Xanax news stories on Newser

Welcome to 'Ground Zero' for America's Pill Poppers

Mark Russell — Sun, 15 Apr 2012 12:28:57 CDT

A tiny coal-mining town of barely 300 people and no supermarket is home to one booming business: pharmacies. In Kermit, West Virginia, two Sav-Rites alone moved 3.2 million doses of hydrocodone in 2006—a tad more than the 97,000 doses the average pharmacy sells in a year, reports...

In Whitney's System: Valium, Xanax, Booze

Evann Gastaldo — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 10:35:29 CST

Whitney Houston was killed by a combination of Valium, Xanax, and alcohol, an insider tells Radar . All three were found in her system, but the coroner is still waiting for toxicology results before the "major contributing factor of her demise" can be determined, the source says, adding that drowning is...

Probe Launched Into Whitney's Prescriptions, Doctors

Mary Papenfuss — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 03:46:00 CST

The investigation into Whitney Houston's death is now turning to her doctors and pharmacies. Investigators are expected in the next few days to serve subpoenas on the singer's physicians and the pharmacies where Houston obtained multiple prescription drugs, reports the Los Angeles Times . Officials aim to determine whether the drugs...

37 Busted in FBI Raid on Boeing Plant

Kate Schwartz — Thu, 29 Sep 2011 15:44:10 CDT

A handful of workers at Boeing's Ridley Park plant were apparently doing more than building military aircraft: The FBI today arrested 36 current and former employees, along with a 37th individual, who were allegedly involved in illegally distributing prescription drugs. The Philadelphia Inquirer reports that the arrests follow a four-year...

Drug Deaths Soar Past Traffic Fatalities

Mark Russell — Sun, 18 Sep 2011 06:07:05 CDT

For the first time since the government started tracking drug-related deaths in 1979, narcotics have topped traffic fatalities—37,485 for drugs vs. 36,284 for accidents in 2009 (the most recent year available), reports the LA Times . But the big culprit isn't street drugs: it's prescription pills like Xanax,...

Prescription Drugs Found in Dead Surfer's Room

Kevin Spak — Thu, 04 Nov 2010 13:30:51 CDT

Speculation is swirling around the death of surfing great Andy Irons after police found a variety of prescription drugs in his Dallas hotel room. Police reports indicate that Irons had generic versions of Ambien and Xanax, and the county medical examiner told the Honolulu Star-Advertiser that one of the bottles...

We're a Xanax Nation

Nick McMaster — Sun, 02 May 2010 09:50:01 CDT

Xanax is king in America—the anti-anxiety drug was prescribed more than any psychiatric medication in 2009, according to PsychCentral . We're a "zonked out" nation, observes Hamilton Nolan at Gawker , noting that the "first speed prescription" (amphetamine salts) doesn't show up until No. 11. Here's the top 10: Xanax Lexapro...

Cocaine Contributed to Billy Mays' Death: Autopsy

Nick McMaster — Fri, 07 Aug 2009 16:31:28 CDT

Cocaine figured into Billy Mays’ death, TMZ reports. An autopsy found traces of the drug in Mays' system, suggesting that the TV pitchman used it a few days before his death. The report lists “cocaine use” as a contributing cause of death, along with heart disease. The autopsy also found...

Conn. Chimp Was on Xanax During Attack

Ambreen Ali — Wed, 13 May 2009 13:31:34 CDT

The chimp that mauled a Connecticut woman in February, rendering her blind, had a small dose of antidepressant Xanax in his system, a necropsy has revealed. At 200 pounds, Travis was also severely obese. Police haven’t ruled out criminal charges against the owner, who is embroiled in a legal battle...