Alcoholism & Drug Abuse Weekly articles from April 2002

Alcoholism & Drug Abuse Weekly archives from April 2002

SAMHSA administrator sets agency's priorities, goals for year.(Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration)
April 1, 2002... Speaking to about 600 attendees at last week's National Council for Community Behavioral Healthcare (NCCBH) annual training conference, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) administrator Charles G. Curie identified...

Proposed changes to HIPAA would modify consent requirements.(Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act's privacy regulations)
April 1, 2002... Late last week, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced proposed modifications to the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act's (HIPAA's) privacy regulations that would allow providers to use protected...

Report gives colleges failing grade for reducing campus binge drinking.(College Alcohol Study by the Harvard School of Public Health)
April 1, 2002... Despite increased prevention efforts undertaken by college educators and others, the rate of binge drinking among college students has remained stable during the last eight years, and the practice has increased at women's schools, according to...

College prevention group expands leadership body.(U.S. Department of Education's Higher Education Center for Alcohol and Other Drug Prevention to expand Presidents Leadership Group)
April 1, 2002... The U.S. Department of Education's Higher Education Center for Alcohol and Other Drug Prevention last week announced the expansion of its Presidents Leadership Group (PLG) -- a body of higher education presidents and chancellors who have...

Syracuse University recognized for prevention efforts.
April 1, 2002... Syracuse University has been nationally recognized in the "Sourcebook 2001, Promising Practices: Campus Alcohol Strategies/ Programs of Excellence for America's Colleges and Universities," for four of its alcohol abuse prevention and related...

Treatment center uses holistic approach to treating addictions.(Desert Canyon Treatment Center)
April 1, 2002... An Arizona-based treatment and rehabilitation facility is treating clients with addictions through a comprehensive program involving therapeutic methods and a "whole-person" approach, which includes bio-nutritional programs, spiritual...

Report: Depression and tobacco ads may prompt teens to smoke.
April 1, 2002... Adolescent depression combined with high receptivity to tobacco advertising plays a powerful role in whether a teen smokes cigarettes, according to a National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) funded-study released last week by researchers at the...

Names in the news.
April 1, 2002... President George W. Bush has announced his intention to nominate Elias A. Zerhouni, M.D., to head the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Zerhouni serves at Johns Hopkins University as professor of radiology and biomedical engineering,...

Prevention registry seeks intervention programs. (Call for Programs).(National Registry of Effective Prevention Programs)
April 1, 2002... The National Registry of Effective Prevention Programs (NREPP) is seeking prevention and early intervention program nominations in order to identify model programs to be shared with and emulated by practitioners in the field. NREPP is most...

FDA grants clearance to oxycodone test. (Business Notes).(American Bio Medica Corporation's Rapid One OXY test now available to clinical markets)
April 1, 2002... The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted American Bio Medica Corporation (ABMC) 510 (k) clearance for Rapid One OXY, an on-site point of care drug test capable of detecting oxycodone, according to an ABMC announcement. The...

Matching grants program accepting applications. (Resources).(Local Initiative Funding Partners)
April 1, 2002... Up to $8 million will be awarded under the Local Initiative Funding Partners (LIFP) program in 2003 in support of innovative, community-based projects that improve health and health care for underserved and at-risk-populations. The matching...

Many Americans have unmet healthcare needs. (Briefly Noted).
April 1, 2002... More than 41 million Americans reported problems getting needed medical care in 2001, according to a new Center for Studying Health System Change (HSC) Tracking Report. The survey revealed that among the general population, the percentage of...

Drug may reduce alcohol withdrawal symptoms. (Briefly Noted).(baclofen)
April 1, 2002... Baclofen, a muscle-relaxing drug, may help ease withdrawal symptoms in individuals recovering from alcohol addiction, according to a report published last month in the American Journal of Medicine. Withdrawal symptoms diminished in three hours...

NBC changes plans to run hard-liquor ads. (Briefly Noted).
April 1, 2002... The National Broadcasting Company (NBC) has decided to change its plan to run advertisements for hard-liquor, reported the Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America (CADCA). NBC said it would not be 4 appropriate to go to the next step of...

In case you haven't heard.
April 1, 2002... White House Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) director John P. Walters recently criticized the hemp industry for trying to bring hemp-based food products to market, reported Scripps Howard News Service. Walters called the hemp...

Washington state finds way to divert more money to treatment.
April 8, 2002... While virtually every state in the nation is wrestling with soaring budget deficits and difficult funding decisions, Washington has enacted legislation that, in the long run, will divert significantly more money to addiction treatment without...

Report attempts to bolster SA's inclusion in TANF reauthorization.(substance abuse service inclusion in the Temporary Assistance to Needy Families program)
April 8, 2002... The debate has heated up in recent weeks over provisions to be included in any reauthorization of the Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF) program, otherwise known as welfare. TANF was created in 1996 as part of the Personal...

CASA finds increased service demand since 9/11.(Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse)
April 8, 2002... In a follow up to a survey the organization conducted last year (see ADAW, Dec. 10), the National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse (CASA) at Columbia University found that 23 states, five cities, and Washington D.C. have experienced an...

SAMHSA announces awards for youth prevention programs.(Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration's Center for Substance Abuse)
April 8, 2002... The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has announced $5.85 million for eight new awards to help strengthen and expand community-based systems for drug and alcohol addiction identification and treatment for young people. The...

New initiatives to fight discrimination. (From the Field).
April 8, 2002... (Third in a series) Previous articles in this series detailed an example of employment discrimination and discussed the erosion of legal protections afforded alcoholics and addicts by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990. That...

Names in the news.
April 8, 2002... U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Tommy G. Thompson has announced an interim management team to lead the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) until a new agency director is named. David Fleming, the CDC deputy...

Program offers help for kinship care families. (Resources).("The Ties That Bind" program from the Children of Alcoholics Foundation)
April 8, 2002... The Children of Alcoholics Foundation (COAF) has announced "The Ties That Bind," a national education and support program to help Americans who are caring for relatives' children because of parental alcohol and drug abuse. The program offers...

Web site offers alcohol assessment test. (Resources).(Join Together offers web site)(www.AlcoholScreening.org)
April 8, 2002... During Alcohol Awareness Month (April), individuals can take a confidential test to assess their drinking patterns and receive personalized feedback at www.AlcoholScreening.org. Participants can find out if their alcohol consumption is likely...

Center to provide cessation information. (Resources).(Center for Tobacco Cessation)
April 8, 2002... The American Cancer Society and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation have announced the launch of the Center for Tobacco Cessation (CTC). The center will serve as a clearinghouse on ways to help people quit smoking. CTC aims to provide practical,...

UCSD receives grant to support Proposition 36. (Briefly Noted).(Substance Abuse and Crime Prevention Act)
April 8, 2002... The University of California at San Diego (UCSD) department of psychiatry will use a $1.579 million grant from the California Endowment to help implement Proposition 36, the Substance Abuse and Crime Prevention Act (SACPA) of 2000. During the...

Minnesota approves keg registration law. (Briefly Noted).(registration of beer keg purchases in order to prevent under-age "kegger" parties)
April 8, 2002... Minnesota Governor Jesse Ventura has signed into law a measure that would require registration of all beer keg purchases, reported the Minneapolis Star Tribune. Under the law, kegs must be labeled with registration numbers, the retailer's name,...

Switzerland opens inhalation rooms. (Briefly Noted).
April 8, 2002... Switzerland has opened two Zurich-based inhalation rooms where crack and heroin users can smoke their drugs without fear of arrest, according to the Drug Policy Alliance. The medically supervised rooms have an emergency service in the event of...

Smoking in movies influences teen viewers. (Briefly Noted).
April 8, 2002... The more frequently adolescents see smoking in movies, the more receptive they are to the idea of using tobacco, according to findings in the April issue of the American Journal of Preventive Medicine. Researchers found that high exposure to...

Cocaine use associated with heart condition. (Briefly Noted).
April 8, 2002... Cocaine use may result in aortic dissection, a potentially fatal heart condition usually seen only in older people with high blood pressure, researchers reported in the American Heart Association journal Circulation. The researchers examined...

Colleges report more alcohol, drug violations. (Briefly Noted).
April 8, 2002... Colleges reported a six percent increase in disciplinary referrals for alcohol violations and an 11 percent increase for drugs in 2000, according to recent government figures, reported the Hartford Courant. The University of Vermont, the...

Study links herb use with illicit drug use. (Briefly Noted).
April 8, 2002... Adolescents who use herbal products may be more likely to use illicit drugs, researchers reported at the annual meeting of the Society for AdolescentMedicine. "Kids who used an herbal product were almost six times as likely to use cocaine,...

Calif. doctors urge state to raise smoking age. (Briefly Noted).(from 18 to 21)
April 8, 2002... Members of the California Medical Association approved a resolution to urge the state to raise the legal age for smokers from 18 to 21 at the association's annual meeting, reported the Associated Press. The resolution directs the group's...

European officials support WHO's tobacco-control efforts. (Briefly Noted).
April 8, 2002... Health officials from 47 European governments have issued a declaration backing the World Health Organization's (WHO's) push for a global tobacco-control treaty, reported the Associated Press. In the Warsaw Declaration for a TobaccoFree Europe,...

SAMHSA completes national network of ATTCs.(Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration; Addiction Technology Transfer Centers)
April 8, 2002... The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMUSA) last week announced the funding of seven new Addiction Technology Transfer Centers (ATTCs) to complete the national network of ATTCs. ATTCs provide education and...

In case you haven't heard.
April 8, 2002... According to CNN, model Naomi Campbell won her invasion of privacy lawsuit against the British tabloid The Mirror. Campbell had sued The Mirror for breach of confidence and unlawful invasion of privacy after the newspaper printed a photograph...

Education requirements, salary inequities compound providers' staffing shortages. (Special Report: Workforce Issues).
April 15, 2002... Don't misunderstand Kim Johnson. As director of Maine's Office of Substance Abuse, she never feels there is enough money to meet the state's drug and alcohol prevention and treatment demands. But these days she has a concern graver than...

Challenges abound as providers promote managers from within. (Special Report: Workforce Issues).(Brief Article)
April 15, 2002... Workplace dynamics can be complicated enough in organizations where staffers' job roles remain relatively static. But in the many behavioral health organizations where clinicians routinely elevate to managerial functions, the resulting cultural...

Nonprofit providers find savings in unemployment alternative.(Brief Article)
April 15, 2002... Thirty years ago, Congress enacted a little-known law that offered an alternative way for nonprofit organizations to pay unemployment compensation for former employees. The 1972 federal law allowed 501 (c) 3 organizations to withdraw from their...

NIAAA study finds extensive damage from college drinking.(National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism)(Brief Article)
April 15, 2002... A study commissioned by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) Task Force on College Drinking found that college drinking is more extensive and destructive than previously thought. The study found that, on an annual...

Prevention materials provided to fifth-grade teachers. (Resources).(Brief Article)
April 15, 2002... The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and Scholastic Inc., have collaborated to provide classroom teachers with drinking prevention-related materials...

Guide promotes SA, MH care for seniors. (Resources).(Substance Abuse and Mental Health)(Brief Article)
April 15, 2002... The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) and the National Council on the Aging (NCOA) have teamed up to release a guide for community-based organizations that help seniors. Promoting Older Adult Health: Aging...

Richard J. Caron Award of Excellence. (Names in the News).(Brief Article)
April 15, 2002... P. Michael Ehlerman, chairman, president and chief executive of Yuasa Battery Inc., will receive this year's "Richard J. Caron Award of Excellence" at the 1 11th annual Caron Foundation Award of Excellence Dinner on April 17. The award...

Strategic alliance to provide HIPAA services. (Business Notes).(Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act)(Brief Article)
April 15, 2002... Brown & Associates Ltd., behavioral services consultants, has announced a strategic alliance with Rx2000 Institute of Minneapolis, a non-profit organization dedicated to helping healthcare organizations address the challenges of the Health...

Medical privacy named as top campaign issue. (Briefly Noted).(Brief Article)
April 15, 2002... The Democratic National Committee (DNC) has named medical privacy a "top campaign policy issue," according to NDC Health Reform Update. The committee plans to urge Democratic candidates to "push opponents to take a stance" on the issue. ...

Cost-containment policies may limit access to drugs. (Briefly Noted).(Brief Article)
April 15, 2002... Medicaid beneficiaries in states with multiple measures to contain prescription drug spending were about twice as likely to report that they could not afford medications as those living in states with one or no cost containment policies,...

NASADAD changes 2002 annual meeting. (Briefly Noted).(National Association of State Alcohol and Drug Abuse Directors)(Brief Article)
April 15, 2002... The National Association of State Alcohol and Drug Abuse Directors (NASADAD) has cancelled the 2002 annual meeting that was to be held June 1 to 5 in Hawaii in an effort to be supportive of state governments that are facing budget challenges....

Lifetime movie receives PRISM award. (Briefly Noted).('A Mother's Fight for Justice')(Brief Article)
April 15, 2002... A Mother's Fight for Justice has been awarded a PRISM Certificate of Merit for Best Television Movie, Miniseries or Dramatic Special, announced Glenda Grant, president of Hearst Entertainment Productions. The film, which premiered on Lifetime...

British think tank recommends focus on hard-core users. (Briefly Noted).(Brief Article)
April 15, 2002... Most drug users voluntarily stop using illicit substances before their use gets out of control, according to a report, From War to Work: Drug Treatment, Social Inclusion and Enterprise, released by London's Foreign Policy Centre think-tank....

Physician intervention may improve cessation. (Briefly Noted).(Brief Article)
April 15, 2002... Patients who smoke may benefit from greater physician intervention, according to a report published in CHEST, the peer-reviewed journal of the American College of Chest Physicians (ACCP). About 16 percent of patients who receive a three- to...

Teens exposed to tobacco ads in convenience stores. (Briefly Noted).(Brief Article)
April 15, 2002... Teenagers are exposed to the highest levels of tobacco advertising and marketing at the retail stores where they are most likely to congregate and shop, according to findings in the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC's) Morbidity...

Internet pharmacies provide access to controlled substances. (Briefly Noted).(Brief Article)
April 15, 2002... The availability of controlled substances, such as OxyContin, online has increased, reported the Boston Globe. At least 150 pharmacies offer drugs over the Internet to people without legitimate prescriptions, according to the National...

In case you haven't heard.(tobacco use in motion pictures)(Brief Article)
April 15, 2002... While "In the Bedroom" lost in the final tally of votes for the Academy Awards' best picture to "A Beautiful Mind", the film was awarded the slightly less prestigious Hackademy Award from the American Lung Association (ALA) of...

Sponsors withdraw Florida drug diversion ballot initiative.
April 22, 2002... Citing delays caused by the Florida Supreme Court's review of its proposed 2002 ballot initiative, sponsors of the Right To Treatment and Rehabilitation for Nonviolent Drug Offenses, a measure that would have given Florida citizens the right to...

Ohio credits prevention efforts for reduction in youth drug use.
April 22, 2002... Results of a new survey released by Ohio officials this month show that the state has experienced more success with efforts to reduce drug and alcohol use than the nation as a whole has. Ohio officials are exulting over the findings, calling...

Theater intervention group offers hope to addicts.(Recovery Productions Inc.)
April 22, 2002... A New Jersey-based substance abuse prevention and treatment intervention theater group is helping recovering addicts heal through a gritty, realistic portrayal of addiction and recovery. The drama "Visions" includes a cast and crew of...

Report: Teens smoking less, but more anti-smoking programs needed.
April 22, 2002... Despite a promising decline in adolescent smoking rates in recent years, more research and anti-smoking programs are needed both to prevent young people from starting and to help them quit, according to a report released this month by the...

Seeking nominees for award to 'Friend of Field'.(Brief Article)
April 22, 2002... Manisses Communications Group, publisher of Alcoholism & Drug Abuse Weekly, is seeking nominations for an annual award to an individual whose work has benefited or raised the visibility of the behavioral health field. The person selected...

SAMHSA announces $10 million for homeless, minority groups.(Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration)
April 22, 2002... The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) announced this month the availability of funding for various community-based planning and treatment initiatives. Target populations include the homeless, and Native American...

Managed care directory now available. (Resources).(Who's Who in Managed Health Care Directory)(Brief Article)
April 22, 2002... MCOL, a provider of business-to-business health management and managed care resources, has released the 2002 edition of the Who's Who in Managed Health Care Directory. The directory contains more than 1,000 industry contacts, including close to...

Satellite broadcast focuses on faith-based programs. (Resources ).(Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America to broadcast "Leap of Faith: Bringing Faith- Based Programs into Your Community Coalition")(Brief Article)
April 22, 2002... Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America (CADCA) will present a satellite broadcast, "Leap of Faith: Bringing Faith- Based Programs into Your Community Coalition," on May 16 from 1:00 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. EST. An expert panel will provide an...

Emergency nurses present alcohol awareness information. (Resources).(Injury Prevention Institute of the Emergency Nurses Association offers Emergency Nurses CARE)(Brief Article)
April 22, 2002... Through Emergency Nurses CARE (EN CARE), the Injury Prevention Institute of the Emergency Nurses Association (ENA), specially trained emergency nurses will volunteer their time to educate people on the consequences of underage alcohol...

Congress must fund underage drinking prevention campaign.(Letter to the Editor)
April 22, 2002... The federal Task Force on College Drinking recently reported that 1,400 college students are killed every year in alcohol-related incidents and an estimated 500,000 students are injured because of drinking alcohol. This research is startling,...

The U.S. Senate has confirmed Scott Burns as the deputy director for state and local affairs at the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy. (Names in the News).(Brief Article)
April 22, 2002... The U.S. Senate has confirmed Scott Burns as the deputy director for state and local affairs at the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP). Burns has served as the county attorney for Iron County, Utah since 1986. He has...

CITA Biomedical Inc., a company focused on the investigation and treatment of addiction, has named George Koob. (Names in the News).(Brief Article)
April 22, 2002... CITA Biomedical Inc., a company focused on the investigation and treatment of addiction, has named George Koob, Ph.D., as chairman of its newly created scientific advisory board. Koob is professor and director for the Division of...

Caron Foundation. (Names in the News).(Brief Article)
April 22, 2002... The Caron Foundation has named Frank Murphy, Ph.D., as coordinator of psychological services and Frank Tulak, Psy.D., as staff psychologist at Caron's Adolescent Treatment Center. Caron has also named Douglas M. Newman as director of major...

Prenatal cocaine exposure may cause cognitive deficits. (Briefly Noted).(Brief Article)
April 22, 2002... Prenatal cocaine exposure may cause significant cognitive deficits and double the rate of developmental delay during the first two years of a child's life, according to findings published in last week's Journal of the American Medical...

HHS to provide grants for costs related to Sept. 11. (Briefly Noted).(Brief Article)
April 22, 2002... U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Tommy G. Thompson has announced the availability of $l40 million in grants for health-related costs incurred by organizations from the Sept. 11 attacks. The grants are intended to...

CMS has model to extend HIPAA compliance deadline. (Briefly Noted).(Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services; Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act)(Brief Article)
April 22, 2002... The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has issued a model compliance plan that will allow health plans, health care clearinghouses and health care providers to receive a one-year extension to comply with the Health Insurance...

In case you haven't heard. (Briefly Noted).(Brief Article)
April 22, 2002... New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg is none too pleased that his likeness is being featured in an ad campaign to decriminalize marijuana. According to Reuters, the NORML Foundation, an organization that supports marijuana use, is taking a...

SAMHSA announces $10 million to fund drug courts.(Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration)(Brief Article)
April 22, 2002... The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services administration (SAMHSA) has announced the availability of funds for expanding or enhancing substance abuse treatment services provided by family, juvenile or adult treatment drug courts. About...

Prop. 36 backers issue favorable report; release of statewide data looming.(treatment for nonviolent drug offenders)
April 29, 2002... While concerned about service shortages that are impeding results for some drug offenders referred to treatment via California's ground-breaking Proposition 36 initiative, a seven-county analysis conducted by Prop. 36 supporters indicates...

AMA brief warns against partnering with alcohol industry.(American Medical Association urges caution in partnerships between public-health professionals and the alcoholic beverage industry)
April 29, 2002... Stopping just short of calling for an outright end to partnership activities between public-health professionals and the alcohol industry, the American Medical Association's (AMA's) Office of Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse has issued a policy...

Budget cuts hamper offender services in Virginia, Arizona.
April 29, 2002... Prison-based addiction treatment programs and adult and juvenile drug courts are struggling to stay solvent in the face of budget constraints that have hit almost every state. While one state recently was able to see much of its drug court...

Providers, states moving toward dual-diagnosis competency.
April 29, 2002... On the final morning of last month's National Council for Community Behavioral Healthcare (NCCBH) annual training conference, attendees packed a conference room to hear how it is possible to serve one of the most hard-to-reach populations in...

Communities to receive funds to combat serious SA problems.(substance abuse)
April 29, 2002... Eleven communities around the country have been informed that they are the latest recipients of federal grant money to expand substance abuse treatment services or launch innovative treatment solutions under the Targeted Capacity Expansion...

Drug prevention materials available to employers. (Resources).(Brief Article)
April 29, 2002... The National Youth Anti-Drug Media Campaign is promoting its free "@ Work" program as an easy way for employers to help working parents keep their children away from drugs. The campaign has designed a Web site, www. The AntiDrug.com/Atwork, for...

Prevention site targets parents and teachers. (Resources).(White House Office of National Drug Control Policy and Terra Lycos Network offer web site)(www.lycoszone.com)(Brief Article)
April 29, 2002... The White House Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) and the Terra Lycos Network have launched a new anti-drug microsite for parents and teachers. The microsite will reside on Lycos Zone, www.lycoszone.com, and will feature content...

The U.S. Senate last week confirmed Mary Ann Solberg as deputy director of the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy. (Names in the News).(Brief Article)
April 29, 2002... The U.S. Senate last week confirmed Mary Ann Solberg as deputy director of the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) and Barry D. Crane as ONDCP's deputy director for supply reduction. Solberg previously served in Michigan...

The Oklahoma Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services (DMHSAS). (Names in the News).(Brief Article)
April 29, 2002... The Oklahoma Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services (DMHSAS) has named Julie Young Massie deputy commissioner for domestic violence and sexual assault services and Rand Baker deputy commissioner for mental health services....

Luceille Fleming, director of the Ohio Department of Alcohol and Drug Addiction Services (ODADAS). (Names in the News).(receives the PRIDE Youth Programs "On Eagle's Wings" award)(Brief Article)
April 29, 2002... Luceille Fleming, director of the Ohio Department of Alcohol and Drug Addiction Services (ODADAS), received the "On Eagle's Wings" Award from PRIDE Youth Programs earlier this month. "This award symbolizes the countless lives that Luceille has...

Marvin D. Seppala, M.D., a psychiatric consultant for Hazelden Springbrook in Newberg. (Names in the News).(named vice president of Hazeldon)(Brief Article)
April 29, 2002... Marvin D. Seppala, M.D., a psychiatric consultant for Hazelden Springbrook in Newberg, Ore., has been named vice president of medical affairs for Hazelden nationally. Seppala had served as corporate medical director for Hazelden in 1995 before...

Ill. considers early release for some drug offenders. (Briefly Noted).(Brief Article)
April 29, 2002... Illinois Gov. George Ryan is considering the early release of 4,500 drug offenders from state prison because the state can't afford to house them, the Chicago Sun-Times reported this month. Faced with a $1.3 billion budget deficit, Ryan has...

N.C. governor diverts tobacco settlement money. (Briefly Noted).(Brief Article)
April 29, 2002... North Carolina Gov. Mike Easley plans to use part of the state's April payment from the nationwide tobacco settlement to ease a $950 million state budget deficit, it, reported the Winston-Salem Journal. Easley has diverted $30 million from the...

ATF issues regulation for malt beverages. (Briefly Noted).(Brief Article)
April 29, 2002... The U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF) has issued a regulation prohibiting the makers of flavored malt beverages from labeling and advertising them as containing distilled liquors, reported the Associated Press. The regulation...