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Early voting for NC primary runoff; Election Day is May 14

Decision 2024

Homeowners insurance doesn't cover floods, so purchasing separate flood insurance is crucial in North Carolina, especially in high-risk areas.

Homeowners insurance doesn't cover floods: How to protect your home in North Carolina

Princeville residents weigh options after Hurricane Matthew

All assets associated with the tag: herbal supplements

Herbal supplements Coverage

The drug tianeptine - which is also known as Neptune's Fix, Tianaa or Zaza - is highly addictive and widely available at convenience stores and vape shops.

'Stuff that will kill you': NC lawmakers push to ban 'gas station heroin'

NC Lawmakers take steps toward banning 'gas station heroin', send letter to FDA

The drug tianeptine is not technically illegal in the state of North Carolina, even though the FDA says it's dangerous.

<p>NEWS COVERAGE. YOU CAN COME HOME. &gt;&gt; STATE LAWMAKERS ARE CONSIDERING MAKING A DRUG KNOWN AS GAS STATION HEROIN, A CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE IN NORTH CAROLINA. IT'S HIGHLY ADDICTIVE AND WIDELY AVAILABLE AT CONVENIENCE STORES AND VAPE SHOPS. WRAL CAPITOL BUREAU CHIEF LAURA LESLIE IS LIVE AT THE STATE LEGISLATIVE BUILDING WHERE A PANEL JUST VOTED TO RECOMMEND BANNING THIS. LAURA. &gt;&gt; THE DRIVER TALKING ABOUT IS TNF TEEN. IT'S ALSO KNOWN AS NOTHING'S FIX, TIANA OR ZAZA. IT'S EASY TO FIND ONLINE AND SOCIAL MEDIA AND IT'S ALSO EASY TO FIND ITS STORES NEAR SCHOOLS AND NEIGHBORHOODS TO STATE LAWMAKERS SAY THAT NEEDS TO CHANGE. ATF TFD RATHER IS MARKETED AS A DIETARY SUPPLEMENT, NOT A DRUG, BUT IT MIMICS THE EFFECT OF HEROIN ON THE BRAIN AT HIGH DOSES. AND THERE'S NO AGE RESTRICTION ON IT OR EVEN KIDS CAN BUY IT. THE FDA ISSUED SOME WARNINGS ABOUT IT EARLIER THIS YEAR. AND THE COMPANIES THAT MAKE IT ISSUED VOLUNTARY RECALLS. BUT IT STILL ISN'T ILLEGAL. SO STORE OWNERS DON'T HAVE TO TAKE IT OFF THE SHELVES. JOHNSON COUNTY REPRESENTATIVE DONNA WHITE SAYS SOME PEOPLE WHO'D GOTTEN ADDICTED TO TNF DIDN'T SAY THEY HAD NO IDEA WHAT WAS ACTUALLY IN IT. &gt;&gt; WE CAN GO INTO ANY LITTLE CONVENIENCE STORE, ESPECIALLY SOME OF THOSE THAT ARE A LITTLE BIT MORE RULE. AND YOU CAN PICK UP STUFF THAT WILL KILL YOU. YOU LITERALLY KILL YOU. IT'S NOT FDA APPROVED AND IS ON THE SHIP THAT YOU CAN BUY. &gt;&gt; NOW THE HOUSE SUBSTANCE ABUSE COMMITTEE IS RECOMMENDING THAT THE STATE TAKE TINA KING OFF THE SHELVES PERMANENTLY BY ADDING IT TO THE CONTROLLED SUBSTANCES LIST. ANOTHER HIGHLY ADDICTIVE DRUGS. THEY'RE ALSO RECOMMENDING THAT SCHOOLS DO MORE TO EDUCATE KIDS ABOUT 10 OF TEEN AND OTHER DRUGS, INCLUDING FENTANYL. THE PANEL IS ALSO RECOMMENDING STATE FUNDED POSITIONS TO PUT MONITORS AND RESTROOMS IN SCHOOLS IN EVERY SCHOOL, WHITE SAYS IS A LOT OF VAPING. ANOTHER USE THAT GOES ON IN RESTROOMS BETWEEN CLASSES IN SCHOOLS. BUT THERE AREN'T CURRENTLY ENOUGH STAFF TO MONITOR ALL OF THEM.</p>

NC lawmakers want to ban gas station heroin

Liquid elixir and tianeptine tablets sold by the brand Neptune's Fix have been linked to a rise in overdoses in recent years.

More brands of 'gas station heroin' pulled from shelves in NC

Wednesday, Jan. 17, 2024 -- A product, displayed beside candy and cough drops, can be mistakenly assumed to be safe.  Elixirs with tianeptine can be addictive and deadly. As a matter of public health and safety, state officials need to act to limit access to this dangerous substance now.

Editorial: 'Gas-station heroin' is dangerous. State must regulate it now

‘Gas-Station Heroin’ Sold as Dietary Supplement Alarms Health Officials

The FDA and pharmacists are raising the alarm about the dangers of tianeptine. It is being dubbed 'gas station heroin' and has been linked to overdoses across the country.

YET. COMING UP AT 6 O'CLOCK WRAL'S ERIC MILLER WILL LOOK DEEPER INTO HER CRIMINAL HISTORY. >> IT'S BEING MARKETED AS A DIETARY SUPPLEMENT OR A MOOD BOOSTER. BUT PHARMACISTS ARE CALLING IT GAS STATION HEROIN. WHAT'S INSIDE THESE BOTTLES CONTAINS A DANGEROUS SUBSTANCE THAT'S LEADING TO OVERDOSES ACROSS THE COUNTRY AND EVEN THOUGH IT'S NOT FDA APPROVED WRAL, HEALTH REPORTER, GRACE. HEY, BUT INVESTIGATED AND FOUND OUT YOU CAN STILL FIND IT ON LOCAL STORE SHELVES. >> CYCLIC ANTI DEPRESSANT. THOSE FIRST STARTED. BUT IT ALSO HAS OPIOID LIKE EFFECTS. IT'S CALLED TIME THAT HE THAT YOU MAY HAVE HEARD IT CALLED GAS STATION HEROIN. >> IT'S NOT EVEN AVAILABLE IN THIS COUNTRY AS A PRESCRIPTION PRODUCT. BUT DESPITE NOT BEING FDA APPROVED, WE FOUND IT RIGHT HERE IN THE TRIANGLE. IT'S BEING SOLD AT GAS STATIONS IN VAPE SHOPS LABELED AS A DIETARY SUPPLEMENT BOOSTER. IS THERE AN AGE LIMIT? CAN ANYONE GET IT? AS FAR AS I KNOW, THIS IS TOTALLY UNREGULATED AND >> THEY'RE THERE TO SELL THINGS AT GAS STATIONS. 7 ELEVENS. YOU CAN GET THE STUFF ONLINE. YOU DON'T EVEN NEED TO WALK IN. >> LIKE PEGASUS HERE, SELL IT FOR ABOUT 30 BUCKS IN PILL FORM. BUT YOU MIGHT ALSO SEE IT MARKETED AS A LIQUID ELIXIR FOR AROUND 10 BUCKS FROM BRANDS LIKE NEPTUNE IS FIX PLAY ON THE SCIENTIFIC NAME. TAI NFT. SOME PEOPLE ARE TAKING 10 TO  >> OF THESE BOTTLES AT ONE TIME FOR THE EUPHORIC EFFECTS. AND THAT'S WHEN THE PROBLEMS BEGAN. THE FDA REPORTS THE SUBSTANCE HAS BEEN LATE TO A RISE IN OVERDOSES IN DEATHS AROUND THE COUNTRY. SO FAR, 9 STATES INCLUDING TENNESSEE AND GEORGIA HAVE BANNED TYING UP TEEN CITING ITS DANGEROUS AFFECT YOU BUT NORTH CAROLINA ISN'T ON THAT LIST JUST YET. AND IT'S TIME FOR NORTH CAROLINA. TAKE A LOOK AT THIS. LOOK AT THE DANGERS. >> AND LOOK AT THE POPULATION THAT COULD BE GETTING THIS. WHAT'S STOPPING ANYONE? A 16 YEAR-OLD FROM GETTING IT? >> THERE ARE NO INHIBITIONS ON THAT. IN THE MEANTIME, PHARMACIST URGE YOU TO PAY ATTENTION TO WHAT YOUR PICKING UP OFF STORE SHELVES AND TO KNOW THE DANGERS HIDDEN INSIDE GRACE, TEVA, WRAL, >> THE FDA IS ASKING HEALTH CARE PROFESSIONALS AND CONSUMERS TO REPORT ADVERSE EFFECTS TO THEM. >> WE HAVE A LINK TO THAT FORM

Mood booster sold at gas stations, vape shops linked to overdoses and deaths

Neptune's Fix, Pegasus Silver supplements

'Gas station heroin:' Unregulated supplement widely available and linked to overdoses, deaths

Mood boosting supplements linked to overdoses, deaths

Supplements sold by Walmart and Amazon are being pulled off the market because of unsupported claims that they can prevent, treat and cure diseases such as cancer.

FDA bans Balance of Nature supplements, judge orders company to stop selling & manufacturing

Balance of Nature supplements 

Supplements sold by Walmart and Amazon are being pulled off the market because of unsupported claims that they can prevent, treat and cure diseases such as cancer. 

<p>PROSECUTOR COULD HAVE A SUMMONS ISSUED BY THE COURT OR ASKED THE COURT FOR AN ARREST WARRANT. &gt;&gt; SUPPLEMENTS SOLD BY WALMART AND AMAZON ARE BEING PULLED OFF THE MARKET BECAUSE THEY CLAIM THEY CAN PREVENT TREAT AND CURE DISEASES SUCH AS 5 ON YOUR SIDE'S KEELY. ARTHUR IS IN STUDIO NOW WITH THE NEW ORDER SHUTTING DOWN THIS MANUFACTURER KEELY LENA. THIS IS SUCH A GOOD EXAMPLE OF NOT BELIEVING EVERYTHING THAT A COMPANY TELLS YOU. THE FDA SAYS SOME PRETTY EXTREME CLAIMS HAVE COME FROM THIS COMPANY, BALANCE OF NATURE PRODUCTS, BUT THEIR DIETARY SUPPLEMENTS AREN'T EVEN APPROVED &gt;&gt; WE TAKE A VARIETY OF 31 OF THE HIGHEST QUALITY FRUITS AND VEGETABLES AND REMOVE THE WATER WITHOUT CHANGING THE RICH CHEMISTRY. &gt;&gt; IT'S THEN GROUND TO A POWDER, THESE CAPSULES OF GROUND FRUITS AND VEGETABLES HAVE BEEN UNDER THE FDA'S MICROSCOPE FOR YEARS IN 2019 WARNING LETTERS WERE SENT TO THE MANUFACTURER'S AFTER AN INSPECTION FOUND VIOLATIONS AT THEIR FACILITIES. NOW THE FDA SAYS THE COMPANY ALSO CLAIMED THAT ITS PRODUCTS COULD BE USED, AS YOU HEARD TO PREVENT TREAT OR CURE DISEASES SUCH AS CANCER, HEART DISEASE, DIABETES AND COVID-19, SOME PRETTY BIG CLAIMS ON THOSE CLAIMS HAVE NOT BEEN APPROVED OR PROVEN MORE INSPECTION SHOWED THE COMPANIES WERE STILL OUT OF THE CASE WENT TO COURT AND A JUDGE JUST ORDERED BALANCE OF NATURE'S MANUFACTURER TO STOP MAKING AND SELLING THESE PRODUCTS. WE DID REACH OUT TO BALANCE OF NATURE FOR COMMENT SO FAR WE HAVE NOT HEARD BACK. YOU HAVE TO BE SO CAREFUL WITH THOSE VITAMINS AND SUPPLEMENTS AND MAKE SURE YOU'RE SEEING ALL THOSE. &gt;&gt; REALLY CERTIFIED SEALS AND MARKERS. I SOMETIMES I GET CONFUSE WHAT I'M LOOKING AT THEM TO SEE WHAT'S LEGIT. YEAH, WE'RE TRYING TO BE HEALTHY, RIGHT? BUT I THINK THE MORAL OF THE STORY IS DON'T TRUST IT. AND ALSO MAYBE JUST</p>

FDA bans Balance of Nature supplements

A new Consumer Reports investigation found that many ads target vulnerable Facebook users with products that can be dangerous and illegal.

NEWS COVERAGE YOU CAN COUNT ON. >> THEY MAKE A LOT OF PROMISES LIKE BOOSTING BRAIN POWER OR CURING INSOMNIA. FACEBOOK SUPPLEMENT ADS ARE MAKING BIG PROMISES THAT THEY SIMPLY CAN'T DELIVER ON A NEW CONSUMER REPORTS. INVESTIGATION FINDS THAT MANY OF THESE ADS TARGET VULNERABLE FACEBOOK USERS WITH PRODUCTS AND KEEP THAT CAN BE DANGEROUS AND ALSO A LEGAL 5 ON YOUR SIDE'S KEELY. ARTHUR SHARES WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW. >> IF IT SOUNDS TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE, IT PROBABLY IS. FACEBOOK USERS ARE BOMBARDED BY ADS THAT LOOK AND SOUND GREAT. BUT THESE DRUGS CAN OFTEN BE DANGEROUS. HERE'S THE ONES TO LOOK OUT FOR. >> JUST WHEN WE FINISH SORTING FACT FROM FICTION IN THE BARRAGE OF POLITICAL ADS THAT PLAYED EARLIER THIS MONTH AHEAD OF THE MIDTERM ELECTIONS. A NEW REASON TO PAY EXTRA ATTENTION TO WHAT YOU'RE BEING TOLD IN ADS. WE FOUND ADS AND POSTS THAT PROMOTED THE USE OF SOME SUPPLEMENTS THAT ARE DANGEROUS OR EVEN ILLEGAL. >> AND FOR EXAMPLE, WE FOUND A SERIES OF POSTS FROM A VERIFIED FACEBOOK PAGE THAT PROMOTED THE USE OF COMFREY, WHICH IS A DANGEROUS SUPPLEMENT. THE INVESTIGATION ALSO REVEALED A DISTURBING TREND. IT TARGETED SPECIFIC GROUPS OF PEOPLE. WE FOUND SOME ANN'S THAT TARGETED PEOPLE WHO FACE BOOK SOMEONE SHOULDN'T DIABETES AWARENESS AND FACEBOOK WITH ALLOWING MARKETERS TO PUT HANDS IN FRONT OF THOSE PEOPLE. THAT MARKET THINGS LIKE A REVERSE DIABETES CAN AND OF COURSE, MEDICAL SAY THAT SUPPLEMENTS IN GENERAL CAN TOUR OR REVERSED IT. NEW LIFE USA TOOK DOWN THAT PRODUCT LISTING AND ITS CEO TOLD CR HE THING SAID PEOPLE WITH DIABETES SHOULD CONTINUE TO WORK WITH THEIR DOCTORS. BUT HE ALSO SAID THEY SHOULD WEAN THEMSELVES OFF MEDICATION. >> CR ALSO FOUND DANGEROUS SUPPLEMENTS BEING SOLD ON FACEBOOK MARKETPLACE. A PART OF FACEBOOK WHERE USERS CAN BUY AND SELL NEW UNUSED ITEMS INCLUDING WHICH THE DRUG ENFORCEMENT AGENCY LISTS AS A DRUG OF CONCERN. FACEBOOK SAID THE LISTINGS VIOLATED THE PLATFORM'S RULES AND SOON AFTER CR STARTED ASKING QUESTIONS MOST OF THE LISTINGS DISAPPEARED. BUT EVEN IF THESE ADS FOR DANGEROUS SUPPLEMENTS ARE TAKEN DOWN, THAT MIGHT NOT SOLVE THE LARGER PROBLEM. SO UNLIKE >> THE MEDICATION, FOR EXAMPLE, TRIALS, CLINICAL TRIALS HAVE TO BE PRESENTED TO THE FDA BEFORE SOMETHING CAN BE APPROVED AND BE SOLD AND THESE SUPPLEMENTS MIGHT END UP ON THE SHELVES. THEY'RE NOT GOING THROUGH A FILTER BEFORE HIM. DO YOUR RESEARCH ON VERIFIED WEBSITES LIKE MEDLINE. PLUS. >> DOT GOV. KEELY ARTHUR, 5 ON YOUR SIDE. AND IF YOU DO HAVE AN ADVERSE EFFECT TO A SUPPLEMENT, YOU CAN REPORTED TO THE FDA WE SHARE HOW TO DO

Ads for dangerous, illegal supplements target Facebook users

Facebook ads promote dangerous supplements

Take that, TikTok: Facebook revamps its feed to become a 'discovery engine'

Clorox Co. plans to move the headquarters of its vitamins and supplements business to Durham, creating 158 jobs, officials said Tuesday.

Clorox moving vitamin, supplement business to Durham

RESTRICTED -- Clorox Wipes Are Still the Hard-to-Find Pandemic Item

Many consumers assume supplemental vitamins are safe, regulated, and effective. A Consumer Reports' investigation reveals that's not always the case. Consumer Reports Health Editor, Kevin Loria, said, "we simply don't have enough evidence to show how safe or effective many of these supplements are," said Loria. 

Consumer Report investigates safety of supplemental vitamins

About half of adults in the US take vitamin supplements. They believe the pills will improve their health and lead to a longer life.

Study: Supplements may be bad for you versus regular food

Supplements may not be better for you versus food

A recently completed study says supplements may not be better for you than regular food. In some cases, they could be bad for you.

Many people take Melatonin to help them sleep -- but, for some, the supplement can make the morning struggle even worse.



Melatonin: Know the risks and benefits of the sleep supplement

The national recall of herbal supplements that include kratom now includes a North Carolina manufactuer. Pious Lion, an Asheville company, pulled two kratom power products from shelves, according to the N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services.