SINCE THESE TYPES OF DISCLAIMERS ARE ALWAYS RUN ON THE 10TH PAGE UNDER
AN AD FOR FUNERAL HOMES, I THOUGHT I WOULD GIVE IT FRONT PAGE:
Dear Readers,
It's a boo-boo, but the good news is, there is no
such thing as progestrex. It's a hoax, meant to
make young women feel scared. Isn't that awful?
Rophynol, however, does exist and is something
young women need to know about. Please see below
for the whole story on this urban legend. thanks
to you all who wrote in right away!
No, we didn't check, and we're sorry. that is,
I'm sorry. I'm afraid that at the keyboard late
last night during the lunar eclipse of the full
moon, I was the only one at work on the
newsletter. I should have "smelled" this one
coming down the pike -- but hey, there is a story
here, and it's date rape. How come there's so
much more abuse on our college campuses then
there was when I was a girl.
Appreciate all your help -- as you can see, I
need it. Readers are offering their services and
I thank you. Anyone want to help out with
fact-checking?
And let me wish all of you the deepest Samhain
blessings. This is the Witches New Year. May the
spooks go poof in the night!
Thank you for staying with us!
love, Stephanie
Hi Stephanie!
Probably should have done a little fact checking
before you let the last article in your newsletter
out!
I did, and there is no such thing as Progesterex.
It seems a bit unlikely that there is a pill that
could make you sterile, because then why did I bother
to get my tubes tied? Please let your readers know!
Thanks!
http://urbanlegends.about.com/library/blprogesterex.htm?terms=progesterex
Comments: This is a hoax whose only reason for
existence is to frighten young women. "Progesterex"
doesn't exist. There's no mention of it anywhere in
medical or scientific literature. Neither of the two
hyperlinks within the text itself lead to actual
information about "Progesterex."
The email, circulating since November 1999, displays
several features common to urban legends and Internet
hoaxes:
* an urgent, fear-inducing tone;
* a lack of verifiable sources (instead, a
reference to an unnamed authority figure ó "my best
friend's mom");
* the usual plea to forward the message to
everyone one knows.
Rohypnol, the surgical anesthetic also mentioned in
the email, does exist and has frequently been
implicated in cases of date rape. It is said to
dissolve quickly in liquids, and, when combined with
alcohol, causes drowsiness, lowered inhibition, and
memory loss. (The drug was recently reformulated to
change color when dissolved in liquid so its presence
is more detectable.)
It's important for young women to be aware of the
crime of date rape and the fact that drugs are used to
sedate date rape victims. But it's equally important
to separate fact from fiction. The "Progesterex" scare
is baseless. If you receive this hoax by email, please
do not forward it further.
______________________________________
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