Wednesday, August 8, 1973
College Station, Texas
Page 15
THE BATTALION
Alcohol, Drugs
*By this time nearly every citi
zen of the state is familiar with
the problem of drug abuse and
the effect that it has on them,
their families and associates.
However, the Texas Pharmaceu
tical Association is working on a
specialized area of the problem
that few people ever thought
about or even realized existed.
The potentially lethal interaction
of alcohol and other drugs is a
facet of drug abuse that is wide
ly misunderstood and not gener
ally recognized.
“There are two important con
siderations to this unique area of
the drug abuse problem,” says
Paul F. Davis, a pharmacist and
Director of Public Affairs of the
Association, “in that the public
as a whole generally does not
think of alcohol as being a drug,
and that they are lax in their
concern for mixing this drug
with other drugs.”
Thus, the situation is an ob
vious area that should not exist,
but which annually leads to an
untold number of deaths and
near-fatal reactions that could
be avoided.
The interaction of alcohol with
sedatives (sleeping pills) is of
course fairly well recognized. You
frequently hear of suicides and
attempted suicides via this route.
The question can always be
raised though as to how many of
these are intentional versus the
number of merely accidental
overdoses.
The most serious interactions
though are the ones that do not
necessarily result in death. Those
that cause loss of consciousness,
decreased coordination and
blurred vision may be a signifi
cant cause of injury through auto
accidents, and accidents in the
home or while at work.
To understand the problem we
need to realize that the consump
tion of alcoholic beverages is far
more prevalent than most people
realize. To place this problem in
a better perspective it is worth
while to make note of the extent
of alcoholic consumption in the
United States today. Seventy-one
percent of the age group between
21 and 29 drink; of the age group
between 30 and 49, 76 percent
drink; and of the persons aged
50 and over, 61 percent drink. By
economic distribution, 86 percent
of the affluent drink, 66 percent
of the average income group
drink, while only 54 percent of
the lower income group drink.
The amount of alcohol con
sumed by the American public is
even more alarming. Per capita
consumption for each individual
over the age of 15 is currently
at the amazing annual rate of
2.4 gallons of pure (lOO'X) al
cohol.
To add weight to the problem,
in an analysis of the National
Prescription Audit for 1971 pre
pared by the R. A. Gosselin Com
pany, one would find that ap
proximately 25 f / ( of all prescrip
tions contained substances which
can and do interact when com
bined with alcohol. Additionally,
of the top 100 most commonly
prescribed drugs in 1971, over
50'/r contained at least one in
gredient that has been document
ed to interact with alcohol. To
further complicate the problem
many of the relatively “safe”
over-the-counter drugs (those
available without a prescription)
have ingredients which can inter
act with alcohol.
So, what is there to do?
First, in cooperation with the
Texas Commission on Alcoholism,
the Texas Pharmaceutical Associ
ation has developed brochures,
posters and public service an
nouncements to call the public’s
attention to this most important
area.
Secondly, the Association says
everyone should follow’ some gen
eral “common sense” rules:
—If possible, always avoid tak
ing any kind of medication or
drug before, after or while drink
ing an alcoholic beverage.
—If you must take medica
tions, always check with your
pharmacist or physician before
drinking. Many drugs do not
interact wdth alcohol and you can
feel perfectly safe in combining
the two.
—Never underestimate the po
tency of non-prescription medi
cations. Never combine them
It's Something Different"
PEANUT GALLERY
Dance — Wednesday & Friday Nights
Featuring
Danny Keetch, Disc Jockey
&
Scotty Price on Drums
Serving Beer, Wine, & Mixed Drinks
813 Old College Road
846-9978
Krueger-Dunn Dini
Mon. - Sun.
Dinner Supper
11-1:15
Bring The Fam^y,
Eating Out Is Ft
“QUALITY FIRST”'
Dangers Noted
with alcohol or exceed the recom
mended dosage without consent
of your doctor.
—Never take sleeping pills
while intoxicated. (This is re
ported to have been the cause of
several untimely deaths. While
intoxicated, individuals occasion
ally forget if they have taken
sleeping medication and can eas
ily repeat the dosage ultimately
resulting in death or severe
coma.)
As part of the grant, the As
sociation has developed a slide-
tape presentation which is avail
able through the local pharma
ceutical association. Persons de-
si r i n g additional information
should contact their pharmacist
or the Texas Pharmaceutical As
sociation (Post Office Box 4487,
Austin, Texas 78765).
* Statistics and data provided by
the Texas Commission on Alco
holism, 809 Sam Houston State
Office Building, Austin, Texas
78701; and Dr. Victor A. Yan-
chick, Associate Professor of
Pharmacy, College of Pharmacy,
The University of Texas at
Austin.
Food Situation
In Uncertain State
Welcome Coeds!
Are you a college woman
that wants to create an
impression —
on all those male minds
Come see the styles that will knock
their eyes out - at a little shop that has
YOU AT HEART!
Come In We Want To Meet
“The overall food situation is
currently in a state of uncertain
ty,” Mrs. Gwendolyne Clyatt said
this week.
“Under Phase IV controls, a
more normal marketing pattern
of fresh fruits and vegetables is
expected,” according to the con-
sumer marketing information
specialist, A&M’s Texas Agricul
tural Extension Service.
“However, ‘demand exceeds
supply’ is showing up on many
commodity market reports. This
will undoubtedly result in contin
ued higher prices.
“It’s most difficult to forecast
fruit and vegetable supply-price
situations at this time, but con
sumers still can buy wisely if
they watch for locally grown and
nearby produce, make their own
selections and take the best pos
sible care of the items when they
get home with them,” she said.
Seasonal items include canta
loupes, peaches, nectarines, seed
less white grapes, cherries, plums
and pineapples.
Also cucumbers, corn-on-the-
cob, blackeye and purple hull
peas, carrots and okra.
“There is little promotional in
terest in the fryer market this
week. However, turkey is a good
protein choice to look for. Tur
key parts and turkey rolls may
be good values, too.
“Consumers may find a few
featured items at the meat coun
ter, but supplies are “guestimat-
ed’ to be less than usual, because
demands continue strong.
“Shoppers can help ease the
situation by using more meat al
ternates, such as dry beans, dry
peas and peanut butter,” the spe
cialist concluded.
It's a Great Year for the Aggies!
SALES DEPT. SERVICE DEPT.
YOU!
The Clothes Horse
3801 E. 29th.
Jr. Shop
846-2940
Bryan
Insurance Rate
Increase Seen
Monday - Friday 8:30 a. m. - 7:00 p. m.
Saturday 9:00 a. m. - 6:00 p. m.
Monday - Friday 7:00 a. m. - 6:00 p. m.
Parts Dept.
Open Saturday Till 1 p. m.
An increase in some workmen’s
compensation insurance rates is
due under a new law increasing
benefits for those injured or
killed in job accidents.
An average 19.5 per cent hike
in the rates employers must pay
for the coverage is anticipated
under a State Insurance Board
staff proposal, which would be
come effective if approved be
tween September 1 and Septem
ber 15.
Rates would have gone up 22.8
per cent in the absence of the
federal anti-inflation program, a
Board actuary indicated.
Under new law effective Sep
tember, an injured worker can
get up to a maximum of $63 a
week in benefits, an increase
from the present $49 top.
SALES • SERVICE • PARTS
SCHWARTZKOPF, INC.
Pontiac - Buick - GMC
601 Texas Ave. — Bryan
823-8044
Take three extra minutes
when you arrive
Enroll In
Texas A&M's Student
Insurance Plan
Insurance may be something you haven’t thought much about.
But maybe you should . . . just in case! It’s like preparing for
an exam. You can’t always anticipate all the questions, so you
‘cram’ as much as possible, just in case you need the informa
tion. Insurance works the same way.
You can’t anticipate a broken bone or mono or appendicitis.
And you hope they don’t happen. But you can plan ahead for
the expenses that accompany such a sickness or accident . . .
just in case! That’s the whole idea behind your University’s
student insurance program. To make sure sudden and unan
ticipated medical expenses don’t disrupt your studies or col
lege budget.
That’s why your Student Senate carefully selected Texas
A&M's new plan. Underwritten by Mutual of Omaha, it pro
vides hospital-surgical protection for all sorts of sickness and
accidents. Plus benefits for doctor’s calls, X-rays, ambulance
and miscellaneous benefits. Beginning August 15th, right on
through to August 15th of next summer.
We want you to enjoy the excitement of your University years
without the worries of doctor and hospital bills. That’s our
job.
For your convenience, we’ll be in the Memorial Student Cen
ter the first couple of weeks of school.
Stop by and see us.
See us in the M.S.C.
Texas A&M Insurance Plan Is Underwritten by Your Mutual of Omaha Representative At A&M
Mutual
^Omaha.xL/
The people who pay...
MUTUAL OF OMAHA INSURANCE • HOME OFFICE — OMAHA, NEBRASKA
R. M. JACKSON AGENCY
Mutual of Omaha
308 East 27th Street at Texas
P.0. Box 3849
Bryan, Texas 77801
Phone 822 1321