2015 Event The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is banning artificial trans fats from all foods and beverages; the ban will go into effect in 2018 2015 Event Aducanumab, a new drug developed by Biogen to treat Alzheimer's, is showing success in reducing toxic brain plaque and decreasing the rate of mental impairment in trials; if successful in further testing, the drug may be available by 2020 2015 Event Teixobactin, a newly discovered antibiotic, offers hope in treating tuberculosis and infections caused by antibiotic-resistant bacteria; the drug has been effective in rodent trials but has not yet been tested in humans 2014 Event The Mexican government captures Hector Beltran Leyva, head of a family-run crime organization primarily involved in drug trafficking 2014 Event U.S. pharmaceutical company InterMune has been bought by Roche, the Swiss drug manufacturer, for $8.6 million; Roche will pay cash, offering a 38% premium on InterMune's current stock price of approximately $54/share 2014 Event A home-based colon cancer screening test by Exact Sciences Corp. has received approval by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration; patients must receive a doctor's prescription in order to purchase the test 2014 Event Drug manufacturer Mapp Biopharmaceutical states that it has run out of its experimental Ebola treatment drug; the company has been shipping all available stock without charge to West Africa in an attempt to treat victims of the current epidemic 2014 Event Medical worker Nancy Writebol, the second of two Americans to contract the Ebola virus in Liberia, joins Dr. Kent Brantly at Emory University Hospital for treatment; both patients are receiving an experimental drug that has not been tested on humans 2014 Event Drug maker Pfizer, Inc. has raised its offer to buy AstraZeneca Plc; the current offer of over 63 billion pounds was made after AstraZeneca rejected Pfizer's offer of 58.8 billion pounds in January 2014 Event Researchers announce a new orally-administered drug that may cure Hepatitis C; 90 percent of patients in trials were declared free of the virus after 12 weeks 2014 Event The U.S. Food and Drug Administration approves an electric nerve stimulating device for treatment of migraine headaches 2014 Event The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is proposing to revise food labels by providing realistic serving sizes, emphasizing calories and sugar amounts, and breaking down fat listings into 'good' and 'bad' fats 2014 Event Researchers report that taking acetaminophen during pregnancy can increase the risk of ADHD diagnoses as the babies mature; taking acetaminophen in the first trimester has the lowest risk at 9%, but there is a 63% likelihood of the condition in babies if the drug is taken in the last two trimesters 2014 Event New York Governor, Mario Cuomo, plans to announce executive action to loosen marijuana laws, allowing use of the drug for medical purposes 2013 Event As part of a strategy to focus on growth products, thrombosis drug brands manufactured by the GlaxoSmithKline pharmaceutical company is sold to Aspen Pharmacare for $1.13 billion 2013 Event The U.S. Food and Drug Administration identified cyclospora in salads made by Taylor Farms; the parasite caused illness in over 223 diners in Nebraska and Iowa 2013 Event Drug manufacturer Roche announces that Kadcyla, a late-stage drug approved for the treatment of breast cancer, has been approved by the FDA 2012 Event U.S. voters in the state of Massachusetts approve a referendum legalizing the use of medical marijuana; Colorado and Washington approve the legalization of recreational use of the drug 2012 Event Mexico's drug war continues in Monterey, when alleged members of the Gulf Cartel storm a bar in Monterey, killing 10 people 2012 Event The U.S. Food and Drug Administration approves of Truvada, the first drug shown to reduce the risk of HIV infection 2012 Event The weight loss drug lorcaserin is approved by the FDA, the first weight loss drug to be approved since 1999 2011 Event Thousands march in Mexico City to protest the 38,000 people who have died since the Mexican Drug War began in 2006 2010 Event A sophisticated tunnel used by drug smugglers between Tijuana, Mexico and Otay Mesa, California, is discovered by U.S. Border Patrol 2010 Event Pfizer sponsors a study of the smoking cessation drug Varenicline, suggest governments would be wise to fund smoking cessation treatments 2010 Event Twenty-five drug cartel gunmen are reported killed by the Mexican Army in a clash in Tamaulipas 2010 Event Mexican Naval Infantry discover 72 corpses near the U.S. Texas border, believed to be migrants from Central America and South America murdered by a drug cartel 2010 Event Officials determine that over 28,000 people have died from Mexican drug violence since December 2006 2007 Death Anna Nicole Smith, dies in Hollywood, Florida, of drug overdose, at 39 1997 Event Drug kingpin Ramon Arellano Felix placed on FBI's 10 most-wanted 1997 Event Rocker Rick Danko gets suspended sentence in Japan for drug smuggling 1997 Event British model Naomi Campbell, hospitalized on drug overdose 1996 Death Veronica Guerin, born in Ireland, nicknamed 'Ronnie', journalist, crime reporter, used pseudonyms, street names, exposing underworld figures in the Sunday Independent newspaper, helped found Criminal Assets Bureau, received death threats, murdered, by drug dealers, dies at 36 1995 Death Shannon Hoon, vocalist (Blind Melon), dies of drug overdose at 28 1995 Death Manfred Donike, chemist Drug Test pioneer, dies at 61 1995 Death Eazy-E, drug dealer, gang member, rapper, producer, regarded as a founder of gangsta rap, member of N.W.A. group, dies of AIDS, at age 31 1995 Death Flavio "Negao" Pires da Conceicao, drug Trafficker, dies at 25 1994 Event Rocker Billy Idol admitted to the hospital after drug overdose 1994 Event New York Met Pitcher Dwight Gooden suspended for 60 days due to drug charges 1994 Event Jennifer Capriati, tennis ace, checks out of drug abuse clinic 1994 Event Tennis star Jennifer Capriati (18), checks into a drug rehab center 1994 Event Courtney Love cleared of drug charges 1994 Event Model Anna Nicole Smith hospitalized for drug overdose 1993 Death Pablo Escobar Gaviria, Colombian drug baron, shot to death at 44 1993 Death River Phoenix, actor (Stand By Me), dies of drug overdose at 23 1992 Event Colombia drug baron Pablo Escobar escapes prison 1992 Event Noriega convicted on 8 of 10 drug and racketeering charges 1992 Event U.S. Federal court finds Panamanian dictator Manuel Noriega guilty of drug crimes 1991 Event Tampa Bay Bucaneer Dexter Manley, retires after failing drug test 1991 Event Lion's Terry Taylor reinstated after 1 year drug related suspension 1991 Event Colombian drug baron Pablo Escobar surrenders to police 1991 Death David Ruffin, rock vocalist (Temptations), dies of drug overdose at 50 1991 Event A new cancer drug is announced, which can only be found in bark of a rare tree in the Pacific Northwest 1990 Event Judy Carne arrested at JFK airport on an 11 year old drug warrant 1990 Event Washington D.C., Mayor Marion Barry arrested in drug enforcement sting 1990 Event NCAA approves random drug testing for college football players 1989 Event Mafia drug kingpin bombs security force at Bogota, kills 52 1989 Death Tim Hovey, actor (Slim Carter, Man Afraid), dies of a drug overdose 1988 Event Canada's Ben Johnson stripped of his 100-m gold failing drug test 1988 Event Rockers Jonathan "Chico" and Robert DeBarge indicted on drug trafficking 1988 Event Carlos Lehder Rivas, of Colombia's Medellin drug cartel, is convicted in Florida for smuggling more than 3 tons of cocaine into US 1988 Event Panamanian leader Manuel Noriega indicted on drug charges 1987 Event Dwight Gooden returns from drug rehabilitation and allows wins game 1987 Death Paul Butterfield, singer/harmonica player, dies of drug abuse at 44 1987 Event LaMarr Hoyt is banned from baseball for 1987, due to drug abuse 1986 Event Shalamar's Howard Hewett acquitted in Miami of drug charges 1985 Death Jackie Curtis, actor (Underground USA), dies of a drug overdose at 38 1985 Event Mexican authorities find body of U.S. drug agent Enrique C. Salaazar 1985 Event Liza Minnelli enters Betty Ford Drug Center 1984 Event Pitcher Vida Blue suspended for rest of 1984 due to drug use 1983 Event Cards outfielder Lonnie Smith checks into a drug rehab 1982 Event Car maker John DeLorean indicted for drug trafficking, later acquitted 1982 Death Tom Bakker, actor (Golden Voyage of Sinbad), dies of a drug OD at 42 1982 Death Rainer Werner Fassbinder, German director, dies of drug overdose at 36 1982 Death John Belushi, comedian (Sat Night Live), dies of drug overdose at 33 1981 Event Former Dolphin, Mercury Morris, is sentenced to 20 years for drug trafficing, conspiracy, and possession of cocaine 1981 Event Rocker Papa John Phillips arrested for drug possession 1981 Event People mag features drug ordeal of Mackenzie and Papa John Phillips 1981 Death Mike Bloomfield, musician, guitarist, composer, number 22 on Rolling Stone's '100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time', dies of drug overdose at 36 1980 Death Tim Hardin, U.S. singer (Bird on a Wire), dies of a drug overdose at 39 1980 Event Bowie Kuhn suspends Ferguson Jenkins indefinitely due to drug arrest 1980 Event John Phillips of Mamas and Papas is arrested on drug charges 1980 Event Head of narcotic brigade arrested for drug smuggling in Belgium 1979 Death Jimmy McCullough, musician (Wings), dies of a drug overdose 1978 Event Laugh-in's Judy Carne arrested at Gatwick Airport for drug possession 1978 Death Keith Moon, rock drummer (Who), dies of drug OD at 31 1975 Event Linda McCartney drug charges in U.S. are dropped 1974 Death Nick Drake, rocker, dies of a drug overdose at 26 1974 Death Pam Morrison, wife of Door's vocalist Jim, dies of drug overdose 1974 Death Vinnie Taylor, rocker (Canned Heat), dies of a drug overdose 1972 Death Danny Whitten, rocker, dies of a drug overdose 1972 Event Paul and Linda McCartney are arrested in Sweden on drug possession 1972 Event Dutch Minister of Agt decides to ignore soft drug usage 1971 Event Rolling Stones Mick Jagger and Keith Richards sentenced on drug offense 1970 Death Janis Joplin, rock singer (Down on Me), dies of a drug overdose at 27 1970 Event Steven Stills arrested for drug possession 1969 Event Brian Jones quits (sic) Rolling Stones because of his drug problems 1968 Event John Lennon is fined 150 pounds for unauthorized drug possession 1968 Event Mick Jagger and Marianne Faithfull arrested for drug possession 1968 Death Frankie Lymon, rocker (& Teenagers), dies of a drug overdose at 25 1967 Death Brian Epstein, rock manager (Beatles), dies of drug overdose at 32 1967 Event BBC bans Beatle's "A Day in the Life" (drug references) 1967 Event Keith Richards, Brian Jones and Mick Jagger arrested on drug charges 1963 Birthday Eazy-E, born in Compton, California, drug dealer, gang member, rapper, producer, regarded as a founder of gangsta rap, member of N.W.A. group 1962 Death Marilyn Monroe, found dead of apparent self-inflicted drug OD at 35 1962 Event Thalidomide drug banned in Netherlands 1959 Death Billie Holiday, jazz singer, dies of drug OD at 44 1950 Birthday Huey Lewis, born in New York City, vocalist, & the News-Need a New Drug 1950 Birthday Johnny Colla, born in California, rock sax, Huey Lewis and The News-Need a New Drug 1949 Birthday Pablo Escobar Gaviria, Colombian drug baron 1943 Birthday William Bennett, U.S. Secretary of Education, 1985 - 1988, drug tsar 1936 Birthday Marion S. Barry, Mayor-D-Washington D.C., 1979-90, 95, drug indictment 1934 Birthday Bob Martinez, born in America, served as Mayor of Tampa, Florida and 40th Governor of Florida, initiated Preservation 2000, America's largest environmental land acquisition program, appointed Drug Czar by President George H.W. Bush 1933 Birthday Manfred Donike, chemist drug test pioneer 1932 Birthday Paul Erlich, born in Bad Homburg, Germany, scientist, immunologist, won Nobel Prize for Physiology or Medicine, developed first antibacterial drug in modern medicine 1918 Birthday Gertrude Belle Elion, New York City, biochemist/drug researcher, Nobel 1988 1916 Event U.S. president Wilson signs Harrison Drug Act 1906 Event Pure Food and Drug Act and Meat Inspection Act adopted
