The Jose Silva UltraMind System

Why Do Some People Have It All While Others Stumble and Crawl?
In studying some of the world’s most successful people Jose Silva found 2 reasons for their success. You probably know the first reason, the second is more surprising. Read on to learn what it is.

The Jose Silva UltraMind System
Over 1 million people have used Jose Silva’s mind training techniques to help them build a healthier, happier and more fulfilling life.
Are You Living Up to Your True Potential?
Imagine how you would feel if you had it all…

* Peace of Mind and Happiness
* Career Fulfillment,
* Loving Relationships,
* Vibrant Health,
* Creative Expression.

Wouldn’t that be wonderful?

Look at your life—do you have what you really, really want?
Or are you settling?

Have you given up on creating the ideal life you once dreamed of?

I’m here to tell you that if you refocus—you can create the life you want.

If you desire to expand your potential as a human being and if you want to have a stronger impact on the world around you, the information here will be of great interest to you.

In the next few minutes, we’ll show you how to manifest your dreams.
But a Warning:
What we’re going to reveal runs contrary to what many well known self-help gurus tell you.

So I urge you to read every word of this article because the secret that can single-handedly turn your desires into reality is revealed in this page—and you don’t want you to miss it.
Best-Selling Author Dr. Wayne Dyer on Jose Silva
Best-Selling Author Dr. Wayne Dyer on Jose Silva

Anything with the name of Jose Silva as the author has my vote before I open to page one.

~ Dr. Wayne Dyer, author of Your Erroneous Zones, Manifest Your Destiny, Real Magic and the current best-seller, The Power of Intention from
The Jose Silva UltraMind System is…

* a method of dynamic meditation
* to help you find your purpose in life
* and powerfully move you towards this greater goal.

Since the 1960s, Jose Silva has been developing and perfecting his mind training system. Over one million people have attended his seminars and his books have sold millions of copies.

The Silva UltraMind Seminar is the pinnacle of his work. Developed in the late 90s, just shortly before Mr. Silva passed away in 1999.

Silva has always been ahead of his time. He was training people in meditation, self-hypnosis and creative visualization before these terms were embedded in public consciousness.

You’ve heard of affirmations, goal setting seminars, positive visualizations and meditation. Hundreds of programs offer these (many of them borrowed from Silva’s work).

But the Silva UltraMind System goes beyond this.

The Silva UltraMind System trains you to use your mind to such a powerful extent that within a few days you are able to demonstrate ESP and influence healing in others.

We also teach you how to identify your mission in life and to use the power of your creative mind, to propel you toward this goal.
In short, we train you to do things you never thought possible.

Those who conquer their mind will conquer the world

Discover the American Monk’s secret to breakthrough living in 16 aspects of your life.

INSTANTLY boost self-esteem, rise above insurmountable obstacles, enjoy spectacular health, and live the life of your dreams.
Why Do Age Old Problems Remain?

One of the biggest problems with life in this developed world is the quick—fix mentality.

* Stressed out? Take a nap.
* Feeling down? Pop a prozac pill.
* Lost a Relationship? See a therapist or drown your sorrows with some drink.
* Suffering from Anger? Take another pill.
* Gaining weight? Try the diet fad of the month.
* Seeking Spirituality? Read this 1,000+ year old religious book and you’ll be saved.

Let me tell you—there are no quick fixes.
At least not at the conscious level.
But fortunately, the Human Mind has Multiple Levels.

Most of the solutions attempt to solve the problem on the surface level. They completely ignore the underlying problem.

Solving the symptom and not the problem is a lousy way to go about self-improvement.

Everyone has the same innate abilities to get in touch with their spiritual self (perhaps you already sense this) but just don’t know how to get started. It’s so simple, really. In fact… if you had the right teacher, you could get a jumpstart with your own abilities.
What Is Possible

Imagine for a moment—if you could tap into your inner mind to directly pull out solutions to your deepest set problems.

Lost in religion? Imagine if you could feel a constant connectedness to God and discard the dogma and rubbish organized religion feeds you.

Gaining weight? Imagine if you could avoid the fad diets – but see yourself lose weight because your mindset has changed. You feel hungry and full at the right times; your metabolic rate stays up.

Depressed? Imagine if you could instantly understand the source of your depression and then reprogram your mind to pull you out.

Missing your goals? Imagine if you could create coincidences with your mind—just like the many masters who have walked the world can.

Unhealthy? Imagine if you could automatically induce the placebo effect to speed up your body’s natural rate of healing.
Now Imagine If…

You had the knowledge. Imagine if you’d spent the world studying various mental disciplines – and had attained a degree of self-mastery where you can tap into your inner power to help you resolve life’s most urgent problem.

How would your family benefit? Whom would you influence? What would you seek to change about this world? How will you be remembered when you pass on? Who will you teach?

Or the biggest question of all.

How would you leave your mark on humanity?

THE AMERICAN MONK

7 Pointers to Lift a Bad Mood

No one can live a long and healthy life without the will to go on; sometimes mood swings can make us feel that life is too much for us.

A bad mood not only gives you a gloomy outlook, it also lowers your immune function, leading the way to illness. Here are some suggestions to lift your mood, your spirit, and your health.

1. A Laughing Matter:

"Laugh Therapy," pioneered by Norman Cousins, has turned out to have real substance. Research has discovered that laughter and joy boost immune functions, especially the production of the natural killer cells that help defend the body from illness and cancer.

Laughter also increases the release of endorphins - compounds that give you a sense of well-being - in your brain. Without a doubt, joyful people liver longer and healthier lives. So read your favorite comics, watch your favorite comedies, and laugh it up!

2. Amino Acid for Restored Mindset:

When an imbalance or deficiency is creating a bad mood, the Europeans use supplements of a natural compound found in human cells to regulate mood and restore a healthy mindset. SAMe (S-adenosyl-L-methionine) is produced from methionine, an amino acid that plays a role in the production of uplifting neurotransmitters like serotonin and dopamine.

One study indicated that SAMe worked on patients who had unsuccessful results with conventional antidepressants. To get a boost from SAMe, take a supplement combining it with vitamins B6 and B12.

3. Hands-On Healing:

Human touch increases the production of endorphins, growth hormone, and DHEA, all of which lengthen your life span and lower the negative impact of stress. Studies have found that patients who are regularly touched recover faster than those who are not touched. So give someone a hug and feel both of your moods improve.

4. Boost Your "Youth Hormones"

You don't need pills to flood your body with a rejuvenating flood of growth hormones. Research has found that doing squats and leg presses will greatly increase your natural production of the "youth hormone". Increased growth hormone translates to an elevated mood, among other physical benefits. Keep it up with weight training, knee bends, push-ups, and rowing.

5. Take a Bracing Breath:

Breathing correctly is important for dispelling the toxins and wastes from your body; in fact, it is estimated that we expel only about 30 percent of toxins in our bodies through the bowels and bladder-the rest is all respiratory. Breathing is also a great way to clear your mind, boost your energy, and improve your mood. Practice deep, slow, rhythmic, breathing daily with mind-body disciplines such as tai chi, yoga, qigong, and meditation.

6. Smell the Joy:

Research has shown that smell has a definite impact on our bodies and minds. When you stimulate the olfactory nerves inside your nose, you activate the limbic system of your brain, which is associated with moods and memory. This concept is instrumental to aromatherapy, a natural health tradition that makes use of the healing powers of plants with strong scents.

Aromatherapy recommends treating depression with jasmine, eucalyptus for exhilaration, and grapefruit to increase alertness and joy. Just put a dab of the essential oils from these plants on your temples, back of your neck, or acupressure points. Another option? Boil the herb in water and inhale the steam through your nose.

7. Feel Fine with Flowers:

There is a reason that flowers are the traditional get-well gesture. Colorful flowers have a powerful influence on moods; they can uplift a patient's mood and even combat stress. One study found that during a five-minute typing assignment, people sitting next to a flowering bouquet were more relaxed than those who sat near foliage-only plants.

I hope these tips help the good feelings flow! I invite you to visit often and share your own personal health and longevity tips with me.

May you live long, live strong, and live happy!

Cancer-Proof Your Life

We're all grown-ups here—nightmares aren't a big problem anymore. We're calm, we're cool, we're mostly collected...until it comes to the C-word. For adults, cancer is the thing that goes bump in the night; that bump gets louder when family or friends are diagnosed. Whether your risk is monumental or blessedly average, we know you want to protect yourself. So we've combed through research, interrogated experts, and found cutting-edge strategies to help keep you safe.

Worship a wee bit of sun.

People who get the most vitamin D, which lies dormant in skin until ultraviolet rays activate it, may protect themselves from a variety of cancers, including non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, breast, and colon. Ironically, it even improves survival rates of melanoma, the most serious skin cancer. But 10 to 15 minutes a few days a week is all it takes to benefit. (Or you could try a supplement—aim for 400 IU a day.) If you're out any longer than that, slather on the sunscreen.

Eat an orange every day.

It just may zap a strain of the H. pylori bacteria that causes peptic ulcers and can lead to stomach cancer. Researchers in San Francisco found that infected people with high levels of vitamin C in their blood were less likely to test positive for the cancer-causing strain.

Listen to Katie Couric.

Though colonoscopies are about as popular as root canals, if you're 50 or older, get one. Colorectal cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death in the United States. Don't think you're off the hook because you got a digital fecal occult blood test at your last checkup: Research by the Veterans Affairs Cooperative Study last year found that the test missed 95% of the cases. (Schedule your first colonoscopy before your 50th if you have a family history of colon cancer.)

Steam a little green.

Piles of studies have shown that piles of broccoli help stave off ovarian, stomach, lung, bladder, and colorectal cancers. And steaming it for 3 to 4 minutes enhances the power of the cancer-fighting compound sulforaphane, which has been shown to halt the growth of breast cancer cells. (Sorry, microwaving doesn't do the trick; it strips out most antioxidants.) Get more protection by sprinkling a handful of selenium-rich sunflower seeds, nuts, or mushrooms on your greens. Researchers are discovering that sulforaphane is about 13 times more potent when combined with the mineral selenium.

Pick a doc with a past.

Experience—lots of it—is critical when it comes to accurately reading mammograms. A study from the University of California, San Francisco, found that doctors with at least 25 years' experience were more accurate at interpreting images and less likely to give false positives. Ask about your radiologist's track record. If she is freshly minted or doesn't check a high volume of mammograms, get a second read from someone with more mileage.

Drink joltless java.

Downing 2 or more cups of decaf a day may lower the incidence of rectal cancer by 52%, finds a study from two large and long-term research projects—the Nurses' Health Study and the Health Professionals Follow-Up Study from Harvard University. One theory is that coffee increases bowel movements, which helps to reduce the risk. Why decaf reigns supreme, however, remains a mystery.

Drop 10 pounds.

Being overweight or obese accounts for 20% of all cancer deaths among women and 14% among men, notes the American Cancer Society. (You're overweight if your body mass index is between 25 and 29.9; you're obese if it's 30 or more.) Plus, losing excess pounds reduces the body's production of female hormones, which may protect against breast, endometrial, and ovarian cancers. Even if you're not technically overweight, gaining just 10 pounds after the age of 30 increases your risk of developing breast, pancreatic, and cervical, among other cancers.

Make like a monkey.

Or a bunny. Women who ate four to six antioxidant-laden bananas a week cut their risk of kidney cancer by 54%, compared with those who didn't eat them at all, found an analysis of 61,000 women at the Karolinska Institutet in Sweden. Gnawing on root vegetables such as carrots did the same.

Get naked with a friend.

You'll need help examining every inch of your body—including your back, scalp, and other hard-to-see places—for possible changes in the size or color of moles, blemishes, and freckles. These marks could spell skin cancer. Women, take special note of your legs: Melanoma mainly occurs there. For the guys, the trunk, head, and neck are the most diagnosed spots. While you're at it, check your fingernails and toenails, too. Gray-black discoloration or a distorted or elevated nail may indicate the disease. And whether you see changes or not, after age 40, everyone should see a dermatologist yearly.

See into the future.

Go to Yourdiseaserisk.harvard.edu to assess your chance of developing 12 types of cancer, including ovarian, breast, and colon. After the interactive tool estimates your risk, you'll get personalized tips for prevention.

Pay attention to pain.

If you're experiencing a bloated belly, pelvic pain, and an urgent need to urinate, see your doc. These symptoms may signal ovarian cancer, particularly if they're severe and frequent. Women and physicians often ignore these symptoms, and that's the very reason that this disease can be deadly. When caught early, before cancer has spread outside the ovary, the relative 5-year survival rate for ovarian cancer is a jaw-dropping 90 to 95%.

Get calcium daily.

Milk's main claim to fame may also help protect your colon. Those who took calcium faithfully for 4 years had a 36% reduction in the development of new precancerous colon polyps 5 years after the study had ended, revealed Dartmouth Medical School researchers. (They tracked 822 people who took either 1,200 mg of calcium every day or a placebo.) Though the study was not on milk itself, you can get the same amount of calcium in three 8-ounce glasses of fat-free milk, along with an 8-ounce serving of yogurt or a 2- to 3-ounce serving of low-fat cheese daily.

Sweat 30 minutes a day.

One of the best anticancer potions is a half hour of motion at least 5 days a week. Any kind of physical activity modulates levels of androgens and estrogen, two things that can protect women against estrogen-driven cancers such as ovarian and endometrial, as well as some types of breast cancer. The latest proof comes by way of a recent Canadian study that found that women who get regular, moderate exercise may lower their risk of ovarian cancer by as much as 30%. Bonus: All that moving might speed everything through your colon, which may help stave off colon cancer.

Stamp out smoking—all around you.

Lung cancer is well known as one of the main hazards of smoking. But everything the smoke passes on its way to the lungs can also turn cancerous: mouth, larynx, and esophagus. The fun doesn't stop there. Smokers are encouraging stomach, liver, prostate, colorectal, cervical, and breast cancers as well. The good news: If you give up the cigs today, within 15 years, your lung cancer risk will drop to almost presmoking lows. Share that news with the people who puff around you, because exposure to someone else's smoke can cause lung cancer, and it may boost your chances of cervical cancer by 40%.

Step away from the white bread.

If you eat a lot of things with a high glycemic load—a measurement of how quickly food raises your blood sugar—you may run a higher risk of colorectal cancer than women who eat low-glycemic-load foods, finds a Harvard Medical School study involving 38,000 women. The problem eats are mostly white: white bread, pasta, potatoes, and sugary pastries. The low-glycemic-load stuff comes with fiber.

Have your genes screened.

Do you have a strong family history of any kind of cancer or multiple cancers? Talk with your doctor about genetic counseling. For instance, nearly everyone born with familial adenomatous polyposis (the genetic predisposition to colon cancer) develops the disease by age 40 if preventive surgery isn't done. Knowing this early can aid in prevention and early detection.

Request a better breast scan.

If you're at high risk of breast cancer—you have the BRCA1 or BRCA2 genetic mutation, for example—ask your doctor to pair your routine mammogram with an MRI. A recent study found that together, the two picked up 94% of tumors; mammography alone detected just 40% and MRI, 77%.

Grill smarter.

Cooking your food over an open flame is a great way to cut calories. Unfortunately, it can also raise your cancer risk: The grill's high temps can trigger substances in muscle proteins to form cancer-causing compounds called hetero-cyclic amines, or HCAs. But avoiding this potential hazard is easy; simply keep gas jets low or wait until the charcoal turns into glowing embers before you start cooking. Protect yourself even more by lacing your burgers with rosemary (and perhaps other antioxidant-rich herbs such as basil, oregano, or thyme). This helps reduce the amount of some HCAs in meat, a Kansas State University study found. Also helpful: Microwaving meat ahead of time helps disable HCA formation and cuts down on grilling time.

Keep your house clean.

Yet another reason to love your Swiffer: Active postmenopausal women who got most of their exercise from housework cut their risk of breast cancer by 30%, Canadian researchers say.

Let garlic lie.

Thanks to this bulbed wonder, you can ward off vampires and stave off cancer. To preserve the potential cancer-fighting power of garlic, chop it up and let it sit a bit. Research suggests that heating garlic can block 90% of the activity of alliinase, the enzyme that helps to form a cancer-fighting compound. Alliinase is activated when the cloves are crushed or cut, but if cut garlic cools its heels for 5 to 10 minutes before heating, enough compounds are formed to survive cooking.

Check for radon.

Exposure to this odorless, radioactive gas that's produced by the natural decay of uranium is the second leading cause of lung cancer in the United States, according to the EPA. Test your home to see if you're safe. The National Safety Council's National Radon Hotline (800-767-7236) offers low-cost test kits; they're also available at hardware stores.

Play hot tomato.

Red fruits (watermelon, tomato, pink grapefruit) are loaded with lycopene, a substance that has been proven time and time again to be a potent cancer fighter. It seems that heating said fruits makes the lycopene easier for the body to use, which explains why men who eat a lot of ketchup, pizza (it's in the sauce), and spaghetti (ditto) are far less likely to get prostate cancer.

Ditch the wieners.

You can smother 'em in all the ketchup you want, but you can't negate a hot dog's, well, negatives. A new study of 190,545 people finds that eating a wiener daily may boost your risk of pancreatic cancer, which is nearly always fatal, by 67%. Same goes for sausage and other processed meats.

The Perfect Cancer- fighting Salad
Quick. Can you spot the cancer fighters at the salad bar? Build yourself some powerful protection with these ingredients.

Start with leafy greens.

They contain a hefty amount of the B vitamin folate, which has been shown to reduce one's chances of getting colorectal, ovarian, and breast cancers. In the latest study, researchers at Vanderbilt University found that women who ate the most dark greens were among the least likely to get breast cancer. Apparently, folate can halt changes in DNA that trigger runaway cell growth, the main characteristic of cancer.

Add shredded carrot.

In a study from Brigham and Women?s Hospital in Boston, women who ate just five servings of four raw carrot sticks a week had a 54% decrease in their risk of getting ovarian cancer, compared with women who ate them less than once a month. Carrots may also reduce your risk of kidney cancer.

Serve yourself some tomatoes.

If you don't feel like turning up the heat on your tomatoes, you can still get some of their cancer-shielding benefits. German research on 165 colonoscopy patients found that those who had the lowest blood level of lycopene, one of the chemicals that give tomatoes their color, had the highest rate of colorectal adenomas, a precursor to colo-rectal cancer. Toss a few into your guy's salad: They also reduce the risk of prostate cancer.

Heap on beans.

Women who ate beans at least twice a week were 24% less likely to develop breast cancer than those who ate them less often, report Harvard School of Public Health researchers, who analyzed data from 90,630 people. Legumes may lessen risk of breast cancer, thanks to their ability to suppress the production of enzymes that encourage tumor growth.

Add a little fish.

Want to add something hardy to your lunchtime salad? Go wild with salmon. When B6-rich foods (like salmon) are eaten with folate-filled foods (dark leafy greens), they can help reduce the recurrence of colorectal adenomas, a precursor to colorectal cancer, by 39%, a University of Arizona study found. Salmon may also help shield regular eaters from skin cancer, British research found.

Splash on some vinaigrette.

Mixing your favorite vinegar with olive oil can also help prevent breast cancer. Scientists from Northwestern University's Feinberg School of Medicine found that oleic acid in olive oil dramatically cuts the levels of the cancer gene Her-2/neu, associated with highly aggressive breast tumors with poor prognosis.

Garnish with citrus peel.

They're like eating sunscreen—but they taste better. Limonene—a compound that gives oranges, lemons, and limes their scent—is linked to a 34% reduction in skin cancer, finds a University of Arizona study of 400 people.

Breast Self Exam as Easy as 1-2-3

In October, it's Breast Cancer Awareness month. Many folks are out there participating in walks and runs to encourage awareness of breast cancer and raise funds for education and research. As they or you do that, don't forget to check yourself for breast lumps. Forget how or never learned? Let's review!

First, take a look. Standing at the mirror, look at the breasts for any changes. Rashes? Wrinkles? Dimples? If you find anything new, you should get it checked out by a doctor ASAP. Next, take another look in the mirror while you're leaning forward to see if your breasts fall the same. Again, any asymmetry (other than a slight difference in size) should be evaluated by your doctor.

Second, feel left. Feel all the tissue of the left breast, probing in a spiral pattern from its outer edges to the center, or follow a pattern of "spokes on a wheel," all the way around. Don't forget to feel the outermost tail of breast tissue that reaches up into the armpit area, and feel for any new lumps in the armpit, as well. If you detect any new changes or irregularities in texture or feel, or if you discover a specific lump like a pea, get to your doctor for a check.

Third, feel right. Same instructions as per the left. If you do feel something, don't panic. Schedule to see your doctor for the next steps.

While I'm performing clinical breast exams in my office during annual visits, I always review with my patients these simple self-examination how-to's. I should also add: If you've learned some other technique, any examination will work as long as it will allow you to compare what you find today with what you found last month.

Top 25 fittest and fattest cities in the U.S.

Sure, obesity is a problem in this country, but when you think fat, you probably don't think Miami. So you may be surprised to find Men's Fitness magazine ranks Miami as the nation's fattest city in its annual survey. The fittest? Salt Lake City.

So what about the South Beach Diet... and all those buff bodies you always see in the ocean-side metropolis? Even though Miami has a high number of health-food stores per capita, Men's Fitness found it also has nearly three times the fast-food restaurants as the average city. And while there are 79 percent more gyms and health clubs than average, residents are less likely to regularly use their memberships. Not many residents take advantage of outdoor activities, either.

On the other end of the spectrum... Salt Lake City got top marks for being the fittest city because of its abundance of park space, athletically motivated residents, and below- average obesity rates. It ranks highest in the survey in the number of people who take part in activities like beach volleyball, racquetball, aerobics, hiking, basketball, yoga, tai chi, swimming, cycling, running, and kickboxing.

As for the rest of the country, here are the top 25 fittest and fattest cities according to Men's Fitness:

Top Fittest Cities

1. Salt Lake City, UT
2. Colorado Springs, CO
3. Minneapolis, MN
4. Denver, CO
5. Albuquerque, NM
6. Portland, OR
7. Honolulu, HI
8. Seattle, WA
9. Omaha, NE
10. Virginia Beach, VA
11. Milwaukee, WI
12. San Francisco, CA
13. Tucson, AZ
14. Boston, MA
15. Cleveland, OH
16. St. Louis, MO
17. Austin, TX
18. Washington, DC
19. Sacramento, CA
20. Oakland, CA
21. Atlanta, GA
22. Fresno, CA
23. Tampa, FL
24. Nashville-Davidson, TN
25. Pittsburgh, PA

Top Fattest Cities

1. Miami, FL
2. Oklahoma City, OK
3. San Antonio, TX
4. Las Vegas, NV
5. New York, NY
6. Houston, TX
7. El Paso, TX
8. Jacksonville, FL
9. Charlotte, NC
10. Louisville-Jefferson, KY
11. Memphis, TN
12. Detroit, MI
13. Chicago, IL
14. Dallas-Fort Worth, TX
15. San Jose, CA
16. Tulsa, OK
17. Baltimore, MD
18. Columbus, OH
19. Raleigh, NC
20. Philadelphia, PA
21. L.A.-Long Beach, CA
22. Phoenix-Mesa, AZ
23. Indianapolis, IN
24. San Diego, CA
25. Kansas City, MO

Grandson kills native leader

TRURO, N.S. - James Douglas Gloade was high on three types of drugs when he struck his grandmother with all his might then slashed her throat with a kitchen knife after the revered native rights activist refused to give him money to buy more drugs.

The gruesome details of Nora Bernard's final moments in her Truro home on Dec. 26, 2007, were coldly relayed in a Nova Scotia courtroom Friday before Gloade, a self-described drug dealer with a long record, was sentenced to 15 years for manslaughter.

Reading from an agreed statement of facts, Crown prosecutor Nigel Allan said the frail, 72-year-old Mi'kmaq elder - whose lengthy court battles helped secure an historic $5-billion settlement for survivors of Indian residential schools - was almost decapitated by a man seized by a "killing fury."

The lawyer said Gloade had consumed $500 worth of crack cocaine, OxyContin and Valium before he went to his grandmother's home that night.

Gloade's heinous actions and his previous 37 convictions showed he was "defiant, dangerous and deadly," Allan said, noting that the young man had started taking drugs when he was 11 and claims to have been sexually assaulted as a teenager.

"It's a brutal and savage crime that, on the face of it, seems senseless," Allan told the small, packed courtroom. "He remains a real threat to anyone who defies him."


Gloade, 25, was originally charged on Dec. 31, 2007, with first-degree murder soon after he confessed to the crime.

He pleaded guilty to the lesser charge of manslaughter last September after Allan agreed that Gloade's drug-induced state prevented him from forming the intent to commit murder.

Accounting for time already served, there are 13 years remaining on his sentence.

Throughout the hearing, Gloade sat silently, staring at the floor. But as his mother, sister and four other relatives read their victim impact statements to the court, the young man leaned forward, put his head in his hands, then ground his knuckles into his eyes.

As the hearing drew to a close and the judge prepared to hand down his sentence, Gloade rose to address the court.

"I want to apologize to my family," he said in a monotone. "I'm ashamed for what I did. ... I let my family down. I'm sorry."

Court heard that Gloade often visited his grandmother and he was described several times as her favourite grandson.

Before the details of the killing were revealed, three of Bernard's daughters, two granddaughters and a sister described her as a loving, nurturing protector who had a great sense of humour and a knack for telling stories.

But above all, she was a strong woman who endured domestic abuse and, as the single parent, held down two jobs before embarking on a 15-year battle to win compensation for native children forced to attend residential schools.

In the early 1990s, Bernard began organizing abuse victims who attended the school in Shubenacadie, N.S. Her original lawsuit argued that tens of thousands of children had been robbed of their culture while attending the schools, run by six Christian denominations until the 1960s.

Her lawsuit was eventually merged with other legal actions, culminating in the largest class-action suit in Canada, which represented 79,000 survivors.

In court Friday, Gloade's mother, Natalie, was the last to read a statement.

"I believe that mom would have forgiven James for what he did if she lived," she said. "My whole family has been permanently divided. ... I am truly sorry for what my son, James, did to our mother."

Danielle Gloade, James Gloade's sister, described her grandmother as someone she relied on, "the one person I know I could always go to ... the one person who was cheering me on."

She said her plans to marry her fiance fell apart in the aftermath of her grandmother's death.

"When she died that night, a piece of me died too," Danielle Gloade said, adding that drugs destroyed her brother's life.

"The last few years he was so strung out on drugs, he was never around."

Bernard's sister, Linda Maloney, described how Bernard protected her while the two attended the school in Shubenacadie.

Maloney said she felt guilty because she was "unable to help her in the darkest hour of her life."

"I hope and prey that the creator ... was there to ease the pain."

Judge John MacDougall noted the "raw and vicious nature" of the killing, but he said there were mitigating factors, including Gloade's sense of remorse, his decision to confess quickly and the fact that it was his first conviction for a serious violent offence.

The maximum penalty for manslaughter is 20 years, but such a severe sentence has been rarely imposed in Canada.

"It's hard to imagine a crime closer to murder," the judge said. "He (James Gloade) was a tragedy looking for a place to happen."

Court heard that on the night she died, Bernard gave her grandson $20, but when he returned three hours later looking for more cash, she refused.

After going outside to smoke more crack, Gloade returned and hit Bernard three or four times about the head before slitting her throat twice while she lay on the floor.

The statement of facts quotes Gloade as saying his "head was buzzing" before he killed his grandmother.

Afterwards, Gloade went to his uncle's home to wash, then left to get more drugs.

He discarded a knife and his boots, which have never been found, but he left a bloody sweatshirt at his uncle's home. When he confessed, Gloade told police where to find the sweatshirt. Tests showed it had Bernard's DNA on it.

Gloade's lawyer, Stan MacDonald, said his client accepts responsibility for what happened to his grandmother.

"There was absolutely no motive for this whatsoever," he told the court, stressing that the lack of premeditation clearly ruled out a murder charge.

The Crown sought a 20-year sentence, while the defence asked for 10 years.

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DISPENSING AND PURCHASING CONTROLLED SUBSTANCES OVER THE INTERNET

The following Questions and Answers are being published by the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) Office of Diversion Control as an educational/public awareness component relative to the use of the Internet for the purposes of purchasing, prescribing, dispensing and importing of controlled substances. The DEA recognizes that while some Internet sites facilitate legitimate prescribing and dispensing practices, other sites facilitate the illegal sale of controlled substances. These sites of illicit activity enable some consumers to illegally purchase controlled substances without realizing they are committing a crime. The DEA regards this as a critical issue and is taking steps to address it. This document is intended to serve as general guidance to prescribers, pharmacists, the regulatory and law enforcement communities, as well as the general public regarding the application of current laws and regulations to controlled substances transactions conducted via the Internet.

This document explains what constitutes legitimate controlled substances transactions via the Internet.

* Questions for Patients/Consumers

o

Can an individual order drugs using the Internet without seeing a doctor?
o

What are the types of risks taken by individuals when ordering drugs via the Internet? How can those risks be minimized?
o

Can underage individuals acquire drugs on the Internet? How can this be prevented from happening?

* General Information

o What are the basic requirements for prescribing, dispensing, and importing controlled substances?

* DEA Registrant Questions about Internet Pharmacies

o

Is it legal for Internet pharmacies to approach a physician to write prescriptions based on on-line consultations with customers/consumer?
o

Can an independent pharmacy purchase supplies on the Internet? What procedures must be followed?
o

Does the label on a prescription filled via the Internet indicate the Internet pharmacy or the registered location that filled the prescription?
o

Does being an Internet pharmacy change a pharmacy’s responsibilities under DEA regulations?
o

Is it possible for an Internet pharmacy to fill prescriptions for Schedule II controlled substances?
o

Is it possible for an Internet pharmacy to fill prescriptions for Schedule III-V controlled substances?
o

Is it legal to buy controlled substances from foreign Internet sites and have them shipped to the U.S.?
o

Does it make a difference if an individual has a prescription from a U.S. doctor for controlled substances and buys from a foreign Internet site?
o

Are the rules different for "life style" drugs?
o

What does the VIPPS Seal seen on some Internet pharmacy sites mean?
o

Where should complaints regarding an "Internet Pharmacy" site on the Internet that appears to be illegally selling drug be directed?

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Questions for Patients/Consumers

Can an individual order drugs using the Internet without seeing a doctor?

Federal law requires that "A prescription for a controlled substance to be effective must be issued for a legitimate medical purpose by an individual practitioner acting in the usual course of his professional practice" (21 CFR 1306.04(a)). Every state separately imposes the same requirement under its laws. Under Federal and state law, for a doctor to be acting in the usual course of professional practice, there must be a bona fide doctor/ patient relationship.

For purposes of state law, many state authorities, with the endorsement of medical societies, consider the existence of the following four elements as an indication that a legitimate doctor/patient relationship has been established:

*
* A patient has a medical complaint;
* A medical history has been taken;
* A physical examination has been performed; and
Some logical connection exists between the medical complaint, the medical history, the physical examination and the drug prescribed.

A patient completing a questionnaire that is then reviewed by a physician hired by or working on behalf of an Internet pharmacy does not establish a doctor/patient relationship. A consumer can more easily provide false information in a questionnaire than in a face-to-face meeting with the physician. It is illegal to receive a prescription for a controlled substance without the establishment of a legitimate doctor/patient relationship, and it is unlikely for such a relationship to be formed through Internet correspondence alone. However, this is not intended to limit the ability of practitioners to engage in telemedicine. For purposes of this guidance document, telemedicine refers to the provision of health care using telecommunication networks to transmit and receive information including voice communications, images and patient records.

Some Internet sites recommend to the patient that they not take a new drug before they have a complete physical performed by a doctor. These sites then ask the patient to waive the requirement for a physical and to agree to have a physical before taking the drug they purchase via the Internet. An after the fact physical does not take the place of establishing a doctor/patient relationship. The physical exam should take place before the prescription is written. These types of activities by Internet pharmacies can subject the operators of the Internet site and any pharmacies or doctors who participate in the activity to criminal, civil, or administrative actions. For DEA registrants, administrative action may include the loss of their DEA registration. Additionally, providing false material information to obtain controlled substances could be considered obtaining a controlled substance by fraud and deceit, which is subject to Federal and State penalties.

What are the types of risks taken by individuals when ordering drugs via the Internet? How can those risks be minimized?

Persons considering purchasing drugs via an Internet pharmacy should exercise good common sense and scrutiny in selecting an Internet pharmacy. An "Internet pharmacy" site should provide a physical address for the pharmacy, in addition to the Internet address and a telephone number for the pharmacy. Some common indicators that the "Internet Pharmacy" site may not be legitimate and should not be used as a source for controlled substances include the following:

*
* The site is not a participant in any insurance plan and requires that all payments be made with a credit card.
* The site requires that you waive some rights before they send you the drugs.
* The site advises you about the law and why it is permissible for you to obtain pharmaceutical controlled substances from foreign countries via the Internet.
* The site does not ask the name, address, or phone number of your current physician.
* The site advises you to have the drugs sent to post office boxes or other locations to avoid detection by U.S. authorities.
The site does not require that you provide a bona fide prescription issued by your personal physician or mid-level practitioner.

Can underage individuals acquire drugs on the Internet? How can this be prevented from happening?

Underage individuals can acquire drugs on the Internet in the same manner as an adult. The only way to prevent this is to restrict Internet access. In many instances, the young person will need a credit card to pay for the drugs. In these instances, parents can prevent drug purchases by withholding access to a credit card.

As previously stated, a prescription not issued in the usual course of professional practice or not for legitimate medical/research purposes is not considered valid. Both the practitioner and the pharmacy have a responsibility to ensure that only legitimate prescriptions are written and filled.

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General Information

What are the basic requirements for prescribing, dispensing, and importing controlled substances?

Only practitioners acting in the usual course of their professional practice may prescribe controlled substances. These practitioners must be registered with DEA and licensed to prescribe controlled substances by the State(s) in which they operate. Pharmacies filling prescriptions for controlled substances must also be registered with DEA and licensed to dispense controlled substances by the State(s) in which they operate. A prescription not issued in the usual course of professional practice or not for legitimate and authorized research is not considered valid. Both the practitioner and the pharmacy have a responsibility to ensure that only legitimate prescriptions are written and filled.

Pharmacists must receive written and manually signed prescriptions for Schedule II substances. They may receive oral or faxed prescriptions for Schedule III-V substances provided they confirm the legitimacy of the prescription and the practitioner. Prescriptions for Schedule II controlled substances may not be refilled. Prescriptions for Schedule III-V controlled substances may be authorized to be refilled five times, but no prescription may be filled or refilled more than six months after the date on which the prescription was issued. Only those people who are registered with DEA as importers and who are in compliance with DEA requirements may have controlled substances shipped into the customs territory or jurisdiction of the U.S. from a foreign country.

DEA regulations covering prescriptions can be found in Title 21 of the Code of Federal Regulations, part 1306; rules on importers are found in 21 CFR 1312.

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DEA Registrant Questions about Internet Pharmacies

Is it legal for Internet pharmacies to approach a physician to write prescriptions based on on-line consultations with customers/consumer?

A physician may use the Internet to provide information and to communicate with the patient, but it cannot be the sole basis for authorizing prescriptions. If a doctor/patient relationship exists, a doctor can use the Internet to communicate with patients. Where a doctor/patient relationship exists, the doctor may use the Internet to receive requests for treatment. DEA cautions, however, that such requests for treatment should be logical based upon a doctor’s knowledge of the patient’s medical history and the medical complaint. The doctor may also use the Internet to receive requests for refills of prescriptions from patients.

Can an independent pharmacy purchase supplies on the Internet? What procedures must be followed?

Pharmacies can use the Internet to facilitate their purchases; however, the basic regulations regarding registration and recordkeeping apply. The pharmacy can only purchase from a registered supplier and the pharmacy must maintain complete and accurate records describing the name, address and registration number of the supplier, a description of the drugs purchased and the date the drugs are received. For Schedule II controlled substances, official DEA Order Forms must be used. Recordkeeping requirements for dispensers can be found in Section 1304 of the Code of Federal Regulations (see 21 CFR 1304.22(c) for continuing recordkeeping requirements). Recordkeeping requirements pertaining to the use of official Order Forms can be found in Section 1305 of the Code of Federal Regulations.

Does the label on a prescription filled via the Internet indicate the Internet pharmacy or the registered location that filled the prescription?

The label must list the name and registered location of the pharmacy that dispensed the controlled substance.

Does being an Internet pharmacy change a pharmacy’s responsibilities under DEA regulations?

No, Internet pharmacies are still authorized to sell controlled substances only when there is a valid prescription from a DEA-registered practitioner who issued the prescription in the usual course of his or her professional practice.

Is it possible for an Internet pharmacy to fill prescriptions for Schedule II controlled substances?

An Internet pharmacy may fill valid prescriptions for Schedule II substances if the patient or prescriber provides the pharmacy with the manually signed original prescriptions prior to dispensing. Practically, it is unlikely that most patients will want to wait the time required for such a transaction to be completed.

Is it possible for an Internet pharmacy to fill prescriptions for Schedule III-V controlled substances?

Internet pharmacies may receive an original signed prescription or a facsimile of the original signed prescription, or an oral prescription, where allowed, which must be verified and immediately reduced to writing. Internet pharmacies have the responsibility to ensure the legitimacy of the prescription and the prescriber. At this time, DEA does not permit a prescription received via the Internet to be filled. If prescription information is transmitted via the Internet, the receiving pharmacy must contact the prescriber via telephone and receive an oral prescription for the controlled substance, including the full name and address of the patient, the drug name, strength, dosage form, quantity prescribed, directions for use and the name, address and registration number of the practitioner (21 CFR 1306.05(a)). The pharmacy must immediately reduce this oral prescription to writing (21 CFR 1306.21(a)).

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Is it legal to buy controlled substances from foreign Internet sites and have them shipped to the U.S.?

No, having controlled substances shipped to the U.S. is illegal unless the purchaser is registered with DEA as an importer and is in compliance with 21 U.S.C. 952, 953 and 954 and 21 CFR part 1312. Some foreign Internet sites claim they can legally sell these controlled substances; other sites, knowing that such shipments are illegal, advise consumers of ways to avoid having the packages seized by U.S. Customs. The Controlled Substances Act prohibits any person from importing into the customs territory of the U.S. any controlled substance or List I chemical (21 U.S.C 971) and (21 CFR part 1313) unless that person maintains a valid, current authorization to import such substances or chemicals (21 U.S.C. 957(a)).

Illegal importation of controlled substances is a felony that may result in imprisonment and fines (21 U.S.C. 960).

Does it make a difference if an individual has a prescription from a U.S. doctor for controlled substances and buys from a foreign Internet site?

No, the law remains the same. The only condition in which controlled substances may be shipped to a purchaser in the U.S. from another country is if the purchaser is registered with DEA as an importer and is in compliance with DEA's requirements.

Are the rules different for "life style" drugs?

Some people have applied the phrase "life style drugs" to certain medications, such as Viagra®, weight control medications and tranquilizers. Many of the so-called life style drugs, such as Viagra®, are not controlled substances. If a "life style" drug is a controlled substance, however, it is still subject to all regulations for controlled substances. In order to have a prescription filled for a "life style" drug that is a controlled substance, DEA requires a prescription from a DEA registered prescriber and the prescription must be filled by a DEA registered pharmacy.

What does the VIPPS Seal seen on some Internet pharmacy sites mean?

The National Association of Boards of Pharmacy (NABP) has developed a voluntary program called the Verified Internet Pharmacy Practice Sites (VIPPS). The NABP issues a "seal of approval" to Internet pharmacies that meet standards regarding State licensing and DEA registration. To be VIPPS certified, a pharmacy must comply with the licensing and inspection requirements of their State and each State to which they dispense pharmaceuticals. In addition, pharmacies displaying the VIPPS seal have demonstrated to NABP compliance with VIPPS criteria including patient rights to privacy, authentication and security of prescription orders, adherence to a recognized quality assurance policy and provision of meaningful consultation between patients and pharmacists. The NABP also provides information on whether a pharmacy is licensed and in good standing (http://www.nabp.net).

Where should complaints regarding an "Internet Pharmacy" site on the Internet that appears to be illegally selling drug be directed?

If the complaint involves a pharmaceutical controlled substance, you may file a report on-line, or contact the DEA, Office of Diversion Control, Drug Operations Section, Washington, DC 20537, telephone (202) 307-7194 or contact your local DEA office .

If the complaint involves any pharmaceutical drug other than a controlled substance, contact the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, HFC-230, 5600 Fishers Lane, Rockville, MD 20857, or file a report on the FDA's web site at http://www.fda.gov/oc/buyonline/buyonlineform.htm.

If the complaint involves a pharmacist or a physician, the respective State Board of Pharmacy or the State Board of Medicine where the pharmacist or doctor is located should be contacted.

Persons wishing to file complaints may wish to view other sites on the Internet such as the NABP (http://www.nabp.net).

In the event further websites are identified which advertise the sale of controlled pharmaceutical substances, the nearest DEA Diversion Group office should be contacted and provided that information. A list of DEA offices and telephone numbers can be found at the DEA Office of Diversion website.

READ THIS BEFORE PURCHASING PRESCRIPTION DRUGS OVER THE INTERNET

DEA Warning--Buying drugs online may be illegal and dangerous!


Federal law prohibits buying controlled substances such as narcotic pain relievers (e.g., OxyContin®, Vicodin ®), sedatives (e.g., Valium®, Xanax®, Ambien®), stimulants (e.g., phentermine, phendimetrazine, Adderall®, Ritalin®) and anabolic steroids (e.g., Winstrol®, Equipoise®) without a valid prescription from your doctor. This means there must be a real doctor-patient relationship, which by most state laws requires a physical examination. Prescriptions written by "cyber doctors" relying on online questionnaires are not legitimate under the law.

Buying controlled substances online without a valid prescription may be punishable by imprisonment under Federal law. Often drugs ordered from rogue websites come from foreign countries. It is a felony to import drugs into the United States and ship to a non-DEA registrant.

Buying drugs online may not be only illegal, but dangerous. The American Medical Association and state boards of medicine and pharmacy have all condemned the practice of cyber doctors issuing online prescriptions as unacceptable medical care. Drugs delivered by rogue websites may be the wrong drugs, adulterated or expired, the wrong dosage strength, or have no dosage directions or warnings.

DEA is targeting rogue online pharmacies for prosecution and shutting down these illegal websites. See the results of one such investigation, Operation Cyber Chase, at www.usdoj.gov/dea/pubs/pressrel/pr042005.html.

How to spot a rogue pharmacy: www.DEAdiversion.usdoj.gov/faq/internetpurch.htm

To report illegal prescription drug sales and/or rogue pharmacies operating on the Internet call the anonymous Pharmaceutical Drug Abuse Hotline: 1-877-RxAbuse (1-877-792-2873)

Ludlow latest in string of pharmacy stick-ups

LUDLOW — A man police believe is connected to a rash of pharmacy robberies made off with as much as $5,000 in prescription painkillers Thursday afternoon.

Around 2:30 p.m., a man entered the Rite Aid pharmacy at 215 Main St. and passed a note to a clerk demanding some prescription medication, said Ludlow Police Chief Jeff Billings.

Billings said the man's note told the clerk to keep quiet and during the robbery the man — either verbally or in his note — indicated he was armed. The robber fled the store with two bottles of OxyContin, totaling more than 100 pills, Billings said.

Police do not know if he fled the scene on foot, drove away or was driven away by an accomplice, Billings said. Within minutes, state troopers were combing the back roads of Ludlow looking for the robber, described as a white male in his early 20s with a dark complexion, wearing a white hooded sweatshirt and dark pants, Billings said.

"It's our belief it's related to the other pharmacy robberies," Billings said, noting recent robberies in Rutland, Windsor and Whitehall, N.Y., since New Year's Eve

Police have said in each case — with the exception of the Rutland robbery on New Year's Eve — the robber has demanded OxyContin or oxycodone, a prescription drug that when misused can produce a heroin-like high.

Rutland City police have declined to disclose what the robber of the Rutland Rite Aid stole.

Descriptions of the suspects have varied from robbery to robbery. In Rutland, the robber is described as a man in his mid-20s, 5 feet 9 inches tall with a big nose and dark hair. In the Whitehall and West Rutland robberies, the robber was described as a man between 5 feet 11 inches and 6 feet 3 inches tall with dirty blond or brown hair.

Thursday afternoon, police questioned a suspect matching the description of the Ludlow robber just down the street from the pharmacy, but police quickly eliminated him as a suspect, Billings said.

Billings said he did not know the retail value of the medication stolen Thursday, but said he had heard of people paying as much as $50 per pill, depending on its potency.

RxPatrol-Crime Stoppers and the National Community Pharmacists Association are offering a $1,000 reward for the arrest of the robber.

Tips can be made by calling (888) 479-8477 or by calling state police at 773-9101, Rutland City police at 773-1816 or Ludlow police at 228-4411.

Police seek suspect in pharmacy robbery

WINDBER — Police have identified the man suspected of stealing a large quantity of pain pills at gunpoint last week from Rite Aid Pharmacy in Windber.

An arrest warrant was issued for Raymond Foreman Jr., 21, of Portage.

“He’s is a desperate individual,” Rick Skiles, Windber police officer in charge, said Thursday.

“A terrible drug addiction,” Skiles said.

“We’re doing everything we can to apprehend him.”

Police said Foreman entered the Jefferson Avenue store at 5:42 p.m. Jan. 11 and passed a note to the pharmacist that read: “Give me all OxyContin and oxycodone. I have a gun. Don’t make me use it.”

Foreman then jumped into a car and fled with 800 OxyContin tablets, police said.

Cpl. Daniel W. Croyle Jr. and Officer Amanda Tessari interviewed witnesses and contacted other police departments.

A black handgun was recovered in a nearby alley and identified as a BB gun used in the robbery, Skiles said.

Foreman is charged with robbery, criminal conspiracy, theft, receiving stolen property, terroristic threats and drug violations.

His whereabouts remain unknown.

Zachary James Johnson, 28, also of Portage, was identified by police as the driver of the getaway car. He is expected to turn himself in to authorities, Skiles said.

A 17-year old girl also suspected of involvement will face charges in juvenile court, Skiles said.

Tips from Portage area residents led to identifying the suspects, Croyle said.

With help from Portage Officer Donald Wyar, Foreman’s movements were traced to Altoona. Windber police learned from Altoona police Sgt. Ben Jones that Foreman had stayed three days at a Ramada Inn, where he continued drug activity, Croyle said.

“All three participated in the sale and use of these,” he said.

Skiles credited the cooperation of several police departments with finding the suspects.

“This is one of those incidents that shows the great cooperation among law enforcement agencies,” Skiles said. “We’re all trying to do the same thing out there.”

Anyone with information on Foreman’s whereabouts is asked to contact Somerset County 911 at its nonemergency number: (800) 362-5060.

Truth about Suboxone

Truth about Suboxone

While suboxone has opened a new frontier of treatment for opiate addiction, it also threatens to split the recovering and treatment communities along opposing

battle lines. Such and outcome would be a huge missed opportunity to improve the lives of opiate addicts.

The downside of suboxone:

Practitioners in traditional AODA treatment programs will see suboxone as at best a mixed blessing. Desperation is often required to open the addict’s mind to change, and desperation is harder to achieve when an addict has the option to leave treatment and find a practitioner who will prescribe suboxone. Suboxone is sometimes used ‘on the street’ by addicts who want to take time off from addiction without committing to long term sobriety. Suboxone itself can be abused for short periods of time, until tolerance develops to the drug. Snorting suboxone reportedly results in a faster time of onset, without allowing the absorption of the naloxone that prevents intravenous use. Finally, the remission model of suboxone use implies long term use of the drug. Chronic use of any opiate, including suboxone, has the potential for negative effects on testosterone levels and sexual function, and the use of suboxone is complicated when surgery is necessary. Short- or moderate-term use of suboxone raises a host of additional questions, including how to convert from drug-induced remission, without desperation, to sober recovery, which often requires desperation.

Truth about Methadone

Truth about Methadone

Drug addictions, like cancer, are terrifying conditions to the victims because of the feelings of hopelessness and abandonment generated by the rigors of and general failure of the orthodox “treatments.”

Although crude opium addiction has a very long history, the large-scale addictive use of morphine salts, in this country, is generally dated from their use on wounded Civil War soldiers. Following 1864, morphine addiction was realized to be an emerging socially significant problem in this country; therefore searches were instituted to find less addicting drugs. The year 1890 saw the introduction of heroin. For about five more decades, to the year 1912, nothing was done to stop the rising tide of morphine and heroin users in this country. The realization of that fact prompted in that year the organizing of legal opiate clinics, not however to treat the addict, only to support the user’s habit in an attempt to stem the rising crime rate and sales of black market drugs. These legal opiate clinics remained open until 1924 when they were closed down as dismal failures. It took until the mid-1950’s, another fallow period of about 30 years, before another major attempt started, the Methadone Program, which has continued up to the present. This program embraces the concept of orally giving a legally addicting drug (methadone) in place of an illegal addicting drug (heroin).

The lack of success in handling drug addiction, until now, is due to placing the emphasis on the legal aspects of the problem, mainly that of the crime and punishment concept, and ignoring the mental and physical condition of the addicts and neglecting to treat the health and metabolic problems of the victims. Drug addicts suffer from severe metabolic dysfunctions and are very sick people. Any attempted solution to the drug addiction problem which fails to bring total health back to the addict is doomed to failure.

Burglars strike Enid pharmacy

Enid police are investigating another burglary at an Enid pharmacy in which painkillers and other prescription drugs were stolen.

Police received a report Tuesday morning of a burglary to Family Pharmacy, 915 E. Garriott, that occurred sometime between 6 p.m. Monday and 7:28 a.m. Tuesday.

According to police, the suspect shattered the south door on the building, gaining access to the “common area” of Enid Health Center. Once inside the common area, the suspect shattered a window on the east side of Family Pharmacy. Once inside the pharmacy the suspect stole a large amount of Oxycontin, Hydrocodone and Zanex.

“The business is still conducting a complete inventory to determine exactly what was stolen,” Enid Police De-partment Capt. Dean Gras-sino said.

Police have made no arrests and there are no suspects.

A similar burglary oc-curred Dec. 7 at Evan’s Pharmacy, 110 N. Oakwood, when six boxes of Fentanyl patches and a bottle of Oxycodone, both commonly abused prescription pain killers, were reported missing.

Anyone having information that will lead to an arrest or prosecution is asked to call Garfield County Crime Stoppers at 233-6233 or Enid Police Department at 242-7000. Callers can earn up to a $1,000 reward and will not be required to testify or be identified.

Critics hit Army's treatment of drug abuse

Spec. Jeremiah Thomson didn't know what was worse: excruciating back pain from a combat explosion in Baghdad or the prescription drug addiction he developed trying to ease the suffering once home.

The Army was quick to prescribe Percocet, Vicodin, Oxycontin and similarly powerful painkillers to Thomson and other injured soldiers at Fort Leonard Wood, Thomson testified in a court-martial hearing. He's now serving a three-year sentence for illegally buying prescription drugs — the sellers included a former commanding officer in Iraq — and selling the pills to eight other soldiers.

As more troops return home with war injuries, the Army is prescribing more pain medication to treat those wounds. But a military system that relies on discipline as well as treatment is drawing fire from some prominent critics, including those inside the system.

"It's a terrible problem," said Barbara McDonald, a civilian social worker and Army drug abuse counselor, describing a recent surge in prescription drug abuse and the Army's handling of the problem.

Legal painkiller use by injured troops has increased nearly 70 percent since the start of the Iraq war six years ago, according to Army records. Surveys show that more soldiers are struggling with prescription drug addiction — and seeking help from Army doctors and counselors.

Thomson is among seven soldiers convicted by court martial in 2008 of illegal drug use or distribution who served in the installation's 5th Engineer Battalion. The unit supports combat troops by building and guarding roads and bridges and repairing vehicles. An additional five await trial on similar charges. A dozen have been kicked out of the Army and two others went AWOL after being implicated in the investigation.

Dr. Les McFarling, who heads the Army's substance abuse treatment program, acknowledges the increased potential for abuse.

"You can put soldiers at risk when you're managing their pain," he said.

But McDonald and other critics call the military's approach a broken system, as likely to punish or denigrate troops as to treat their addictions.

The criminal cases in Missouri, coupled with allegations of misconduct and staffing shortages in the Army Substance Abuse Program levied by McDonald and another whistleblower, caught the attention of Sen. Claire McCaskill, D-Mo. She has asked Secretary of the Army Pete Geren to investigate.

"Clearly, at Fort Leonard Wood and potentially across the military, they have not prioritized this as a health issue," McCaskill said. "The culture has traditionally looked at this as a discipline issue."

Under the Uniform Code of Military Justice, such punishments can include reductions in rank and pay, imprisonment and discharges from military service for bad conduct.

The Army says those disciplined in the Fort Leonard Wood investigation committed criminal misconduct by selling or illegally possessing drugs, as opposed to those who become dependent on narcotics prescribed for legitimate injuries.

"A soldier who steps forward is someone who should be admired, not as someone with a black mark next to their name," McCaskill said.

In a Dec. 22 response to McCaskill's inquiry, Geren indicated the Army will consider abolishing its policy that a commanding officer be notified when a soldier comes forward voluntarily for ASAP counseling.

Still, officials at Fort Leonard Wood and the Pentagon defend their approach, even as they acknowledge staffing shortages that have left ASAP nationwide nearly 90 counselors short of required employment levels. Staffing levels at the Missouri post are now above the required minimums, the Army says.

McDonald disputes that, saying at least one recently hired counselor for Fort Leonard Wood's ASAP unit lacks required mental health certification. Army officials did not respond to a request for comment on her assertion.

Army statistics provided to The Associated Press show that the number of soldiers enrolled in ASAP at Fort Leonard Wood at the end of 2008 was the highest since the start of the Iraq war six years ago.

McCaskill's office learned of the problems at Fort Leonard Wood from former ASAP counselor John Speckhals, a Vietnam veteran and former Veterans Administration social worker now stationed in Germany. Speckhals declined an AP request for an interview.

An inquiry by the senator's office said as many as 180 cases referred to the base's ASAP unit were misclassified in what McCaskill suggested in a Nov. 12 letter to Geren were "deliberate clinical findings that soldiers who were dependent on alcohol or drugs were not dependent in order to keep the caseload down for an overwhelmed staff."

"There was an effort to give a cosmetic fix to a problem that was systemic," McCaskill said in an interview.

In his letter to McCaskill, Geren said a review of those cases and 17 others showed some record-keeping errors, but no evidence that cases were deliberately mislabeled.

"Virtually all soldiers were offered some further assistance or referral," Geren wrote.

McDonald, whose son is a soldier, spent 20 years as a civilian substance abuse counselor before joining the Army's fight against drug and alcohol abuse one year ago. She has filed a workplace complaint against her supervisor and faces disciplinary action she says stems from her criticisms. Army officials have not commented.

McDonald claims that some Army doctors and counselors point to drug dependency as a sign of weakness. Since McDonald's complaints surfaced, she is no longer allowed to see patients.

Lori Mullins of Idaho Falls, Idaho, said her 18-year-old daughter, Destiny, was told McDonald had quit and that McDonald was told Destiny Mullins no longer wanted treatment.

"They told (Destiny) she didn't belong in the military, that she was a shame to the uniform," the elder Mullins said. "Instead of being protected by the Army, they're blaming her for it."

Destiny Mullins received an honorable discharge in November.

Chuck Ashbrook, who oversees ASAP prevention and education efforts at Leonard Wood, maintained that counselors pay close attention to links between substance abuse, post-traumatic stress disorder and combat injuries.

He said that, thanks to medical advances, soldiers who might have returned from previous conflicts as casualties are instead surviving with injuries that may require stronger pain management.

However, Ashbrook also noted historical increases in drug dependency among soldiers during wartime.

"We've always seen these kind of problems," he said. "This is not unique."

Thomson, a tank mechanic whose father and both grandfathers were enlisted men, said he was diagnosed with an autoimmune disease after being injured from repeated blasts of improvised explosive devices while deployed in Iraq in 2006.

The pain left him bedridden and short of breath, he testified at his trial in April. But nothing prepared him for the withdrawal after his supply of painkillers ran out.

"I had sweats, cold sweats, shakes, vomiting, nausea (and) extreme pain where it was even worse than before I had ever taken the medication," he said.

Asked by a military prosecutor if commanding officers had referred him to the ASAP unit, Thomson said no, even after testing positive for cocaine use while in treatment. He wasn't even aware the unit existed until a friend was sent, he said.

10 Careers that Top $30 per Hour

In just 60 minutes, you could earn enough to pay for a tank of gas, the cable bill, gym membership, or dinner out. Thirty dollars still covers some of life's essential costs. Earn that much in just one hour on the job, and you have enough to build a comfortable life.

The latest U.S. Census Bureau figures put the median household income in the U.S. at $50,233. A $30-per-hour job brings in $62,400 before taxes, or 20% more than the national median. For many people, this extra margin is just one promotion or one credential away. To boost your economic security, consider these 10 careers with salary data as reported by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics:


Database Administrator
Mean Hourly Wage: $33.78
Salary: $70,260

Database administrators perform a vital role in our information economy, managing the database systems that help companies store, process, and access data effectively. Job growth is stunning in this high-demand field as well -- the profession is expected to grow 37 percent through 2016. Continuing education is a must to keep up with evolving technology, but entry requirements are modest. You can launch this $30-plus-an-hour career with an associate's degree in database administration or information technology.

Registered Nurse
Mean Hourly Wage: $30.04
Salary: $62,480

Historic demand for registered nurses is inspiring many people to reinvent themselves as health care practitioners. Nursing is projected to generate more new jobs than any other profession -- an estimated 587,000 positions through 2016, which represents a 23% increase in a decade. To take advantage of this boom, head to nursing school for your bachelor's degree in nursing (BSN). Accelerated programs are available for career changers who already have a bachelor degree in another field.

Technical Writer
Median Hourly Wage: $30.18
Salary: $62,780

Technical writers interpret engineering and scientific information for a lay audience, producing product documentation, user manuals, project proposals, and scientific reports. Most writers come to the field with a college bachelor's degree in a communications or liberal arts field. Some colleges offer specialized certificate programs in technical communication, which incorporate IT literacy training.

Fashion Designer
Median Hourly Wage: $34.22
Salary: $71,170

Fashion design has the reputation as an all-or-nothing labor of love -- you begin as a starving artist and ultimately attain celebrity stature designing haute couture. In fact, the majority of fashion designers -- 3 in 4 designers -- work secure, salaried jobs for apparel manufacturers. What these artists give up in suffering and glamour they make up for in a solid and stable paycheck. A job as a salaried fashion designer starts with an associate's or bachelor's degree in fashion design.

Accountant
Median Hourly Wage: $30.11
Salary: $62,640

Accountants should have no trouble finding work as businesses throughout the economy sort through the financial rubble of the credit crisis. Mounting federal regulation will also contribute to demand for trained accountants. Accountants working for accounting and bookkeeping services earn upwards of $30 per hour. These employers hire trained professionals with a bachelor's degree in accounting or finance.

Environmental Scientist
Median Hourly Wage: $30.71
Salary: $63,870

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Sacramento's top jail doctor may have medical license suspended

State officials expect to find out Thursday whether the medical license for the Sacramento County Jail's top doctor will be suspended following his arrest last week on charges of writing unauthorized prescriptions for OxyContin.

The California Medical Board sought to suspend Dr. Peter Dietrich's medical license in a hearing today after saying in documents that "his actions threaten the safety of the public" and that there is evidence he wrote precriptions for thousands of OxyContin tablets for himself in the name of his ailing 88-year-old mother.

The administrative law judge hearing the matter took it under advisement.

"We hope to have an order by tomorrow," board spokeswoman Candis Cohen said.

Dietrich was arrested Jan. 14 and placed on paid leave from his job overseeing medical services at the jail. He was released from jail on $5,000 bail last week and was scheduled to be arraigned this morning, but that was postponed to Feb. 20.

He faces 24 charges related to the allegations, including 18 felony counts. Dietrich has declined to comment previously and could not be reached this morning. His cell phone is not accepting calls and he did not immediately respond to a message left at his Davis home.

Dietrich has had his license since August 1987 and has no previous record of discipline or wrongdoing.

As part of the effort to suspend him, officials submitted documents indicating that from July through December of last year Dietrich issued 70 prescriptions in the name of his mother, Margaret Dietrich.

OxyContin is a highly addictive opiate and officials got involved in the investigation of Dietrich after his mother's insurance company reported that more than one doctor was prescribing drugs to her.

Her primary care physician, Dr. Paul Riggle, had prescribed some generic Oxycodone to her at one point to help with pain she was suffering, but he became concerned when the insurance company provided information about the amounts of other prescriptions of OxyContin she was receiving, documents show.

Riggle called one of the pharmacies involved and was told that Dr. Dietrich had been prescribing the drug in his mother's name. "Dr Riggle was troubled by this because physicians do not normally prescribe narcotics to family members," the documents state.

Riggle confronted Dietrich in July, but Dietrich denied prescribing the medicine, documents state.

The next day, Riggle met with Dietrich and his wife and Dietrich admitted issuing the prescriptions, the documents state.

Riggle told Dietrich to stop prescribing the drugs to his mother, but documents state that after that Dietrich issued prescriptions for 3,170 OxyContin tablets.

Authorities believe Dietrich was issuing the prescriptions for his own use.

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Teens Supply Of Oxycontin Busted

CHEROKEE COUNTY, Ga. -- Narcotics officers say they have shut down a major supplier of prescription drugs to high school and young college students in South Cherokee County.

Three weeks ago the Cherokee Multi Agency Narcotics Squad (CMANS) received information that teenagers were being supplied and abusing the prescription pain killer OxyContin. During that investigation, a significant dealer of the drug was identified according to Cherokee County Sheriff Roger Garrison.

On Friday, they served a search warrant at the home of 49-year old Marc Peyton. Investigators say they learned during the investigation that Peyton's home on Copperhead Road in Acworth was a place teens knew they could get the drug.

Sheriff Garrison said information from a number of undercover purchases of the drug pointed them to Peyton's home. "We think at times he may have been selling 150-pills a week, which is not huge, but it's certainly a major supplier for the region," Sheriff Garrison said.

Peyton and nine others were charged with various drug charges including possession and distribution:

-- Gregory Davis, 35, of Cartersville was charged with possession of a controlled substance and sale of OxyContin.

-- Larry Kines, 49, of Powder Springs was charged with possession of OxyContin with intent to distribute.

-- Craig Jakubczyk, 26, of Kennesaw was charged with trafficking methamphetamine and possession of marijuana.

-- Thomas Knight Jr., 25, of Dallas was charged with trafficking methamphetamine and possession of marijuana.

-- Jason Gazaway, 26, of Acworth was charged with possession of OxyContin.

-- Kelsey Bos, 19, of Woodstock was charged with possession of OxyContin.

-- Jesse Clark, 17, of Boaz, Alabama was charged with possession of methamphetamine.

-- Robert Clark Jr., 20, of Boaz, Alabama was charged with possession of methamphetamine.

-- Robert Clark Sr., 45, of Kennesaw was charged with possession of methamphetamine.

Cherokee County deputies seized 195-prescription pills of OxyContin, methamphetamine and some cash. Sheriff Garrison says Peyton got the pills by faking pain illnesses, and paying other people to fake illnesses to get the prescriptions.

While serving the search warrant a 19-year old female, a 2007 graduate of Woodstock High School was in the residence purchasing OxyContin, according to investigators. The sheriff says two other females pulled up to the house looking to purchase the drug. "They were actually silly enough to pull down the driveway with patrol cars sitting there," Sheriff Garrison said.

OxyContin is a popular pain killing medication that has become popular among teenagers who think prescription drugs are safer. Sheriff Garrison says abusers crush the time-release tablets, making the initial dose more potent. He says sometimes they will mix it with alcohol which is a potentially lethal venture.

The arrests will lessen the availability of the drug in south Cherokee County according to the sheriff. He says other suppliers were identified during the investigation and there may be more arrests.

Excessive' prescriptions raised red flag on Sacramento jail medical director

Writing prescriptions was outside the scope of Dr. Peter Dietrich's work as medical director of the Sacramento County jail system, according to a Sheriff's Department official.

And yet Dietrich was writing so many for OxyContin – an "excessive" amount, said a state narcotics authority – that a database tracking controlled substances flagged him, officials said Thursday.

Dietrich, 51, was arrested Wednesday on suspicion of writing unauthorized prescriptions, fraudulently obtaining controlled substances and illegally possessing them, according to Special Agent Michelle Gregory, a spokeswoman for the state Bureau of Narcotics Enforcement.

Sheriff's officials removed him from his position supervising the medical care of county inmates after his arrest, said department spokesman Sgt. Tim Curran.

Dietrich, who has served as medical director since July 2007, will remain on paid administrative leave until internal investigators determine whether he violated any department policies or procedures, Curran said.

That investigation will be independent of, and concurrent to, the BNE's criminal investigation.

Curran said Dietrich's position was supervisorial in nature. He was not directly involved with individual inmates' care, Curran said, nor was writing prescriptions part of his job description.

Officials have not said how many fraudulent prescriptions Dietrich wrote or how much OxyContin was found in his possession. On Thursday, however, Gregory said the doctor was writing an "excessive amount" – some of them for himself, and some for another person whose identity has not yet been confirmed.

Gregory said investigators have found no evidence of trafficking and believe he was using the potent drug himself. She added, though, that officials have not yet ruled out the possibility that Dietrich was giving it away.

Dietrich, reached by telephone, declined to comment. He was booked into the Sacramento County Main Jail on Wednesday and released after posting $5,000 bail.

OxyContin is a highly addictive drug used to alleviate moderate to high pain, according to the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration. Introduced in 1996, it didn't become a problem for law enforcement until recent years, said BNE Special Agent Holly Swartz.

"It's definitely rising," Swartz said of OxyContin abuse. "We're seeing much more of it."

Just a few years ago, 1 milligram of OxyContin sold for an average price of $1 in the black market, Swartz said. The price has dropped to about 50 cents – a flooded market means lower prices, she said.

The drug is typically sold in a timed-release form. But crushed up and snorted or mixed for injection, the drug delivers an immediate high, Swartz said. She likened the effects to those of heroin.

Oftentimes, OxyContin addictions stem from legitimate use. But when dependence grows, "it gets out of control," Swartz said.

Abusers don't fit many of the profiles of typical drug users, she said. Many are "high-functioning addicts" who live otherwise normal lives.

"They're people like you and me," Swartz said.

The fight against OxyContin abuse

Black Hills High School graduate Samantha Studebaker, 22, became addicted to OxyContin two years ago, after a co-worker's offer of a quick - and free - fix for her headache while she worked a shift at the Tumwater Costco.
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About OxyContin

OxyContin is a pain medication that belongs to the opioid family, which includes Dilaudid, Vicodin, Percocet, methadone and morphine. OxyContin, manufactured by Purdue Pharma, is distinctive for its patented "time release" of oxycodone — the active opioid in OxyContin. It is meant to alleviate pain by releasing oxycodone gradually.

• Abuse and addiction: Samantha Studebaker said she and others who abuse the drug can easily defeat OxyContin's timed-release coating by crushing the pills and snorting or smoking them for a quicker high. OxyContin, like most opioids, is addictive, meaning that users develop a physical tolerance and can suffer from withdrawal symptoms if use of the drug is stopped abruptly. At the height of Studebaker's addiction, she said, she was taking up to eight or nine 80 milligram OxyContin pills a day.

• Effects: According to the Drug Enforcement Administration's Web site, the basic pharmacological effects of OxyContin are relief from pain, "sedation, euphoria, feelings of relaxation, respiratory depression, constipation, papillary constriction, and cough suppression." Studebaker described OxyContin's effects as giving her a warm and fuzzy feeling inside, "like nothing can rain on your parade."

• Danger: Respiratory depression can be fatal when the drug is abused, according to the DEA. Since 2005, 116 people have died from drug overdoses in Thurston County, Coroner Gary Warnock said. The number of deaths from drug overdoses each year has remained relatively steady during that time, with 29 in 2005; 27 in 2006; 33 in 2007; and 27 in 2008.

Warnock said that in 2008 alone, there were several overdose deaths that were caused by "drug cocktails" of prescription drugs, including OxyContin, and other drugs.

Ann Lima of the state Department of Health's center for health statistics has said that in 2004, 267 Washington residents died from prescription opioids, the latest data available. That was up from 23 in 1995.

Ron Friedman is an assistant U.S. attorney in Seattle who last year prosecuted a burglary ring of 30 people who were breaking into pharmacies across the Northwest and California to steal OxyContin and other prescription drugs. Friedman said the abuse of OxyContin and other opioids can be fatal, unlike the abuse of some other drugs. "These prescription drugs are really dangerous," he said.

• Who is given OxyContin: The drug is commonly prescribed for cancer patients and others who suffer chronic, long-term pain. It also is prescribed to people who have pain during recovery from surgery — including dental surgery.

• History: In 2007, the pharmaceutical company that patented OxyContin, Purdue Pharma, pleaded guilty to misleading the public about the drug's risk of addiction. Purdue Pharma's president, top lawyer and former chief medical officer were ordered to pay $634.5 million in fines for claiming that the drug was less addictive and that users were less likely to abuse OxyContin than other pain medications. Purdue Pharma also agreed to pay $19.5 million to 26 states and Washington, D.C., to settle complaints that it encouraged physicians to overprescribe OxyContin.

The Olympian

Soon, Studebaker says, she was paying up to $40 or $80 a pill — $1 a milligram — to that same co-worker to feed her addiction to the painkiller. At first, Studebaker used her credit cards to pay for the pills.

Then she began stealing.

In September, Studebaker was caught after embezzling more than $32,000 from Costco over about five months to pay for the OxyContin pills that her co-worker sold at increasingly high prices. Studebaker, who worked in Costco's returns department, said she entered fraudulent returns for items, then pocketed the cash.

Studebaker's story is part of a nationwide epidemic of prescription-drug abuse. In the late 1990s, OxyContin abuse ravaged communities in the East, particularly in New England and parts of the South, where it earned the name "hillbilly heroin."

In the Northwest, including Thurston County, OxyContin addiction fuels both property crime and violent crime. In 2008, the Thurston County Narcotics Task Force seized about 700 OxyContin tablets that had been diverted for illegal use, said task force commander Lt. Loreli Thompson.

Studebaker said she had never been in trouble with the law before her September arrest, and she wouldn't have started stealing if not for her addiction.

She said her co-worker had a prescription for OxyContin but didn't need the medication.

"She had a neck injury and kept telling her doctor that she needed more, but she was OK," Studebaker said. Then, "she stopped taking them and just started selling them all to me."

Tumwater police confirmed that Studebaker's former co-worker was investigated for selling the OxyContin, but the Thurston County Prosecutor's Office declined to prosecute the case.

Studebaker said that at the height of her addiction, she was taking up to eight or nine 80-milligram OxyContin pills a day.