May 23, 2012

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Parents asked to talk to kids about the dangers of drugs

March 5, 2012 By

This is the 5th of March and “Take 5 Iowa Day,” as parents are encouraged to take five minutes to talk with their kids about the importance of living drug free. Peter Komendowski, president of the Partnership at DrugFreeIowa.org, says studies repeatedly show teens who learn about the risks through ongoing dialog with parents are up to 50% less likely to ever use drugs.

Komendowski says, “The whole idea behind Take 5 is really a reminder that parents and children need to connect and parents need to take a very strong, positive initiative to talk to their children.” In recent months, Iowa has seen increased reports of teenagers using new synthetic drugs and many of them are ending up in hospitals.

He says it just reinforces the need for parents to set aside time to talk with their young sons and daughters about making healthy choices. “It’s so hard to get children to talk about what their peers are saying and what’s going on at school,” Komendowski says. “Children are afraid to disclose to parents how many threats they encounter in the course of a day. We see enough children end up in emergency rooms to know that’s just the tip of the iceberg.”

A study found 90% of parents say they talk to their kids about drugs, but only 20% of kids say they’d had such a talk with their parents.

“We know it’s difficult and we know it’s challenging,” Komendowski says.

“We’re asking parents to dig a little deeper and try talking a little bit longer. Children really do want to engage. It’s just a strange territory for them to talk about the world of their peers with parents.” He says research shows when parents ask questions, set boundaries and monitor friends, it can reduce the odds of teenagers ever using drugs.

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Six from Waterloo sentenced in heroin ring

February 29, 2012 By

Six men and women from northeast Iowa were sentenced in U.S. District Court to a combined 52 years in prison for their roles in a heroin distribution ring. All six pled guilty to conspiracy to distribute heroine as part of a drug ring that had been operating in their hometown of Waterloo since 2007.

Forty-six-year-old Rochester Mitchell was sentenced to the longest term of 20 years in prison, followed by 43-year old Arthur Scott at 12-years. Fifty-five-year-old Edward Sapp received a 10-year-sentence, 53-year-old Windy Hayes four years, 55-year-old Thelma Moore got a 40-month sentence and 55-year-old Arvester Edwards will have to serve 37-months.

There is no parole in the federal system. Each was also ordered to pay a special court assessment of 100-dollars, and they will have to serve various amounts of supervised release after they get out of prison.

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Governor doesn’t agree with proposal to cut the state drug czar

February 28, 2012 By

Dale Woolery, acting director of the Office of Drug Control Policy, talks at an event on the dangers of synthetic drugs. (file photo)

Republican presidential candidates and Republicans in the U.S. House want to get rid of President Obama’s so-called “czars” but Iowa’s Republican governor is shooting down the idea of getting rid of the state’s drug czar.

“What they’re talking about at the federal level is these unconfirmed appointees,” Governor Terry Branstad says. Governor Branstad says his drug czar has to get the support of 32 state senators in a confirmation vote in order to hold the job.

Republicans in congress are trying to get rid of the “czar” who heads the National Office of Drug Control Policy. Branstad also argues the Governor’s Office of Drug Control Policy provides a “beneficial” focus on drug problems in Iowa.

“We know we’ve had some real problems here now with these synthetic drugs. You know we had a tragic death that occurred as a result of that,” Branstad says, referring to the Norwalk teenager who committed suicide after taking “synthetic” marijuana product called K-2. “…I think we need to continue to be vigilant and stay on top of that.”

Democrats in the Iowa Senate propose moving the responsibilities of the Governor’s Office of Drug Control Policy to the state Departments of Public Health and Public Safety and getting rid of the “middle manager” who is the state’s drug czar. Branstad is making it clear he opposes the move to end funding for the drug czar and his staff.

“I think the state appropriate is like $290,000. It’s very small,” Branstad says. “…There’s a significant amount of federal dollars that they administer and I know local law enforcement and local organizations that have worked on substance abuse appreciate the support and the help they’ve received from the Office of Drug Control (Policy) and the coordination that goes through that (office).”

And Branstad hints the state might lose some federal money for local drug-fighting efforts if the state’s Office of Drug Control Policy is shut down.

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Getting rid of the state drug czar?

February 27, 2012 By

The state “drug czar” could lose his job if Democrats get their way.

The Governor’s Office of Drug Control Policy was established in 1990 to coordinate the state’s drug-fighting efforts and the person appointed to head the agency is often called the state’s drug “czar.”

While Republican presidential candidates have called for getting rid of all the “czars” in President Obama’s administration, it is Democrats in the state senate who are pressing to get rid of the “czar” over drug policy at the state level.  Senator Jeff Danielson, a Democrat from Cedar Falls, says shifting the responsibilities to the Departmsnts of Public Health and Public Safety is more efficient.

“We cut middle  management and overhead,” Danielson says. “And  we still allow the Iowa Department of Public Health and the Department of Public Safety to have some staff left over to help with continuity of those programs.”

The change would save the state budget close to a third of a million dollars.

Republicans in the U.S. House are trying to get rid of “czars” in the Obama Administration, including the nation’s “drug czar” who is head of the Office of National Drug Control Policy. A spokesman for Republican Governor Branstad says Branstad hasn’t seen the proposal to get rid of the state drug czar and can’t comment on the idea.

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Requiring Rx management for Medicaid patients

February 27, 2012 By

Republicans in the Iowa Senate are pressing to require a face-to-face review with a pharmacist whenever a Medicaid recipient in Iowa gets a new prescription from their doctor. Senator Bill Dix, a Republican from Shell Rock, says it’s about controlling costs.

“Medical therapy management is a concept that is utilizing local pharamacists in meeting with patients who’ve been prescribed medications from their doctor and making sure there are no harmful interactions,” Dix says, “that they’re taking them properly and also looking to find potential savings if they can use generics and things like that.”

In 2005, the legislature in Minnesota set up a system which pays licensed pharmacists to conduct these sorts of consultations with Minnesotans who quality for government-paid health insurance. Dix says Iowa has had a similar pilot program and it’s time to expand it statewide for Iowans who qualify for Medicaid.

“In the pilot project that medical therapy management technique has shown to potentially save the state million of dollars, on top of what’s currently being saved,” Dix says. “It holds strong promise to save taxpayes a lot of money and to ensure better care of the patients.”

Medicaid provides health care to Iowans who are disabled, low income and to thousands of children whose parents cannot afford health insurance. In addition, many senior citizens on Medicare are part of similar medical therapy management programs, as a result of the prescription drug benefit extended to seniors a decade ago.

A 2006 study found 65 percent of elderly patients were prescribed a drug that was unnecessary. And a study conducted last year found nearly half of all Americans used at least one prescription drug in the previous month.

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Effort to ban newest varieties of synthetic marijuana

February 23, 2012 By

New variations of “synthetic marijuana” which have proven harmful to teenagers would be banned under legislation pending in the Iowa House. Representative Joel Fry, a Republican from Osceola, says new varieties of these synthetic drugs keep appearing in stores.

“We now have manufacturers who are finding new ways to alter the chemicals and to create new forms of K2 and market and brand them,” Fry says. “I think this is very well-defined by the situation here in Des Moines that took place last week at East High.”

Three students were hospitalized. Other students say the teens had used an over-the-counter product they call synthetic marijuana. Experts say the products can cause hallucinations and violent behavior.

An Indianola teenager committed suicide in 2010 after using K2 and the Iowa legislature passed a law banning the sale or possession of products like K2, Spice, “bath salts” and Salvia. This year, Fry and others want the ban to cover even more synthetic “designer” drugs.

“I would ask that you would, for the sake of helping to protect Iowa teenagers, that we could add these compounds to the list,” Fry says. “It, in the end, will hopefully protect more of our teens in an effort to try to stay ahead of where these individuals and manufacturers are taking K2.”

The penalty for manufacturing, selling or possessing the newest incarnations of these synthetic drugs would be an aggravated misdemeanor if the bill becomes law.  The House Public Safety Committee endorsed the bill earlier today.

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Two southwest Iowa traffic stops yield 209 pounds of marijuana

February 17, 2012 By

Authorities are now releasing details of two marijuana busts in southwest Iowa this week that netted a total of 209 pounds of pot. Both cases came during traffic stops.

Pottawattamie County Chief Deputy Sheriff John Reynolds says the biggest of the two hauls came Sunday afternoon on Interstate 80 near Council Bluffs when Deputy Brian Miller stopped a vehicle for speeding.

Reynolds says the vehicle was occupied by the driver, 35-year-old Odilia Pena, of Mendota, California, and her passenger, 24-year-old Lorena Gonzalez, of Fresno, California. Deputy Miller believed there was “criminal activity afoot,” so he deployed his K-9 partner “Francisco.”

The dog alerted to the presence of illegal substances and a search of the vehicle resulted in the recovery of 180-pounds of marijuana. The pot was found in two locked suitcases.

Both women were charged with possession of a controlled substance with the intent to deliver, prohibited acts, and a tax stamp violation. Pena also received citations for other moving violations.

On Wednesday, Deputy Miller and his partner stopped another vehicle for speeding, just a few miles north of where Sunday’s traffic stop and arrests took place. Reynolds says Miller stopped a GMC Yukon for speeding.

The vehicle was occupied by the driver, 25-year-old Beau Hanson, of Clear Lake Oaks, California, and his passenger, 27-year-old William Woods, of McKinleyville, California. Inside the vehicle, Miller found 29-pounds of marijuana and assorted drug paraphernalia. The pot was in a glass jar and vacuum-sealed bags, inside two suitcases.

Hanson and Woods were charged with possession of a controlled substance with intent to deliver, prohibited acts and a drug tax violation. Woods was also wanted on a warrant out of Indiana for being a fugitive from justice. All four suspects were brought to the Pottawattamie County Jail in Council Bluffs.

Pena, Gonzalez and Hanson were released from custody on $10,000 bond each. Woods remained in the Pottawattamie County Jail Thursday, on $10,000 bond.

By Ric Hanson, KJAN, Atlantic

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