Drug addiction - an illness not a crime, says Russell Brand

18:04 Drug addiction - an illness not a crime , says Russell Brand 0 Comments

The flamboyant film star and comedian said drug addicts should not be put on methadone for years at a time, written off and left on the sidelines of society. He also called for possession of drugs to be decriminalised. Abstinence-based recovery for addicts would help "neutralise the toxic social threat they pose as criminals", he said. Society should not just "discard people, write them off on methadone and leave them on the sidelines", he added. Brand also said he would back decriminalisation of possession of drugs, adding that there was "a degree of cowardice and wilful ignorance around this condition".

What cannabis actually does to your brain

00:30 What cannabis actually does to your brain 0 Comments

Archaeologists recently found a 2,700-year-old pot stash, so we know humans have been smoking weed for thousands of years. But it was only about 20 years ago that neuroscientists began to understand how it affects our brains.

Scientists have known for a while that the active ingredient in cannabis was a chemical called delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC for short. Ingesting or smoking THC has a wide range of effects, from the psychoactive "getting high" to the physiological relief of pain and swelling. It also acts as both a stimulant and depressant. How could one substance do all that?

Meet the cannabinoid receptor

In the 1980s and 90s, researchers identified cannabinoid receptors, long, ropy proteins that weave themselves into the surfaces of our cells and process THC. They also process other chemicals, many of them naturally occurring in our bodies. Once we'd discovered these receptors, we knew exactly where THC was being processed in our bodies and brains, as well as what physical systems it was affecting. Scattered throughout the body, cannabinoid receptors come in two varieties, called CB1 and CB2 - most of your CB1 receptors are in your brain, and are responsible for that "high" feeling when you smoke pot. CB2 receptors, often associated with the immune system, are found all over the body. THC interacts with both, which is why the drug gives you the giggles and also (when interacting with the immune system) reduces swelling and pain.

 

Cannabinoid receptors evolved in sea squirts about 500 million years ago; humans and many other creatures inherited ours from a distant ancestor we share with these simple sea creatures. THC binds to receptors in animals as well as humans, with similar effects.

Tasty, tasty, tasty

Cannabis notoriously makes people hungry - even cancer patients who had lost all desire to eat.One study showed that cancer patients who thought food smelled and tasted awful suddenly regained an ability to appreciate food odors after ingesting a THC compound. There are CB1 receptors in your hypothalamus, a part of your brain known to regulate appetite, and your body's own cannabinoids usually send the "I'm hungry" message to them. But when you ingest THC, you artificially boost the amount of cannabinoids sending that message to your hypothalamus, which is why you get the munchies.

Understanding this process has actually led to a new body of research into safe diet drugs that would block those cannabinoid receptors. That way, your hypothalamus wouldn't receive signals from your body telling it to eat, and would reduce hunger cravings in dieters.

What you're forgetting

What's happening in your brain when smoking pot makes you forget what you're saying in the middle of saying it? According to the book Marijuana and Medicine (National Academies Press):

One of the primary effects of marijuana in humans is disruption of short-term memory. That is consistent with the abundance of CB1 receptors in the hippocampus, the brain region most closely associated with memory. The effects of THC resemble a temporary hippocampal lesion.

That's right - smoking a joint creates the effect of temporary brain damage.

What happens is that THC shuts down a lot of the normal neuroprocessing that goes on in your hippocampus, slowing down the memory process. So memories while stoned are often jumpy, as if parts are missing. That's because parts literally are missing: Basically you are saving a lot less information to your memory. It's not that you've quickly forgotten what's happened. You never remembered it at all.

A bit of the old timey wimey

Cannabis also distorts your sense of time. THC affects your brain's dopamine system, creating a stimulant effect. People who are stoned often report feeling excited, anxious, or energetic as a result. Like other stimulants, this affects people's sense of time. Things seem to pass quickly because the brain's clock is sped up. At the same time, as we discussed earlier (if you can remember), the drug slows down your ability to remember things. That's because it interferes with the brain's acetylcholine system, which is part of what helps you store those memories in your hippocampus. You can see that system's pathway through the brain in red in the illustration at left.

In an article io9 published last year about the neuroscience of time, we noted:

The interesting thing about smoking pot is that marijuana is one of those rare drugs that seems to interact with both the dopamine and the acetylcholine system, speeding up the former and slowing down the latter. That's why when you get stoned, your heart races but your memory sucks.

It's almost as if time is speeding up and slowing down at the same time.

Addiction and medicine

Some experts call cannabis a public health menace that's addictive and destroys lives by robbing people of ambition. Other experts call it a cure for everything from insomnia to glaucoma, and advocate its use as a medicine. The former want it to be illegal; the latter want it prescribed by doctors. Still other groups think it should be treated like other intoxicants such as alcohol and coffee - bad if you become dependent on it, but useful and just plain fun in other situations.

What's the truth? Scientists have proven that cannabis does have medical usefulness, and the more we learn the more intriguing these discoveries become. Since the early 1980s, medical researchers have published about how cannabis relieves pressure in the eye, thus easing the symptoms of glaucoma, a disease that causes blindness. THC is also "neuroprotective," meaning in essence that it prevents brain damage. Some studies have suggested that cannabis could mitigate the effects of Alzheimer's for this reason.

At the same time, we know that THC interferes with memory, and it's still uncertain what kinds of long-term effects the drug could have on memory functioning. No one has been able to prove definitively that it does or does not erode memory strength over time. Obviously, smoking it could cause lung damage. And, like the legal intoxicant alcohol, cannabis can become addictive.

Should cannabis be illegal, while alcohol flows? Unfortunately that's not the kind of question that science can answer. Let's leave the moral questions to courts, policymakers and shamans. I'll be off to the side, smoking a joint, thinking about my acetylcholine system and the many uses of the hippocampus.

How Legalizing Marijuana Could Reduce The Federal Deficit

00:06 How Legalizing Marijuana Could Reduce The Federal Deficit 0 Comments

The federal government could save as much $13.7 billion annually if it were to legalize marijuana, according to a paper by Harvard economist Jeffrey Miron. More than half of the savings, $7.7 billion, would come from not having to enforce the current prohibitions against the drug, while an additional $6 billion per year would come from taxing marijuana at rates similar to tobacco and alcohol. Since the paper was first published in 2005, more than 300 economists, including three Nobel laureates, have signed a petition to call attention to the work and initiate a debate among people on both sides of the issue. "At a minimum, this debate will force advocates of current policy to show that prohibition has benefits sufficient to justify the cost to taxpayers, foregone tax revenues, and numerous ancillary consequences that result from marijuana prohibition," the petition says. While the savings are still minimal when compared to a $1.3 trillion federal deficit, many public officials have used an economic argument to promote pot legalization, including Democratic State Assemblyman Tom Ammiano from California, who in 2009 argued that legalization would provide billions of dollars in much-needed revenue to the state. Known as Proposition 19, the ballot proposition ultimately went down to defeat in 2010. Miron, for his part, says the savings are the least of the arguments for legalization, since the government has no clear reason to want to reduce marijuana consumption in the first place. "If you take that as a given," he told HuffPost, "that they're spending money to accomplish something you shouldn't have wanted to accomplish in the first place -- then that's pretty idiotic. "I think the discussion should mainly be about why should marijuana be illegal," he added. "Are there good reasons to treat marijuana differently from alcohol or tobacco? Why not let people who want to smoke marijuana smoke marijuana? We let people do all sorts of crazy things legally, from bungee jumping to downhill skiing to driving on the freeway to eating quarts of Ben & Jerry's and everything else. Why is marijuana different? I don't think it is."

Surf Air: Can an all-you-can-fly airline possibly work?

07:26 Surf Air: Can an all-you-can-fly airline possibly work? 0 Comments

SURF AIR, a Californian start-up, has a novel business model: for a monthly fee you can fly with the airline as much as you want. Is buffet-style air travel the wave of the future? JetBlue and Sun Country Airlines have both already tried offering all-you-can-fly passes, but so far no carrier has built its business model exclusively on a buffet plan. The idea isn't bad, but some scepticism is warranted. At $790 a month, Surf Air's flying plan will probably only appeal to business travellers who often go to the same places and rich Californians in long-distance relationships. Will that customer base allow Surf Air to make a profit? Maybe: 20m frequent flyers jetted between San Francisco and Los Angeles in 2011, according to the company's numbers. The airline plans to launch with service between Palo Alto, Monterey, Santa Barbara and Los Angeles, but it still needs to secure regulatory approval, according to a company press release. Frequent flyers make up a huge portion of the business-traveller population, and almost every airline relies on business travellers to get (and stay) in the black. There is surely some group of private-jet-sharing business travellers who might be attracted to an all-you-can-jet airline as a cheaper alternative. A lot will depend on how many flights and how much convenience Surf Air can offer, and how quickly it can expand service. The company's promises certainly seem attractive: [Surf Air will offer] its members 30-second booking and cancellations, travel to and from uncongested regional airports, and an easy arrive-and-fly process with no hassle, no lines and no extra fees. It's easy to make promises, though. It's much harder to run a profitable airline. As Gulliver often notes, the American airline sector overall has never really made any money—in fact, total earnings over the entire history of the industry are minus $33 billion. That, of course, suggests that existing airlines might be doing it wrong. Maybe all-you-can-fly really is the way to go. It's at least worth a shot. I'll be eager to see what people think of the final product—assuming regulators give the go-ahead.

Worrying is good for you and reflects higher IQ

07:08 Worrying is good for you and reflects higher IQ 0 Comments

It evolved in humans along with intelligence to make them more adept at avoiding danger. A study of 42 people found the worst sufferers of a common anxiety disorder had a higher IQ than those whose symptoms were less severe. Scientists say their findings published in Frontiers in Evolutionary Neuroscience, suggest worrying has developed as a beneficial trait. Psychiatrist Professor Jeremy Coplan, of SUNY Downstate Medical Centre in New York, and colleagues found high intelligence and worry are linked with brain activity measured by the depletion of the nutrient choline in the white matter of the brain. He said: "While excessive worry is generally seen as a negative trait and high intelligence as a positive one, worry may cause our species to avoid dangerous situations, regardless of how remote a possibility they may be. "In essence, worry may make people 'take no chances,' and such people may have higher survival rates. Thus, like intelligence, worry may confer a benefit upon the species." The researchers made the discovery by monitoring activity in the brains of twenty six patients with generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) and eighteen healthy volunteers to assess the relationship between IQ, worry and the metabolism of choline. In the control group high IQ was associated with a lower degree of worry, but in those diagnosed with GAD it was linked with more. The correlation between IQ and worry was significant in both the GAD group and the healthy control group. But in the former it was positive and in the latter negative. Previous studies have indicated excessive worry tends to exist both in people with higher and lower intelligence, and less so in people of moderate intelligence. It has been suggested people with lower intelligence suffer more anxiety because they achieve less success in life. Worrying has also been shown to lessen the effect of depression by countering brain activity that heightens the condition.

Eating nuts can help stave off obesity, says study

06:59 Eating nuts can help stave off obesity , says study 0 Comments

Dieters often dismiss them because of their high fat content, but research suggests that snacking on nuts can help keep you slim. A study found that those who consumed varieties such as almonds, cashews and pistachios demonstrated a lower body weight, body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference compared to non-consumers. They were also at lower risk of developing heart disease, type 2 diabetes and metabolic syndrome. Experts are now recommending a daily intake of 1.5 ounces, or three tablespoons of nuts as part of a healthy diet. Lead researcher Carol O'Neil, from Louisiana State University, said: 'One of the more interesting findings was the fact that tree nut consumers had lower body weight, as well as lower body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference compared to non-consumers. 'The mean weight, BMI, and waist circumference were 4.19 pounds, 0.9kg/m2 and 0.83 inches lower in consumers than non-consumers, respectively.' In the study, published in the Journal of the American College of Nutrition, researchers compared risk factors for heart disease, type 2 diabetes and metabolic syndrome of nut consumers versus those who did not consume nuts.

Tennessee judge was so addicted to prescription drugs during his final two years on the bench, he was having sex and buying pills during courtroom breaks

23:32 he was having sex and buying pills during courtroom breaks , Tennessee judge was so addicted to prescription drugs during his final two years on the bench 0 Comments

A Tennessee judge was so addicted to prescription drugs during his final two years on the bench, he was having sex and buying pills during courtroom breaks, at times purchasing from convicts he had previously sentenced, an investigation found. 

His behavior has called into question many of the cases he presided over, including one of Knoxville's most notorious murders.

Many people didn't realize Criminal Court Judge Richard Baumgartner had a problem until he stepped down from the bench and pleaded guilty in March 2011 to a single count of official misconduct. 

Tennessee Criminal Court Judge Richard Baumgartner drug problem was revealed when he stepped down from the bench and pleaded guilty in March 2011 to a single count of official misconduct

During breaks in court Baumgartner, 64, was having sex. He also bought pills from convicts he had sentenced in his court

It would be another eight months before the seriousness of the judge's drug problem was revealed, casting uncertainty about whether Baumgartner was sober enough to be sitting on the bench.

Another judge has already tossed out the convictions from the high-profile murder case and ordered new trials. Other defendants are hoping for a similar outcome, and bids for new trials from the many people convicted in Baumgartner's court could overwhelm the criminal justice system in Knox County, Tennessee's third-largest county with more than 400,000 residents. Baumgartner was one of three judges in the county who heard felony cases.

Baumgartner pleaded guilty to misconduct and received a sentence that allowed him to wipe the felony conviction off his record if he stayed out of trouble and to keep his pension

'We're getting pleadings almost daily now from people in the penitentiary filing habeas corpus saying, `Let me out too.' It's raining over here,' said Knox County District Attorney General Randy Nichols.

Baumgartner left the bench to seek drug treatment before pleading guilty to misconduct. A special judge handed Baumgartner a sentence that allowed him to wipe the felony conviction off his record if he stayed out of trouble. The sentence also allowed Baumgartner to avoid jail time and keep his pension.

The judge who sentenced Baumgartner has since said he would have come down harder on him had he known the full details of the criminal investigation. The U.S. attorney's office is also investigating.

Baumgartner, 64, could not be reached for comment and his attorney didn't return phone calls seeking comment.

Baumgartner, a criminal court judge in Knoxville since 1992, got addicted to painkillers he was prescribed for pancreatitis caused by chronic alcoholism, according to the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation file. His physician told authorities that Baumgartner acknowledged being a pill addict but disregarded the doctor's advice to retire.

The district attorney went to Baumgartner in 2010 because he was concerned about the judge's health. Nichols said it was widely known that Baumgartner suffered a variety of health issues. 'I never suspected narcotics,' the prosecutor said.

Although only a small portion of the investigative file on the former judge has been released to the public, it shows a man completely consumed by his addiction.

The judge looked around for multiple doctors who would prescribe him oxycodone, hydrocodone and generic Xanax and Valium. When the prescriptions weren't enough, he turned to convicts he had punished – and their friends.

The judge had multiple doctors who would prescribe him oxycodone, hydrocodone and generic Xanax and Valium. He also went to dealers he'd previously convicted. One supplier said she would give him drugs and sex, including several trysts in his chambers

One of his suppliers was Deena Castleman, a woman who graduated from Baumgartner's drug court. Castleman told authorities that she regularly supplied the married judge with pills and sex, sometimes during breaks from court. The woman, who is nearly half his age and has a history of arrests, told TBI agents that she and the judge even engaged in sexual activity several times in the judge's chambers.

Deena Castleman, who is half his age, told agents the judge paid her bills, gave her bail, falsified a drug test she had failed and had sex with her in his chambers

Castleman's name appears frequently in the investigative file. She told agents the judge sometimes paid her bills and provided money for her to make bail after she got arrested. She also said the judge falsified the results of a drug test after she tested positive for drugs.

Another judge sentenced Castleman in December to serve six years in prison for convictions that included possession of prescription painkillers, a charge indirectly related to Baumgartner.

Baumgartner, according to the file, frequently visited Castleman while she was hospitalized for a brief period in 2009. Nurses told investigators that the judge would often visit the woman during breaks from a high-profile trial that was televised. And they said that Castleman appeared to be high after the judge visited her. Authorities later confiscated illicit prescription drugs from her room.

The judge's sole misconduct charge stemmed from his dealings with Chris Gibson, a felon on probation in Baumgartner's court. He said the judge would come by his house every two to three days to buy pills.

Gibson told agents that Baumgartner was fast depleting his retirement fund buying pills, and the judge would sometimes make a drug deal during court breaks. The felon said he gave the judge an extra supply of pills when Baumgartner had to travel to Nashville so that an out-of-town jury could be picked to hear the murder case now overturned.

The investigative file has raised but not fully answered questions about whether Knox County court system officials knew about Baumgartner's drug problem and failed to report him. It indicates some people attributed the judge's bizarre behavior to his illness.

Baumgartner's secretary told investigators that the judge was so out of on some days that she'd have to reschedule hearings. The secretary, Jennifer Judy, did not return a phone call seeking comment, and it's not clear if she ever reported Baumgartner to authorities.

She told agents that Baumgartner had previously battled an alcohol addiction and was treated for it. As time progressed 'Baumgartner became visibly worse to the point that he could not function or carry on a conversation at times,' she said.

Judge Jon Kerry Blackwood, pictured, has been appointed to hear the disgraced judge's cases. He has already overturned the convictions of four people found guilty for a 2007 double murder

Prosecutors also noticed problems. Two of them revealed to agents that they saw him swerving while driving home from the jury selection in Nashville, 180 miles west of Knoxville. The prosecutors called the judge on his cell phone to try to get him to pull over.

Ethical complaints against judges in Tennessee are not public record, so it's not clear whether anyone filed a complaint against Baumgartner. He agreed to be disbarred.

The Tennessee Supreme Court has recently adopted tougher ethics rules that require judges to 'take appropriate action' if they believe that another judge or a lawyer is impaired by drugs or alcohol. A judge could face discipline for failing to report another judge for being impaired, but the rules don't say what that punishment would be.

Judge Jon Kerry Blackwood, who was appointed to hear the former judge's cases, repeatedly cited the investigative file as grounds to overturn the convictions. Blackwood unsealed part of the file because it was relevant to the convictions he threw out.

Prosecutors are appealing Blackwood's decision to overturn the convictions of the four people found guilty for their role in the 2007 slayings of a young Knoxville couple. One of those convictions came with a death sentence.

Channon Christian, a 21-year-old University of Tennessee student, and Christopher Newsom, her 23-year-old boyfriend, were kidnapped during a carjacking, sexually tortured and killed.

For Newsom's family, the thought of sitting through more trials is almost unbearable, but they have vowed to continue to seek justice.

Under Judge Baumgartner four people were found guilty for the 2007 murder of Channon Christian, 21, a University of Tennessee student, and boyfriend Christopher Newsom, 23. They were kidnapped during a carjacking, sexually tortured and killed

Since the convictions were overturned by Judge Blackwood, the families will now endure new trials after five years already spent in court. Pictured left to right, Hugh and Mary Newsom and Gary and Deena Christian

'We've spent five years of our life up there in court, and basically, as of this date, we have nothing to show for it,' said Chris Newsom's father, Hugh Newsom. 'They talk about the defendants getting a speedy trial, but I think the victims and the victims' families should get a speedy trial.'

Hugh Newsom said the judge never appeared to be under the influence.

It's not clear exactly how many convictions are at risk.

Nichols estimated the judge presided over more than 1,000 cases from 2008 until stepping down in late 2010, including more than 50 jury trials.

Prosecutors contend that Baumgartner may have had a drug problem, but he was sober on the bench and functioning well shortly before he stepped down. They are arguing the convictions for most of the cases should not be overturned.

Nichols estimated it could cost taxpayers tens of millions of dollars to retry the cases.

In his decision to throw out the cases, Blackwood noted Baumgartner's conduct.

'Some saw it, but they ignored it,' a transcript of Blackwood's decision said. 'Some saw it, but they were powerless to act or deal with it, and some saw it and they either denied it or denied it to themselves.

'What does it mean? It means that we as a judicial system got to learn some lessons from this.'

Mike 'The Situation' Sorrentino has left a rehab treatment facility after just two weeks of treatment.

23:29 Mike 'The Situation' Sorrentino has left a rehab treatment facility after just two weeks of treatment. 0 Comments

The 29-year-old Jersey Shore star was spotted at a Utah airport today, presumably on his way back home to New Jersey. 

According to TMZ.com, the eldest Shore member has officially checked out of Utah's Cirque Lodge. 

Nice going! The Situation has checked himself out of the Cirque Lodge rehab centre after just two weeks

On the straight and narrow? The 29-year-old reality star hasn't been in treatment for very long

He looked fresh-faced and well-dressed in a black jacket and suave scarf this afternoon. 

He even posed with a fan, who posted the photograph on Twitter. 

Mike initially checked in to the treatment centre around March 22 for alcohol-related issues. 

He soon after admitted that he had a problem with prescription drugs, as well. 

It was said that The Situation was keen to return to his hard partying lifestyle when he returns to the Shore this summer.

While in rehab, he was allegedly 'very open' with the other patients about his drinking problems.

He reportedly revealed that his frequent club appearances escalated his alcohol abuse. 

This would be a problem for any of his cast members, who are known for their wild, hard-partying ways. 

Unfortunately, it's a huge problem for The Situation, who reportedly doesn't want to give up his club-going ways once he's out of rehab.

Bound to be a problem: Mike 'The Situation' Sorrentino is reportedly in rehab for alcohol addiction as well as prescription pills

RadarOnline.com says that part of the reason for his desire to get back in the club is because of the cash he rakes in from his club appearances. 

The site reports that he has become quite dependent on the income his presence commands, which is allegedly in the six figure range. 

Says an insider: 'Mike doesn't want to give up his paid club promotional appearances: he loves the attention that he gets from the ladies and the money is great.

'Mike leads a very expensive life and he doesn't want his lifestyle to suffer because of his decision to go to rehab. He is very upset that stint in rehab has become public knowledge, because he doesn't want it to affect his bottom line.

Not boding well: The 29-year-old has allegedly expressed his intent to keep on hitting the clubs post-rehab

'Mike's brother handles his club appearances and he has been telling club managers that Mike has no plans on giving up the nightlife.'

He announced the news of his rehab treatment in a message posted to his webpage explaining he wanted to 'set the record straight.'

He wrote: 'I have voluntarily taken steps to get control of a prescription medication problem I had due to exhaustion.'

'I have spent the past several weeks getting treatment for this problem and recuperating from my work and appearance schedule. I appreciate my fans support and love you guys.'

Admission: Mike Sorrentino has confirmed he is in rehab for addiction to prescription medication

Mike is said to have hit rock bottom while filming the latest season of Jersey Shore.

Sources close to Sorrentino have told TMZ.com how he started to act more and more 'paranoid' as filming for Season 5 went on.

In a recently-aired episode on MTV, Mike was seen acting jittery and sweating profusely when the gang went camping.

Insiders told TMZ the crew are 'happy' he is now seeking treatment and hope he will be well enough to return to shoot the upcoming Sixth season of the show.

Yesterday the website reported how the 29-year-old has checked in to an inpatient treatment facility.

A source told the website that Mike ‘has spent the past several weeks at an undisclosed location for much needed rest and recuperation after his extensive production and appearance schedule’.

They're back! The Jersey Shore crew is returning to MTV for a sixth season

Today the website claims Mike has checked into Cirque Lodge in Utah, where Demi Moore was reported to have stayed, to seek treatment for addiction to prescription medication. 

A spokesperson for the reality TV personality was unavailable for comment when contacted by MailOnline. 

However a cryptic message was posted onto Mike's website that read: 'You can't believe everything you hear about 'the situation' with The Situation.' 

A few hours later a post was uploaded confirming that he was seeking treatment. 

Also today a video has emerged of Mike's father Frank Sorrentino talking about his son's first trip to rehab.

In the clip which was loaded to metacafe.com today Frank explains how Mike couldn't afford treatment and his older brother Mark paid for treatment. 

Strange behaviour: Mike was seen acting strangely during a camping trip shown as part of the last series of Jersey Shore

And speaking about how he felt at the time Frank said: 'For me, after years of dealing with his addiction, years of dealing with all the bull***t, this wasn’t a 16-year-old kid. The guy was a 27-year-old man. I was just hoping he would be able to stand up.'

Earlier this week it emerged that Jersey Shore will return for a sixth season – despite the fact Nicole Snooki Polizzi is pregnant. 

Mike found fame on the reality show in 2009 and has since enjoyed several TV appearances on chat shows as well as being paid to attend nightclubs and events.

While he is one of the most explosive and controversial characters on the show he has not secured his own spin off shows like Snooki and JWoww or Pauly D. 

Partying too hard? Mike, who is paid for nightclub appearances was seen at RPM nightclub in Vegas last month

But while Mike is said to be in rehab there have still been a series of tweets posted to his social networking page that reveal he is getting in shape for the upcoming show. 

One post today read: ‘Getting in amazing shape for season 6!’

In a statement about the sixth series of the show MTV said: 'While things will definitely be a little different this time when they hit the boardwalk, their trademark hilarity and family dysfunction will remain the same.'

The series will begin filming this summer in Seaside Heights, New Jersey.

Addictive painkiller sales surge in new parts of U.S.

14:15 Addictive painkiller sales surge in new parts of U.S. 0 Comments

Sales of the two most popular prescription painkillers in the United States have exploded in new parts of the country, an Associated Press analysis shows, worrying experts who say the push to relieve patients' suffering is spawning an addiction epidemic. Drug Enforcement Administration figures show dramatic rises between 2000 and 2010 in the distribution of oxycodone, the key ingredient in OxyContin, Percocet and Percodan. Some places saw sales increase sixteenfold. Meanwhile, the distribution of hydrocodone, the key ingredient in Vicodin, Norco and Lortab, is rising in Appalachia, the original epicenter of the U.S. painkiller epidemic, as well as in the Midwest. The increases have coincided with a wave of overdose deaths, pharmacy robberies and other problems in New Mexico, Nevada, Utah, Florida and other states. Opioid pain relievers, the category that includes oxycodone and hydrocodone, caused 14,800 overdose deaths in 2008 alone, and the death toll is rising, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says. Across the U.S., pharmacies received and ultimately dispensed the equivalent of 69 tons of pure oxycodone and 42 tons of pure hydrocodone in 2010, the last year for which statistics are available. That's enough to give 40 5-mg Percocets and 24 5-mg Vicodins to every person in the United States. The DEA data records shipments from distributors to pharmacies, hospitals, practitioners and teaching institutions. The drugs are eventually dispensed and sold to patients, but the DEA does not keep track of how much individual patients receive. The increase is partly due to the aging U.S. population with pain issues and a greater willingness by doctors to treat pain, said Gregory Bunt, medical director at New York's Daytop Village chain of drug treatment clinics. Sales are also being driven by addiction, as users become physically dependent on painkillers and begin "doctor shopping" to keep the prescriptions coming, he said. "Prescription medications can provide enormous health and quality-of-life benefits to patients," Gil Kerlikowske, the U.S. drug czar, told Congress in March. "However, we all now recognize that these drugs can be just as dangerous and deadly as illicit substances when misused or abused." Opioids like hydrocodone and oxycodone can release intense feelings of well-being. Some abusers swallow the pills; others crush them, then smoke, snort or inject the powder. Unlike most street drugs, the problem has its roots in two disparate parts of the country -- Appalachia and affluent suburbs, said Pete Jackson, president of Advocates for the Reform of Prescription Opioids. "Now it's spreading from those two poles," Jackson said. A few areas that include military bases or Veterans Affairs hospitals have seen large increases in painkiller use because of soldier patients injured in the Middle East, law enforcement officials say. Experts worry painkiller sales are spreading quickly in areas where there are few clinics to treat people who get hooked, Bunt said. In Utica, New York, Patricia Reynolds has struggled to find treatment after becoming dependent on hydrocodone pills originally prescribed for a broken tailbone. The nearest clinics offering Suboxone, an anti-addiction drug, are an hour's drive away in Cooperstown or Syracuse. And those programs are full and are not accepting new patients, she said. "You can't have one clinic like that in the whole area," Reynolds said. "It's a really sad epidemic. I want people to start talking about it instead of pretending it's not a problem and hiding."

Freedom near after years in hell but Schapelle Corby is too scared to hope

07:47 Freedom near after years in hell but Schapelle Corby is too scared to hope 0 Comments

CONVICTED drug smuggler Schapelle Corby last night said she was "too scared to get my hopes up" after Indonesia's Justice and Human Rights Ministry recommended her jail sentence be slashed by 10 years - meaning she could be back in Australia within weeks. Her family is now anxiously awaiting a decision by Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, who will have the final say on whether Corby is released. From her cell at Bali's Kerobokan prison, Corby last night said she was waiting for more information about the ministry's recommendation. Her sister Mercedes, who was visiting Schapelle when the news broke, said that if Dr Yudhoyono did agree to cut 10 years from Corby's sentence, she would be eligible to go home immediately. "She will have done eight years in October, plus she's had two years reduced in good behaviour, so that's 10 years," she said. "So if another 10 years is cut, she should be pretty much eligible for release immediately." Mercedes said, if released, her sister planned to head straight back to Australia to live with her mother Rosleigh in Queensland. Corby was jailed for 20 years in 2004 for attempting to smuggle 4.1kg of marijuana into Bali in a body board bag. The announcement of the major breakthrough in the former Gold Coast beautician's drug saga came as a "pleasant shock" to Corby and her family yesterday when The Daily Telegraph told them of the ministry's recommendation. Mercedes was at the prison having a small birthday celebration with Schapelle for their younger sister Mele, who had just turned 22. "Oh wow, have they recommended clemency? I hope this is true. I better make some calls," she said. A few hours later Mercedes said the family was "too nervous" to get their hopes up and would await the President's ruling before they celebrated. Corby first launched her bid for clemency two years ago, appealing for an early release on the grounds she was suffering from mental illness which could endanger her life. "She's on anti-psychotics to keep her stable, but she goes up and down," Mercedes said. A Justice Ministry official yesterday revealed the recommendation to slash Corby's sentence was based on humanitarian grounds: "Our office agreed with her clemency. We recommended granting it." Corby's lawyer Iskander Nawing described it as a "huge development" and a breakthrough. The recommendation also includes an approval for clemency from the director-general of prisons. Dr Yudhoyono's decision will be based on the recommendation from the Justice Ministry, as well as advice from the Attorney-General's Department, Foreign Ministry and National Narcotics Board. Print

Whitney Houston 'Powdery' substance in hotel bathroom

07:41 Whitney Houston: 'Powdery' substance in hotel bathroom 0 Comments

Drug paraphernalia and a white powdery substance were discovered in Whitney Houston's hotel room on the day she died, according to a coroner. The full report says the 48-year-old was found on 11 February lying face down in an overflowing hotel bathtub. Investigators said they recovered a rolled-up piece of paper, a small spoon and a portable mirror in the bathroom. The autopsy concluded that the singer had drowned due to the effects of cocaine use and heart disease. The report also indicated the singer had a perforated nose, a sign of long-term substance abuse. The 42-page document gave more details than an initial report released last month. Houston was found dead hours before she was due to attend a pre-Grammy party. One of the world's best known singers in the 1980s and 1990s, Houston had a long battle with drug addiction. Friends and family have said she appeared committed to a comeback, including a new film, during the time before her death.

Salou, the northern Spanish town where thousands of British students flock every spring for four nights of drunken debauchery.

14:22 Salou , the northern Spanish town where thousands of British students flock every spring for four nights of drunken debauchery. 0 Comments

It was a case of deja vu last night for the long-suffering residents of Salou, the northern Spanish town where thousands of British students flock every spring for four nights of drunken debauchery.

For the twelfth time, the Costa Dorada resort has been overrun by Saloufest, the notorious annual sports tour returning for another round of hard drinking, half-naked partying - and the odd day of volleyball or hockey.

The first pictures released from this year's event paint a familiar picture: packs of fresh-faced revellers in proudly ridiculous fancy dress, their flesh largely bare and arms aloft as they stagger and bellow through the streets.

On the march: British students wrapped in flags as they head out for the first night of parties at SalouFest in Salou, Spain

Fireman's lift: A British student makes off with a fellow reveller as the drunken Saloufest parties spill out on to the streets

Culture clash: Two young women match geisha-style makeup with pink bum bags for a night out in the Costa Dorada resort

The first 5,000 of a total 8,200 people are said to have made the trip from Britain's universities yesterday, marking an increase of 1,000 on last year.

Police say the first night of the tour passed without any arrests being made - but past form suggests they won't be holding out much hope for an easy ride.

Last year's event saw officers launch a crackdown on any students caught drinking in public, putting an end to the days when the locals would turn a blind eye to those flouting Salou's alcohol bylaws.

The town also decided to uphold rules preventing the Saloufest partiers from roaming around town half-naked.

The 2011 tour saw two toga-wearing students hauled off to a police station and fined £265 for breaking the alcohol laws.

This year the local authorities have handed out leaflets warning British visitors not to drink on streets and beaches, while those found stumbling around shirtless can expect to face the consequences.

Riot of colour: There's no missing these Brits abroad as they pull on garish tones and leggings for a debauched night in the Catalan village

Rowdy: Four students holler from the terrace of a nightclub during the first night of booze-soaked parties

Sitting comfortably? A show of bravado sees one British student doing a press-up as another sits on his back

Spanish media reports that ILoveTour, the firm that organises the festival, has some 30 supervisors on hand to babysit the horde of 18-to-23-year-olds.

One account, from Spanish newspaper El Pais, talks of streets streaked with vomit and urine, disoriented youths, deafening noise and riot vans on standby.

Despite local opposition, hoteliers in the area support Saloufest because it extends the holiday season and is timed so as not to interfere with the influx of Easter tourists. 

In an effort to keep the peace, some of the seven hotels set aside for the event have opted to separate their British guests from other holidaymakers.

The basic festival package sees students shell out £189 for coach travel and four nights in two-star accommodation, with optional extras including day trips to nearby Barcelona and Port Aventura.

Shameless: A passerby cheers as two partygoers get up close and personal outside an Irish-themed bar

In the gutter: The week-long tour has barely begun, but Saloufest seems to have taken its toll as these two huddle on the pavement outside a nightclub

Sin city: Dog collars and a novelty cross pass for fancy dress on the streets of Salou

Tribes: Clusters of UK students stagger through the village in fancy dress. A vague cavewoman theme finds this pair draped in animal print

Bookish? A mob of Saloufest drinkers in 'geek' fancy dress, one of the go-to costume themes for student union club nights up and down the UK

Amy Winehouse 'spent £1 million on drugs in three years`

08:41 Amy Winehouse 'spent £1 million on drugs in three years` 0 Comments

Amy Winehouse had reportedly squandered £10 million during her lifetime, which included £1 million on drugs in three years, a £500,000-hotel bill and £1,000-a-month on her kittens. The tragic singer who was 27 when she died, left an estate worth £4,257,580, which was reduced to £2,944,554 after debts and taxes were paid. Since the Rehab hitmaker did not leave a will, that money will, by default, be divided between her divorced parents Mitch and Janis. According to the Sunday Times Rich List, she was worth £10 million but a friend of her manager claimed that the singer may have been worth closer to £15 million. A friend connected to her management company said that she spent it all on drugs, on men, and on “friends” who said they needed her. “Before Amy died, money was being leeched off her left, right and centre,” the Daily Mail quoted the friend as saying. “It was like taking money off a baby when it came to Amy — she couldn’t stop giving it away. Mitch knew that most of it had probably been spent already,” the friend added. If Winehouse wanted to give £2,000 to a friend who had a hernia, for example, as she once did, she’d just ask her father to turn up with an envelope of cash. When she wanted to keep kittens, she would simply ask Mitch to take out some money from her trust to pay the enormous bills she ran up: according to him, she managed to spend more than £1,000-a-month on them. She would blow £20,000 in an afternoon at Selfridges on dresses, for instance, but in Winehouse’s world this counted as fairly small change. And her lifestyle, with a permanent retinue of bodyguards, was very expensive. The bodyguards cost £250-a-day each and she had up to half a dozen of them. An extraordinary ‘working’ holiday in St Lucia three years ago — which stretched to about a year and a half — cost her £2,000 a night during the five months of it she stayed in the luxury resort of Le Sport. The bill for spa treatments alone was £6,000. A record company source said he thought that hotel stay cost her at least £500,000, and she didn’t just spend money on herself. Her former husband Blake Fielder-Civil was apparently adept at milking her for money, asking for £150 “for a cab” whenever she called and said she wanted to see him. It is widely assumed she funded both their drug habits for years, too. Within three weeks of their marriage in 2007 she had a near-fatal overdose. Her heroin and cocaine habit in the days when she was using drugs, which she stopped around 2008, was in the nature of £1,000-a-day. It is assumed she might have spent £1 million or more on drugs alone between 2006 and 2008. Fielder-Civil, meanwhile, was given a £250,000 pay-off in their 2009 divorce.