New Details Released on Fatal Smoking Fire Inside Springfield Hospital

Springfield, Mo — On February 6, firefighters answered an alarm call at 1235 E. Cherokee. On the seventh floor of the hospital, firefighters say they found a burnt nasal tube and a burned blanket lying on the floor. The floor was covered in dry chemical fire extinguisher powder. According to the fire incident report, firefighters found a scorch mark on the back of a chair and a book of matches on the table. It appeared to firefighters on the scene someone was sitting in the chair smoking while on oxygen.

Firefighters interviewed a hospital security officer that responded to the fire alarm. A nurse also entered the room with a fire extinguisher to put out the fire. The nurse found Eileen Moorehouse, 64, sitting in the chair with flames around her face, neck and the blanket covering her. According to the report, she told firefighters she was smoking while on oxygen.

Miley Cyrus Smoking Salvia

As you know, I always try to stay abreast of new stories and pop culture trends that might affect my patients (as well as my own family). One recent event caught my eye. The video of Miley Cyrus allegedly smoking salvia has been viewed by many. Prior to this I had not heard very much about salvia. As it turns out, I should have.
It seems that this plant (a member of the mint family) is a well-known naturally occurring hallucinogen. Salvia is actually the most potent naturally occurring hallucinogen (LSD is a synthetic hallucinogen) and has become quite a sensation among the adolescent crowd who often post videos of themselves after smoking or ingesting salvia.
It is in this manner that adolescents became aware of the effects of salvia and realized that it is easy to obtain either on line or in smoke shops. Over the last several years as salvia has gained more attention, it has been banned from being sold in 20 states in the U.S. with even more states considering legislation. That does not seem to prevent its sale on line as a Google search listed pages of sites with salvia for sale.
The effects of salvia typically occur almost immediately after smoking the herb, and typically last about 5 – 8 minutes. It is common to see speech and coordination problems, along with a feeling of giddiness and disorientation. Salvia activates opioid receptors in the brain which causes the differing hallucinogenic symptoms. It has the potential to be both physically and psychologically addictive, especially in the adolescent population who are dealing with multiple issues during their maturation. For a teen who is sad, depressed or anxious, the use of salvia may become a way to mask their problems rather than dealing with their issues.
While a teen’s first encounter with salvia may be a ”one time” exposure at a party, the easy availability of this plant on line may make it more appealing for repetitive use. Salvia may also be chewed or consumed in a liquid, as well as inhaling herb. The latest “Monitoring the Future Survey” which ask teens about their recent drug use did not show an increase in salvia use among 12th graders, but it did show that 1.7% of eighth graders had admitted to using salvia at least once.
The concern is that these numbers may rise and the DEA has labeled salvia a “drug of concern”. With the YouTube video of Miley Cyrus using salvia, there are now even younger kids aware of the plant and its effects. Children as young as 10-12 years are reporting salvia usage. I have asked many of my pre-teen and adolescent patients about salvia, and while most deny usage they all seemed to “know” what salvia was and how they could get it.
So, yet another discussion for parents to have with their children. This also brings home the necessity of monitoring not only what your children watch on line but what they buy. Salvia appears to be pretty cheap and is easily purchased with a PayPal account.

Four arrested for selling fake cigarettes

Sheriff's deputies arrested four people last week on charges of selling counterfeit and duty-free tobacco in downtown Los Angeles.

The arrests come on the heels of a bust in East Los Angeles, where sheriff's deputies found people selling counterfeit cigarettes. The arrests led them to their suppliers, operating out of two stores on the 400 block of Broadway.

Last Wednesday, deputies executing a search warrant discovered about 450 cartons of counterfeit tobacco with a value of $25,000, authorities said. Deputies also seized 53 cartons of duty-free tobacco valued at $3,000.

Authorities said the suspects would sell packs of counterfeit cigarettes by approaching people on the street and asking if they wanted a good price on packs or cartons of cigarettes.

The buyers would often not know they were buying inferior products, officials said.

Counterfeit tobacco poses unique and unknown health risks, and the product is often handled in unsanitary environments.

The four people arrested were identified as Johnny Morales, 20; Elena Bautista, 39; Benjamin Leal, 58; and Jose Garcia, 59.

All are residents of Los Angeles. Morales is an admitted gang member who is currently on parole.

The sale of counterfeit and duty-free tobacco in California results in an estimated $182 million in lost tax revenue each year, officials said.

"We hope to increase global awareness of the negative impact of organized intellectual property crimes," said Sheriff Lee Baca. "Counterfeiting and piracy impact public safety by funding organized crime, street gangs and even terrorism through the sales of these counterfeit products. These criminals cost society billions of dollars in lost government revenues, foreign investments and local business profits."

Read more: The Downey Patriot - Four arrested for selling fake cigarettes