ORMOND BEACH - To the untrained eye, Adam Duke looked pretty tough. With multiple tattoos, facial hair and gold caps on several teeth, "sweetheart" probably wasn't the first word that came to mind after a look at the young Edgewater man, but that's the kind of guy he was to family and friends. "He was the kind of guy who, even if he had nothing, he'd try to help you," said Duke's uncle, Tracy Gieck Jr. That's why the 24-year-old's loved ones were surprised when they learned Duke was hit and killed by a train - a tragedy his family and friends say could've been prevented had Duke not been high on bath salts the night of June 12, 2012. [continues 507 words]
At the Stuff-N-Puffs smoke shop, you won't find the typical array of screenless glass pipes, water pipes or bongs. While the South Daytona shop only sells electronic cigarettes, hookahs and the chance to roll your own tobacco cigarettes, store owner Brenda Sherman said she wouldn't want to sell those other items anyway -- items that legislators voted to ban. On Monday, it will be a first-degree misdemeanor for someone "to knowingly and willfully sell or offer for sale at retail any drug paraphenalia." [continues 709 words]
Toad venom may be the new marijuana, come Dec. 30. Just what is the cause that will make toads so coveted? The answer: a book called Legally Stoned by forensic psychologist Todd A. Theis. Described by Citadel Press as "the first 'how-to' book for legal drug use," Legally Stoned will inform readers how to get high without breaking the law. Included will be a list of 14 psychoactive substances accompanied with pictures. For each substance listed, Theis provides a basic description, its history, chemical makeup, how to obtain and use the substance, the physiological effects, the reported effects, and possible risks associated with use. [continues 399 words]
