t-
By Cathy Saathoff
Battalion Staff
The new "tanning tablets" on
the market promise a rich gol
den tan just by popping a few
pills, but recent evidence indi
cates that all they deliver is an
orange tint and possible liver
damage.
The basic ingredients in the
ills, according to an article in
eople magazine, are beta
carotene, which comes from car
rots and other vegetables, and
canthaxanthin, a food additive
used to color pizza, orange
juice, barbecue sauce and pet
foods.
The two chemicals, while
approved as a coloring agents
for foods and drugs, have not
been approved for use in tan
ning tablets, pending FDA
approval.
The People article told of one
woman wno developed drug-
related hepatitis, although it is
not certain it was caused by the
pills.
The pills promise a tropical
tan within two weeks. A
gorgeous thought to many sun
gods and goddesses, but that
tan covers the palms and soles of
the feet as well as the traditional
tanning areas.
Ann Bums, owner of Calico
Natural Foods in Bryan, said her
store sells tablets made by Vita-
Plus. She said they are not
advertised as "tanning tablets,"
but the fine print on the jar
warns that taking an excessive
amount of the tablets will cause
discoloration of the skin or
stools.
"We have been selling quite a
few of them," Bums said.
The tablets sell for $21.95 for a
bottle of 60. They have sold ab
out three cases of 12 bottles
each.
"We haven't seen anybody
come in with a tan, though," she
said.
Bums said the instructions
say to start out taking four a day
for the first week, then three for
one week, then two, then down
to one a day to maintain the
color.
The tablets contain, in addi
tion to carotene and canthaxan
thin, P.A.B.A. and zinc.
P.A.B.A. is vitamin B-5, Bums
said, and zinc is a common min
eral.
"There's nothing in them
that's going to be detrimental,"
she said, but added that sitting
in the sun or doing without a tan
is probably more beneficial to a
person's health.
There has been a demand for
the pills, she said, so Calico
stocks them, but Bums said she
thinks they are "just some
body's hare-brained promotion
al scheme, and that's all."
"I really don't approve of
this," Bums said. "It's some
thing that I think is just ludic
rous.
She said she has received no
official notice about the pills
being harmful.
Tanning tablets are legal in
Canada, and many are imported
from there.
According to the People arti
cle, the Cosmetest Division of
Cosmetic Sciences, Inc., in East
Rutherford, N.J., produces the
pills in the United States.
Save-Way Beauty & Barber
Supply, a retail store with out
lets in and around Dallas, re
cently had a sale on a bottle of 60
Vita-Plus tablets for $8.88.
Aggie learns while
working with Mickey
Donna Boswell, a junior at
Texas A&M University, is
spending her summer learning
while she works at Walt Disney
World in Buena Vista, Fla.
Boswell is one of 240 students
participating in the Magic King
dom College Program, a new
combination of work and study
sponsored by the Disney organi
zation.
Students from 43 colleges and
universities were selected dur
ing interviews on campus be
cause of their interest in a career
in the leisure and hospitality in
dustry. Most major in retail
management, hotel/restaurant
management or recreation and
parks management.
Boswell is spending the sum
mer working in the Magic King
dom and attending special clas
ses. The program includes a
minimum of 30 hours of work
per week in either merchandis
ing, operations, custodial or
food services and at least two
hours weekly in the classroom.
Participants receive competi
tive hourly wages and are living
in specially-arranged housing
near the Walt Disney World Re
sort complex.
The 12 weekly classes
attended by the students deal
with every aspect of the Walt
Disney World operating proce
dures and philosophies, from
entertainment to food adminis
tration.
Program director Kent Phil
lips says it is the first time the
Disney organization has con
ducted such a program, but
already he is planning an expan
sion. Beginning in January,
1982, coUege students will
spend a whole quarter or semes
ter as a member of the Walt Dis
ney World cast.
"The program provides a
meaningful work experience for
the students — one in which
they can apply the theories
learned in college courses to l ev-
eryday situations," Phillips
said.
FOCUS
Editor Cathy Saathoff
Cartoonist Scott McCullar
Focus will accept any items submitted
for publication, although the decision
to publish lies solely with the editor.
Deadline is 5 p.m. the Thursday before
publication.
Donna Boswell, right, poses for a photo on Main Street
U.S. A. at Walt Disney World with Lori Jones of Penn State
University. Boswell is a junior at Texas A&M University.
The women are two of 240 students participating in the
Magic Kingdom College Program.
® Walt Disney Productions, 1981