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The U.S. Sentencing Commission plans to issue a list of recommendations on alternatives to incarceration that could include drug courts, addiction treatment, or other sentencing options.

As government officials warn about the increased misuse of prescription drugs by adolescents, drug companies are using the Internet, text messages, e-mail, and even music downloads to market pharmaceuticals directly to teens.

Rising quickly from its obscure origins as a hallucinogen used by Mazatec tribes in Mexico, the herb salvia divinorum has become a head-shop staple in the U.S. and played a starring role in YouTube videos depicting the drug's effects on users.

While some advocates are proposing to lower the legal drinking age from 21 to 18, the Insurance Industry for Highway Safety says that states should raise the driving age from 16 to 17 or 18.