MADISON, Wis.?Facebook could be valuable at helping identify people who may be depressed and perhaps on the verge of suicide, according to research by the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health and School of Pharmacy.

However, the findings also stress that Facebook should not be used as a substitute for clinical screening and medical treatment for people who are depressed or suicidal.

The study is the first of its kind to determine a connection between social-networking sites and identification of mental-health issues.  The investigators analyzed the Facebook profiles of 200 college sophomores and juniors.

Results showed that 25 percent of the students displayed one or more references to depression symptoms.

These references included decreased interest or pleasure in activities, change in appetite, sleep problems, loss of energy, and feelings of guilt and worthlessness.  None of the students in this study expressed suicidal thoughts.

According to Dr. Megan Moreno, a pediatrician, assistant professor at the School of Medicine and Public Health and lead author of the study, many of these students received encouragement from their Facebook friends on the Facebook page, who asked how they could help resolve their problems.

"People are getting support from other Facebook users when they display these comments, so it may be used as a mini-support group for depression," she says.  "Given the frequency of depression symptoms displayed, it's possible that depression disclosures on Facebook may actually help to reduce the stigma around mental illness."

The findings also indicated that 2.5 percent of profiles displayed enough information to merit screening for depression.

Moreno adds that while Facebook should not be used to formally diagnose depression, it may be valuable in identifying students who are contemplating suicide and help them receive needed treatment.

"Recent media reports indicated planned suicides that were displayed on Facebook before being carried out," she said.  "This highlights the urgent need to understand how often depression is displayed on Facebook and what this may mean.  Early identification of depression may be easier now if you see repeated references on Facebook."

The findings come on the cusp of a clinical report released today by the American Academy of Pediatrics that recommends pediatricians and parents take a more active role in monitoring their children's use of social-networking sites and ask questions concerning displays of sexual innuendo, drug and alcohol use, bullying, depression and social anxiety.  The report also suggests pediatricians increase their knowledge of digital technology so they can properly diagnose issues involving risky behaviors shown on social-networking sites.

 

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MILWAUKEE, WI - Supermarket shelves abound with "value-added" foods, offering innovative twists on traditional products. Cereals that make you lose weight, yogurt that eases digestion, and chocolate calcium chews that replace milk - the options can seem endless and overwhelming. The difficulty with value-added foods is that, much of the time, they actually aren't all that valuable, according to TOPS Club, Inc. (Take Off Pounds Sensibly), the nonprofit weight-loss support organization.
"You may find yourself purchasing foods that offer a very slight nutritional advantage that's not worth the extra money or indulging in a perceived health benefit that has not proven to be effective," says Katie Clark, M.P.H., R.D., C.D.E., Assistant Clinical Professor of Nutrition at the University of California - San Francisco and nutrition expert for TOPS.
Here are a few value-added food industry favorites - and what they do or don't do:

Juice with Added Fiber
While whole fruit is a great low-calorie source of fiber and nutrients, fruit juice packs in the calories and forgets the fiber in the discarded pulp. Fiber-enhanced fruit juice is essentially pulverized fruit with its fiber removed, with a different type of fiber added back in. One cup of orange juice with fiber can boast three grams of dietary fiber per 120 calorie serving. But one orange has four grams of fiber and only 70 calories - a lower-calorie, cheaper option with no processing needed.

Drinks with Vitamins
In 2008, the most popular diet soda in the U.S. released its "plus" product, a diet cola with a small amount of water-soluble vitamins added.
Other vitamin-enhanced drink and waters have taken off in recent years, although, according to Clark, "Many are merely overpriced, sugar-sweetened waters with a tad of vitamins thrown in for good measure. Despite the fact that you can get 100% of all the vitamins and minerals you need in a well-balanced diet, a generic multivitamin only costs about four cents a day. Why spend nearly $3 on a special vitamin drink when water is free and a more comprehensive multi-vitamin is substantially cheaper?"

Immunity-Boosting Foods
Lately, there has been a wealth of foods on the market touting "immune enhancing" or "pro-immunity" benefits - from yogurts to cereals, drinks, and even frozen vegetable blends. While there is ample data to support the notion that a diet with insufficient nutrients compromises immunity, the opposite does not hold true: eating more nutrient-laden foods has not been proven to increase immunity.
Clark notes, "By eating a well-balanced diet and exercising regularly, you are already maximizing your immune-enhancing behavior!"

Omega-3-Enhanced
Omega-3 fatty acids are found primarily in fish, fish oil, and, to a lesser degree, in flax and flaxseed oil, canola and soybean oils, and walnuts. Omega-3s have numerous heart-health benefits, including reducing cardiovascular disease risk, lowering blood triglycerides, and lowering blood pressure. The American Heart Association recommends a daily intake of 1,000 mg of EPA + DHA (two types of omega-3 fatty acids) for people with documented heart disease, equivalent to eating two to three servings of fish per week. Because many people don't eat as much fish as they should, omega-3-fortified foods, like eggs and butter, can seem appealing.
"These foods contain such small amounts of the beneficial fatty acid that you'd have to ingest many portions per day to get the recommended amount," cautions Clark. "You actually end up losing, calorically."
The Nutrition Facts panel on one such enhanced omega-3 butter spread reveals it contains only 32 mg of EPA + DHA per each one tablespoon serving.
"If you were to get all of your recommended 1,000 mg EPA + DHA omega-3s from this butter, you would have to eat 31 tablespoons of butter per day (one entire tub), consuming 2,480 calories," says Clark. "Incorporate more fish into your diet for an effective, comprehensive way to consume more omega-3s."
TOPS Club Inc. (Take Off Pounds Sensibly), the original, nonprofit weight-loss support and wellness education organization, was established more than 63 years ago to champion weight-loss support and success. Founded and headquartered in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, TOPS promotes successful, affordable weight management with a philosophy that combines healthy eating, regular exercise, wellness information, and support from others at weekly chapter meetings. TOPS has about 170,000 members in nearly 10,000 chapters throughout the United States and Canada.
Visitors are welcome to attend their first TOPS meeting free of charge. To find a local chapter, visit www.tops.org or call (800) 932-8677.

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Lawmaker authored the 2002 pilot program and then expanded it in 2008 farm bill

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA) today released the following statement on a USDA announcement that it will expand assistance to state agencies for schools participating in the Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program.  This year, USDA will provide $158 million nationwide to state agencies - over $2.3 million to Harkin's home state of Iowa - who in turn provide the funding to schools participating in the program.  As the former Chairman of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry, Harkin authored the Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program in the 2002 farm bill as a pilot program to bring healthy foods to children at school.  Because of the rapid success of the program, in the 2008 farm bill (the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act), Harkin was able to expand the program nationwide with a focus on elementary schools with a high proportion of low-income students. When the 2008 bill's Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program is fully implemented, it will reach as many as 3 million elementary school children nationwide.

"As our nation works to ensure the health and nutrition of our children, one of the simplest things we can do is provide students with healthy, delicious alternatives to unhealthy snacks," said Harkin.  "The Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program does just that by bringing fresh produce into schools - particularly to low-income students who may not otherwise have access to these nutritious foods.  The program has shown to be a tremendous success.  Both teachers and parents notice a change in student behavior and attentiveness, and kids love the great-tasting snacks.  At the same time, we are reducing long-term health care costs by raising a generation of children less likely to get sick or develop a chronic illness such as diabetes.

"I commend Secretary Vilsack for his hard work in implementing the Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program, and for his tireless efforts to promote the health of America's children.  As we begin initial discussions on the next farm bill, it is my hope that we will be able to expand this program even further and that we continue to work on other programs that increase the health and well-being of our nation's children."

Harkin has been a senate leader for over a decade in efforts to fight childhood obesity.  Information on these efforts can be found here.

Minimally-Invasive Treatment for Barrett's Esophagus Now Available in the Quad-Cities

Shown Effective in Treating Pre-Cancerous Condition

QUAD-CITIES - March 15, 2011 - Quad-City area patients affected by a common pre-cancerous condition of the esophagus now have access to an effective new minimally-invasive treatment that could prevent them from developing cancer of the esophagus.  HALO Radio Frequency Ablation is among a class of treatments recently cited by a leading medical group as the 'gold standard' for treating Barrett's esophagus.   Gastroenterology Consultants (GI Consultants) was the first Quad Cities clinic to use the BÂRRX Halo RF Ablation System to treat Barrett's esophagus.  GI Consultants has treated nearly 100 patients successfully as of this month, since its first treatment in September.  Barrett's is a pre-cancerous condition that can result from years of chronic gastro esophageal reflux disease or GERD.

"We have had very positive results so far in the Halo treatments we have administered so far." Said Rao Movva, MD gastroenterologist and founder of GI Consultants. GI Consultants is the first Quad-Cities clinic to offer the full range of BÂRRX treatments using radio frequency ablation.  Dr. Movva added, "Cancer of the esophagus is one of the only forms of cancer still on the rise.  By destroying precancerous tissue before it turns to cancer, Halo can do for esophageal cancer what colonoscopy is doing for colon cancer, preventing cancer before it occurs."

Just last week the American Gastroenterological Association (AGA) issued guidelines recommending the removal of precancerous cells in patients with confirmed high-grade Barrett's esophagus utilizing endoscopic eradication therapy.  Such position papers set the 'gold standard' for treatment, because they are the result of extensive reviews of peer-reviewed literature, and input from not just GI physicians, but health plan representatives and consumer/patient advocates.  HALO uses an endoscope to administer RF waves directly to the pre-cancerous tissue.  The alternatives to RFA treatment include waiting and watching for further changes and followed by surgical removal of part of the esophagus if further signs are identified that cancer may be developing.

BÂRRX Medical President and CEO, Greg Barrett said, "We are extremely pleased the AGA Medical Position Statement confirms the usefulness of radiofrequency ablation for Barrett's patients with dysphasia. "  The AGA also says that high-risk Barrett's patients without dysphasia should also be considered for treatment.   Barrett added, "These guidelines validate what has been demonstrated in over 75,000 RFA procedures and 55 peer-reviewed published papers: pre-cancerous Barrett's tissue can be safely eliminated without surgery.  The AGA Medical Position Statement is a rigorously constructed publication that will assist BÂRRX and treating physicians in addressing payer policies so that RFA procedures are uniformly recognized as medically necessary services."

The AGA's new opinion follows similar clinical practice guidelines published in 2010 by the Society of American Gastrointestinal and Endoscopic Surgeons (SAGES) addressing the management of patients with gastro esophageal reflux disease and Barrett's esophagus.

Barrett's esophagus is a precancerous condition of the lining of the esophagus caused by gastro esophageal reflux disease (GERD). Left untreated, backward flow of stomach contents such as acid and bile into the esophagus can lead to injury and chronic inflammation of the esophagus lining. A proportion of GERD patients are thus at risk of developing Barrett's esophagus, which can lead to esophageal adenocarcinoma, a lethal cancer with a five-year survival rate of approximately 15%.

Gastroenterology Consultants is affiliated with Heartland Clinic, a collaborative between Valley Laboratories, Valley View Anesthesia, Midwest Clinical Research and Regional Surgicenter. This family of healing partners is committed to providing the highest quality testing and care available in the Quad-City region.  Learn more at www.gastroconsultantsqc.com.  GI Consultants is one of the founding participants of Colon Cancer Free QCA (CCFQCA), a consortium of competing gastroenterology practices committed to increasing the awareness of colon cancer and its risks.   Learn more about the initiative at www.coloncancerfreeQCA.com.

By: Sen. Tom Harkin
March 14, 2011 04:30 AM EDT

One year ago this week, President Barack Obama signed the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act into law, ensuring quality, affordable health coverage to all Americans, cracking down on the worst abuses by health insurance companies and placing a new emphasis on wellness and disease prevention.

Yet today, there is a misguided effort to repeal the law. The fight to provide access to quality, affordable health care for all has only just begun.

The good news is that this time around, the debate dynamics have shifted. As people learn more about the long-overdue reforms in the Affordable Care Act ? including benefits and consumer protections now guaranteed by law ? support for health care reform is growing steadily.

A year ago, we were bogged down in the messy, frustrating politics of passing the bill. Now, what's at stake is crystal clear: Are we going to put health insurance companies back in the driver's seat to discriminate based on pre-existing conditions and return to the abuses and discriminatory practices of the past? Are we going to revoke access to health insurance for more than 30 million Americans? Are we going to add hundreds of billions of dollars to the deficit by wiping out the savings in the Affordable Care Act? The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office estimates the law will reduce the deficit by $210 billion in the first decade and by more than $1 trillion in the second decade.

The law's jewel in the crown is ending denial of coverage due to pre-existing conditions. It is a sobering fact that nearly half of nonelderly Americans have some type of pre-existing condition ? like high blood pressure, arthritis or heart disease. Similarly, the law bans the outrageous practice of canceling policies when people get sick. Gone are the days when the largest health insurer in California could use technicalities to cancel the policies of women who get breast cancer.

The law also prohibits insurers from imposing lifetime limits on benefits, and it allows parents to keep their children on their policies until age 26.

Americans will not allow these hard-earned protections and benefits to be taken away.

Conservatives attack the provision of the law requiring people to purchase health insurance. They claim it is an "assault on freedom." Well, it is an assault on freedom for people to go without insurance, seek treatment in emergency rooms and stick other Americans with their health care bills. Uncompensated health care adds an estimated $1,100 a year to every family's health insurance premiums.

The individual mandate is just common sense ? that's why so many Republicans supported it in the past. Indeed, as governor of Massachusetts, Mitt Romney put an individual mandate at the center of his state's health reform law. By eliminating free riders and putting everyone in the risk pool, we keep rates down for everyone. This is the only way people with pre-existing conditions are not denied affordable coverage.

When we join together, we have more freedom. When everyone is covered and no one is left out, we enhance liberty. Health reform is all about freedom. Freedom from the fear that if you get sick, you won't be able to afford a doctor. Freedom from the fear that a major illness will lead to financial ruin. These are the practical freedoms that matter to Americans.

With this landmark law, we are beginning to replace the current sick care system with a genuine health care system ? focused on wellness and prevention. We are beginning to reward health care providers for the quality of care they provide, not just the quantity.

The Affordable Care Act is not perfect. It is not like the Ten Commandments, chiseled in stone. It's more like a starter home ? suitable for improvement.

I look forward to working with my colleagues to make sensible changes as we continue to implement the law. I invite them to bring their tool kits, rather than their sledgehammers, so we can work together to improve the law.

The choice is to go forward or be dragged backward. The great majority of people wants to go forward to build a reformed health care system that works not only for the healthy and wealthy ? but for all Americans.

Sen. Tom Harkin (D-Iowa) is chairman of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions.

Quad Cities, USA (March 7, 2011) - March is Colon Cancer Awareness Month and gastroenterologists  and other healthcare professionals from around the Quad Cities are joining forces to spread the word about how colon cancer can be prevented.  Colon Cancer Free QCA is a coalition of physicians and staff from The Center for Digestive Health, Gastroenterology Consultants and Trinity Medical Center.  Colon Cancer Free QCA is coordinating efforts to raise public and clinical awareness of the role that colonoscopies play in the prevention and early detection of colon cancer.  Physicians from these practices will address groups in the area about why colonoscopies are so important.  Others will be talking with family physicians about the importance of patients receiving colonoscopies early in life.  Colon Cancer Free QCA will also publish public service announcements throughout March.

On Saturday, March 5th, as part of Colon Cancer Free QCA, free colonoscopies were provided to 15 uninsured patients identified as high-risk by the Good Samaritan Clinic in Moline.  Nurses and support staff from Trinity Regional Health System - along with Drs. Ahmad Cheema, Sreenivas Chintalapani, Arvind Movva, Shasinath Chandrashasegowda and Poonput Chotiprasidhi,  gastroenterologists from competing practices -- volunteered their service.  The exams were performed free-of-charge for the high-risk patients, who were identified as being high-risk by the Good Samaritan Clinic.  Anesthesiologists from Western Illinois Anesthesiology participated in the free clinic.  Lab and pathology services were donated by Metro Lab.  A grant from Trinity Health Foundation helped fund part of the clinic's costs.

Excluding skin cancer, colon cancer is the third most common cancer diagnosis in the United States.  It remains among the top three cancer killers, even though it is also the most preventable form of deadly cancer. The most effective means of preventing colon cancer is a colonoscopy, where pre-cancerous polyps are removed before they turn to cancer and early cancers are seen and biopsied, often before they cause symptoms.  If the cancer is detected early, before symptoms appear, a person's chance of survival is about 90 percent. People with an average risk for colon cancer should be tested at age 50.  However, screenings should begin at age 40 if you have a family history of colon cancer.   Colon cancer affects men and women equally, crossing all socio-economic lines.

Among those serving on Colon Cancer Free QCA committee are several who've been personally touched by colon cancer.   Committee member Courtney Boothe is a Moline native and the daughter of Frank Boothe, a colon cancer survivor, "This coalition is doing something that is much needed in today's world, I hadn't really heard of colon cancer until my father was diagnosed with it. Last year when I heard about Colon Cancer Free QCA, I wanted to do anything I could to help raise awareness."  Booth hopes her participation in CCFQCA inspires others to take a step that could save their lives.

For more information about Colon Cancer Free QCA visit www.coloncancerfreeqca.com.

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MILWAUKEE, WI - Whether you're trying to lose weight or just maintain a healthy lifestyle, it's important to include a variety of vegetables in meal planning. The health benefits of eating vegetables are many and include reducing the risk of stroke, type 2 diabetes, coronary heart disease, and certain cancers, such as mouth, stomach, and colon cancer.
It can be a challenge to include a sufficient amount of this tasty and beneficial food group to menus. These tips from TOPS Club, Inc. (Take Off Pounds Sensibly), the nonprofit weight-loss support organization, offer some creative ways to eat more vegetables:
1. Make a "pasta" dish with spaghetti squash instead of noodles.
2. Puree cooked vegetables and add them to stews, gravies, and soups.
3. Add raw spinach leaves and an extra-ripe banana to a fruit smoothie. It may sound strange, but the sweetness of the banana masks the taste of the spinach.
4. Baking? Add shredded carrots to muffins or bread.
5. Instead of cheese and meat, pile your morning omelet with onions, mushrooms, and red and green peppers. Chop vegetables the night before to save time in the morning.
6. Add chopped spinach to meat when preparing meatballs or hamburgers.
7. Try mashed cauliflower instead of mashed potatoes. Experiment with different flavorings such as garlic, a dab of butter, and Parmesan cheese.
8. Add salsa to a breakfast burrito, pile it on a veggie burger, or use it in place of high-fat, creamy vegetable dips.
9. Puree pasta sauce with vegetables such as winter squash or chopped broccoli.
10. Add chopped carrots to casseroles or meat loaf.
TOPS Club Inc. (Take Off Pounds Sensibly), the original, nonprofit weight-loss support and wellness education organization, was established more than 63 years ago to champion weight-loss support and success. Founded and headquartered in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, TOPS promotes successful, affordable weight management with a philosophy that combines healthy eating, regular exercise, wellness information, and support from others at weekly chapter meetings. TOPS has about 170,000 members in nearly 10,000 chapters throughout the United States and Canada.
Visitors are welcome to attend their first TOPS meeting free of charge. To find a local chapter, visit www.tops.org or call (800) 932-8677.

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Health Benefits Exchange, Control of Rate Increases, and Higher Percentages of Premiums Going to Health Care Among Recommendations

CHICAGO - March 2, 2011. A state panel convened by Governor Pat Quinn to guide Illinois' implementation of national health care reform released its initial recommendations today. The Health Care Reform Implementation Council urged the creation of a health benefit exchange -- called for in the federal Affordable Care Act (ACA) -- through which individuals and small businesses would be able to purchase health coverage at competitive prices. The panel also recommended that state regulators be given the authority to approve or deny health insurance rate increases, and that insurance companies be required to spend at least 80 percent of premium dollars on health care for policy holders.

"I would like to thank the members of the Council for the thoughtful and thorough analysis and outreach effort that they have conducted across our state," Governor Quinn said. "The unifying theme heard at the Council's meetings was that the ACA must be implemented quickly, efficiently and fairly in order to make comprehensive health insurance affordable and accessible to all Illinoisans. The council will continue leading the state's implementation efforts and reporting periodically on their progress to ensure we meet our goals."

Governor Quinn created the Health Care Reform Implementation Council by Executive Order in July 2010. The group was tasked with providing recommendations for implementation of the ACA, many provisions of which take effect in 2014.The panel held a series of five hearings around the state to gather input from health-care stakeholders, including providers, insurers, and consumer advocates.

"Governor Quinn has directed the state agencies that will play a role in implementing health care reform to work together to deliver on the promise of the Affordable Care Act," said Michael Gelder, chair of the council and Governor Quinn's senior health policy advisor. "As we implement the federal reforms, this council will continue to meet with the goal of improving the health of Illinois residents by increasing access to health care, reducing treatment disparities, controlling costs, and improving the affordability, quality and effectiveness of health care."

The report estimates that by 2014, more than 1 million uninsured Illinois residents will obtain health coverage. Between 500,000 and 800,000 individuals will be covered under the state's Medicaid program with full federal funding. An additional 200,000 to 300,000 people will purchase their insurance through the health benefit exchange, with premiums subsidized by the federal government.

The Council's report recommends that legislative action should begin this year on many of the steps that will be needed to implement the ACA. The report recommends passage of state legislation to give the Department of Insurance the power to approve or deny health insurance rate increases; the ACA gives state exchanges the authority to regulate rates.

The panel also called for legislation to meet a requirement in the federal law that insurance companies spend a minimum percentage of premium dollars on health care. For individuals and groups of 50 employees or less, 80 percent would have to be spent on health care; for large groups, the minimum would be 85 percent.

In the initial report delivered to Governor Quinn, the panel also recommends:

  • Passage of state legislation to bring Illinois in compliance with the ACA's requirement for internal review and external appeal for health insurance claims that are denied.
  • Amendment to state law that would make it easier to create non-profit, member-run health insurance cooperatives that will be eligible for funding under the ACA.
  • Passage of state legislation to bring Illinois in compliance with federal law that requires parity for mental health coverage in group health insurance policies and HMOs.
  • Seeking the maximum available federal funds to upgrade the state's data system so to accurately verify eligibility and keep track of individuals that shift between Medicaid, the Children's Health Insurance Program and private insurance purchased through the Exchange.

The report notes that further study and input will be needed from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services before decisions can be made on a variety of issues, including the exact nature of the Exchange and whether the state should adopt a Basic Health Plan that would specify the health benefits offered by the Exchange.

In addition to Mr. Gelder, the chairman, the members of the Council include : vice chairs Julie Hamos, director of the Department of Healthcare and Family Services and Michael McRaith, director of the Department of Insurance; Dr. Damon Arnold, director of the Department of Public Health; Charles Johnson, director, Department on Aging; Michelle Saddler, secretary, Department of Human Services; James Sledge, director, Central Management Services and David Vaught, director of the Office of Management and Budget.

To view the full report, go to: HealthCareReform.Illinois.gov.

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Senator Chuck Grassley today released the following statement after the Drug Enforcement Administration used its administrative authority to control five chemicals used to make synthetic marijuana products that when used have similar or possibly more severe side effects than smoking marijuana.  These substances are easily available at local stores or online.  Grassley brought attention to the growing problem of K2 in a speech on the floor of the U.S. Senate in September.  In that speech, Grassley highlighted the life of a young Iowan who died after smoking K2.  That speech follows today's comment from Grassley and the Drug Enforcement Administration announcement.

"As more people experiment with these substances with tragic results, it's increasingly clear that K2 is anything but safe.  These dangerous substances are easily obtained and are being used across the country.  Tragically, people, including a young Iowan, have died or been seriously injured because of these products. The DEA's action is a positive step forward, but this step is only temporary.  The Congress needs to take action and permanently control these substances, and I'll work with my colleagues to make sure this gets done."

Here's is a copy of the Drug Enforcement Administration's press release.

CHEMICALS USED IN "SPICE" AND "K2" TYPE PRODUCTS NOW UNDER FEDERAL CONTROL AND REGULATION

DEA Will Study Whether To Permanently Control Five Substances

Contact: DEA Public Affairs

(202) 307-7977

WASHINGTON, D.C. - The United States Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) today exercised its emergency scheduling authority to control five chemicals (JWH-018, JWH-073, JWH-200, CP-47,497, and cannabicyclohexanol) used to make so-called "fake pot" products.  Except as authorized by law, this action makes possessing and selling these chemicals or the products that contain them illegal in the United States.  This emergency action was necessary to prevent an imminent threat to public health and safety.  The temporary scheduling action will remain in effect for at least one year while the DEA and the United States Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) further study whether these chemicals should be permanently controlled.

The Final Order was published today in the Federal Register to alert the public to this action.  These chemicals will be controlled for at least 12 months, with the possibility of a six month extension.  They are designated as Schedule I substances, the most restrictive category under the Controlled Substances Act.  Schedule I substances are reserved for those substances with a high potential for abuse, no accepted medical use for treatment in the United States and a lack of accepted safety for use of the drug under medical supervision.

Over the past couple of years, smokeable herbal products marketed as being "legal" and as providing a marijuana-like high, have become increasingly popular, particularly among teens and young adults. These products consist of plant material that has been coated with research chemicals that claim to mimic THC, the active ingredient in marijuana, and are sold at a variety of retail outlets, in head shops, and over the Internet.  These chemicals, however, have not been approved by the FDA for human consumption, and there is no oversight of the manufacturing process. Brands such as "Spice," "K2," "Blaze," and "Red X Dawn" are labeled as herbal incense to mask their intended purpose.

Since 2009, DEA has received an increasing number of reports from poison control centers, hospitals and law enforcement regarding these products. At least 16 states have already taken action to control one or more of these chemicals. The Comprehensive Crime Control Act of 1984 amends the Controlled Substances Act (CSA) to allow the DEA Administrator to place a substance temporarily in schedule I when it is necessary to avoid an imminent threat to the public safety. Emergency room physicians report that individuals that use these types of products experience serious side effects which include : convulsions, anxiety attacks, dangerously elevated heart rates, increased blood pressure, vomiting, and disorientation.

"Young people are being harmed when they smoke these dangerous 'fake pot' products and wrongly equate the products' 'legal' retail availability with being 'safe'," said DEA Administrator Michele M. Leonhart.  "Parents and community leaders look to us to help them protect their kids, and we have not let them down.  Today's action, while temporary, will reduce the number of young people being seen in hospital emergency rooms after ingesting these synthetic chemicals to get high."

Here is a copy of Grassley's September 22, 2010 speech.

Prepared Statement of Senator Chuck Grassley

The Growing Problem of K2

Wednesday, September 22, 2010

Video of Senator Grassley's speech can be found by clicking here.

Mr. President, as a parent and grandparent I have long been concerned about the dangers that face our kids. I have been especially concerned about the large amount of dangerous drugs in this country.

It is clear that drug dealers will stop at nothing to get our kids hooked on drugs.  All too often we learn of new and emerging drug threats to our communities that often have a negative impact on our youth.

When these drug threats emerge it is crucial that we unite to halt the spread of the problem before it consumes families and communities.

Today we are confronted with new and very dangerous substances packaged as innocent products.  Specifically, kids are able to go online or to the nearest shopping mall and purchase incense laced with chemicals that alter the mind and body.

These products are commonly referred to as K2 or Spice among other names.

In the chart behind me, you can see the packaged varieties of K2 products.  Kids and drug users are smoking this product in order to obtain a "legal high."  It is believed that K2 products emerged on the scene beginning about 4 or 5 years ago.  Their use spread quickly throughout Europe and the U.S.

According to a study conducted by the European Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction, most of the chemicals found in K2 products are not reported on the label.  This study concluded that these chemicals are not listed because there is a deliberate marketing strategy to represent this product as a natural substance.

However, K2 is anything but natural.

Most of the chemicals the DEA has identified within K2 products where invented by Dr. John W. Huffman of Clemson University for research purposes.  These synthetic chemicals were never intended to be used for any other purpose other than for research.

They were never tested on humans and no long term effects of their use are currently known.

As more and more people are experimenting with K2 it is becoming increasingly evident that K2 use is anything but safe.

The American Association of Poison Control Centers reports significant increases in the amount of calls concerning these products.  There were only 13 calls related to K2 use reported for 2009.  There have been over 1,000 calls concerning K2 use in 2010 to date.

This is a drastic increase in a short amount of time.

Common effects reported by emergency room doctors include : increased agitation, elevated heart rate and blood pressure, hallucinations, and seizures.  Effects from the highs from K2 use are reported to last several hours and up to one week.

Dr. Huffman has stated that since so little research has been conducted on K2 chemicals using any one of them would be like, "playing Russian roulette."

In fact, Dr. Anthony Scalzo, a professor of emergency medicine at St. Louis University, reports that these chemicals are significantly more potent than marijuana.  Dr. Scalzo states that the amount of chemicals in K2 varies from product to product so no one can be sure exactly the amount of the drug they are putting in their body.  Dr. Scalzo reports that this can lead to significant problems such as altering the state of mind, addiction, injury, and even death.

According to various news articles across the nation, K2 can cause serious erratic and criminal behavior.

In Mooresville, Indiana police arrested a group of teens after they were connected to a string of burglaries while high on K2.  The local County Attorney prosecuting the case stated this was an unusual crime spree.  These kids were not the type who are normally seen in the criminal justice system.  The County Attorney stated that these kids had, "no prior record, good grades, athletes, so that got me wondering: is there a correlation between K2 and the crime?"

Another case in Honolulu, Hawaii shows police arrested a 23-year-old man after he tried to throw his girlfriend off an 11th floor balcony after smoking K2.

A 14 year-old boy in Missouri nearly threw himself out of a 5th story window after smoking K2.  Once the teen got over his high he denied having any suicidal intentions.  Doctors believe he was hallucinating at the time of this incident.

K2 use is also causing serious health problems and increased visits to the emergency room.

A Louisiana teen said he became very ill after trying K2.  The teen said he experienced numbness starting at his feet and traveling to his head.  He was nauseous, light-headed and was having hallucinations. This teen stated that K2 is being passed around at school.  The teen also stated that many people were trying it without fear, assuming it was safe because it was legal.

Another case has a teenager in Indiana being admitted to the emergency room with a blood pressure of 248/134 after testing positive for K2.

A teen in Texas, became temporarily paralyzed from the waist down after smoking K2.

Another teen in Texas had a heart attack after smoking K2 but fortunately survived this event.

Regrettably, K2 use also has deadly consequences.

The picture behind me is of David Rozga.  David was a recent 18 year-old Indianola, Iowa High School Graduate.  According to his parents and friends, David was a bright, energetic, talented student who loved music, was popular, and active in his church.  David was looking forward to attending the University of Northern Iowa this fall.

On June 6, 2010 David, along with some of his friends, smoked a package of K2 thinking it was nothing more than a little fun.  David and his friends purchased this product at a mall in Des Moines after hearing about it from some college students who were home for the summer.  After smoking this product, David's friends reported that David became highly agitated and terrified. When he got home, he found a family shotgun and committed suicide 90 minutes after smoking K2.

The Indianola police believe David was under the influence of K2 at the time of his death.  David's parents and many in the community who knew David were completely shocked and saddened by this event.  As a result, the Iowa Pharmacy Board placed an emergency ban on K2 products in Iowa which began on July 21, 2010.

David's tragic death may be the first case in the United States of K2 use leading to someone's death, but sadly it was only the beginning.

A month after David's tragic death police report that, a 28-year-old Middletown, Indiana mother of two passed away after smoking a lethal dose of K2.  This woman's godson reported that anyone could get K2 easily because it can be sold to anybody at any price at any time.

This last August, a recent 19-year-old Lake Highlands High School graduate in Dallas, Texas passed away after smoking K2.  The medical examiner confirmed that this boy had K2 in his system at the time of his death.

These incidents throughout the country give me great concern that K2 use is a dangerous and growing problem.

Twelve states, including Iowa, have acted to ban the sale and possession of the chemicals found in K2 products.  Many more states, counties and communities throughout the country have proposed bans or are in the process of banning these products.

However, a recent article in the Des Moines Register highlights the fact that some stores are working around these bans by changing some of the chemicals and relabeling the products.

I believe it is time we have a national discussion about these dangerous substances.  I hope in the coming weeks and months that my colleagues will begin to take notice of this issue.

As Co-Chairman of the Senate Drug Caucus it is my hope that we will have a hearing on this issue in the not-too-distant future.

It is important to fully understand the magnitude and implications of allowing these products to remain legal in the U.S.

Mr. President, it is clear that the sale and use of K2 products is a growing problem.

People believe these products are safe because they can buy them online or at the nearest shopping mall.  We need to do a better job at educating the public and our communities about the dangers these products present.  We need to nip this problem in the bud before it grows and leads to more tragedy.

I urge my colleagues to join me as we explore positive actions to stem the use of K2.

 

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