statutory and guidelines changes since the drug guidelines were initially developed, while safeguarding public safety.”
Each offender’s petition will be considered individually by federal judges, the article notes. None of them will be released before November 1, 2015.
In April, the Commission voted to reduce the base offense for criminals caught with various amounts of drugs. The new vote makes the reduced sentencing guidelines retroactive for most drug traffickers. In June, U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder said the new sentencing guidelines will make the federal prison system more fair to minorities, and will reduce taxpayer costs.
FedEx Faces Charges for Delivering Prescription Drugs for Illegal Internet Pharmacies
July 22nd, 2014/
A federal grand jury in San Francisco has indicted FedEx for drug trafficking, USA Todayreports. The company is accused of conspiring to deliver prescription drugs for illegal online pharmacies.
According to the indictment, the shipping company knew for a decade that illegal online pharmacies used their services. “While some Internet pharmacies were managed by well-known pharmacy chains that required valid prescriptions and visits to the patient’s personal physician, others failed to require a prescription before filling orders for controlled substances and prescription drugs,” a U.S. Sentencing Commission news releasestates. “These Internet pharmacies filled orders based solely on the completion of an online questionnaire, without a physical examination, diagnosis, or face-to-face meeting with a physician. Such practices violated federal and state laws governing the distribution of prescription drugs and controlled substances.”
According to prosecutors, government officials warned FedEx at least six times since 2004 that illegal Internet pharmacies used the company to deliver drugs.
FedEx was summoned to federal court in San Francisco for a July 29 hearing. No officers of the company were charged, the article notes.
In a statement, FedEx said it is innocent of the charges. “We’re proud to say that we have partnered with the FBI, the Department of Homeland Security, DEA, and other federal, state and local law enforcement teams around the world to help stop illegal drug activity and bring criminals to justice. These efforts include providing assistance to the DEA in combatting rogue internet pharmacies.”
The company said it repeatedly asked the government to provide a list of online pharmacies engaging in illegal activity. “Whenever DEA provides us a list of pharmacies engaging in illegal activity, we will turn off shipping for those companies immediately. So far the government has declined to provide such a list.”
College Students Involved in Alcohol-Related Offenses Often Receive Light Penalties
July 22nd, 2014/
A new study finds U.S. college students involved in alcohol-related offenses and incidents often receive light penalties.
The study of alcohol-related incidents on and off campus at 343 colleges found law officials were not likely to issue citations to students for violation of alcohol laws, according toHealthDay. Instead of being charged and having to appear in court, students often were referred to university officials for discipline. Students were generally not referred to a campus health center for alcohol screening or intervention. The college rarely contacted parents.
The study authors suggest minor consequences for drinking may contribute to binge drinking among college students. Lead researcher Toben F. Nelson of the University of Minnesota said factors that appear to contribute to higher rates of binge drinking among college students include easy availability of alcohol in bars and liquor stores, fraternity houses and college-rental houses that serve alcohol at parties – especially to underage students, cheap drink specials, low alcohol taxes and heavy marketing of alcohol.
In a news release, Nelson added, “a student social life that emphasizes drinking – such as fraternity and sorority life, and spectator rather than participatory collegiate athletics – create an environment where binge drinking is a normative and expected part of college life.”
The study appears in Alcoholism: Clinical & Experimental Research. It is the first such study to examine enforcement actions for alcohol laws by campus police and security agencies in a large, nationally representative sample of colleges, according to Nelson.
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