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Ecstasy-related fatalities seem to include a greater number of otherwise healthy teens than other stimulant-related fatalities, according to a new study by a professor from England's University of Hertfordshire School of Pharmacy and researchers at St. George's University of London's International Centre for Drug Policy. The report covers an 11-year, UK-wide analysis of mortality from stimulant-type drugs.

For the study, researchers reviewed stimulant-related deaths from a government database and from the British Crime Survey 2001-2007. They identified 832 amphetamine and methylamphetamine-related deaths and 605 ecstasy-related deaths. Methylamphetamines include such drugs as speed and crystal meth. In the course of this research, the scientists noted a disturbing trend: Ecstasy-related fatalities were usually identified in victims who were young and healthy.

Professor Fabrizio Schifano, lead author of the paper which will be published online in Neuropsychobiology, commented on the findings: "These data seem to support the hypothesis that young individuals seem to suffer extreme consequences after excessive intake of ecstasy. This is an issue of public health concern which deserves further studies. Ecstasy and amphetamines are very similar -- they are part of the same pharmacological group. But ecstasy does seem to show an intrinsic toxicity that is higher than that of amphetamines."

(Sources: sciencedaily.com; reuters.com)

Labels: ecstasy, death

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This week, a jury in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, is in the process of determining whether cigarette maker Altria is responsible for the death of a 40-year chain-smoker who was helplessly addicted to nicotine. This case is the first of approximately 8,000 similar cases that are going to trial. In 2006, the Florida Supreme Court upheld a decision that tobacco companies knowingly sold dangerous products and hid the health risks of smoking; however, the Court threw out a $145 billion jury award for a class-action lawsuit. The Court said that each case must be proven individually.

Edward L. Sweda, Jr., attorney for the Tobacco Products Liability Project at Northeastern University Law School, commented on the proceedings: "It is highly likely that the tobacco companies will be forced to account for their decades-long, reprehensible history of corporate wrongdoing." (Sources: www.google.com/hostednews/ap)

Labels: death, liability, smoking

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Over the last few years, Winnebago County, Illinois officials have seen a disturbing trend related to adolescent and teen drug abuse: younger and younger people are dying from drug overdoses.

“’We’re noticing that the trend is getting young and younger. We actually this year have had a 14 year old and a 19 year old die as a result of either opiates and or heroin overdoses,’ said Sue Fiduccia, Winnebago County Coroner. You may think ‘not my teen, they would never search for drugs,’ but kids no longer need to actively search for a dealer, the drugs come to them.” (Source: WIFR-Channel 23)

Schoolyards and street corners are now popular places for buying and selling drugs. Surveys have found that most high school kids know who they’d need to talk to if they wanted to buy drugs. And most of the time, those people are fellow students.

 

Labels: death, teen drug abuse, overdose

Posted By: Stefanie Hamilton 0 Comments