Prohibition NEVER Works: Banning Alcohol Didn’t Work, And Banning Guns Won’t Either

They say those who don’t pay attention to history are destined to repeat it.  It seems like even though humans have paid attention, they somehow think the same things that failed in the past, like prohibition and communism, will magically work now.

Alcohol kills almost three times as many Americans as guns. Last year, about 33,000 people died of gunshot-related injuries, including those who shot themselves; suicide. When removing those who killed themselves only (again, suicide), that number drops to 15,549, by even anti-gun activists estimates.  To put that in perspective, this year’s flu and the vaccine to “prevent” said flu is more deadly. So far, it’s been killing an estimated 4,000 Americans per week. That’s roughly 16,000 per month, a number already higher than last year’s total “gun deaths” which include justified homicides (or self-defense.) You don’t have to be a genius at math to understand that “gun violence” isn’t really the epidemic the media wants you to believe.

By comparison, alcohol abuse killed nearly 88,000 people in 2015 in the United States. So why not ban booze? Because the United States tried that.  It was called prohibition, and it didn’t work.  It resulted in the government poisoning their own people: yes, the US government.  The same government that the anti-gun activists say wouldn’t do that to us. Rational humans would rather not see the government get a monopoly on guns. But the US has strayed rather far from logic, relying on emotional outbursts and teenage angst temper tantrums. 

Joe Joseph from the Daily Sheeple also brings an interesting point to consider. “Did you know, that alcohol is the number one underlying cause and factor behind crime in the US?” Alcohol is alone causes more harm to society than heroin, cocaine, and marijuana combined.

So where’s society’s outrage over alcohol abuse?  Why aren’t kids marching for alcohol control? Because prohibition doesn’t work. People who want to break the law and drink will do so.  People snort cocaine regardless of the fact that it’s illegal.  Where is society’s outrage at the right thing?

“Where are all the millions of dollars and campaign contributions and television ads trying to save people’s lives from the dangers of alcohol?” Joseph asks. “This is huge because we have to look at the facts. And the facts are: while it’s awful that these events take place, they’re anomalies in the grand scheme of things. Alcoholism is not an anomaly. It’s very present, ever present in our society and substance abuse is getting worse and worse and worse because the root cause isn’t being tackled.” The root cause is pain and voids within a person. The problem is that social engineering has created a god for people and that god is the government. And it’s a very poor substitute for actual spirituality, says Joseph.

Americans don’t “pull themselves up by their own bootstraps” and rely on their ingenuity and faith and individual strengths.  Americans now rely on the god created by social engineering: government. Simply suggest that humans could run their own lives just fine without a government, and most people will act as if you actually insulted their god.

“Freedom is not free,” says Joseph. “Freedom comes at a great cost. It takes a lot to maintain freedom….people are being pushed to the point of rebellion in this country and on purpose.”

Follow Joe Joseph and his News Shots here, on The Daily Sheeple’s YouTube channel. 

 

Mapping America"s Worst States For Binge-Drinking This Christmas

Alcohol abuse can result in health problems including memory loss, poor decision making, fetal damage, liver diseases, hypertension and cardiovascular problems... but "tis the season...

As Statista"s Niall McCarthy notes, a recent report by the United Health Foundation found that 18.5 percent of U.S. adults engage in binge or chronic drinking.

You will find more statistics at Statista

Binging is defined as having four or more (for women) or five or more (for men) drinks on one occasion in the past 30 days. Chronic drinking is having eight or more (for women) or 15 or more (for men) drinks per week. The U.S. has an annual average of 87,798 alcohol attributable deaths while 12,460 road deaths were due to alcohol consumption between 2006 and 2010.

An estimated 2.5 million years of U.S. life have been lost due to alcohol abuse between 2006 and 2010. As well as its massive impact on human health, alcohol also has huge financial and economic repercussions. Excessive alcohol consumption cost the U.S. $249 billion in 2010 or $2.05 for each beverage consumed.

The lowest rates of excessive drinking in U.S. states were recorded in West Virginia (11.8 percent), Oklahoma (12.8 percent) and Utah (13.4 percent).

The infographic above shows the 10 states with the highest levels of binge and chronic drinking with Wisconsin on top with 26.2 percent. North Dakora comes second with 25.9 percent while Minnesota rounds off the top three with 22.9 percent.

Key Signs to Know If your Casual Drinking Is Turning Into an Addiction

 

By Janice Killey | 

Alcoholism is a chronic disease which affects a lot of people in the society nowadays. Although this is no longer a new topic for everyone, alcoholism should not be taken lightly as it can bring severe effects to the affected person.

Symptoms of Alcoholism come as signs and markers that are manifested during the disease’s early stage. Even if there are many signs of knowing if someone is an alcoholic or not, it is not that easy to detect.

Have you been drinking too much, too often lately? Ask yourself this question along with others listed below. All of these will eventually help you determine if your casual drinking has turned into an addiction. 

1. Are you lying and hiding whenever you drink?

The scene: You just got home from a casual drinking session without your partner knowing that you went into one. Curious why you are home late than usual, she asks you if you were out with your friends, drinking. Without any hesitation, you respond to her with a resounding “no.” If this situation is all too familiar to you, you might be an alcoholic.

The explanation: Denial is typical to people who have problems with alcohol. They would often lie to people on how much and how frequently they drink to not make an issue out of it. Alcoholics would even heed these questions just to put their friends’ and family’s mind at ease thinking that everything is fine.

2. Are you drinking to relax?

The scene: You had a stressful day at work because your boss gave the promotion you expected to another employee. You immediately crave for a bottle of beer the moment the news broke. You were depressed the next day because your car stopped in the middle of the road and so, you can’t stop thinking of drinking again. Whatever your emotional status is for the day, you always look forward to drinking beer to ease all the negativities you are experiencing.

The explanation: Using alcohol as an escape from real-life dilemmas is risky. Yes, you might be relaxed the moment you drink beer, but it can also create problems which can spiral in the long run.

3. Do you black out every time you drink?

The scene: Most of the time, you do not remember what happens next the moment you are intoxicated. The day after a drinking session would usually involve your friends informing you of what you did while you were drunk.

The explanation: You drink way too much – simple. Not being able to learn when to stop is one indication that drinking has become your addiction. After all, no one requires you to “blackout” before you can have fun.

4. Do you drink in dangerous situations?

The scene: You function well at work if you are able to drink before your working schedule. You still choose to drink even if you are to drive for a five-hour trip. You drink excessively despite your doctor’s reminders. Do these situations sound familiar to you? If yes, you can tick this off as one of the most important signs of problem drinking. 

The explanation: Every time you do any of the scenarios laid out for you, you are putting yourself at risk and more significant consequences. Taking these risks just to get a hold of a beer, means that drinking has become a priority in your life.

5. Are you neglecting your responsibilities?

The scene: You forgot to submit an important business presentation because you had a hung-over from the night before. Upon arriving home, you also realized that today was supposed to be your child’s family day and once again, you forgot to attend. You wait for your partner to arrive home and the minute she does, she lectures you of how irresponsible you have become because of drinking too much.

The explanation: Once your responsibilities are taken for granted because you drink too much, you have a drinking problem. Alcohol obviously crossed the boundary from an occasional enjoyment to something which impacts your daily functions.

To conclude

Experiencing one of the things listed above does not necessarily make you an alcoholic. But if you have been answering yes to all of these questions, there is a possibility that your drinking has gone too far. For you to be sure of your symptoms, it is always best to seek professional help.

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Janice Killey has a wealth of experience and training. She holds a Diploma of Education, Bachelor of Arts (Psychology), Master of Arts (Counselling), Diploma of Clinical Hypnotherapy (ASH) and is a Registered Psychologist at Psychologists Southern Sydney. She’s also a member of the Australian Psychological Society.

The post Key Signs to Know If your Casual Drinking Is Turning Into an Addiction appeared first on The Sleuth Journal.

Study Warns Of Binge-Drinking "Crisis" As Alcoholism Rates Spike 49%

The opioid epidemic isn’t the only public-health crisis plaguing the US.

Americans are hitting the bottle harder than ever, according to a new study published by JAMA Psychiatry, posing new challenges for the US’s strained health-care system as local hospitals and first responders struggle with the spike in substance-abuse related maladies, including overdoses and alcohol poisoning that warrant urgent care.

The JAMA study showed that rates of dangerous binge drinking rose dramatically between 2001 and 2013, with women, ethnic minorities, Americans over the age of 65 and low-education adults registering the largest increases.

“Twelve-month alcohol use significantly increased from 65.4% in 2001-2002 to 72.7% in 2012-2013, a relative percentage increase of 11.2%. Significant increases, seen across all sociodemographic subgroups, were particularly notable among women (15.8%), racial/ethnic minorities (from 17.2% among Hispanic to 29.1% among Asian or Pacific Islander individuals), adults 65 years and older (22.4%), and respondents with lower educational level and family income (range, 11.7%-22.3%).”

Furthermore, rates of diagnosed alcoholism climbed 49% to roughly one in eight Americans.

“The prevalence of 12-month DSM-IV AUD increased significantly from 8.5% to 12.7% (change, 49.4%) in the total population. Significant increases in AUD were seen in all subgroups except Native Americans and those residing in rural areas. Notable increases were found among women (83.7%), racial/ethnic minorities (51.9% for Hispanic and 92.8% for black individuals), adults 65 years and older (106.7%), those with a high school education (57.8%) and less than a high school education (48.6%), those earning incomes of $20?000 or less (65.9%), those living within 200% of the poverty threshold (range, 47.1%-55.8%), and those residing in urban areas (59.5%).”

Rates of “high risk” drinking increased by 30%, with women and minorities again registering the biggest gains.

"The prevalence of 12-month high-risk drinking increased significantly between 2001-2002 and 2012-2013 from 9.7% to 12.6% (change, 29.9%) in the total population. Significant increases in high-risk drinking were also seen for all sociodemographic subgroups except Native Americans and respondents residing in rural areas. Increases were most notable among women (57.9%), other racial/ethnic minorities (from 40.6% among Hispanic to 62.4% among black individuals), adults 65 years and older (65.2%), persons previously married (widowed, divorced, or separated) (31.9%) and married or cohabitating respondents (34.2%), those with a high school education (42.3%) and less than a high school education (34.7%), those earning incomes of $19?999 or less (35.1%), and those residing in urban areas (35.1%)."

The spike in abuse rates among women was perhaps the study’s most alarming finding. The study’s authors speculated that, although men still struggle with higher rates of alcohol abuse, several factors are helping women close the gap. Women increasingly hold high-stress jobs, and social mores surrounding female behavior have grown more permissive.

“Greater sensitivity to adverse health effects of heavy drinking among women are potential biological factors influencing the convergence of rates between the sexes within the context of increasing rates of high-risk drinking and AUD. Drinking norms and values have become more permissive among women, along with increases in educational and occupational opportunities and rising numbers of women in the workforce, all of which may have contributed to increased high-risk drinking and AUD in women during the past decade.”

The rise in alcohol-abuse rates among older Americans was another discouraging revelation from the study – particularly because they’ve typically exhibited lower rates of abuse in the past. The study uncovered an unprecedented increase in abuse rates among the elderly, which is particularly problematic given the increased risk of mortality. Data for the study was collected from surveys of nearly 80,000 people, with the first conducted in 2001-2002, and the second in 2012-2013.

Study: Moderate Drinking Linked with Fewer Heart Problems

An ice cold beer can be refreshing, and a glass of wine can be relaxing, but is alcohol safe for your heart? Alcohol consumption in moderation has a reputation for being heart-healthy, and a new study of nearly 2 million people seems to confirm that, but only to a certain degree.

For the study, published in the BMJ, researchers analyzed the link between alcohol consumption and 12 different heart problems, including heart attack, heart failure, and chest pain linked with heart disease, within a large group of U.K. adults. None of the participants had cardiovascular disease at the beginning of the study, and all were 30 years of age or older. The researchers zeroed in on the first heart problem that each participant developed. [1], [2]

They also looked at other information in the records, including how much alcohol the subjects reported drinking. Based on their drinking habits, each participant was placed in one of five groups: nondrinkers, former drinkers, occasional drinkers, moderate drinkers, and heavy drinkers.

Moderate alcohol intake is considered up to 1 drink a day for women, and up to 2 drinks a day for men. [3]

One drink contains 0.6 fluid ounces of alcohol and is defined as:

• 12 fl. oz. of regular beer (5% alcohol)

• 4-5 fl. oz. of wine (12% alcohol)

• 1.5 fl. oz. of 80-proof distilled spirits (40% alcohol)

• 1 fl. oz. of 100-proof distilled spirits (50% alcohol)

Source: CNN

The Findings

According to the study, there were no heart conditions for which the nondrinkers had the lowest risk. In other words, they found that drinking was not necessarily bad for the heart. [2]

Compared with those who never drank, moderate drinkers were actually less likely to be diagnosed with chest pain, heart failure, stroke, peripheral artery disease, and several other conditions. No statistically significant differences were found between the groups for other conditions.

The heavy drinkers, on the other hand, were found to be more likely to be diagnosed with conditions like heart failure, cardiac arrest, peripheral artery disease, and stroke compared with moderate drinkers, which supports earlier findings that heavy drinking is not good for heart health.

Yet the heavy drinkers were less likely to be diagnosed with a heart attack than moderate drinkers. The researchers wrote that this doesn’t mean that heavy drinkers are not at risk for having a heart attack. It simply means a heart attack is less likely to be the first heart problem heavy drinkers have.

As for former drinkers, the researchers found that they were more likely than current drinkers to be diagnosed with certain heart conditions, including chest pain, heart attack, cardiac arrest, and aortic aneurysm. This doesn’t mean that people shouldn’t quit drinking. The finding suggests that some people quit in part because they are developing health problems from drinking.

Additionally, alcohol does not appear to protect against four less common heart problems: certain types of milder strokes caused by brief periods of blocked blood flow to the brain, and cases of bleeding in the brain. [1]

Overall, the study suggests that moderate drinking is associated with a lower risk for several heart conditions.

But if you don’t drink, or you drink rarely, the researchers advise against becoming a moderate drinker to protect your heart. It’s much safer to quit smoking, eat right, and get enough exercise.

The science behind the health effects of drinking have always been murky. Past studies showed that having two alcoholic drinks a day increased the risk for atrial fibrillation, or irregular heartbeat, by 17%. This condition can lead to stroke and heart failure. And while moderate wine consumption has been linked with a lower risk for breast cancer, recent research suggests that the risk increases as alcohol intake increases.

So if you don’t drink, don’t start for the sake of your health. And if you drink a lot, you should consider cutting back for your health’s sake.

Sources:

[1] Time

[2] Live Science

[3] Atlanta Journal-Constitution

CNN

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Did a Common Anti-Anxiety Drug Play into Soundgarden Rocker’s Death?

In mid-May of 2017, fans of grunge music were shocked and heartbroken to hear of the death of Soundgarden and Audioslave frontman Chris Cornell. His death was ruled a suicide, but Chris’ family says he never would have intentionally taken his life, and are blaming his use of the common anxiety drug, Ativan, for his state of mind at the time. [1]

Source: The Mercury News

The Seattle-based musician, 52, was found in his hotel room at the MGM Grand Detroit following his grunge band’s performance on May 18, 2017. He was discovered on the bathroom floor, with a red exercise cord around his neck. [1] [2]

Cornell’s wife, Vicky, said her husband was slurring his words when she spoke to him on the phone after his show. Chris told Vicky that he had taken more than his prescribed dose of the anti-anxiety drug, Ativan. [1]

Vicky asked security to check on Chris, and that’s when they found his body.

Since then, it has come out that Chris’ bodyguard gave him 2 Ativans before his death. [2]

Vicky said in a statement about Chris’ death:

“I know that he loved our children and he would not hurt them by intentionally taking his own life.” [2]

Source: The Mercury News

Kirk Pasich, the Cornell family’s attorney, said in a statement that the family is “disturbed” that anyone would think Chris knowingly and deliberately took his own life. Pasich said such conclusions shouldn’t be drawn before the toxicology test results came back. [1]

“Without the results of toxicology tests, we do not know what was going on with Chris — or if any substances contributed to his demise.

Chris, a recovering addict, had a prescription for Ativan and may have taken more Ativan than recommended dosages. The family believes that if Chris took his life, he did not know what he was doing, and that drugs or other substances may have affected his actions.”

Ativan

Ativan is the brand name for lorazepam, a benzodiazepine. It is used to treat anxiety, drug withdrawal, seizures, and agoraphobia – which, according to Mayo Clinic, “is a type of anxiety disorder in which you fear and avoid places or situations that might cause you to panic and make you feel trapped, helpless or embarrassed.” [2]

The drug can have serious side effects, including worsening depression, unusual mood or behavior, and suicidal thoughts.

Ativan is intended for short-term use, and can be addictive. Addiction to benzodiazepines, or “benzos,” can be extremely difficult to break, and can be fatal. Fleetwood Mac singer Stevie Nicks successfully overcame an addiction to Klonopin.

Read: Link Established Between Benzodiazepines and Dementia

There are some other famous names in this class of drugs:

• Valium, a.k.a. “Mother’s Little Helper.”

• Restoril – A medication for temporary insomnia that became the “Date Rape Drug.”

• Xanax – This drug may have at one time accounted for 60% of all hospital admissions for addiction.

• Klonopin – Originally brought to the market in 1975 as a drug for seizure disorders that has since become “a prescription of choice for drug abusers from Hollywood to Wall Street.”

Source: Business Insider – The 10 most addictive drugs in the world, as of March 2016.

Asher Simon, MD, assistant professor of psychiatry at The Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City, who did not treat Chris Cornell, said:

“Yes, of course you should never take more than prescribed. But 1 or 2 additional pills is usually not a huge deal.” [3]

At least, not on its own. And a couple of pills wouldn’t cause someone to slur their words, according to the doctor.

It’s considerably more dangerous to combine Ativan with alcohol or other drugs, because the potential is there to develop poor judgement, and experience slowed breathing and heart rate, according to Simon.

Chris Cornell struggled with substance abuse for most of his life, and did admitted in 2009 that he did a stint in rehab for OxyContin addiction. He said he’d been sober since 2002. [2]

Opioids and benzodiazepines are an especially dangerous combination.

Here are a few comments from Dr. Drew. Tell us what you think of this.

A non-suicidal person wouldn’t likely become suicidal from taking Ativan, Simon said, adding:

“A lot of suicide comes at a time of acute anxiety, and if it treats the anxiety it can actually prevent those suicides. It is extremely unlikely to cause suicidal thinking in and of itself.” [3]

Read: Benzos, Antidepressants Linked to Mass Shootings

However, that’s not a given. Sometimes it works the other way.

“In someone who is already depressed and suicidal, it can impair their judgment—and if someone is intent on killing themselves, it can lower their inhibition and make them more likely to act on their impulses.”

Sources:

[1] The Mercury News

[2] Variety

[3] Health.com

The Mercury News

Business Insider

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About Julie Fidler:
	Julie Fidler is a freelance writer, legal blogger, and the author of Adventures in Holy Matrimony: For Better or the Absolute Worst. She lives in Pennsylvania with her husband and two ridiculously spoiled cats. She occasionally pontificates on her blog.

The Dark Relationship Between Alcohol and the Liver

The liver is one of the most robust and capable organs in the body. It has to be, its function is to process toxins that have entered the body. However, some toxins, like alcohol, can be too much for the liver to process in excessive amounts. Despite the fact that many people do consume alcohol without immediate repercussion, it’s important to understand the hardline facts of what alcohol is, what the liver does, and how one affects the performance of the other.

Alcohol is processed differently than food; the stomach and intestines do not contribute to the digestion of alcohol, the liver does. Alcohol is a small molecule and passes directly through the membranes of the digestive system into the bloodstream to the liver. The liver receives almost all the blood flow from the digestive tract; hence the quick effect that happens when you drink alcohol; it’s been absorbed directly and the liver is receives most of it. The highest concentration of alcohol are found in blood flowing through the liver.

How the Liver Metabolizes Alcohol

The liver is the only organ in your body that can metabolize alcohol. Enzymes secreted by liver cells recognize alcohol as a toxin. In an attempt to break it down, one enzyme in particular, acetate dehydrogenase, transmutes alcohol into a substance known as acetaldehyde. Unfortunately, acetaldehyde is even more toxic than alcohol and it’s damage is not limited to the liver. Acetaldehyde can combine with liver proteins to form toxic compounds that impair other cellular components and enzymes in the body. Eventually, acetaldehyde is metabolized into acetate which metabolizes into carbon dioxide and, finally, water. Your body then discharges this stuff through the lungs, urine, and perspiration.

How Alcohol Affects the Liver

The Liver Center of Excellence, Virginia Mason Medical Center doesn’t mince words in their analysis, stating that alcohol consumption is often a factor in chronic liver diseases and may exacerbate liver problems. Alcohol increases inflammation in the liver and accelerates fibrosis. Or, rather, scarring. To top it off, alcohol increases the risk for liver cancer and death from liver disease. ^[1] Although the liver is the primary target, to a degree, regular alcohol consumption irreparably damages nearly every organ. ^[2]

Alcohol offers no nutritional value to the body, yet it is high in empty calories which provide no nutritional benefit to the body. Alcohol is converted to fat that accumulates in the liver and, to a degree, all who consume alcohol will get fat deposits. Fatty liver can progress to alcoholic hepatitis which can progress to cirrhosis. ^[2]

Your Liver May Be Getting a Beating

Think it only happens to other people? Think again. It’s sobering to learn that alcohol-induced liver damage is usually not evident. The liver has the capacity to regenerate and surviving with only 10-20% of liver function isn’t unheard of. Liver efficacy on a constant decline can sometimes cause the symptoms of liver disease unnoticed until it has progressed substantially How many people probably thought their alcohol consumption was harmless- only to later be shocked by a liver disease diagnosis? Balancing the pleasures of today with the consequence of tomorrow is a delicate scale.

3 Things You Can Do Immediately

1. Stop drinking alcohol.


2. Eat foods that known to support the liver.


3. Perform a full liver cleansing to combat the effect of toxins on your liver.

References

1. Lee M, Kowdley KV. Alcohol’s effect on other chronic liver diseases. Clin Liver Dis. 2012 Nov;16(4):827-37. doi: 10.1016/j.cld.2012.08.010. Review.


2. Ströhle A, Wolters M, Hahn A. [Alcohol intake–a two-edged sword. Part 1: metabolism and pathogenic effects of alcohol]. Med Monatsschr Pharm. 2012 Aug;35(8):281-92; quiz 293-4. Review. German.

Where Is Craft Beer Most Popular In America?

It’s difficult to miss the degree of variety beer lovers can enjoy at this moment in the US. This is due to the explosion of small breweries coming on to the scene, which emphasize experimenting with flavors and styles.

As Priceonomics.com notes, over the past 40 years (thanks to deregulation in the beer industry) the number of breweries in America expanded from a post-prohibition low of under 100, to over 5,000 in 2016. The bulk of this growth comes from small breweries, the most familiar to consumers being the microbrewery.

According to the Brewers Association, a trade group for American craft brewers, a microbrewery is any local and independent brewer that sells fewer than 15,000 barrels of beer per year and sells at least 75% through other bars, restaurants, and liquor stores.

Unfortunately, it’s not the case that you can walk to your local liquor store and choose from 5,000 different breweries to bring home tonight. The reach of small breweries are confined to particular markets as most microbreweries have limited and local distribution. The variety from these small craft breweries is typically limited to the state or metro area the brewery where the brewery is located. The fact is, some areas of the country are just better for beer aficionados who want lots of options.

So where do you have the best chance to sample the greatest variety of beer possible? Which states and cities have the most breweries overall?

We analyzed business listing data from Priceonomics customer Datafiniti to offer some perspective into that. This data set included the listings of craft breweries along with their locations. We combined this with supplementary information from the Brewers Association catalog of breweries, to offer more specific details.  

From our analysis, we are able to find out in what parts of America breweries reign supreme.

So, which state has the most breweries?

Number one is California by a serious margin, with over 600 breweries. Colorado and Washington are the next closest with about 350 each. With 15 or fewer breweries, Hawaii, Mississippi, Washington D.C. and North Dakota are at the bottom of our list. We found that cities in the Pacific Northwest and Colorado are your best bet for finding the most breweries in one place. Cities along the coasts and in the Midwest are also solid destinations. There are also some exciting small cities outside of this trend that should not be overlooked (like Asheville, NC). Vermont is the state with the most craft breweries per capita, while Boulder, Colorado is the city with the highest density of craft breweries.

Looking at the information in absolute terms skews our list towards the larger states with greater population. It’s intuitive that states with more people (and therefore more beer drinkers) would be able to support more breweries.

Understanding the number of breweries per capita will tell us where breweries are most plentiful relative to population...

The title of most breweries per capita goes to Vermont. Even though they only have about 50 in total, since the state is so small, that equates to 8 breweries per person. Montana, Colorado, Maine, and Oregon all have about 6 breweries per person. Overall we see a strong presence of breweries in the Pacific Northwest, New England, and the Midwest.

Read more details here...

New Poll Reflects America’s Changing Attitudes Toward Marijuana

A recent survey by Yahoo News and The Marist Poll reveals, among other things, that people – regardless of whether they have children or not – are more concerned about kids smoking cigarettes and drinking alcohol than they are about kids using marijuana. [1]

For the survey, 1,122 adults age 18 and older were polled from March 1 through March 7, 2017.

Overall, 52% of respondents said that they had tried marijuana at some point in their lives. Among women, 49% said that they’d used marijuana, while 55% of men said that they had done so.

A whopping 83% of those surveyed said that they approve of legalizing marijuana for medical treatment, and among men and women, there wasn’t much difference in opinion. Eighty-two percent and 83% said they were in favor of pot legalization for medical purposes, respectively.

Support for recreational marijuana was considerably more tempered. In total, 49% of respondents expressed support for legal recreational pot. That number is far lower compared with those who believe medical marijuana should be legal, but it’s still a good sign; In 2000, just over 30% of Americans supported legalizing recreational marijuana, according to Gallup polls.

When asked if using marijuana was socially acceptable, regardless of whether they believe it should be legal, 56% answered yes. More men (58%) than women (53%) said they consider marijuana use socially acceptable.

The surveyors split that same question up among parents, parents with adult children, parents with children under 18, and parents who use marijuana, and this is what they found, respectively:

• Parents – 50%

• Parents with adult children – 49%

• Parents with children under 18 – 51%

• Parents who use marijuana – 75%

One of the most telling signs that pot is going more mainstream is this finding: Among people who said they follow a religion, 45% said consider marijuana use socially acceptable.

The split in opinion over marijuana legalization among political parties is, well, what you would expect to see in a poll. Overall, 54% of registered voters believe marijuana is socially acceptable. The survey found that 65% of Democrats, 38% of Republicans, and 61% of Independents don’t consider marijuana use taboo.

Source: Vox

In 2000, only 29% of Democrats and 26% of Republicans voiced support for marijuana legalization.

However, when it comes to pregnant mothers, Americans still view marijuana as something to be avoided. Only 21% of respondents overall said it is acceptable for a pregnant woman to use marijuana to reduce nausea or pain. Even among marijuana users, the percentage was relatively low: 40%. More men (23%) than women (19%) support marijuana use for nausea and pain in pregnant women. I would have expected these numbers to be lower.

When broken down into regions, the Western U.S. showed the most support for recreational marijuana, with 55% saying they favor legalization. The finding is unsurprising, since Colorado and Washington were the first U.S. states to regulate sales of recreational cannabis.

California was the first state to legalize medical marijuana. Another 61% of respondents in the Western U.S. said they consider marijuana use to be socially acceptable, the highest percentage of all regions.

When asked whether they consider marijuana use a health risk, 51% of people overall answered yes. But, for the most part, people who’ve tried marijuana or regular users see it as less of a threat than those who never tried pot.

• Among those who never smoked cannabis, 64% consider it a health risk.

• Among those who tried pot at some point in their lives, just 39% view pot as a health risk.

• A mere 24% of regular users see any potential health threat.

Source: Vox

Here’s where things get interesting, and you can truly see the shift in attitude about marijuana in the United States. When asked which they considered a bigger threat, regular marijuana use or regular tobacco use, 76% of respondents said tobacco is more dangerous than pot.

Among millennials, 87% consider tobacco to be riskier than pot. But marijuana continues to get a bad rep from some seniors; 47% of people age 69 and older see pot as the bigger threat. However, 73% of baby boomers (ages 51-69) point to tobacco as a bigger danger than cannabis.

Tobacco use was named as a bigger health risk than tobacco use by far in all regions of the U.S., as well as among parents of children of all ages, not to mention Republicans, Democrats, and Independents.

When it comes to alcohol vs. marijuana, parents of all ages of children, both sexes, all four regions of the country, and all registered voters said regular alcohol use was more dangerous than regular marijuana use.

It appears that the nation’s opioid crisis has opened a lot of people’s eyes, as well, with all age groups but those 69 and over answering that a prescription opioid from a doctor is more of a health risk than a prescription for medical marijuana. The same was found in all regions of the country, among all levels of education, and regardless of income.

Even parents and those who practice a religion said they would trust the marijuana plant over a prescription painkiller when it comes to safely treating their ailments.

Source: Weed News

Will the Feds Crack Down on Marijuana with the New Presidency?

U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions, who is notoriously anti-legalization, has made comments hinting that the federal government may crack down on states where marijuana is legal. Here’s what respondents think of that:

• Overall, 30% of national adults believe the Trump administration should crack down harder on marijuana than the Obama administration.

• Overall, 38% of national adults think the Trump administration should be not as tough as the Obama administration.

• Overall, 27% of national adults say the current administration should be AS tough on marijuana as the Obama administration.

• Across all regions of the country, more people answered that the Trump administration should NOT be as tough on marijuana as the Obama administration.

Read: What Future Does Legal Marijuana Have Under a Trump Presidency?

Source: Buzzfeed

Finally, respondents were asked what their most significant concern was about marijuana; and, like a Cheech and Chong meme, the #1 concern among national adults is that it’s illegal. Only 14% expressed concern that pot use could lead to harder drugs, and only 7% worry about addiction.

Sources

Yahoo News/Marist Poll

The Journal Times

Image Sources:

Vox

Weed News

Buzzfeed

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About Julie Fidler:
	Julie Fidler is a freelance writer, legal blogger, and the author of Adventures in Holy Matrimony: For Better or the Absolute Worst. She lives in Pennsylvania with her husband and two ridiculously spoiled cats. She occasionally pontificates on her blog.

Extracts: Vegetable Glycerin is a Better Solvent than Alcohol

Plants and herbs hold a tremendous amount of energy and beneficial compounds within their cells. But how do you access that? Ingesting raw plant materials is one way of tapping in, but it’s not practical to eat 3 pounds of spinach or 2 dozen apples to obtain the enzymatic benefits or aromatic constituents. The useful parts must be isolated and concentrated.

Healthful compounds in herbs or botanicals can be isolated from the cellulose and plant material when they are combined with a solvent. The desired parts “dissolve” within the solvent, leaving behind the bulk of the plant material, and are then ready to be concentrated. Alcohol and glycerin extractions are both effective but separate processes with different methodologies. For extraction or constituent preservation, glycerin performs better than alcohol.^[1]

Vegetable Glycerin and Alcohol Have Different Preservation Mechanisms

Alcohol preserves through a denaturing, sterilization action. Denaturing is a process that alters the protein structure of cells, and in the case of living cells, may kill them. Effectively, alcohol wipes out the biological usability of many constituents ^[2] whereas glycerin preserves herbal and botanical characteristics.

How Vegetable Glycerin and Alcohol Respond to Contaminants

Alcohol has a sterilizing action that kills bacteria and contaminating organisms. The sterilization action of alcohol is not biased, however, and also affects the biological usability of what’s being isolated. Herbal products processed with alcohol will contain many extracted constituents and compounds that have been rendered useless by alcohol’s denaturing action. Glycerin, on the other hand, has a desiccant action that neutralizes contaminating organisms. In other words, glycerin deprives contaminants of water.

Safety of Vegetable Glycerin

Glycerin is a safe and effective preservative and aseptic agent when produced according to stringent standards that use the highest quality ingredients available. Conversely, alcohol can be toxic to the body and has a number of potential, adverse side effects.

Advantages of Vegetable Glycerin Based Extracts

As a solvent, alcohol is mechanically conducive to processing herbs, fresh botanicals, and resinous compounds. However, the denaturing characteristic of alcohol, while natural and sometimes beneficial, is detrimental to a plant’s extracted aromatic components, and makes them unusable. This prevents a product from offering the full benefits of the plant matter in question.

I have studied and researched vegetable glycerin’s micro-encapsulating properties and created the most effective extractive process possible with Global Healing Center’s groundbreaking Spagyrex® production process. Using vegetable glycerin to preserve the biological usability of herbal constituents and compounds, the natural energy of the full spectrum of a herb’s compounds and constituents is harnessed. Spagyrex® products are high-quality extractions that include the full spectrum of beneficial ingredients!

References

7 Survival Uses For Alcohol You May Not Have Considered

Image source: Pixabay.com

A critical part of preparing for survival is learning about everyday items that are present in most homes, and then repurposing those items into a variety of uses.

One such item is alcohol. Here are seven uses for it:

1. Fire-starter

In the event that you find yourself in a cold and wet survival situation with no dry tinder, alcohol just may be what saves your day. Simply soaking a piece of cloth in alcohol and then lighting it up with a match or lighter will get a fire started quickly. Of course, you’ll want to have extra fuel on hand to keep the fire going, but for transforming that initial spark into a flame, alcohol will work wonders.

2. Wound disinfectant

When you sustain an open wound, it’s essential to clean it with a disinfectant before bandaging in order to prevent the spread of harmful bacteria.

Get The Essential Secrets Of The Most Savvy Survivalists In The World!

Alcohol is a very effective wound disinfectant because it can kill bacteria instantly. The only downside to this is that it also can kill or damage tissue around an open wound, so you’ll want to be very conservative in how you apply it.

3. Surface disinfectant

This would come in handy for disinfecting knife blades, thermometers, medical equipment and cooking utensils.

4. Bartering commodity

In the event of an economic collapse where paper money becomes worthless, the new currency will be necessities: food, water, personal hygiene items, fire-starters, first-aid equipment, toilet paper, and so on.

While alcohol may not be a “necessity,” it is definitely something that will be in high demand during a disaster scenario. Even if you don’t drink alcohol, it may still be wise to set aside some beverages that you can use for bartering and trading when the time comes.

5. Bug repellent

Repelling bugs needs to be a bigger survival priority than most people realize. In any kind of a long-term disaster, sanitation standards are going to plummet, and diseases can spread quickly via mosquitoes, flies or other pests. Blend alcohol together with olive oil and then apply it directly to your skin. It will keep mosquitoes and other bugs at bay.

6. Mouthwash

Sip some alcohol into your mouth and then swish it around for about a minute. It will kill the bacteria on your teeth and gums. Spit it out and then rinse with water.

7. Firearm cleaner

When your usual gun-cleaning oils are no longer available during a survival situation, you can use alcohol as an alternative. Simply clean your gun like you would with cleaning oils, and then rub it down with a rag.

Do you know of other survival uses for alcohol? Share your tips in the section below:

Learn How To ‘Live Off The Land’ With Just Your Gun. Read More Here.

As Cops Keep Going After Pot, the 3 Deadliest Drugs in America are All LEGAL

While certain members of the mainstream media are fixated on President Donald Trump’s tweets, one story written by MSM may have flown under the radar. The Free Thought Project has consistently reported the safety of marijuana, its uses, and its benefits. However, the federal government, state governments, and local governments, all continue to lock away otherwise law abiding citizens for using, and sharing marijuana. Now, one member of the mainstream media is starting to sound a lot like The Free Thought Project. Vox, in its article “The 3 Deadliest Drugs in America Are Legal”, written by German Lopez, tells the truth about legal substances which are killing people left and right.

With respect to tobacco, the article states, “Overall, cigarette smoking is linked to one in five deaths in the US each year, according to CDC estimates for average annual fatalities based on deaths between 2005 and 2009. Nearly 42,000 of the total 480,000 deaths from smoking are caused by secondhand smoke.”

It is important to note that the Free Thought Project does not advocate for the prohibition of any substance as it always leads to more death, more crime, and more abuse.

However, for a substance to be linked to 20 percent of the annual deaths, and still remain legal, perplexes us here at TFTP given the state’s claim of ostensibly protecting society. But we understand that the deal the tobacco companies made with the federal government (1997), in what some have called an extortion deal, promised to give the federal government a steady stream of income for generations, so long as the substance remains legal. For example, in 2010, the federal government took in 15.5 billion dollars in tax revenue. So, ending tobacco tax revenue streams would effectively cost the federal government more money than it’s willing to relinquish. If the aforementioned mortality statistics and the deal made with Uncle Sam aren’t enough proof of corruption, collusion, and coercion, we simply do not know what is.

READ MORE:  Three Teenagers Facing 5 Years In Prison For Being Caught With Marijuana In a State Where It Is Legal

Moving on to alcohol, the statistics aren’t much better. “Alcohol-induced health problems, such as liver disease, led to more than 33,000 deaths in 2015. But that actually undercounts the number of deaths caused by alcohol: When including other causes of death like drunk driving and homicides, the toll rises to 88,000 per year,” the Vox article concludes.

And the relationship between alcohol and government is one based on monetary value to the tune of 5.6 billion per year. Despite all the PR ads advising consumers to “know how to drink responsibly” and “know when to say when”, for all intents and purposes, the federal government needs everyone to drink up! That way, the revenue stream will keep flowing, despite the nearly 100,000 individuals who lose their lives from drinking the toxins and who die in traffic fatalities.

Last but not least are opiates. Vox writes, “In the 1990s, drug companies, such as Purdue Pharma, pushed opioid painkillers on doctors and patients through an aggressive, misleading marketing campaign. Doctors, who were under pressure from advocates and government agencies to treat pain as a serious medical issue, prescribed the drugs in huge droves, letting them proliferate — not just to patients, but to the patients’ family and friends and the black market. As a result, opioid painkiller deaths skyrocketed.”

As TFTP reported at the end of last year, opioid-related deaths are skyrocketing. All the while, the federal government looks the other way while billions of opiate prescriptions are being filled every year. Last year, the government even approved the use of oxycontin for children.

READ MORE:  Obama"s Drug Czar Admits Govt Suppressed Research Showing the Benifits of Cannabis

Unlike alcohol and tobacco, the federal government has not yet been able to capitalize on taxing opiates, but that’s all changing. In June of 2016, under the guise of using the tax funds to “treat” opioid addiction, several U.S. senators introduced a bill that would levy a federal tax on all opioids. Do you see a pattern yet? The Budgeting for Opioid Addiction Treatment Act would apply a one cent per milligram tax on opiates if passed.

Compared to marijuana, which kills practically no one according to the report, the dangers of tobacco, alcohol, and opiates are very real and growing in size and scope. The major difference between cannabis and other big three killers is that the federal government purposefully maintains marijuana as an illegal narcotic which must be eradicated.

Fortunately, states are beginning to redefine the long-standing definition the federal government attempts to impose on the citizens of the United States. Medical marijuana is now a very real option for not only those who suffer from chronic pain, but those who have intractable illnesses, and emotional conditions better treated with cannabis than with prescription drugs. The only real threat the American people have, with respect to marijuana, is that the federal government, under the new Trump administration, will attempt to ban it completely in favor of continuing to addict Americans to the three deadliest substances on the planet: tobacco, alcohol, and opiates. The truth is, the feds are probably just trying to figure out how they’ll get their cut.

Drink Alcohol? This Might Cut Your Risk of Alcohol-Related Early Death

If you’re a drinker, carving out 2 to 2.5 hours a week to exercise may reduce your risk of dying early from alcohol-related cancer and other health problems.

Not drinking would eliminate that risk, but let’s be realistic.

Drinking can be Fun, but…

Let’s face it; we live in an alcohol-rich society, and many of us like it that way. But that doesn’t mean we should ignore how it could affect our health.

Alcohol consumption is linked to higher rates of early death from any cause, including cancer. The more you drink, the higher your risk. Though, just to confuse things, past studies indicate that moderate drinking may have some heart health benefits. [1]

People’s drinking habits seem to go hand-in-hand with their lifestyle habits, in general. Drinking and smoking usually go together, for example. But not many studies exist where researchers looked at how alcohol consumption affects people who exercise compared to those who don’t.

So a Few Scientists Decided to Study It

Emmanuel Stamatakis, an associate professor at University of Sydney in Australia, and his colleagues looked at more than 36,000 middle-aged men and women for an average of nearly 10 years and tracked their death rates and causes of death.

The individuals tracked by the researchers were over the age of 40 and had provided data for 6 editions of the Health Survey for England up to 2006, and the 1998 and 2003 editions of the Scottish Health Survey.

The Findings

The team found that only those who weren’t physically active – defined as those who didn’t get the recommended 150 minutes of moderate-to-intense exercise each week – had a higher risk of early mortality.

Those who reported getting the recommended amount of exercise had slightly lower death rates, as long as they drank no more than 1 to 2 drinks per day. However, those who drank in excess, at levels considered dangerous for their health, showed higher rates of death regardless of how much they exercised.

For women, hazardous drinking means consuming 8 to 20 alcoholic beverages a week. For men, it means consuming 21 to 49 standard alcoholic drinks per week. [3]

Source: Medical Xpress

Stamatakis says:

“Among the physically active, there was no increase in cancer and all-cause mortality up to hazardous levels of alcohol consumption.” [2]

Furthermore, there didn’t appear to be a difference in mortality rates among physically active participants, whether they exercised at the minimum recommended amount or the maximum amount.

The authors concluded:

“Meeting the current physical activity public health recommendations offsets some of the cancer and all-cause mortality risk associated with alcohol drinking.”

The Study’s Limits

The study relied on self-reporting, so it doesn’t definitely prove cause and effect, says Michael Hyek, senior director of OhioHealth’s McConnell Heart Health Center. Even so, Stamatakis believes his study gives “yet another reason” to promote exercise.

He asks:

“How many more reasons do we need for physical activity to be taken seriously?”

Hyek agrees, saying:

“I know very few chronic medical conditions that exercise will not have a positive impact on. It’s a good thing regardless of what your circumstances are.”

So, if you drink, try not to overdo it (at least not too often, and don’t scrimp on exercise.

Actually, don’t scrimp on exercise, even if you don’t drink.

Sources:

[1] Time

[2] The Guardian

[3] CNN

Medical Xpress

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About Julie Fidler:
	Julie Fidler is a freelance writer, legal blogger, and the author of Adventures in Holy Matrimony: For Better or the Absolute Worst. She lives in Pennsylvania with her husband and two ridiculously spoiled cats. She occasionally pontificates on her blog.

Obesity and Liver Cancer Link Now Supported by New WHO Study

People who have a high body mass index (BMI), excess weight circumference, and Type 2 diabetes have a greater risk of developing liver cancer, a large new study finds. [1]

One expert in the United Kingdom (U.K.) is even calling for a shift in attitude so that obesity is seen as a red flag for having an increased risk of liver cancer.

The Study

In the study, BMI and waist measurement were used as 2 markers for excess belly fat. Type 2 diabetes was also used as a marker, due to its close association with obesity.

Researchers compared the rates of liver cancer, which have more than tripled in the U.K. since the 1970’s, against 1.57 million adults who were cancer-free when they enrolled in 14 different studies.

Liver cancer rates were compared among patients with and without obesity and diabetes to determine how much of a role these factors play in developing the disease.

Researchers controlled for age, sex, alcohol use, smoking, and race. [2]

An Increased Risk

The team found that for every 5-point increase in BMI, there was a 38% increase in the risk of liver cancer among men and a 25% increase among women. [1]

For every 2-inch increase in waist circumference, the risk of liver cancer increased by 8% – even after controlling for BMI.

In all, they found that being overweight increased the relative risk for liver cancer by between 21% and 142% as BMI increased. [2]

Participants who also had Type 2 diabetes were 2.61 times more likely to be diagnosed with liver cancer. The risk also increased in higher BMI. [3]

No association between BMI and cancer was found if the participant had hepatitis, a cause of liver cancer so strong that it overwhelms every other cause. However, among those without hepatitis, the increased risk was significant. [2]

Association Does Not Equal Causation

Peter Campbell, a director at the American Cancer Society, which participated in the research, says:

“We found that each of these three factors was associated, robustly, with liver cancer risk. All three relate to metabolic dysfunction. This adds substantial support to liver cancer being on the list of obesity-associated cancers.” [3]

Like the U.K., the incidence of liver cancer has tripled in the United States, where it is the 6th most common type of cancer.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), obesity sparks about 500,000 cancer cases annually.

In May, a review of more than 1,000 studies by the WHO’s International Agency for Research on Cancer showed that being overweight or obese increased the risk for at least 13 types of cancer. Those 13 types are:

• Esophageal


• Colorectal


• Breast


• Uterine


• Kidney


• Gallbladder


• Pancreatic


• Thyroid


• Ovarian


• Brain


• Multiple myeloma


• Blood


• Stomach

Researchers said that the only risk factor that seemed to be more significant was smoking.

Obesity can cause metabolic and hormonal abnormalities, as well as chronic inflammation, which are all contributors to cancer.

Sources:

[1] WebMD

[2] The New York Times

[2] Daily Mail

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About Julie Fidler:
	Julie Fidler is a freelance writer, legal blogger, and the author of Adventures in Holy Matrimony: For Better or the Absolute Worst. She lives in Pennsylvania with her husband and two ridiculously spoiled cats. She occasionally pontificates on her blog.