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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (April 11, 1996)
Going home this summer? Take some courses at SWT while you're there. Session I: May 29 - July 1 Application deadline: May 1 Session II: July 5 - August 7 Application deadline: June 15 It’s easy to apply - call Janet at 512-245-2755 SWT Office of Admissions Southwest Texas State University 429 N. Guadalupe San Marcos, Texas 78666 E-mail: admissions@SWT.edu SOUTHWEST TEXAS STATE UNIVERSITY Another family trip? Saturday, April 13 Dixie Theatre downtown Bryan 10 p.m. $5 at the door http:/ /http, to mu.edu: 8000/~fslip Page 14 • The Battalion Caivipus & Nation Thursday • April 11,19% FDA to Generation Hers: Don’t buy dietary supplements with Ephedrine WASHINGTON (AP) — The government moved Wednesday to curb sales of an herb offering Generation Xers a “natural high,” telling consumers not to buy such dietary supplements as Herbal Ecstacy that contain the stimulant ephedrine. The supplements are advertised to young people — sometimes as a “natural” alternative to illegal drugs — promising euphoria, height ened sexual awareness and enhanced athletic performance. They’re found everywhere and in various forms — from tablets in health-food stores to special fruit drinks sold on the beach es of California and Florida. The supplements are “aimed directly to ward youth for the express purpose of catching a buzz,” said FDA spokesman Arthur Whitmore. The FDA has learned of 15 people who died after taking ephedrine-containing sup plements and has received almost 400 other reports of side effects, from heart attacks and seizures to psychosis. So the agency warned consumers not to buy or use the supplements, and is collecting coro ners’ reports and other evidence in an effort to take regulatory action against manufacturers. The products are “recreational, street drug-like products that are masquerading as dietary supplements,” said FDA Commis sioner David Kessler, who investigated when the relatives of a 20-year-old who died ques tioned him about ephedrine. “I believe they’re drugs and should be treated as such.” Herbal Ecstacy manufacturer Global World Media Corp. of Venice, Calif., did not return phone calls seeking comment. But an industry trade group said not all ephedrine was a problem, noting that the FDA warning does not target ephedrine- containing supplements used to help people lose weight. “There are legitimate uses of ephedra which are different from the drug-type, drug-mocking uses that FDA is concerned about,” said Annette Dickinson of the Coun cil for Responsible Nutrition. “The responsi ble part of the industry is as anxious as the FDA to get this resolved.” Ephedrine, an amphetamine-like stimu lant and a common ingredient in certain nonprescription asthma medicines, long has been controversial. The FDA recently pro posed taking ephedrine out of asthma prod ucts because of its risks. It’s also a central ingredient in the illegal drug methamphetamine, known as speed, and “ecstasy” is the street name for another illegal drug, MDMA. But in dietary supplements, manufactur ers promote the botanical source of ephedrine as “natural” and safe, often listing the stimulant under the herbal names ephedra or ma huang and sometimes adver tising that they’re FDA-approved. The FDA does not approve dietary supple ments. In fact, legislation Congress passed in 1994 slows how quickly the FDA can ban a dangerous supplement. Until 1994, the FDA simply declared a suspicious supplement to be an unapproved drug that must prove its safety before it could resume sales. Now, the FDA must prove each version of the supplement sold is dangerous before taking it off the market. The new law encouraged some “irrespon sible companies” to push unsafe use of di etary supplements., even as the FDA became reluctant to spend the extra time and money now needed to seize dangerous ones, said Purdue University herbal medicine expert Varro Tyler. "The industry knows that it can sell these products long enough to get money out before the FDA acts,” he said. “For the consumer, this becomes a game of herbal roulette.” “Unfortunately, you have to wait until there’s harm and prove harm,” agreed PDAs Kessler. But, he added, “We will takeregula tory action here.” "(The supplements are) aimed di rectly toward youth for the express purpose of catching a buzz." — ARTHUR WHITMORE FDA spokesim But the industry's Dickinson countered that people misused ephedrine long before the 1994 law, calling the recent rise in popularity among young people a coincidental fad. As the FDA moves to curb the drug like use of ephedrine supplements, it also is working with supplement manufacturers to put safety warnings on ephedrine products used for weight loss. People with hyperten sion, heart disease or diabetes, for instance, shouldn’t use such products, Tyler said. More than a dozen states have their own restrictions on ephedrine supplements, ban ning certain ones, restricting their sale to adults or requiring safety warnings. Consumers may report side effects from ephedrine supplements by calling 1-800 FDA-4010. aJm what's up Thursday Catholic Students Association: All those who have made an Aggie Awakening Retreat are welcome to attend Fourth Day at 6:15 p.m. at St. Mary's Student Center. For infor mation call Bee Lee at 764-1824. Catholic Students Association: ES- CALA general meeting will be held at 8:00 p.m. at St. Mary's Student Center Library. For information call Bee Lee at 764-1824. InterVarsity Christian Fellowship- Graduate Chapter: All graduate stu dents are welcome to attend a weekly Bible study, fellowship, and discussion of specific issues related to graduate students. It is held at 1410 Lawyer in College Station. Contact Diego at 823-7053 or John at 764-1857 for details. Student Counseling Service: Walk-in counseling service available for all students of color from 1-4:30 p.m. in Henderson Hall. Call Dr. Brian K. Williams at 845-4427. Native American Student Associa tion: A meeting will be held at 8:30 p.m. in 404 Rudder. Anyone interest ed in learning Native American dance is welcome. Call Amber Clark at 779-8214 or Sonny Spearman at 847-7309 for more information. Society For Promotion of Indian Classical Music And Culture Amongst Youth: There will be a Veena Duet at 7:30 p.m. in 201 MSC. For more information contact Govind Rengaratan at 862-4037 or 846-2733. International Students Group: A Culturally Different Way of Reason ing workshop will be held from 5 to 6:30 p.m. Aggie Speleological Society: Discus sion of the Earth Day project and offi cer elections will be held at 8:30 p.m. in 202 Francis. Call Tina at 846-4191 for details. Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual Aggies: There will be a rap group facilitated by Larry Long of the Student Counsel ing service at 7 p.m. in 404 Rudder. For more information call the gay line at 847-0321. Society of Mexican American Engi neers and Scientists: Officer elections will be held at 7 p.m. in 203 Zachry. Banquet information, applications for next year chair positions and pizza will be served. For more information call Carissa at 694-8142.. International Students Group: A Culturally Different Ways of Rea soning Workshop will be held from 5 to 6:30 p.m. in 104 Henderson Hall. Contact Dr. Lin at 845-4427, ext. 145 for more information. Environmental Issues Committee: A general meeting to discuss Earth Day plans will be held at 7 p.m. in 308 Rudder. All Aggies are welcome to attend. If an EIC member and cannot attend or for more informa tion call Cassandra at 845-3051. Alpha Phi Omega: Meet for the Boys Club Service Project at 3:30 p.m. in the APO office. Academic Vampirica: There will be a general domain meeting at 7 p.m. at the Orion Ltd. For more informa tion call Gena at 693-4434. Friday United Campus Ministry (UCM): All Christians are encouraged to attend this weekly Bible study. Fellowship activity will follow. Meet at A&M Presbyterian Church at 5:30 p.m. For details call Dr. Frank Yates at 846-1221. Catholic Students Association: Grad uate students group weekly dinnei gathering at a local restaurant will be held at 6:00 p.m. Call Bee Lee at 764- 1824 for information. Hillel Jewish Student Organization: Friday evening Sabbath Services will be held at 8:00 p.m. at 800 George Bush Drive. Call Rabbi Peter Tarlon at 696-7313 for details. Study Abroad Programs Office: There will be an informational meeting for students who wish to study abroad at the Texas A&M SantaChiara Center in Italy Spring '97. For more infer mation call 845-0544. Off Campus Aggies: Dinner dull will meet at 6:30 p.m. at Fuddrud ers. For more information call (be OCA office at 845-0688. What's Up is a Battalion service that lists non-profit student and faculty events and activities. Items should be submitted no later than three days in advance of the desired run date. Ap plication deadlines and notices are not events and will not be run in What's Up. If you have any ques tions, please call the newsroom at 845-3313. Take The Easy Way Out Of College. Show everyone how' smart you are — rent a Ryder (ruck and make it easy on yourself. \\ ilh power steel ing, automatic transmis sion. air conditioning and AlVI/h M stereo. Ryder tnicks are easy to drive. And your Ryder Dealer has all (he boxes and supplies you need. I here s even a 24-hour roadside assistance line to keep you rolling. Plus, your Student ID entitles you to special savings! So. call your local Ryder Dealer or 1-8()()-0()-RYI)KR (4()7-9337) and make your reserval ion today. ® Then move to the head of die class. lAEiMm® s We’re there when you need us. 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In r lege Station hotel pacity, forcing pa tions in cities as ft Tonight, A&M ilies will have a practice and the IV The Singing C cert at 8 p.m. in ] lowing the Varie - dence Hall Assc will run from 7 p. SAY A, Soner Tarim, a works to preser he and two otfu by the Brazos R Plane CHEYENNE, 7-year-old girl tr the youngest per: America was ki when her plane driveway shortly in a storm. Her flight instructor ; The crash tha Dubroff, her fat] Joe Reid happei ond day of their gle-engine plar Cessna owned b; in a residential house by 25 fe< from the runway Police Chief J< Clint< Me pegget WASHINGTC placement of Pr< tremist fringe” fo: hill sharpens bat dential election. I from both sides American voters < Dole’s sharp c ton vetoed legis Partial-birth abo tor him to win su ter as he moves >nto the general-i Asked about Paigned in Pent