Veterinary Care Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Veterinary Care - Essay Example This would change, however, as people realized that knowing how to care for animals could be a career for them. They began writing books, more of the guide sort, to sell to farmers. These writings eventually found its way outside of Europe. (Biere, 1955) The earliest mention of a practitioner in the United States is found in a 1625 case where a certain person by the name of William Carter was charged of not being able to cure a cow as he promised. The first ever veterinary surgeon of America was College of London graduate John Haslam. (Dunlop, 1996) In the 19th century, several books and journals regarding veterinary medicine came into publication. There were the books entitled The American Cattle Doctor (1850) and The Modern Horse Doctor (1854) by George Dadd. The American Veterinary Journal was founded in 1851 by the same person as well., also of the same person, founded and edited the American Veterinary Journal. It was followed by Alexandre Liautard's American Veterinary Review in 1875 which was by Alexandre Liautard. This became known as the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association. (Schwabe, 1978; Smith, 1933) World War II had a big impact on animal medicine and food safety. New drugs developed for soldiers during the war such as penicillin and sulfa drugs were later used to treat livestock. The insecticide DDT was used during the war and later helped kill flies and other outdoor parasites that hurt farm animals. (Smith, 1976) During the war, the government thought Midwestern cattle operations might be targets for sabotage. They were worried that cattle might be contaminated by foreign infections, threatening the food supply. Government veterinarians were hired and local vets were told to be on the alert. After the war, veterinarians began to use new drugs to treat diseases such as foot rot and shipping fever in cattle, as well as infections that killed baby chickens and turkeys. As new drugs came out of the research institutions, they were used against brucellosis, infectious anemia, worms, cholera, Newcastle disease, foot-and-mouth disease, and rabies. (Lise, 2005) The Evolution of Veterinary Care Veterinary medicine evolved from skill and field based practice to a more structured education that began with the establishment of the school in Lyons, France. With the establishment of dedicate schools such as New York College of Veterinary Surgeons (1857-1899) and the American Veterinary College (New York, 1875-1898), the knowledge and the process became more scientific. (Smith, 1976; Smithcors, 1973) Developments in the field of medicine, science and technology paved the way for more complex tools of analysis and medication in the field of animal care. Many technologies now exists today especially for the prevention and cure of diseases afflicting agriculturally important animals. Animals nowadays often receive advanced medical, dental, and surgical care including insulin injections, root canals, hip replacements, cataract extractions, and pacemakers. The field has also grown from caring for agriculture related animals, such as cows, chickens and horses, to animals that serve as pets and even extended to other kinds of animals which are not usually included in these two categories. (Harrowsmith Country Life, 2007) Importance of Veterinary Care Of the many factors why veterinary care is essential, the most important lies in its capacity to eliminate, hamper and mitigate disease outbreaks

Melting of the Arctic Glaciers Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Melting of the Arctic Glaciers - Essay Example . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3 B. Adaptation Efforts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3 C. Examples of Adaptation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 3. Conclusion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4 4. Works Cited (Bibliography) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 Introduction People had previously dismissed warnings about global warming because of claims a group of scientists tasked to study its effects had fudged or manipulated their data. But today, there is no more doubt on this topic as the glaciers in the Arctic region of the world (located in the northernmost part of the Earth) are melting away fast due to the greenhouse gases caused by the burning of fossil fuels. Oil and coal are used to produce energy and electricity but they also produce by-products which are mainly carbon dioxide and methane that trap the sun heat energy. It is su pposed to be reflected back to outer space in a process called as Albedo effect. A warmer Earth has changed the ocean's surface temperatures and also its salinity with serious effects on marine life (Ehrlich 1) and caused rising sea levels. This brief paper examines all its effects on the populations of low-lying areas of the world and what can be done about it. Discussion Even the skeptics are now convinced that global warming really exists as manifested by weather that has gone haywire, as mentioned in an article by Mr. Hertsgaard like a â€Å"fiercer heat wave, harsher droughts, heavier rains and rising sea levels† (1). The top three polluters of the world are China, America and India, in this order of magnitude. â€Å"The world pumped about 564 million more tons (512 million metric tons) of carbon into the air in 2010 than it did in 2009. That's an increase of 6 percent. That amount of extra pollution eclipses the individual emissions of all but three countries - China, the United States and India, world's top producers of greenhouse gases. It is a "monster" increase that is likely unheard of, said Gregg Marland, a professor of geology who has helped calculate Department of Energy figures in the past. This extra pollution in China and the U.S. account for more than half the increase in emissions last year.† (Borenstein 1). What is even more alarming is the observation that even if all emissions are stopped or discontinued today, global temperatures will still keep rising for 25 years. There are basically two ways or approaches by which people can deal with the global warming phenomenon: first is mitigation and the second is adaptation. Mitigation pertains to a front-end approach of reducing gas emissions to slow down the warming trend and it includes using renewable and clean energy sources, such as wind power or solar power. The other end of the equation is adaptation which are actions intended to safeguard a community or country from the il l effects of global warming, such as rising sea levels that can inundate low areas. Mitigation – everybody can contribute to reducing greenhouse gases by living simple lifestyles. The idea is to reduce a person's carbon footprint by using less fuel in daily living. It entails, for example, using the car less and walking more often, or using a bicycle for moving around. There are many ways by which one can accomplish this, such as reducing the use of manufactured products or consumer items that use a lot of energy, reducing use of electricity, or by patronizing more

Ancient to Modern Art History Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Ancient to Modern Art History - Essay Example The essay "Ancient to Modern Art History" investigates modern art history, ancient history and analyzes figure of St Augustine. He was a gifted writer in theological works. â€Å"The good which I now sought was not outside myself. I did not look for it in things which are seen with the eye of the flesh by the light of the sun. For those who try to find joy in things outside themselves easily vanish away into emptiness. They waste themselves on the temporal pleasures of the visible world. Their minds are starved and they nibble at empty shadows†. This is an example of many of his sayings, by which he meant that he was happy with the beauty that he had of himself and nothing he could see from the world, would ever impress him. The fulfillment he had was the acceptance of Christ and a strong belief in serving God that replaced all other aesthetic beauty that could entice the body. The beauty and precision in the detailing of Mausoleum of Galla Placidia Ravenna, in Italy, which we re built with the most precious of stones; such as such as marble and gold, placed mosaics to precision in every detail, like in the arrangement of more than the 800 stars on the roof, the alignment of the cross on the vault, the depiction of Christ as a good shepherd, all depict the visual beauty of Christianity that has attracted more tourists than believers to the religion. A fascinating mosaic inside on the south side of the Mausoleum of Galla Placidia Ravenna, in Italy, is a depiction of a man believed to have been St. Lawrence.

Multiculturalism Research Proposal Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Multiculturalism - Research Proposal Example Different people have addressed this topic but I have seen it important to address the topic and try to come with a remedy to ensure that people can embrace each other’s cultural diversity. This will also prevent cultural profiling which is common among different people in the society. On the bid to address the issue, many writers have tried to project ways in which people can take advantage of the situation without allowing the division to creep in. According to Clarence Page a contributor in the Chicago Tribune, the way the issue is being addressed in the United States has left more rifts rather than proposing a reconciling strategy. Mathew Lynch writing about multiculturalism in schools notes that it is important to teach students at an early age how to embrace each other’s diversity instead of profiling each other negatively based on their different cultures. He also adds that blending of the different cultures can be both a blessing and a curse according to the way that the issue will be addressed. Bafford adds that there is no harmonized American culture and so the people living there should show high levels of cultural tolerance. Responding to the issue of multiculturalism is the main issue as Valerie, an editor with the Los Angeles Times puts it. Th e education system should therefore address it to ensure that people embrace each other’s uniqueness and different cultural orientation. The research will cover the topic in a different way to address the limitations of the previous researches and come up with a working model for the same. The research should also come up with recommendations and the relationship between multiculturalism and other social aspects that are evident in any given society. The leading question will be on ways to address

Changes in Gender Inequality in Canada in Sports Essay Example for Free

Changes in Gender Inequality in Canada in Sports Essay Society expects males and females to fulfill specific gender roles – â€Å"attitudes and activities that society links to each sex†. Males are expected to be ambitious, strong, independent and competitive, which â€Å"encourages males to seek out positions of leadership and play team sports†. And females are expected to be deferential, emotional, attractive, quiet and obedient, â€Å"supportive helpers and quick to show their feelings† (Macionis and Gerber, 2011:300). These traditional stereotypes have been challenged and confronted by many women and feminists, and in this paper we are going to look specifically in sports and physical activities. My thesis statement will be that gender inequality has been decreasing over the last 100 years. Women were slowly starting to participate in all sports which were considered to be masculine, and were only available for men to enjoy. One of the first factors which could be linked to the emancipation of women in sport in late 1800 – early 1900s is the safety bicycle. It not only caused a revolution in women’s fashions: women’s sportswear was finally being designed to accommodate more vigorous activity, but â€Å"was also a â€Å"vehicle† through which women broke with traditions and asserted their independence† (Hall and Richardson, 1982: 32-33). Slowly more organizations, sports clubs and tournaments were opening up for women. In the early 1900s, women started to participate in most forms of sport, but were still prohibited from activities there body contact was possible. Period after the World War I and throughout the 1920s was really exciting for sportswomen in Canada and their fans. â€Å"This often called the â€Å"golden age† of women’s sports, it was time when popular team sports like basketball, ice hockey, and softball became sufficiently organized to hold provincial and Dominion championships; when the best athletes, especially in track in field, began to complete internationally and eventually at the Olympic Games; and when women leaders and administrators took control of women’s sports, claiming they knew what was the best for girls and women, although the advice of the man was still needed† (Hall, 2002: 42). In the 1928 Canadian women have joined Olympics in Amsterdam for the first time for the track and field competition. In the mid 1930s â€Å"depression tightened its grip on Canada and the were signs that the Golden Age was over. Reactionary attitudes towards athletic competition for females was taking hold; commercialized professional sport for men was on the rise, meaning that men’s sports were given priority of access to public facilities. Spectators were drawn away from the women’s games to the exclusively male professional sports like ice hockey, football, baseball; it became increasingly difficult to find sponsors for women’s amateur sport† (Hall and Richardson, 1982: 36). World War II took its toll on both men’s and women’s sports. Although many of leagues continued to exist, nobody took athletics seriously. Olympic Games did not start again till 1948. † Post war conservatism has been described by Betty Friedan: women should desire â€Å"no great destiny than to glory in their own femininity†. Careers or commitments outside of their home were unnecessary for their personal fulfillment and undesirable for the satisfactory performance of the housewife role† (Lenskyj, 1986: 83) For the duration of war women were occupying men’s jobs and were laid off as soon as men returned home to resume the rightful place. It was still alright for women to participate in â€Å"beauty producing† sports like figure skating, synchronized swimming, or gymnastics and as long as they looked pretty and feminine on the tennis, badminton courts, golf courses, and ski hills, they were not criticized. But women athletes which were â€Å"sweating on the basketball courts, softball pitches, ice hockey rinks, and the cinder tracks were suspect, their femininity continually questioned† (Hall, 2002: 109). Participation in school, university and community sporting programs however, was hardly likely to pose a threat to femininity. Basketball continued for the most part to be played by girl’s rules. Softball, an already simplified version of baseball, was in some cases was modified further for girls and women. In the 1960s not only women’s femininity was being questions but also their sexuality. In the 1966 the first official â€Å"sex tests† were introduced, with three gynecologists visual examination to confirm that athletes genital sex was, in fact female. â€Å"The introduction of sex tests coincided with significant advances for women in terms of their participation at the Olympic Games, with number of them increasing dramatically throughout the 1960s and 1970s.† For example at the summer Olympics, the 800 meter running was reintroduced in the 1960s. Women’s volleyball, the first team event for women was introduced in1964, along with pentathlon and 400 meter individual medley, swimming event. The 1968 Olympics in Mexico City six more swimming events were introduced and in the 1972 at Munich, the 1500 – meter run, 4400 meter track relay, and kayak slalom were introduced. So the number of women on Canada’s Olympic team has increased from 11.30 to 22.6 per cent for the Summer Olympic between 1960 and 1972, and from 21.4 to 38.3 per cent for the Winter Olympic Games during the same period. Sex testing at the Olympics originally was called â€Å"femininity control† and was trying to determine who was genetically female, because prior to that where has been a lot of men who were trying to pose as women, which was only found out after the fact and also women athletes were becoming more â€Å"masculine†, therefore it had to be proved that they were actually females (Hall, 2002: 153 -159).The sex testing did not stop until the 1998 Olympic Games in Nagano. By the mid-1970 all across Canada parents started noticing that their daughters were not being treated the same way as their sons when it came to recreational and sporting opportunities by the late 1970s there has been a lot of sports related complaints of sex discrimination. The majority of these cases were involving young girls who wished to play on all male sports teams. The main value of these human rights cases was to bring public interest, concern and â€Å"pressure to bear on eliminating unequal, sex discriminatory sport and recreation programs† (Hall, 2002: 163) In March 1981 Canadian Association for the Advancement of Women and Sport(CAAWS) was established. It started providing women athletes with funding and support. And finally â€Å"in 1982 women were granted equal protection and equal benefit of the law in the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms† (Macionis and Gerber, 2011: 305). Beginning of the 1990s in the most areas of organizational life including sports, has been a subtle shift from â€Å"equality† to â€Å"equity†. â€Å"Gender equity is the principle and practice of fair and equitable allocation of resources and opportunities for both females and males. This eliminates discriminatory practices that prevent the full participation of either gender† (Larkin and Baxter, 1993: 4) In the past decade Canadian women are participating almost in all sports on competitive levels. â€Å" In 1998, in Nagano, Japan, women’s hockey was an official Olympic sport for the first time, and world of Canadian women’s hockey changed forever. The game that originated in Canada had become part of our collective identity, continues to be our most popular sport and it is now played by women – legitimately!† (Macionis and Gerber, 2011:320) Canadian women Hockey team has won Olympic gold medal 3 times in a row: 2002 Olympics in Salt Lake City, 2006 Olympics in Turin, and 2010 Olympic Games in Vancouver. Their achievements have been absolutely amazing. They have showed that they force to be reckoned with. They actually have done better than Canadian male Olympic team. In this 2012 Olympics Games in London, England for the first time women’s boxing is going to be introduced. And there has been controversy of women should wear shorts or skirts. The Amateur International Boxing Association (AIBA) requested that female boxers wear skirts so that would make them more elegant – on the trial basis – at the European Championships and for permanent use in the Olympics. One of Canadian boxers Elizabeth Plank, told Teddy Katz of CBC radio sports news this January: â€Å"Forcing women to wear skirts, I think, it’s sexism†. Eventually AIBA have decided to have optional for female athletes to decide if they want to wear skirts or shorts. (CBC Sports) As we are able to see gender stereotypes and discrimination in sports still exists. Women still do not get as much Media coverage as men do. They are still making smaller salaries than their male counterparts. Women athletes still have to look beautiful and attractive or they might be stereotyped as being lesbian, butch or masculine, if there are not. What about the future? It seems that future for Canadian women athletes seems bright. There are much more opportunities that are coming up for women in sports, for example in the Winter Olympics in Sochi in 2014, Russia the addition of women’s ski jumping has been approved. Women are going to keep fighting for the equal rights to participate in sports events without being criticized to be unfeminine. Daniels (2009) argues that femininity –masculinity divide still prevents women athletes to be taken seriously in their sports. And the best would be to embrace the polygendered way of being, which emphasizes the similarities between women and men, and that way female athletes will be given the chance to achieve their full sporting potential and be judged for performance, rather than their appearance. References 1. Baxter, Betty and Larkin, Jackie.1993. Towards Gender Equity for Women in Sport. ON: CAAWS. 2. CBC Sports, Feb 19, 2002 (http://www.cbc.ca/sports/story/2012/02/19/sp-aiba-boxing-skirts.html) 3. Daniels, Dayna B. 2009. Polygendered and Ponytailed. Toronto: Women’s Press. 4. Hall, Ann M. 2002. The Girl and the Game†. ON: Broadview Press Ltd. 5. Hall, Ann M and Richardson, Dorothy A. 1982. Fair Ball. Ottawa: The Canadian Advisory Council on the Status of Women. 6. Lenskyj, Helen.1986. Women, Sport and Sexuality. Toronto: Women’s Press. 7. Macionis, John J and Gerber, Linda, M. 2011. Sociology.7th ed. Toronto: Pearson Canada Inc.

Analyzing the Flesh and the Spirit by Anne Bradstreet

Analyzing the Flesh and the Spirit by Anne Bradstreet Five Literary Criticisms Throughout history, there have been many religious faiths and practices that aim the same goal in different ways. One of them was Puritanism and the Puritan believed that the best way to gain admission to heaven was to focus on how sinful they were. Anne Bradstreet was the first Puritan figure in American Literature and in her poem titled The Flesh and the Spirit, she discussed Puritan practices. This essay will analyses the poem with 5 literary criticisms, including Marxist Criticism, Feminist Criticism, New Criticism, Reader-response Criticism, and Psychoanalytic Criticism. Starting with the Marxist Criticism, we need to look at the eras economic conditions first. Anne Bradstreet lived in the Massachusetts Bay Colony and the colony was highly dependent on the import of staples from England. The Puritan dislike of ostentation led the colony to also regulate expenditures on what it perceived as luxury items. Items of personal adornment were frowned upon. In the poem, we see two characters discussing what kind of life people should have. The sister named Flesh tries to explain to her sister named Spirit that the World has everything that could keep them happy and content. Fleshs this kind of approach to the earthly goods is totally against Puritan believes. As the colony Bradstreet lived in already frowned upon luxury items, the sister Spirit says, My Crown not Diamonds, Pearls, and gold, / But such as Angels heads infold. Here, she means that she doesnt have a materialist personality. The poet, Bradstreet, reflects her colonys world-view for the economic matters in those lines. When we try to analyze this poem using the Feminist Criticism, we simply need to ask some questions regarding to poets sex, education, and then look at the characters. The poet was a woman. And when we read her biography, we see that she didnt attend any school but was educated by his father. This informs us that she lived in a male-dominant society because girls didnt attend school even if her father was a steward. The characters in the poem are also girls and they discuss religious matters. Here, the author breaks the male-dominant society and makes her female characters question the religious matters, especially the Puritanism. When the subject is religion, one shouldnt even question the most unimportant thing. But the sister Flesh questions it and all she says is totally against the Puritanism seen in the poets colony. Since the poet herself is a woman, we can assume that a woman discusses a religious practice in a male-dominant society. Analyzing a poem with New Criticism requires a person not to take background information of the poet, poets other works or the story in the poem into consideration. When we read what Spirit says about earthly goods and how she criticizes what Flesh claims that people need to enjoy them, we can understand that this poem reflects the Puritan beliefs. Words used in the poem belong to the English spoken at least 350 years ago. Metaphors were also used in the poem. The character Flesh is a metaphor for earthly items, such as diamonds, pearls, and gold. The poem is not also in a stanza form. It looks like a wall of text. This means that the poet didnt want to separate what is wanted to mean. It means that the poem is all about the same thing. Rhymes used in the poem also makes it sound better and that way it attracts readers attention. When I try to analyze this poem as a reader with the Reader-response Criticism, I can directly say that this poem is about Puritanism; therefore, religion. Since Spirit seems to be more dominant in the poem, the poets environment is a Puritan society. Id say this poem is not different than other religious poems because they all aim one goal: Heaven. It is the way they discuss what to do in order to go to Heaven. Flesh seems to be a sinner character whom readers should avoid. I dont know whether its okay to blame a character to praise a religion or religious practice, but this kind of behavior would make me more uninterested in that religion or practice. As the verses say, No Candle there, nor yet Torch light, / For there shall be no darksome night. they just sound to be impressive sentences that attract people to that religion no different than that of all religions have. To analyze this poem with the Psychoanalytic Criticism, we need to analyze the characters thoughts, their fears, and what they do to suppress their fears.   When we look at what Spirit says in the poem, we can understand that her core issue is fear of God; thus, she adopted the Puritan beliefs in order to go to Heaven. On the other hand, Flesh is just opposite of Spirit. She displays everything that is against fear of God. This can also be interpreted to be an avoidance as her defense mechanism, since she tries to avoid any religious thoughts and want to enjoy all earthly pleasures. To sum up, this essay tried to analyze the poem titled The Flesh and the Spirit by Anne Bradstreet with 5 literary criticisms. With the Marxist Criticism, we looked at the eras economic conditions and tried to reflect Bradstreets colonys world-view for the economic matters in her poems verses. Using the Feminist Criticism, we tried to explain how Bradstreet broke the man-dominated society and used her female characters to discuss religious matters. With New Criticism, we tried to show figures of speech and what the poems form means. Reader-response Criticism was used to explain what the author of this paper understood from the poem. And finally, with the Psychoanalytic Criticism, we tried to identify characters core issues and their defense mechanisms.

The Legalization Of Marijuana For Medicinal Purposes Health Essay

The Legalization Of Marijuana For Medicinal Purposes Health Essay The legalization of marijuana for medicinal purposes has become an increasingly controversial topic, with many different issues on which people have many different opinions. There is opposition to the legalization of marijuana for medicinal purposes because it has the potential to be used incorrectly, however it is also considered that there is the potential for marijuana to be used in relieving the suffering of many seriously ill patients. Marijuana has been used by people for thousands of years to provide relief from many different serious medical problems. There are many doctors who currently support the effectiveness of using marijuana as treatment for various medical conditions. The many people who are suffering from cancer, multiple sclerosis, and AIDS have found that marijuana can be a very effective pain and symptom reliever. ÂÂ  The legalization of marijuana for medicinal purposes is viewed by its opposers as one of the worst things that we could do. Their reasons are that they feel that marijuana should not be legalized for medical use because it is an illegal substance and until that is changed, prescribing it is against the law. Attorney General Janet Reno announced that physicians in any state who prescribe the drug could lose the privilege of writing prescriptions, be excluded from medicare and Medicaid reimbursements, and even be prosecuted for a federal crime (Kassier 1). Government officials such as Janet Reno are not the only ones to object to the legalization of marijuana. Many parents groups like Mothers Against Drunk Drivers object to the legalization of marijuana for medical uses. Their objections come from a reasonable concern that there has been an increase in the use of marijuana by youth. Their concern is expanded since the marijuana of today is much more potent than the marijuana of a few decades ago. The potential for these teens to obtain the drug would increase. Also, the Federal Health and Drug enforcement officials feel tha t by legalizing marijuana, they would be sending the wrong message to young people (Your Health 1). Strong evidence that shows that regular use of marijuana for long periods of time could cause severe lung damage (Your Health 3). If the use of marijuana could damage a patients lungs, then the risk could outweigh the benefit. Marijuana smoke can be twice as toxic as tobacco smoke to a human lung. The strongest point that many make opposing the legalization of marijuana is that there just is no clear evidence that smoking marijuana can help an individual who is ill (Marijuana for the Sick 2). Countless amounts of research has been done but both sides have countered each other with facts and studies. What are the benefits and what are the clear cut negatives? The concept of using marijuana for medical use is nothing new. Marijuana is one of the oldest drugs known to man, the use of it has been documented as far back as 2700 B.C. in a Chinese manuscript. The Chinese would injest or inhale the Marijuana and feel pain relief for headaches and small aches and pains (Marijuana 1). The Chinese spread the concept over time, and while it never began a popular drug in most other societies, it still existed and was a common pain reliever. In 1839, a respected member of the Royal Academy of Science, Dr. W. B. OShaugnessy, was one of the first in the medical profession, who presented positive facts dealing with marijuana and medicine (History in Brief 3). His work helped open up the medical world to marijunas medical usees. The drug itself was not used as a popular recreational drug at the time and for this reason few saw a problem with using it for medical purposes. From 1840 to 1900, more than one hundred articles by American and European medical j ournals were published that showed the therapeutic uses of marijuana (Bakalar 2). Marijuana was recommended to stimulate appetites, and relax muscles, so if marijuana was effective in treating those ailments during this time period. Its defenders point out that the drug was praised by the patients and doctors alike. In 1988, Judge Francis Young, an examiner on administrative issues for the Drug Enforcement Agency, recommended that marijuana be reclassified for medical use, because the current acceptance of marijuana is present if a respectable minority of doctors support it. (A Doctors Report 1). The same Journal of the American Medical Association article, pointed out that even though the medical history of marijuana is five thousand years old, it has almost all been forgotten. Marijuana has already been legalized for medical use by both California and Arizona. In order to be passed, these laws required a majority vote by the public and by Congress that favored the legalization of marijuana. In 1991, eighty percent of the San Francisco voters approved of legalizing marijuana, and seventy-seven percent of Santa Cruz voters also agreed (History of Medical Marijuana 1). Since these laws were passed, there is proof of support for the legalization of marijuana for medicinal purposes. California and Arizona may be the only states that have legalized marijuana for medicinal purposes, but they are not the only states that have considered the legalization of medicinal marijuana. Massachusetts, had previously passed laws that permitted their citizens to use marijuana for medical purposes under some circumstances (Reefer Madness 2). Many states have passed laws that lessen the prosecution of those doctors who prescribe marijuana (Federal Foolishness and Marijuana 2). There have also been many polls showing that the public favors the use of marijuana for medical purposes (Reefer Madness 2). With all of this support for legalizing marijuana, it is only a matter of time before the prosecution of doctors for prescribing marijuana and patients for using marijuana as medicine ceases. Another powerful supporting factor for the legalization of marijuana is the endorsement of physicians. During a random survey of the American Society of Clinical Oncology, one thousand thirty-five members responded with surprising results (A Doctors Report 1). Almost half of the doctors said that they would prescribe marijuana if it were legal, and forty-four percent of them said that they had already recommended it to a patient (A Doctors Report 1). If there are doctors who are recommending marijuana, even at the risk of prosecution, it is obvious that they strongly believe that it can be very useful in the treatment of their patients. In addition, almost two thirds of the doctors also agreed that marijuana was an effective anti-emetic (A Doctors Report 1). This is important because of the life-threatening dehydration that can accompany emesis, which is usually known as vomiting. Doctors are allowed to prescribe narcotics for pain relief, such as morphine a! nd meperdine, which have been known to cause death during overdose, yet they are not allowed to prescribe marijuana as a medicine, even though marijuana has never been known to kill anyone (Federal Foolishness 2). Scientists have discovered that the reason that marijuana is so effective in treating many of the symptoms of the terminally ill is because of a chemical called THC, which is the main active ingredient in marijuana. Even though science has found a way to make a synthetic THC, marketed as Marinol (Lost in the Weed 1), it is extremely expensive, and it does seem to cause higher levels of depression and anxiety (Lost in the Weed 1). Other side effects of the synthetic THC are extreme dizziness and unsteady gait (Your Health 3). These side effects alone may be difficult to deal with, but many of these patients are already dealing with harmful side effects from the medicines they are taking for the treatment of their illness. They should not have to take a pill that is supposed to relieve them of side effects that causes additional side effects. Another negative aspect of Marinol that is experienced by patients and documented by doctors is that the synthetic THC, and! the THC from marijuana react differently in the body. There is also a convincing body of research, some of it now two decades old, shows that smoked marijuana suppresses nausea better than Marinol pills and with fewer side effects. (Your Health 3). Also, many patients are combatting nausea and vomiting, and it can be difficult for them to keep the expensive Marinol pill down (Medical Marijuana Debate Moving Toward Closure 3). If terminally ill patients have tried many different treatments, which have not been successful, and find that smoking marijuana helps them with their symptoms, with fewer side effects, and less expensively, then the patients should legally be able to have the option to make that choice. Cancer patients have found marijuana to be very effective in treating the side effects of chemotherapy. In an article in Time, Marijuana: Where Theres Smoke, Theres Fire, cancer patient Jo Daly, has described her experience with chemotherapy as a nuclear implosion of nausea. She went on to discuss feeling a burning pain under the nails of her fingers and toes. After she had tried many different alternatives to relieve her pain, she tried marijuana which seemed to be the only drug effective in relieving her pain. Jo Daly is not the only one to find marijuana effective in relieving the discomforts of chemotherapy. During the late seventies, and mid-eighties, six states performed research on how well marijuana operated on combatting chemotherapy related nausea and vomiting (Medical use of Marijuana 2). Their studies concluded that marijuana an extremely effective way to deal with the side effects of chemotherapy (Medical use of Marijuana 2). Prevention and con! trol of nausea and vomiting is paramount in the treatment of cancer patients (Information for Physicians 1). The reason that nausea and vomiting needs to be controlled is that, These can result in serious metabolic derangements, nutritional depletion, deterioration of a patients physical and mental status, withdrawal from potentially useful and curative antineoplastic treatment, and degeneration of self-care and functional ability. (Information for Physicians 1). For cancer patients it is very important to control their nausea and vomiting and marijuana seems to be able to accomplish this. It seems reasonable to allow patients the option and make medical marijuana available for their use. Another disease that marijuana seems to be useful in pain relief is multiple sclerosis. Multiple sclerosis is a painful central nervous disease for which there is no known cure. The most common complaint of multiple sclerosis patients is the pain of powerful muscle spasms, vertigo, and double vision, all of which can make life nearly unbearable (A Daughters Pain 1). There are some patients who say that marijuana can help in relieving them of these symptoms (A Daughters Pain 1). Even though there are existing medications offered to treat multiple sclerosis, many choose marijuana to relieve them of their suffering (A Daughters Pain 1). The reason for this is that other medications often result in severe side effects, that marijuana does not seem to have (A Daughters Pain 1). There is no documentation of this because there have been no controlled clinical trials that have compared marijuana with existing legal drugs (Your Health 3). There is proof, however, in! the fact that many patients choose to purchase marijuana to relieve their pain at any cost. Some patients are even willing to go to jail to get their marijuana, because for them, it is the only thing that proves to be effective (Federal Foolishness and Marijuana 1). Marijuana has also been found useful for treating patients with AIDS. It seems that marijuana can positively help AIDS patients in several ways. Some ways that marijuana can help is by relieving stress and depression, eliminating nausea, reducing pain, and fighting the AIDS wasting syndrome by enhancing the appetite (Stop Using Patients as Pawns!!! 1). Even though there are many treatments, AIDS patients who are in the final stages of the disease still suffer greatly. The legal options for these AIDS patients are the human growth hormone, another type of hormone called Megace, and the synthetic THC pill, Marinol (Your Health 3). These are the only FDA approved drugs for treating AIDS wasting syndrome, but some patients say that these are not adequate substitutes for marijuana (Your Health 3). It was said by one patient on Marinol that, All it did was make me groggy without enhancing my appetite., but marijuana has been found to increase the appetites of AIDS p! atients. AIDS activists and the doctors who treat the disease report that marijuana is also useful for suppressing the nausea thats a side effect of several anti AIDS drugs (Your Health 3). Another vital concern when dealing with an AIDS patients is their immune system. However, when studying HIV-positive men who used marijuana, it was determined that the marijuana did not seem to accelerate the deterioration of their immune systems (Your Health 4). This is another important consideration in treating this deadly disease. There are many different viewpoints on the use of marijuana as a medicine. These different points of view result in many important issues regarding the use of an illegal drug for medicinal use. Even though there are many people who are against legalizing marijuana for medical purposes, there are just as many who feel that if used correctly, marijuana can be an essential part of treating serious diseases. For centuries marijuana has been used to help those who are in need of effective pain relief . There are many doctors and patients, who feel that the usefulness and effectiveness of marijuana is being overlooked. As a result, many doctors are recommending the use of marijuana, regardless of the possible legal issues. Many patients, who are suffering from cancer, multiple sclerosis, and AIDS, have discovered that marijuana is a drug that provides them with much needed relief and they are using marijuana regardless of the consequences. In basic terms Marijuana may hav! e long term adverse effects and its use may presage serious addictions, but neither long-term side effects nor addictions is a relevant issue in such patients (Federal Foolishness and Marijuana 1) While advocating the legalization of marijuana as a recreational drug would be detrimental to society, its effectiveness for medicinal uses is clear and needs to be seriously considered.