Baked Alaska

Turning ever onward, the wheels of change seem set to push us forward into a more glorious future at a greater rate than most would have predicted. Despite the continued resistance from some fronts, the intelligent majority have definitely awoken from their slumber and no longer fear retribution from the closed minded. We would like to express our congratulations and sincerest thanks to the vocal voters of Alaska, Oregon and the District of Columbia on the legalization of recreational marijuana.

Medical marijuana: medical necessity versus political agenda

Marijuana is classified by the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) as an illegal Schedule I drug which has no accepted medical use. However, recent studies have shown that medical marijuana is effective in controlling chronic non-cancer pain, alleviating nausea and vomiting associated with chemotherapy, treating wasting syndrome associated with AIDS, and controlling muscle spasms due to multiple sclerosis. After reviewing relevant scientific data and grounding the issue in ethical principles like beneficence and nonmaleficence, there is a strong argument for allowing physicians to prescribe marijuana. Patients have a right to all beneficial treatments and to deny them this right violates their basic human rights.