The suspect, Walid Makled García, was among several accused smugglers named “significant foreign narcotics traffickers” last year by President Obama. The White House requested sanctions against [...]]]> BOGOTÁ, Colombia (AP) — A prominent Venezuelan drug trafficking suspect who has been branded a major kingpin by the United States government was arrested in Colombia, the police said Friday.

The suspect, Walid Makled García, was among several accused smugglers named “significant foreign narcotics traffickers” last year by President Obama. The White House requested sanctions against Mr. Makled under a law known as the Kingpin Act, which prohibits all transactions between drug traffickers and American companies and individuals, and freezes any of their assets in the United States

Mr. Makled was arrested Thursday in the city of Cúcuta near the Venezuelan border, Colombia’s national police director, Gen. Óscar Naranjo, said.

He said Mr. Makled had accumulated a fortune through an alliance with rebels of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC.

Through their alliance, Mr. Makled and the FARC “managed to introduce more than 10 tons of drugs a month into the United States and Europe,” General Naranjo said.

Mr. Makled is wanted by a New York court and is to be extradited to the United States, General Naranjo said at a news conference where the police led the handcuffed suspect past reporters.

Mr. Makled proclaimed his innocence and said the accusations were a plot against him. Asked about killings in which he is a suspect, he said, “Do I have the face of a killer?”

General Naranjo called the arrest an important victory for Colombian and United States authorities, and said the Venezuelan legal system also contributed.

Venezuelan prosecutors, meanwhile, announced that they were also asking a court to approve an extradition request. Venezuelan authorities issued an arrest order for Mr. Makled last year through Interpol, prosecutors said in a statement on Friday.

Mr. Makled has been wanted in Venezuela since November 2008, when the authorities seized cocaine at a ranch he owned. Three of his brothers, Abdalá, Alex and Basel, were arrested in the case, prosecutors said.

Mr. Makled has been named as a possible suspect in two killings in Venezuela, including that of the journalist Orel Zambrano, a newspaper columnist who was slain in January 2009 by two gunmen on a motorcycle. The Venezuelan police have accused Mr. Makled of being behind the slaying. Mr. Zambrano had been covering drug cases in which the Makled family was accused of involvement.

Venezuelan authorities also suspect Mr. Makled had links to the killing of Francisco Larrazabal, a veterinarian involved in horse racing.

General Naranjo called Mr. Makled, 43 and the son of a Syrian immigrant, a “pseudo businessman,” saying his money came from drugs rather than legitimate operations run by him and his family, including the Venezuelan airline Aeropostal. The family also had a warehousing business at Puerto Cabello, Venezuela’s biggest port.

He said Colombian authorities think Mr. Makled also had a role in the 2008 killing of Wilber Varela, known as “Jabón,” or “Soap,” one of Colombia’s most wanted drug traffickers. Mr. Varela was found shot to death in the Venezuelan city of Mérida.

Via: nytimes.com

The Lohans refuse to admit that their daughter has a problem, Mel Gibson’s life has spiraled out of control, and the E! Network has had [...]]]> America has become bombarded with celebrity scandals, arrests, and relapses this year. 2010 has been filled with tales of drug and alcohol abuse, and the celebrity slip-ups just keep on coming.

The Lohans refuse to admit that their daughter has a problem, Mel Gibson’s life has spiraled out of control, and the E! Network has had to add another chapter to Charlie Sheen’s True Hollywood Story.

Another concerning aspect of the celebrity circus is the fact that Lindsay Lohan is reported to make up to $1 million for her first post-rehab interview. This appears to be more of a reward than a punishment, which may not help her in the long run.

From the multi-talented DJ AM to tabloid fixture Anna Nicole Smith, some celebrities have paid the ultimate price for their drug and alcohol addictions. Others have learned from their past mistakes, and have invested the hard work and effort into living a successful sober lifestyle.

Recovery typically isn’t easy for anyone, but mix in the fact that stars have the financial and social connections to get anything they desire, it can make it even tougher. Despite the added pressures and temptations, these men have taken the right path to a healthy and successful celebrity legacy:

Eminem- As one of the greatest performers of all time, Eminem has lived an extremely risky life over the years. Some of the songs that made him famous in the first place were based on drug and alcohol binges, domestic violence, and unapologetic lyrics. Eminem was extremely open and honest about his past problems with prescription medications and sleeping pills in his 2010 album, Recovery. The album has already sold more than two million copies and demonstrates how focused and determined he is to take the crown back as the best rapper alive. His lyrics shed a lot of light on where his addictions took him, and where he is now in his recovery. With a clear mind and a passion to succeed, Eminem is back on top of the world.

Robert Downey Jr. – He has become somewhat of a poster child on how to get your career back on track. Robert Downey Jr. spent years dealing with his addictions, and almost lost everything because of it. After trips to jails, rehabs, and programs, he finally got his act together in a major way. Downey Jr. traded in the drugs for scripts, and is now one of the world’s biggest actors. Roles in Iron Man, Sherlock Holmes, and The Soloist have solidified his legacy as one of the most remarkable comeback stories in Hollywood history.

Craig Ferguson- An extremely funny and entertaining comedian, Ferguson is loved by late night viewers across the country for his quirky sense of humor and social commentary. He almost never made it to the grand stage of late night television, as his alcohol abuse almost ended his life many years ago. On an episode of his show, Ferguson talked openly and honestly to his viewers about his recovery process, and shared the details about how he considered killing himself on Christmas day in the early 90’s due to his drinking.

Ben Affleck- Boston’s beloved Ben Affleck spent time in rehab for his issues with alcohol back in 2001. After taking the right steps in his life, Affleck met wife Jennifer Garner on the set of their film Daredevil, and have been married since 2005. Together they have two daughters and two extremely successful careers. Affleck directed and stars in the upcoming crime thriller The Town, which is based in Charlestown Massachusetts.

This is just an example of a diverse group of celebrities that have been able to get their lives and careers back on the right track. Hopefully Lohan can learn a thing or two from these Hollywood heavy hitters and make the right decisions when she’s released from her court ordered stint in rehab. Only time will tell, but the statistics should be more than enough than she needs to see where substance abuse can take her.

Via: starpulse.com

Brian Burgess, president of the Victorian Association of State Secondary Principals, said the two-part documentary Such Is Life: The Troubled Times of Ben Cousins could [...]]]> Teenagers planning to watch this week’s documentary about footballer Ben Cousins’ battle with drug addiction should make it a family affair, according to the peak body representing the state’s school principals.

Brian Burgess, president of the Victorian Association of State Secondary Principals, said the two-part documentary Such Is Life: The Troubled Times of Ben Cousins could provide young people with the opportunity to broach a difficult topic and discuss the consequences of drug-taking with a responsible adult.

Excerpts of the program, to air on Wednesday and Thursday nights, appeared on the internet earlier this month in the form of a Channel Seven promotional advertisement.

They showed Cousins dancing in his underwear, an emotional interview with the retiring Richmond footballer’s father Bryan, and Cousins looking into the camera and saying: “I’m a drug addict.”

Mr Burgess said he had not seen the documentary and was not encouraging people view it, but if a young person was going to watch it they should do so in the presence of a responsible adult.

“I think it’s important that it’s not just the young teenager in the bedroom watching on television,” he said.

“I think the family should watch it together so they can actually talk about it.

“A program like this is often a catalyst, it’s an opening, it gives you the opportunity to open up the conversation and to have a bit of a chat about it and to talk about things like peer pressure in these circumstances, to talk about trying to keep yourself healthy.”

The program has received the nod of approval from Richmond, the club Cousins will retire from at the end of this season.

However the Australian Drug Foundation has urged Channel Seven not to portray actual drug use and to avoid making Cousins’s behaviour appear “cool”, saying its research suggests that portrayal of drug use in the media “triggers” some people to experiment with drugs.

Another Melbourne-based drug and alcohol rehabilitation group, Turning Point, has welcomed the program, saying it was time for the community to talk publicly about drug use.

Mr Burgess said if the program was poorly done it could potentially glamorise the footballer’s troubled life.

“But I’m assuming it’s actually going to give a realistic picture of how drug-taking has affected Ben Cousins,” he said.

“From what I’ve read in the papers and from what I’ve seen of his life, it doesn’t seem to have done him all that much good. I’m hoping the program will present things in that way.”

He said it was possible the documentary could be used in schools to educate children about the dangers of drug abuse.

“Sometimes schools take bits and pieces of commercial programs because you know that it helps open up a conversation about some things that are important for kids to know about,” he said.

“It may well be used in that way but it would really depend very much on how it is presented.”

Via: theage.com.au

Of the more than 80.000 students surveyed, over 46% reported having drunk alcohol, and of that percentage, [...]]]> In a study done with middle school students, more precisely adolescents between 13 and 17 years old, the 60% had admitted having drunk alcohol. In men the percentage is higher than in women. 19.7% said that had smoked snuff.

Of the more than 80.000 students surveyed, over 46% reported having drunk alcohol, and of that percentage, 60% did it improperly.

Meanwhile, the percentage of students who smoked snuff fell from 21.9% in 2007 to 19.7 last year, while the age at onset of both addictions stood in 13 years old.

8.4% of adolescents confirmed ever having smoked marijuana, however, the use of other illicit drugs such as cocaine or stimulants decreased substantially.

The factors which adolescents attributed the cause of increased consumption of both alcohol and drugs were some such as the availability of money, low expectation for the future to develop or complete projects or even finish the secondary, tertiary or university studies. That leaves them to join the indiscriminate use of toxic substances for the human body.

Availability is not just of money, but also the proximity and easy access to drugs. 22.6% said they had received offers to buy these substances.

Drugs are easily available in any environment, which is not a less important fact, since it drives directly to enter the world of drug and alcohol indiscriminately.

Via: momento24.com

The toddler was spotted chewing on a piece of tinfoil which was thought to be tainted with both drugs.

On Sunday when the boy was seen chewing the foil he was at a West Side house, Officer Melvin Branch said.

After the child started acting lethargic, he [...]]]> A one-year-old boy was tested positive for cocaine, Chicago police said.

The toddler was spotted chewing on a piece of tinfoil which was thought to be tainted with both drugs.

On Sunday when the boy was seen chewing the foil he was at a West Side house, Officer Melvin Branch said.

After the child started acting lethargic, he was rushed to Mt. Sinai Hospital. The investigators went to the house and found drug paraphernalia after hospital officials called police.

The boys has however been listed in good condition.

When someone saw the boy chewing on the foil he was at a residence in the 3600 block of West 5th Avenue. Some sort of black substance was spotted on the kid’s teeth after he chewed the foil.

An incident of child abuse was reported at about 1:18 a.m. after the hospital called police.

Angel dust is the name given to PCP, or phencyclidine and the police believes that the black substance on the foil was the residue left over after someone smoked the substances.

Via: topnews.ae

Smoking among young people was 29% – the lowest figure since records began in 1982 when it was 53%.

The proportion who had ever taken drugs fell to 22% from 29% in 2001, the first year of [...]]]> A study from NHS Information Centre shows smoking, drinking and drug taking in young people aged 11-15 have all fallen.

Smoking among young people was 29% – the lowest figure since records began in 1982 when it was 53%.

The proportion who had ever taken drugs fell to 22% from 29% in 2001, the first year of measurement. The percentage who had drunk alcohol dropped to 51% in 2009, compared with 61% in 2003.

But the report also showed that all three habits become more frequent as children grow older. For instance, in 2009, only one-in-50 11 year olds had taken drugs in the last month, compared with nearly one in five 15 year olds.

Via: healthcarerepublic.com

Aberdeen Police Capt. John Green says investigators have found and questioned one of the two men who left her Monday at Grays Harbor Community Hospital. Green says there’s no evidence she’s the victim of a crime.

Green [...]]]> A 16-year-old girl who was dropped off at an Aberdeen hospital with a drug overdose is reported in critical condition.

Aberdeen Police Capt. John Green says investigators have found and questioned one of the two men who left her Monday at Grays Harbor Community Hospital. Green says there’s no evidence she’s the victim of a crime.

Green said Wednesday it’s a tragic case. The teen has been “all through the system” of state care. Green says the mother who lives in the Grayland area and the father who lives in Hoquiam have a history of contacts with police.

Green says the 16-year-old had been living with a boyfriend. They recently broke up and she stayed at a hotel with the two men who took her to the hospital.

Via: seattletimes.nwsource.com

University officials voted [...]]]> In the latest effort to break up the often cozy relationship between doctors and the medical industry, the University of Michigan Medical School has become the first to decide that it will no longer take any money from drug and device makers to pay for coursework doctors need to renew their medical licenses.

University officials voted to eliminate commercial financing, beginning in January, for post-graduate medical education, a practice that has come under increasing scrutiny from academics, medical associations, ethicists and lawmakers because of the potential to promote products over patient interests.

Dr. James O. Woolliscroft, dean of U-M’s medical school, said leading faculty members “wanted education to be free from bias, to be based on the best evidence and a balanced view of the topic under discussion.”

While the financing in question amounts to as much as $1 million a year at U-M, commercial payments for industry speakers and courses nationwide come to about $1 billion, nearly half the total expenditure for such courses.

Groups fight publicly

The debate over whether the medical profession should develop an industry-free model of post-graduate education is fraught. A conference at Georgetown University on Friday, called “Prescription for Conflict,” will highlight the arguments on both sides through presentations by federal health officials, professors from leading medical schools, hospital executives and a Senate investigator.

Already this year, the debate has led to public squabbles as physicians’ groups have squared off over proposals for new restrictions on industry involvement in the courses known as Continuing Medical Education.

The decision was met with howls of dissent this month from some doctors, including the director of the National Institutes of Health and the president of the American Heart Association, who said it would unfairly cut physicians off from scientific knowledge.

Some seek more restrictions

On the other side of the argument, a leading medical ethicist asserted that the prohibition did not go far enough. Dr. Bernard Lo, lead author of a 2008 Institute of Medicine report on conflicts of interest, said private doctors and academic physicians who are paid to speak for drug companies should be barred from presenting educational material at accredited conferences.

Private medical education companies, which receive money from drug makers to produce such courses, and some physicians who lead the courses, disagree that industry financing or speakers lead to bias. They say that company-financed programs provide a vital service, keeping doctors up to date on the latest and most effective treatments.

“We present what we think is the state-of-the-art of the management of the disease,” said Dr. Rafael Fonseca, deputy director of the Mayo Clinic Cancer Center in Scottsdale, Ariz., who gives 20 to 30 such courses a year. “The accusation that there is bias is not substantiated.”

Continuing medical education has become a big business in the United States, with more than 700 accredited providers. Total spending on such courses peaked at $2.5 billion in 2007, according to the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education, a nonprofit regulatory group.

Via: detnews.com