Prescription Medication

Kenneth Dean Hunt is no criminal mastermind. He was a handyman, the guy next door, a man with a record of sex crimes and aggressive outbursts. Yet, Hunt, 34, nearly managed to escape justice after raping and killing two women in his neighborhood. His crimes, a decade apart, were decidedly imperfect, but he managed to avoid detection: The first time, a tip pointing in his direction didn't register with police; the second time, investigators didn't realize a murder had occurred.

I was personally offended by Alison Dakota Gee's article about my late husband, Bruce Lee ("Dragon Days," Calendar, July 20). Purporting to commemorate the flourishing of his legacy 25 years after his death, The Times' story sank to the depths of tabloid journalism in sensationalizing the life and death of an extraordinarily gifted human being. Having been married to Bruce for nine years and being the mother of our two children, I am more than qualified to give a correct recital of the facts.

Payday loans are billed as a quick way for borrowers to receive small loans, with no collateral or credit requirements. But the cost of the loans, which proponents say are supposed to be for emergency use, is extremely high. In California, each $100 borrowed costs up to $15; thus the fee on the maximum allowed $300 payday loan would amount to as much as $45. The annual percentage rate on that deal comes out to a whopping 460%. But do these borrowers, who might turn to payday loans to get money for recurring expenses, such as for groceries or housing, have better options?

The Senate sidetracked a controversial amendment Monday that would have let Americans buy prescription medication from foreign suppliers, a move that cleared the way for action on an overhaul of the government's drug safety system. The drug import amendment, which was tacked onto the Food and Drug Administration overhaul legislation, could save consumers billions of dollars, its sponsors said.

With its sparkling headquarters building in Torrance and global network of 300,000 distributors, Sunrider International seems to be a picture of entrepreneurial success -- right down to the gleaming red Rolls Royce in its lobby. The picture is all the more remarkable because the herbal-products company was put on the ropes by criminal charges against its owners and remains a target of critics who say many of its health products are of dubious value to consumers. "If the entire industry were to disappear overnight, it would have little impact on public health," said Dr. Stephen Barrett, who runs Quackwatch.

California should join other states in pushing the federal government to legalize the import of prescription drugs from Canada, the chairman of the Assembly Health Committee said Tuesday. The call for wider availability of cheaper prescription drugs from Canada came as the committee held a hearing on the experience of other states seeking to buy drugs across the border. "I think we should join these other states in looking for solutions," said Assemblyman Dario Frommer (D-Los Feliz).

Runaway drug prices have threatened the retirement security of millions of seniors. Although two-thirds of older Americans have insurance to cover prescription drugs, millions more have to choose between buying food or the prescriptions they need to live healthy lives. Medicare does not cover prescription drug costs, except in very limited circumstances. That must change, but in doing so we must also protect what works under the current system.

Three Los Alamitos High School students were hospitalized after they collapsed in late-morning classes Wednesday after ingesting an unknown number of "small white pills," authorities reported. One of the students, a 17-year-old boy, suffered severe reactions to the drug and was unconscious when paramedics arrived, fire officials said. The others were also treated by paramedics and taken to a local hospital, though they suffered milder reactions, authorities said.

More teenagers are saying no to cigarettes and alcohol, according to a survey, which also found that misuse of prescription pain medication remains high. Scientists at the University of Michigan, who have conducted the federally funded annual survey since the mid-1970s, found that drug use in general had dropped 19% over the last four years. High on the list of substances teens are less apt to touch: cigarettes.

Drug charges will not be filed against singer Courtney Love, who was arrested in Beverly Hills on April 7--one day before her rock star husband Kurt Cobain was found dead in Seattle of a self-inflicted gunshot wound. "I am delighted that this nightmare is over and I have been cleared of all the charges," said Love in a statement released by her attorney, Barry Tarlow. "I can now get back to concentrating on putting my life together and mourning the loss of my husband.