Mexican President considers legalization to end Drug War

It has been four years since Mexican President Felipe Calderón ordered 4,000 troops to his home county of Michoacán to restore order and break down on the drug trade. Since then, violence between the Mexican Government and organized crime has escalated, with reportedly 28,000 Mexican citizens killed since Calderon first took office. With polls showing public fatigue of this so-called “war on drugs,” Calderón has announced that he would consider a new tactic to financially cripple the drug cartels: legalization.

With his predecessor Vicente Fox supporting him, Calderón argues that the basis for his proposition would be that it would significantly reduce funds towards organize crime while raising revenue for the government. The State Department estimates that Mexican drug cartels make anywhere from $20 billion-$30 billion off drug trafficking alone, with marijuana comprising of 60 percent of that income.

Should Mexico take a step towards legalization, that value, which is mostly used for purchasing weapons and bribing police officers and politicians, has the potential to reduce by $12 billion. Fox even argued that curbing the illegal drug sales would likewise curb drug-related violence, which would attract more tourists and generate more revenue.

However, many pundits feel that in order for Mexico to make this grand leap forward, it needs an important partner to take a likewise step: The United States. Only 14 states have approved laws legalizing marijuana for medical use, and an estimated 70 percent of drugs from foreign sources originate from Mexico. As of August 23, few Mexican citizens approve of the proposition, with an approximate 30 percent in support. With so few in favor, many are looking towards the United States to set an example on the matter.

Lindsay Lohan is not alone.

With all of the talk about Lindsay Lohan’s recent trip to rehab it is worth noting that she is not alone. 2010 has been a been a year for celebrities frequenting the bar and then having trouble getting home. Here are three tips on what not to do even if you’re famous.

1. Rip Torn, famous for roles in movies like Men in Black and Marie Antoinette, was arrested earlier this year for what can only be described as an unfortunate blackout. With no recollection of events prior to law enforcement waking him up, Torn was found passed out and armed inside of a bank. Torn suffered another blow when a judge refused his petition for accelerated rehabilitation because of the severity of his offense, bringing a gun into a bank, and his .2 Blood Alcohol Content.

2. Not to be outdone British singer George Michael drove his Range Rover through a store front in London’s Hampstead district and received a DUI as well as Cannabis possession charges. Michael has wasted no time in accruing convictions, in 2007 he was banned from driving for two years for a similar offense and had another fender bender in 2009.

3. And last but most certainly not least compelling, Indianapolis Colts defensive lineman John Gill was arrested after being found passed out in a ditch earlier this month. Police apparently found him in a ditch barefoot, soiled and disheveled but most importantly unable to stand at 4 a.m. on the morning of August 8th. One can only assume the second year lineman was celebrating the scrimmage game he had played in earlier that day, went a little overboard and found himself being arrested on public intoxication charges.

Lessons that can be learned from these three men? Guns don’t go in banks, cars don’t park in stores and people don’t pass out in ditches or it draws some very unpleasant attention. Most importantly however is drink responsibly and wait until after your 21st birthday or you may find yourself right along with them.

Deputy beating marijuana suspect caught on tape

A South Carolina sheriff’s deputy was fired after repeatedly beating a handcuffed marijuana suspect, all of which was caught on tape.

The tape shows Sgt. Oddie Tribble Jr. beating Charles Shelly with a baton, breaking the victim’s leg.

Tribble was fired on Friday August 6th.

The Flower

A superb animated video highlighting the cost of marijuana prohibition:

Lindsay Lohan hauled off to jail

Celebrity Lindsay Lohan is currently serving 13 days of her 90-day jail sentence for violating probation on a previous drunk-driving conviction–only 13 days because of jail overcrowding. She began her sentence on Tuesday, July 20th. The Mean Girls star has been stripped temporarily of her many personal freedoms, including the use of a cell phone or internet, Twitter-ing and smoking. She’ll be spending an estimated 22 hours a day in her holding cell, but the one benefit is the inmates can watch TV through the window of the door on their cell. “They watch I Love Lucy, Wheel of Fortune and a local news channel all day long,” a jail insider says. I guess it’s not too bad.

The moral of the story: don’t be stupid and not show up to required meetings after getting caught driving under the influence. Of course, all this can be avoided by simply not drinking and driving.

The year’s largest heroin bust

Chicago police found 10 kilograms of heroin valued at $1.5 million, along with $5 million in cash at a home on North Kildare Avenue in Chicago on Friday, July 2nd. The heroin was stashed in the garage and the cash was found in various heat-sealed plastic bags scattered throughout the house. What’s unusual is that the drugs and money were discovered in the same location. Officials said the drugs are linked to a Mexican drug cartel. For more information about this news story, refer to the video below:

Blame it on the al-al-al-al-al-alcohol

Drinking insane amounts with the intention of getting “retarded” is nothing new, particularly in a college atmosphere.  It’s about as commonplace as breathing in air.  As a college student, I find myself taking part in a plethora of non-stimulating (to say the least) conversations in which alcohol is the pressing topic at hand.  People will list, rather excitedly (and with a hint of braggadocios in tone), the amount of alcohol they consumed the night before, or the weekend before, or two weekends before, or three weekends before, or the Friday before and after their midterm, or on Thirsty Thursday, or on the Sunday following that crazy party that Andy and co. threw on Saturday night (the one where Simon blacked out and went streaking throughout campus by himself), etc.  You get the picture.

“Last night was ridiculous.”
“Oh yeah?”
“Oh my god.  It was insane.”
“What happened?”
“Well, basically, I killed my liver.  I pre-funked at Joe’s house and drank like 3 beers and took like 5 shots of Jack’s (Jack Daniels).  Then we went to Nate’s and I shotgunned 3 more beers, beer bonged another beer, and took, like, I think it was 4 shots of Smirnoff.  I’m pretty sure I blacked out at Nate’s in the first 10 minutes.”

To black out – to intake copious amounts of alcohol in one outing to the point in which events from the specified outing can neither be recalled nor identified.

This phenomenon of blacking out is, in my opinion, esteemed within a college setting.  It’s the cool thing to do, to drink yourself to the point in which you can’t remember a thing from the night before, while at the same time causing extreme detriment to your liver and brain.  And although there are tons of people who drink with the intention of not blacking out, oppositely there is a handful of people who drink excitedly anticipating having no recall of the night’s events.

Ever heard of a “21 Run?”

This is probably one of the best ways to destroy your body and mind for a night, and it only takes 2 hours to do so. Here’s how a 21 Run works: the birthday boy or girl, upon becoming of legal drinking age, embarks upon a most epic journey that entails going to the bar with of-age friends and acquaintances and attempting to intake 21 shots in a span of 120 minutes.  The predictable end result: whether or not the birthday boy or girl reaches the magic number, a black out almost always ensues.  The night involves much vomiting (many times at the bar, and if this is the case, the birthday boy or girl usually gets thrown out for the night), passing out and often times, friends teaming up to carry the motionless body back home as if he or she is a wounded soldier being carried off the battlefield in war.  The battlefield: the bar, the street, the pavement, etc.  The war: fighting to stay conscious.  To say this is not a very pretty sight is a gross understatement.  And to even say that it’s a gross understatement is, in itself, a gross understatement.

Fortunately, your own 21 Run takes place only once in your life (that is, if you choose to partake in it).  Unfortunately, blacking out, vomiting, passing out and needing to be taken care of as if you’re a child is a weekly occurrence (especially among college students).  Essentially, we’re looking at the problem of binge drinking.

I’ll spare listing all the adverse effects alcohol has on the body and brain.  We all have at least a basic idea of how harmful alcohol can be, especially in copious amounts.  I just wonder, why do people binge drink knowing how awful it is for their well-being?  And it’s not just once or twice a quarter or semester; many college students treat “binging” with the same regularity as they do attending lecture every Monday, Wednesday and Friday.  In other words, that’s a lot of alcohol consumed on a frequented basis.

We all know alcohol is bad for your health; my intent is not to prove that or persuade you not to drink ever.  Instead, I hope you read this questioning the insanity of drinking with the intention of blacking out.  In using the aforementioned analogy, yes, there must be honor in fighting a war for your country, but I’m betting the same can’t be said for fighting to remember what you did last night.

Teen Cocaine Use and HIV

A recent study conducted by the Bradley Hasbro Children’s Research Center reports that teens with a history of cocaine use are significantly more likely to have unprotected sex and therefore are more vulnerable to contracting HIV. The study found that not only were teens six times more likely to use condoms inconsistently with cocaine use, but were also heavily undereducated when compared to other risky behaviors. Cocaine use in teens had more influence on contracting HIV than other factors such as alcohol or marijuana use.

The Bradley Hasbro Research Center study suggests some ways to limit unprotected sex with cocaine user teens. Lead author Marina Tolou-Shams suggests that teens be educated specifically on cocaine use just like they’re educated on alcohol or marijuana effects. The need for this education was found in some of the data found during the study.

The study found that less than 50% of cocaine using teens use condoms consistently. In comparison, 71% teens who have never used crack or cocaine said they consistently used condoms. Additionally, many participants who were reported to have used cocaine were also likely to engage in risky behaviors such as smoking marijuana or underage drinking. These numbers are troubling and the researchers conducting the study recommends that clinicians treating adolescents should routinely discuss their patients’ mental health the risks of using drugs and having unprotected sex.

Alcoholism among Seniors

According to Alcohol abuse treatment for seniors alcoholism among Seniors often goes unreported, or is misdiagnosed. Often the problem goes unnoticed because seniors do not typically to encounter problems with the law, like drinking and driving, or being intoxicated in public. They generally do not cause trouble with the community, and they are less likely to lose a job because they are retired. Many people turn to alcohol or drug abuse to cope with tragedy they have experienced, and this is a common cause of senior alcohol abuse because of the loss of loved ones.

They problem happens to be misdiagnosed often especially if seniors live alone, because few people are around to recognize or confront the person about their alcohol abuse. If doctors or family members are suspicious it is important to inquire about the subject. In some cases, alcohol is to be blamed when seniors are experiencing depression, appetite problems, memory problems, or when a senior falls.

If you or someone you know needs treatment visit our homepage for more information.

Hookah Effects

Waterpipes, also known as hookah, have always been the smoking method of choice in places such as North Africa and parts of Asia. But lately in the US and Canada, studies have observed an increase in hookah use, particularly within college-aged students. According to these studies, the growing demographic for hookah smokers is adults, often male, between the ages of 18 and 24 who are middle to upper class, tend to be English-speakers, and have money to spend on leisure activities.

The increase in hookah lounges that are opening across the United States can pose some problems to hookah smokers. Studies show that people who smoke hookah are more likely to also smoke cigarettes and experiment with drugs, particularly marijuana. In fact, 75% of hookah users admitted to smoking marijuana in the past year versus the 35% of non-hookah smokers who have smoked marijuana in the last year. At one US university, a study found that nearly half the student population had tried hookah with 20% of the students having smoked it that month.

Many people speculate that the increase in hookah popularity is due to its perceived “healthiness” over cigarettes. Many people believe that because the tobacco in hookah passes through water before being smoked, the water filters the bad ingredients. But this is a misconception. Hookah actually contains greater amount of tar, nicotine, and amounts of heavy metals than cigarettes. Studies show that hookah smoking can harm the heart and lungs, increase a person’s heart rate and could have an cause future heart and lung diseases and cancers.

Long-term public health impact of hookah smoking has not yet been determined but officials say that greater awareness of the effects of hookah on people’s health is needed to combat the perception that hookah is “healthier” than cigarettes.