Reported May 3, 2011
Addiction Wars: Dangerous and Legal -- Research Summary
BACKGROUND: America’s war on drugs began over four decades ago when President Nixon identified drugs as being “public enemy no. 1”. Efforts to end the illegal use and smuggling of marijuana, cocaine and other narcotics became among top priority. Fast forward to the present and the war on drugs has worsened due to the wide availability of legal drugs, and as the addiction to them by adults and adolescents intensify. The uses of hard drugs are lessening among teenagers, and increases in alcohol and prescription pill abuse are steadily on the rise.
LEGAL DRUGS: WORSE THAN CRACK? Don’t be fooled, alcohol is a drug, and a dangerous one. When consumed in moderation, alcohol can be safely used in a number of situations. However; the long-term effects of alcohol abuse will become a major health concern, ranking as deadly as cancer and heart disease. Alcohol has been shown to be more addictive and more harmful than hard drugs such as crack cocaine, crystal meth and heroin.
Some other legal highs come from prescription medication. Many times prescribed medicine contains addictive substances like hydrocodone and oxycodone (opioids), stimulants, depressants, and other substances that produce the same effects as illegal drugs. A 2009 national survey on drug use and health revealed that 16 million Americans age 12 and older had used prescribed drugs to get high. Another problem is the misconception that taking pills are okay as opposed to shooting up heroin, rolling a joint or doing other hard drugs, simply because pills are medication, and therefore less stigmatized.
The main contributing factors to legal drug addictions are due to the wide availability of accessing it. Kids can go peruse their parents’ medicine cabinet, adults can manipulate their doctors into getting more refills on their prescriptions, and anyone 21 or older, with valid identification can easily buy alcohol. (SOURCE: www.ap.org; National Institute on Drug Abuse)
LONG-TERM EFFECTS: Over time, substance abuse will take a drastic toll on the physical, mental, and social functioning of those plagued by addiction. These include: (SOURCE: http://www.healthinfonet.ecu.edu.au/)
• Cirrhosis of the liver - most common cause of death associated to alcohol abuse
• Cancer of the mouth, throat, and esophagus
• Depression, and anxiety
• Cognitive problems and dementia
• Dependence
• Social consequences such as acts of vandalism, domestic violence, child abuse, suicide, financial problems, accidents, and poor personal appearance to name a few.
open here please:
Addiction Wars: Dangerous and Legal -- Research Summary | Medical News and Health Information
and open here please:
Addiction Wars: Dangerous and Legal | Medical News and Health Information
Part II. “Marijuana: Medicine or Easy High?” – See what’s going on with the debate on whether marijuana is a prescription for real medicine, or if it’s enabling an addiction or a political agenda. One recent study shows that marijuana soothes the immune system, increases bone mass and blocks pain signals, with another study also showing positive effects like helping relieve nerve pain and improving nausea. Take a look at the report and see why Mike Gimbel feels that “medicinal marijuana” is a joke, along with more details on this matter – to include how many people believe marijuana should be legalized.
Addiction Wars: Marijuana: Medicine or Easy High? | Medical News and Health Information
Reported May 5, 2011
Addiction Wars: Marijuana: Medicine or Easy High? -- Research Summary
MARIJUANA AS MEDICINE THROUGHOUT HISTORY: Cannabis has been used as medicine for over 4,000 years: the ancient Egyptians used cannabis to treat sore eyes, and cannabis was used to treat earaches in ancient Greece. During the latter half of the 19th century, however, cannabis lost its image as a medicine and gained its image as a drug. In 1915, Utah was the first US state to pass an anti-marijuana law, and in 1924 cannabis was declared a narcotic at the Second International Opiates conference. The Marijuana Tax Act of 1937 effectively banned marijuana in the US, and in the 1970s, congress declared marijuana a schedule I controlled substance: it had no medicinal value and the highest potential for abuse. However, in 1996, California and Arizona became the first states to legalize marijuana for medical use under a doctor’s supervision. Now, medicinal marijuana is legal in 15 states and Washington D.C. The first cannabis-based prescription medicine, a mouth spray called Sativex used to treat multiple sclerosis, was released in the UK in 2010.
PROS: People who support the use of medicinal marijuana often base their arguments on the fact that:
· Marijuana can ease the pain of a terminal illness (or in some cases, it can help ease symptoms that come as a side-effect of drugs used to treat terminal illnesses)
· Marijuana is seen as a safer, more natural way to deal with suffering associated with serious illnesses.
· There is less risk of addiction associated with marijuana.
· Out of the ten states that had legalized marijuana by the year 2006, eight states saw a decrease in teen use of marijuana between 1999 and 2006.
CONS: Those against the use of marijuana for medicinal purposes cite many concerns such as the health risks associated with marijuana and the “gateway effect,” among others.
· There is a lack of legitimate, scientific studies showing marijuana’s benefits, and its lack of FDA approval.
· Smoking marijuana leads to heart and lung health risks, as well as the risk of impairment of perception, judgment, learning and memory. In 2002, the British Lung Foundation reported that 3-4 marijuana cigarettes a day were just as damaging to the lungs as 20 tobacco cigarettes a day.
· Marijuana has long been considered a “gateway drug,” meaning the use of marijuana can lead to harder drugs, such as cocaine or heroin.
(SOURCE: http://medicalmarijuana.procon.org/)
Addiction Wars: Marijuana: Medicine or Easy High? -- Research Summary | Medical News and Health Information
Part III. “Porn: The New Crack?” – We’ve heard a lot about sex addiction lately from celebrities like Tiger Woods, but some people think it’s simply an excuse to have rampant sex with whomever, whenever. Read about the two new studies which have evidence that sex may well be an addiction, and what sex expert, Mary Ann Layden, Ph.D., director of the Sexual Trauma and Psychopathology Program, Center for Cognitive Therapy at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine says causes the addiction of what she calls “…one of the most powerful things we have on the face of the earth.”
Addiction Wars: Porn: The New Crack? | Medical News and Health Information
Reported May 10, 2011
Addiction Wars: Porn: The New Crack? -- Research Summary
WHAT IS SEXUAL ADDICTION? Sexual addiction is the term used to describe the behaviors of someone with an unusually strong sex drive or obsession with sex. Sex addicts often feel out of control, and partake in activities despite possible negative consequences, which can lead to feelings of guilt or shame. Like other addicts, sexual addicts often engage in risky behavior (such as unprotected sex) and rationalize it later, often refusing to admit they have an addiction or blaming other people for their problems. Sex addicts often get little satisfaction from their encounters, failing to make emotional connections with their partners.
BEHAVIORS: Behaviors commonly associated with sexual addiction are:
• Compulsive masturbation
• Sex with multiple or anonymous partners
• Consistent use of pornography
• Unsafe sex
• Phone or computer sex
• Voyeurism or stalking
• Multiple one-night stands
Sexual addiction can also lead to many illegal behaviors, such as exhibitionism, prostitution or use of prostitutes, obscene phone calls, molestation or rape. However, not all sex addicts become sex offenders.
HOW DO YOU TREAT SEXUAL ADDICTION? As with other addictions, a sex addict must admit to having a problem before he or she can be treated. Treatment of sexual addiction usually focuses on controlling the addictive behavior and developing a healthy sexuality, and can include counseling or marital or family therapy. In some cases, drugs such as Prozac are used to combat the compulsive nature of the addiction. Twelve step programs for sex addicts also exist, such as Sex Addicts Anonymous.
(SOURCE: http://www.webmd.com/sexual-conditions/guide/sexual-addiction)
Addiction Wars: Porn: The New Crack? -- Research Summary | Medical News and Health Information
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