Amphetamine, Energy Drinks and Associated Problems

Amphetamine, Energy Drinks and Associated Problems

Amphetamine is a psycho-stimulant drug which was first synthesized in 1887 by Lazăr Edeleanu, a Romanian chemist.

No pharmacological use was found for amphetamine until 1929, when psycho-pharmacologist Gordon Alles, in search of an allergy drug remedy, re-synthesized and tested it on himself. He noted a “feeling of well being,” “palpitation,” and eventually a “sleepless night” in which his “mind seemed to race from one subject to another.”(1)

A few years later a new drug dubbed “Benzedrine”, based on Alles re-synthesized amphetamine compound, was released on the market by the Philadelphia firm Smith, Kline and French as a decongestant inhaler.

The company then began to look for more commercial outlets for amphetamine in a wide range of medical specialties. The use that stirred interest among neuro-psychiatrists was for therapy of common, milder depressions. Amphetamine represented the first of the anti-depressant drugs and its use soon spread to general practice. (2)

However, the use of amphetamine soon spread outside general practice. By early 1937, abuse of the drug was reported among mid-western college students, and amphetamine tablets were taking on a new identity as “pep pills” or “pepper-uppers.” Students were mostly taking amphetamine while studying for, or actually taking, exams.(3)

After decades of reported abuse, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) limited amphetamine to prescription use in 1965, but non-medical use remained common. In 1971, amphetamine became a schedule II drug, under the Controlled Substances Act.

A schedule II drug is classified as one that has a high potential for abuse, severe physiological and psychological dependence, and has a currently-accepted medical use, such as d-amphetamine used to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). (4)

More recently, many students have turned to a legal stimulant to aid their performance – the ‘energy drink’....read more at Heroin and Cornflakes blog...

Alcohol, Insomnia and Cancer

Alcohol, Insomnia and Cancer
Last week, it was announced in the UK, that alcoholic beverage manufacturer Diageo has been invited to suggest measures to tackle public health crises. A similar invitation is being considered in the US. (1)

Diageo is the world’s largest producer of spirits and a major producer of beer and wine. (2)

Net profit generated by the company rose to 1.6 billion pounds ($2.59 billion) in the 12 months to June 30 2009, up from 1.5 billion pounds earned in the previous fiscal year.(3)

Perhaps Diageo will suggest diverting some of this profit into a health campaign to alert the public on the dangers of alcohol. In the US alone, approximately 14,000 women a year are diagnosed with breast cancer attributed to alcohol consumption.(4)

A 1997 publication by the World Cancer Research Fund and the American Institute for Cancer Research stated that;

The role of alcohol in increasing breast cancer risk was among the most consistent findings regarding the influence of dietary factors on breast cancer risk, and research since then has continued to demonstrate the relationship between alcohol consumption and breast cancer. However, the reasons for this are unclear. (5)

Could Insomnia play a part? read more at Heroin and Cornflakes

Tobacco and Cancer – Canada in Denial

Tobacco and Cancer – Canada in Denial

Tobacco products are products made entirely, or partly, of leaf tobacco as raw material which are intended to be smoked, sucked, chewed or snuffed. All contain the highly addictive psychoactive ingredient, nicotine.

Tobacco smoke contains more than 4,000 substances, of which more than 40 are known to cause cancer. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has classified cigarette smoke as a Class A carcinogen (any substance, radionuclide or radiation, that is an agent directly involved in causing cancer).

In Canada, 21% of Canadians over the age of 15 are cigarette smokers – a total of 5.4 million people.

Health Canada state;

• Every 35 minutes, a Canadian woman dies as a result of smoking
• Lung cancer kills more women than breast cancer
• Death by stroke is five times higher in women who smoke

Despite this knowledge, Health Canada abruptly announced at a closed-door meeting with provincial and territorial representatives, in late September, that it was suspending plans to move forward with larger and more graphic warning labels as well as a prominently displayed toll-free number for a quit-smoking line on tobacco packets.

Instead, the federal government’s tobacco policy will now focus on fighting contraband cigarettes.

read more at Heroin and Cornflakes blog...

Alcohol, Heroin, Rats and Russians

Alcohol, Heroin, Rats and Russians
Bert enjoys drinking alcohol when he watches football.

Oscar will inject himself with heroin to escape the garbage heap he believes his life is.

Cookie often gets hungry after smoking marijuana.

Elmo enjoys the rush and feelings of confidence he gets when he snorts cocaine.

Who has the lowest potential risk of becoming physically dependent on his drug?

A. Bert B. Oscar C. Cookie D. Elmo

Good question.

It was taken from an article by Ted Powers published by The Association for Psychological Science (previously the American Psychological Society) which was concerned with occasional, appropriate use of humor in increasing student attention and to maintain focus.(1)

Powers defines humor broadly as an event that elicits laughter. It can be anything that creates a positive feeling in students and makes them smile and laugh. Humor captures their attention and is memorable.

He also believes humor in tests may help a teacher avoid activating disturbing memories in their students.

Disturbing memories such as alcohol abuse. read more at Heroin and Cornflakes

Egyptian Mummies, Drugs and Cancer

Egyptian Mummies, Drugs and Cancer

One of Egypt’s most prolific rulers was Ramses II, also known as “Ramses the Great”, who reigned for 67 years during the 19th dynasty of the 12th century BC. He lived to be over 90 years old.

His glories surpassed all other Pharaohs, and Egypt reached an overwhelming state of prosperity during his reign. Not only is he known as one of Egypt’s greatest warriors, but also as a peace-maker. He was the first king in history to sign a peace treaty with his enemies, the Hittites, ending long years of wars and hostility.(1)

When the mummified remains of the Pharaoh were brought to Paris in 1976, a team of scientists went to the Museum of Mankind to study the corpse.

Initial analysis had revealed Ramses was suffering from severe dental problems and was plagued by arthritis and hardening of the arteries. But one scientist, Dr Michele Lescott, discovered what looked like specks of tobacco clinging to the fibers of the Royal burial wrapping (linen). However, many scientists dismissed this find to be “contamination from modern sources” because tobacco, it was said, would not even arrive in Egypt for another 2700 years.(2)

Dr Svelta Balabanova, a forensic toxicologist, was called in to investigate. She obtained samples of intestinal tissue from deep inside the body and declared that she had discovered the presence of cannabis, coca and tobacco, laid down in the body cells like rings on a tree.(3)

In Munich a decade later, seven ancient Egyptian mummies were flown from the Cairo Museum and samples sent to a list of qualified investigators. Again Dr Balabanova was called in and conducted a series of gas chromatography tests that revealed the presence of nicotine and cocaine in all seven mummies.

Rosalie David, curator of Egyptology at the Manchester Museum, examined the mummies and Dr Balabanova’s analysis. David explained;

drugs in prehistory

“The ancient Egyptians certainly used drugs. As well as lotus (eating blue lotus can act as a mild sedative), they had mandrake (which contains hallucinogenic tropane alkaloids), and cannabis. There is a strong suggestion that they also used opium (which contains up to 12% morphine).”

Meanwhile, Dr Balabanova continued her work analyzing tissue from ancient humans from around the world. She examined hundreds of subjects, prepared over 3000 samples for drug analysis, and found evidence of “divine plants” residuals in a vast majority of the bodies. (4)

Cancer Rare in Ancient Times

Another team of scientists has recently been conducting studies on mummies that has revealed conclusions of a very different nature. It suggests cancer is a man-made disease caused by modern day environmental factors. read more at Heroin and Cornflakes blog...

Sprite, Marijuana and Cancer

Sprite, Marijuana and Cancer

Sprite is the world’s leading lemon-lime flavored soft drink. Introduced in 1961, Sprite is sold in more than 190 countries and ranks as the No. 4 soft drink worldwide, with a strong appeal to young people. (1)

The No. 1 lemon-lime soft drink was one of the fastest-growing Coca-Cola brands through 1997 although growth slowed in 1998 when volume was up just 3 percent. Then the brand began to decline.

In 2004, Coke created Miles Thirst, a vinyl doll used in advertising to exploit the hip-hop market for soft drinks and to appeal to teen males in suburbia.

More recently, Sprite has been appealing to a very different crowd. Scientific researchers have shown that Sprite appears to control stomach acidity in a way likely to allow greater absorption of an oral anticancer drug, Lilly Compound X (LCX), into the body.(2)

Faraj Atassi and colleagues note that efforts are underway to develop more anticancer medications that patients can take by mouth. However, biological variations among patients — due to variations in stomach acidity and other factors — can reduce the effectiveness of oral anticancer drugs. Based on the results, the scientists suggest that patients in future clinical trials take the drug with Sprite.(3)

However, let’s hope the researchers don’t give the sugar-free version, Sprite Zero, to their patients to take alongside their medication.

Why? read more at Heroin and Cornflakes blog...

X-Rays, Cancer and the Godfather

X-Rays, Cancer and the Godfather

A nationwide Armenian-American organized crime group has been charged with trying to steal more than $160 million from Medicare.(1)

Among those in custody is Armen Kazarian. The FBI calls him the vor, or godfather, of the operation and investigators say he’s the first vor ever arrested for racketeering in the U.S.

He and fellow members of the group set up phony health clinics and billed Medicare for treatments that were never performed.

The groups supposedly took advantage of the user-friendly side of Medicare. Medicare tries to pay health care providers promptly by not verifying whether treatments have actually been rendered before it sends money.

Any more groups taking advantage of Medicare?

How about unnecessary exposure to medical X-Rays? read more at Heroin and Cornflakes blog...