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Volume 96 | Issue 42
Sunny 63° / 37°
ntdaily.com
The Student Newspaper of the University of North Texas
‘Blackout in a can’ faces scrutiny BY ISAAC WRIGHT Senior Staff Writer
GRAPHIC BY BRIAN COLLINS/DESIGN INTERN
Voters say ‘no’ to marijuana laws BY A DAM BLAYLOCK Senior Staff Writer
Advocates for the legalization of marijuana had their hopes dashed Tuesday night as polls reported the 53.9 percent defeat of California’s Proposition 19. At least three other states voted on a variety of marijuanarelated measures, including Oregon, Arizona and South Dakota. The proposed marijuana laws for all four states failed. “I really don’t believe that marijuana legalization is a top priority for voters, even younger voters,” said Roger Salazar, spokesman for the Californiabased ballot initiative committee No On Prop 19. Exit polls showed that marijuana legalization wasn’t a reason for voter turnout and was in the low 9 to 10 percent in terms of voter priorities, he said. In contrast, Richard Lee, author of Prop. 19 and founder of t he ma rijua na-focused Oaksterdam University, said he is encouraged by voter turnout and national attention even
though the proposition failed, according to his statement on the Yes On 19 website. “While we didn’t bring in enough votes tonight to pass Prop. 19, we know that we have achieved an enormous moral victory,” Lee said. Oregon’s Measure 74, which failed with Prop. 19, would have changed state medical marijuana laws to allow approved patients to obtain the drug from regulated dispensaries. Bob Wolfe, the media director and spokesman for Yes On Measure 74 in Portland, Ore., echoed sentiments similar to Lee’s. Though the measure failed to pass, it wasn’t a complete defeat, he said. “We changed the terms of the debate so that the idea that marijuana should be available to adults, but regulated and taxed, is now out there in the political world of Oregon,” Wolfe said. He added that the group would continue in its efforts.
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The alcoholic energy drink Four Loko has been banned at two college campuses after students indulging in the drink were hospitalized. The drink is under the Food and Drug Administration’s microscope to determine its safety. The 23.5-ounce drink contains the same amount of alcohol as five beers and the caffeine equivalent of one cup of coffee, according to the manufacturer. “When I was growing up, there was a saying that you never give a drunk a cup of coffee,” said Maureen McGuinness, assistant vice president for Student Affairs. “When you give a drunk a cup of coffee, you get a wide-awake drunk. Now we’ve created the same effect.” In October, nine students from Central Washington University were hospitalized after an off-campus party, according to CNN. The cause is believed to be the overindulgence in Four Loko. The drink, sometimes referred to as “blackout in a can,” has since been banned from the Washington campus, according to CNN. Earlier in the year, a similar instance involving students from Ramapo College in New Jersey prompted a ban on that campus. Although there have been no reports of UNT students having Four Loko-induced illness, McGuinness said, its popularity is disconcerting. It’s just a matter of time before incidents similar to those in other states reach the university, she said. “We can’t be ignorant of the fact that it’s out there,” she said. “It’s either going to happen to someone on campus or someone connected to our campus.”
PHOTO BY CHAZZ MORRISON/CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHER
Four Loko, an alcoholic energy drink, has been banned on some college campuses for its combined use of stimulants and depressants. The addition of stimulants to alcoholic drinks gives the user the feeling of not being as drunk, she said, and that could contribute to dangerous behavior such as getting behind the wheel of a car or making other poor decisions. Because the drink is relatively new, she added, there isn’t any information about what the side effects of the drink will be for every individual. “If you’re in the business of just wanting to drink, consume the alcohol that’s been around and do it responsibly,” McGuinness said. James Quinn, professor of rehabilitation, social work and addictions, said the biggest problem with mixing caffeine and alcohol is that it will keep people awake longer and that gives them the urge to drink more, something that could easily lead to alcohol poisoning. “That’s of greater concern for young people because they are more susceptible to the effects of the alcohol,” Quinn said. “They are not going to feel the slow-
down effects as quickly.” Many of the alcoholic drinks under scrutiny from the FDA contain ingredients such as guarana and taurine, natural
“When you give a drunk a cup of coffee, you get a wideawake drunk.”
—Maureen McGuinness Assistant vice president for Student Affiars
ingredients that Quinn said have little impact on people and are there for marketing. Some of the other marketing strategies companies are using concern him. Quinn said he supports greater regulation of these kinds of beverages as some companies produce alcoholic and non-alcoholic versions of the same drink that
look alike, which makes it easier for underage drinkers to get their hands on them. “You can tell a Budweiser from a Coca-Cola, but some of these drinks look very similar and the alcohol content is very fine print,” he said. James Philmont, a physics junior who has had Four Loko in the past, said he felt it was the school’s prerogative to ban drinks that it feels might cause problems or harm students. A ban on alcoholic energy drinks by the FDA was a different matter, he said. “If the FDA starts banning drinks left and right, it has the potential to lead to a greater issue,” Philmont said. Other students shared the same sentiment when it came to banning the products. “If it’s like other alcoholic drinks, you should know to drink it in moderation,” said Chris Gonzalez, a communications design sophomore. “If you get sick off it, it’s because you’re overdoing it.”
Students, faculty talk about pros, cons of flu vaccines BY AUTUMN R EYNOLDS Contributing Writer
PHOTO BY SARA JONES/INTERN
Chief Executive Officer Jim Witt, Chairman Charles Emery and Vice Chairman Charles Correll discuss the A-train commuter line with sponsoring cities – Denton, Lewisville and Highland Village – at the meeting at 3 p.m. Thursday.
A-train service may be limited BY JOSH PHERIGO Assigning Editor
we will be looking at cash flow,” Emery said.
Denton residents hoping to use the coming A-train to shuttle to and from Dallas on weekends may have to change their expectations if the Denton County Transportation Authority approves the current plans. Board members and regional city leaders met Thursday afternoon at the DCTA headquarters in Lewisville to discuss the final service schedule of the rail line that will run from downtown Denton to Carrollton, connecting DCTA to the DART line. DCTA Chairman Charles Emery opened the conversation by identifying the primary factor when the board sets the final service plan Nov. 18. “Whatever the board decides,
DCTA Staff Proposal Discussion centered on the final staff-recommended service plan presented Thursday. Under the recommendation, trains will run at peak service hours on weekdays from 5:30 a.m. to 9 a.m. and from 3:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. A Saturday service option was included with trains running over the same time intervals with service stopping at 10:30 p.m. Special event service will be available at a cost of $3,700 for a minimum of two roundtrips and $1,500 for each additional roundtrip. Denton Mayor Mark Burroughs expressed concern about several provisions of the proposal
including the lack of late-evening service on Fridays and the gap in service on weekdays. Burroughs said because UNT students will be the primary users of the train, service schedules should accommodate their ridership. He encouraged the board to advertise the rail line as a project to commuting students who can use the train as their primary transportation to the university. “UNT students don’t like to use their cars because there’s a horrible deficiency in parking around campus,” Burroughs said. “I am committed to making this a success, but we need to define success in the way most users will see it.”
See RESIDENTS on Page 2
With flu season approaching, students and faculty are deciding whether to get flu shots. Kathryn M. Cardarelli, director at the Center for Community Health at the UNT Health Science Center, said flu trends are monitored around the globe and determine what virus strains will be put in the vaccine when it’s manufactured. “We’re never going to have a perfect vaccine that will prevent all flu,” she said. “But the odds are definitely on your side that if you get the vaccine, you will be well-protected.” Cody Lamanno, a history senior, said he got the flu the last time he got the shot. Since then, he hasn’t gotten the vaccine. That is the most common reason why students don’t get the vaccine, Cardarelli said. The small strains of the virus will trigger their immune system to be able to know how to fight it if their bodies are exposed to the virus again, she said. Soreness, fever and fatigue are possible side effects. “But it’s nothing like when you get the actual flu,” she said. The development of the
“The odds are definitely on your side that if you get the vaccine, you will be well-protected.”
—Kathryn M. Cardarelli Director at the Center for Community Health at the UNT Health Science Center
shot is based on probability and statistics, she said, and there are hundreds of types of viruses. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website, the 2010-2011 flu vaccine will protect against an H3N2 virus, an influenza B virus and the 2009 H1N1 virus. Keller Coleman, a business finance junior, said he stays away from flu shots because of the possible side effects and the strains of different types of flu. “That always freaked me out,” he said. T homa s Pember ton, a marketing sophomore, thinks people are not properly educated about the vaccine. “There is a lot of ignorance in regards to flu shots,” he said. He said he wanted to get the flu shot but won’t because he can’t afford to pay the $25. The UNT Health Center offered the vaccine for that price, but it ran out of vaccines.
Cardarelli said stores like CVS, Walgreens, Walmart and Target are also offering the shot for about $24 to $25. “The cost of being admitted to the hospital or even just going to an emergency room to be checked out would obviously be much greater than $24,” she said. Daniel Kuntz, a microbiology professor, said he gets the flu shot every year. Although college students are generally healthy, a flu shot isn’t a bad idea, he said. “If I was a student, I’d probably get it … because of the value that I put on my semester and how fast it moves,” Kuntz said. But more important than getting the flu shot, Cardarelli said, is remembering to wash your hands. “That’s so simple and yet it truly is effective,” she said. For more information about flu shots, visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website at www.cdc.gov.