(InvestigateTV) — Brightly packaged pills and gummies marketed as “natural” and sold legally in gas stations and corner markets could hold a dark secret of addiction.
InvestigateTV+ examines the dangers behind this substance and efforts to ban it from store shelves.
Then, we examine the effort to find and maintain bone marrow donors and how one special connection changed a life.
Pills and gummies sold at gas stations could pose addiction risks
Products that look like fruit-flavored pills, sugary gummies and imitation ice cream cones are sold legally at gas stations and convenience stores, but they could contain a chemical compound commonly known as 7-OH.
The Food and Drug Administration warns that 7-OH could drive the next wave of the opioid crisis.
Brendon Burke, of South Carolina, said he used 7-OH because he was looking for relief from insomnia.
At first, the tablets did help him sleep, but he quickly felt like he needed more, he said.
Less than nine weeks after starting the tablets, Burke was struggling to escape the drug’s grip, so he quit cold turkey. Sixty hours later, he had a seizure.
Learn more about the warnings and what is being done.
Alabama girl gets life-saving bone marrow transplant from college student who forgot she registered
A girl in Alabama nearly missed receiving her perfect bone marrow match when her donor forgot she had registered years earlier.
Six-year-old Sophie Cromer was diagnosed with aplastic anemia and her parents said it was severe.
Severe aplastic anemia is a rare but serious blood disorder, with doctors diagnosing 300 to 900 people in the United States each year, according to the Cleveland Clinic.
It causes symptoms like fatigue, shortness of breath, increased risk of infection, unexplained bruising, headaches and fever. Doctors can treat the condition, but a bone marrow transplant is the only cure.
According to the National Marrow Donor Program, 75 percent of patients rely on finding matching donors from someone other than a close family member.
We examined efforts to find and maintain bone marrow donors and how one special connection changed a life.
Outdoor ‘catios’ becoming more popular nationwide as pet spending increases
Some cat owners are spending thousands of dollars on elaborate outdoor enclosures called “catios.”
Bob Johnston, who goes by Catio Bob, is a former welder and builder who never imagined the response he would get when he decided to construct animal enclosures.
Orders for his custom catios started coming in from around the world.
Learn more about the catio industry, which was worth $325 million in 2024 and is expected to double by 2033.
Touchdown Divas: South Carolina girls break barriers on gridiron
Young football players in bright pink uniforms are making their mark on the gridiron as part of the first Gridiron All-Girls Flag Football League in Myrtle Beach.
The Touchdown Divas are fourth- through sixth-graders and the players say they prefer the all-female environment.
When asked why she likes girls’ football better, Skylar Jobe said, “To be honest, the boys are too much drama.”
Learn more about the team that focuses on teamwork and mutual support, both on and off the field.
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