U.S. Healthcare Critical Issues

U.S. Health Care System Critical Issues--week 2, discussion 1 Joshua  8/1/2013 3:06:06 PM

What do you believe are the three most critical issues facing the health care system in the United States today?  Explain and justify your response. 1.  Marijuana has been called a miracle plant.  It is being used in treating nausea and vomiting, and helping with the appetite of chemotherapy patients, and also is used for relieving chronic pain.  It is also a natural anti-depressant and decreases anxiety.  Sadly, it is still called a “controlled" substance in the majority of U.S. states.  “Despite the evidence indicating therapeutic uses, The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) has refused to consider reclassification of marijuana, and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has officially opposed the use of marijuana as medicine”  (Marijuana Legalization Organization, n.d.).  Besides the undeniable, health benefits, legalization could end deforestation, make biodegradable plastics, and end dependence on oil, coal, and gas. It is also good to mention that violent crime in Colorado, since legalizing cannabis for adults over 21, has gone down by 400 percent.  (Hirchert, 2013) 2.  Deforestation and dependence on oil, coal, and gas also effects public health by polluting the environment and being a drain on the income and lungs of virtually all peoples.  “America's dependence on oil is a threat to our national security and our economy. . .  With U.S. gasoline consumption accounting for 11 percent of world oil production, the U.S. has been hit hard by our dependence on oil, intensifying our economic and political vulnerability”  (Natural Resources Defense Counsil, n.d.). 3.  Funds for basic needs of the poorest people is an important role the government plays to provide health care.  Food stamps are one form of welfare for consumers.  By providing minimal funding too feed victims of poverty, a majority of Americans are subjected to eating canned and processed foods putting them at higher risks of cancer and other health abnormalities.  This is left up to state governments to dictate who gets what.  “Despite its powers to provide for the general welfare and regulate commerce, the federal government could not act directly in health matters; it could act only through states as its primary delivery system”  (Turnock, 2011). What major forces are most likely to fuel further movement toward major health care reform in the Unites States? When Federal Reserve Notes stop being worth anything (because they literally has negative value, even now), we will be emancipated from the illusion of scarcity that allows the “government” to sell us our own value.  Then, we will all be more healthy and free. References Hirchert, N. (2013).  Colorado: Violent Crime Down 400% Since Marijuana Legalization.  Observer.  Retrieved from http://fmobserver.com/colorado-violent-crime-down-400-since-marijuana-legalization/ Marijuana as Medicine  (n.d).  Marijuana Legalization Organization.  Retrieved from http://mjlegal.org/medicinal.html Safe, Strong and Secure: Reducing America's Oil Dependence  (n.d.).  Natural Resources Defense Council.  Retrieved from http://www.nrdc.org/air/transportation/aoilpolicy2.asp Turnock, B. (2011). Essentials of Public Health (2nd ed). Jones & Bartlett Learning. Retrieved from http://online.vitalsource.com/books/9781449640996/id/pg79

RE: U.S. Health Care System Critical Issues--week 2, discussion 1 Nadine  8/4/2013 10:19:20 AM

Joshua, I agree that marijuana has some medical benefits, however, I don't agree that it's one of the most critical issues facing health care today. I would even go so far as to say Cannabis oil is really the health benefit, not necessarily the marijuana itself.  The Cannabinoid oil inside of the leaf is really where the true benefit lies. People can only get but so much of the oil when they smoke it. While you listed all very important issues, I do not agree that they are the most critical issues facing healthcare.  What do you think about the obesity epidemic?  Or how about the underinsured and uninsured?  What roles do you think they play in our health care system today?

RE: U.S. Health Care System Critical Issues--week 2, discussion 1 Joshua  8/4/2013 11:11:05 AM

Nadine, Marijuana is not only medicine, an acre of hemp could make 4-10 times more paper than an acre of trees, legalizing cannabis would cut deforestation in half.  The entire war on drugs, as President Obama stated, should be a public health issue and not criminality.  Poland, 10 years after decriminalization, have seen drug abuse down by half. Obesity is a problem that I think has to do with a corporate exploitation of our food system.  The more wholesome a person eats, the healthier they are.  Instead it's monopoly. About insuring the uninsured, I definitely see it as a major issue with public health.  Costly hospital bills are not being payed and it should be publicly funded.

RE: U.S. Health Care System Critical Issues--week 2, discussion 1 Damon  8/4/2013 1:59:10 PM

Joshua, After reading your post I was trying to find the relation between medicinal  marijuana use and how this is a critical issue that is facing the health care system. While I can understand your view on the use of medicinal marijuana we must be clear that one of the  main reasons why people use recreational drugs whether legal or illegal and this includes marijuana is so that they can experience a so called high they use it to help them relax, their view or image of lifes reasoning is altered. Some of the side effects to include but not limited to the intensified feelings that a person experiences as they relate to eating, watching movies, egaging in sex or any other social form or interaction (Degenhardt,2009). Now I know that you mentioned medicinal marijuana usage, the marijuana that is used for medicinal purposes is made inside of a laboratory with whatever additives that the governmnet sees fit to add based on the needs of the individual. When we look at marijuana usage for Cancer patients, regardless if two people share or have the same type of Cancer their body is going to respond differently to treatment. When most people continue to use recreational drugs, this is not to find a new high, they are chasing their intial high. Marijuana usage at this point would seem like this would not only hurt society, but could cause more damage in allowing people to become more irresponsible. Irresponsiblity in the sense that with the state of euphoria that people experience from marijuana usage they have a decreased sense of response in their judegment, as well as reflex and motor skills. Forgive me for asking, but how does decreasing the value of the Federal Reserve serve as a critical means in further advancing the movement to major health reform in the United States? I have found that with the Federal Reserve that the value of the US dollar is decreasing and it can be contributed to government spending, but some of the blame can fall on the shoulders of the people as well, for instance if a person has an income of $36,000, they will try to justify placing themselves in $72,000 worth of debt. The Federal Reserve is established for just more than providing financial means for the country, but this is also a way of separating the socioeconomic classes. Hall, W., & Degenhardt, L. (2009). Adverse health effects of non-medical cannabis use. The Lanet, 1383-1397. Damon Kennard

RE: U.S. Health Care System Critical Issues--week 2, discussion 1 Joshua  8/4/2013 5:49:44 PM

Federal Reserve Notes have a negative value and their trade hinders access abundance.  For more information, watch Zeitgeist Addendum by Peter Joseph, and you will better understand the vastness of the schism. About the marijuana, I suggested more than medicinal use being important for public health.  Everyone seems to ignore the part where I mention ending deforestation, making biodegradable plastics, and ending dependence on coal, oil, and gas.  Does a 400% drop in violent crime in Colorado not prove anything else, too?

RE: U.S. Health Care System Critical Issues--week 2, discussion 1 Instructor Nguyen-Grozavu 8/6/2013 2:01:46 PM

Modified:8/6/2013 2:03 PM (Note:  Modified by me immediately after posting since my numbering was off) Hi Joshua, Thank you for your post!  Your passion in these three issues come through, but be sure to use scholarly sources in all discussions (as well as in all university courses) to legitimize and provided stronger support for your position; it helps frame your comments in a higher education learning environment debate (going beyond re-iterating comments from blogs/related websites, people's opinions, unsubstantiated claims without data support, etc.).  I have a few comments below.  1)  We already talked to some extent about issues you brought up related to marijuana in the "Ask Your Instructor" forum.  There are a few additional comments I would like to point out in relation to new claims made related to the first two issues identified.  You brought up some valid points about the benefits (to some extent) of marijuana.  However, the other side that has been debated is marijuana can have harmful psychological effects and people have  been known to abuse it (including youth), which has contributed to it being considered illegal.  You mentioned a major drop in crime in Denver over a matter of a few months, which I will note was cited from a "satire news and entertainment website".  Longitudinal data is preferred to see if the trend sustains and to see if it is beyond a coincidental association.  2)  If you look at scholarly sources (I will provide one as an example), a RAND report assessed data examining marijuana use and found that higher marijuana use is "positively associated with property arrests and income-producing criminal arrests. There is also evidence from the UCR (Uniform Crime Reports) analysis that marijuana use might be positively associated with the number of violent arrests" (Pacula & Kilmer, 2004, p. 24).  However, you make a valid point that marijuana may be involved in less violent crimes overall, but other types like property damage still exist especially among youth.  Another consideration is that data on crimes committed possibly involving marijuana sometimes have other types of drugs detected (in addition to marijuana) in arrestees, so it may be hard to determine the exact amount that can be attributed to the specific drugs.  3)  Also, you quoted that there is a 400% decrease - what are the specific numbers where this was calculated?  I was unsure after looking at the data that Hibert used to make that claim.  An important consideration is to ask yourself if the results are statistically significant (meaning it is beyond random association that we see this occurrence between these two factors of violent crime and marijuana use).  When you look at the website you cited by Hibert, you can see in the comment below on that website that someone also pointed out the importance of correctly interpreting the data.  For instance, I know you talked about a decrease, but my point is that an increase from 1 to 4 can be reported as a 400% increase but is not statistically significant due to the small numbers.  This is why studies with small sample sizes can only make correlation/association claims, and never can demonstrate causality.  4)  You also mentioned the marijuana can help reduce deforestation.  Can you provide the source(s) for this claim since this is something I never heard about but is an interesting point?  You mentioned it in your first issue but with no source, and then talk about deforestation again in your second issue and cited a well-known organization (NCRD) but this publication does not talk about marijuana's role in deforestation.  The general of deforestation is am important issue that I appreciate you bringing up, particularly as consumption and the world population continue to grow. 5)  Lastly, would you like to further elaborate on other issues as the main forces that are fueling the health care reform movement? Instructor Nguyen-Grozavu Reference Bacula, R.L., & Kilmer, B.  (2004).  Marijuana and crime:  Is there a connection beyond prohibition? (Working Paper No. 10046).  Santa Monica, CA:  RAND Health.  Retrieved from http://www.rand.org/content/dam/rand/pubs/working_papers/2004/RAND_WR125.pdf

RE: U.S. Health Care System Critical Issues--week 2, discussion 1 Joshua 8/6/2013 8:30:03 PM

Here is a scholarly article about hemp, which is marijuana's sister plant, potentially cutting deforestation in half. http://www.hempfarm.org/Papers/Hemp_Facts.html

RE: U.S. Health Care System Critical Issues--week 2, discussion 1 Instructor Nguyen-Grozavu 8/8/2013 2:21:35 AM

Hi Joshua, Thank you for providing this website.  It is not a scholarly site, but does list information that has links to other sites.  I checked out a few related to the topic of deforestation (such as "paper") and found the source links were also not scholarly sources.  For example, under the "paper" subheading, interesting points were made so I wanted to see where this information was obtained.  When I clicked on the links, a few sources were listed as such: [liii] “Hemp Through History” ecomall.com, “CROPS: Cotton, Hemp, Flax and Kenaf”, oldgrowthfree.com [liv] “CROPS: Cotton, Hemp, Flax and Kenaf”, oldgrowthfree.com [lv] ibid. [lvi] ibid. First, "Hemp Through History" is not on the "ecomall.com" website, which "ecomall" is actually a website to search and eco-friendly products.  So I performed a search for the title "Hemp Through History" and it was actually a site based in Slovenia that cited historical information about hemp-based products but did not list where they got their information. Second, after I did a search for "CROPS:  Cotton, Hemp, Flas, and Kenaf" since no website was listed, a website about alternative energy listed this article title.  However, there was no information about the where they got their information they listed.  Also, if you look at the people who put this website together, it reads they are an "unorganized group of alt energy aficionados. The content you find on this website, is the collaboration of those few alt energy nuts, who have collated and authored, what we think, is accurate (at the time of publishing) information on developments in the field of alternative energy sources in the North America, Europe and Australia...We are not a scientific organization but a hobby group for people with a keen interest in alternative energy solutions." Third, the website "oldgrowthfree.com" listed does not mention anything about hemp. You present an interesting point, but it is a challenge to understand without scientific sources that have transparent and citable data and facts.  With that being said, I was not aware of the various uses of hemp to the extent mentioned on the website you provided so I found it enlightening but wished the sources they provided for the information given can be traced. Instructor Nguyen-Grozavu Respond

RE: U.S. Health Care System Critical Issues--week 2, discussion 1 Joshua  8/15/2013 10:58:55 AM

Here are some scholarly articles about the use of cannabis in treating cancer. http://thenaturalhealthpage.blogspot.co.uk/2013/08/34-medical-studies-proving-cannabis.html Please, respond, as this has a relevance with my understanding of public health. Thanks.

RE: U.S. Health Care System Critical Issues--week 2, discussion 1 Joshua  9/2/2013 5:55:23 PM

http://www.whydontyoutrythis.com/2013/09/harvard-study-shows-marijuana-cuts-lung-cancer-tumor-growth-in-half.html Why is no one responding anymore?