The Michigan Daily - michigandaily.com
FOOD
From page 1
and develop ideas for healthier
options. They said they hope Uni-
versity dining venues will be able
to offer organic items, including
healthy frozen dinners as well as
fresh sandwiches, salads and fruit
salads.
"It's just a little push to make
people just a little more health-
conscious," Gwyther said. "We're
hoping to slowly help people build
healthier habits and become aware
of what's out there."
The students' ideas and those
proposed by Blackburn will eventu-
ally go a leadteam within the dining
services that will ultimately decide
which changes to implement.
Ideally, the healthier options will
be available by the beginning of
winter term. Dining services then
hopes to use an educational project
to introduce the changes.
"People may still choose the bad
stuff, but at least its there for them
to choose the healthier choices,"
Wiseman said. "It's all about mak-
ing things like that available to
people."
University health officials are
also moving to address the prob-
lem.
"What I would like to see is an
improvement in the healthy eating
options on campus," said Bob Win-
field, the Universities chief health
officer. "I'd be looking for new and
interesting ways to make healthy
food really appealingto students."
Keith Soster, director of Union
dining services, University officials
have received input from students
and colleagues from otheruniversi-
ties for ideas about freshness, qual-
ity, convenience and nutrition.
"We have a good array of nutri-
tional items out there," Soster said.
"But it's important for students to
do the research just as they would
in a class to find out what's the best
for them."
Blackburn expects the residen-
tial food services will follow the
lead of the University Hospital din-
ing services, which recently made
half of the items in hospital vend-
ing machines across the University
Health System "a guaranteed good
choice for your health."
"We're just trying to create a
wider variety of healthy options in
the retail and make it more present-
able for people who maybe want to
eat healthy and don't know how,"
Taylor said.
MARIJUANA
From page 1
Today, the state House Commit-
tee on Government Organization
will hold a hearing on a bill that
would legalize the use of medicinal
marijuana.
Rep. Chris Kolb (D-Ann Arbor)
and committee Chair Rep. Leon
Drolet (R-Macomb Township) are
among the measure's co-sponsors.
Tim Beck, executive direc-
tor of the Michigan chapter of
the National Organization for the
Reform of Marijuana Laws, said his
group is focusing its efforts on the
medical marijuana bill rather than
the petition drive.
. Hesaid the legislationhad agood
chance of passing once Democrats
take control of the state House in
January.
Ideally, he said, supporters will
be able to convince enough mem-
bers of the Government Organi-
zation Committee to support the
bill so it can come to a vote on the
House floor during this month's
lame-duck session.
Beck said he doesn't expect the
measure to pass right away, but he
wants to use the results of the vote to
gauge the level of support for the bill.
Sam Maxbauer, chair of the Uni-
versity's chapter of NORML, said
Michiganders have already made
their opinions clear.
"It's a good idea for Michigan,"
he said. "The local initiatives that
have passed around Michigan I
think show that there are a lot of
Michigan voters that support this
and want this to go through."
In 2004,74 percent of Ann Arbor
voters backed a proposal to effec-
tively legalize the use of marijuana
for medicinal purposes. Similar
initiatives have passed in Detroit,
Ferndale and Traverse City.
Tuesday, November 28, 2006 - 7
Beck said his group supports
the proposed ballot initiative to
legalize recreational use, but he
was pessimistic about its chanc-
es of appearing on the ballot,
let alone winning at the voting
booth.
"It's a children's crusade," he
said. "They don't have the money."
He said a successful ballot initia-
tive campaign would cost at least a
million dollars.
Voters in Colorado, South Dako-
ta and Nevada rejected ballot ini-
tiatives that would have liberalized
marijuana laws in the midterm
elections earlier this month.
This isn't the first attempt at
marijuana legalization in Michigan
either.
Legalization supporters have
tried and failed to get measures
on the ballot in 2000, 2002 and
2006.
- The Associated Press contrib-
uted to this report.
BENJIlDELL/Daly
A sign advertising Plan B in
the CVS Pharmacy on Stadi-
um Boulevard. The pharmacy
was sold out of the morning-
after pill yesterday afternoon.
PLAN B
From page 1
to birth control.
It works in one of three ways.
It can work as a contraceptive,
preventing ovulation. It can pre-
vent the sperm from coming into
contact with the egg. Finally, if
Plan B is taken after the egg has
been fertilized, it may prevent the
embryo from implanting in the
uterus. Some consider this third
form an early abortion.
Each pharmacy has the author-
ity to decide whether it will stock
Plan B.
Until this March, Wal-Mart's
pharmacies did not stock the drug.
After several legal challenges, the
company decided to concede to the
demands of abortion rights groups.
Most pharmacies in Ann Arbor
said they plan to stock the drug.
The UHS pharmacy received its
first shipment of over-the-coun-
ter Plan B last week. The Rite Aid
on Jackson Avenue and East Ann
Arbor Pharmacy on Plymouth Road
now stock it as well.
"There will be plenty of pharma-
cies who will stock the pill," East
AnnArbor pharmacist
Steve Zawisza said. "If a cus-
tomer can't find it at one pharmacy,
they can always try another."
Most students said they support-
ed over-the-counter sales.
"The accessibility of Plan B gives
women more of an opportunity
to control their own bodies," LSA
freshman Bethany Carlson said. "It
will prevent many unwanted preg-
nancies."
Other students said PlanB should
have remained solely a prescription
drug.
"It gives people the incentive
not to use protection," Business
junior Whitney Kubera said. "The
increased availability could cause a
lot of backfire. It is not necessarily a
good thing."
Ernst said she views the new
FDA ruling as a positive develop-
ment.
"Over-the-counter access to Plan
B will improve access for women
and hopefully reduce the need for
abortion services," she said.
She said the only drawback
would be if students started substi-
tuting the pill for their other meth-
ods of birth control.
"I hope that women still access
health care for their contraceptive
needs," Ernst said. "Plan B should
only be taken on an emergency
basis after unplanned or unprotect-
ed intercourse."
According to clinical trials, the
side effects of Plan B are mild and
similar to those of regular birth
control pills. They include nausea,
tiredness, menstrual changes, vom-
iting, diarrhea, breast pain, stomach
pain, dizziness and headaches.
Britain tracks
radioactive
hotspots
LONDON (AP) - The British
government began tracking radio
active hotspots in London yester
day to trace the poison that killed
former KGB agent, and three people
who reported possible symptoms o
contamination underwent testing.
Britain announced a forma
inquest into the death of Alexander
Litvinenko, but Home Secretar
John Reid warned against rushini
to conclusions over who might be
responsible for the killing of the ex
spy turned Kremlin critic.
Litvinenko died Thursda
after falling ill from what doc
tors said was poisoning by polo-
nium-210, a radioactive isotope
usually manufactured in special-
ized nuclear facilities. High dose
of polonium, which is deadly i
ingested or inhaled, were found in
Litvinenko's body.
"The nature of this radiation
is such that it does not travel over
long distances, a few centimeter:
at most, and therefore there is no
need for public alarm," Reid said
in a special address to the House of
Commons.
Police were able to interview
Litvinenko in the hospital before
he died, and are retracing Lit-
vinenko's steps on the day he said
he fell ill.
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i WASHINGTON (AP) -- Exotic
r animals captured in the wild are
y streaming into the U.S. by the mil-
g lions with littleor no screening for
e disease, leaving Americans vul-
- nerable to a virulent outbreak that
could rival a terrorist act.
Y Demand for such wildlife is
- booming as parents try to get
- their kids the latest pets fancied
e by Hollywood stars and zoos and
- research scientists seek to fill their
s cages.
f More than 650 million critters
- from kangaroos and kinkajous
to iguanas and tropical fish - were
imported legally into the United
r States in the past three years,
s according to U.S. Fish and Wild-
life Service documents obtained
I by The Associated Press under the
f Freedom of Information Act.
Countless more pets - along
with animal parts and meats - are
smuggled across the borders as
- part of a $10 billion-a-year inter-
national black market, second only
to illegal drugs.
Most wildlife arrive in the Unit-
ed States with no quarantine and
minimal screening for disease.
The government employs just 120
full-time inspectors to record and
inspect arriving wildlife. There is
no requirement they be trained to
detect diseases.
"A wild animal will be in the
bush, and in less than aweek it's in
a little girl's bedroom," said Darin
Carroll, a disease hunter with the
U.S. Centers for Disease Control
and Prevention.
Zoonotic diseases - those that
jump to humans - account for
three quarters of all emerging
infectious threats, the CDC says.
Five of the six diseases the agency
- regards as top threats to national
security are zoonotic, and the
CDC recently opened a center to
better prepare and monitor such
diseases.
The Journal of Internal Medi-
cine this month estimated that
50 million people worldwide have
been infected with zoonotic dis-
eases since 2000 and as many as
78,000 have died.
U.S. experts don't have complete
totals for Americans, but partial
numbers paint a serious picture:
" Hantavirus, which is carried
by rodents and can cause acute
respiratory problems or death, has
sickened at least 317 Americans
and killed at least 93 since 1996.
" More than 600 people have
been sickened since 2000 with
tularemia, a virulent disease that
can be contracted from rabbits,
hamsters and other rodents. At
least three people have died.
0 Three transplant patients in
New England died last year after
receiving organs from a human
donor who had been infected with
the lymphocytic choriomeningitis
virus from a pet hamster. There
have been 34 U.S. cases since 1993.
" More than 210,000 Ameri-
cans were sickened between
2000 and 2004 with salmonella,
and at least 89 died. Most infec-
tions come from contaminated
food - but up to 5 percent have
been linked to pets, especially
such reptiles as iguanas and
turtles. And last year, at least 30
people in 10 states were sickened
with a drug-resistant form linked
to hamsters and other rodent
"pocket pets."
Carroll, the disease hunter,
knows the dangers well. For the
past three years, he has traveled
the globe tracing the origins of a
monkeypox outbreak in 2003 that
sickened dozens of adults and chil-
dren in the U.S. Midwest.
That disease, related to small-
pox, is believed to have spread
to people from rodents imported
from Africa as pets. While no vic-
tims died, scientists are eager to
understand the disease so they can
stop a future outbreak.
Another newly discovered
threat involves a current rage
among exotic pet owners: a small
carnivorous mammal with sharp
teeth called a kinkajou. The noc-
turnal, tree-dwelling animals
originally from Central and South
America's rain forests have a
dangerous bite - as Paris Hilton
recently learned.
The actress used to carry her
pet kinkajou named "Baby Luv"
on her shoulder as she partied.
This summer, Hilton landed in an
emergency room when Baby Luv
bit her on the arm.
The concern about bites is real.
In 2005, a kinkajou bit a zoo-
keeper in England on the wrist.
The keeper's hand became infect-
ed, and she almost lost her fingers,
said Dr. Paul Lawson, a University
of Oklahoma microbiologist who
first identified a new bacterium
specific to kinkajous.
The first antibiotics doctors pre-
scribed didn't work, so a combina-
tion of several was used to stop the
aggressive infection.
Though such diseases can
spread to humans in many ways,
the exotic pet trade is a growing
concern because of its lack of gov-
ernment oversight and its reliance
on animals caught in the wild.
The legal wildlife trade in the
United States has more than dou-
bled in the past 15 years, the Fish
and Wildlife Service said.
Last year alone, there were more
than 210 million animals import-
ed to the United States for zoos,
exhibitions, food, research, game
ranches and pets. The imports
included 203 millior fish, 5.1 mil-
lion amphibians, nearly 1.3 million
reptiles, 259,000 birds and 87,991
mammals.
Only wild birds, primates and
some cud-chewing wild animals
are required to be quarantined
upon arriving in the United States.
The rest slip through with no dis-
ease screening, except for occa-
sional Agriculture Department
checks for ticks.
Loopholes abound with legal
imports, even when screening and
quarantine occurs.
For instance, the thousands of
monkeys that are imported each
year for research from countries
like China, Indonesia and Vietnam
are quarantined for at least 31 days.
While the monkeys are checked for
tuberculosis, they aren't tested for
other diseases unless they show
signs of sickness.
However, monkeys can carry
dangerous viruses and bacteria
that don't make them sick but can
harm people. For example, herpes
B virus is a pathogen carried by 80
to 90 percent of adult macaques.
The virus may not harm the
macaques, but humans can be
infected and suffer severe neuro-
logical damage or death.
In 1997, a 22-year-old research-
er at Emory University's Yerkes
National Primate Research Cen-
ter in Atlanta died from herpes B
virus weeks after a caged monkey
splashed something in her eye.
Though the CDC has prohib-
ited importation of most monkeys
as pets since 1975, some macaques
imported for research are now
being sold on the open market.
The government acknowledges
it doesn't track where animals go
after quarantine.
For Tuesday, Nov. 28, 2006
ARIES
(March 21to April 19)
Don't push your luck with anything
today. Obstacles will easily get in the
way. Therefore, go carefully. Tread
softly. (And carry your cell.)
TAURUS
(April 20to May 20)
Obligations and responsibilities con-
nected with children or the creative arts
might seem overwhelming today. Don't
worry. This is just a passing dark cloud
on your horizon.
GEMINI
(May 21to June 20)
Be extra-patient with co-workers
today. Everywhere you turn, you seem to
be blocked! Is there no justice? (It's that
kind of day.)
CANCER
(June 21to July 22)
Be patient with children today. By def-
inition, they are not mate or grown-up
yet! They're kids - not just little peo-
ple.
LEO
(July 23 to Aug. 22)
Increased activity or chaos at home
due to renovations or visiting guests
might try your patience today. Mellow
out. People look to you to be a role
model in this kind of situation.
VIRGO
(Atg. 23 to Sept. 22)
It's easy to be irked with a sibling or
someone who refuses to endorse your
plans or go along with your ideas.
Sometimestyou just have to deal with a
wet blanket.
LIBRA
(Sept. 23 to Oct. 22)
A friend might add to your financial
stress at the moment. (With friends like
this, who needs enemies?) Be patient.
Just do what you can.
SCORPIO
(Oct. 23'to Nov. 21)
This is not an easy day to deal with
bosses, parents, VIPs or authority fig-
ures. Don't be pushy or obstinate. (It's a
dance. If someone steps forward, you
step backward.)
SAGITTARIUS
(Nov. 22 to Dec. 21)
You might feel someone else is trying
to coerce you to agree with his or her
political or religious views.Actually, this
will go over like a lead balloon. (Relax;
just because you listen to someone
doesn't mean you have to agree.)
CAPRICORN
(Dec. 22to Jan. 19)
A friend or even a member of a group
might add to your responsibilities or
your burdens in some way today. Get all
the facts before you respond.
AQUARIUS
(Jan. 2010o Feb. 18)
A parmer or close friend might stand
in the way of your ambitions today. You
might have to make a choice. (You can't
cross a stream in two boats.)
PISCES
(Feb. 19 toMarch 20)
Be extra-patient and cooperative in
matters connected with publishing, the
media, travel and racial situations or the
law. Don't jump to conclusions.
YOU BORN TODAY You're easygo-
ing and down to earth. People like you
because you're natural. Despite your
breezy exterior, you're complex. You
amaze and surprise those who know you
well. You will defend yaur point of view
because you're not afraid of taking an
unpopular stand on anything. You use
wit and irony skillfully. An important
choice awaits you this year. Choose
wisely.
Birthdate of: Jon Stewart, comedian;
Ed Harris, actor; Paul Shaffer, band-
leader.
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2006 King Features Syndicate, Inc.
I