Latest news with #healthissues
The Sun
4 days ago
- The Sun
Laughing gas ‘epidemic' sweeping party island with tourists left foaming at mouth, having seizures & permanently scarred
BRIT tourists have been suffering seizures, foaming at the mouth and left permanently scarred after inhaling toxic drugs on the streets of Ibiza. Armed with industrial-sized canisters of nitrous oxide, determined dealers roam the infamous San Antonio party strip - targeting Brits as "easy prey". 9 9 9 But the Class C drug can cause a range of health issues - and in some cases can even be fatal. In the UK, the gas is most commonly sold in small canisters which deliver a single dose - enough to fill one balloon. But dealers in San Antonio are armed with huge canisters that pump out up to 80 hits - and come in boxes of six. At the going rate of five euros a balloon, the street value of a six-pack of canisters is around £2,000 - and they're strewn across the town. When The Sun visited the notorious strip, our reporter was hounded and followed down the street by dealers. Katie Mae, a bartender at Irish pub Shenanigans on the town's main strip, said laughing gas is 'the worst of them all'. The 21-year-old told The Sun: "I'll lecture anyone I see taking it - I've seen the worst things from laughing gas. 'I've seen young lads having seizures on the street and foaming at the mouths, but their friends are high so do nothing to help. 'One girl I saw inhaled gas straight from the canister, and it froze one side of her face. "It was all cut up and she would have been scarred for life." After working on the strip for three seasons, Katie said: 'The consequences aren't talked about anywhere near enough. "People don't take it seriously as a drug - but it's one of the worst." One British bar worker living in San Antonio told us she used to sell laughing gas here, but stopped after one of her customers 'nearly died'. The Brit said she got 'freaked out' when a young lad fell backwards and smashed his head on the road in the midst of a balloon high. She told us: 'I used to sell laughing gas for about a year-and-a-half because it was easy money. 'You'd sell each balloon for five euros and buy the canisters for cheap. There's loads of shops around here that sell them. 'But as soon as that happened I stopped. It really freaked me out. 'And the gas is not good stuff - it freezes your insides.' Nitrous oxide - the facts NITROUS oxide - also known as laughing gas or hippy crack - was recently made a Class C due to the dangers associated with the drug. It can cause a range of health issues and in some cases can even be fatal. Some common side effects from inhaling the gas are dizziness, nausea, disorientation, loss of balance and weakness in legs, according to a study on its risks published to the National Library of Medicine. Nitrous oxide can impair memory and thinking, the research mentioned. Some users might also feel anxious or paranoid. According to the Alcohol and Drug Foundation (ADF), the gas from nitrous oxide bulbs is intensely cold, sometimes as low as minus 40 degrees Celsius. Inhaling directly from the canister or crackers - handheld devices used to 'crack' open canister - can cause frostbite on the nose, lips and throat, even the vocal cords. The icy chill of the gas canisters can also cause cold burns to the hands. Long term, heavy use of laughing gas can cause a lack of vitamin B12. Severe deficiency can lead to serious nerve damage, causing tingling and numbness in the fingers and toes. Lack of B12 can also cause damage to the spinal cord. In some cases, frequent and prolonged use of nitrous oxide has been linked to thromboembolic events - this means a blood clot has gotten stuck and caused an obstruction. The so-called laughing gas has also resulted in deaths. Another Brit staff member at the bar described the situation as an "epidemic". The streets around San Antonio's so-called West End, which includes the main strip and most of the bars, are littered with brightly-coloured rubber confetti. Angelica Giraldo, a shopworker at Xanadu Supermarket near the strip, said the mess left behind by party-goers has ruined certain areas. She said: 'Lots of the tourists who come to San Antonio seem just to want to take drugs and to party rather than enjoy the island. 'I don't really see the other stuff - but the rubbish from the balloons is very clear. You see them all over the road, it's very ugly.' Angelica, 40, has lived in Ibiza all her life and noticed a sharp rise in laughing gas in recent years. She said: 'It is everywhere now. And it causes lots of accidents. 'People take it while driving, but it makes them go crazy and they crash. This happens a lot.' Selling the gas for recreational use is illegal in Spain - but that doesn't stop a crew of drug dealers openly pushing it every night. 9 9 9 Walking around the West End, tourists are hounded constantly by - and see youngsters as an easy sell. The dealers loiter amongst the outdoor bar seating and persistently hassle drinkers to encourage them to buy balloons - and many do. Bartender Katie claimed the dealers have an app to alert each other if police are patrolling a certain area. On one occasion, The Sun saw Civil Guards officers walking down the strip with a confiscated canister, and another cop was seen searching a young man for drugs. The Sun approached cops on the street - but they all refused to talk about the issue. While laughing gas is the most obvious drug in San Antonio due to the brightly-coloured balloons, almost any party drug you can think of is readily available. 9 9 9 Walking along the sea-front, dealers call out "hey, dude, yo, what do you need?' to almost every passerby. Anything other than a stern refusal sees them opening up a pouch stuffed full of drugs, and flashing you bags of coloured powders or pills. Ricardo, who runs Jungle Bistró Ibiza in the old town district with his wife, said he is glad that most of the anti-social behaviour is limited to San Antonio's West End. And he said it is 'easy' for the dealers to sell to young Brits. The restaurant manager said: 'A lot of them are British, they come to San Antonio just for the parties. 'It is easy to sell to them. I don't want any of that over in this part of town. We mainly have families around here' San Antonio Town Council said: "The process is also underway to incorporate ten new officers into the Local Police force, increasing its staff from 59 to 69. "This will ensure a more effective service tailored to the municipality's current needs. "A new position of intrusion and community coexistence officer has also been created, and a private security service will be put out to tender with the aim of reducing vandalism and uncivil behaviour in selected areas. "The City Council is fully aware that these are only the first steps in a broader transformation process and that there is still a long way to go. "Therefore, it remains steadfast in its commitment to continue working to build a better Sant Antoni for everyone, supporting a tourism model that prioritizes quality, sustainability, and coexistence."
The Sun
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Sun
Hulk Hogan's wife Sky pays touching tribute to ‘my heart' and says wrestler had ‘health issues' before his tragic death
HULK Hogan's wife has broken her silence on his sudden death with a heartwrenching statement. Sky Hogan said that her "heart is in pieces" as she opened up about his health issues after her beloved wrestling star husband died at 71 on Thursday. 2 2 She mourned her husband with a tragic Instagram post, writing in the caption, "I wasn't ready for this [...] and my heart is in pieces. "He had been dealing with some health issues, but I truly believed we would overcome them. I had so much faith in his strength. I thought we still had more time. "This loss is sudden and impossible to process. To the world, he was a legend… but to me, he was my Terry. The man I loved. My partner. My heart. "Hulk loved his fans so much and despite his growing physical discomfort, he did everything he could to show up, sign autographs, take photos, and connect with the people who supported him through it all. You meant everything to him. "He was a believer in Christ, and I take comfort knowing his soul is at peace and he's been welcomed home. "Please keep his family and all of us who loved him in your prayers as we try to navigate this new reality." On Thursday morning, paramedics responded to reports of a cardiac arrest at Hogan's $11.5 million home in Clearwater, Florida. He was treated at the scene and taken to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead. Hogan was reported to be on his deathbed just one month before his death as he suffered from a series of health issues that left him unable to feel his legs. However, despite the rumors, Sky, who had been married to Hogan since September 2023, insisted that her husband was healthy. In response to claims that Hogan was in a coma, Sky said last month, "His heart is strong, and there was never any lack of oxygen or brain damage. None of these rumors are true. Speaking to fans on her Instagram stories, Sky explained that her husband was recovering from a complex procedure. 'He's been recovering from a major four-level Anterior Cervical Discectomy and [Fusion], which is an intense surgery with a long and layered healing process,' she said at the time. 'If you look it up, you'll see what the last six weeks have involved… not just for his spine, but also for his vocal cords, and the eating/breathing tubes that are clamped over during surgery." ACDF treats pinched nerves in the neck by removing damaged discs and stabilizing the spine. Daily said her husband of nearly two years had been "in and out of the hospital" as he recovered from surgeries. "He's healing and we're taking it one day at a time with love, strength, and patience," she said.
Fox News
7 days ago
- Health
- Fox News
News agency says its Gaza journalists suffering health woes as union warns they will die without intervention
The Agence France-Presse news agency said its freelance journalists in Gaza are suffering constant health issues while a union is warning they will die "without immediate intervention." The news agency works with one freelance reporter, three photographers and six freelance video journalists in the Gaza Strip since its own staff fled the war-torn territory in 2024, according to The Society of Journalists at AFP union. "They're spending so much time and energy trying to source food and also just they just feel so weak," Phil Chetwynd, AFP's global news director, told NPR. "They talk about constant headaches, constant dizziness. So just the ability physically to, you know, get to a story is diminished." "Without immediate intervention, the last reporters in Gaza will die," the union said in its own statement. "With a few others, they are now the only ones reporting what is happening in Gaza. The international press has been banned from entering this territory for nearly two years." "Since AFP was founded in August 1944, we have lost journalists in conflicts, we have had wounded and prisoners in our ranks, but none of us can recall seeing a colleague die of hunger. We refuse to see them die," it added in a post on X. The union said its lead photographer in Gaza, which it identified as Bashar, wrote on Facebook Saturday that "I no longer have the strength to work for the media. My body is thin and I can no longer work." "Bashar, 30, works and lives under the same conditions as all Gazans, moving from one refugee camp to another amid Israeli bombings. For over a year, he has lived in absolute poverty and takes enormous risks to do his job. Hygiene is a major issue for him, with recurring bouts of severe intestinal illness," The Society of Journalists at AFP said. "Since February, Bashar has been living in the ruins of his house in Gaza City with his mother, four brothers and sisters, and the family of one of his brothers. Their house is completely without amenities or comfort, shared with a few cousins. On Sunday morning, he reported that one of his brothers had 'fallen, due to hunger,'" it added. The union said each of its freelance journalists in Gaza are receiving a monthly salary from the AFP, however, "there's almost nothing to buy — or what is available is prohibitively expensive." Representatives for the AP and Reuters also expressed concern for their teams there, but would not say how many people are working for them. "We are deeply concerned about our staff in Gaza and are doing everything in our power to support them," said Lauren Easton, a spokeswoman for The Associated Press. "We are very proud of the work our team continues to do under dire circumstances to keep the world informed about what is happening on the ground." Reuters said that it is in daily contact with its freelance journalists, and that "the extreme difficulty sourcing food is leading to their and all Gaza residents experiencing greater levels of hunger and illness." The agency said it is providing extra money to help them.
The Guardian
17-07-2025
- Politics
- The Guardian
Cory Booker pitches bill to allow lawsuits against pesticide makers over ‘toxic products'
Cory Booker on Thursday introduced legislation that would create a federal 'right of action', allowing people to sue pesticide makers such as Bayer and Syngenta, and others, for allegedly causing health issues such as cancer and Parkinson's disease. The Pesticide Injury Accountability Act would 'ensure that pesticide manufacturers can be held responsible for the harm caused by their toxic products', according to a summary of the bill. The legislation would be amended to the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide Act of 1972 (FIFRA). If passed, the law would turn the tables on efforts by Bayer and a coalition of agricultural organizations as they push for state-by-state legislation blocking individuals from being able to file lawsuits accusing the companies of failing to warn of the risks of their products. The industry has also been pushing for federal preemptive protections against litigation. So far, two states – Georgia and North Dakota – have passed what critics call 'liability shield' laws. The laws essentially declare that the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has oversight of pesticide labeling and state laws cannot permit companies to be held liable for failing to go beyond what the EPA requires in warning customers of potential risks. Booker's proposed law would not invalidate the state laws, but would give individuals an alternative - the right to bring their injury claims in federal courts if they can't bring them in state courts. 'Rather than providing a liability shield so that foreign corporations are allowed to poison the American people, Congress should instead … ensure that these chemical companies can be held accountable in federal court for the harm caused by their toxic products,' Booker said in a statement accompanying the announcement of the bill. So far, 17 environmental, public health and consumer groups have endorsed the measure, including leaders in the Make America Health Again (Maha) movement. Zen Honeycutt, founder of Moms Across America and a supporter of Booker's legislation, said it is 'unconscionable that corporations are pushing our elected officials to manipulate laws that protect their profits over the health and safety of Americans'. She noted that many pesticides used widely in the US are banned in other countries because of their health risks. The summary of the bill names both Germany-based Bayer and the Chinese-owned Syngenta as key targets and says they and others are seeking 'liability shields because they know the harm their products have already caused'. Bayer bought Monsanto in 2018 and inherited a mass of lawsuits involving close to 200,000 plaintiffs in the United States alone, all alleging that the company should have warned users that its glyphosate-based weed killing products, such as the popular Roundup brand, could cause cancer. The company has already paid out billions of dollars in settlements and jury awards, but still faces roughly 67,000 lawsuits. Likewise, Syngenta is facing several thousand lawsuits from people alleging that its paraquat weed killing products cause Parkinson's disease and that Syngenta should have warned users of evidence that chronic exposure could cause the incurable brain disease. The company has so far paid out well over $100m to settle cases before they go to trial, and is attempting to solidify a broad settlement of the majority of the cases. Bayer and its allies argue that their pesticide products, which are widely used in farming, are not only safe but are necessary for food production. Costly lawsuits jeopardize the availability of pesticides for agriculture, they say. Bayer did not respond to a request for comment on Booker's proposed legislation. Syngenta said Booker's bill 'targets American food security' and that farmers do not deserve an 'attack on the products they rely on'. The company said American agriculture is 'highly regulated, productive and safe', and that its paraquat products specifically, have not been shown to cause Parkinson's disease. This story is co-published with the New Lede, a journalism project of the Environmental Working Group
Yahoo
10-07-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Dad so big he couldn't go to bed for 3 years loses 8st after trip to dentist
A dad who weighed 25 stone and spent more than £5,000 a year on takeaways has revealed the mortifying moment that changed his life. Simon Furness says his food addiction became so bad he couldn't even walk to his bed and slept upright on his living room chair for three years. But his wake-up call finally came when a chair he was sitting on at the dentist snapped beneath him, leaving him feeling 'embarrassed and disgusted'. 'I got into a rut where I just gave up and I never went out the house or anything,' said Simon, 57. 'I didn't go to bed for three years - I was sleeping in my chair. I was depressed. All the money I had was all going on food, on takeaways. It was at least £20 a night, £100 a week. I would get them five times a week. They were so easy. READ MORE: New Marks and Spencer Outlet store opens with 50% off original prices READ MORE: Go in to this house and you'll be arrested 'Because I wasn't going out anywhere, I would sit in the chair and order off my phone to get them delivered. I was addicted to Chinese takeaways – I'd always have a special curry with special fried rice plus a big portion of chips. I'd probably have a starter too. Whenever I see old videos and pictures of myself, it repulses me.' At his heaviest, Simon tipped the scales at 25 stone and could fit into 5XL T-shirts. But it wasn't just his mental health that suffered. The 57 year old's unhealthy habits led to serious health issues, including type 2 diabetes and severe sleep apnea where he stopped breathing 104 times an hour. Alongside his five takeaways a week, his typical daily diet included half a loaf of bread alongside two large tins of soup, kebab meat, a 12in pizza and three packs of Haribo. But his much-needed reality check came during a routine visit to the dentist. Simon, from Marston, Northwich, said: 'I was sat in the waiting room and the chair I was sitting on collapsed. I trapped my finger – that was so embarrassing. It made me feel terrible. I was disgusted; I just felt so low. The doctor even put me on antidepressants. 'Doctors even said I had one of the worst sleep apnea cases they had ever seen. It all affected me that badly with my kids and grandkids – I was no good to them at all.' Simon says his unhealthy lifestyle finally changed when his wife joined a local slimming group, Beeweighed, and encouraged him to try it too. The former Morrison's truck loader said: 'I tried Slimming World, Weight Watchers, tried everything but just couldn't get on with it. 'With this one, for some reason, it just sunk in. Lynda, the owner, was so encouraging. The talks she gives are amazing and it really got through to me and opened my eyes. She's made me think about what I eat, before I eat it. 'It's just been a total diet change. I signed up in October 2024 and the rest is history.' Simon has gone on to lose eight stone – and reversed his sleep apnoea. Now weighing 17st 1lb, he hopes to reach his target weight of 16 stone soon. Simon said: 'Before, I couldn't move out of my chair. Now I go on days out with my seven grandkids – proper things like a grandad should do. I'm loving it. 'I know everyone needs a little treat every now and again – I do myself on a Friday. But in the past, I just ate whatever I wanted and I paid for it. It's brilliant. I've given away all my old clothes to the charity shop. I feel like a new person.'
