Kandiyohi County ————————— Drug Free Communities Coalition

Alcohol-Whipped Cream

Indianapolis – Just as regulators are fighting to take a powerful mix of caffeine and alcohol off store shelves, there is a new health concern showing up at college parties.

It looks like a can of whipped cream or a dessert topping, until you take a closer look. It is infused with alcohol.

The high octane whipped cream like topping is becoming a hit on You Tube and college campuses.

It has names like Whipped Lightning and Cream in a Canister, but packs a powerful punch at 15 percent alcohol. That’s 30 proof.

“Not only can it be ingested and does have a fair amount of alcohol per volume, about three times that found in beer, but it can also be used in combination with those adolescents who abuse nitrous oxide. So, kids who engage in what we call huffing behavior can not only get high from the nitrous oxide, but can then top it off with the product as well” said Dr. Vaught Rickert, IU Director of adolescent medicine

On top of that, it doesn’t taste like alcohol, more like a harmless treat. It is often used as a topping to shots and other alcoholic drinks.

“One of the problems relative to this particular product is because it masks the taste of alcohol. So college students do drink to excess, binge drinking on college campuses is a relatively common occurrence,” said Dr Rickert. “Thank God alcohol poisoning does not occur very frequently, but it does occur and touches families in ways they can’t possibly imagine,”

Just recently, government regulators stepped in to remove Four Loko and other drinks that include a powerful mix of alcohol and caffeine.

Alcohol infused whipped cream appeared on the market in Central Indian about six months ago. You do have to be 21 to buy it, making it more difficult for teenagers to get hold of it.

It is marketed as cream, but interestingly enough, it doesn’t require any refrigeration.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/40430187/ns/local_news-indianapolis_in/

“The DEA has taken emergency action to outlaw chemicals used to make synthetic marijuana, meaning it will be illegal to possess or sell them in the U.S. for at least one year, until further action is taken.

The chemicals used to make “fake pot” products, also known as K2, will be studied by the Department of Health and Human Services to determine whether the chemicals and the products should be permanently controlled, the DEA said.

“Over the past year, smokable herbal blends marketed as being ‘legal’ and providing a marijuana-like high, have become increasingly popular, particularly among teens and young adults,” the DEA said in a statement.”These products consist of plant material that has been coated with research chemicals that 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.”

http://news.blogs.cnn.com/2010/11/24/dea-outlaws-chemicals-used-to-make-synthetic-marijuana/

Quitting tobacco is not easy, but it can be done. Whether you’re a smoker, someone who uses smokeless tobacco, or just someone trying to help a friend or loved one, you’ll find the information you need in this section.

Today is a day that we encourage every person who is addicted to tobacco in any form, to visit the American Cancer Society’s Website:

http://www.cancer.org/Healthy/StayAwayfromTobacco/index

Former Surgeon General C. Everett Koop
and Mr. Reynolds met on May 3, 1989 in
Washington, DC. Dr. Koop later commented,
“Patrick Reynolds is one of the nation’s most
influential advocates of a smokefree America.”
Dr. Koop also called his testimony “invaluable to our society.”

FOR MORE INFORMATION:

Blue Cross’ member smoking rate is even lower at 11 percent. But more work remains, as the tobacco industry continues to

spend millions each year marketing its products to youth, women and

 

 

populations that experience health disparities,

and we are seeing a concerning rise in the number of people using multiple forms of tobacco.

Blue Cross encourages smokers to use the Great American Smokeout as an opportunity to make a plan to quit, or

even quit smoking for that day. Blue Cross volunteers will be working side-by-side with student volunteers and the

American Cancer Society to promote the Great American Smokeout at Rosemount High School. Volunteers will be

encouraging students to take the “Smokeout Pledge” to avoid tobacco use, educating students about the hazards of cigarette

smoke to positively impact their health. This is the second year Blue Cross has held this event at an area school near its

Eagan headquarters.

As a health company, Blue Cross is committed to making a healthy difference in people’s lives. Blue Cross has a

long history of advocating for tobacco control on behalf of its members and the entire state, dating back to the 1990s when

it won a historic settlement with the tobacco companies. Some of the creative initiatives Blue Cross has deployed to tackle

tobacco use since then include:

•

 

 

Advocating for the Freedom to Breathe law to protect all workers from the harms of secondhand smoke, as well asa health impact fee to raise the price of cigarettes and keep youth from starting to smoke

•

 

 

Providing online and telephone quit services on bluecrossmn.com, including tailored coaching and cessationservices for several

 

populations that experience health disparities

•

 

 

Leading a collaborative of health organizations to form Call it Quits, a fax referral system that makes it easy forphysicians to refer patients who smoke to phone-based coaching services

•

 

 

Helping employers adopt tobacco-free work sites and provide access to quit medications at no cost to theiremployees

Blue Cross members have free access to stop-smoking support. Call 1-888-662-2583 (BLUE) to get started.

Uninsured or underinsured Minnesotans can call QUITPLAN® Services at 1-888-354-PLAN. A copy of the economic

costs report is available at

 

bluecrossmn.com.

Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota, with headquarters in the St. Paul suburb of Eagan, was chartered in 1933 as Minnesota’s

 

 

 

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  “Blackout in a Can” is what some people are calling Four Loko: a dangerous, new alcoholic energy drink that contains nearly as much alcohol as a six pack of light beer and as much caffeine as a 12 ounce cup of coffee in one 24 ounce can.

Alcoholic energy drinks are not new and long been a concern. However, this new product, Four Loko, takes the danger aspect to even higher level due to the increased amount of alcohol mixed with caffeine in this large single serving.    Click on a link below for more information:
  Join Together:  Doctors Say Alcoholic Energy Drinks Dangerous

New York Times:  Caffeine and Alcohol Drink Is Potent Mix for Young
  Columbus Dispatch:  Four Loko – Controversial caffeinated alcoholic drink has roots in Ohio
  Fast Company:  How Four Loko Sanitized Its Social Media

171.25 lbs of Prescription Drugs

On November 3, the Willmar Police Department COPPS meeting focused on the abuse of prescription drugs.  The COPPS  meeting included an informational presentation on Prescription and Over the Counter (OTC) Drug Abuse along with a Prescription Drug Take Back Event for the City of Willmar.  The Willmar Police Department partnered with the Kandiyohi County Drug Free Communities Coalition and CashWise Pharmacy to sponsor the event.   Hundreds of fliers for the event were handed out at the Fire Department Open House on October 5, the Women’s Expo on October 9, as well as distribution of posters and fliers at community meetings and businesses.   There were three ads that ran in the West Central Tribune, as well as PSA’s on all five radio stations and follow-up interviews done with KWLM and KDJS to promote the event.   The Rx Drug Take Back Event was a huge success as sixteen buckets filled with medications totaling over 171 pounds, were taken in during in during the event.  The drugs will brought to an incinerator to be disposed of properly . 

Officer Julie Asmus and Danielle Wall, Kandiyohi County Public Health Intern are picture below in front of the Kandiyohi County DFC Coalition’s Booth on Rx/OTC.

The Rx/OTC Booth at the Take Back Event