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Health Diaries > Politics of Health January 11, 2008 Man Dies in Miami After Being Tasered at a Party Filed under Tasers | Another taser death has occurred in Florida. Xavier Jones, 29, died after being Tasered by Coral Gables police near the University of Miami. Police were called after Jones reportedly became disruptive at a party in an apartment complex. They said they needed to use the Taser on him because he was aggressive and they needed to get him under control. A press release issued by Miami-Dade County Police stated in part: "While in custody, [Jones] experienced a medical emergency. Coral Gables Fire Rescue responded, and transported the male to [Doctor’s Hospital] where he was pronounced deceased." Miami-Dade Police Detective Carlos Maura would not say that the death was caused by the Taser but did say that an investigation was planned. Subscribe to The Politics of Health and receive free notification when new posts are made. December 10, 2007 New Jersey Makes Flu Shots Mandatory for Preschoolers Filed under Vaccinations | Comments (1) New Jersey has just become the first state to require flu shots for all children attending preschool and day care centers. Sixth graders have also had two new shots added to their mandatory vaccination schedule, a DPT booster and a meningitis shot. Here are the details of the new requirements: -- Children aged 6 months to 4 years and nine months old must get the flu shot each year to attend preschool or day care. -- Children two months to 4 years and nine months old also must get the pneumonia (pneumococcal) vaccine. -- Sixth graders must get a Diptheria-Pertussis-Tetanus (DPT shot) booster in order to attend school. -- Sixth graders must get a meningitis shot in order to attend school. Since opting out of vaccinations is difficult in New Jersey (only allowable on religious or medical grounds), many parents are concerned that they will have no say in whether their children are given the flu shot or not. "It is not right for the government and unelected councils to dictate what we put into our children," said Sue Collins, co-founder of the New Jersey Alliance for Informed Choice in Vaccination. While many vaccines given to children don't contain mercury, the flu shot does contain the potentially harmful heavy metal. New Jersey Gov. Jon S. Corzine, who approved the new vaccine requirements, said he didn't "want to speak to the specifics." However, Gov. Corzine is quite proud of the heavy pharmaceutical presence in his state and he stated in June of this year that "Central New Jersey is the birthplace of the global pharmaceutical industry." The pharmaceutical and medical technology industry contributes more than $27 billion to New Jersey's economy. "The pharmaceutical and life sciences industries are vital to New Jersey's economic stability," said Governor Corzine. "I am proud that 15 of the world's 20 largest pharmaceutical companies and over 235 biotech companies call New Jersey home. The men and women working in this important field help to maintain New Jersey's role as a global leader in life sciences." Not surprisingly, stock analysts say this could be a "big boost" for flu vaccine makers. Is it any surprise, then, that the state that stands to gain the most from making the flu vaccine mandatory for all preschoolers is the first one to do so? November 28, 2007 Flying Taser Saucer Coming to a Crowd Near You Filed under Tasers | One of the "biggest Taser representatives" outside the United States, Antoine di Zazzo, says his company, Taser France, is working on a flying Taser saucer that would be able to zap criminals and "rioting crowds" from the sky. The unmanned drones are expected to launch next year and will be sold internationally by Taser International. There isn't much more information on this in the English-language media but I did find some information in the French media about Taser France and something they have developed called the "Quadri-Ufo". I believe this is the same thing that Antoine di Zazzo is talking about. Here is my translation of the information I found in French: A little technological gem, capable of seeing details of 2cm as far as 3km away, the Quadri-Ufo, a drone made for civil use, could become an important tool in the surveillance of forest fires. There are already three prototypes of this 100% French machine, produced by SMP Technologies, and it should be officially unveiled in Marseille in a few months. The idea is that of Antoine di Zazzo, general director of Taser Trance, the company that provides police and gendarmes with Tasers. This native of Vaucluse was tired of seeing the destruction done by forest fires in his region and came up with the idea of putting the most sophisticated technology to use in the battle against these fires. For four years he mobilized his network of researchers on the project. "The Quadri-Ufo is now operational," he said. "A product 100% French," he adds with pride. But the Quadri-UFO isn't reserved just for monitoring of forest fires. Other possible applications of this formidable "spy machine" that haven't escaped the director of Taser France include "sensitive" operations. "It could call the GIPN (French SWAT) in the case of a hostage situation or when a desperate person becomes dangerous." And why not use it for surveillance of political protests? Capable of sending out a charge ranging from 500g to 8kg, the Quadri-Ufo could even deal with areas infested with insects. Click here for the full article in French. Related Content List of Taser Deaths Over the Past Two Months U.N. Committee Says Tasers Are a Form of Torture November 27, 2007 Ron Paul Quotes on Medical Marijuana Filed under 2008 Candidates on the Issues , Medical Marijuana , Ron Paul | "That's something that the president can do. I could just say, 'state law overrides federal law,' instead of federal law coming down with a heavy hand. I think you can do a lot to end that war without congressional changes because we have the authority, especially if you're a state - states willing to take on some of these issues. So if a state wanted to start using that authority, they would be allowed." ( June 5, 2007, in Manchester, New Hampshire, responding to whether he would end the federal raids on medical marijuana patients ) "I'd stop them. I wouldn't do them, because it's unconstitutional. Why should I go and send someone out to California to overrule a state law when we have no jurisdiction? Besides, it's a waste of a lot of money and energy. No, there should be no federal preemption on laws like that." ( Aug. 19, 2007, event in Londonderry, New Hampshire, responding to a question about whether he would end federal raids on medical marijuana patients ) "Yeah, because they're so compassionate, 'compassionate conservatives.' I don't have any compassion, you know, I would like people who are dying with cancer and AIDS to have access to whatever they want and make their own choices, especially under a state law." ( Aug. 19, 2007, event in Londonderry, New Hampshire, speaking about the fact that several of the other Republican candidates will continue the federal raids on medical marijuana patients ) "I would absolutely never use the federal government to enforce the law against anybody using medical marijuana. There are a couple of reasons for that. We talk about medical marijuana and, as a physician, it's controversial in conventional medicine. I happen to believe that it is probably very, very helpful, and I bet you there are a few testimonials for that. But even in the legislative sense - in the political sense - the federal government doesn't have this authority. I mean, if a state especially comes in and says you can use it, like some of these states have, then for the federal government to come in and say that we are going to override the state law, even if it's just a modest legalization, and override this law, that's an offense just on the issue of states' rights. But how can peo...