In an unprecedented act, a national pharmacy chain has informed a small number of Florida doctors, including a few in Orlando, that any prescriptions written for certain pain killing drugs (Schedule II narcotics) will not be filled by the pharmacy. In late 2011, CVS/pharmacy sent an unsigned letter to these doctors notifying them of the decision. What was not...
Continue ReadingThe Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) recently launched a “spirited” defense of the Intoxilyzer 8000 machine – the machine it uses to test the blood alcohol content of suspected drunk drivers. Since theIntoxilyzer was put into service in 2005, it has been a subject of ridicule and attack among defense attorneys in several Florida counties who have claimed...
Continue ReadingA Florida criminal law case involving a drug-sniffing dog will go before the United States Supreme Court. The rights of criminal defendants are at stake in the matter, which will determine when the sensory skills of a canine may supersede a person’s privacy expectations. Marijuana Detected by Florida Drug-Sniffing Dog The case arises from a 2006 incident in which...
Continue ReadingAs a society we like to think that we can place our trust in law enforcement officers to not only protect us, but also our loved ones – and in the vast majority of situations Florida police officers rightly earn this trust. However, the Herald-Tribune recently released an investigative report that, if proven true, has unearthed some very frightening...
Continue ReadingThe Florida Supreme Court heard arguments last month regarding the constitutionality of a particular state drug law. Their ultimate decision will not only impact the defendants in this specific case, but may have ramifications for countless other Florida drug crime cases. Florida Drug Law at Issue According to a federal judge in Orlando, the drug law at issue doesn’t...
Continue ReadingProsecutors in two counties in Florida have withdrawn the breath tests from around 100 DUI cases, according to a story in the Herald-Tribune. The cases will still proceed, but the prosecution will rely on other evidence, said prosecutors in the article. Intoxilyzer 8000 Problems The Intoxilyzer 8000, a breath-testing machine, appears to have been improperly set up and may...
Continue ReadingPrescription Pill abuse has forced law enforcement agencies across the country to target pain clinics and pain management doctors. As law enforcement cracks down on the abuse of prescription pills, an article written by the Daily Mail Reporter indicates that at least four manufactures are in the process of patenting the addictive ingredient hydrocodone in a pure form. Do...
Continue ReadingOn October 27th, a British teen was allegedly found with 30lbs of cocaine packed in her luggage at a Florida airport as she was entering the US. According to The Telegraph, the teen was told she now faces the rest of her life in prison for drug trafficking since she will be tried as an adult – she turned...
Continue ReadingAfter being in vogue for over 25 years, cocaine use in Florida is declining. According to a report by James N. Hall, Director of the Center for the Study and Prevention of Substance Abuse at Nova Southeastern University, the number of cocaine-related overdoses and deaths in Florida has declined. Likewise, fewer people are seeking treatment for cocaine and crack...
Continue ReadingThe State of Florida prescription drug database launches today. This database is intened to combat the increase in prescription drug crimes such as prescription fraud or doctor shopping. In a nutshell the law now requires pharmacies and dispensing physicians to upload information into the database within seven days of filling the prescription. The database will allow doctors and pharmacists...
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