North Dakota
Recalled microdosing product linked to death in North Dakota, 48 illnesses nationwide • Daily Montanan
A person in North Dakota died after consuming recalled microdosing candies that are linked to illnesses across the country, the North Dakota Department of Health and Human Services said Wednesday.
The death is under investigation by state agencies, the poison control center and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
The FDA published a recall on June 28 of some Prophet Premium Blends Diamond Shruumz products. The products include microdosing chocolate bars, infused cones and micro-dose and mega-dose/extreme gummies.
The products are marketed as containing a proprietary blend of mushrooms, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
As of July 1, 48 illnesses, including 27 hospitalizations, have been reported in 24 states, according to the CDC. North Dakota is the only state where a death is being investigated, the agency said. One person has been reported getting sick, according to the CDC.
North Dakota officials are warning the public because the recalled products could still be available for sale online, in stores that sell hemp-derived products, or in smoke and vape shops, said Michelle Dethloff, director of the infectious diseases and epidemiology unit.
The products are not illegal in North Dakota but they are not licensed or regulated by the state, Dethloff said.
Retail locations in Montana, including two places in Yellowstone County, were selling the products, and they’re available online.
State officials would not provide specifics about when or where in North Dakota the death occurred or the person’s age, citing privacy reasons. The person who died is an adult, Dethloff said. The exact cause of death remains under investigation.
The cases of illness reported nationwide have been severe, Dethloff said. Symptoms reported include seizures, loss of consciousness, confusion, sleepiness, abnormal heart rates, high or low blood pressure, nausea and vomiting.
People who suspect poisoning can call the Poison Center at 800-222-1222.
This story was originally produced by the North Dakota Monitor which is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network, including the Daily Montanan, supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity.
Darrell Ehrlick in Montana contributed to this report.
North Dakota
North Dakota woman shares her story about living with undiagnosed PCOS for years
BISMARCK, N.D. (KFYR) – Put simply, Polycystic Ovary Syndrome, or PCOS, is a hormonal imbalance that affects a woman’s menstrual cycle and can cause ovarian cysts. Even though about one in every 10 women have this condition globally, it can be difficult to get diagnosed or receive treatment.
For Ariana Knudsen, trips to the coffee shop weren’t always so simple. Since she was 14 years old, her menstrual cycles have been irregular. Doctors told her everything was normal.
“At 14, I’m on birth control— that’s insane to me, especially now that I’m 28, and thinking back on it, I was on birth control for almost 10 years,” Knudsen said.
She said she’s tried almost all forms of birth control. At first, the new medication would help regulate her cycle, but eventually, she’d go back to having super short cycles or double periods.
She was on birth control for six years before getting an ultrasound.
Years later, while removing Knudsen’s gallbladder, surgeons discovered a massive cyst on her right ovary.
Eventually, they recommended surgery to remove the cyst. However, during her senior year of high school, things took an even deeper nose-dive. Two hours before her scheduled operation, Knudsen went to the emergency room for severe pain.
“They were going to go in and try to just remove the cyst and save the ovary if possible, but it had started from the inside out, so it had completely killed off my right ovary. So, there was no saving it,” Knudsen said.
She was 17 years old. At 28, she still feels the impacts of her condition. She’s had over 12 iron infusions— all her irregular cycles have made her anemic. Doctors even thought she might have a brain tumor because of her elevated prolactin levels. An MRI showed that wasn’t the case. Knudsen started seeing Dr. Tara Harding at Simply You Wellness, who specializes in women’s health.
“The lack of diagnosing of it, or perhaps patients were told, ‘It looks like PCOS,’ or ‘it might be PCOS,’ and they’re getting very inconsistent information,” Knudsen said.
Knudsen said other women going through similar experiences shouldn’t be afraid to stand up for themselves and to trust their instincts.
“You’re worth more than just giving up on yourself, because I was at that point, to be honest. […] Trust your body. You know yourself better than anyone else,” Knudsen said.
She said she knew when she was 17 that it would be difficult to start a family after her surgery. After getting help for her PCOS, though, she and her husband are expecting their first bundle of joy.
Dr. Harding said that along with irregular or inconsistent periods, acne, unexplained weight changes and more can all be symptoms of PCOS.
Copyright 2024 KFYR. All rights reserved.
North Dakota
A quick recap of North Dakota election results • North Dakota Monitor
North Dakota voters rejected a measure to overhaul property taxes Tuesday, but property tax relief is expected to be a major focus of the upcoming legislative session.
Gov.-elect Kelly Armstrong, who was among those to oppose Measure 4, said he plans to make property tax reform a top priority. He will resign from North Dakota’s sole U.S. House seat at 11:59 p.m. Dec. 14 and take office as governor on Dec. 15, succeeding Gov. Doug Burgum.
Republican Julie Fedorchak will take Armstrong’s seat in Congress in January, creating a vacancy on the North Dakota Public Service Commission that the governor will fill. She will be the first woman to represent North Dakota in the U.S. House.
Republican Kevin Cramer was reelected to the U.S. Senate, where his party will be in the majority.
Here’s what else you need to know about North Dakota’s election results:
Measures: Voters defeated a measure to legalize recreational marijuana for the third time in six years.
Voters also rejected a measure to reform the initiated measure process. Measures to change the Legislature’s spending limit of the Legacy Fund principal and replace outdated language in the state constitution were approved.
Legislature: North Dakota Republicans will keep a supermajority in the state Legislature. Native Americans gained representation in the Legislature as a result of races that were on the ballot due to redistricting.
Transportation a barrier to voter access at Standing Rock
Statewide candidates: Republican statewide candidates easily won reelection. Superintendent of Public Instruction Kirsten Baesler, Public Service Commissioner Randy Christmann and State Auditor Josh Gallion all defeated challengers. State Treasurer Thomas Beadle and Insurance Commissioner Jon Godfread were reelected in uncontested races.
President: North Dakota voters overwhelmingly chose Donald Trump for president.
Turnout: The state had strong early voter turnout, but overall turnout was about average for a presidential election year.
Recounts: Two legislative races might qualify for demand recounts, depending on official results. Other local races facing possible recounts can be found through the Secretary of State’s website.
Next steps: Election results will remain unofficial until county canvassing boards meet Nov. 18, and results are certified by the State Canvassing Board on Nov. 20.
YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE.
GET THE MORNING HEADLINES.
North Dakota
Voters reject marijuana legalization in North Dakota and South Dakota
Voters in two sparsely populated red states, North Dakota and South Dakota, have rejected ballot initiatives that would have legalized recreational marijuana. With nearly all ballots counted on Tuesday night, North Dakota’s Initiated Measure 5 had received support from less than 48 percent of voters. South Dakota’s Initiated Measure 29 was favored by about 42 percent of voters with three-quarters of ballots counted.
Registered Republicans outnumber registered Democrats by more than 2 to 1 in South Dakota, where the GOP has controlled the governor’s office and both chambers of the state legislature since 1995.
In 2020, South Dakota voters nevertheless approved two ballot measures that would have simultaneously legalized both medical and recreational marijuana. The medical initiative was favored by nearly 70 percent of voters, while the recreational initiative got 54 percent. After Kristi Noem, South Dakota’s Republican governor, mounted a successful court challenge to the recreational initiative, reformers tried again in 2022, when 53 percent of voters said no.
South Dakota voters got another chance to change their minds this year. Measure 29 would have allowed adults 21 or older to possess two ounces or less and grow up to six plants at home. It also would have allowed sharing among adults “without consideration.” Like the 2022 initiative but unlike the 2020 version, this year’s ballot measure does not authorize commercial production and distribution.
Measure 29’s backers far outspent its opponents, but polls conducted prior to the election were not encouraging. A survey conducted last May put support for the initiative at 42 percent, with 52 percent opposed and the rest undecided. A poll conducted last month found that 45 percent of likely voters favored the initiative, with 50 percent opposed and 5 percent undecided.
The ratio of Republicans to Democrats is similarly lopsided in North Dakota, where the GOP has likewise maintained a trifecta since 1995. And as in South Dakota, voters are fine with medical marijuana, which they approved by a 28-point margin in 2016, but leery of recreational legalization, which they rejected in 2018 and 2022.
Measure 5 would have let adults 21 or older possess up to an ounce and grow up to three plants at home. It also would have authorized commercial production and distribution by state-licensed businesses.
The marijuana legalization campaign had an even bigger financial advantage in North Dakota than in South Dakota: Ballotpedia had not identified any opposition spending as of September. A survey of likely voters conducted that month found that 45 percent favored recreational legalization, 40 percent were opposed, and 15 percent were undecided. Those undecided voters evidently broke the wrong way.
-
Business5 days ago
Carol Lombardini, studio negotiator during Hollywood strikes, to step down
-
Health6 days ago
Just Walking Can Help You Lose Weight: Try These Simple Fat-Burning Tips!
-
Business5 days ago
Hall of Fame won't get Freddie Freeman's grand slam ball, but Dodgers donate World Series memorabilia
-
Business1 week ago
Will Newsom's expanded tax credit program save California's film industry?
-
Culture4 days ago
Yankees’ Gerrit Cole opts out of contract, per source: How New York could prevent him from testing free agency
-
Culture3 days ago
Try This Quiz on Books That Were Made Into Great Space Movies
-
Business1 week ago
Apple is trying to sell loyal iPhone users on AI tools. Here's what Apple Intelligence can do
-
Culture1 week ago
Try This Quiz on Spooky Novels for Halloween