An archive of recent news articles on the topic of alcohol and drugs.
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Drug test work cheats using bleach
2nd February 2012
Workers are using bleach in a bid to beat drug tests at Bay of Plenty businesses. Latest figures from the New Zealand Drug Detection Agency reveal the number of workplace tests in the region has more than doubled in the last year. There were 4458 in 2011, compared with 1711 in 2010, with 8.5 per cent positive. The agency's Bay of Plenty general manager Leigh Sefton said the increase could be down to a rise in testing rather than offending.
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Big boozing women seek fast solution
1st February 2012
THE dominant participants in Febfast, the campaign that encourages people to abstain from alcohol in February, are heavy-drinking professional women in their 30s, 40s and 50s. VicHealth research released to coincide with the start of the 2012 campaign shows that women represented 75 per cent of last year's participants, many of them tertiary-educated and earning high incomes. Outside of Febfast, participants tended to drink more often, and more on each occasion, compared to a sample of Australians who had consumed alcohol in the past year.
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James Paterson handed four-month drugs ban USA Rugby admits medical blunder
1st February 2012
Leading New Zealand winger James Paterson has been banned from rugby for four months for using a banned substance. The International Rugby Board said Paterson, who played for the United States at last year's Rugby World Cup, had tested positive for the painkiller oxycodone during the tournament in New Zealand. Oxycodone is classified by world doping body WADA as a narcotic and is prohibited in competition only. Paterson provisional ban began on October 13 last year and he can return to rugby on February 13. The 24-year-old, who has represented both the Crusaders and Highlanders at Super Rugby level, along with Canterbury and Southland domestically, disclosed the medication he was on when he underwent drug testing following the RWC test against Italy in Nelson on September 27.
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Checkpoint cab driver blows well over limit
31st January 2012
A taxi driver arrested for driving over the legal breath alcohol limit in a daytime booze bus operation has had her actions slammed as "completely unacceptable" and a "betrayal of trust". The woman, who is believed to be from Auckland, was pulled over near Tairua yesterday around midday in her company vehicle. After police detected alcohol on her breath the woman underwent an evidential breath test and returned a result of 568 micrograms of alcohol per litre of breath. The legal limit is 400mcg.
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Welcome to the UN. Who ordered the cocaine?
31st January 2012
A 16 kilo consignment of cocaine that Mexican drug traffickers recently lost has turned up in an unlikely place - the United Nations in New York. Police and UN officials have described how two fake UN bags containing the drugs - which experts said had a street value of about $2 million - set off a security alert when they were delivered, apparently by accident, to the the global body's headquarters. The bags, which had the UN symbol printed on them, were shipped from Mexico through the DHL delivery company's center in Cincinnati, Ohio, Deputy Commissioner Paul Browne of the New York Police Department told AFP.
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Kiwis challenged to February booze ban
26th January 2012
New Zealanders are being challenged to go for the month of February without touching a drop of alcohol. The FebFast 2012 challenge asks New Zealanders to go next month without alcohol, being sponsored by friends and family along the way. The money raised would be given to four charities from the four main centres around the country.
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City survey shows support for ban on smoking in parks
26th January 2012
Cigarettes could be stubbed out of Hamilton playgrounds and parks under a new smokefree policy to be considered by the council in August. A Waikato coalition group working against smoking, known as Chances, and the Waikato Bay of Plenty Cancer Society are also urging the city council to enforce a non-smoking rule across parks, playgrounds and bus shelters after unprecedented public support. The calls coincide with a proposal from Auckland health bosses to the Auckland Council to comply with the Cancer Society's request to restrict cigarette or tobacco smoking in its open spaces, parks, sports fields and playgrounds, as well as in malls and pedestrian areas.
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Boozy-party pilot fails to regain job
25th January 2012
A pilot sacked after an investigation into a booze- and drug-fuelled party at his Christchurch flat has lost a long-running fight to win back his job. The pilot, known only as Mr A, was fired by Pacific Blue in May 2010 after a series of investigations into alcohol-related events during his 21 months at the airline.
In a ruling released yesterday, Employment Relations Authority (ERA) member James Crichton ruled Mr A was correctly dismissed but noted issues with the initial handling of an investigation into the party. The pilot had invited the crew of a transtasman flight to his flat after they landed at Christchurch in June 2009.
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Party drugs a big, fat downer
25th January 2012
'Tis the season to be jolly. For many, this includes an increased likelihood of consuming alcohol or recreational drugs. But, if the idea is getting high to get happy, then it's worth considering the latest research. A new study suggests that ecstasy may be causing permanent harm to users' brains. It's old news that the drug brings on a high by elevating seretonin levels - a chemical that regulates mood, appetite, sleep and learning. But, it appears that it also simultaneously depletes the brain of seretonin, inhibiting the receptors. This can lead to long-term depression, weight gain and a diminished ability to learn. The researchers believe the increase in receptor density is the brain's attempt to compensate for a loss of serotonin caused by ecstasy. The same effect has already been seen in some animal studies.
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Latest herbal high warnings
24th January 2012
An ingredient in a new herbal product that experts suspect may be smoked in New Zealand has been shown to cause tumours in rats and liver failure, says a toxicologist. The product, called "Sky" and which looks like cannabis, hit shops in Auckland this week. Its active ingredient is tussilago farfara, or coltsfoot. Synthetic cannabis products such as Kronic are prohibited but new herbal high products are reaching the market. National Poisons Centre spokesperson Dr Leo Schep said coltsfoot was toxic if used over a prolonged period and it had been banned overseas.
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