The Strongest ‘Gateway Drug’ Is 100% Legal!

You may have heard that marijuana is a gateway drug. Republican presidential candidate Chris Christie makes this argument seemingly every chance he gets. Anti-drug groups often make similar claims. The evidence seems convincing enough at first blush: studies show that 99 percent of illicit drug users tried marijuana before they did any other drugs. But on its own, this line of thinking actually is pretty tenuous: we could also safely assume that 99 percent of illicit drug users also tried coffee, or soda, or chocolate milk before moving on to stronger substances. New research out this month in the Journal of School Health could shed some light on this question. A team of researchers from Texas A&M and the University of Florida examined data from […] Read More

Sobriety, Recovery and New Social Skills

Contributed by editor and writer Melissa Hall.

Recovering From Recovery – Learning To Socialize With Sobriety
In a typical Hollywood setup, a character admitting to an addiction problem and entering a recovery program is viewed as the end of the story – the self-realization and transformation around which all stories turn, and the precipitant of the ‘happy ending’. In real life, it doesn’t work out quite like that.

Frequent Cannabis Consumers Are Less Likely To Engage In Problematic Alcohol Use

Investigators analyzed data from a nationwide survey on alcohol and drug use. Those who report consuming cannabis two or three times per week are less likely to engage in at risk drinking behavior, according to data published online in The American Journal of Addictions. Investigators from Sweden’s Lund University, Department of Clinical Sciences, analyzed data from a nationwide survey on alcohol and drug use conducted by the National Institute of Public Health. Over 22,000 respondents between the ages of 15 and 64 participated in the survey. Researchers reported that frequent cannabis consumers (defined as having used cannabis two or three times per week) were less likely to engage in hazardous drinking practices compared to infrequent users (those who reported having consumed cannabis fewer than four times per month). […] Read More

Brain Foods: The Good and The Bad

Diet is an incredibly important part of human health. A good diet can prevent illness, reduce pain and inflammation, and aid cognitive function. Every morsel of food that you put in your mouth will either help or hurt your health, so it’s important to fill your diet with foods that will promote a healthier body and mind. Many people don’t realize that junk food does more to your body than deposit fat, it can actually cause diseases like heart disease, Alzheimer’s and even cancer. Understanding what foods do to your body is the key to life-long health. Good: Luteolin High levels of luteolin found in walnuts, carrots, olive oil, peppers, and celery compound which reduces age-related memory deficits and inflammation in the brain. Studies showed […] Read More

Bubbling Crude

by Susan Maple Henry Ford believed that some day he would “grow automobiles from the soil,” and he also believed that they would be fuelled from plants. He achieved his goal. Popular Mechanics featured Ford’s car in its December 1941 issue. Made of hemp, sisal, wheat straw and resin, the car was ten times stronger than steel. There is an old video clip of the car on the Internet. The car drives up, someone pounds it with a hatchet, and then polishes it to demonstrate there is no damage. Three times, from 1800 to 1937, alcohol was either the prominent fuel, or threatened to take over as the main fuel. Heavy “corporate footprints” stepped in and taxed or prohibited alcohol, because anyone could make alcohol […] Read More