Marijuana is also known as pot, grass and weed but its formal name is actually cannabis. It comes from the leaves and flowers of the plant Cannabis sativa. It is considered an illegal substance in the US and many countries and possession of marijuana is a crime punishable by law. The FDA classifies marijuana as Schedule I, substances which have a very high potential for abuse and have no proven medical use. Over the years several studies claim that some substances found in marijuana have medicinal use, especially in terminal diseases such as cancer and AIDS. This started a fierce debate over the pros and cons of the use of medical marijuana. To settle this debate, the Institute of Medicine published the famous 1999 IOM report entitled Marijuana and Medicine: Assessing the Science Base. The report was comprehensive but did not give a clear cut yes or no answer. The opposite camps of the medical marijuana issue often cite part of the report in their advocacy arguments. However, although the report clarified many things, it never settled the controversy once and for all.
Let's look at the issues that support why medical marijuana should be legalized.
(1) Marijuana is a naturally occurring herb and has been used from South America to Asia as an herbal medicine for millennia. In this day and age when the all natural and organic are important health buzzwords, a naturally occurring herb like marijuana might be more appealing to and safer for consumers than synthetic drugs.
(2) Marijuana has strong therapeutic potential. Several studies, as summarized in the IOM report, have observed that cannabis can be used as analgesic, e.g. to treat pain. A few studies showed that THC, a marijuana component is effective in treating chronic pain experienced by cancer patients. However, studies on acute pain such as those experienced during surgery and trauma have inconclusive reports. A few studies, also summarized in the IOM report, have demonstrated that some marijuana components have antiemetic properties and are, therefore, effective against nausea and vomiting, which are common side effects of cancer chemotherapy and radiation therapy. Some researchers are convinced that cannabis has some therapeutic potential against neurological diseases such as multiple sclerosis. Specific compounds extracted from marijuana have strong therapeutic potential. Cannobidiol (CBD), a major component of marijuana, has been shown to have antipsychotic, anticancer and antioxidant properties. Other cannabinoids have been shown to prevent high intraocular pressure (IOP), a major risk factor for glaucoma. Drugs that contain active ingredients present in marijuana but have been synthetically produced in the laboratory have been approved by the US FDA. One example is Marinol, an antiemetic agent indicated for nausea and vomiting associated with cancer chemotherapy. Its active ingredient is dronabinol, a synthetic delta-9- tetrahydrocannabinol (THC).
(3) One of the major proponents of medical marijuana is the Marijuana Policy Project (MPP), a US-based organization. Many medical professional societies and organizations have expressed their support. As an example, The American College of Physicians, recommended a re-evaluation of the Schedule I classification of marijuana in their 2008 position paper. ACP also expresses its strong support for research into the therapeutic role of marijuana as well as exemption from federal criminal prosecution; civil liability; or professional sanctioning for physicians who prescribe or dispense medical marijuana in accordance with state law. Similarly, protection from criminal or civil penalties for patients who use medical marijuana as permitted under state laws.
(4) Medical marijuana is legally used in many developed countries The argument of if they can do it, why not us? is another strong point. Some countries, including Canada, Belgium, Austria, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, Spain, Israel, and Finland have legalized the therapeutic use of marijuana under strict prescription control. Some states in the US are also allowing exemptions.
Now here are the arguments against medical marijuana.
(1) Lack of data on safety and efficacy. Drug regulation is based on safety first. The safety of marijuana and its components still has to first be established. Efficacy only comes second. Even if marijuana has some beneficial health effects, the benefits should outweigh the risks for it to be considered for medical use. Unless marijuana is proven to be better (safer and more effective) than drugs currently available in the market, its approval for medical use may be a long shot. According to the testimony of Robert J. Meyer of the Department of Health and Human Services having access to a drug or medical treatment, without knowing how to use it or even if it is effective, does not benefit anyone. Simply having access, without having safety, efficacy, and adequate use information does not help patients.
(2) Unknown chemical components. Medical marijuana can only be easily accessible and affordable in herbal form. Like other herbs, marijuana falls under the category of botanical products. Unpurified botanical products, however, face many problems including lot-to-lot consistency, dosage determination, potency, shelf-life, and toxicity. According to the IOM report if there is any future of marijuana as a medicine, it lies in its isolated components, the cannabinoids and their synthetic derivatives. To fully characterize the different components of marijuana would cost so much time and money that the costs of the medications that will come out of it would be too high. Currently, no pharmaceutical company seems interested in investing money to isolate more therapeutic components from marijuana beyond what is already available in the market.
(3) Potential for abuse. Marijuana or cannabis is addictive. It may not be as addictive as hard drugs such as cocaine; nevertheless it cannot be denied that there is a potential for substance abuse associated with marijuana. This has been demonstrated by a few studies as summarized in the IOM report.
(4) Lack of a safe delivery system. The most common form of delivery of marijuana is through smoking. Considering the current trends in anti-smoking legislations, this form of delivery will never be approved by health authorities. Reliable and safe delivery systems in the form of vaporizers, nebulizers, or inhalers are still at the testing stage.
(5) Symptom alleviation, not cure. Even if marijuana has therapeutic effects, it is only addressing the symptoms of certain diseases. It does not treat or cure these illnesses. Given that it is effective against these symptoms, there are already medications available which work just as well or even better, without the side effects and risk of abuse associated with marijuana.
The 1999 IOM report could not settle the debate about medical marijuana with scientific evidence available at that time. The report definitely discouraged the use of smoked marijuana but gave a nod towards marijuana use through a medical inhaler or vaporizer. In addition, the report also recommended the compassionate use of marijuana under strict medical supervision. Furthermore, it urged more funding in the research of the safety and efficacy of cannabinoids.
So what stands in the way of clarifying the questions brought up by the IOM report? The health authorities do not seem to be interested in having another review. There is limited data available and whatever is available is biased towards safety issues on the adverse effects of smoked marijuana. Data available on efficacy mainly come from studies on synthetic cannabinoids (e.g. THC). This disparity in data makes an objective risk-benefit assessment difficult.
Clinical studies on marijuana are few and difficult to conduct due to limited funding and strict regulations. Because of the complicated legalities involved, very few pharmaceutical companies are investing in cannabinoid research. In many cases, it is not clear how to define medical marijuana as advocated and opposed by many groups. Does it only refer to the use of the botanical product marijuana or does it include synthetic cannabinoid components (e.g. THC and derivatives) as well? Synthetic cannabinoids (e.g. Marinol) available in the market are extremely expensive, pushing people towards the more affordable cannabinoid in the form of marijuana. Of course, the issue is further clouded by conspiracy theories involving the pharmaceutical industry and drug regulators.
In conclusion, the future of medical marijuana and the settlement of the debate would depend on more comprehensive and comparable scientific research. An update of the IOM report anytime soon is well-needed.
About the Author
The HWN team provides original edgy content for Health WorldNet - Informed People, Healthier World. http://healthworldnet.com
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Thursday, April 23, 2009
Keys To Surviving Drug Detox
Drug Detoxification
There is perhaps no more dreaded battle in the fight against than that waged in drug detox. To be sure, drug detoxification is hardly an easy thing, and no recovery patient ever looks back fondly on the experience. But proper care at a competent drug treatment center can help ensure that the process isn't any more trying that it absolutely has to be, and there's no mistaking the fact that drug detox itself is absolutely vital to the ultimate success of drug rehab and drug recovery.
We should note at the outset that drug detox, like prescription drug detox isn't nearly so dramatic as it's made out to be. Indeed, the popular conception of drug detox amounts to something of a dime-store horror show, a spectacle of physical agony and emotional torture grounded mostly in movies and popular TV shows. Fortunately, Hollywood very rarely manages to capture reality as it actually is, and such is the case here: Drug detoxification, when you really get down to it, isn't so unfathomably awful.
Or it doesn't have to be, anyway: not if you get help from competent doctors and caregivers at a professional drug detox facility. Yes, the symptoms of drug withdrawal are unpleasant ones, but the medical and physical therapies employed by cutting-edge drug detoxification programs can go a long way towards mitigating them, and proper drug detox care can help to ensure that a rehab patient survives the first stage of sobriety with his mind and his body entirely intact. Given the length and scope of the recovery process, such physiological and psychological health is vital to any addict's long-term health.
Remember, no drug addict ever gets sober without help, and no one beats drug addiction alone. If you want to get better, you've got to seek out help, and rapid detox or regular drug detox is an essential first step in the seeking itself: Every journey starts somewhere, after all, and there's no escaping the whiles of drug abuse without first navigating the straits of drug withdrawal. Like the old saying goes: The way to the light, in the end, has got to run straight through the darkness.
Drug Dependency and Drug Abuse
To understand the importance of drug detoxification, it's essential to first understand the nature of drug addiction itself: how drug dependency locks addicts into habitual cycles of drug abuse. The bottom line: The compulsive nature of drug use and abuse demands that a thorough drug detox period proceed any extensive drug rehab program, and effectively ensures that no addict can get sober without seeking the help of qualified rehabilitation experts.
We should be clear about this much: Drug addiction is a clinical disease. Drug abuse is not a choice, or the product of personal weakness; it's a symptom of an underlying disorder, a chronic condition which afflicts drug addicts the same way diabetes afflicts diabetics, or tumors afflict cancer patients. Drug addicts, in other words, don't use drugs because they want to, or because they will themselves to; they use drugs because they have to, and because the physiological and psychological underpinnings of drug addiction effectively force them to.
Physiological drug addiction is a function of neurochemistry: Chronic drug abuse causes physical changes in chemical pathways in the human brain, ultimately making drugs and drug chemicals essential to the "normal" processes of a drug addict's metabolism. In simpler terms, then, we can say that drug addicts need drugs to function, and survive. This in turn explains why drug detox is needed, and why alcohol detox needs to be different from cocaine detox. Drug addiction is so crippling precisely because it makes drug use and abuse instrumental to a drug addict's physiological existence.
The psychological dimension of drug addiction is equally troubling. As chronic drug abuse makes an addict physically reliant on drugs, so to do long-term drug addicts come to lean on drug abuse as the rough equivalent of a psychological crutch. The need here, of course, is an emotional one: Psychological drug addicts use drugs to help them get out of bed in the morning, and face the world during the day. Even more to the point, drug abuse becomes a mechanism by which the chronic drug addict copes with the very fact of himself; life, you might say, becomes intolerable in any context except that of a drug high.
If you'd like more information on this topic, please call 1-800-501-1988, or visit our website at www.cliffsidemalibu.com .
This article may be used freely, provided that the resource box is included and the links are active. A courtesy copy of the issue or a link to any online posting would be greatly appreciated.
Copyright 2009 Cliffside Malibu
About the Author
Cliffside Malibu
There is perhaps no more dreaded battle in the fight against than that waged in drug detox. To be sure, drug detoxification is hardly an easy thing, and no recovery patient ever looks back fondly on the experience. But proper care at a competent drug treatment center can help ensure that the process isn't any more trying that it absolutely has to be, and there's no mistaking the fact that drug detox itself is absolutely vital to the ultimate success of drug rehab and drug recovery.
We should note at the outset that drug detox, like prescription drug detox isn't nearly so dramatic as it's made out to be. Indeed, the popular conception of drug detox amounts to something of a dime-store horror show, a spectacle of physical agony and emotional torture grounded mostly in movies and popular TV shows. Fortunately, Hollywood very rarely manages to capture reality as it actually is, and such is the case here: Drug detoxification, when you really get down to it, isn't so unfathomably awful.
Or it doesn't have to be, anyway: not if you get help from competent doctors and caregivers at a professional drug detox facility. Yes, the symptoms of drug withdrawal are unpleasant ones, but the medical and physical therapies employed by cutting-edge drug detoxification programs can go a long way towards mitigating them, and proper drug detox care can help to ensure that a rehab patient survives the first stage of sobriety with his mind and his body entirely intact. Given the length and scope of the recovery process, such physiological and psychological health is vital to any addict's long-term health.
Remember, no drug addict ever gets sober without help, and no one beats drug addiction alone. If you want to get better, you've got to seek out help, and rapid detox or regular drug detox is an essential first step in the seeking itself: Every journey starts somewhere, after all, and there's no escaping the whiles of drug abuse without first navigating the straits of drug withdrawal. Like the old saying goes: The way to the light, in the end, has got to run straight through the darkness.
Drug Dependency and Drug Abuse
To understand the importance of drug detoxification, it's essential to first understand the nature of drug addiction itself: how drug dependency locks addicts into habitual cycles of drug abuse. The bottom line: The compulsive nature of drug use and abuse demands that a thorough drug detox period proceed any extensive drug rehab program, and effectively ensures that no addict can get sober without seeking the help of qualified rehabilitation experts.
We should be clear about this much: Drug addiction is a clinical disease. Drug abuse is not a choice, or the product of personal weakness; it's a symptom of an underlying disorder, a chronic condition which afflicts drug addicts the same way diabetes afflicts diabetics, or tumors afflict cancer patients. Drug addicts, in other words, don't use drugs because they want to, or because they will themselves to; they use drugs because they have to, and because the physiological and psychological underpinnings of drug addiction effectively force them to.
Physiological drug addiction is a function of neurochemistry: Chronic drug abuse causes physical changes in chemical pathways in the human brain, ultimately making drugs and drug chemicals essential to the "normal" processes of a drug addict's metabolism. In simpler terms, then, we can say that drug addicts need drugs to function, and survive. This in turn explains why drug detox is needed, and why alcohol detox needs to be different from cocaine detox. Drug addiction is so crippling precisely because it makes drug use and abuse instrumental to a drug addict's physiological existence.
The psychological dimension of drug addiction is equally troubling. As chronic drug abuse makes an addict physically reliant on drugs, so to do long-term drug addicts come to lean on drug abuse as the rough equivalent of a psychological crutch. The need here, of course, is an emotional one: Psychological drug addicts use drugs to help them get out of bed in the morning, and face the world during the day. Even more to the point, drug abuse becomes a mechanism by which the chronic drug addict copes with the very fact of himself; life, you might say, becomes intolerable in any context except that of a drug high.
If you'd like more information on this topic, please call 1-800-501-1988, or visit our website at www.cliffsidemalibu.com .
This article may be used freely, provided that the resource box is included and the links are active. A courtesy copy of the issue or a link to any online posting would be greatly appreciated.
Copyright 2009 Cliffside Malibu
About the Author
Cliffside Malibu
Drug Abuse And How To Escape From It
Drugs are the biggest threat to the existence of mankind. Drug abuse ranks higher as a threat to us, even more than nuclear weapons. Drugs have wiped out civilisations in the past, and unless remedial measures are taken up seriously, we may also end up in the same situation. Fighting the drug menace is a double pronged strategy. Firstly, governments around the world try to destroy the drug manufacturing and supply business, while the civil society tries to educate its people about the pitfalls of drug abuse and also try to save those unfortunate ones caught in the quagmire of drug addiction. The process of helping people out of addiction is a long and hard one and only a drug abuse treatment centre can make meaningful contributions towards this.
There are several reasons for the increase in drug abuse in our country. Drugs are easily available in many parts of the world. Increased purchasing power is another factor. But the most important factor is the human brain. Human brain is a very complex thing. Some people inherently suffer from inferiority complex, and it is such people who usually fall prey to drug abuse. Researches have shown that most addicts try to hide behind drugs to cover up their sense of alienation. Some are drawn into it by bad friends.
Whatever the reasons be, the end result is the same - destruction. But is there light for such desolate people? Yes there is. There are many drug abuse treatment centers available to us. But the only problem here is how to find one. You need to have some level of knowledge about addiction treatment if you have to arrive at the right conclusion.
Drug rehab is a two branched process. First, the intervention stage, which is also called detoxification stage, removes the dependability of the body on drugs for survival. The process can prove to be emotionally taxing to the addict. Some addicts get into a shell and become aloof, but some others may react violently when the daily dose is curtailed. A rehab centre set in peaceful atmosphere can make the addict calmer and increases chances of positive reaction.
The expertise of the resort staff, especially its intervention expert, plays a great role in making a normal person out of a drug addict. A properly guided intervention expert can make this period joyful to the addict. The main aim here is to gain the love and respect of the addict. Detoxification stage contains drug free detox methods like swimming, exercises, acupuncture etc. Great emphasis is give to the physical treatment part because the body has to be well and vibrant in order to adjust to the rigours of outside world.
The physical aspect is now taken care of and the next stage, the mental teaching stage starts. It involves interaction with fellow beings, and taking up responsibilities. Once self confidence returns, the addict is ready to amalgamate into the normal world. Periodic counselling for some time after discharge from the drug abuse treatment centre is also essential to make the addict keep away from bad influences in the future.
About the Author
For more information about drug abuse and drug rehabilitation, please visit Drugrehabsunsetmalibu.com. Drugrehabsunsetmalibu is a California's premiere drug abuse treatment center.
There are several reasons for the increase in drug abuse in our country. Drugs are easily available in many parts of the world. Increased purchasing power is another factor. But the most important factor is the human brain. Human brain is a very complex thing. Some people inherently suffer from inferiority complex, and it is such people who usually fall prey to drug abuse. Researches have shown that most addicts try to hide behind drugs to cover up their sense of alienation. Some are drawn into it by bad friends.
Whatever the reasons be, the end result is the same - destruction. But is there light for such desolate people? Yes there is. There are many drug abuse treatment centers available to us. But the only problem here is how to find one. You need to have some level of knowledge about addiction treatment if you have to arrive at the right conclusion.
Drug rehab is a two branched process. First, the intervention stage, which is also called detoxification stage, removes the dependability of the body on drugs for survival. The process can prove to be emotionally taxing to the addict. Some addicts get into a shell and become aloof, but some others may react violently when the daily dose is curtailed. A rehab centre set in peaceful atmosphere can make the addict calmer and increases chances of positive reaction.
The expertise of the resort staff, especially its intervention expert, plays a great role in making a normal person out of a drug addict. A properly guided intervention expert can make this period joyful to the addict. The main aim here is to gain the love and respect of the addict. Detoxification stage contains drug free detox methods like swimming, exercises, acupuncture etc. Great emphasis is give to the physical treatment part because the body has to be well and vibrant in order to adjust to the rigours of outside world.
The physical aspect is now taken care of and the next stage, the mental teaching stage starts. It involves interaction with fellow beings, and taking up responsibilities. Once self confidence returns, the addict is ready to amalgamate into the normal world. Periodic counselling for some time after discharge from the drug abuse treatment centre is also essential to make the addict keep away from bad influences in the future.
About the Author
For more information about drug abuse and drug rehabilitation, please visit Drugrehabsunsetmalibu.com. Drugrehabsunsetmalibu is a California's premiere drug abuse treatment center.
More Than Just Violence And Drug Abuse
On April 6th, Black Forest Restaurant opened with a special lunch menu. Their signature dinner dishes included a wide range of sandwiches and fresh salads. Black Forest is now also providing computer repair services which are available from Monday to Friday, 11 a.m to 10 p.m. Saturdays are closed at Black Forest. Delight in a delicious meal on other days and make use of the free WiFi facilities available here; surf the net, play games or check your email.
The national security spokesman for Mexico said that the ratio for drug violence has dropped comparatively from last year's drug related cases and deaths. It seems like Mexico is finally striving to become a safe resort for its tourists. This March, the federal government sent more soldiers to the borders to control violence so that the visitors can move around carefree. Still to be on the safe side, avoid the bordering areas.
These are not the only steps the government has taken to make Puerto Vallarta more attractive to its residents and visitors. The New International Convention Center is now open, which is expected to lead the tourism market. This convention center is crafted with a lot of beauty. It spreads over 17 hectares of land and its architecture allows capacity for almost 7,000 people. This Convention Center is going to become an icon and a branded landmark for international businesses and the entertainment industry.
English & Spanish classes of Pvrpv.com have managed to collect a large number of donations. Thanks to the volunteer teachers who helped to lead these classes. The classes just ended this spring. However next fall, you can sign up for the new batch if you wish to be a part of Pvrpv's English/Spanish classes.
Pvrpv has collected a list of organizations that need help with charity and donations. If you want to be a part of responsible charity organizations then go through pvrpv's column, where you can choose links and contact the organizations. There are various ways in which you can help these organizations, but do contact them before you pack your bags for a vacation in Puerto Vallarta.
From this week onwards, Mexico City's police will issue residents a fine if they leave their faucets running or waste water in any other manner. Residents have lately begun to hold water fights, wasting a lot of water. There were warnings before as well, but now the offenders will have to pay a fine of 1,644 pesos. Some areas will soon have to face the consequences of water shortages because of the drought conditions in nearby reservoirs. There are chances water shortage will go on for a while and some officials fear that the water pressure is not going to be normal for a while.
Get more information on rental properties in Puerto Vallarta, also abbreviated as PV and contact Pvrpv dot com at the following numbers. Their Mexican office number is 322.222.0638. In case you are calling from the USA or Canada, call on local Vonage number 206.388.3703. For more details visit Pvrpv dot com which has been successfully servicing the tourists & local community for the past four years. They have a well-informed and welcoming staff that may help you about rental properties in Puerto Vallarta.
About the Author
Sameen Arshad www.pvrpv.com Pino Suarez #210 Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco Mexico tim@pvrpv.com
The national security spokesman for Mexico said that the ratio for drug violence has dropped comparatively from last year's drug related cases and deaths. It seems like Mexico is finally striving to become a safe resort for its tourists. This March, the federal government sent more soldiers to the borders to control violence so that the visitors can move around carefree. Still to be on the safe side, avoid the bordering areas.
These are not the only steps the government has taken to make Puerto Vallarta more attractive to its residents and visitors. The New International Convention Center is now open, which is expected to lead the tourism market. This convention center is crafted with a lot of beauty. It spreads over 17 hectares of land and its architecture allows capacity for almost 7,000 people. This Convention Center is going to become an icon and a branded landmark for international businesses and the entertainment industry.
English & Spanish classes of Pvrpv.com have managed to collect a large number of donations. Thanks to the volunteer teachers who helped to lead these classes. The classes just ended this spring. However next fall, you can sign up for the new batch if you wish to be a part of Pvrpv's English/Spanish classes.
Pvrpv has collected a list of organizations that need help with charity and donations. If you want to be a part of responsible charity organizations then go through pvrpv's column, where you can choose links and contact the organizations. There are various ways in which you can help these organizations, but do contact them before you pack your bags for a vacation in Puerto Vallarta.
From this week onwards, Mexico City's police will issue residents a fine if they leave their faucets running or waste water in any other manner. Residents have lately begun to hold water fights, wasting a lot of water. There were warnings before as well, but now the offenders will have to pay a fine of 1,644 pesos. Some areas will soon have to face the consequences of water shortages because of the drought conditions in nearby reservoirs. There are chances water shortage will go on for a while and some officials fear that the water pressure is not going to be normal for a while.
Get more information on rental properties in Puerto Vallarta, also abbreviated as PV and contact Pvrpv dot com at the following numbers. Their Mexican office number is 322.222.0638. In case you are calling from the USA or Canada, call on local Vonage number 206.388.3703. For more details visit Pvrpv dot com which has been successfully servicing the tourists & local community for the past four years. They have a well-informed and welcoming staff that may help you about rental properties in Puerto Vallarta.
About the Author
Sameen Arshad www.pvrpv.com Pino Suarez #210 Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco Mexico tim@pvrpv.com
Marijuana Management
In 2008 and overwhelming 97,800,000, or 39.8% of the American population age 12 and up, admitted to trying marijuana at least one time. There really isn't a good reason that marijuana hasn't been decriminalized in the United State. First I will explain the medical benefits, then the financial benefits, and finally tie it all together to prove that marijuana should be legal. First it is important to understand how marijuana compares with other substances. Every year more and more American's become addicted to smoking cigarettes. Cigarettes cause a variety of problems not limited to chronic lung disorder, stroke, and cancer. Despite the government's efforts to curb tobacco abuse with a huge tax hike, cigarettes still kill 440,000 people a year. To put that in perspective, that is the equivalent of three 747 jets packed to full capacity crashing without a survivor EVERY DAY. But tobacco isn't the only controlled substance annihilating the population daily. Alcohol abuse is a huge problem. It causes depressed immune system and liver failure while claiming 47,099 lives per year. In a recent study, 68% of the American public age 21 and up admitted to drinking at least once a month. Cocaine is not legal in the US for obvious reasons but still claims 11187 lives yearly while causing seizures, cardiac arrest, and heart failure. Marijuana on the other hand causes daydreaming, dry mouth, and short term memory loss. Not only are these symptoms near harmless, marijuana has some seriously positive effects. It is prescribed as medication in the state of California to treat glaucoma, anxiety, cancer, and nausea. It seems pretty obvious that marijuana should not be illegal, but it is even more important to note how much the government is spending to repress it. Your tax money is being wasted on a failed war on drugs. The Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) spends $20,000,000,000 a year trying to repress drugs. It is estimated that of the 20 billion, about 11 billion is directed to the "war on marijuana." Even in California, where marijuana is distributed legally to patients, the DEA is constantly harassing the shops. They raid the cannabis clubs because under US legislation the federal government supersedes the state. The taxpayers who voted to legalize it for medicinal use in California are watching their federal tax money go to the DEA who then comes in and refuses them their medicine. And this isn't even the worse of it. Incarcerations are up twelve-fold since 1980 for possession of marijuana charges. People use marijuana to relax and instead get throw in jail with hardcore criminals. This negative influence experienced in jail is no good for society in general. Imagine if everyone who ever tried thc was thrown in jail. Over a third of the US population would be stuck not only draining tax dollars but being negatively influenced by criminals. Hemp is an extremely valuable cash crop that is not legal to grow. It is unfortunate to realize that the constitution was signed on hemp paper, but the government is so scared of the plant that it is not even legal to grow now. The plant can be turned into clothing, paper, rope, and fuel. Currently we import all hemp from other countries. Let's imagine the government decriminalized marijuana tomorrow. Imagine all the good we as a country could do with an extra $11,000,000,000 a year saved on the DEA. The money fund revolutionary changes in education and rehabilitate those addicted to hard drugs, alcohol, and tobacco. Especially in hard economic times like these it seems like a no-brainer to legalize. And if those reasons aren't enough, the medicinal benefits of THC could save us tons of money by replacing inflated pharmaceuticals and hemp oil can be used as a fuel, helping improve a country-wide energy crisis. The only way to legalize marijuana is to exercise your right to vote. There is a state proposition every two years that some way leads to the decriminalization. I urge you to write your congressmen and vote when the opportunities present themselves. Thomas Jefferson said "Every generation needs a new revolution." Legalizing marijuana should be ours.
Leafpot.com
About the Author
Leafpot - Everything you need to know about marijuana. http://www.leafpot.com
Leafpot.com
About the Author
Leafpot - Everything you need to know about marijuana. http://www.leafpot.com
Steroid abuse with police officers is becoming a big concern
As an indication of how widespread the problem of steroid abuse has become, one need only to look at the New York City Police Department's recent initiative this past spring to begin testing all of its police officers for steroid use. For such a historic and venerable social institution to recognize the issue as a pressing one, there must be an underlying problem that has only recently been brought to the public's attention.
In fact, within the population of police officers that are also steroid abusers, many appear to be in some way implicated in the importation of such substances in illegal circles. In fact the former executive director of the Kentucky Chiefs of Police Association., Larry Gaines, has said that "I think it's a larger problem than people think." One of the glaring problems with police officers using anabolic steroid substances is obviously the skyrocketing feelings of aggression and rage that often accompany the drugs. This is caused, in large part, by the massive dumping process of testosterone into the bloodstream of regular users. The hormone is naturally found in men with varying intensities. However, an overrepresentation of testosterone in the body is very difficult for the body to regulate and can cause severe mood swings and acts of aggression. Unfortunately, many police departments across the country end up trying to fight the problem in a futile manner or simply ignore the issue hoping it will solve itself. In the meantime, the lives of countless police officers as well as citizens on the street are in jeopardy. When taxpayers contribute their hard earned money to pay the salaries of those in power, we expect they will behave responsibly and without irrational motives. When police officers use illegal anabolic steroids to look more muscular, their actions break this unspoken social contract with the public. Another problematic aspect of the problem arises when we acknowledge that police officers, like other civil servants such as fire fighters and search and rescue squads, are also required to be in decent physical shape. While they are by no means required to look like bodybuilders, there is nonetheless a standard of health and fitness that must be maintained in order to complete the duties asked of police officers. Anabolic steroids are in no way necessary to the pursuit and maintenance of such a physique, however, this obligation to the public is often used as a guise to excuse police officers from becoming steroid abusers. It is unfortunate that such a reasonable and necessary mandate that police officers maintain an attainable level of fitness is often perverted into an accusation of public pressure. There has also been much discussion of steroids' psychological effects in recent years throughout the media and public. In fact, some police officers have claimed that feelings of self-confidence and invincibility that are sometimes brought on by anabolic steroid abuse are actually needed to complete their jobs successfully. Others cited stamina and endurance as key traits that are available to them through illegal drug use.
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Taking Steroids - Steroidsources.com helps you by providing you with information on a range of top-quality steroids that are safe and legal to use.
In fact, within the population of police officers that are also steroid abusers, many appear to be in some way implicated in the importation of such substances in illegal circles. In fact the former executive director of the Kentucky Chiefs of Police Association., Larry Gaines, has said that "I think it's a larger problem than people think." One of the glaring problems with police officers using anabolic steroid substances is obviously the skyrocketing feelings of aggression and rage that often accompany the drugs. This is caused, in large part, by the massive dumping process of testosterone into the bloodstream of regular users. The hormone is naturally found in men with varying intensities. However, an overrepresentation of testosterone in the body is very difficult for the body to regulate and can cause severe mood swings and acts of aggression. Unfortunately, many police departments across the country end up trying to fight the problem in a futile manner or simply ignore the issue hoping it will solve itself. In the meantime, the lives of countless police officers as well as citizens on the street are in jeopardy. When taxpayers contribute their hard earned money to pay the salaries of those in power, we expect they will behave responsibly and without irrational motives. When police officers use illegal anabolic steroids to look more muscular, their actions break this unspoken social contract with the public. Another problematic aspect of the problem arises when we acknowledge that police officers, like other civil servants such as fire fighters and search and rescue squads, are also required to be in decent physical shape. While they are by no means required to look like bodybuilders, there is nonetheless a standard of health and fitness that must be maintained in order to complete the duties asked of police officers. Anabolic steroids are in no way necessary to the pursuit and maintenance of such a physique, however, this obligation to the public is often used as a guise to excuse police officers from becoming steroid abusers. It is unfortunate that such a reasonable and necessary mandate that police officers maintain an attainable level of fitness is often perverted into an accusation of public pressure. There has also been much discussion of steroids' psychological effects in recent years throughout the media and public. In fact, some police officers have claimed that feelings of self-confidence and invincibility that are sometimes brought on by anabolic steroid abuse are actually needed to complete their jobs successfully. Others cited stamina and endurance as key traits that are available to them through illegal drug use.
About the Author
Taking Steroids - Steroidsources.com helps you by providing you with information on a range of top-quality steroids that are safe and legal to use.
Hair Drug Testing and Sports
Hair drug testing has been going on for quite some time to test if criminals were under the influence during a crime, help parents gain custody of their children by proving their sobriety and to screen employees for highly skilled jobs. Now, athletes have been added to the list of people most often screened using hair drug testing.
Hair drug testing is pretty discreet. A small hair sample is taken from the base of a person's head and it is taken to a laboratory where several tests will be performed to see if certain markers show up on the hair shaft. These special markers only appear if the person has been abusing drugs. Hair drug testing can even prove whether a person was drinking alcohol- up to 12 months ago. One specific marker, called EtG, ethyl glucuronide is one of the most interesting parts of the hair test. With EtG alcohol testing or EtG drug testing, the more alcohol or drugs a person consumes, the greater amount of EtG markers are revealed in the hair sample.
Hair Drug Testing Compared to Other Forms of Testing EtG testing is unique compared to other tests because EtG testing shows a lengthy history of abuse instead of hours or at most- a couple days of use like urine alcohol testing would. EtG testing can prove up to 12 months of alcohol abuse- unlike urine alcohol testing, which can only show about a week's worth of alcohol abuse- because alcohol is so quickly filtered throughout the body through urine, sweat and evaporation.
As more sports organizations discover hair drug and hair alcohol testing as an alternative to urine alcohol testing, they will find that it is more cost effective way to test for substance abuse. That is because no more than twice a year will it be necessary to test athletes due to the length of drugs and alcohol history that it provides.
The World is More Passionate than Ever about Fair Competition With more reliable and accurate drug and hair alcohol testing technology, it is insulting to the other athletes who work so incredibly hard to win races, tournaments and gold medals without performance enhancing drugs- Times are changing and to let a cheater squeak through because sports organizations are still relying on the older technology testing doesn't seem like fair play.
About the Author
About the author: Melissa Peterman is a web content specialist for Innuity. For more information regarding Hair drug testing or EtG alcohol testing go to Trimega .
Hair drug testing is pretty discreet. A small hair sample is taken from the base of a person's head and it is taken to a laboratory where several tests will be performed to see if certain markers show up on the hair shaft. These special markers only appear if the person has been abusing drugs. Hair drug testing can even prove whether a person was drinking alcohol- up to 12 months ago. One specific marker, called EtG, ethyl glucuronide is one of the most interesting parts of the hair test. With EtG alcohol testing or EtG drug testing, the more alcohol or drugs a person consumes, the greater amount of EtG markers are revealed in the hair sample.
Hair Drug Testing Compared to Other Forms of Testing EtG testing is unique compared to other tests because EtG testing shows a lengthy history of abuse instead of hours or at most- a couple days of use like urine alcohol testing would. EtG testing can prove up to 12 months of alcohol abuse- unlike urine alcohol testing, which can only show about a week's worth of alcohol abuse- because alcohol is so quickly filtered throughout the body through urine, sweat and evaporation.
As more sports organizations discover hair drug and hair alcohol testing as an alternative to urine alcohol testing, they will find that it is more cost effective way to test for substance abuse. That is because no more than twice a year will it be necessary to test athletes due to the length of drugs and alcohol history that it provides.
The World is More Passionate than Ever about Fair Competition With more reliable and accurate drug and hair alcohol testing technology, it is insulting to the other athletes who work so incredibly hard to win races, tournaments and gold medals without performance enhancing drugs- Times are changing and to let a cheater squeak through because sports organizations are still relying on the older technology testing doesn't seem like fair play.
About the Author
About the author: Melissa Peterman is a web content specialist for Innuity. For more information regarding Hair drug testing or EtG alcohol testing go to Trimega .
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