Pre-Installed eBook Store App on All Upcoming Windows Phones and iOS Tablets

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">Flipkart is an Indian e-commerce company focused on online sales of books, electronics goods, healthcare, movies & music and other type of products. It provides some path-breaking services like COD, 30-day replacement policy, EMI options and the great prices of the products.<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifwmfTVuKUqi5P_64TipkiVIPwPxV5twrLjGjdoqloFp7YXKKd4xM7QU7dKV4wxmlgTQMiSL4xcz8k09G2tkaY2A219AYBd5wnEeA0O6cNP5uhg3O4rG0aeyjaeKIEBfDIUzJiejE2lU4/s1600/flipkart-ebooks+store.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Flipkart launches its eBook store in Windows phone and iOS phones" border="0" height="187" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifwmfTVuKUqi5P_64TipkiVIPwPxV5twrLjGjdoqloFp7YXKKd4xM7QU7dKV4wxmlgTQMiSL4xcz8k09G2tkaY2A219AYBd5wnEeA0O6cNP5uhg3O4rG0aeyjaeKIEBfDIUzJiejE2lU4/s1600/flipkart-ebooks+store.jpg" title="" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px;">source: ndtvGadgets</td></tr></tbody></table>Flipkart had provided its eBooks store with an Android app in November 2012 through which Android users can easily view or purchase eBooks from the Flipkart store. Widening its scope, Flipkart has now provided its eBooks store for other platforms like iOS, Windows Phone. Respective users can download and install this freely available app from these app stores.<br /><br />“Flipkart is a clear leader in the Indian books market with 40-45 percent share of the organized books market in India. Providing seamless content, regardless of platforms, will be a big part of our strategy to further strengthen this position and extent it to the digital space”: said by Ravi Vora, Senior Vice President – Marketing.<br /><br />According to the Head – Digital media, it is all about to make the things better and easier. He said that no matter the device the user use, our books titles are now accessible to all readers. Flipkart already have 2.5 lac titles on its site and aim to increase this to 10 lac by year-end. All the titles can now be read through any smartphone, tablet or PC.<br /><br />User are well known to Nokia in the sense of launching the Lumia series with Windows phone OS. All the new upcoming Nokia Lumia phones will launched with pre-installed eBook store app of Flipkart because Flipkart has tied up with Nokia. The store has also an option to read first 10 % of the book to decide whether to buy the Book or not.<br /><br />As in other reader applications user can bookmark pages, highlight the text and some new options like eBook recommendations, reading modes are also included in the app.</div>

eBooks flipkart Pre-Installed eBook Store App on All Upcoming Windows Phones and iOS Tablets

Flipkart is an Indian e-commerce company focused on online sales of books, electronics goods, healthcare, movies & music and other type of products. It provides some path-breaking services like COD, 30-day replacement policy, EMI options and the grea…

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Lemon Herb Chicken Pasta Recipe

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="MsoNormal">Holaaaaaaaaa Foodies!! Chef Jayman here from Chez Jay’s Fine Dining Pub to share with y’all one of my favorite all time recipes. Tonight we’re serving <i><b>Lemon Herb Chicken with Whole Grain Pasta Noodles</b></i>. Let’s get right to it …. <o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">First thing you do is go to Walmart and cough up $1.25 for this cause walking around the place looking for all the ingredients is bullshit… <o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY8tVSTp1RXOwK3vgRTVgFKgCwdBtrGPAqTwHA86lOuDGcm7OKGz3BFyM8Z_oiDrGZcZQbYvqwmVZjMxqn0FZuRD_gVdQpA5dtnl5PpW-0rACiyoGEFSTtqz_AyswVM6FLdo0rEC_KgMc6/s1600/chicken+Helper.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY8tVSTp1RXOwK3vgRTVgFKgCwdBtrGPAqTwHA86lOuDGcm7OKGz3BFyM8Z_oiDrGZcZQbYvqwmVZjMxqn0FZuRD_gVdQpA5dtnl5PpW-0rACiyoGEFSTtqz_AyswVM6FLdo0rEC_KgMc6/s320/chicken+Helper.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">You already have the chicken tenders in your freezer, right? I mean seriously, who doesn’t have frozen boneless, skinless chicken tenders in their freezer at all times? Anyway, put two tablespoons of butter in a medium hot skillet and let it melt. Then put about one pound of chicken tenders in the pan to cook in the butter. Put a lid on it so you can keep the chicken moist. Once the chicken is thawed, you then pour some of the seasoning over the chicken, turn them over, pour the rest of the seasoning on them and cook them all the way through. Don’t be shy about throwing some more butter in there either if needed. <o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNgX95HdG7H3f6ELdxJKXPWeehoTSCHtGbj5NZToBN6RF1oJopyg2u9lC4H5q9RFec2MA0VFcS_RUlu5G7OL7WISOZFXA0JX8zXov4DGsSD9VrXSNrLlmn3hgZhFrslOndagXPzFITXVCx/s1600/chicken.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNgX95HdG7H3f6ELdxJKXPWeehoTSCHtGbj5NZToBN6RF1oJopyg2u9lC4H5q9RFec2MA0VFcS_RUlu5G7OL7WISOZFXA0JX8zXov4DGsSD9VrXSNrLlmn3hgZhFrslOndagXPzFITXVCx/s320/chicken.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><o:p><br /></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal">If you thought ahead you could cut up your tenders, throw them in a bowl and pour the seasoning over them and mix it all up and rub the seasoning in. PLEASE WEAR FOOD SAFE GLOVES IF YOU DO THIS. *shudder* <o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">Okay, while that’s happening pour two cups of water in a pot and bring it to a boil. Then toss in the packet of pasta and dried up nasty-ass peas and carrots. Once the chicken is done, cut it up and add it to the pot with the pasta and maybe scrape up as much as the seasoning in the pan you cooked the chicken in at too high a temperature and add it too. <o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGsGLTrwwEItycMgguDtGJwzNeRfQxhWSnGGCHqySjQhg9TK0mnBRFd0Vws-huT0eiArMJogvGSiGWq4PiWX9s-HZml0pwevxbdGHNMuXnbR7p70obLkBAs03-yus3trpddPKofrUkAw-S/s1600/Helper+Done.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGsGLTrwwEItycMgguDtGJwzNeRfQxhWSnGGCHqySjQhg9TK0mnBRFd0Vws-huT0eiArMJogvGSiGWq4PiWX9s-HZml0pwevxbdGHNMuXnbR7p70obLkBAs03-yus3trpddPKofrUkAw-S/s320/Helper+Done.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><o:p><br /></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal">Once the pasta is nice and tender and ready, sprinkle in the glaze making sure you cover the entire pot with it. Don’t stir it in just let it simmer with a lid on the pot for five minutes or so until everything is really thick. Don’t burn it man! Once it’s all congealed (gross right?) it’s ready to be plated. Be sure to forget to take the pic when you first put it on your plate and have to take a more artistic one with just a few bites left. <o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ5xvV1ddbrJf8Zg_X29gbC6hJJM-DySe3VTL93PXi2-uzP2mnEXeF6BJfsbIcY4ESA0KkJhCUhnUWk8qppquo92uKnsPZkYEhk067hOIWq4B2t1tVnSX51OuzriStN-qWM119ozH40Xom/s1600/Lemon+Herb+Chicken.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="203" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ5xvV1ddbrJf8Zg_X29gbC6hJJM-DySe3VTL93PXi2-uzP2mnEXeF6BJfsbIcY4ESA0KkJhCUhnUWk8qppquo92uKnsPZkYEhk067hOIWq4B2t1tVnSX51OuzriStN-qWM119ozH40Xom/s320/Lemon+Herb+Chicken.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><o:p><br /></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal">If you like, you can have a few croissants. <i><b>PRO TIP:</b></i> Turn your croissants upside down to butter them. It’s much easier to spread the butter on the flat smooth bottom. <o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYOZkN9XeE_AKVH8d6zAyJuNMSVWomZVgWLt3KKhJVpO4eAhfaZNtFFLNhtr10drxxsbDjfDbzaq8vU36-hrYQVbwIitAOB43tmrfP-MxEWoRNZqBPbW9RPAZVNVlac-QmZ7FYXOaj4VI7/s1600/Croissants.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYOZkN9XeE_AKVH8d6zAyJuNMSVWomZVgWLt3KKhJVpO4eAhfaZNtFFLNhtr10drxxsbDjfDbzaq8vU36-hrYQVbwIitAOB43tmrfP-MxEWoRNZqBPbW9RPAZVNVlac-QmZ7FYXOaj4VI7/s320/Croissants.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><o:p><br /></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal">Okay, there you have it. Chez Jay’s <i><b>Lemon Herb Chicken with Whole Grain Pasta</b></i>! <o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">Oh! I almost forgot. For dessert I recommend Yarnell’s Lemon Ice Box Pie Ice Cream. Deeeeeee-Licious! <o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieQAhhDljD0RH7VzGwjMy3V2Dq02EAH86gM2ZzQyzjr-VwXNGmaz8l_0coobcacKMG8PHojryNyJ_vAn5mIIX6MHDip83doy7M11Y2QKBYAbt0bgRIj03nFAg_1AxxJSLit9N_0Lm7JWwC/s1600/Lemon+Box+Pie+Ice+Cream.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieQAhhDljD0RH7VzGwjMy3V2Dq02EAH86gM2ZzQyzjr-VwXNGmaz8l_0coobcacKMG8PHojryNyJ_vAn5mIIX6MHDip83doy7M11Y2QKBYAbt0bgRIj03nFAg_1AxxJSLit9N_0Lm7JWwC/s1600/Lemon+Box+Pie+Ice+Cream.jpg" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><o:p><br /></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal">Bon Appetit! <o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><br /><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="mailto:Jayman3768@gmail.com">Jayman3768@gmail.com</a><br /><a href="http://www.facebook.com/jayman68">Facebook.com/Jayman68</a><br /><a href="http://www.twitter.com/jayman_iws">@Jayman_IWS</a><o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div>Be sure to check out the I’m With Stupid podcast! The #1 Comedy show on Blog Talk Radio! <br /><br /><br /><object classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" codebase="http://download.adobe.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=9,0,0,0" height="270" id="143577" name="143577" width="210"><param name="movie" value="http://www.blogtalkradio.com/btrplayer.swf?file=http://www.blogtalkradio.com%2Fim-with-stupid%2Fplay_list.xml%3Fitemcount%3D5&autostart=true&bufferlength=5&volume=80&corner=rounded&callback=http://www.blogtalkradio.com/flashplayercallback.aspx" /><param name="quality" value="high" /><param name="wmode" value="transparent" /><param name="menu" value="false" /><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always" /><embed src="http://www.blogtalkradio.com/btrplayer.swf" flashvars="file=http://www.blogtalkradio.com%2fim-with-stupid%2fplay_list.xml%3Fitemcount%3D5&autostart=true&shuffle=false&callback=http://www.blogtalkradio.com/FlashPlayerCallback.aspx&width=210&height=270&volume=80&corner=rounded" width="210" height="270" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer" quality="high" wmode="transparent" menu="false" name="143577" id="143577" allowScriptAccess="always"></embed></object><br /><div style="font-size: 10px; text-align: center; width: 220px;">Listen to <a href="http://www.blogtalkradio.com/">internet radio</a> with <a href="http://www.blogtalkradio.com/im-with-stupid">Im With Stupid</a> on Blog Talk Radio<br /><br /><br /></div></div>

Lemon Herb Chicken Pasta Recipe

Holaaaaaaaaa Foodies!! Chef Jayman here from Chez Jay’s Fine Dining Pub to share with y’all one of my favorite all time recipes. Tonight we’re serving Lemon Herb Chicken with Whole Grain Pasta Noodles. Let’s get right to it …. First thing you do is g…

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All over the world with Belviq

I checked on my stats today and I always like look at the location from which my followers view my blog.  I have views from pretty much all over the world:  Norway, Denmark, Japan, Germany, Spain, Cayman Islands, UK, Italy, Netherlands, Switzerland, India, Canada - that was just in the last day!  HA!  Wow, international following is really pretty awesome.  <br /><br />Tomorrow I finish week 7.  Not a lot had really happened this week.  I go do my weigh in every 2 weeks so that will be next week.  A lot of people ask if I have a co-morbid condition such as diabetes or high blood pressure.  I don't actually have any of that.  I do have high cholesterol which I don't take medication for because I am stubborn.  So, hopefully next week I will get my cholesterol levels checked and hopefully with Belviq and my diet changes, they will have come down on their own.  If not, I will agree to take meds.  SO FINGERS CROSSED..........<br /><br />I wanted to update on my blog about one of my Belviq followers who is taking Belviq herself.   Julie is one that had the same primary physician as I to prescribe Belviq.  That doctor flew the coup so we both were caught without a doctor.  I found one for both of us pretty quick.  She went to go get her RX today and is happy to announce that she has lost 15 pounds.  I am so proud of her!!!!  She lives in Houston as I do and hopefully one day we will get to meet in person!!!!  GOOOO JULIE!!!!<br /><br />Have a great evening!!!!<br /><br />XOXOX<br />Ellie

All over the world with Belviq

I checked on my stats today and I always like look at the location from which my followers view my blog.  I have views from pretty much all over the world:  Norway, Denmark, Japan, Germany, Spain, Cayman Islands, UK, Italy, Netherlands, Switzerland, …

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Glenn Beck worth $90 million

Proving he can make money hand-over-fist by leading the masses and charging them for access, radio personality Glenn Beck is worth $90 million, according to <a href="http://www.forbes.com/profile/glenn-beck/">Forbes</a>. Not bad for someone who spreads a continuous "sky is falling" rhetoric.

Forbes Glenn Beck millionaire Glenn Beck worth $90 million

Proving he can make money hand-over-fist by leading the masses and charging them for access, radio personality Glenn Beck is worth $90 million, according to Forbes. Not bad for someone who spreads a continuous "sky is falling" rhetoric. …

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Valley military families ... 'A special homecoming'

Today's <i>News Virginian</i> has a story, <a href="http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.dailyprogress.com%2Fnewsvirginian%2Fnews%2Flocal%2Fa-special-homecoming%2Farticle_59ade0ce-ffd3-11e2-a90d-001a4bcf6878.html&h=tAQFl7BeH&s=1" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">A special homecoming</a>, about a Valley soldier who returned from Afghanistan to see his six-month old daughter for the first time. <br /><br />This is yet another way our military sacrifices for our freedom. Imagine not being able to stand with your wife as she gave birth to your first child because you were deployed with the Army halfway around the world. We can never thank our troops enough for what they do.<br /><br />"For those who have fought for it, freedom has a flavor the protected will never know."<br /><br /><i>Cross-posted at </i><a href="http://www.facebook.com/"><i>Facebook </i></a>

American military facebook freedom isn't free News Virginian support our troops Valley military families ... 'A special homecoming'

Today's News Virginian has a story, A special homecoming, about a Valley soldier who returned from Afghanistan to see his six-month old daughter for the first time. This is yet another way our military sacrifices for our freedom. Imagine not being …

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World of Warcraft: Burdens of Shaohao: Part 4 Anger

<p></p> <div id="scid:5737277B-5D6D-4f48-ABFC-DD9C333F4C5D:5074bb6f-2eeb-4d84-b317-427462f84c21" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent" style="float: none; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px"><div><object height="480" width="853"><param name="movie" value="//www.youtube.com/v/BSWYMQEQhEo?version=3&hl=en_US"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="//www.youtube.com/v/BSWYMQEQhEo?version=3&hl=en_US" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="853" height="480" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true"></embed></object></div></div> <p></p> <p align="justify"><font size="3">And the beautiful story telling continues as the Emperor encounters the Sha of Anger.</font></p> <div id="scid:0767317B-992E-4b12-91E0-4F059A8CECA8:ebb045b5-b76f-492e-bf40-3117d1adfe96" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent" style="float: none; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px">Technorati Tags: <a href="http://technorati.com/tags/World+of+Warcraft" rel="tag">World of Warcraft</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/WOW" rel="tag">WOW</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Burdens+of+Shaohao" rel="tag">Burdens of Shaohao</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/video+games" rel="tag">video games</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/MMO" rel="tag">MMO</a></div>

Blizzard Burdens of Shaohao MMO video games World of Warcraft WOW World of Warcraft: Burdens of Shaohao: Part 4 Anger

And the beautiful story telling continues as the Emperor encounters the Sha of Anger. Technorati Tags: World of Warcraft,WOW,Burdens of Shaohao,video games,MMO …

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Buy union-made for your back-to-school needs

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyTOMeYDE0eSa38_vqj2IiNihDZrFtSAYgTZ-v1NSUBSJXAOMVlkYe1xr8kgj7NNX3C7Se9-mFN_BAN6juqq9QNWg266rvjeAtSIx2ZnQS1eXynhZHkWJGGkGb8ztZ95Ee6tl1PxG7lHGj/s1600/buying+union+-+made.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyTOMeYDE0eSa38_vqj2IiNihDZrFtSAYgTZ-v1NSUBSJXAOMVlkYe1xr8kgj7NNX3C7Se9-mFN_BAN6juqq9QNWg266rvjeAtSIx2ZnQS1eXynhZHkWJGGkGb8ztZ95Ee6tl1PxG7lHGj/s1600/buying+union+-+made.jpg" /></a></div>If you're filled with joy or sorrow at the approach of school, you probably need back-to-school gear. Here's a quick guide to the best quality (that is, union made) items for that return to the halls of academe. <br /><br />At the start of a new year, it’s important to for students to look their best. <a href="http://www.oshkoshbgosh.com/" rel="nofollow">OshKosh B’Gosh</a> and <a href="http://www.allusaclothing.com/union-line-s/1879.htm" rel="nofollow">Union Line All-USA Clothing</a> show how stylish labor-friendly alternatives can be.<br /><br />With kids getting ready to storm the halls, it’s important to send them off with a good union-made lunch. Orowheat bread is terrific for sandwiches -- and goes great with Jif peanut butter or Uncle John deli meat. For snacks, Slim Jims, Wheat Thins, Dannon or Yoplait yogurts and Frito-Lay chips are all great labor-friendly choices! Buy juice that displays the black UFW eagle – all of the major juice brands use some union workers. For dessert, any Hershey chocolate is guaranteed to add solidarity to the ranks.<br /><br />For school supplies, try to buy from union stores. Safeway, Albertsons, Giant, Vons, Supervalu, and Costco are all union-friendly stores that pay their workers well. <a href="http://www.rspaperproducts.com/" rel="nofollow">Roaring Springs</a> also has union-made notebooks, art supplies, binders and other products.<br /><br />And what would the back to school season be like without fun extras? For a good time, look for Hasbro toys and sports equipment from Spalding and Louisville Slugger. For the serious scholar, <a href="http://www.unionbuiltpc.com/" rel="nofollow">Unionbuilt PC</a> makes custom laptops. All companies use unionized American labor to make their products.<br /><br />Looking for more union made stuff? Check out <a href="http://www.labor411.org/" rel="nofollow">Labor 411</a> or the <a href="http://pinterest.com/unionplus/" rel="nofollow">UnionPlus Pinterest</a>!

Buy union-made for your back-to-school needs

If you're filled with joy or sorrow at the approach of school, you probably need back-to-school gear. Here's a quick guide to the best quality (that is, union made) items for that return to the halls of academe. At the start of a new year, it’s impor…

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Crazy Pills - NYTimes.com

On Oct. 16, 2002, at 4 p.m., I walked out of my apartment in Secunderabad, India, leaving the door wide open, the lights on and my laptop humming. I don't remember doing this. I know I did it because the hospital for three days.<br><br>The cause of this incident was drugs. And these drugs had been recommended to me by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.<br><br>I had been prescribed mefloquine hydrochloride, brand name Lariam, to protect myself from malaria while I was in India on a Fulbright fellowship.<br><br>Since Lariam was approved in 1989, it has been clear that a small number of people who take it develop psychiatric symptoms like amnesia, hallucinations, aggression and paranoia, or neurological problems like the loss of balance, dizziness or ringing in the ears. F. Hoffmann LaRoche, the pharmaceutical company that marketed the drug, said only about 1 in 10,000 people were estimated to experience the worst side effects. But in 2001, a randomized double-blind study done in the Netherlands was published, showing that 67 percent of people who took the drug experienced one or more adverse effects, and 6 percent had side effects so severe they required medical attention.<br><br>Last week, the Food and Drug Administration finally acknowledged the severity of the neurological and psychiatric side effects and required that mefloquine's label carry a "black box" warning of them. But this is too little, too late.<div><br>There are countless horror stories about the drug's effects. One example: in 1999, an Ohio man, back from a safari in Zimbabwe, went down to the basement for a gallon of milk and instead put a shotgun to his head and pulled the trigger. Another: in Somalia in 1993, a Canadian soldier beat a Somali prisoner to death and then attempted suicide. "Psycho Tuesday" was the name his regiment had given to the day of the week they took their Lariam.</div><div><br>Lariam is no longer sold under its brand name in the United States, and our military finally caved in to pressure and stopped prescribing it to the majority of its soldiers in 2009. But some are still getting it; lawyers for Staff Sgt. Robert Bales, who has pleaded guilty to killing 16 Afghan civilians in 2012, said he had taken the drug. And the generic version is still the third most prescribed anti-malaria drug here, with about 120,000 prescriptions written in the first half of this year.<br><br>Make no mistake: mefloquine does a good job protecting against malaria (and unlike some other anti-malaria drugs, it can be used during pregnancy and has to be taken only weekly). It just works at a significant risk, the full extent of which we're still discovering.<br><br>The new F.D.A. warning advises people taking mefloquine to call their doctor's office if they experience side effects. Fine advice, except that by the time most people — business travelers, Peace Corps volunteers, students studying abroad — start to notice the side effects, they are thousands of miles away, frequently out of cellphone service.<br><br>Most worrying of all, the announcement notes that the drug's neurological side effects — dizziness, loss of balance or ringing in the ears — may last for years, or even become permanent. I suspect that it's only a matter of time before that black box tells us that the psychiatric effects may become permanent too.<br><br>More than a decade has passed since my last dose of Lariam, and I still experience depression, panic attacks, insomnia and anxiety that were never a part of my life before.<br><br>We have a generation of soldiers and travelers with this drug ticking away in their systems. In June of last year, Remington Nevin, a former Army preventive medicine officer and epidemiologist, testified in front of a Senate subcommittee that he was afraid that Lariam "may become the 'Agent Orange' of our generation, a toxic legacy that affects our troops and our veterans."<br><br>Science is a journey, but commerce turns it into a destination. Science works by making mistakes and building off those mistakes to make new mistakes and new discoveries. Commerce hates mistakes; mistakes involve liability. A new miracle drug is found and heralded and defended until it destroys enough lives to make it economically inconvenient to those who created it.<br><br>Lariam is a drug whose side effects impair the user's ability to report those side effects (being able to accurately identify feelings of confusion means that you probably aren't that confused). The side effects leave no visible scars, no objective damage. But if Lariam were a car, if psychological or neurological side effects were as visible as broken bones, it would have been pulled from the market years ago.<br><br>It's a prescription I wish I had left unfilled.<br><br><i>David Stuart MacLean is the author of the forthcoming memoir "The Answer to the Riddle is Me."</i><br><br><a href="http://mobile.nytimes.com/2013/08/08/opinion/crazy-pills.html">http://mobile.nytimes.com/2013/08/08/opinion/crazy-pills.html</a></div>

Crazy Pills - NYTimes.com

On Oct. 16, 2002, at 4 p.m., I walked out of my apartment in Secunderabad, India, leaving the door wide open, the lights on and my laptop humming. I don't remember doing this. I know I did it because the hospital for three days.The cause of this inci…

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SOUTH AFRICA AND CHINA

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font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;} </style><![endif]--> <br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNl27ojlVvbP30vvZQHI_IxZB4Ume8i9I9f9yRNbwVK6bdCGNIrvBF8EgjdiIIUufh3R_H9u5HMv8POsUnOG43okdLk2tfMrLFGTBkn5Oyi9BA7-f500pb2MvZgkUU2E3p8DbZeNysevtN/s1600/RSA-China-flag.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNl27ojlVvbP30vvZQHI_IxZB4Ume8i9I9f9yRNbwVK6bdCGNIrvBF8EgjdiIIUufh3R_H9u5HMv8POsUnOG43okdLk2tfMrLFGTBkn5Oyi9BA7-f500pb2MvZgkUU2E3p8DbZeNysevtN/s400/RSA-China-flag.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-no-proof: yes;"><br /></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="color: #134f5c;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">SOUTH AFRICA WELCOMES CHINESE MILITARY ASSISTANCE </span></b></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">via BDLive</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The SOUTH AFRICAN National Defence Force (SANDF) would benefit from CHINESE military training, discipline and expertise if an exchange programme were initiated, Maj-Gen Ntakaleleni Sigudu of the Department of Defence stated.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Addressing diplomats and military representatives on the 86th anniversary of the CHINESE People’s Liberation Army, Maj-Gen Sigudu said had it not been for CHINA’S contribution to the military training of cadres of the AFRICAN National Congress and other liberation movements in AFRICA, the continent’s freedom could have taken much longer.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">He said CHINA’S role in SOUTH AFRICA’S liberation should be celebrated as it did not start between 15 and 20 years with the change of CHINA’S expansionist economic policy but dated back to the colonial era.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #cc0000;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">IMPROVE MILITARY TRAINING </span></b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">He said although modern CHINESE policy seemed focused on economic ties and trade, the presence in SOUTH AFRICA of a new military attaché of CHINA, Senior Col Xu Jianwei, was testimony to the need to broaden ties to include agreements that could improve military training and expertise to help the AFRICAN Union build a formidable AFRICA-based peacekeeping force.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-element: para-border-div; padding: 1.0pt 4.0pt 1.0pt 4.0pt;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="border: none; line-height: normal; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-padding-alt: 1.0pt 4.0pt 1.0pt 4.0pt; padding: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: blue;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: blue; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Background Information</span></b><span style="color: blue; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">: </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="border: none; line-height: normal; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-padding-alt: 1.0pt 4.0pt 1.0pt 4.0pt; padding: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: blue;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="border: none; line-height: normal; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-padding-alt: 1.0pt 4.0pt 1.0pt 4.0pt; padding: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: blue;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: blue; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">CHINA AND AFRICA</span></b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="border: none; line-height: normal; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-padding-alt: 1.0pt 4.0pt 1.0pt 4.0pt; padding: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: blue;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><a href="http://geopoliticsrst.blogspot.co.at/2013/07/china-and-its-relation-with-africa-and.html">http://geopoliticsrst.blogspot.co.at/2013/07/china-and-its-relation-with-africa-and.html</a></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="border: none; line-height: normal; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-padding-alt: 1.0pt 4.0pt 1.0pt 4.0pt; padding: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: blue;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="border: none; line-height: normal; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-padding-alt: 1.0pt 4.0pt 1.0pt 4.0pt; padding: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: blue;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">MALI AND CHINA'S 'WESTERN' FOREIGN POLICY </span></b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="border: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-padding-alt: 1.0pt 4.0pt 1.0pt 4.0pt; padding: 0in;"><a href="http://news-these-days.blogspot.com.ar/2013/07/mali-and-chinas-western-foreign-policy.html">http://news-these-days.blogspot.com.ar/2013/07/mali-and-chinas-western-foreign-policy.html</a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="border: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-padding-alt: 1.0pt 4.0pt 1.0pt 4.0pt; padding: 0in;"><span style="color: blue;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="border: none; line-height: normal; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-padding-alt: 1.0pt 4.0pt 1.0pt 4.0pt; padding: 0in;"><span style="color: blue;"><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">THE SECRET WAR BETWEEN CHINA AND THE US FOR AFRICA'S OIL RICHES</span></b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="border: none; line-height: normal; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-padding-alt: 1.0pt 4.0pt 1.0pt 4.0pt; padding: 0in;"><span style="color: blue;"><span style="color: blue; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><a href="http://geopoliticsrst.blogspot.co.at/2012/12/usa-china-and-africa.html">http://geopoliticsrst.blogspot.co.at/2012/12/usa-china-and-africa.html</a></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="border: none; line-height: normal; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-padding-alt: 1.0pt 4.0pt 1.0pt 4.0pt; padding: 0in;"><span style="color: blue;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="border: none; line-height: normal; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-padding-alt: 1.0pt 4.0pt 1.0pt 4.0pt; padding: 0in;"><span style="color: blue;"><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">CHINA’S WINNING STRATEGY IN AFRICA</span></b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="border: none; line-height: normal; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-padding-alt: 1.0pt 4.0pt 1.0pt 4.0pt; padding: 0in;"><span style="color: blue;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><a href="http://news-these-days.blogspot.com.ar/2012/09/chinas-winning-strategy-in-africa.html">http://news-these-days.blogspot.com.ar/2012/09/chinas-winning-strategy-in-africa.html</a></span></span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">  </span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“Conflict is still a plague on this continent and the continent is increasingly challenged to build capacity to engage and tackle its own problems. Therefore we appreciate the undertaking by the CHINESE People’s Liberation Army to contribute significantly to the AU’s objectives of building its own strong, effective and efficient peacekeeping capability,” he said.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">He congratulated CHINA for the more focused and value-adding economic development programme in AFRICA that had led to roads and rail infrastructure development in some AFRICAN states as well as the construction of the AU headquarters in Addis Ababa.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">CHINA offered a genuine partnership unparalleled by the contributions in the past of AFRICA’S colonial masters.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="color: #cc0000;"> </span><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #cc0000;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">CHINA'S PRESENCE IN AFRICA</span></b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Snr Col Xu said CHINA’S military participation in AFRICA was growing, with CHINESE soldiers already on the ground in SUDAN, LIBERIA, MALI and the DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO. He said the CHINESE People’s Liberation Army planned to steadily increase its participation in peacekeeping efforts in AFRICA because the continent’s stability was in the global interest.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">CHINA particularly wanted to work side by side with SOUTH AFRICA, whose foreign policy was focused on bringing stability in AFRICA to enhance social development and trade. This was already having a significant effect on stabilising many countries previously facing conflict.</span></div>

SOUTH AFRICA AND CHINA

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Dr. Sanjay Gupta: Why I changed my mind on weed - CNN.com

<base href="data:"><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14px; color: black; text-align: left; "><div style="padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 24px; padding-bottom: 19px; padding-left: 186px; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-size: 14px; font-family: arial; vertical-align: baseline; font-variant: normal; line-height: 19px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); ">Over the last year, I have been working on a new documentary called "Weed." The title "Weed" may sound cavalier, but the content is not.</div><div style="padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 24px; padding-bottom: 19px; padding-left: 186px; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-size: 14px; font-family: arial; vertical-align: baseline; font-variant: normal; line-height: 19px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); ">I traveled around the world to interview medical leaders, experts, growers and patients. I spoke candidly to them, asking tough questions. What I found was stunning.</div><div style="padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 24px; padding-bottom: 19px; padding-left: 186px; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-size: 14px; font-family: arial; vertical-align: baseline; font-variant: normal; line-height: 19px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); ">Long before I began this project, I had steadily reviewed the scientific literature on medical marijuana from the United States and thought it was fairly unimpressive. Reading these papers five years ago, it was hard to make a case for medicinal marijuana. I even wrote about this in a TIME magazine article, back in 2009, titled "<a href="http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1552034,00.html" target="_blank" style="padding: 0px; margin: 0px; border: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-size: 14px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; text-decoration: none; color: rgb(0, 66, 118); outline: 0px; ">Why I would Vote No on Pot</a>."</div><div style="padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 24px; padding-bottom: 19px; padding-left: 186px; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-size: 14px; font-family: arial; vertical-align: baseline; font-variant: normal; line-height: 19px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); ">Well, I am here to apologize.</div><div style="padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 24px; padding-bottom: 19px; padding-left: 186px; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-size: 14px; font-family: arial; vertical-align: baseline; font-variant: normal; line-height: 19px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); ">I apologize because I didn't look hard enough, until now. I didn't look far enough. I didn't review papers from smaller labs in other countries doing some remarkable research, and I was too dismissive of the loud chorus of legitimate patients whose symptoms improved on cannabis.</div><div style="padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 24px; padding-bottom: 19px; padding-left: 186px; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-size: 14px; font-family: arial; vertical-align: baseline; font-variant: normal; line-height: 19px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); ">Instead, I lumped them with the high-visibility malingerers, just looking to get high. I mistakenly believed the Drug Enforcement Agency listed marijuana as a <a href="http://www.justice.gov/dea/druginfo/ds.shtml" target="_blank" style="padding: 0px; margin: 0px; border: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-size: 14px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; text-decoration: none; color: rgb(0, 66, 118); outline: 0px; ">schedule 1 substance</a> because of sound scientific proof. Surely, they must have quality reasoning as to why marijuana is in the category of the most dangerous drugs that have "no accepted medicinal use and a high potential for abuse."</div><div style="padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 24px; padding-bottom: 19px; padding-left: 186px; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-size: 14px; font-family: arial; vertical-align: baseline; font-variant: normal; line-height: 19px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); position: static; z-index: auto; ">They didn't have the science to support that claim, and I now know that when it comes to marijuana neither of those things are true. It doesn't have a high potential for abuse, and there are very legitimate medical applications. In fact, sometimes marijuana is the only thing that works. Take the case of<a href="http://www.cnn.com/2013/08/07/health/charlotte-child-medical-marijuana/index.html" style="padding: 0px; margin: 0px; border: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-size: 14px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; text-decoration: none; color: rgb(0, 66, 118); outline: 0px; ">Charlotte Figi</a>, who I met in Colorado. She started having seizures soon after birth. By age 3, she was having 300 a week, despite being on seven different medications. Medical marijuana has calmed her brain, limiting her seizures to 2 or 3 per month.</div><div style="padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 24px; padding-bottom: 19px; padding-left: 186px; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-size: 14px; font-family: arial; vertical-align: baseline; font-variant: normal; line-height: 19px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); ">I have seen more patients like Charlotte first hand, spent time with them and come to the realization that it is irresponsible not to provide the best care we can as a medical community, care that could involve marijuana.</div><div style="padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 24px; padding-bottom: 19px; padding-left: 186px; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-size: 14px; font-family: arial; vertical-align: baseline; font-variant: normal; line-height: 19px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); ">We have been terribly and systematically misled for nearly 70 years in the United States, and I apologize for my own role in that.</div><a name="em2" class="" style="padding: 0px; margin: 0px; border: 0px; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-size: 12px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Utkal, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; text-decoration: none; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 18px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); "></a><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Utkal, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 18px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); display: inline !important; float: none; "></span><a name="em3" class="" style="padding: 0px; margin: 0px; border: 0px; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-size: 12px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Utkal, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; text-decoration: none; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 18px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); "></a><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Utkal, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 18px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); display: inline !important; float: none; "></span><div style="padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 24px; padding-bottom: 19px; padding-left: 186px; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-size: 14px; font-family: arial; vertical-align: baseline; font-variant: normal; line-height: 19px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); position: static; z-index: auto; ">I hope this article and upcoming documentary will help set the record straight.</div><div style="padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 24px; padding-bottom: 19px; padding-left: 186px; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-size: 14px; font-family: arial; vertical-align: baseline; font-variant: normal; line-height: 19px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); ">On August 14, 1970, the Assistant Secretary of Health, Dr. Roger O. Egeberg wrote a letter recommending the plant, marijuana, be classified as a schedule 1 substance, and it has remained that way for nearly 45 years. My research started with a careful reading of that decades old letter. What I found was unsettling. Egeberg had carefully chosen his words:</div><div style="padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 24px; padding-bottom: 19px; padding-left: 186px; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-size: 14px; font-family: arial; vertical-align: baseline; font-variant: normal; line-height: 19px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); ">"Since there is still a considerable void in our knowledge of the plant and effects of the active drug contained in it, our recommendation is that marijuana be retained within schedule 1 at least until the completion of certain studies now underway to resolve the issue."</div><div style="padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 24px; padding-bottom: 19px; padding-left: 186px; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-size: 14px; font-family: arial; vertical-align: baseline; font-variant: normal; line-height: 19px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); ">Not because of sound science, but because of its absence, marijuana was classified as a schedule 1 substance. Again, the year was 1970. Egeberg mentions studies that are underway, but many were never completed. As my investigation continued, however, I realized Egeberg did in fact have important research already available to him, some of it from more than 25 years earlier.</div><div style="padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 24px; padding-bottom: 19px; padding-left: 186px; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-size: 14px; font-family: arial; vertical-align: baseline; font-variant: normal; line-height: 19px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); "><strong style="padding: 0px; margin: 0px; ">High risk of </strong><strong style="padding: 0px; margin: 0px; ">a</strong><strong style="padding: 0px; margin: 0px; ">buse</strong></div><div style="padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 24px; padding-bottom: 19px; padding-left: 186px; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-size: 14px; font-family: arial; vertical-align: baseline; font-variant: normal; line-height: 19px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); ">In 1944, New York Mayor Fiorello LaGuardia <a href="http://www.druglibrary.org/schaffer/library/studies/lag/lagmenu.htm" target="_blank" style="padding: 0px; margin: 0px; border: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-size: 14px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; text-decoration: none; color: rgb(0, 66, 118); outline: 0px; ">commissioned research</a> to be performed by the New York Academy of Science. Among their conclusions: they found marijuana did not lead to significant addiction in the medical sense of the word. They also did not find any evidence marijuana led to morphine, heroin or cocaine addiction.</div><div style="padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 24px; padding-bottom: 19px; padding-left: 186px; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-size: 14px; font-family: arial; vertical-align: baseline; font-variant: normal; line-height: 19px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); ">We now know that while estimates vary, marijuana leads to dependence in around 9 to 10% of its adult users. By comparison, cocaine, <a href="http://www.justice.gov/dea/druginfo/ds.shtml" target="_blank" style="padding: 0px; margin: 0px; border: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-size: 14px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; text-decoration: none; color: rgb(0, 66, 118); outline: 0px; ">a schedule 2 substance</a> "with less abuse potential than schedule 1 drugs" hooks 20% of those who use it. Around 25% of heroin users become addicted.</div><div style="padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 24px; padding-bottom: 19px; padding-left: 186px; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-size: 14px; font-family: arial; vertical-align: baseline; font-variant: normal; line-height: 19px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); ">The worst is tobacco, where the number is closer to 30% of smokers, many of whom go on to die because of their addiction.</div><div style="padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 24px; padding-bottom: 19px; padding-left: 186px; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-size: 14px; font-family: arial; vertical-align: baseline; font-variant: normal; line-height: 19px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); ">There is clear evidence that in some people marijuana use can lead to withdrawal symptoms, including insomnia, anxiety and nausea. Even considering this, it is hard to make a case that it has a high potential for abuse. The physical symptoms of marijuana addiction are nothing like those of the other drugs I've mentioned. I have seen the withdrawal from alcohol, and it can be life threatening.</div><div style="padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 24px; padding-bottom: 19px; padding-left: 186px; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-size: 14px; font-family: arial; vertical-align: baseline; font-variant: normal; line-height: 19px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); ">I do want to mention a concern that I think about as a father. Young, developing brains are likely more susceptible to harm from marijuana than adult brains. Some recent studies suggest that regular use in teenage years leads to a permanent decrease in IQ. Other research hints at a possible heightened risk of developing psychosis.</div><div style="padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 24px; padding-bottom: 19px; padding-left: 186px; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-size: 14px; font-family: arial; vertical-align: baseline; font-variant: normal; line-height: 19px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); ">Much in the same way I wouldn't let my own children drink alcohol, I wouldn't permit marijuana until they are adults. If they are adamant about trying marijuana, I will urge them to wait until they're in their mid-20s when their brains are fully developed.</div><div style="padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 24px; padding-bottom: 19px; padding-left: 186px; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-size: 14px; font-family: arial; vertical-align: baseline; font-variant: normal; line-height: 19px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); "><strong style="padding: 0px; margin: 0px; ">Medical </strong><strong style="padding: 0px; margin: 0px; ">b</strong><strong style="padding: 0px; margin: 0px; ">enefit</strong></div><div style="padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 24px; padding-bottom: 19px; padding-left: 186px; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-size: 14px; font-family: arial; vertical-align: baseline; font-variant: normal; line-height: 19px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); ">While investigating, I realized something else quite important. Medical marijuana is not new, and the medical community has been writing about it for a long time. There were in fact hundreds of journal articles, mostly documenting the benefits. Most of those papers, however, were written between the years 1840 and 1930. The papers described the use of medical marijuana to treat "neuralgia, convulsive disorders, emaciation," among other things.</div><div style="padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 24px; padding-bottom: 19px; padding-left: 186px; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-size: 14px; font-family: arial; vertical-align: baseline; font-variant: normal; line-height: 19px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); ">A search through the U.S. National Library of Medicine this past year pulled up nearly <a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/?term=medical+marijuana" target="_blank" style="padding: 0px; margin: 0px; border: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-size: 14px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; text-decoration: none; color: rgb(0, 66, 118); outline: 0px; ">20,000 more recent papers</a>. But the majority were research into the harm of marijuana, such as "<a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23906840" target="_blank" style="padding: 0px; margin: 0px; border: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-size: 14px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; text-decoration: none; color: rgb(0, 66, 118); outline: 0px; ">Bad trip due to anticholinergic effect of cannabis</a>," or "<a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23892868" target="_blank" style="padding: 0px; margin: 0px; border: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-size: 14px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; text-decoration: none; color: rgb(0, 66, 118); outline: 0px; ">Cannabis induced pancreatitits</a>" and "<a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23846283" target="_blank" style="padding: 0px; margin: 0px; border: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-size: 14px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; text-decoration: none; color: rgb(0, 66, 118); outline: 0px; ">Marijuana use and risk of lung cancer</a>."<strong class="" style="padding: 0px; margin: 0px; "></strong></div><div style="padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 24px; padding-bottom: 19px; padding-left: 186px; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-size: 14px; font-family: arial; vertical-align: baseline; font-variant: normal; line-height: 19px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); ">In my quick running of the numbers, I calculated about 6% of the current U.S. marijuana studies investigate the benefits of medical marijuana. The rest are designed to investigate harm. That imbalance paints a highly distorted picture.</div><div style="padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 24px; padding-bottom: 19px; padding-left: 186px; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-size: 14px; font-family: arial; vertical-align: baseline; font-variant: normal; line-height: 19px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); "><strong style="padding: 0px; margin: 0px; ">The challenges of marijuana </strong><strong style="padding: 0px; margin: 0px; ">r</strong><strong style="padding: 0px; margin: 0px; ">esearch</strong></div><div style="padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 24px; padding-bottom: 19px; padding-left: 186px; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-size: 14px; font-family: arial; vertical-align: baseline; font-variant: normal; line-height: 19px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); ">To do studies on marijuana in the United States today, you need two important things.</div><div style="padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 24px; padding-bottom: 19px; padding-left: 186px; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-size: 14px; font-family: arial; vertical-align: baseline; font-variant: normal; line-height: 19px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); ">First of all, you need marijuana. And marijuana is illegal. You see the problem. Scientists can get research marijuana from a special farm in Mississippi, which is astonishingly located in the middle of the Ole Miss campus, but it is challenging. When I visited this year, there was no marijuana being grown.</div><div style="padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 24px; padding-bottom: 19px; padding-left: 186px; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-size: 14px; font-family: arial; vertical-align: baseline; font-variant: normal; line-height: 19px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); ">The second thing you need is approval, and the scientists I interviewed kept reminding me how tedious that can be. While a cancer study may first be evaluated by the National Cancer Institute, or a pain study may go through the National Institute for Neurological Disorders, there is one more approval required for marijuana: NIDA, the National Institute on Drug Abuse. It is an organization that has a core mission of studying drug abuse, as opposed to benefit.</div><div style="padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 24px; padding-bottom: 19px; padding-left: 186px; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-size: 14px; font-family: arial; vertical-align: baseline; font-variant: normal; line-height: 19px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); ">Stuck in the middle are the legitimate patients who depend on marijuana as a medicine, oftentimes as their only good option.</div><div style="padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 24px; padding-bottom: 19px; padding-left: 186px; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-size: 14px; font-family: arial; vertical-align: baseline; font-variant: normal; line-height: 19px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); ">Keep in mind that up until 1943, marijuana was part of the United States drug pharmacopeia. One of the conditions for which it was prescribed was <a href="http://www.webmd.com/pain-management/guide/neuropathic-pain" target="_blank" style="padding: 0px; margin: 0px; border: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-size: 14px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; text-decoration: none; color: rgb(0, 66, 118); outline: 0px; ">neuropathic pain</a>. It is a miserable pain that's tough to treat. My own patients have described it as "lancinating, burning and a barrage of pins and needles." While marijuana has long been documented to be <a href="http://www.jwatch.org/ac200704300000001/2007/04/30/marijuana-painful-peripheral-neuropathy#sthash.e8PMYHlU.dpuf" target="_blank" style="padding: 0px; margin: 0px; border: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-size: 14px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; text-decoration: none; color: rgb(0, 66, 118); outline: 0px; ">effective for this awful pain</a>, the most common medications prescribed today come from the poppy plant, including morphine, oxycodone and dilaudid.</div><div style="padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 24px; padding-bottom: 19px; padding-left: 186px; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-size: 14px; font-family: arial; vertical-align: baseline; font-variant: normal; line-height: 19px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); ">Here is the problem. Most of these medications don't work very well for this kind of pain, and tolerance is a real problem.</div><div style="padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 24px; padding-bottom: 19px; padding-left: 186px; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-size: 14px; font-family: arial; vertical-align: baseline; font-variant: normal; line-height: 19px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); ">Most frightening to me is that someone dies in the United States<a href="http://www.cnn.com/2012/11/14/health/gupta-accidental-overdose" style="padding: 0px; margin: 0px; border: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-size: 14px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; text-decoration: none; color: rgb(0, 66, 118); outline: 0px; ">every 19 minutes from a prescription drug overdose</a>, mostly accidental. Every 19 minutes. It is a horrifying statistic. As much as I searched, I could not find a documented case of death from marijuana overdose.</div><div style="padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 24px; padding-bottom: 19px; padding-left: 186px; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-size: 14px; font-family: arial; vertical-align: baseline; font-variant: normal; line-height: 19px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); ">It is perhaps no surprise then that 76% of physicians recently<a href="http://www.drugfree.org/join-together/drugs/poll-76-percent-of-doctors-approve-of-medical-marijuana-for-advanced-cancer-pain" target="_blank" style="padding: 0px; margin: 0px; border: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-size: 14px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; text-decoration: none; color: rgb(0, 66, 118); outline: 0px; ">surveyed</a> said they would approve the use of marijuana to help ease a woman's pain from breast cancer.</div><div style="padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 24px; padding-bottom: 19px; padding-left: 186px; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-size: 14px; font-family: arial; vertical-align: baseline; font-variant: normal; line-height: 19px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); ">When marijuana became a schedule 1 substance, there was a request to fill a "void in our knowledge." In the United States, that has been challenging because of the infrastructure surrounding the study of an illegal substance, with a drug abuse organization at the heart of the approval process. And yet, despite the hurdles, we have made considerable progress that continues today.</div><div style="padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 24px; padding-bottom: 19px; padding-left: 186px; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-size: 14px; font-family: arial; vertical-align: baseline; font-variant: normal; line-height: 19px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); ">Looking forward, I am especially intrigued by studies like those in Spain and Israel looking at the <a href="http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/04/090401181217.htm" target="_blank" style="padding: 0px; margin: 0px; border: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-size: 14px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; text-decoration: none; color: rgb(0, 66, 118); outline: 0px; ">anti-cancer effects of marijuana</a> and its components. I'm intrigued by the neuro-protective study by Lev Meschoulam in Israel, and research in Israel and the United States on whether the drug might help <a href="http://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2012/01/the-case-for-treating-ptsd-in-veterans-with-medical-marijuana/251466/" target="_blank" style="padding: 0px; margin: 0px; border: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-size: 14px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; text-decoration: none; color: rgb(0, 66, 118); outline: 0px; ">alleviate symptoms of PTSD</a>. I promise to do my part to help, genuinely and honestly, fill the remaining void in our knowledge.</div><div style="padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 24px; padding-bottom: 19px; padding-left: 186px; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-size: 14px; font-family: arial; vertical-align: baseline; font-variant: normal; line-height: 19px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); ">Citizens in 20 states and the District of Columbia have now voted to approve marijuana for medical applications, and more states will be making that choice soon. As for Dr. Roger Egeberg, who wrote that letter in 1970, he passed away 16 years ago.</div><div style="padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 24px; padding-bottom: 19px; padding-left: 186px; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-size: 14px; font-family: arial; vertical-align: baseline; font-variant: normal; line-height: 19px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); position: static; z-index: auto; ">I wonder what he would think if he were alive today.</div></div><a href="http://www.cnn.com/2013/08/08/health/gupta-changed-mind-marijuana/index.html">http://www.cnn.com/2013/08/08/health/gupta-changed-mind-marijuana/index.html</a><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14px; color: black; text-align: left; "><br class="webkit-block-placeholder"></div>

Dr. Sanjay Gupta: Why I changed my mind on weed - CNN.com

Over the last year, I have been working on a new documentary called "Weed." The title "Weed" may sound cavalier, but the content is not.I traveled around the world to interview medical leaders, experts, growers and patients. I spoke candidly to them,…

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