Day 10: High Times

Friday 07/06/12

Selemat Petang!!! (Good Afternoon)!!

Today’s lectures was all about poison control. The world is getting high and not even aware of it. It is a sad reality, but what is more sad is how far people will go to make a few extra million bucks (as if the first couple million was not enough). It seems as if the most important thing at the moment that needs to be revamped into a sustainable production is chemicals, biowaste, and other things that goes bump in the night. Most worry about the being poisoned by the factory next to their while other types of poisoning slip by under the radar.

Today’s itinerary:

9am

Visit to National Poison Centre

12pm

Lunch [Own Arrangment]

2:30pm

Visit to Doping Control Centre

National Poison Center: WHO Collaborating Centre for Drug Information for Western Pacific& Asia-Oceanic Region

The team trained in the US
Evidence-based information, disseminate it, and try to reduce the risk within the community is the goal. Unfortunately, all key stakeholders do not want to participate.
Infrastructure is key to networking and disseminating information expeditiously.
When you do not want to support the norm (which can or cannot be harmful), you need to provide an alternative.
When trying to change/prevent destructive health behaviors, you have to plan like you are playing chess. Look AT LEAST 10 steps ahead.
Local puffer-fish was sold in local markets not knowing the fish is poisonous. We need to educate all far and wide. Especially for those who are just trying to survive.
New inventive ways to educate people through phones. I cannot wait until it becomes more mainstream in areas where it is really needed.

Doping Control Center

Acrylamide (toxin by product from fried/baked foods) is some pretty horrible stuff. Makes me wonder if that is a key component in the poor health of North Americans with all this fast food consumption. Acrylamide builds up in frying oil etc. if it is not tossed out every day… how often do you think fast food throw out old oil? Not enough because Burger King fries is supposed to put a hazardous label on its containers. That’s how bad it is in the US.
China was selling fake eggs (Investigation from Consumer Action Penang http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u8I7wOmzDJs) ( Japanese undercover investigation http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T55tz4qwFMo)
Many US companies have factories in Asia. Asia does not have strict rules for environmental pollution like the US. Imagine the workers and the communities being poisoned by these companies.
When not a law, no money will be spent to protect anything or anybody.
Countries that have intense food regulations come into Malaysia to check their exports. If the country does not have many if any food regulations, then the exports will not be examined before importing the products.
Cannot give service without research!!!
Analysis based on evidence is the best!
The goal of everything is to make value out of “waste” ~> waste wealth (I.e., Thorny starfish and sea cucumber to kill cancer cells)
Viagra is used in products claiming to be “natural products.”
Tongkat ali (for men) is a common aphrodisiac in Malaysia. It means “walking stick” and is Eurycoma longifolia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tongkat_Ali). Women have Kachip fatima. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kacip_fatimah)