Business briefs

REGION

J. Arnold acquires Creatore investment firm

BOARDMAN — Jon Arnold, a registered principal with LPL Financial and owner of J. Arnold and Associates, said his firm has acquired the investment firm of Creatore Wealth Management Group from Michael Creatore.

Eye Care Associates adds E. Liverpool office

EAST LIVERPOOL — Eye Care Associates has opened an office at 242 W. Fifth St. Eye Care has other locations in Youngstown and Beaver Township.

NATION

Study: Drug tests show rise in amphetamine use

NEW YORK — Cocaine use among U.S. employees and job applicants in the general work force dropped nearly 30 percent in 2008, while positive tests for amphetamine showed an uptick, according to a recent study.

The annual Quest Diagnostics Drug Testing Index, based on 5.7 million urine drug tests, found that methamphetamine use also fell about 21 percent. Amphetamine use jumped more than 12 percent from last year, the index showed.

Cocaine, methamphetamine and amphetamine are each a type of stimulant, typically used to increase alertness and relieve fatigue.

The findings are unusual because methamphetamine and amphetamine typically track together, according to Barry Sample, director of science and technology for Quest Diagnostics’ Employer Solutions Division. The recent spike in amphetamine could indicate increased use of a prescription drug to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, he said.

Trademark trespassing becomes bigger problem

NEW YORK — Pesky spam e-mails with bogus brand names and company logos not only expose consumers to identity theft and computer viruses. Trademark trespassing is becoming a growing problem for marketers.

Savvy brand extortionists and cyber scammers are driving marketers to spend more on brand protection as threats are fueled by a down economy, according to a new study by the Chief Marketing Officer Council.

About a third of those surveyed in a global audit of more than 300 marketers said they have a specialized brand protection group. Another 17 percent said they outsource those efforts with a third-party provider or leave it up to their industry trade organization.

Baby stuff multiplies but few resell items

NEW YORK — Your baby might be more than a tax deduction — you could sell his or her stuff for some quick cash.

Four out of five parents said in a recent poll that their baby accumulated more in one year than they did in five years, and nearly half have converted an entire room of their home or garage to store baby items.

Still, only 7 percent said they resell baby items once their child has outgrown them, according to the survey commissioned by Kijiji.com, a classifieds Web site. Half of parents donate the items and about 60 percent said they hand them down to a friend or family member.

Although pricing depends on factors such as brand name, original price and condition, the average crib has a resale value of $37 and the average stroller sells for around $30, according to Intuit’s ItsDeductible software.

Vindicator staff/wire reports