In a shocking turn of events, Zimbabwe's Sean Williams - world's second longest serving active cricketer - has been admitted to rehab for drug addiction. The Zimbabwe Cricket board has also said that Williams won't be considered for renewal of his contract beyond 2025 . ZC referred to Williams's "history of disciplinary issues and repeated unavailability, which has impacted team preparations and performance" as the reason for the step taken. The 39-year-old is one of the most prolific batter for Zimbabwe across formats in his more than two-decade long career since his debut in Feb 2005.<h2>Who is Sean Williams?</h2>Williams first hit the spotlight in 2004 when he was included in Zimbabwe squad after only one first class match to his name. Two years later, he led the country's U-19 side in the world cup where a win over England became the highlight of the campaign. He had already made his debut for Zimbabwe an year before that - playing an ODI against South Africa in 2005. In 2006, he made his debut in T20I cricket - playing against Bangladesh. The Test debut came in 2013 against West Indies.Also Read - <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/australia-ashes-2025-squad-first-test-vs-england-konstas-dropped-labuschagne-in-1762316694816">Australia drop Konstas, call Labuschagne in 15-man squad for first Ashes Test against England</a>He has scored 5,217 runs in 164 ODIs for Zimbabwe at an average of 37 with eight tons and highest of 174. In T20Is, he has 1,805 runs to his name in 85 matches and in Tests, Williams has scored 1,946 runs in 24 Tests with six hundreds and seven fifties.<h2>What is the drug addiction case against Williams?</h2>After Williams withdrew from Zimbabwe squad on the eve of Men's T20 World Cup Africa Qualifiers citing personal reasons, the board conducted an internal investigation. ZC revealed on Tuesday (Nov 4) that Williams shared with them about drug addiction and that the cricketer has voluntarily entered a rehab."ZC expects all contracted players to uphold the highest standards of professionalism, discipline and compliance with team protocols and anti-doping regulations," the board said in its statement. "While ZC commends him for seeking rehabilitation, withdrawal from team commitments under circumstances involving potential testing raises serious concerns regarding professional and ethical standards."

Williams has scored 5,217 runs in 164 ODIs for Zimbabwe at an average of 37 with eight tons and highest of 174. In T20Is, he has 1,805 runs to his name in 85 matches and in Tests, Williams has scored 1,946 runs in 24 Tests with six hundreds and seven fifties.

In a shocking turn of events, Zimbabwe's Sean Williams - world's second longest serving active cricketer - has been admitted to rehab for drug addiction. The Zimbabwe Cricket board has also said that Williams won't be considered for renewal of his contract beyond 2025 . ZC referred to Williams's "history of disciplinary issues and repeated unavailability, which has impacted team preparations and performance" as the reason for the step taken. The 39-year-old is one of the most prolific batter for Zimbabwe across formats in his more than two-decade long career since his debut in Feb 2005. Who is Sean Williams? Williams first hit the spotlight in 2004 when he was included in Zimbabwe squad after only one first class match to his name. Two years later, he led the country's U-19 side in the world cup where a win over England became the highlight of the campaign. He had already made his debut for Zimbabwe an year before that - playing an ODI against South Africa in 2005. In 2006, he made his debut in T20I cricket - playing against Bangladesh. The Test debut came in 2013 against West Indies. Also Read - Australia drop Konstas, call Labuschagne in 15-man squad for first Ashes Test against England He has scored 5,217 runs in 164 ODIs for Zimbabwe at an average of 37 with eight tons and highest of 174. In T20Is, he has 1,805 runs to his name in 85 matches and in Tests, Williams has scored 1,946 runs in 24 Tests with six hundreds and seven fifties. What is the drug addiction case against Williams? After Williams withdrew from Zimbabwe squad on the eve of Men's T20 World Cup Africa Qualifiers citing personal reasons, the board conducted an internal investigation. ZC revealed on Tuesday (Nov 4) that Williams shared with them about drug addiction and that the cricketer has voluntarily entered a rehab. "ZC expects all contracted players to uphold the highest standards of professionalism, discipline and compliance with team protocols and anti-doping regulations," the board said in its statement. "While ZC commends him for seeking rehabilitation, withdrawal from team commitments under circumstances involving potential testing raises serious concerns regarding professional and ethical standards."

Williams has scored 5,217 runs in 164 ODIs for Zimbabwe at an average of 37 with eight tons and highest of 174. In T20Is, he has 1,805 runs to his name in 85 matches and in Tests, Williams has scored 1,946 runs in 24 Tests with six hundreds and seven fifties.

Zimbabwe's Sean Williams, world second-longest-serving-active cricketer, enters rehab for drug addiction

A prescription drug commonly called "gas station heroin" is causing concern in the United States with the Food and Drug Administration putting fresh focus on the issue. The drug named tianeptine is a synthetic drug approved in some countries for treatment of depression, and mimics opioids like fentanyl and has a potential to form habit. In the US, it is available easily in convenience stores, smoke shops, gas stations or even online.

Reports have said that in addition to having risk of addiction, tianeptine may cause withdrawal symptoms and carries risk of overdose. It has been reported that the drug may also cause seizures, psychosis, kidney damage and may even lead to death.

Since 2022, USFDA has been vocal about urging consumers in the US to avoid the drug. However, it has been seen that vendors continue to promote the drug as dietary supplement.&nbsp;

This has happened in spite of FDA explicitly saying that tianeptine "does not meet the statutory definition of a dietary ingredient and is an unsafe food additive."

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Last week, the USFDA cautioned consumers again about tianeptine, which is a component of products like Neptune's Fix, Za Za Red and Tianaa.

"These products may interact, in life-threatening ways, with other medications a consumer may be taking. The agency is actively investigating adverse event reports in conjunction with local and state health departments," USFDA warned in its report.

Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/nasas-hubble-telescope-finds-water-vapour-in-distant-planets-atmosphere-683925">NASA's Hubble Telescope finds water vapour in distant planet's atmosphere</a>

The agency also said that Neptune Resources&nbsp;LLC had voluntarily agreed to recall Neptune Fix Elixir, Neptune Fix Extra Strength Elixir and Neptune's Fix tablets from consumer level.

Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/hermit-crabs-begin-to-use-human-discarded-plastic-waste-as-form-of-armour-684330">Hermit crabs found using discarded plastic waste as form of armour</a>

"Consumers, distributors and retailers that have these products should either dispose of them or return them to place of purchase immediately," USFDA warned.

"FDA sent a letter on Jan. 11, 2024, to convenience store, gas station and other organizations urging retailers to stop selling Neptune’s Fix and any other tianeptine-containing products," the agency added.

(With inputs from agencies)

A prescription drug commonly called "gas station heroin" is causing concern in the United States with the Food and Drug Administration putting fresh focus on the issue.

A prescription drug commonly called "gas station heroin" is causing concern in the United States with the Food and Drug Administration putting fresh focus on the issue. The drug named tianeptine is a synthetic drug approved in some countries for treatment of depression, and mimics opioids like fentanyl and has a potential to form habit. In the US, it is available easily in convenience stores, smoke shops, gas stations or even online. Reports have said that in addition to having risk of addiction, tianeptine may cause withdrawal symptoms and carries risk of overdose. It has been reported that the drug may also cause seizures, psychosis, kidney damage and may even lead to death. Since 2022, USFDA has been vocal about urging consumers in the US to avoid the drug. However, it has been seen that vendors continue to promote the drug as dietary supplement. This has happened in spite of FDA explicitly saying that tianeptine "does not meet the statutory definition of a dietary ingredient and is an unsafe food additive." Watch | Elon Musk's Neuralink implants brain chip in human for the first time × Last week, the USFDA cautioned consumers again about tianeptine, which is a component of products like Neptune's Fix, Za Za Red and Tianaa. "These products may interact, in life-threatening ways, with other medications a consumer may be taking. The agency is actively investigating adverse event reports in conjunction with local and state health departments," USFDA warned in its report. Also Read | NASA's Hubble Telescope finds water vapour in distant planet's atmosphere The agency also said that Neptune Resources LLC had voluntarily agreed to recall Neptune Fix Elixir, Neptune Fix Extra Strength Elixir and Neptune's Fix tablets from consumer level. Also Read | Hermit crabs found using discarded plastic waste as form of armour "Consumers, distributors and retailers that have these products should either dispose of them or return them to place of purchase immediately," USFDA warned. "FDA sent a letter on Jan. 11, 2024, to convenience store, gas station and other organizations urging retailers to stop selling Neptune’s Fix and any other tianeptine-containing products," the agency added. (With inputs from agencies)

‘Gas station heroin’ comes into renewed focus after USFDA warning

The United Kingdom is confronting the highest cocaine consumption rates in Europe, surpassing major trafficking countries, as per OECD data. This alarming trend, ranking the UK second globally after Australia, reflects concerns of a widespread epidemic fueled by the country's binge-drinking culture.

<h2>These are the key findings</h2>

<ol>
	<li>Worst in Europe: The UK ranks second globally, following only Australia, with 2.7 per cent of adults aged 15 to 64 using cocaine.</li>
	<li>Binge-drinking Culture: Experts link the surge to the UK's pervasive binge-drinking culture, where cocaine is as accessible as ordering a pizza and commonly consumed in pubs, wine bars, and even at football matches.</li>
	<li>Gender disparity: Men in the UK are twice as likely as women to use cocaine, with 3.6 per cent&nbsp;compared to 1.6 per cent.</li>
	<li>Global comparison: UK's consumption rates are four times higher than Colombia (0.6 per cent) and three times higher than Mexico (0.8 per cent).</li>
	<li>OECD analysis: The UK's rates are more than double the average (1.2 per cent) across 38 OECD developed Western nations.</li>
</ol>

Also watch this report on Britain's cocaine consumption

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The UK government's 10-year drug strategy, backed by a $3.8 billion investment, aims to address the illicit drug supply and enhance treatment options for people&nbsp;struggling with drug abuse.

Separately, Bern, Switzerland, contemplates legalising recreational cocaine use due to its widespread consumption, challenging traditional anti-drug policies.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/defence-minister-rajnath-singh-to-visit-united-kingdom-672683">Also read |&nbsp;Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh to visit United Kingdom</a>

(With inputs from agencies)

The United Kingdom is confronting the highest cocaine consumption rates in Europe, surpassing major trafficking countries, as per OECD data. This alarming trend, ranking the UK second globally after Australia, reflects concerns of a widespread epidemic fueled by the country's binge-drinking culture.

The United Kingdom is confronting the highest cocaine consumption rates in Europe, surpassing major trafficking countries, as per OECD data. This alarming trend, ranking the UK second globally after Australia, reflects concerns of a widespread epidemic fueled by the country's binge-drinking culture. These are the key findings Worst in Europe: The UK ranks second globally, following only Australia, with 2.7 per cent of adults aged 15 to 64 using cocaine. Binge-drinking Culture: Experts link the surge to the UK's pervasive binge-drinking culture, where cocaine is as accessible as ordering a pizza and commonly consumed in pubs, wine bars, and even at football matches. Gender disparity: Men in the UK are twice as likely as women to use cocaine, with 3.6 per cent compared to 1.6 per cent. Global comparison: UK's consumption rates are four times higher than Colombia (0.6 per cent) and three times higher than Mexico (0.8 per cent). OECD analysis: The UK's rates are more than double the average (1.2 per cent) across 38 OECD developed Western nations. Also watch this report on Britain's cocaine consumption The UK government's 10-year drug strategy, backed by a $3.8 billion investment, aims to address the illicit drug supply and enhance treatment options for people struggling with drug abuse. Separately, Bern, Switzerland, contemplates legalising recreational cocaine use due to its widespread consumption, challenging traditional anti-drug policies. Also read | Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh to visit United Kingdom (With inputs from agencies)

UK outpaces Colombia in alarming cocaine consumption: Data

After a spate of arrests and executions for drug offences, Ibrahim, a dealer in Saudi Arabia, is not taking any chances.

"I don't deal with new clients or go to the clients myself," said the 37-year-old, using a pseudonym to protect his identity.

"They have to take on the risk," he told AFP from the Red Sea city of Jeddah, weeks after several of his customers were arrested.

Ibrahim is on the front lines of a war on drugs in Saudi Arabia, which has seen an influx of addictive amphetamine captagon flooding in from war-torn Syria and Lebanon.

After becoming a major market, Saudi Arabia is hitting back, ending a moratorium on the death penalty for drug cases and launching a zealous crackdown.&nbsp;

The result is at least 20 executions for drug offences since last year, according to an AFP tally, and a sharp rise in arrests.

At least two Saudi security officers have been killed in drug raids, including one last week, according to state media.&nbsp;

"Several of my customers were recently arrested in a private compound," said Ibrahim, who mainly sells captagon and hashish. "This never used to happen before."

Acts of violence committed by drug users prompted the crackdown, a security official told AFP.

They include a recent case in which a drug addict killed his parents by dousing them with fuel and setting them on fire, said the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he is not authorised to speak to the press.

<h2>Party pill</h2>

Across Jeddah, roadside billboards urge citizens to report any illicit drug activities to the authorities.

While alcohol is illegal in the conservative country, it is also believed to be the world's biggest market for captagon, which is used by wealthy Saudis as a party pill and by workers to stay awake during long shifts.

While previous anti-drug campaigns targeted smuggled shipments, mainly from Syria and Lebanon, the latest initiative is zeroing in on dealers and users within the country.

Apparently to provide a deterrent, a nearly three-year moratorium on executions for drug crimes was scrapped last year. Saudi Arabia is one of the world's biggest users of capital punishment, executing 147 people in 2022.

"In the last year to two years, we have seen an uptick in internal arrests and the use of the death penalty (in drug cases)," said Caroline Rose of the New Lines Institute think tank.

The shift from border seizures to arrests of dealers is partly due to "a focus on security issues surrounding captagon and a recognition of just how deep some of these networks go", Rose told AFP.

The campaign is also aimed at keeping drugs out of the hands of Saudi youth, the drivers of an ambitious reform agenda to diversify the oil-dependent economy. Fifty-one per cent of the 32.2 million population is under 30.

"Saudi Arabia is carrying out a huge economic project...and the youth are the main pillar of this project," said Sulaiman al-Oqaily, a Saudi political analyst.

<h2>Addiction on the rise</h2>

Rampant drug use is taking its toll, with more than 200,000 addicts in Saudi Arabia, according to health ministry figures cited by domestic media.

Growing numbers are seeking addiction treatment, mainly because they fear arrest, said Hamad al-Sheehan of the Rushd Specialized Center in Riyadh.

"After the recent campaign, the numbers have increased at the centre," the director of treatment said from his office, where at least 10 young men were waiting to be seen.

"We currently receive 1,000 people per month instead of only 100 previously."&nbsp;

He said that captagon and other methamphetamine-type drugs are among the most abused in the kingdom. Most of his patients are between 17 and 21 years old and half are women, he said.&nbsp;

If Sheehan's patients fear arrest, the crackdown is working, Oqaily said.&nbsp;

"The message is if you don't fear for yourself, you should fear the government," he said.

Last month, Interior Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Saud bin Nayef warned drug dealers and smugglers that they will not escape.

"We are still at the beginning of the campaign," he said. 
&nbsp;

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After a spate of arrests and executions for drug offences, Ibrahim, a dealer in Saudi Arabia, is not taking any chances. "I don't deal with new clients or go to the clients myself," said the 37-year-old, using a pseudonym to protect his identity.

After a spate of arrests and executions for drug offences, Ibrahim, a dealer in Saudi Arabia, is not taking any chances. "I don't deal with new clients or go to the clients myself," said the 37-year-old, using a pseudonym to protect his identity. "They have to take on the risk," he told AFP from the Red Sea city of Jeddah, weeks after several of his customers were arrested. Ibrahim is on the front lines of a war on drugs in Saudi Arabia, which has seen an influx of addictive amphetamine captagon flooding in from war-torn Syria and Lebanon. After becoming a major market, Saudi Arabia is hitting back, ending a moratorium on the death penalty for drug cases and launching a zealous crackdown. The result is at least 20 executions for drug offences since last year, according to an AFP tally, and a sharp rise in arrests. At least two Saudi security officers have been killed in drug raids, including one last week, according to state media. "Several of my customers were recently arrested in a private compound," said Ibrahim, who mainly sells captagon and hashish. "This never used to happen before." Acts of violence committed by drug users prompted the crackdown, a security official told AFP. They include a recent case in which a drug addict killed his parents by dousing them with fuel and setting them on fire, said the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he is not authorised to speak to the press. Party pill Across Jeddah, roadside billboards urge citizens to report any illicit drug activities to the authorities. While alcohol is illegal in the conservative country, it is also believed to be the world's biggest market for captagon, which is used by wealthy Saudis as a party pill and by workers to stay awake during long shifts. While previous anti-drug campaigns targeted smuggled shipments, mainly from Syria and Lebanon, the latest initiative is zeroing in on dealers and users within the country. Apparently to provide a deterrent, a nearly three-year moratorium on executions for drug crimes was scrapped last year. Saudi Arabia is one of the world's biggest users of capital punishment, executing 147 people in 2022. "In the last year to two years, we have seen an uptick in internal arrests and the use of the death penalty (in drug cases)," said Caroline Rose of the New Lines Institute think tank. The shift from border seizures to arrests of dealers is partly due to "a focus on security issues surrounding captagon and a recognition of just how deep some of these networks go", Rose told AFP. The campaign is also aimed at keeping drugs out of the hands of Saudi youth, the drivers of an ambitious reform agenda to diversify the oil-dependent economy. Fifty-one per cent of the 32.2 million population is under 30. "Saudi Arabia is carrying out a huge economic project...and the youth are the main pillar of this project," said Sulaiman al-Oqaily, a Saudi political analyst. Addiction on the rise Rampant drug use is taking its toll, with more than 200,000 addicts in Saudi Arabia, according to health ministry figures cited by domestic media. Growing numbers are seeking addiction treatment, mainly because they fear arrest, said Hamad al-Sheehan of the Rushd Specialized Center in Riyadh. "After the recent campaign, the numbers have increased at the centre," the director of treatment said from his office, where at least 10 young men were waiting to be seen. "We currently receive 1,000 people per month instead of only 100 previously." He said that captagon and other methamphetamine-type drugs are among the most abused in the kingdom. Most of his patients are between 17 and 21 years old and half are women, he said. If Sheehan's patients fear arrest, the crackdown is working, Oqaily said. "The message is if you don't fear for yourself, you should fear the government," he said. Last month, Interior Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Saud bin Nayef warned drug dealers and smugglers that they will not escape. "We are still at the beginning of the campaign," he said. WATCH WION LIVE HERE

Saudi Arabia launches crackdown on drugs with raids, executions

In April, a man in Saudi Arabia's Eastern Province set his family home on fire before iftar, the meal that breaks the Ramadan fast, causing a gory drug-induced killing that gripped the nation's media. His family lost four members in the shooting.

According to local newspapers, police claimed he was under the influence of shabu, a methamphetamine. Recent reports in Saudi media have raised concerns about the rise in drug use. One columnist there called the shipments of drugs into the kingdom "an open war against us, more dangerous than any other war."

As reported by CNN, over 47 million amphetamine pills were discovered concealed in a shipment of flour and discovered in a warehouse on Wednesday, Saudi police claimed the largest drug bust in their nation's history.

According to experts, <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/report-saudi-arabia-expected-to-be-the-worlds-fastest-growing-economy-by-2022-gdp-to-rise-by-75-512729">Saudi Arabia</a> is increasingly playing the role of the Middle East's drug capital, fueling demand and emerging as the main destination for traffickers from Syria and Lebanon, as evidenced by the record-breaking seizure. They claim that the kingdom is one of the biggest and wealthiest regional destinations for drugs, and that situation is only getting worse.

The General Directorate of Narcotics Control claims that in terms of the quantity of drugs seized, Wednesday's operation represented the largest single smuggling attempt. The United Nations Office on <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/china-approves-worlds-first-inhaled-covid-19-vaccine-for-emergency-use-513111">Drugs</a> and Crime (UNODC) has previously stated that "reports of amphetamine seizures from countries in the Middle East continue to refer predominantly to tablets bearing the Captagon logo," despite the fact that authorities failed to identify the drug they seized or the source.

Originally known as Captagon, this medication contained the artificial stimulant fenethylline. According to the European Monitoring Centre for Medications and Drug Addiction, counterfeit drugs with the name "Captagon" are frequently found in the Middle East even though they are no longer produced officially.

Drug busts in Saudi Arabia and other countries in the area have increased over time. 320 kilogrammes of amphetamine tablets and over 3,000 kilogrammes of hashish worth millions of dollars were taken from a fishing boat in the Gulf of Oman by a US Coast Guard vessel earlier this week.

Although it first gained popularity in the kingdom about 15 years ago, it has grown significantly in the last five years, "perhaps reaching the level of cannabis," according to Vanda Felbab-Brown, a fellow at the Brookings Institution in Washington DC, who has written on the topic.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/opec-agrees-to-cut-production-for-first-time-in-a-year-after-oil-price-slump-513187">OPEC to cut production by 100,000 barrels per day after oil price slump</a>

According to data from the International Addiction Review journal, the street value of captagon, if it was the same substance, could be up to $1.1 billion. The drug may be purchased for between $10 and $25 per pill.

After the government started issuing licences to private businesses, a number of drug rehabilitation facilities have appeared throughout the kingdom in recent years.

According to the CEO of Qaweem, one of the first such facilities to launch, Khalid Al Mashari, four or five such facilities have opened in the previous two years. That proves that the government understands the value of rehabilitation, he claims, but it also demonstrates that the issue is getting worse.

You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/content-contribution-registration-form">here</a>.

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In April, a man in Saudi Arabia's Eastern Province set his family home on fire before iftar, the meal that breaks the Ramadan fast, causing a gory drug-induced killing that gripped the nation's media.

In April, a man in Saudi Arabia's Eastern Province set his family home on fire before iftar, the meal that breaks the Ramadan fast, causing a gory drug-induced killing that gripped the nation's media. His family lost four members in the shooting. According to local newspapers, police claimed he was under the influence of shabu, a methamphetamine. Recent reports in Saudi media have raised concerns about the rise in drug use. One columnist there called the shipments of drugs into the kingdom "an open war against us, more dangerous than any other war." As reported by CNN, over 47 million amphetamine pills were discovered concealed in a shipment of flour and discovered in a warehouse on Wednesday, Saudi police claimed the largest drug bust in their nation's history. According to experts, Saudi Arabia is increasingly playing the role of the Middle East's drug capital, fueling demand and emerging as the main destination for traffickers from Syria and Lebanon, as evidenced by the record-breaking seizure. They claim that the kingdom is one of the biggest and wealthiest regional destinations for drugs, and that situation is only getting worse. The General Directorate of Narcotics Control claims that in terms of the quantity of drugs seized, Wednesday's operation represented the largest single smuggling attempt. The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) has previously stated that "reports of amphetamine seizures from countries in the Middle East continue to refer predominantly to tablets bearing the Captagon logo," despite the fact that authorities failed to identify the drug they seized or the source. Originally known as Captagon, this medication contained the artificial stimulant fenethylline. According to the European Monitoring Centre for Medications and Drug Addiction, counterfeit drugs with the name "Captagon" are frequently found in the Middle East even though they are no longer produced officially. Drug busts in Saudi Arabia and other countries in the area have increased over time. 320 kilogrammes of amphetamine tablets and over 3,000 kilogrammes of hashish worth millions of dollars were taken from a fishing boat in the Gulf of Oman by a US Coast Guard vessel earlier this week. Although it first gained popularity in the kingdom about 15 years ago, it has grown significantly in the last five years, "perhaps reaching the level of cannabis," according to Vanda Felbab-Brown, a fellow at the Brookings Institution in Washington DC, who has written on the topic. Also read | OPEC to cut production by 100,000 barrels per day after oil price slump According to data from the International Addiction Review journal, the street value of captagon, if it was the same substance, could be up to $1.1 billion. The drug may be purchased for between $10 and $25 per pill. After the government started issuing licences to private businesses, a number of drug rehabilitation facilities have appeared throughout the kingdom in recent years. According to the CEO of Qaweem, one of the first such facilities to launch, Khalid Al Mashari, four or five such facilities have opened in the previous two years. That proves that the government understands the value of rehabilitation, he claims, but it also demonstrates that the issue is getting worse. You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here. WATCH WION LIVE HERE

Is Saudi Arabia becoming the drug capital of the Middle East?

Jammu and&nbsp;Kashmir&nbsp;has become a hub of drugs. A recent study has revealed that Jammu&nbsp;Kashmir&nbsp;has 600,000&nbsp;people involved in drug-related issues which are approximately 4.6 per cent&nbsp;of the population of the Union Territory.

90 per cent&nbsp;of these drug users are in the age group of 17-33 years.

A meeting was called by the Chief Secretary of Jammu and&nbsp;Kashmir&nbsp;where the state-level committee of the narco coordination centre&nbsp;outlined a project for tackling the drug menace in the Union Territory.&nbsp;

In recent years, the number of drug abusers has increased by many folds in the UT. There is a change in the pattern of drugs used as well.

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Illicit drugs like heroin, cocaine, and brown sugar are available in the drug market. 90 percent of the patients enrolling in drug de-addiction centres are using heroin.&nbsp;

''The number is increasing, as per our OPD's we see around 40-50 patients every day and the kind of addiction we are seeing is very dangerous. Most of them are using illicit drugs like heroin and brown sugar and that too via injections. It's very dangerous because they get infections like hepatitis c and hepatitis b and also HIV,''&nbsp;said Dr Yasir Rather, Professor, Incharge drug de-addiction center, SMHS, GMC Srinagar.

In fact what we saw in our study is that there is an epidemic within an epidemic. It's become very common&nbsp;in these patients. And It leads to chronic liver diseases resulting in death. From last one decade the numbers are increasing and also the pattern has changed. What we are seeing is illicit drugs are being used commonly like heroin and brown sugar. Around 90 percent of our opd cases are using heroin. There are multiple factors related. '' he added.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/great-gesture-indian-pm-lauds-minister-bhagwat-karad-for-helping-co-passenger-mid-flight-429930" hreflang="en">Indian minister Bhagwat Karad helps co-passenger mid-flight, earns PM's praise</a>

The Psychiatric Hospital in Srinagar did a survey in two districts of&nbsp;Kashmir&nbsp;Valley. What they found was shocking and alarming. In Srinagar and Anantnag districts only, 18000 people were using illicit drugs which amounted to 3.5 crore rupees every day.&nbsp;

 
''We did a survey in two districts Srinagar and Anantnag, In that survey, we saw how much is the economic&nbsp;burden of addiction. We found 18000 people using these illicit drugs that are heroin and in that we found 3.5 crores rupees were spent on procuring these drugs on a daily basis. '' said Dr Yasir Rather, Professor, Incharge drug de addiction center, SMHS, GMC Srinagar.

The drug addicts who are being treated at the Government De-Addiction centre in Srinagar say that drugs are easily available across the&nbsp;Kashmir&nbsp;Valley. Once they get addicted to these substances, they go to any extent to get them. One such story is of Showkat Ahmad Sheikh, A labourer by profession, Showkat &nbsp;was about to sell his baby as he was falling short of money to get drugs. He even took the advance payment to sell his own baby for money so that he could get drugs.&nbsp;

'''It used to be cheaper earlier, but now it's become expensive. Every household has one addict and I have been on drugs for three years. I used to work as a labourer. And I used to spend all my money on drugs. During that period only my wife was pregnant. And when she delivered the baby in the hospital, I tried selling my own child to make money to get drugs,'' said former drug abuser&nbsp;Showkat Ahmad Sheikh.

I was in the hospital and some ladies asked me if I could find them a couple to give them a child and hearing this I decided to sell my own baby. They had offered me ten lac rupees and I had said yes. I even took 20 thousand rupees from them.&nbsp;&nbsp;I spent 15 thousand for 3 gms of substance. They later paid me 60 thousand rupees. Later I realised what I was about to do. I was thinking of stealing my own baby. I am begging people who are involved in the drugs to stay away,&nbsp;'' he added.

The biggest problem is the easy availability of these illicit drugs across the UT. The drug abusers say that From cocaine&nbsp;to heroin to brown sugar, everything is available&nbsp;over a phone call. This menace has also led to an increase in crime rate in some areas.&nbsp;

According to&nbsp;former drug abuser&nbsp;Mohammad Umar, ''I started with cigarettes&nbsp;and due to unemployment I started getting involved in various drugs. I wouldnt like to reveal everything but I was addicted to F10 and F11. Drugs are available everywhere, you should just have the money. There is a chain which starts in South&nbsp;Kashmir's Sangam area, the government&nbsp;needs to take action on them. Most of the drugs are charas, cocaine, brown sugar and Heroin. Srinagar gets all its supplies from these areas.''

''I would want the Police to intervene and put the drug dealers behind the bar. We need to stop it from the very first level of the chain. I have been coming to this rehab centre for more than a year and I am thankful to Dr Yasir who has helped me a lot to deal with the addiction. Now I am etally and physically fit. I would appeal to all boys and girls to stay away from drugs. I was working and spending all the money, used to ask my parents for money then I decided either I have to steal or leave this menace. I managed to give up on drugs. Unemployment is one of the major reasons for getting into these things,&nbsp;'' he added.&nbsp;

The Jammu and&nbsp;Kashmir&nbsp;police have recovered Illicit drugs from various parts of the Union Territory worth crores of rupees. The Police also say that most of the drugs supplied come from across the border of Pakistan.

Many such consignments were recovered mostly in areas close to the Line of Control, like Kupwara and Uri. Also, a lot of these drug&nbsp;consignments were dropped via drones from across the International borders in different&nbsp;parts of Jammu.&nbsp;

Jammu and Kashmir has become a hub of drugs. A recent study has revealed that Jammu Kashmir has 600,000 people involved in drug-related issues which are approximately 4.

Jammu and Kashmir has become a hub of drugs. A recent study has revealed that Jammu Kashmir has 600,000 people involved in drug-related issues which are approximately 4.6 per cent of the population of the Union Territory. 90 per cent of these drug users are in the age group of 17-33 years. A meeting was called by the Chief Secretary of Jammu and Kashmir where the state-level committee of the narco coordination centre outlined a project for tackling the drug menace in the Union Territory. In recent years, the number of drug abusers has increased by many folds in the UT. There is a change in the pattern of drugs used as well. Also read | India likely to get first openly gay person as judge of high court Illicit drugs like heroin, cocaine, and brown sugar are available in the drug market. 90 percent of the patients enrolling in drug de-addiction centres are using heroin. ''The number is increasing, as per our OPD's we see around 40-50 patients every day and the kind of addiction we are seeing is very dangerous. Most of them are using illicit drugs like heroin and brown sugar and that too via injections. It's very dangerous because they get infections like hepatitis c and hepatitis b and also HIV,'' said Dr Yasir Rather, Professor, Incharge drug de-addiction center, SMHS, GMC Srinagar. In fact what we saw in our study is that there is an epidemic within an epidemic. It's become very common in these patients. And It leads to chronic liver diseases resulting in death. From last one decade the numbers are increasing and also the pattern has changed. What we are seeing is illicit drugs are being used commonly like heroin and brown sugar. Around 90 percent of our opd cases are using heroin. There are multiple factors related. '' he added. Also read | Indian minister Bhagwat Karad helps co-passenger mid-flight, earns PM's praise The Psychiatric Hospital in Srinagar did a survey in two districts of Kashmir Valley. What they found was shocking and alarming. In Srinagar and Anantnag districts only, 18000 people were using illicit drugs which amounted to 3.5 crore rupees every day. ''We did a survey in two districts Srinagar and Anantnag, In that survey, we saw how much is the economic burden of addiction. We found 18000 people using these illicit drugs that are heroin and in that we found 3.5 crores rupees were spent on procuring these drugs on a daily basis. '' said Dr Yasir Rather, Professor, Incharge drug de addiction center, SMHS, GMC Srinagar. The drug addicts who are being treated at the Government De-Addiction centre in Srinagar say that drugs are easily available across the Kashmir Valley. Once they get addicted to these substances, they go to any extent to get them. One such story is of Showkat Ahmad Sheikh, A labourer by profession, Showkat was about to sell his baby as he was falling short of money to get drugs. He even took the advance payment to sell his own baby for money so that he could get drugs. '''It used to be cheaper earlier, but now it's become expensive. Every household has one addict and I have been on drugs for three years. I used to work as a labourer. And I used to spend all my money on drugs. During that period only my wife was pregnant. And when she delivered the baby in the hospital, I tried selling my own child to make money to get drugs,'' said former drug abuser Showkat Ahmad Sheikh. I was in the hospital and some ladies asked me if I could find them a couple to give them a child and hearing this I decided to sell my own baby. They had offered me ten lac rupees and I had said yes. I even took 20 thousand rupees from them. I spent 15 thousand for 3 gms of substance. They later paid me 60 thousand rupees. Later I realised what I was about to do. I was thinking of stealing my own baby. I am begging people who are involved in the drugs to stay away, '' he added. The biggest problem is the easy availability of these illicit drugs across the UT. The drug abusers say that From cocaine to heroin to brown sugar, everything is available over a phone call. This menace has also led to an increase in crime rate in some areas. According to former drug abuser Mohammad Umar, ''I started with cigarettes and due to unemployment I started getting involved in various drugs. I wouldnt like to reveal everything but I was addicted to F10 and F11. Drugs are available everywhere, you should just have the money. There is a chain which starts in South Kashmir's Sangam area, the government needs to take action on them. Most of the drugs are charas, cocaine, brown sugar and Heroin. Srinagar gets all its supplies from these areas.'' ''I would want the Police to intervene and put the drug dealers behind the bar. We need to stop it from the very first level of the chain. I have been coming to this rehab centre for more than a year and I am thankful to Dr Yasir who has helped me a lot to deal with the addiction. Now I am etally and physically fit. I would appeal to all boys and girls to stay away from drugs. I was working and spending all the money, used to ask my parents for money then I decided either I have to steal or leave this menace. I managed to give up on drugs. Unemployment is one of the major reasons for getting into these things, '' he added. The Jammu and Kashmir police have recovered Illicit drugs from various parts of the Union Territory worth crores of rupees. The Police also say that most of the drugs supplied come from across the border of Pakistan. Many such consignments were recovered mostly in areas close to the Line of Control, like Kupwara and Uri. Also, a lot of these drug consignments were dropped via drones from across the International borders in different parts of Jammu.

600,000 youngsters in Jammu and Kashmir have become drug addicts: Study

Every Friday for the past two months, Peter Krykant has parked his white van on Parnie Street in central Glasgow, Scotland, around the corner from a games shop and several art galleries, and waited for people to come by and inject illegal drugs.

Inside the van are two seats and two tables, each with a stainless steel tray and hypodermic needles as well as several biohazard trash cans. The van is also equipped with naloxone, the medication used to reverse an opioid overdose, and a defibrillator. (There are COVID-19 safety precautions, too: hand sanitizer and a box of masks.)

Krykant usually opens the van by 10 a.m., and on this particular day three people were already waiting to get inside. This was something of a surprise, since Scottish police had charged him with obstruction the week before when he refused to open the vehicle to officers, knowing several people were inside taking drugs. He wasn’t sure anyone would come back after that scare.

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Scotland is in the midst of its worst drug crisis on record and one of the worst in the world. The country has tallied five straight years of record-setting drug-related deaths and now holds a per capita death rate three times higher than anywhere else in Europe.

Overdoses are more common in Scotland, by some measures, than even the United States. In 2018, Scotland had nearly 20 drug-related deaths per 100,000 people, compared with 18 deaths in the United States and around five in Ireland, Finland and Sweden.

Krykant is adamant that drug consumption rooms will help slow the rate of overdose deaths in Scotland by allowing drug users to inject under supervision and with naloxone on hand.

Krykant chats easily with several men waiting to be let inside. He asks them what type of drug they’ll be injecting, writes it down and then opens the sliding back door.

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In addition to Krykant, at least one other trained volunteer is on duty; they take turns watching for police and checking on the people inside.

Krykant, a former addict himself, said he had “learned very quickly that harm reduction is the most fundamental thing.”

“People don’t get any more opportunities after they’re dead,” he said.

Drug consumption rooms are facilities that legally allow people to take illicit drugs under the supervision of trained professionals in a sterile environment and with clean equipment. They have been shown to reduce overdose deaths and blood-borne viruses like HIV, decrease public injecting and more quickly connect people to treatment services.

“In all recorded injections that have taken place in these spaces across the world, there has not been one recorded death,” said Andrew McAuley, a public health professor at Glasgow Caledonian University.

The first legal facility opened in Switzerland in the mid-1980s, and over the last three decades they have been established across Europe, Canada and Australia — around 200 in all.

Despite their effectiveness and Scotland’s increasingly dire drug problem, they remain illegal throughout Britain.

The Scottish government has expressed its support, but Westminster has not budged. “We have no plans to introduce drug consumption rooms, and anyone running them would be committing a range of offenses,” a spokesperson for the British Home Office said in a statement.

But Krykant thinks blaming Westminster is an easy out.

“All we’ve been hearing is that it’s the U.K. government’s fault,” he said. “We could have drug consumption rooms in Scotland right now if there was political will.”

With Scotland in control of its own health care and policing — a system known as devolution — Krykant and other drug policy advocates argue that the Lord Advocate, Scotland’s chief public prosecutor, could provide legal cover in the form of a “letter of comfort” stating that drug consumption rooms could operate without fear of criminal prosecution. (The Lord Advocate provided similar guidance this spring for naloxone.)

But he has so far declined to do this, saying the facilities require a legal solution that addresses civil liability and the full range of exemptions from criminal law.

To date, police have not shut down the van, nor have they made any arrests. In a statement, they seemed to suggest they would leave well enough alone — for now, at least.

“The establishment of any form of safe consumption location contravenes the U.K. Misuse of Drugs Act 1971,” an assistant chief constable of Police Scotland, Gary Ritchie, said in a statement. “Any attempt to circumvent the law, as it stands, by providing an unregulated and unlicensed facility may expose already vulnerable people to more risk and harm.”

For Krykant, the goal of the van is to challenge drug policy more than to curb Scotland’s soaring drug deaths.

“We may keep people alive, but this has always been about a push for an official establishment,” he said. “We can’t provide a service for hundreds of people from the back of one transit van.”

Krykant grew up in Falkirk, about 20 miles from Glasgow, and said he was taking drugs on a daily basis by the time he was 11 years old. By 17, he was injecting heroin, and a few years later found himself in Birmingham, England, living on the street and begging for money to fuel his drug habit.

He was eventually approached by an outreach team in Birmingham and offered a chance to enter a residential treatment program. “I grabbed my bag and enough drugs to take on the train and got myself there,” he said.

After that, he moved to Brighton in southern England and completed another program, and has been clean now for two decades. He returned to Falkirk in 2013 with his family and started working in drug recovery services.

In February, he attended a conference sponsored by the Scottish government and heard about the promise of drug consumption rooms. He was intrigued. A few weeks later he traveled to Copenhagen and met with the people who opened Denmark’s first mobile site in 2011. Less than a year later, the Danish Parliament legalized supervised injection facilities.

“I took my inspiration from what happened there,” he said. “They quickly got the legal framework and now have the world’s largest safe-consumption facility.”

He traveled back to Scotland and decided to do the same.

He invested 500 pounds, or about $650, of his own money and crowdfunded the remaining 2,400 pounds to purchase the well-traveled van and outfit it with the necessary equipment. On Aug. 31 — International Overdose Awareness Day — he drove it to Parnie Street for the first time.

Krykant chose the van’s parking spot carefully. Within a 30-second walk is an alleyway where drug users publicly inject. It is filled with discarded needles, slivers of foil and small spoons.

James Muir, 34, said that when the van was not there, he usually injected in alleys like the one nearby or in parking lots around Glasgow. He said he had been to the van about three or four times now, adding, “I think it’s really good.”

Asked if he was worried about the possibility of police showing up and arresting him over drug possession, “the guy reassured me he locks the van,” Muir said, referring to Krykant. “I trust him.”

Every Friday for the past two months, Peter Krykant has parked his white van on Parnie Street in central Glasgow, Scotland, around the corner from a games shop and several art galleries, and waited for people to come by and inject illegal drugs.

Every Friday for the past two months, Peter Krykant has parked his white van on Parnie Street in central Glasgow, Scotland, around the corner from a games shop and several art galleries, and waited for people to come by and inject illegal drugs. Inside the van are two seats and two tables, each with a stainless steel tray and hypodermic needles as well as several biohazard trash cans. The van is also equipped with naloxone, the medication used to reverse an opioid overdose, and a defibrillator. (There are COVID-19 safety precautions, too: hand sanitizer and a box of masks.) Krykant usually opens the van by 10 a.m., and on this particular day three people were already waiting to get inside. This was something of a surprise, since Scottish police had charged him with obstruction the week before when he refused to open the vehicle to officers, knowing several people were inside taking drugs. He wasn’t sure anyone would come back after that scare. Also read| Britain hopes for 'normal Christmas' as coronavirus cases surge in Europe Scotland is in the midst of its worst drug crisis on record and one of the worst in the world. The country has tallied five straight years of record-setting drug-related deaths and now holds a per capita death rate three times higher than anywhere else in Europe. Overdoses are more common in Scotland, by some measures, than even the United States. In 2018, Scotland had nearly 20 drug-related deaths per 100,000 people, compared with 18 deaths in the United States and around five in Ireland, Finland and Sweden. Krykant is adamant that drug consumption rooms will help slow the rate of overdose deaths in Scotland by allowing drug users to inject under supervision and with naloxone on hand. Krykant chats easily with several men waiting to be let inside. He asks them what type of drug they’ll be injecting, writes it down and then opens the sliding back door. Also read| UK to unveil 'largest military investment' in three decades In addition to Krykant, at least one other trained volunteer is on duty; they take turns watching for police and checking on the people inside. Krykant, a former addict himself, said he had “learned very quickly that harm reduction is the most fundamental thing.” “People don’t get any more opportunities after they’re dead,” he said. Drug consumption rooms are facilities that legally allow people to take illicit drugs under the supervision of trained professionals in a sterile environment and with clean equipment. They have been shown to reduce overdose deaths and blood-borne viruses like HIV, decrease public injecting and more quickly connect people to treatment services. “In all recorded injections that have taken place in these spaces across the world, there has not been one recorded death,” said Andrew McAuley, a public health professor at Glasgow Caledonian University. The first legal facility opened in Switzerland in the mid-1980s, and over the last three decades they have been established across Europe, Canada and Australia — around 200 in all. Despite their effectiveness and Scotland’s increasingly dire drug problem, they remain illegal throughout Britain. The Scottish government has expressed its support, but Westminster has not budged. “We have no plans to introduce drug consumption rooms, and anyone running them would be committing a range of offenses,” a spokesperson for the British Home Office said in a statement. But Krykant thinks blaming Westminster is an easy out. “All we’ve been hearing is that it’s the U.K. government’s fault,” he said. “We could have drug consumption rooms in Scotland right now if there was political will.” With Scotland in control of its own health care and policing — a system known as devolution — Krykant and other drug policy advocates argue that the Lord Advocate, Scotland’s chief public prosecutor, could provide legal cover in the form of a “letter of comfort” stating that drug consumption rooms could operate without fear of criminal prosecution. (The Lord Advocate provided similar guidance this spring for naloxone.) But he has so far declined to do this, saying the facilities require a legal solution that addresses civil liability and the full range of exemptions from criminal law. To date, police have not shut down the van, nor have they made any arrests. In a statement, they seemed to suggest they would leave well enough alone — for now, at least. “The establishment of any form of safe consumption location contravenes the U.K. Misuse of Drugs Act 1971,” an assistant chief constable of Police Scotland, Gary Ritchie, said in a statement. “Any attempt to circumvent the law, as it stands, by providing an unregulated and unlicensed facility may expose already vulnerable people to more risk and harm.” For Krykant, the goal of the van is to challenge drug policy more than to curb Scotland’s soaring drug deaths. “We may keep people alive, but this has always been about a push for an official establishment,” he said. “We can’t provide a service for hundreds of people from the back of one transit van.” Krykant grew up in Falkirk, about 20 miles from Glasgow, and said he was taking drugs on a daily basis by the time he was 11 years old. By 17, he was injecting heroin, and a few years later found himself in Birmingham, England, living on the street and begging for money to fuel his drug habit. He was eventually approached by an outreach team in Birmingham and offered a chance to enter a residential treatment program. “I grabbed my bag and enough drugs to take on the train and got myself there,” he said. After that, he moved to Brighton in southern England and completed another program, and has been clean now for two decades. He returned to Falkirk in 2013 with his family and started working in drug recovery services. In February, he attended a conference sponsored by the Scottish government and heard about the promise of drug consumption rooms. He was intrigued. A few weeks later he traveled to Copenhagen and met with the people who opened Denmark’s first mobile site in 2011. Less than a year later, the Danish Parliament legalized supervised injection facilities. “I took my inspiration from what happened there,” he said. “They quickly got the legal framework and now have the world’s largest safe-consumption facility.” He traveled back to Scotland and decided to do the same. He invested 500 pounds, or about $650, of his own money and crowdfunded the remaining 2,400 pounds to purchase the well-traveled van and outfit it with the necessary equipment. On Aug. 31 — International Overdose Awareness Day — he drove it to Parnie Street for the first time. Krykant chose the van’s parking spot carefully. Within a 30-second walk is an alleyway where drug users publicly inject. It is filled with discarded needles, slivers of foil and small spoons. James Muir, 34, said that when the van was not there, he usually injected in alleys like the one nearby or in parking lots around Glasgow. He said he had been to the van about three or four times now, adding, “I think it’s really good.” Asked if he was worried about the possibility of police showing up and arresting him over drug possession, “the guy reassured me he locks the van,” Muir said, referring to Krykant. “I trust him.”

How a man with a van is challenging UK drug policy

After remaining tight-lipped for over a year, Demi Lovato finally broke her silence about the drug overdose she suffered in July 2018. Talking about the experience, the singer shared that she has learned from the past and has never been more in tune&nbsp;with who and where she is today, quoted The news agency. 
 
While at first, the 'Echame La Culpa'&nbsp;singer told me that she was a little nervous&nbsp;for her first public thing back,&nbsp;but went on to say, "I've changed a lot. I've gone through a lot''. Moreover, Lovato is getting to learn how to deal with online critics. 
 
"What a lot of people don't realize is that I'm actually an extremely sensitive person. I am human, so be easy on me. And I'm so tired of pretending like I'm not human. That's one thing that I won't do anymore. When you say stuff, it affects me. I'm human. I try not to look, but I see it," a news agency&nbsp;quoted the 27-year old as saying at the Teen Vogue Summit in Los Angeles on Saturday. 
 
There's no denying that she has undergone a lot and whenever she looks herself in the mirror, what Lovato sees is a fighter! "I genuinely see a fighter. I don't see a championship winner in there, but I see a fighter and I see someone that's going to continue to fight no matter what challenges are thrown their way," she added. 
 
She thinks everyone's so quick to cancel everybody&nbsp;of which she is really tired. "People just make mistakes," Lovato continued. Since it has been over a year and the 'Sorry Not Sorry'&nbsp;crooner has overcome it, she is making her comeback with plans to release music and acting projects soon. 
 
"I have new music coming, I didn't say when. It's important to remember that I am so cautious this time around of jumping back into things. I've really decided to take my time with things, so when the time is right to release new music, I will put it out there. I am dying to release new music," the singer said of the future projects. 
 
She also shared her take on body positivity with the audience saying, "A huge thing for me has been body acceptance. I feel like something that is not really spoken about a lot is body acceptance. We hear the terms body positivity&nbsp;all the time but to be honest, I don't always feel positive about my body ''. 
 
''Sometimes I look in the mirror and I'm like, 'Oh I do not like what I see'.&nbsp;But in those moments, I don't sit there and dwell on it. I also don't lie to myself," she said. On the acting front, Lovato is set to appear in the upcoming season of 'Will &amp; Grace'&nbsp;which airs in 2020.

After remaining tight-lipped for over a year, Demi Lovato finally broke her silence about the drug overdose she suffered in July 2018. Talking about the experience, the singer shared that she has learned from the past and has never been more in tune with who and where she is today, quoted The news agency.

After remaining tight-lipped for over a year, Demi Lovato finally broke her silence about the drug overdose she suffered in July 2018. Talking about the experience, the singer shared that she has learned from the past and has never been more in tune with who and where she is today, quoted The news agency. While at first, the 'Echame La Culpa' singer told me that she was a little nervous for her first public thing back, but went on to say, "I've changed a lot. I've gone through a lot''. Moreover, Lovato is getting to learn how to deal with online critics. "What a lot of people don't realize is that I'm actually an extremely sensitive person. I am human, so be easy on me. And I'm so tired of pretending like I'm not human. That's one thing that I won't do anymore. When you say stuff, it affects me. I'm human. I try not to look, but I see it," a news agency quoted the 27-year old as saying at the Teen Vogue Summit in Los Angeles on Saturday. There's no denying that she has undergone a lot and whenever she looks herself in the mirror, what Lovato sees is a fighter! "I genuinely see a fighter. I don't see a championship winner in there, but I see a fighter and I see someone that's going to continue to fight no matter what challenges are thrown their way," she added. She thinks everyone's so quick to cancel everybody of which she is really tired. "People just make mistakes," Lovato continued. Since it has been over a year and the 'Sorry Not Sorry' crooner has overcome it, she is making her comeback with plans to release music and acting projects soon. "I have new music coming, I didn't say when. It's important to remember that I am so cautious this time around of jumping back into things. I've really decided to take my time with things, so when the time is right to release new music, I will put it out there. I am dying to release new music," the singer said of the future projects. She also shared her take on body positivity with the audience saying, "A huge thing for me has been body acceptance. I feel like something that is not really spoken about a lot is body acceptance. We hear the terms body positivity all the time but to be honest, I don't always feel positive about my body ''. ''Sometimes I look in the mirror and I'm like, 'Oh I do not like what I see'. But in those moments, I don't sit there and dwell on it. I also don't lie to myself," she said. On the acting front, Lovato is set to appear in the upcoming season of 'Will & Grace' which airs in 2020.

Demi Lovato on drug overdose: I've changed a lot, be easy on me

Three accused drug dealers who prosecutors say supplied rapper Mac Miller with the counterfeit oxycodone laced with fentanyl blamed in his fatal 2018 overdose were indicted on federal drug distribution charges on Wednesday. 
 
Investigators say Miller, 26, born Malcolm James McCormick, died at his home in the Los Angeles neighbourhood of Studio City after crushing and snorting the pills. An autopsy found he had suffered an accidental overdose of fentanyl, cocaine, and alcohol. 
 
"It has become increasingly common for us to see drug dealers peddling counterfeit pharmaceuticals made with fentanyl. As a consequence, fentanyl is now the No. 1 cause of overdose deaths in the United States," US Attorney Nick Hanna said in announcing the federal grand jury indictment. 
 
"These defendants allegedly continued to sell narcotics after Mr. McCormick’s death with full knowledge of the risks their products posed to human life," Hanna said. 
 
Cameron James Pettit, 28, Stephen Andrew Walter, 46, and Ryan Michael Reavis, 36, had each already been arrested separately on drug charges over the past month and are being held in federal custody. 
 
The indictment, handed down by a U.S. District Court grand jury in Los Angeles, accused them of conspiring to distribute the fentanyl-laced pills. Walter is also charged with being a felon in possession of ammunition. 
 
Walter's lawyer could not immediately be reached for comment. It was unclear who was representing the other two defendants.

Counterfeit pills, According to court documents, Miller asked Pettit for 10 'blues'&nbsp;- shorthand for oxycodone - as well as Xanax and cocaine, on the night of Sept. 4, 2018. 
 
But prosecutors say the pills that Pettit gave him were counterfeit, containing fentanyl, a cheap, relatively easy-to-synthesize opioid painkiller 50 times more potent than heroin. Walter is accused of supplying the pills to Pettit, using Reavis as a courier. 
 
Miller was found unresponsive at his home on Sept. 7 and pronounced dead at the scene. Pettit and Walter were scheduled for a post-indictment arraignment on Oct.10. 
 
Reavis, who was taken into custody at his home in Lake Havasu, Arizona, will be sent to Southern California for further proceedings, prosecutors say. 
 
The Pittsburgh-born Miller won a following as a teenager and topped the Billboard album charts with his 2011 debut album, 'Blue Slide Park'.&nbsp;He was posthumously nominated for a Grammy for his final album, 'Swimming'. 
 
Miller dated pop star Ariana Grande for two years before they split in May 2018 and she sings affectionately about him on her hit single 'thank u next',&nbsp;using his given name, Malcolm.

Three accused drug dealers who prosecutors say supplied rapper Mac Miller with the counterfeit oxycodone laced with fentanyl blamed in his fatal 2018 overdose were indicted on federal drug distribution charges on Wednesday.

Three accused drug dealers who prosecutors say supplied rapper Mac Miller with the counterfeit oxycodone laced with fentanyl blamed in his fatal 2018 overdose were indicted on federal drug distribution charges on Wednesday. Investigators say Miller, 26, born Malcolm James McCormick, died at his home in the Los Angeles neighbourhood of Studio City after crushing and snorting the pills. An autopsy found he had suffered an accidental overdose of fentanyl, cocaine, and alcohol. "It has become increasingly common for us to see drug dealers peddling counterfeit pharmaceuticals made with fentanyl. As a consequence, fentanyl is now the No. 1 cause of overdose deaths in the United States," US Attorney Nick Hanna said in announcing the federal grand jury indictment. "These defendants allegedly continued to sell narcotics after Mr. McCormick’s death with full knowledge of the risks their products posed to human life," Hanna said. Cameron James Pettit, 28, Stephen Andrew Walter, 46, and Ryan Michael Reavis, 36, had each already been arrested separately on drug charges over the past month and are being held in federal custody. The indictment, handed down by a U.S. District Court grand jury in Los Angeles, accused them of conspiring to distribute the fentanyl-laced pills. Walter is also charged with being a felon in possession of ammunition. Walter's lawyer could not immediately be reached for comment. It was unclear who was representing the other two defendants. Counterfeit pills, According to court documents, Miller asked Pettit for 10 'blues' - shorthand for oxycodone - as well as Xanax and cocaine, on the night of Sept. 4, 2018. But prosecutors say the pills that Pettit gave him were counterfeit, containing fentanyl, a cheap, relatively easy-to-synthesize opioid painkiller 50 times more potent than heroin. Walter is accused of supplying the pills to Pettit, using Reavis as a courier. Miller was found unresponsive at his home on Sept. 7 and pronounced dead at the scene. Pettit and Walter were scheduled for a post-indictment arraignment on Oct.10. Reavis, who was taken into custody at his home in Lake Havasu, Arizona, will be sent to Southern California for further proceedings, prosecutors say. The Pittsburgh-born Miller won a following as a teenager and topped the Billboard album charts with his 2011 debut album, 'Blue Slide Park'. He was posthumously nominated for a Grammy for his final album, 'Swimming'. Miller dated pop star Ariana Grande for two years before they split in May 2018 and she sings affectionately about him on her hit single 'thank u next', using his given name, Malcolm.

Mac Miller's death: Three indicted on federal drug charges

A Los Angeles man who prosecutors say sold counterfeit oxycodone to rapper Mac Miller two days before his death from an accidental drug overdose was arrested on Wednesday on federal charges. 
 
Cameron James Pettit, 28, is accused of selling Miller, the former boyfriend of pop star Ariana Grande, fentanyl-laced pills early on the morning of Sept. 5, 2018, federal prosecutors said. 
 
The 26-year-old performer, whose real name was Malcolm James McCormick, was found unresponsive in his Los Angeles home on the morning of Sept. 7. He was pronounced dead at the scene. 
 
The Los Angeles County coroner ruled his death accidental following an autopsy. 
 
Miller had spoken openly of his drug addiction in interviews and in his music, and dated Grande, 25, for about two years before the couple split earlier this year. Grande later released a song in which she sings affectionately of him. 
 
Fentanyl is an extremely potent opioid about 100 times more powerful than morphine. 
 
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A Los Angeles man who prosecutors say sold counterfeit oxycodone to rapper Mac Miller two days before his death from an accidental drug overdose was arrested on Wednesday on federal charges.

A Los Angeles man who prosecutors say sold counterfeit oxycodone to rapper Mac Miller two days before his death from an accidental drug overdose was arrested on Wednesday on federal charges. Cameron James Pettit, 28, is accused of selling Miller, the former boyfriend of pop star Ariana Grande, fentanyl-laced pills early on the morning of Sept. 5, 2018, federal prosecutors said. The 26-year-old performer, whose real name was Malcolm James McCormick, was found unresponsive in his Los Angeles home on the morning of Sept. 7. He was pronounced dead at the scene. The Los Angeles County coroner ruled his death accidental following an autopsy. Miller had spoken openly of his drug addiction in interviews and in his music, and dated Grande, 25, for about two years before the couple split earlier this year. Grande later released a song in which she sings affectionately of him. Fentanyl is an extremely potent opioid about 100 times more powerful than morphine.

Mac Miller drug dealer arrested from Los Angeles over supplying pills to the rapper

India marked the 29th International Day against drug abuse on Sunday by holding marathons, walkathons and cyclothons in various cities to create awareness about the spreading menace. 
 
Hundreds of people ran on the streets of Mumbai and northern India hill town of Shimla to spread the word about the ill effects of drugs. 
 
&quot;This activity is to run three kilometers and just to give a message to all the citizens that we have to stop drug abuse - neither will we practice it, nor will we let anyone else do it,&quot; said a participant in Mumbai. 
 
The International Day of Anti-Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking is observed annually on June 26, since the year 1988. This year&#39;s theme is &#39;Listen First&#39;. 
 
The paramilitary Border Security Force (BSF) held a cycle rally in eastern Siliguri city to mark the day. Hundreds of students and athletes participated in the event and pledged support to the anti-drugs campaign. 
 
&quot;We are trying to create awareness about youngsters&#39; addiction to drugs that reach our country illegally. One should not take drugs as life gets ruined once you get addicted to it. This is why we have never taken drugs and even tasted it,&quot; said a BSF official. 
 
Similarly, a large number of people carried banners denouncing the use of drugs in a walkathon in New Delhi that was flagged off by Minister of Social Justice and Empowerment, Thawar Chand Gehlot. 
 
With nearly 18 per cent of the world&#39;s population in the age group of 15 to 64, India is a prime market for illicit opiates originating in both South East Asia and South West Asia, according to the World Drug Report 2014. 
 
(Reuters)

Hundreds of people ran on the streets of Mumbai and northern India hill town of Shimla to spread the word about the ill effects of drugs

India marked the 29th International Day against drug abuse on Sunday by holding marathons, walkathons and cyclothons in various cities to create awareness about the spreading menace. Hundreds of people ran on the streets of Mumbai and northern India hill town of Shimla to spread the word about the ill effects of drugs. "This activity is to run three kilometers and just to give a message to all the citizens that we have to stop drug abuse - neither will we practice it, nor will we let anyone else do it," said a participant in Mumbai. The International Day of Anti-Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking is observed annually on June 26, since the year 1988. This year's theme is 'Listen First'. The paramilitary Border Security Force (BSF) held a cycle rally in eastern Siliguri city to mark the day. Hundreds of students and athletes participated in the event and pledged support to the anti-drugs campaign. "We are trying to create awareness about youngsters' addiction to drugs that reach our country illegally. One should not take drugs as life gets ruined once you get addicted to it. This is why we have never taken drugs and even tasted it," said a BSF official. Similarly, a large number of people carried banners denouncing the use of drugs in a walkathon in New Delhi that was flagged off by Minister of Social Justice and Empowerment, Thawar Chand Gehlot. With nearly 18 per cent of the world's population in the age group of 15 to 64, India is a prime market for illicit opiates originating in both South East Asia and South West Asia, according to the World Drug Report 2014. (Reuters)

India marks International Day against drug abuse

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