From Reuters:

Widely used anticonvulsant drugs, including Pfizer's Neurontin and Novartis' Trileptal, may increase the risk of suicide, attempted suicide and violent death in patients taking them for the first time, U.S. researchers said on Tuesday.

Compared with Johnson & Johnson's generic epilepsy drug topiramate or Topamax, the team found an increased risk for suicide in new users of Neurontin, sold generically as gabapentin, GlaxoSmithKline's Lamictal or lamotrigine, Novartis' Trileptal or oxcarbazepine and Cephalon's Gabitril or tiagabine.

In one analysis, the team also found an increased risk of suicide with the drug valproate sold by Sanofi-Aventis as Epilim and as Depakine in the United States by Abbott Laboratories Inc.

In 2008, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration required that all drugs in the anticonvulsant class carry a warning that they double the risk of suicidal thoughts and behaviors, based on a so-called meta-analysis of nearly 200 clinical trials.

But the analysis was not large enough to show which drugs in the class were risky. And they are prescribed for a range of conditions.

Anticonvulsant drugs are chiefly used for patients with epilepsy, but the drugs have been aggressively promoted, in some cases for conditions they are not approved to treat, such as bipolar disorder, pain and migraine headaches.

While doctors are free to prescribe medicines as they see fit, drugmakers are only allowed to promote them for uses approved by the FDA.

From The Marines:

Since the Marine Corps Forces Pacific officially banned two of the nation's popular designer drugs last December, numerous Marines and sailors have been paying the price for violating the new restriction.

According to MARFORPAC Order 5355.2, Marines are prohibited from the actual or attempted possession, use, sale, distribution or manufacture of Spice, Salvia, or any derivative, analogue or variant of either substance.

Spice is a mixture of medicinal herbs laced with synthetic cannabinoids or cannabinoid mimicking compounds known to cause decreased motor function, loss of concentration and impairment of short-term memory. It is found in Mexico; can be chewed or smoked, and has also been known to be used sometimes for religious purposes.

Salvia divinorum is an herb that is known to cause hallucinations, changes in perception, body or object distortion, loss of coordination, dizziness and other psychological and physical effects, said Matthew W. Johnson, Ph.D., instructor, Department of Psychiatry, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, during a testimony on regulation of the substance.

The use of Spice and Salvia directly compromises the safety, welfare, security and good order and discipline within the command, states the order.

Marines and sailors who violate the order are subject to administrative or disciplinary action under the Uniformed Code of Military Justice. Civilians, contractors and family members are subject to a range of administrative action, including potential debarment from base and/or loss of employment.