In and around Cleveland, heroin-related overdoses killed 195 people last year, shattering the previous record. Some Ohio police chiefs say heroin is easier for kids to get than beer. In Missouri, admissions to treatment programs for heroin addiction rose 700 percent in the past two decades. In Massachusetts, state police say at least 185 people have died from suspected heroin overdoses in the state since Nov. 1, and the governor has declared a public health emergency. With heroin use rising across the U.S., The Associated Press queried state health departments, medical examiner's offices and law enforcement agencies across the nation for statistics related to use, overdoses and treatment to obtain a more detailed picture of the problem on the ground. While some states reported few changes, others pointed to heroin as a significant public health concern. A look at some state-specific findings: [continues 1275 words]
COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) - Ohio's highest profile political campaign this fall may not involve a candidate directly but rather an issue: how to deal with illegal drug use. Supporters and opponents of a ballot initiative to require treatment for nonviolent first- and second-time offenders signaled last week that the campaign won't be a gentle one. "If the governor is going to make our initiative the focus of his negative re-election campaign, then we are going to make the governor the focus of our campaign, and we're going to take it to him just like we are today," said Ed Orlett, a spokesman for the Ohio Campaign for New Drug Policies, speaking after a news conference last week blasting the drug initiative. [continues 449 words]
Governor Says Plan Would Undermine Current Program COLUMBUS - A proposed ballot issue that would send first- and second- time offenders of drug possession laws to treatment instead of jail would undermine Ohio's drug treatment programs, Gov. Bob Taft said Wednesday. The Campaign for New Drug Policies is pushing to place the issue on the November 2002 ballot. The campaign, backed by three billionaires, has successfully persuaded voters in California and four other states to soften drug laws. Taft said judges and drug treatment professionals in Ohio are concerned the proposal would undermine Ohio's drug treatment program. [continues 170 words]
COLUMBUS, Ohio -- The Ohio Supreme Court on Wednesday declared unconstitutional a Cincinnati law that bans convicted drug offenders from certain parts of the city. The 1996 law created drug-exclusion zones as part of the city's fight against drug-related crime. The court, in a 6-1 ruling, said that the law violates the right to travel protected by the U.S. Constitution. The court also said the city cannot impose an additional punishment for an offense under state law. [continues 194 words]
People who smuggle drugs into Ohio prisons and institutions would spend more time in jail under a bill approved by House lawmakers. The legislation, passed 93-0 on Tuesday, makes the crime of conveying drugs into a prison punishable by up to five years in prison and a fine of up to $10,000. Under current law, visitors caught bringing drugs inside a prison or other state institution face up to 12 months in jail and a fine of up to $2,500. [continues 443 words]
