On Jul 1, 1:52=A0pm, "anon" <shopatho...@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> wrote:
> Mel--
> Obama's healthcare plan is just another giveaway to the private
insurance
> companies that have gotten us into this mess with their cynical
profiteeri=
ng
> (some of Obama's biggest sup****ters are those very insurance companies).
> Even under Obama's plan, the United States will STILL be the only
advanced=
> industrialized country that does not provide basic health care to all
its
> citizens; and, because of the continued plunder of the private insurance
> companies, it will STILL have double the health-care costs per capita of
a=
ny
> other industrialized country with no better (in fact, comparatively
worse,=
> in some cases) life expectancy. In fact, in a survey done several years
ag=
o
> by UNESCO, the United States' healthcare system ranked about 37th in the
> world, only two notches ahead of Cuba, which has nearly the same average
> life expectancy as the United States. See
>
> http://www.photius.com/rankings/healthranks.html
>
> The only answer to the healthcare crisis in this country is to provide
> Medicare for all. Medicare is one of the most successful social programs
i=
n
> the history of this country--even right-wingers happily avail themselves
o=
f
> it, and would dread to see the day their parents did not have access to
it=
!
>
> On this issue, the mainstream Democrats are just as culpable and
clueless =
as
> the Republicans. We need to campaign independently for Medicare for all,
a=
nd
> put pressure on BOTH major parties to push for such a plan (right now
only=
> two major candidates for the presidency sup****t such a plan--Cynthia
> McKinney of the Green Party and the independent Ralph Nader).
>
> For more information on this issue, please go to the Web site of
Physician=
s
> for a National Health Program:
>
> http://www.pnhp.org/
>
> "Mel" <melvy...@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> wrote in message
>
> news:17b12a3f-5eb4-470b-8aef-3d52d1af5c97@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> On Jun 30, 7:10 pm, zumone2002 <zumone2...@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> wrote:
>
>
>
>
>
> >http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/pf/59195471.html
>
> > Marijuana Has Anti-Inflammatory That Won't Get You High
> > Richard A. Lovett
> > for National Geographic News
> > June 24, 2008
>
> > A compound in marijuana may be a potent anti-inflammatory agent that
> > won't get people high, scientists say.
>
> > The finding could be a boon to sufferers of arthritis, cirrhosis, and
> > other diseases. Existing drugs can be less effective for some people
> > and can carry side effects, from stomach ulcers to increased risk of
> > heart attacks.
>
> > Marijuana sup****ters have long argued that the plant's active
> > ingredients, known as cannabinoids, are safe and effective treatments
> > for pain, nausea, and other ailments.
>
> > The most active cannabinoid=97delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol, or
THC=97is
> > known to have anti-inflammatory properties. But it is also responsible
> > for the plant's psychotropic effects.
>
> > Now researchers say that another cannabinoid, called beta-
> > caryophyllene, or (E)-BCP, helps combat inflammation without affecting
> > the brain.
>
> > (E)-BCP is already part of many people's daily diets, the researchers
> > note. Foods that are particularly high in the compound include black
> > pepper, oregano, basil, lime, cinnamon, carrots, and celery.
>
> > Essential oils from cannabis plants=97whose leaves and flowers are
used
> > to make the marijuana drug=97contain up to 35 percent (E)-BCP.
>
> > But even after decades of cannabis research, scientists hadn't
> > previously known that the compound had anti-inflammatory properties.
>
> > "This is because the focus was on the classical cannabinoids [rather
> > than (E)-BCP]," said lead study author J=FCrg Gertsch of the Swiss
> > Federal Institute of Technology.
>
> > Lone Receptor
>
> > Cannabinoids in marijuana are known to primarily affect two of the
> > many molecular receptors in the human body.
>
> > The CB1 receptor is found in the brain and central nervous system and
> > is responsible for the high people experience when they smoke pot.
>
> > The other receptor, called CB2, is found in tissues in the rest of the
> > body and triggers a cascade of biochemical reactions that can help
> > combat inflammation.
>
> > "Our interest is to exploit the pharmacological nature of the CB2
> > receptor," because it does not have psychotropic side effects, Gertsch
> > explained in an email.
>
> > "Targeting the CB2 receptor could be a therapeutic strategy to prevent
> > or treat diseases like Crohn's disease [inflammation of the intestinal
> > tract], liver cirrhosis, osteoarthritis, and atherosclerosis."
>
> > THC activates both receptors, so it won't alleviate inflammation
> > without also making people high.
>
> > But (E)-BCP affects only the CB2 receptor, according to the new study,
> > which appears in today's issue of the Proceedings of the National
> > Academy of Sciences.
>
> > As part of their research, the scientists engineered a strain of mice
> > that lacked the CB2 receptor. The team then fed the modified mice and
> > normal mice a diet rich in (E)-BCP.
>
> > When the scientists induced inflammation with chemicals, normal mice
> > experienced an anti-inflammatory effect while the genetically
> > engineered mice did not.
>
> > "This experiment shows that the anti-inflammatory effects are mediated
> > via the CB2 receptor," Gertsch said.
> > ...
>
> > --
> > Luke
>
> Luke,
>
> First off, let me thank you for keeping this newsgroup current about
> the latest research. =A0I am a lurker that never skips your posts. =A0I
> used to post here before but feel I have little to offer since it's my
> son with CD and he usually refuses to talk about his health. =A0And
> that's a good thing. =A0He trusts me to know what to do if he flares and
> I do mostly because of you and this site. =A0His wife (a godsend) often
> asks me about "stuff" when we're alone. =A0BTW, I think this is very
> healthy for all concerned--the patient doesn't obsess, and the helpers
> are knowledgeable.
>
> As to today's research, it moved me to comment. =A0IBD sufferers have a
> tougher battle with daily life than most--and deserve/need the chance
> to get high. =A0They have extra op****tunities to get low so this seems
> almost fair. =A0Put another way, even if marijuana didn't reduce
> swelling, many chronically ill folks should be allowed to use it for
> its psychological effects.
>
> Probably the next time I'll post here is closer to the US elections.
> Four years ago, I implored people to vote for Democrats for their own
> self interest--better healthcare insurance plans. =A0To me, the
> Republicans are in it for the money, the Dems for the votes. =A0The
> former motivation has given us the present system, the latter possibly
> will benefit those without huge bank accounts and great job benefits.
> It's a no brainer to me--the fact that the Rs have screwed up
> everything and everyone except the very rich has made self interest
> inclusive of the whole planet and all its inhabitants.
>
> Again, thanks for your scientific diligence--hopefully we'll hear
> about a cure (or better treatment) before the general population. =A0We,
> the sufferers of IBD--and their families--deserve at least that. =A0Then
> we could all get a little high with our friends w/o marijuana.
>
> Mel- Hide quoted text -
>
> - Show quoted text -
anon,
I agree with you about medicare--and that Obama's plan is much weaker
than it should be--Edwards and Clinton had better ideas. That said,
Obama is leaning in the right direction--and would go along with
universal healthcare--McCain and friends would veto and filibuster it
to death. In sum, Obama is a friend--not yet an ally, and McCain is
from the enemy camp. On all things civil, the US cannot afford 4 more
years of malignant cor****atism.
Mel
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