Oakland Medical Marijuna
Marijuana Medicine has a long history of helping, With the recent death of Heath Ledger due to prescription drugs| more and more patients looking at the prescription drugs and cannot help but be curious as to what their future holds. Doctors are so swift to write prescriptions for anti-depressants, painkillers, sleeping pills and tranquilizers. Most medical cannabis patients feel that they cannot function on the medications that they have been prescribed for pain, insomnia, depression, etc. and find that they function very well on medical marijuana.
While many people are finding relief from terrible diseases by smoking marijuana, there are also many people who believe that legislators should allow researchers more freedom to research this drug for legal medicinal usage. To date, 13 states have declared medical marijuana legal to use. The Supreme Court recently ruled that the federal government can continue to ban the use of medical marijuana. Justice Scalia writes that the federal government also has, under the commerce clause, the power to prohibit interstate commerce of this drug. Personal use of marijuana may not be commerce, but if our drug laws were working correctly, they would be perfectly enforced. Even as evidence mounts concerning the benefits of marijuana as a medicine, federal officials and agencies continue to bury their heads in the sand.
Written records on medicinal marijuana stretch back over 2000 years. It was first discovered in print in the 2nd century in a Chinese book of medicine. As far back as 1611, this plant was cultivated for its fiber in Jamestown, Virginia. In the 19th century, it was used to treat such ailments as spastic conditions, labor pains, insomnia, and even helped with appetite. It is still used as a medicine in the Middle East and Asia. Although modern technology medicine does not refer back to the medical practices of ancient civilizations, this only confirms that marijuana has had a significant medical history, and claims of its medicinal use were not just pulled out of nowhere.
Marijuana is a drug that comes from the dried, cut leaves of the hemp plant known as “cannabis sativa”. It goes by a number of street names such as “grass”, “Mary Jane”, “pot”, “reefer”, “herb”, and “weed”. The active ingredient in marijuana is delta tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). This ingredient targets Cannabinoid receptors that have been proven to cut tumor growth in half in common lung cancer. It has also been tested and researchers at Harvard University say it also significantly reduces the cancer's ability to spread. Cannabinoids are chemical substances in cannabis, or marijuana. Endocannabinoids are cannabinoids that are produced naturally in the body.
Montel Williams is a huge activist for legalizing medicinal marijuana since he was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 1999. He has debilitating knee and foot pain and has tried Oxycontin and a variety of other drugs with no relief. Then a doctor suggested he smoke pot and “immediately I slept through the night.” Williams is a registered medical marijuana user in California. He began pushing for medical marijuana laws after being stopped at a Detroit airport by an Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms officer for carrying drug paraphernalia. His charges were later dropped.
Williams told a Senate panel about his chronic pain and urged New Jersey to join 12 other states that have enacted these laws. The states that have currently legalized medical marijuana are: California, Washington, Oregon, Alaska, Maine, Colorado, Hawaii, Nevada, Montana, Vermont, and Rhode Island. New Mexico is planning on signing a bill in 2008. Williams will speak at two events in Trenton; a Drug Policy Alliance-sponsored news conference and a Senate hearing. Governor Jon S. Corzine of New Jersey said last year that he would sign a medical marijuana bill into law. “I break the law every day and I'll continue to break the law.” (Montel Williams)
This bill, sponsored by Sen. Nicholas Scutari (D-Union) lists cancer, HIV and AIDS, chronic pain, severe nausea, persistent muscle spasms and even glaucoma as conditions eligible for medical marijuana use. The legislation has never received a hearing, even though it has long been proposed. A 2002 poll found that 82 percent of the people in New Jersey supported allowing access to medical marijuana. Terrance P. Farley, an Ocean County assistant prosecutor told the Associated Press that the bill is only an attempt to legalize drugs. “This is how they're trying to get marijuana legalized”, he said.
Marijuana is listed in Schedule 1 of the Controlled Substances Act (CSA), the most restrictive schedule. The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) supports that placement because marijuana met the 3 criteria about this drug: 1) marijuana has high potential for abuse, 2) the drug has no currently accepted medical use in treatment, and 3) it has a lack of accepted safe use under medical supervision. The Federal government should, at the very least, possibly downgrade it to a Schedule II, since it has been accepted for medical use in the United States. A past evaluation by several agencies, including the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), concluded that supported use of medical marijuana has no sound scientific studies and no human or animal data supported the safety or efficacy for general use.
During the Prohibition of Alcohol period (1920-1933), psychoactive properties of marijuana were left to criticism by the same forces that opposed the consumption of alcohol. Congress passed the Marijuana Tax Act in 1937, which made continual use of marijuana a criminal act. During hearings held before this act, a lone opponent, a representative of the American Medical Association (AMA), argued that banning marijuana should exempt it for medical purposes, at least. His testimony included the following:
There is positively no evidence to indicate the abuse of
cannabis (marijuana) as a medicinal agent or to show that
its medicinal use is leading to the development of cannabis
addiction. Cannabis at the present time is slightly used for
medicinal purposes, but it would seem worthwhile to main-
tain its status as a medicinal agent…. There is a possibility
that a re-study of the drug by modern means may show
other advantages to be derived from its medicinal use.
Marijuana was removed from the American pharmacopoeia in 1941, over AMA objections, and hope for further research or legal medical use came to a halt. In 1970, Congress restructured the drug laws with the Controlled Substances Act, which kept marijuana banned for medical use.
Marijuana has many substitutes, such as Marinol. Swallowing this substance, however, takes longer to work, has more adverse side effects and is more expensive. A year's supply can cost up to $15,000; too much, some said, for a flawed version of a weed that can be grown in any backyard. One reason many prefer to smoke marijuana rather than swallow Marinol is that it allows them to regulate the amount of THC that goes into their systems. Smoking allows an instant transmission of this ingredient to sites in the brain that control nausea, so when the anti-nausea effect wears off, they only need to smoke a little more if needed. Individual patients respond differently to different doses, and they can avoid taking too much, which is not possible with Marinol.
On the other hand, although several states have passed legal drug laws making smoked marijuana available for various medical conditions, the FDA, the DEA and the Office of National Drug Control Policy do not support the use of smoked marijuana for medicinal purposes. These measures go against their efforts to ensure that medications are proven safe and effective under the standards of the FD&C Act. Gov. Jon S. Corzine's proposal would allow chronically ill patients to medicinally smoke, eat or take marijuana in tablets. The program would be monitored by the State Health Department. The amount of marijuana would be capped at 1 ounce and the patients would be issued registered medical marijuana user cards. Bertha Madras, deputy director for demand reduction at the Office of National Drug Control Policy, said in a telephone interview: “We cannot base medical decisions on anecdotes.”
Researchers do not know why THC inhibits tumor growth; they say it is possible the substance activates molecules that arrest cell cycles. It may also interfere with angiogenesis and vascularization, which promotes the growth of cancer. Anju Preet, Ph.D., a researcher in the Division of Experimental Medicine says much work is needed to pave the pathway by which THC functions. “The beauty of this study is that we are showing that a substance of abuse, if used prudently, may offer a new road to therapy against lung cancer.” People hope that the federal courts and legislators will be allowed to take a closer look at the benefits, examine the evidence and conclude that we only want safe pain relief for the people who need it the most.
Medical Cannabis
Marijuana Medicine has a long history of helping, With the recent death of Michael Jackson due to prescribed medications| more and more patients are examining their pill bottles and cannot help but be curious as to what their future holds. Doctors are so swift to write prescriptions for anti-depressants, painkillers, sleeping pills and tranquilizers. Most medical cannabis patients feel that they cannot function on the medications that they have been prescribed for pain, insomnia, depression, etc. and find that they function very well on medical marijuana.
If we spoke a different language, we would perceive a somewhat different world.
- Ludwig Wittgenstein
Language is as organic as that Venus Fly Trap on your front porch. It also has a voracious appetite…It is as malleable and impressionist as silly putty, the primordial goo that sticks to the roof of our mouth (and yes, to our fingers) like peanut butter. It is an architectural wonder like Balboa Park and the Coronado Bridge, allowing our minds to traverse from one park to another, one body of land to another. It is visual acuity in that it can zoom-in and out like a telephoto lens directed at a sunflower or a point in space. It is power, and can shape and reshape the universe into a multiplicity of dimensions.
It’s also fun—like one of those floor-sized puzzles of the Eiffel Tower.
Some words don’t seem to have their meaning altered much. They exist—and persist—generation after generation. Contrary to the epigram from Wittgenstein, we really do speak a different language, and our worlds are perceived differently as a result. One could have fun arguing that we live in a multidimensional universe as a result of language, and that as a result, we speak, listen, and know our world through a multiplicity of languages (And I’m not only referring to those languages associated with national origin with their respective dialects…).
Think: VENN diagrams! Each rhetorical community to which we belong has its own language and/or lingo. We create our world—our experience—through language; in turn, it facilitates our experience of this world, doesn’t it? Families and other people who cohabitate or spend a considerable amount of time with each other come up with new words (and/or alter the meanings of words) in the same—or similar—ways that industries do when technological advances occur. When an object is created, it needs a name; calling it a “thingamajig”—or other similar labels - will only work for so long…When an experience is had, comparing it to other experiences may work for a time, but what if it doesn’t compare to anything you’ve experienced before? Doesn’t it deserve, doesn’t it call for, a new word to describe it? If we don’t have a new word, and can’t seem to agree upon one, we can point to that thing and/or experience for only so long. What if we can’t duplicate the thing or the process or the experience? We don’t want to forget it, right? We want to share it with others, right? Maybe we even way to patent it or make it or do it or share it.
It needs a name to perpetuate its existence as well as to identify its existence to others…
So, since neologisms, idiomatic language, and slang are thought-provoking categories for exploration (and also make for fun group projects), I asked my two summer school classes to assume they were linguists and contemporary socio-cultural anthropologists gathering and recording data. I asked them to discuss word categories, definitions, and examples.
Here are some highlights from their expedition:
Word: Lackies
Definition: Referring to people who just sit around talking about Magic, The Gathering card game, Star Wars, Pokemon cards, and play gameboy the entire day before and after class.
Example:
‘Hey Chuy! Let’s hang out. Just a minute…I have to ask this guy something.’
‘Fine. So hang out with the lackies, you lackie.’
Word: Simon
Definition: Someone who tells you something about things or people with extreme exaggeration and later finds out it is a lie or is just plain crap.
Example:
‘Dude, you gotta play this video game. It’s freaking awesome. Anyone who’s anyone plays this game.’ Later, after buying the game and finding out I hate it and return it for a refund, my other friend says, ‘Man, he bust a Simon on you.’
(J. P.)
These three slang terms hail from the Caribbean!
Word: Hey Ma
Definition: Hey Girl
Word: Skettel
Definition: Someone who has sex with a lot of people.
Word: Cockle
Definition: Another term for a female sleeping around.
These two hail from Hawaii:
Phrase: da kine
Definition: Used when communicating something implied, but too lazy to finish the sentence.
Example: ‘I’m hungry…let’s go to da kine.’ This means the usual place these two eat together. Most people just think this phrase refers to marijuana.
Word: bannang
Definition: A person who looks Asian on the outside and acts white from inside.
(M. B., D.H., D.R., and D.W.)
Word: tight
Definition: likeable, cool, in fashion.
Example: ‘Those new pair of shoes are tight!’
Word: turn-two
Definition: Get going. Let’s move on.
Example: ‘All right people…let’s turn-two.’ (NOTE: As you say this, make the “two” sign with your two fingers and flip your hand back-and-forth.)
(H.E., M.H., S.M., E.M., and C.F.)
Word: shema
Definition: to evoke empathy.
Word: sicky-gnar
Definition: good; overwhelming.
Word: M.I.L.F.
Definition: An acronym for ‘mother I’d love to fuck’.
Word: gromm
Definition: child surfer
(C.W., A.H., M.M., and R.S.)
Here’s one from Alabama:
Word: buggy
Definition: a shopping cart.
Here’s a few from Minnesota:
Word: uff-da
Definition: Norweigian term used to express disgust or used in place of ‘my goodness’.
Example: “Uff-da—it’s hot outside!”
Word: Bucket
Definition: Another name for a woman’s purse.
Example: ‘Hey—look at my brand new bucket!’
Word: yaontoo (ya-on-too)
Definition: Do you want to or would you like to?
Example: ‘I’m going to the mall. You can come if yaontoo.’
Word: Nambit (name-bit)
Definition: Norwegian term used to express surprise or shock.
Example: If something happens that you can’t believe, you may say, ‘Nambit—honestly.’
I don’t believe these are from Minnesota…
Phrase: off the braken
Definition: cooler than cool
Phrase: That was bomady!
Definition: that blows your head, crying tears funny.
(B.E., A.A., I.A., and F.S.)
Word: shomgo
Definition: klutz; dumbass.
Example: ‘I tripped over the curb and felt like such a shomgo.’
Word: snugs
Definition: cuddly dog
Phrase: Mickey Mouse
Definition: being resourceful.
Example: ‘I couldn’t find the tool so I Mickey-Moused it.’
Word: groovy
Definition: out-dated; out-of-style
Example: ‘Man, look at her outfit—it’s so groovy she should change!”’
(D.P., D.S., F.S., M.K., and J.P.)
Here are a two “lop-offs”, or words that are broken up and stand for an entire word:
Word: inad
Definition: inadmitted
Word: depo
Definition: deported
Word: scooter
Definition: a motorcycle or a little car
Phrase: scooter trash
Definition: Harley Davidson rider
Word: skidlid
Definition: helmet
Word: spider
Definition: pubic hair
(S.M., K.N., C.L., and C.E.)
Word: Falcon
Definition: Calling dibs on hitting on a girl when with a group of guys.
Phrase: Junk in the Trunk
Definition: Voluptuous gluteus maximus
Word: Bangin’
Definition: A party that is the place to be…a tight party.
Phrase: Off-the-hook
Definition: Extremely cool.
(B.L., V.L., J.P., and I.A.)
Word: geterdone (get her done)
Definition: Go for it. Just do it. Motivational.
Example: ‘If you want to become an actor, you can’t lie around all day; just geterdone’ (David Jaimes).
Phrase: butter face
Definition: referring to someone who portrays an ‘ugly’ face.
Example: ‘Man, she has a beautiful body, but that butter face fucks her up’ (David Jaimes).
Phrase: Jimmy Legs
Definition: Sporadic, or sudden outbursts while sleeping in legs (e.g., shaking leg).
Example: ‘I couldn’t sleep last night because she has the Jimmy Legs and she kicked me all night long.’
Word: teabaggin’
Definition: to suck someone’s testicles
Example: ‘She was teabaggin’ me yesterday.’
(O.C., K.T., and D.J.)
Word: 143
Definition: ‘I love you’ (in text messaging)
Word: LOL
Definition: Lots of Laughs [NOTE: This is a separate, but similar, definition to “LOL”, which in computer-speak translates as “laughing out loud”.]
Example: ‘The comedian, Steve Harvey, was funny. He was LOL.’
(I.B., J.F., A.A., and J.B.)
Word: winger
Definition: A long fall before the rope catches you.
Example: ‘Hey Dude! I took a winger and thought that I was going to die.’
Word: P.F.T.
Definition: Physical Fitness Test
Example: We have a P.F.T. today.
Word: crater
Definition: Hit the ground
Example: ‘I fell and almost cratered.’
Word: open-book
Definition: A place in a rock from 0 degrees to 150 degrees.
Example: ‘The open-book had some interesting moves.’
Word: ruster-tail
Definition: The tail of water made when skiing.
Example: I was ripping and made some ruster-tails.
(Y.A., N.A., T.P., A.A., R.S., and B.K.)
Let’s here it for the Summer of 2005 English 101 and 205 students! (sound of applause…)
Stay tuned for Part II in September, where I will be offer some linguistical delights from Science and Speculative Fiction world builders. Just to give you a little taste, here are a few from Boort, one of my multi-faceted fictional projects:
Word: Sozar (So-zharr)
Definitions: 1. an expletive like “awesome”; 2. a swear word (depending upon tone); 3. said as a toast and/or to congratulate someone; and 4. something said in frustration.
Examples:
“Sozar! I can’t seem to find the portal to return home to Boort.”
“The Boortian Ambassador just hired you as her personal assistant? Sozar to you!”
Word: Poochi Bug
Definitions: A type of honey-making “insect” (for want of a better category) that flies but can also maneuver on—and in - the ground. Their tiered hives can range in height from a few feet to over twenty-feet. Circumferences range in size as well. It is believed that certain types of Poochi Bugs burrow deep into the ground as well. They are considered to be poisonous to most humanoid species. The Poochi Bug and its behavior is a rich source of metaphor in the Boortian language group.
Examples:
“I wouldn’t go out tonight if I were you…The Poochi Bugs are too quiet.”
“Please join me for an aperitif—it’s made with the finest Poochi Bug honey.”
“Those Terrans have much to learn about our style of transgalactic trade negotiating. They’re larval at best.” (This is reference to Poochi Bug larvae. Just prior to hatching, they wriggle out of the hive, thus leaving themselves susceptible to other predators such as the Mora Blossom. The Mora Blossom is a plant know for its exquisite fragrance; it exists in a symbiotic relationship with the Mora Spider, another deadly creature. Interesting to note, however, is that the Mora Spider’s venom has psychotropic properties. There is also a belief that individuals with the appropriate genetic codes are capable of transdimensional travel once bitten.)
“You really need a vacation…You look like you’ve been building hives.” (This is a reference to the Poochi Bug Hives which are constructed much like a village. It also references the underground activities of certain clandestine movements engaged in transgalactic political schemes.)
Meidcal 420 and HIV-AIDS
THC, the main chemical component in medical cannabis, is a natural antiemetic and can help battle chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting (CINV). CINV can cause patients to stop much needed treatment due to the intolerable side effects. Although recent advances have resulted in new medications to fight CINV, some patients prefer using a more natural way to treat these symptoms. Many Marijuana Medicine Evaluation Centers patients report improvement in their quality of life with less CINV when they use medical marijuana before, during, and after their chemotherapy treatments.
When I first discovered we would be doing a presentation on gays and lesbians with drug and alcohol problems, I thought to myself, 'This should be interesting.' I assumed it would be incredibly difficult to gather information on a topic so foreign to me. To my surprise, I became very interested and found it difficult to stop reading and researching. Overall, homosexuals and heterosexuals alike can become addicted to any substance over long periods of use. The unique differences really depend on the complex circumstances in the lives of homosexuals; factors that straight people don't encounter because they're straight. As Social and Human Service workers, I feel that awareness, understanding, and education on both the homosexual piece and substance abuse is critical in being truly effective helpers and effective citizens of our community. It is my idea to enlighten the reader of both subjects.
Homosexuality is not a choice. Whether it is a genetic make-up or environmental has been long disputed. In fact the difference in opinion began in the 1800's in Germany by Magnus Hirschfeld who formed the first gay rights movement. In this same country during WWII, homosexuals in concentration camps were identified by a mandatory necklace. Now the inverted pink triangle is worn by many in remembrance of those who died in such horrific conditions. (Marcus) Imagine being singled out and despised by thousands. Tortured, killed, and belittled simply because of being 'different'. Time has passed yet we still see the same hate crimes going on every day, and we're not Nazis and this isn't WWII. The reason why one is homosexual becomes less important when one thinks about it.
Homosexuals are as human as everyone else in the world. The only difference is truly the amount of stereotyping and discrimination that goes hand in hand with gays and lesbians being open. They face multitudes of acceptance issues from everyone around them. This includes their family, employers, friends, priests, and even perfect strangers on the street, treating the homosexual person in a completely different manner than they would have before coming out the closet. People don't understand the concept of being gay or lesbian and most aren't afraid to admit that they wish not to understand it. It may be human nature, based on the fact we evolved as woman and man for thousands of years, or simply because we are ignorant and do not want to be educated on the topic. Either way, the gay or lesbian person is a person who is attracted to a partner of the same sex.
GLBT (Gay, Lesbian, Bi-sexual, Transgender) work, play and relax in much of the same ways straight people do. They aren't gay on purpose, it is not a phase that one will grow out of, and it's definitely not contagious. GLBT are not all carrying AIDS or HIV. They cannot go to psychotherapists to take away and remodel their behaviors to “cure” them of being gay. It is no longer a mental disease in the DSM-IV. (Marcus) They don't flaunt their gayness just to show off, either. As someone once said,” Why would I choose to be something that would horrify my parents, get me fired from my job, and allow me to get beat up and nearly killed by strangers on the street?” Get the idea. Stereotypes are everywhere and I could spend all day just touching the tip of the iceberg with them. My point is simply that education and awarness is key to having a better understanding of the GLBT crowd.
Now getting into the substance abuse part of it is a little interesting and hard to define. Most people will become addicted to any substance if they use it enough. I smoke cigarettes and although I have tried to quit for many years without success, I have smoked for half of my lifetime. I am only 29. So what does that say? Dis I choose to get addicted? The answer is no, of course not. But what is common is the experiment of a drug, and its rather quick addiction process. Many GLBT find it hard to come out of the closet, meet partners, and deal with the stressors that many of us don't have to. I started smoking to be cool, which then lead to a need, and lastly an addiction to a substance that I thought was only 'social'. Environment, inner feelings, life cycles play an important role in the addictions of many gay or lesbian individuals.
For instance, the 'gay bars' are a commonly accepted place for GLBT. (Young)Ever notice that there are not many social clubs, meeting areas, or gatherings solely based for homosexuals? It should be no surprise then to note that there are 83% lesbians and 68% gay males during adolescence who use alcohol. (Forney)This is when most people start to identify themselves as homosexuals or at least experiment with the idea. Substances are also common in bars, such as marijuana, opiates, and pills, which relaxes a person. He or she can mingle more freely, while others just feel more attractive. The rate of drug use is above 40% in both males and females. (Forney)
There are clubs and organizations, but the mainstream public is not ready to accept a great deal of them quite yet. PFLAG (a support group), Gay Pride Marches( in June across the country since 1960's), and AA (open alcoholic support groups) are among the most common of groups and marches. Perhaps in some states, such as New York and California, society is willing to allow social settings in great numbers, but I don't see many in Bangor, Maine. In fact last voting season, when we were asked to vote on Gay Marriage, bumper stickers got as bad as the city's thoughts on Bush! However, gay bars welcome their visitors and allow them to feel familiar and not as judged. The down side to that is many people become addicted as a result.
Another interesting aspect of substance abuse is the fact that because men and women usually do not settle down into a marriage and decide to carry and give birth to children, most people do not stop their drug and alcohol use and abuse at age 30 as most of us do. For instance, Mary is twenty eight years old and her and her husband have always been social drinkers. Every weekend they hold football and basketball parties at their home, inviting many friends, and ultimately have a great time. They decide to conceive. They have been married for three years, and now is the time. Mary stops drinking and her husband decides to have a party once a month at their home instead of weekly.
Now, where would the gay or lesbian fit into this scenario. The gay couple will not be married, cannot carry a baby for nine months in the womb, and friends may not even exist in some cases. The general reason why some people grow out of drinking is because life almost demands them to. Although there are some women who continue to use while pregnant, I like to think many stop for the sake of their child and settle down into parenthood; but not the gay couple, or the lesbian couple.
Lastly, it's no wonder that homosexuals use drugs to musk over their pain. The feelings and perpetuated ideas of gays or lesbians that children face in school and from their own parents is horrendous. I cannot imagine growing up as a lesbian and hearing my mother say hateful things about other homosexuals in non chelate way. Also, the boys hear things all the time about 'faggots' and 'homos.' I don't believe anyone would be able to hide themselves from the world in such a way and for so long without turning to drugs and alcohol to elevate some of the negativity and twist of false identity.
A wise man once said, “The difference of what we do and what we are capable of doing would suffice to solve all the problems in the world.” And I would have to agree with Gandhi. If we as people in this huge world can become a little more understanding and a lot more educated, discriminations, judgements, and many of this planet's worries would cease. I hope I can change the minds of all who read this; as I have changed my own.
[flickr(medical Marijuana}]
Filed under Uncategorized | Tags: aids patients, antiemetic, chemical component, chemotherapy, chemotherapy treatments, cinv, evaluation centers, hiv, hiv aids, marijuana cannabis, marijuana medical, marijuana medicine, medical cannabis, medical marijuana, medications, medicine evaluation, nausea, quality of life, report improvement, thc | Comment (0)Topical Application of Marijuana
Marijuana can be used topically (on the skin) to relieve pain from certain conditions. The medication can be a balm, lotion, ointment or rubbing alcohol solution. This is not a new use for marijuana. In fact prior to the time when most many patients became available and people only had plants to use for medication, many patients would soak marijuana leaves in alcohol and apply them as a poultice to an arthritic or swollen joint. It is not known how the topical treatment works as researchers have not fully studied how the medication passes through the skin.
It's Monday and that means it's time for Mystifying Monday! Mystifying Monday means that it's time for me to present some of the oddest news stories or happenings that just may mystify you! I know they can mystify me!
A Dream Come True?
A boy in Shoreline, Washington crashed his parents' car into his school and then he continued driving it for another 75 yards! He only stopped when the car hit an administrative office. He was taken for a mental evaluation and authorities do not believe drugs are alcohol were involved. From all the things students said they would do to the schools I attended, I think he may have just been trying to destroy the school.
Speaking of Gas . .
So, I wasn't really speaking of gas, but cars do require gas to move. People in Defiance, Ohio are constantly calling the nearest fire station to let them know that they are worried about a gas leak. The fire station knows that the gas is odorless, but they go out for the hour long investigation every time, knowing that the smell is coming from the rotting oilseed radishes that were planted as a cover crop to give nutrients to the soil.
Then Don't Eat the Radishes, the Daisies, or the . . . Grass?
A policeman stopped a man in Benton, Louisiana for having an excessively loud muffler. When the policeman stopped the man, he smelled marijuana. He did find two very small bags. That was a crime in itself, but not usual for people who have marijuana. However, it was a dead give away when the policeman looked at the man's mouth and saw marijuana on his lips. The man had stuffed an undetermined amount of marijuana in his mouth and ate it just as he was stopped for the loud muffler.
Cows Eat Grass and Get Revenge - People Tipping!
A man that works with livestock at University of Tennessee in Knoxville. The cow tipped the man over and then stepped on his chest! Maybe it was getting back for all the alleged stories of cow tipping, though it is widely
ieve to be an urban legend (with some people still claiming it can be done). The man was taken to the University of Tennessee medical center and was joking the entire time about a cow stepping on his chest.
Need Some Lotion for that Injury?
If the cow tipping and stomping on a man's chest didn't hurt him, maybe it chafed his skin a little so he needs some lotion. Just don't try to borrow any from a man in Springfield, Massachusetts who tried to sneak 75 bottles of lotion out of a Bath and Body Works store by stuffing them all into his pants! The bottles of lotion were 8oz each, so the man had over 23 lbs of lotion in his pants! He found it too hard to run from police and could not bend over to get into the police cruiser until some of the bottles of lotion were removed!
Medical Cannabis Vs. Western Medicine
Marijuana Medicine has a long history of helping. Marijuana is not physically addictive despite what many anti-marijuana people want us to believe|Marijuana users can use it regularly, even multiple times daily, without any problem giving it up} A very small minority of people who use marijuana can find that they have developed a psychological addiction.| Since most people who use marijuana are not heavy chronic users statistically speaking very unlikely If you are concerned about any possibility of psychological addiction it is very easily avoided by taking time off from regular use. For instance, if you use medical Cannabis every day, you should take one day off per week or take one week off every three months.
Marinol is a synthetically-produced medication to mimic the effects of marijuana in cancer and glaucoma patients. The drug has been marketed as a safe alternative to medical marijuana, and is completely legal to purchase. However, the question remains whether or not Marinol is up to par with medical marijuana in terms of health benefits.
Why would a drug be synthetically produced in order to create the same effects of something that occurs naturally in nature and can be taken just as easily? Well, in this particular case since it is illegal to sell, possess, or use marijuana in the United States, a country that has seen marijuana used medically, then it seems obvious that to avoid decriminalizing marijuana a viable alternative should be created. In order for a synthetically-produced substance to be superior to a naturally-occurring substance, it has to pass certain tests. The first test is that it has to pose less side-and adverse effects when compared to the naturally-occurring substance. The second is that it has to produce comparable beneficial effects compared to the naturally-occurring substance. And finally, it has to be cost-effective for the consumer. In this particular case the final test is quite important because both Marinol and medical marijuana are used by patients with a terminal illness whose medical bills are already very high.
Hard data has been hard to come by for comparing medical marijuana with Marinol in terms of their use within the patient community. The legality of marijuana in California and wholesale production of Marinol are both relatively recent phenomena. Therefore I have provided several sources of estimates for the forthcoming figures.
First, we will examine whether or not Marinol poses fewer side-effects than medical marijuana. According to Rxlist.com and Drugs.com, Marinol produces few side effects that are not experienced by medical marijuana users. Shared side-effects include tachycardia, giddiness, and trouble walking. Since adverse reactions have been documented only in 1% of the population, Marinol appears to be relatively safe to take as an alternative to medical marijuana. The biggest problem with using medical marijuana is that harmful substances can be absorbed into the lungs when smoked. Since Marinol is taken in capsule form and does not contain many of the problematic compounds found in marijuana smoke, it has been deemed a safer alternative. However, since THC in marijuana can also be released in the digestive tract when it is prepared in baked goods and fats, the damaging respiratory effects are bypassed. Therefore, Marinol's superiority in terms of potential side effects is contingent on the way in which medical marijuana is consumed.
The second test concerns whether or not Marinol has comparable benefits to medical marijuana. Marijuana contains nearly sixty cannabinoids, some of which have potential in killing pain and reducing inflammation. Marinol contains only one active cannabinoid, dronabinol, which is responsible for its pain-killing, nausea-reducing, and appetite-regaining effects. More research has to be done into the viability of medical marijuana's numerous cannabinoids, yet there has been a markedly mixed reaction within the patient community concerning the preferred substance. In terms of the amount of time it takes to feel the effects, Marinol takes markedly longer than smoked medical marijuana. Since it requires absorption in the digestive tract, Marinol capsules take around an hour to take effect. Conversely, users of smoked medical marijuana feel the effects within five to ten minutes. Of course, if patients wish to smoke the medical marijuana instead of ingesting it (which takes a comparable amount of time to Marinol), they run the risk of respiratory damage.
The final test involves a cost comparison of Marinol and medical marijuana. According to a comparison on medicalmarijuanaprocon.org, an average yearly use of medical marijuana of 336 grams would cost the patient $3,964.80. Using an estimated ratio of comparable use, the yearly cost of 4,562.5 mg of Marinol would cost the patient $8,258.13. If these figures are accurate, then a patient would be paying over twice as much for a comparable yearly dose of Marinol than for medical marijuana. Medicalmarijuanaprocon.org used data from 2002 for its findings, but it is safe to say that price inflation and availability has not significantly altered these price figures over the past four years. In terms of cost, marijuana takes less resources and energy to produce than synthetic drugs, which require petroleum products, refining, and use of many more inactive ingredients.
So, which is preferable to use? It's hard to say. Marinol does not contain many active cannabinoids that medical marijuana does, so it might not offer the same benefits. However, Marinol does not need to be smoked and thus does not pose the same kinds of risks to the lungs as smoked marijuana. But, as has been discussed, medical marijuana can also be consumed orally, which reduces its damaging effects on the respiratory system. But once again, this comes at a price. If consumed orally, medical marijuana takes as long as Marinol to take effect in comparison to smoked marijuana's much quicker absorption rate. Finally, medical marijuana is much cheaper to both produce and to purchase than synthetically-produced Marinol.
