Washington Journal - Medical Marijuana

%3Cp%3EFrom%20StopTheDrugWar.Org%20--%3Cbr%20%2F%3E%0AThis%20writer%20is%20upset%20that%20the%20marijuana%20legalization%20question%20was%20ranked%20%231%20on%20President%20Obama%E2%80%99s%20Change.gov%20site%2C%20but%20the%20questioned%20was%20answered%20%204th.%20He%20believes%20that%20Obama%E2%80%99s%20team%20failed%20to%20explain%20the%20%22no%22%20answer%2C%20and%20didn%E2%80%99t%20even%20honor%20the%201st%20place%20popularity%20rank%20the%20question%20earned%20when%20it%20drew%20the%20most%20votes%20from%20the%20public.%20%20The%20lack%20of%20seriousness%20with%20which%20this%20issue%20is%20treated%20in%20political%20culture%20is%20due%20to%20the%20government%27s%20reluctance%20to%20address%20the%20subject.%20%22They%20never%20could%20have%20imagined%20that%20this%20experiment%20with%20online%20democracy%20would%20find%20us%20standing%20at%20the%20front%20of%20the%20line.%20They%20shook%20their%20heads%2C%20sighed%20and%20joked%20that%20this%20is%20what%20you%20get%20when%20you%20let%20the%20frickin%E2%80%99%20internet%20dictate%20political%20priorities.%22%3C%2Fp%3E%0A

%3Cp%3EFrom%20Marijuana%20Policy%20Project%20--%3Cbr%20%2F%3E%0AAlthough%20Massachusetts%20has%20officially%20decriminalized%20possession%20of%20small%20amounts%20of%20marijuana%2C%20many%20police%20departments%20across%20the%20state%20are%20essentially%20ignoring%20the%20voter-passed%20law%2C%20saying%20they%20would%20not%20even%20bother%20to%20ticket%20people%20they%20see%20smoking%20marijuana.%20%22If%20the%20Legislature%20enacts%20some%20changes%2C%20we%27ll%20be%20happy%20to%20do%20it%20in%20the%20future%2C%20but%20as%20it%20stands%20now%20we%27re%20not%20going%20to%20be%20issuing%20civil%20citations%2C%22%20says%20one%20officer%2C%20%20%22If%20an%20officer%20spots%20someone%20smoking%20marijuana%2C%20we%20will%20confiscate%20it%20and%20the%20person%20will%20be%20sent%20on%20their%20way.%22%3C%2Fp%3E%0A

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%3Cp%3EFrom%20The%20Washington%20Post%20--%26nbsp%3BMercury%20has%20been%20found%20in%20almost%20half%20of%20the%20commerical%20High%20Fructose%20Corn%20Syup%20samples%20tested.%26nbsp%3B%20Considering%20that%20HFCS%20is%20found%20in%20everything%20from%20soda%20to%20condiments%2C%20teenagers%20consume%20around%2080%25%20more%20of%20it%20than%20the%20rest%20of%20the%20population%2C%20and%20that%20mercury%20is%20toxic%20in%20any%20form%2C%20this%20is%20not%20good%20news.%3Cbr%20%2F%3E%0A%3Cblockquote%3E%26ldquo%3B%20%27Mercury%20is%20toxic%20in%20all%20its%20forms.%20Given%20how%20much%20high-fructose%20corn%20syrup%20is%20consumed%20by%20children%2C%20it%20could%20be%20a%20significant%20additional%20source%20of%20mercury%20never%20before%20considered.%20We%20are%20calling%20for%20immediate%20changes%20by%20industry%20and%20the%20%5BU.S.%20Food%20and%20Drug%20Administration%5D%20to%20help%20stop%20this%20avoidable%20mercury%20contamination%20of%20the%20food%20supply%2C%27%20the%20Institute%20for%20Agriculture%20and%20Trade%20Policy%27s%20Dr.%20David%20Wallinga%2C%20a%20co-author%20of%20both%20studies%2C%20said%20in%20a%20prepared%20statement.%26nbsp%3B%26rdquo%3B%3C%2Fblockquote%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A

%3Cp%3EFrom%20About.Com%20--%3Cbr%20%2F%3E%0AAccording%20to%20the%20first%20answers%20to%20the%20public%E2%80%99s%20questions%20posted%20on%20the%20Obama%20presidential%20transition%20team%E2%80%99s%20Open%20for%20Questions%20web%20site%2C%20President-elect%20Obama%20opposes%20the%20legalization%20of%20marijuana%2C%20but%20plans%20to%20overturn%20President%20Bush%E2%80%99s%20limitations%20on%20human%20stem%20cell%20research.%20Based%20on%20600%2C000%20votes%20from%20more%20than%2010%2C000%20people%2C%20Team%20Obama%20ranked%20the%20more%20than%207%2C300%20questions%20received%20from%20the%20public%20and%20has%20now%20started%20posting%20answers%20to%20the%20most-voted%20for%20questions.%20The%20top-ranked%20question%20overall%20framed%20the%20issue%20of%20legalizing%20marijuana%20in%20the%20context%20of%20economic%20recovery%3A%20%20%E2%80%9CWill%20you%20consider%20legalizing%20marijuana%20so%20that%20the%20government%20can%20regulate%20it%2C%20tax%20it%2C%20put%20age%20limits%20on%20it%2C%20and%20create%20millions%20of%20new%20jobs%20and%20create%20a%20billion%20dollar%20industry%20right%20here%20in%20the%20U.S.%3F%E2%80%9D%20The%20Team%20Obama%20Response%3A%20%E2%80%9CPresident-elect%20Obama%20is%20not%20in%20favor%20of%20the%20legalization%20of%20marijuana.%E2%80%9D%3C%2Fp%3E%0A

%3Cp%3EFrom%20Environmental%20News%20Service%20--%20%20Two%20new%20alternatives%20to%20inhalers%20that%20deplete%20the%20ozone%20layer%20are%20now%20in%20the%20market%20in%20the%20United%20States%2C%20however%2C%20their%20elevated%20costs%20may%20keep%20the%20new%20products%20out%20of%20the%20hands%20of%20a%20million%20patients.%20%20And%20now%20that%20there%20are%20alternatives%20on%20the%20market%2C%20the%20FDA%20is%20seeking%20comment%20on%20a%20proposal%20to%20withdraw%20the%20allowance%20of%20CFCs%20for%20essential%20use%2C%20such%20as%20inhalers%2C%20from%20the%20Montreal%20Protocol.%3Cbr%20%2F%3E%0A%3Cblockquote%3E%26%23147%3B%26nbsp%3BTwo%20alternatives%20to%20inhalers%20that%20deplete%20the%20ozone%20layer%20are%20now%20on%20the%20U.S.%20market%2C%20so%20the%20U.S.%20Food%20and%20Drug%20Administration%20is%20seeking%20public%20comment%20on%20a%20proposal%20to%20withdraw%20essential%20use%20status%20under%20the%20Montreal%20Protocol%20for%20the%20ozone%20depleting%20inhalers%20now%20in%20common%20use.%20Both%20alternative%20products%20are%20safe%20and%20effective%2C%20but%20the%20higher%20price%20of%20ozone%20friendly%20inhalers%20may%20keep%20as%20many%20as%20a%20million%20canisters%20each%20year%20from%20reaching%20patients%2C%20the%20agency%20predicts.%26nbsp%3B%26%23148%3B%3C%2Fblockquote%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A

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%3Cp%3EFrom%20The%20Washington%20Post%20--The%20FDA%20says%20the%20benefits%20of%20eating%20seafood%2C%20even%20if%20it%20contains%20mercury%2C%20outweigh%20the%20health%20risks%20and%20that%20the%20government%20should%20amend%20its%20advisory%20on%20limiting%20fish%20intake%20for%20women%20and%20children.%20%20EPA%20scientists%20are%20alarmed%20by%20this%20recommendation%20and%20feel%20that%20the%20FDA%20recommendations%20fall%20short%20of%20scientific%20rigor.%3Cbr%20%2F%3E%0A%3Cblockquote%3E%26ldquo%3B%26nbsp%3BThe%20FDA%20sent%20its%20draft%20report%2C%20a%20copy%20of%20which%20was%20obtained%20by%20The%20Washington%20Post%2C%20to%20the%20White%20House%20Office%20of%20Management%20and%20Budget%20as%20part%20of%20the%20FDA%27s%20effort%20to%20update%20the%20existing%20health%20advisory.%20The%20report%20argued%20that%20nutrients%20in%20fish%2C%20including%20omega-3%20fatty%20acids%2C%20selenium%20and%20other%20minerals%20could%20boost%20a%20child%27s%20IQ%20by%20three%20points.%26nbsp%3B%26rdquo%3B%3C%2Fblockquote%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A

%3Cp%3EFrom%20%20New%20York%20Times%20%20%20The%20Food%20and%20Drug%20Administration%20gave%20its%20stamp%20of%20approval%20for%20a%20new%20genetic%20test%20that%20predicts%20whether%20a%20breast%20cancer%20patient%20will%20have%20a%20relapse.%20%20While%20similar%20tests%20have%20been%20used%20and%20sold%20to%20the%20public%20the%20new%20treatment%2C%20MammaPrint%2C%20is%20the%20first%20of%20its%20kind%20to%20go%20through%20the%20FDA.%3Cbr%20%2F%3E%0A%3Cblockquote%3E%26%23147%3B%26nbsp%3B%26%23147%3B%26nbsp%3BAfter%20their%20tumors%20are%20removed%2C%20many%20of%20these%20women%20undergo%20%3Ca%20href%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Ftopics.nytimes.com%2Ftop%2Fnews%2Fhealth%2Fdiseasesconditionsandhealthtopics%2Fchemotherapy%2Findex.html%3Finline%3Dnyt-classifier%22%20title%3D%22Recent%20and%20archival%20health%20news%20about%20chemotherapy.%22%20rel%3D%22externals%22%3Echemotherapy%3C%2Fa%3E%20to%20lower%20the%20chances%20that%20the%20cancer%20will%20return.%20But%20studies%20have%20shown%20that%20most%20of%20them%20would%20not%20have%20a%20recurrence%20even%20without%20chemotherapy.%20The%20new%20tests%20could%20help%20doctors%20and%20patients%20decide%20whether%20some%20women%20might%20avoid%20chemotherapy%20and%20its%20side%20effects.%26nbsp%3B%26%23148%3B%26nbsp%3B%26%23148%3B%3C%2Fblockquote%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A

%3Cp%3EReuters%20--%20%20The%20Corn%20Refiners%20Association%20have%20launched%20a%20media%20campaign%20to%20change%20the%20conversation%20about%20High%20Fructose%20Corn%20Syrup.%20%20The%20association%27s%20president%20%20says%20they%20want%20to%20bust%20the%20many%20myths%20circulating%20about%20HFCS.%20%20After%20all%2C%20it%20does%20meet%20the%20FDA%27s%20guideline%20for%20the%20use%20of%20the%20term%20natural.%20Consumption%20of%20high%20fructose%20corn%20syrup%20has%20been%20dropping%20in%20recent%20years%2C%20yet%20the%20rates%20of%20obesity%20and%20diabetes%20in%20the%20U.S.%20continue%20to%20rise.%20%20In%20a%20recent%20national%20survey%2C%20such%20myths%20have%20led%20consumers%20to%20believe%20that%20High%20Fructose%20Corn%20Syrup%20is%20different%20that%20table%20sugar.%3Cbr%20%2F%3E%0A%3Cblockquote%3E%22There%20are%20so%20many%20myths%2C%20inaccuracies%20and%20untruths%20associated%20with%20this%20sweetener%20that%20we%20felt%20it%20was%20necessary%20to%20set%20the%20record%20straight%2C%22%20said%20Audrae%20Erickson%2C%20president%2C%20Corn%20Refiners%20Association.%20%22We%20hope%20to%20provide%20balanced%20information%20about%20high%20fructose%20corn%20syrup%20to%20allow%20consumers%20to%20make%20informed%20decisions%20based%20on%20science.%22%3C%2Fblockquote%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A