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.
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For information, call
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Vol. 102, No. i:
Pa i
By Johanna Hem
The Battalion
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Texas A&M tod
Parents’ Weekent
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