American Red Cross of Ventura County

The American Red Cross urges blood donors to give in the final weeks of summer to help overcome a critical summer blood shortage.

The summer months are among the most challenging times of years to collect enough blood and platelet donations to meet patient needs. Many regular donors delay giving while they take vacation and participate in summer activities. The need for blood doesn’t take a summer break though.

Two summers ago, Kelly Griswold was involved in a life-threatening jet-ski accident while vacationing. She was airlifted to a hospital and underwent three surgeries over the course of two days. Griswold, a blood donor prior to the accident, suddenly knew what it was like to be on the receiving end of blood donations. “Without the support of people that can give blood, the ones who have needed it would not be here today – myself included.”

Donors of all blood types are urgently needed to give now to help ensure blood is available for patients in need. Those who donated blood earlier this summer may be eligible to donate again. Blood can be safely donated every 56 days, and double red cells can be donated every 112 days. In appreciation for helping to save lives, those who come to donate blood or platelets with the Red Cross now through Aug. 31 will receive a $5 Amazon.com gift card claim code.

Schedule an appointment to give blood by downloading the free Red Cross Blood Donor App, visiting redcrossblood.org or calling 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767). To help reduce wait times, donors are encouraged to make appointments and complete the RapidPass online health history questionnaire at redcrossblood.org/rapidpass.

Upcoming blood donation opportunities

Moorpark
8/22/2016: 8 a.m. - 8 p.m., Moorpark College, 7075 Campus Road
8/25/2016: 8 a.m. - 8 p.m., Moorpark College, 7075 Campus Road

Oxnard
8/19/2016: 9 a.m. - 3 p.m., Document Systems, 300 n Graves, Suite E
8/23/2016: 8 a.m. - 8 p.m., Oxnard College, 4000 S Rose Ave
8/24/2016: 2 p.m. - 8 p.m., Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, 1150 Gary Dr

Simi Valley
8/20/2016: 9 a.m. - 3 p.m., Simi Valley Rancho Santa Suzanna Community, 5005 E Los Angeles Ave
8/25/2016: 1 p.m. - 7 p.m., Rancho Santa Suzanna Community Center, 5005-C Los Angeles Ave

Thousand Oaks
8/17/2016: 1 p.m. - 7 p.m., Thousand Oaks Inn, 75 W Thousand Oaks Blvd
8/22/2016: 1 p.m. - 7 p.m., Thousand Oaks Inn, 75 W Thousand Oaks Blvd
8/22/2016: 1 p.m. - 7 p.m., Thousand Oaks Teen Center, 1375 East Janss Road
8/24/2016: 1 p.m. - 7 p.m., Thousand Oaks Inn, 75 W Thousand Oaks Blvd
8/31/2016: 1 p.m. - 7 p.m., Thousand Oaks Inn, 75 W Thousand Oaks Blvd

Ventura
8/16/2016: 1 p.m. - 7 p.m., EP Foster Library, 651 E Main Street
8/29/2016: 8 a.m. - 8 p.m., Ventura College, 4667 Telegraph Road

How to donate blood
Simply download the American Red Cross Blood Donor App, visit redcrossblood.org or call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767) to make an appointment or for more information. All blood types are needed to ensure a reliable supply for patients. A blood donor card or driver’s license or two other forms of identification are required at check-in. Individuals who are 17 years of age (16 with parental consent in some states), weigh at least 110 pounds and are in generally good health may be eligible to donate blood. High school students and other donors 18 years of age and younger also have to meet certain height and weight requirements.

Blood donors can now save time at their next donation by using RapidPass to complete their pre-donation reading and health history questionnaire online, on the day of their donation, prior to arriving at the blood drive. To get started and learn more, visit redcrossblood.org/RapidPass and follow the instructions on the site.

About the American Red Cross
The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides emotional support to victims of disasters; supplies about 40 percent of the nation’s blood; teaches skills that save lives; provides international humanitarian aid; and supports military members and their families. The Red Cross is a not-for-profit organization that depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to perform its mission. For more information, please visit redcross.org or cruzrojaamericana.org, or visit us on Twitter at @RedCross.

SACRAMENTO – California’s birth rate among adolescents has continued to decline to record-low levels, reports California Department of Public Health (CDPH) Director and State Health Officer Dr. Karen Smith. The state’s 2014 numbers indicate a record low of 20.8 births per 1,000 females between the ages of 15 and 19. Those numbers reflect a 10 percent decline from 2013 and a 55 percent decline from the 2000 rate of 46.7.

"California’s continued success in reducing births among adolescents is an excellent example of public health at work,” said Dr. Smith. “We can have a positive influence on the lives of young people when we empower them with knowledge, tools and resources to make healthy choices.”

The birth rate among adolescents decreased among all racial and ethnic groups between 2000 and 2014. During this time, the birth rate dropped from 77.3 to 31.3 (births per 1,000 females aged 15 to 19) among Hispanics, 59.1 to 24.6 among African Americans, 22.3 to 8.4 among Whites and 15.0 to 3.7 among Asians.

Despite these declining birth rates, racial disparities persist in adolescent childbearing in California. African American and Hispanic adolescents are three to four times as likely to give birth as White females. In addition, the birth rate among adolescents varies considerably across counties, from a low of 7.0 in Marin County to a high of 45.1 in Kern County.

California has a number of programs aimed at preventing adolescent pregnancy and improving pregnancy outcomes among young women. CDPH funds the Information and Education Program, the Personal Responsibility Education Program authorized through the Affordable Care Act of 2010, and the Adolescent Family Life Program for expectant and parenting adolescents. In addition, the state provides no-cost family planning services to eligible men and women, including adolescents, through the Family PACT Program.

For more birth rate data, visit CDPH’s Adolescent Health Data and Statistics page.

www.cdph.ca.gov

I was unable to attend the special meeting held on 7-26-16 (last night) so I will summarize Chief Wareham's notes, as presented by Chief Vasquez and Jackson, concerning effects of marijuana on communities that legalize it. Next week I hope to publish more detail on these findings. Here are some highlights.

My thanks to all three Chiefs for providing this voluminous information. I will republish their 8-page, single-space report in full next week.

On returning from an investigative trip to Colorado, Oregon, and Washington (where medical marijuana has been made legal), Police Chief Dave Wareham notes the following:

1. Overall Message, "Don't do it", i.e. approve a medical marijuana grow and distribution operation in our new business park.

2. Biggest issues are home grows, doctors issuing recommendations for profit, and very high potency.

3. 46 of 52 counties that opted out of commercial jarijuana. still experience problems.

4. Common comment: "I voted for it, but didn't think I was voting for this."

5. Colorado is now #1 in teen use, adult use, and college use.

6. Marijuana is now 100 percent different from traditional pot.

7. 80-90 percent of the population smoke; edibles and the concentrate scare them.

8. They have criminal organizations, Cuban nationals, Russian mafia, etc. coming into state, renting houses and setting up large illegal grows. Marijuana going out of state for large profit ($2,000 per pound in Colorado - $5,500 per pound East Coast.

9. ER admissions up 100 percent. 138 visits this year linked to marijuana.

10. DUIs: 77 percent linked with marijuana.

11. 2015 had highest fatality rate in TC.

12. Crime is us 6 percent state-wide. There is a noticeable increase in disorder, vagrancy, social issues.

13. Homeless population is up 153 percent.

14. Most homicides are marijuana related.

15. BHO explosions (over 20) on the rise

16. They now have "travelers" (homeless) who come to Colorado on 420-day, they stay to use marijuana and leave at first snowfall. They live and beg on the streets, urinate/defecate in public and are a community eyessore.

These statements comprise less than one page of the report. The entire report will be published next week in the Gazette.

A word to the wise: VOTE NO ON MEDICAL MARIJUANA.

My thanks to Chief Wareham for providing this valuable information.