Latest news with #Valium
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
‘Do it for every veteran': Hemp business leaders call for Abbott to veto THC ban
AUSTIN (Nexstar) — 'Like thousands of us, I went through the government's solution — a never ending parade of pills: Vicodin, Valium, Tramadol, Neurontin, antidepressants, sleeping pills, the list goes on and on. Those drugs nearly destroyed me,' Iraq and Afghanistan war veteran Dave Walden said on Monday. 'Legal hemp-derived consumable THC gummies brought me back.' Walden spoke on behalf of the Texas Department of the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW), who are vehemently opposed to Senate Bill 3 — the THC ban bill. 'Since 2018 I haven't touched a single opioid or any of the other drugs that I mentioned above. I've rebuilt my life. I've become a better leader, a better husband, a better father. And ultimately a better man,' Walden said. 'But now Senate Bill three wants to turn this into contraband. It wants to turn me and thousands of other veterans into criminals for choosing an alternative that works for us.' Currently, the fate of the Texas Hemp industry lies in Gov. Greg Abbott's hands. He has until June 22 to either veto or sign SB 3. If he fails to make a choice, the bill will go into effect unsigned. 'Today, over 10,000 hemp business owners — women and men — request that Governor Abbott veto SB 3,' President of the Texas Hemp Business Council Cynthia Cabrera said. Cabrera is also the Chief Strategy Officer at Hometown Hero, an Austin-based consumable hemp company. Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick tossed a package of Hometown Hero Cereal Bites at reporters while arguing the dangers of THC products, saying 'nobody knows what's in it.' 'Make no mistake, the idea that no one knows what is in these products is false. For the past six years, Texas law has mandated third-party lab testing and clear labeling,' Cabrera said. 'The only goal of these scare tactics was to frighten legislators and the public into going along with an agenda they did not ask for. The Texas hemp industry is comprised overwhelmingly of law-abiding, compliant entrepreneurs, mom and pop stores, distributors and ancillary businesses.' The conference featured hemp industry leaders from all sectors, including hemp farmer Colton Luther. While he acknowledged he will still be able to grow hemp, he said his fields are currently empty because he's uncertain of this year's demand is SB 3 goes through. 'If you take away the market that creates the demand that the farmers are upholding, What business do we have left,' Luther said. 'It is a shame that we are trying to ban these things and take away the market that these farmers depend on to sell their crop.' Later Monday, the group Citizens for a Safe and Healthy Texas held a competing news conference to preach the harms of THC. 'What you never hear people discussing is the impaired driving consequences resulting from use of these intoxicating products in Texas. While alcohol remains the leading cause of fatal crashes, alcohol combined with cannabis is the second most common cause of deadly impaired driving crashes,' their CEO Nicole Holt said. 'In our state, the combination of alcohol and cannabis is the most common drug combination in impaired driving crashes in our state as well. And young drivers are particularly at risk. 26% of crash fatalities among those 25 and younger involve both cannabis and alcohol. 'Those are real lives. Those deaths are someone's life ended too soon, those families will never be the same, and when there's an impaired driver on the road, we are all at risk.' They also invited State Rep. David Lowe, R-Fort Worth, a war veteran. 'I'm deeply troubled that veterans are being used as props,' Lowe said. 'I believe passing Senate Bill three is one of the greatest accomplishments of this legislative session, and I want to thank Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick for his strong, steady leadership when it mattered most.' However, the Texas VFW says Lowe does not speak for them. 'Our national convention and our state convention… set the number one priority… as protecting any alternative to opioids,' Walden said. 'That's one veteran's opinion. I have written consent that I speak for 64,000 veterans in Texas, not just one.' Abbott has until June 22 to make a decision on whether or not to veto SB 3. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Man 'lucky' not to have killed stranger he stabbed
A 56-year-old man who launched an unprovoked knife attack on a stranger was fortunate not to have killed him, a judge has said. James Lammas, of Belvedere Road, Ilfracombe, stabbed a 33-year-old man multiple times on the high street in the north Devon town in September 2024. At Exeter Crown Court, Lammas admitted wounding with intent and was jailed for three years and four months. Judge Anna Richardson said "such an unprovoked attack would be terrifying" for the victim. The court heard Lammas admit he "went a bit far" as he went to help a girl who he thought the victim was attacking or having a heated row with. The victim needed hospital treatment and said he was suffering panic attacks and flashbacks. The court also heard Lammas, who has complex post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), had drunk alcohol and used cannabis and Valium before the incident. More news stories for Devon Listen to the latest news for Devon Follow BBC Devon on X, Facebook and Instagram. Send your story ideas to spotlight@ HM Courts & Tribunals Service
Sunday World
4 days ago
- Sunday World
Man avoids jail after poisoning partner by crushing Valium tablets into her sandwich
Man avoids jail for crushing up Valium tablets inside his 'stressed' partner's sandwich A man who poisoned his partner by crushing up two Valium tablets and placing them in her sandwich is back walking the streets after dodging a jail sentence after claiming he had been trying to help her 'relax'. Video recorded by the Sunday World shows Mark O'Neill (62) of Cois na Coille, Pollerton, Co Carlow standing outside court as he awaited sentencing for the shocking crime last week. He pleaded guilty to Section 12 of the Non-Fatal Offences Against the Persons Act, which is defined as 'intentionally or recklessly administering, or causing to be taken, a substance which he/she knows to be capable of interfering substantially with the other's bodily functions'. The court previously heard Mark O'Neill's partner, Helen Nolan, discovered Valium tablets in the sandwich that he had made for her last August and that after taking one bite, she didn't eat any more of it because it tasted 'metallic' and that she immediately went to sleep. At his sentencing hearing, defence barrister Ross Pratt O'Brien pleaded for leniency on behalf of his client. He told Judge Eugene O'Kelly the facts of the case were accepted but noted it was his client's defence his wife was 'extremely stressed' at the time and he had been trying to help her. He said he now accepted his actions were reckless and could have caused her serious harm but said he did not consider this at the time. He said his client was 62 years old and has no previous convictions. He said he had fully co-operated with the investigation and had made admissions. He said as a result of the incident, his relationship was gone and that O'Neill is now effectively homeless and living in temporary accommodation. O'Neill pictured outside court this week He said O'Neill had been socially dependent on his partner and as a result of the case his entire social structure had broken down. 'He is now isolated entirely,' he said. He asked the court to deal with O'Neill by way of a non-custodial sentence. Judge Eugene O'Kelly described O'Neill's actions as 'shocking'. 'It was a shocking incident particularly with a person whom he knew had shocking medical issues which required lots of medication, so he knew perfectly well what he was doing to his partner,' said Judge O'Kelly. 'I have read the victim impact statement. The Probation Welfare Report is positive. The accused currently does not have a strong support network and is of low risk of reoffending,' added Judge O'Kelly. Mark O'Neill is now 'isolated entirely' News in 90 Seconds - June 1st Judge O'Kelly said he would impose a sentence of one year and six months, which he would suspend in its entirety for a period of two years on the accused entering into a bond of €100. Speaking directly to O'Neill, Judge O'Kelly said: 'I can assure you, that you have used up every opportunity that is available from this court.' Approached for comment at her home later, a family member of Ms Nolan's said she was aware of the outcome of the case but didn't wish to comment. The court heard previously that O'Neill and Ms Nolan had been in a relationship for 30 years and that they lived together at an address in Pollerton. Judge O'Kelly heard that on the day of the offence, Ms Nolan was in her bedroom on the phone when she heard Mr O'Neill on the landing outside so she asked him to make a sandwich for her. He subsequently returned with a tomato and mayonnaise sandwich, gave it to her and left the bedroom. The court heard that when Ms Nolan took a bite out of it, it tasted metallic and didn't taste like it should have, so she put it down and didn't have any more. She then fell asleep, and when she woke up the following morning, she still felt tired, so tired that she didn't feel like she had slept at all. She was 'overwhelmingly tired' throughout the day when she went to Tullow so she returned home to go back to bed, the court heard. Judge O'Kelly was told that when she saw the sandwich still on her bedside locker, the bread had turned blue in places and, upon investigation, she saw blue tablets mixed into it. She went to her doctor, who said she was medically fine but advised her to go to the gardai about the matter.
Daily Mirror
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
Soaring numbers of Brits hooked on painkillers fuelled by online cowboys
Statistics from a support group show the number of prescription drug addicts in the UK has doubled in the past five years with a Sunday Mirror investigation finding pills are cheap and easy to come by A Sunday Mirror investigation reveals a host of deadly prescription-only tablets available for the price of a can of fizzy drink. And a drug charity's call for a crackdown on illegal sellers is being backed by Health Secretary Wes Streeting, who warns that Britain is a nation in danger of 'sleepwalking into addiction'. Support group WithYou says the number of prescription drug addicts it helps has doubled in five years. Celebrities who have become hooked include England footballer Dele Alli and EastEnders star Danny Dyer. Alli, 29, told how a doctor initially prescribed him zopiclone, known as Z, for insomnia – but he ended up sourcing them 'from outside the game' as his addiction worsened and he spent six weeks in rehab. Dyer, 47, opened up on Desert Island Discs about being 'off his nut' on Valium while on EastEnders. Neither star revealed how they sourced their pills but for many this means clicking on websites which are tapping into the addiction market and selling prescription drugs with no medical supervision. Our investigation found highly addictive pills available online for as little as £1.29 a pill. They were delivered to our door in 24 hours via tracked Royal Mail delivery with no prescription, ID, age checks or health advice. Some sellers use encrypted messaging to cover their tracks. One even pretends to be an online fashion store to put authorities off the scent. One site bragged: 'We are dedicated to enhancing your wellbeing by providing trusted solutions for sleep disorders, anxiety, and pain management.' It even claimed to 'empower individuals to lead healthier, more fulfilling lives'. Within minutes we could order Valium, zopiclone, nitrazepam – known as moggies – and opioids like codeine and tramadol. One site says it ships from inside the UK and guarantees next-day delivery. But rather than paying via the website, we were emailed an order number and UK mobile number and told to message the code via WhatsApp. Immediately an encrypted payment link was sent, which directed us to an online invoice listing not drugs but clothing for the same value. A pack of Valium we ordered for £29.78 was instead invoiced as 'Diaz Wool Raydon' next to a picture of a woollen cardigan. Asked whether the garments were also available for purchase, it replied on WhatsApp: 'Please ignore, we have to change the product on the payment portal due to the nature of the product.' Within minutes we were sent a Royal Mail tracking link by email. Next morning the drugs appeared in an unmarked envelope in blister packs. The outer packaging with dosing and safety information had been removed. A GP told us the packaging, wording and branding on the blister packs as well as the appearance of the pills were identical to the ones she routinely prescribes. The doctor warned that such drugs could be counterfeit, causing further health problems. Another site was based in the UK but shipped zopiclone from India. An email from it lied: 'As part of our service, we take care of the entire prescription process on your behalf. This is not a request for approval – it is a seamless part of what we do to ensure you receive your order without delay or complication.' This time the package arrived after four days, with stamps on the envelope showing it came through customs. Disturbingly in this case, the email receipt even came with suggestions for four other drugs we 'might like' to try, including Valium. Our findings were described as 'very concerning' by Robin Pollard, head of policy at WithYou. Selling such drugs without a prescription can lead to a seven-year jail term – and the charity wants the law enforced. Mr Pollard said: 'Drug testing services have shown that drugs bought online from unregulated sources are unpredictable and can be cut with other substances. These can have variable strength, toxicity and effects. Swift Government action against illicit sellers is vital to save lives.' His words were echoed by Health and Social Care Secretary Mr Streeting, who said: 'Regulators have my full support to crack down on any services putting people in danger. Without the correct supervision, patients can be at risk of sleep-walking into addiction. Drugs which can be lethal must only be taken under medical supervision. 'Anyone suffering with pain, disordered sleep or mental health problems should seek help from a GP as a first port of call, and only take medications as advised.' Statistics from WithYou show they processed nearly double the number of referrals from patients addicted to prescription drugs last year compared with 2020. And if referral rates for the first quarter of 2025 continue, that number is set to double again by the end of the year. The charity says that shutting down illicit sellers is not enough because legitimate prescription painkillers are a big problem. One of their clients, Barry Jonas, 35, told us he was prescribed highly addictive codeine tablets 100 times before he was finally diagnosed with a rare form of arthritis. He said: 'I was first prescribed the drugs for extreme pain in my hips when I was only 14 or 15. They didn't know what was wrong with me but I was in agony so they just kept on prescribing it while they ran various tests for things that always came back negative. 'It was like they didn't know what else to do so they just kept on prescribing it and as I grew older I needed more to deal with the pain. 'By the time I was 19 I was an addict and I desperately wanted help but I was ashamed. Barry is now being treated by WithYou which wants more research into the crisis. There has been no official report into this type of addiction in the UK since 2018 when Public Health England looked into it. They revealed a quarter of adults were prescribed drugs putting them at risk of dependency every year – but it made no mention of the unlicensed trade or how many patients went on to develop addictions. Mr Pollard added: 'The Government must invest in our health services to ensure they can support safe prescribing practices. We also need easy access to drug testing services. 'There's a perception that people need to hit rock bottom before accessing support but this isn't true. Anyone concerned about medication bought online should reach out for help.' If you're concerned for yourself or a loved one the WithYou webchat at offers free, confidential, non-judgmental advice from expert recovery workers.
Irish Daily Mirror
24-05-2025
- Irish Daily Mirror
Man avoids jail after putting enough valium to 'knock a horse out' in sandwich
A man who admitted poisoning his partner of 30 years told Gardaí that he put Valium in her sandwich, claiming they could "knock a horse out for hours" they were so strong. The man has been handed a suspended sentence of one year and six months. Judge Eugene O'Kelly heard at the March sitting of Carlow Circuit Court that Mark O'Neill's partner Helen Nolan discovered the Valium tablets in a sandwich that he had made for her last August and that after taking one bite, she didn't eat any more of it because it tasted 'metallic' and that she immediately went to sleep. 62-year-old Mark O'Neill, of Cois na Coille, Pollerton, Carlow, was in court for sentencing after he pleaded guilty to Section 12 of the Non-Fatal Offences Against the Persons Act, which is defined as "intentionally or recklessly administering, or causing to be taken, a substance which he/she knows to be capable of interfering substantially with the other's bodily functions". Judge O'Kelly heard at an earlier sitting of the Circuit Court from Defence Counsel, Ross Pratt-O'Brien, B.L., that Mr. O'Neill and Ms Nolan had been in a relationship for 30 years and that they lived together at the above address in Pollerton. He said that the accused accepted that it was a horrific thing to do. He co-operated fully with the Garda investigation and pleaded guilty at the first opportunity. The investigating Garda told the court that Mr. O'Neill got sick in 2009 when he had cancer and that although he'd made a good recovery, he rarely left the house, didn't drive, didn't work and didn't socialise. When the case came back before court on Friday for sentencing, Judge O'Kelly said the accused man's partner was not aware of the substance used in the sandwich. The accused said he took it upon himself to do it as his partner was going through a difficult time. It was a shocking thing to do, he said. "It was a shocking incident, particularly with a person whom he knew had shocking medical issues which required lots of medication, so he knew perfectly well what he was doing to his partner," said Judge O'Kelly. The accused, said Judge O'Kelly, is 52 years of age and has no previous convictions. He said the appropriate sentence would be two years and six months. "I have read (the) victim impact statement. The Probation Welfare Report is positive. The accused currently does not have a strong support network and is of low risk of reoffending," added Judge O'Kelly. Judge O'Kelly said he would impose a sentence of one year and six months, which he would suspend in its entirety for a period of two years on the accused entering into a bond of €100. Speaking directly to the accused, Judge O'Kelly said: "I can assure you, that you have used up every opportunity that is available from this court." The court also heard that their relationship had deteriorated over the years, to the extent that it could be days or weeks without them speaking to each other, and that they also had separate bedrooms. Defending Counsel Ross Pratt O'Brien told the court that there was no violence or aggression in their relationship. The court was also told that Ms Nolan suffered from fibromyalgia and diabetes, while Mr. O'Neill also took medications, but that their medications were kept in two separate locations in the house. Judge O'Kelly heard that on the day of the offence, Ms Nolan was in her bedroom on the phone when she heard Mr. O'Neill on the landing outside so she asked him to make a sandwich for her. He (Mr. O'Neill) subsequently returned with a tomato and mayonnaise sandwich, gave it to her and left the bedroom. The court heard what when Ms Nolan took a bite out of it, it tasted metallic and didn't taste like it should have, so she put it down and didn't have any more. She then fell asleep and when she woke up the following morning she still felt tired, so tired that she didn't feel like she had slept at all. She was "overwhelmingly tired" throughout the day when she went to Tullow so she returned home to go back to bed, the court heard. Judge O'Kelly was also told that when she saw the sandwich still on her bedside locker, the bread had turned blue in places, and, upon investigation, she saw blue tablets mixed into it. She went to her doctor, who said she was medically fine but advised her to go to the Gardaí about the matter. In a statement she gave to Gardaí, Ms Nolan said she had had seven car accidents in recent months but she couldn't be sure it had anything to do with being medicated. She also told Gardaí that she'd only taken a single bite of the sandwich and 'God knows what would have happened' if she'd eaten the whole thing. The investigating Garda told the court that when he went to arrest Mr. O'Neill, he made admissions in the patrol car saying that he'd put 'mayonnaise, tomatoes and two blue Valium tablets' in the sandwich. He told Gardaí that he wanted Ms Nolan to be able to relax because she'd been stressed in recent times and that he "took it upon himself" to do it and that he thought he was "doing the right thing". Mr. O'Neill told Gardaí they were his tablets and that they could "knock a horse out for hours" they were so strong. Judge O'Kelly was told that the defendant had denied ever doing it before and that "he had no intention of harming her because she meant too much to him" after she took care of him when he was sick with cancer.
