Alcohol and Drugs History Society

Mexico's alleged "king of heroin" enters not guilty plea

After his arrest, Jose Antonio Medinia Arreguin, Mexico's alleged "king of heroin," has entered a not guilty plea.  http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/10/23/AR2010102302869.html

Heroin and now cocaine addict Russians

Heroin from Afghan poppies has long been the basis of addiction in Russia.  Recently there have been efforts to import cocaine too.  American drug officials alerted their Russian counterparts about a recent plan to smuggle cocaine into the country.  For more, see here.

Fungus hits Afghan poppy crop (and raises heroin price)

Fungus that destroys perhaps a quarter of the Afghan poppy crop had raised the price of heroin for the benefit of the Taliban.  For more, see here.

Mexican heroin dealer and US drug enforcement (article)

Elaine Carey, "'Selling is More of a Habit than Using': Narcotraficante Lola la Chata and her Threat to Civilziation, 1930-1960," Journal of Women's History 21/2 (Summer 2009).

Heroin treatment in Britain (book review)

Klaus Weinhauer reviewed Alex Mold, Heroin: The Treatment of Addiction in Twentieth-Century Britain, in Twentieth Century British History 20 (2009): 567-569.

Heroin and the American city (book review)

Joseph Spillane, book review of Eric C. Schneider, Smack: Heroin and the American City, in Social History of Alcohol and Drugs 23/2 (Spring 2009): 187-189.

War on Drugs (article) and smack, heroin and the American city (book)

David Trippel draws our attention to an article by Eric Schneider, "The War on Drugs Redux," available online.  He also mentions Schneider's new book, Smack, Heroin and the American City (University of Pennsylvania Press, 2008). 

Swiss referendum supports free heroin for addicts

In a recent referendum 69% of Swiss voters supported free heroin for addicts.  For more, see here.

Heroin treatment in Britain in the 1980s (article)

Alex Mold, "'Grave Cause for Concern'? Private Practice, Professional Disputes and the Treatment of Heroin Addiction in Britain during the 1980s," Contemporary British History 22/1 (2008): 67-88.

Valium replaces heroin as street drug of choice in Britain

In Britain valium has become the street drug of choice because heroin has dropped in quality and availability. For more, see here.