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Political Blotter: New law cracks down on 'robotripping'Dec 26, 2011 (The Oakland Tribune - McClatchy-Tribune Information Services via COMTEX) -- This is a sampling from Bay Area News Group's Political Blotter blog. Read more and post comments at www.ibabuzz.com/politics. Dec. 20 California on New Year's Day becomes the first state to bar the sale of over-the-counter cold and cough medications containing dextromethorphan (DXM) to minors. Senate Bill 514 by state Sen. Joe Simitian, D-Palo Alto, requires store clerks to check ID so no one under 18 buys these medications, which cause a potentially life-threatening high when consumed in high doses. A violation of the new law will be an infraction, punishable only by a fine; the law provides an exception for sale to minors with a prescription. The Senate approved the bill 38-0 in May and the Assembly approved it 49-23 in August; Gov. Jerry Brown signed it into law later that month. DXM is known by the street names robo, skittles, triple C, vitamin C, dex, red paint and tussin. Because abusers commonly use Robitussin to get high, the act of abusing is often called "robotripping" or "robodosing." Taken in high doses, DXM causes intoxication, hallucinations, seizures, loss of motor control, and "out of body" sensations similar to PCP and LSD. Simitian's office says that, according to WebMD and the Consumer Healthcare Productions Association, one in 10 teenagers say they've used DXM to get high, making it more popular than LSD, cocaine, ecstasy or meth. The California Poison Control System reports that DXM abuse calls for children under age 17 have increased 850 percent in the past decade, making DXM abuse the most commonly reported type of abuse in this age group. Seizures and liver failure can occur from drinking just one package of over-the-counter cough medication, and DXM becomes more dangerous when mixed with alcohol or other drugs. "Until now, these drugs have been easy for young people to obtain," Simitian said in a news release. "By putting age limitations on these drugs, we're communicating to kids and their parents that, when used inappropriately, these are dangerous drugs with serious consequences." The idea from the law was a winner from Simitian's 2004 "There Oughta Be a Law" contest, submitted by Wayne Benitez and Ron Lawrence, both with the Palo Alto Police Department at the time; Lawrence is now the Rocklin's police chief. A similar bill died in 2004. "Today the extent and seriousness of the problem is better understood," Simitian said. -- Josh Richman Dec. 21 The death penalty, community responses during disaster and white privilege are among the topics of speakers scheduled for St. Mary's annual January speaker series. All lectures are free and open to the public. All start at 7 p.m. in the Soda Activity Center at St. Mary's College in Moraga. Jan. 10: Former California Director of Corrections and Rehabilitation Jeanne Woodford, who carried out four executions during her tenure, speaks about her national organization opposing the death penalty. The group is gathering signatures for a California ballot measure that would replace capital punishment with prison without parole. Jan. 17: Cultural historian Rebecca Solnit will speak on "Crossing the Public/Private Divide," exploring the boundaries between public and private life and how they are policed during natural disasters and times of dissent such as the Occupy movement. Jan. 24: Actor, hip-hop poet and playwright Ariel Luckey speaks on "Free Land: Race and Land in the United States" and expands on his one-man hip-hop theater production. The descendant of white homesteaders from Wyoming, Luckey looks at the dark side of the free government land grant program of the 1800s. In addition to the nighttime lectures, the speakers will visit classes during the day and participate in round-table discussions. -- Lisa Vorderbrueggen ___ (c)2011 The Oakland Tribune (Oakland, Calif.) Visit The Oakland Tribune (Oakland, Calif.) at www.insidebayarea.com Distributed by MCT Information Services |