BRIAN HOWEY: Indiana, the methamphetamine state

Welcome to Indiana, the Methamphetamine State.

RICH JAMES: What welfare recipient can afford drug treatment?

Talk about a loaded question. State Rep. Hal Slager's question is this: Do you believe Indiana, like other states, should implement random drug testing as a requirement to receiving state-funded welfare benefits?

Munster officer talks to Scouts about staying safe

LANSING | Officer James Ghrist, of the Munster Police Department, attended a recent Boy Scout Troop 276 meeting to discuss the use of alcohol, tobacco and drugs.

Prescription drug abuse reaching 'epidemic' levels

PORTAGE | SWAT team members serving an arrest warrant for alleged drug dealing swarmed the home of a 56-year-old Portage man late last month. Inside that Central Avenue apartment, officers said they discovered a cache of drugs — not heroin or cocaine, but dozens of bottles of prescription pi…

Woman is accused of huffing aerosols hours after release

VALPARAISO | A 27-year-old woman was arrested Tuesday night on charges of inhaling aerosols, hours after she was released from jail on the same charge.

Police: Valpo middle school students had marijuana

VALPARAISO | Two middle school students were removed from class for allegedly having marijuana in school.

Zoeller seeks to combat prescription drug abuse

INDIANAPOLIS | Attorney General Greg Zoeller urged more than 300 Hoosier health care workers and law enforcement officials Tuesday to find ways to halt the illegal distribution and misuse of prescription drugs in Indiana.

Taking a bite out of drugs

CHESTERTON | Grandparents, parents, teens and kids came out Tuesday night to hear about ways to combat drug use in Porter County and see one of the community's most effective tools for helping that fight, Chesterton's police dog, Igor, and his handler, Sgt. Dan Rocha.

Unneeded prescription drugs can be turned in Saturday

INDIANAPOLIS | Region residents with leftover or unwanted prescription drugs can turn them in for safe disposal at more than a dozen local police stations between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. Saturday.

Students proud to be drug-free

VALPARAISO | Loud cheers and dozens of red balloons floated through the sky Monday outside the Porter County Administration Building as students from Myers Elementary School in Portage kicked off the county's annual Red Ribbon Week.

Health effects from drugs are many and long-term, expert said

GARY | Heath Ledger, Michael Jackson and John Belushi -- all famous men who died from drug overdoses by taking multiple drugs at once.

Prescription drugs still threat to youths

VALPARAISO | Some of the most prevalent drugs being abused by the region's young people aren't found on the streets of a big city -- they're found in the medicine cabinets of suburban homes.

Statistics show heroin use on the rise in Lake County

When a 21-year-old Dyer man and an 18-year-old Schererville woman died within three days early this spring and police suspected their deaths were linked to heroin, it showed the community the drug is not isolated to urban areas.

Schererville native tells his story of addiction, recovery

Chicago police kicked in the door of a Chinatown restaurant bathroom and found a nearly dead Ricky Montez on the floor. The Schererville-raised Montez, who once walked the halls of Lake Central High School in a letterman jacket stitched with patches lauding his athletic achievements, had overdosed.

Study: County's drug, alcohol addiction still greater than state

VALPARAISO | When it comes to drug and alcohol abuse among the county's youths, problems by and large aren't getting better.

Quinn's budget plan cuts addiction services

Gov. Pat Quinn's budget would cut all addiction treatment funding for non-Medicaid clients and all addiction prevention funding in general, an Illinois Department of Human Services spokeswoman said.

Police: Valparaiso teens got high on anti-anxiety pills

VALPARAISO | Three girls were removed from Valparaiso High School this week after police said they ingested unprescribed anti-anxiety pills, with one of the girls snorting pills during class.

Cops: Teens arrested for drugs at school

VALPARAISO | A group of Valparaiso High School freshmen were taken to the Porter County Juvenile Detention Center this week after police said they were buying and selling prescription drugs at school.

Substance Abuse Council to work on plan to fight drugs

The Porter County Substance Abuse Council has started working on a countywide drug and alcohol plan for Porter County for 2011 and 2012. The Council gets it funding from convicted drunk drivers in Porter County who must by a $200 fee intended to stay in the county for drug and alcohol programs.