The Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids is a favorite organization of mine and they have recently made an interesting announcement that should concern moms everywhere. It seems that the tobacco company R.J. Reynolds is test marketing a new smokeless tobacco product. The reason this is a threat to my kids is because the lack of smoke makes it easier for them to smoke behind my back undetected.
The new cigarettes come in what the company calls fresh and mellow flavors and are packaged like gum and candy. They also look like a pack of camels which is on one of the most popular of tobacco products among teenagers. The introduction of these new smokeless products emphasizes that need for Congress to pass pending legislation that grants the U.S. Food and Drug Administration regulatory authority over all tobacco products.
The last thing that kids need is yet another product that encourages them to become addicted to nicotine addiction. The product is flavored and packaged like candy so that they are easier to conceal in a jacket and hide from us. The cigarette box looks like candy packaging.
These smokeless cigarettes are also likely to discourage smokers from quitting by enabling them to smoke in “smoke-free” environments. Smokers concerned about their health should not be fooled by these new tobacco products and should still try to quit, by taking FDA-approved medications and attending counseling.
RJR’s new products add to a growing list of novel products tobacco companies have introduced recently in their relentless efforts to recruit new youth users, create and sustain addiction to nicotine, and discourage current users from quitting. The tobacco industry will continue to get away with these harmful practices until Congress ends the industry’s regulatory exemption and passes legislation granting the FDA authority over tobacco products. Under this legislation, a government agency will finally have authority over what tobacco companies put in their products, how they market them, the health claims they make and what they disclose about their products’ contents and impact on health.
On July 30, the U.S. House of Representatives approved this legislation by a vote of 326 to 102. There is also overwhelming support in the Senate, where the bill has 60 sponsors and several other senators who have indicated support. It is critical that Congress enact this bill into law at the earliest opportunity. Until Congress acts, kids and consumers will continue to be human guinea pigs in the tobacco industry’s deadly experiments.
R.J. Reynolds’ new products are being test-marketed in Columbus, Ohio, Portland, Oregon, and Indianapolis.
This is breaking news so I hope all moms will read this blog. Whatever you do don’t give over-the-counter cold remedies to kids under four years of age. It is dangerous for them. All you should really do is just try and keep the child warm, calm and comfortable.
Two big drug companies that make over the counter cold and flu remedies like Pediacare and Dimetapp announced that the ingredients in these cold medicines can affect kids in an adverse way. They have also been especially warned about not giving kids antihistamines to help them sleep. In fact in newer drug packaging there is new instructions telling you that these types of medications are definitely not for children under the age of four.
In 2007 a similar revamp of dosing recommendations took place when the cold and flu medicine manufacturers produced instructions that said that this medication should not be given to children under the age of two. However here is something that you should also know. Pediatricians actually petitioned the FDA to ban medications like these for kids under age six. So if you have a child under six years old then you might want to consider this because it is common knowledge that the FDA tends to serve the interests of the drug companies. It is interesting that once again they did not follow the recommendations of pediatricians. However you can make the choice of following those recommendations and not putting your child at risk.
The reason pediatricians asked for this is because there is no evidence that these products work for kids under six years of age but there is definitely evidence that these medicines cause side effetsin large kids. The side effects include hives, drowsiness and unsteady walking. Over seven thousand kids a year end up in U.S. hospitals after overdosing accidentally or on purpose on these medicines. Most of these kids were curious toddlers who drank the medicines.
Part of the logic of kind of banning it for children under six was all about reducing the risk of overdose as well. If the stuff is not around the home the kids are less likely to grab it and ingest it.
Many doctors say you should not give these remedies to older children either. They could be doing more harm than good. However the drug manufacturers said they are also introducing new child proof caps and spouts so that it is more difficult for these children to have an overdose.
Leading cough and cold brands include Dimetapp, Pediacare, Robitussin, Triaminic, Little Colds and versions of Tylenol that have ingredients to treat cold symptoms. To be on the safe side I am going to avoid giving my kids these medications for now.
Have you ever worried about what would happen if you became really ill? There are new life insurance products on the market that provide for loved ones in the event of an untimely death or prolonged absence or illness. If you are sick for a long time how will you make money?
Until recently insurance firms have been focused on products and services that ease the burden of illness and accidents. The newest product to come out of the industry has been critical illness insurance so that your dependent children are well cared for after you are dead. This is news because there has always been critical illness insurance for adults but something for children has been needed for a very long time.
The good thing about this insurance is that it brings money to those who need it the most. Without financial worries people feel that they are in control or like they have more choices in life. It helps them recover sooner because they are not stressed out by worrying about money all of the time.
One of the companies that is offering this new insurance is Desjardins Financial Security. It offers an insurance product called Harmony critical illness insurance product. It covers the same 25 illnesses as Desjardins’ adult coverage in addition to six child specific conditions including cystic fibrosis, autism and type 1 diabetes.
If a child is diagnosed with a critical illness it can become a real problem for the entire family because more often than once a parent needs to take three months to even a year off to care for the child. Most families need a double income to survive nowadays. Without insurance these families end up having to sell a house in order to deal with the expense and time needed away from work to care for the child that has been struck down by a series illness.
Usually the payoff with this type of insurance is a lump sum is somewhere between $25,000 and $250,000 a year. That money is of great assistance if you happen to be unable to work because of illness.
Unfortunately too many moms these days can afford this type of insurance even if it is a good idea. The problem is too that many children may hot develop the illnesses covered by the plan. A good insurance plan like the Harmony Generation has structured the plan so that the person who invests in it is gradually paid back the total cost of the coverage by including a return of the premium options. This means that if your child does get sick you do get a great portion of the money that you invested in the insurance plan back. The insurance is usually good until he or she reaches the age of 24 years.
If you have lost a child there are several books that you can buy that can help you navigate the grieving process. Losing a child is one of the most difficult experiences that any human being will ever face so you need all the support you can get in order to not be overwhelmed by the pain.
One good book is “Don’ t Take My Grief Away” by Doug Manning. This understanding author talks about how letting go of grief, anger and resentment makes us feel like we are letting go of the child. This book also reinforces the idea that we all need to recover from these experiences in our own time and that they cannot be forced.
If you feel that you are somehow responsible for the child’s death as would be the case if there was some kind of home accident then you need a book that tells you how to deal with grief that is mixed with guilt. A good self help book for this matter is “Forgiving God” by Carla Killough McClafferty. This is by a woman who has been there and it is extremely cathartic and comforting for those who need an emotional release.
Another great book is “Gone But Not Lost” by David W. Weirsbe. This book teaches you to be patient with your spouse. Many marriages split up after the death of a child and it is just not necessary if the two of you can understand that you may be grieving for the loss in different ways and at different rates.
A similar book is called “Five Cries of Grief” by Merton P. Strommen. It is the journal of both a father and a mother writing about the loss of their son. It reveals the difference between how men and women deal with loss psychologically.
Another sweet and comforting book on the topic is “Roses In Heaven.” This is by a mother who has lost three children named Marilyn Willett Heavilin. Whether your child was an infant, a stillborn, or an adult at the time of death, this book will help you manage with your loss. Roses in December investigate your emotions and assist the reader in dealing with anger, sadness, depression, and other aspects of grief. This is a must read book for anyone who has ever lost a child, or knows someone who has.
These are also good books to give anyone who has lost a child and who you perceive is having a very hard time. It is better than giving them a pep talk as most bereaved parents feel hurt because it seems that you do not understand their sadness. Giving the person a blank journal into which to write down their thoughts is also a very good idea. In fact writing in journal every day is what most of the authors mentioned in this blog suggest as an outlet for expressing grief.
