By Rita R. Robison, Consumer Specialist, Blogging at The Survive and Thrive Boomer Guide

Buying drugs over the Internet is easy. You can conveniently fit it into your schedule easily, and comparing prices is

However, you could have big problems shopping for drug online.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration offers these tips to consider before you buy:

Benefits of buying drugs online

• It’s easier to get products. This is helpful for people who can’t leave their homes or live far from a drug store.

• You can go to many different sites to check out products and prices.

• You can ask a pharmacist questions in private.

Dangers of buying drugs online

Some Web sites:

• May not know the cause of your health problem. They could also give you the wrong medicine for your illness.

• Will sell you prescription drugs even if you don’t have a prescription. This is against the law.

• Don’t protect your private information, such as your credit card number.

Some medicines sold online:

• Are fake.

• Have things in them that are could hurt you.

• Are too strong or too weak.

• Are too old to work.

• Aren’t approved by the FDA.

• Aren’t made using safe standards.

• Aren’t safe to use with other medications or products you use.

• Aren’t labeled.

• Aren’t stored or shipped the right way.

FDA’s role

• The FDA approves all new drugs that are sold to people. The FDA and Federal Trade Commission make sure that what companies say about their products is true and legal. The FDA can take action against any sites that (1) make a false claim or (2) sell prescription drugs without a prescription.

• The FDA works with the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy and Federation of State Medical Boards to make sure companies follow U.S. and state laws.

How to buy drugs safely online

• Check for the VIPPS seal before using a Web site. It’s from the Verified Internet Pharmacy Practice Site, a program that makes sure online drug stores are legal and honest.

• Don’t buy from sites that sell (1) prescription drugs to you even if you don’t have prescription or (2) products that aren’t approved by the FDA.

• Use sites that have a pharmacist to answer your questions online. Only buy from sites based in the U.S. It’s against the law to buy prescription drugs from other countries. It could also be unsafe.

• Go to your doctor or clinic before using any medicine for the first time.

• Don’t buy from sites that sell prescription drugs without a prescription.

• Don’t buy drugs that aren’t approved by the FDA.

• Check out Web sites with the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy before buying.

• Report problems with online pharmacies to the FDA.

Following these recommendations from the FDA will help you avoid problems when buying drugs online.

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By Rita R. Robison, Blogging at The Survive and Thrive Boomer Guide

Times are tough for many baby boomer consumers. Layoffs are high among older workers, and it takes them longer to find a job. In addition, due to revenue problems, many state governments are cutting programs that provide assistance to those in need.

On President’s Day, I had the opportunity to attend a rally at the State Capitol in Olympia, Wash., at which a coalition called Rebuilding Our Economic Future asked state lawmakers to increase state revenues. They want lawmakers to raise taxes and close loopholes, so that some of the $2.6 billion in cuts to essential services such as public education and health care can be restored. About 6,000 people attended.

Made up of education, health care, labor, environmental, and good government groups, coalition members carried signs that said “Kids not cuts,” “Protect our future,” “Fund core services,” “Love the earth,” “Health care for all,” “Save Our Safety Net,” “Yes on revenue,” “Stop health care cuts,” and “Fund financial aid.”

A dozen or so members of the Tea Party movement watched the rally from the steps of the Temple of Justice across from the Capitol Building. Their group, smaller in numbers, called for cuts in taxes at another rally earlier in the day.

What happening at the Legislature in your state?

The 10 states with the worst budget problems are Oregon, Vermont, Washington, Connecticut, Arizona, Nevada, Illinois, New York, Alaska, and New Jersey, according to ABC News/Money’s “Budget Nightmare: 10 Most Broke States.”

See “State Budget Shortfalls May Reach $180 Billion This Year” for details on what’s happening in states across the nation in these tough economic times.

Let your lawmakers know your needs during these challenging economic times.

To find out how to contact the Legislature in your state, use this list from the National Conference of State Legislatures.

To contact your governor, see this list of governors from the National Governors Association.

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By Rita R. Robison, Blogging at The Survive and Thrive Boomer Guide

Controlling calories, especially after age 40, is the most important way to lose weight, according to recent research. About 1,600 calories is about right for optimal weight loss.

To rein in the extra calories and watch the weight drop off, Prevention offers these six tips based on recent research:

1. Trim down portion sizes at home.

2. Skip over-sweetened drinks.

3. Eat protein at every meal.

4. Start a meal with soup, but not the high-calorie, creamy-based types.

5. Drink vegetable juice.

6. Make your own snack packs.

See the article “Six Calorie Cutters to Fight Fat” for details on how to carry out these tips and what the research studies said about them.

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By Rita R. Robison, Blogging at The Survive and Thrive Boomer Guide

Now that lead is banned in products for children, the makers of cheap children’s jewelry are substituting another toxic chemical – cadmium.

An investigation by the Associated Press reported high cadmium levels in items including bracelet charms from Wal-Mart and Claire’s stores. Lab tests conducted for the AP on 103 pieces of low-priced children’s jewelry, nearly all exported from China, found 12 items with cadmium content above 10 percent of the total weight.

Several of those shed very high amounts of the metal when analyzed for how much of the toxin a child might be exposed to after swallowing the item.

Like lead, cadmium can hinder brain development in young children, according to recent research. It also causes cancer.

Writing in a blog post, Inez Tenenbaum, chair of the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, said:

Now we hear about cadmium in jewelry. This is unacceptable. Just this week, I sent a clear message warning manufacturers against the use of heavy metals, ‘especially cadmium,’ in a keynote speech that was delivered Tuesday at the APEC Toy Safety Initiative/Dialogue in Hong Kong.

Because of these recent developments, I have a message for parents, grandparents and caregivers: Do not allow young children to be given or to play with cheap metal jewelry, especially when they are unsupervised.

We have proof that lead in children’s jewelry is dangerous and was pervasive in the marketplace. To prevent young children from possibly being exposed to lead, cadmium or any other hazardous heavy metal, take the jewelry away.

Tenenbaum said the commission is moving swiftly to stop the replacement of lead with cadmium and other hazardous heavy metals in children’s products imported from China.

We are also actively investigating the jewelry cited in the recent AP story and will inform parents and consumers quickly of any actions we take as a result of our efforts. Our investigation is squarely focused on ensuring the safety of children.

Tenenbaum added:

It is very difficult for a parent to determine if an item contains harmful levels of a metal in a specific item except by checking recalls listed on the CPSC Web site. Parents should know that swallowing, sucking on, or chewing a metal charm or necklace could result in exposure to lead, cadmium or other heavy metals, which are known to be toxic at certain levels of exposure.

We are working to take decisive action at CPSC, using the Federal Hazardous Substances Act, a law aimed at keeping kids safe from toxic chemicals and metals.

Tenenbaum said a tragic incident occurred in March 2006, which had a significant impact on the CPSC. Jarnell Brown, a 4-year old boy from Minneapolis, Minn., swallowed a metal charm that was nearly pure lead. He died four days later.

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By Rita R. Robison, blogging at The Survive and Thrive Boomer Guide

Lately, I’ve been thinking and writing about the most important events and books of the year and the decade.

What have been the most crucial happenings for you last year and since 2000?

I choose health care reform, the recall of millions of consumer products, and the recall of contaminated food as the top consumer stories of 2009. My other choices are offered in “Top 10 Consumer Stories for 2009.”

I picked the economic meltdown, the sluggish economy and job recovery, and retirement delayed as the top three stories for boomers in 2009. See “Top 10 Stories of 2009 for Baby Boomers” for my other choices.

I selected “2009 Action Plan: Keeping Your Money Safe and Sound,” “The Healing of America: The Quest for Better, Cheaper, and Fairer Health Care,” and “Other People’s Money: The Corporate Mugging of America” for the best consumer books of 2009. See the article the “Top 10 Consumer Books of 2009” for my other choices.

My top three choices for the best consumer books of the decade are “Fast Food Nation: The Dark Side of the All-American Meal,” “Payback: Debt and the Shadow Side of Wealth,” and “The Omnivore’s Dilemma.” See the article “Top 10 Consumer Books of the Decade” for my other picks.

For the most important stories for boomers during the decade, I chose 9/11, the War in Afghanistan, and the War in Iraq. See the article “Top 10 Stories of the Decade for Baby Boomers” for my other top stories since 2000.

The top posts on my blog The Survive and Thrive Boomer Guide for 2009 were: “How Often Should You Change Your Bed Sheets,” “How to Buy Eye Glasses,” and “How to Buy a Dishwasher.” See the article “Top 10 Stories on The Survive and Thrive Boomer Guide in 2009” for information on the other top stories on the blog.

The top posts on my blog the Boomer Consumer on the Seattle Post-Intelligencer Web site were: “Don’t Put Condoms in Your Wallet,” “What’s in the Senate Health Care Bill?” and “How to Protect Yourself as a Boomer Consumer When You’re in the Hospital.” See the article “Top 10 Stories on the Boomer Consumer” for the other most-read posts.

Leave a comment below and let me know your opinions on the top events and books of 2009 and the decade for boomer consumers.

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