Medical Marijuana Use

Okay... Okay... I know what some of you may be thinking..why am I doing my post on this?... Tonight on the news, a man was arrested for distrbuting his medical marijuana, selling it. To be honest, I don't know much about medical marijuana, and I'm not sure if I really support it. I have seen what marijuana can do to people and am hesitant about people using it for medical uses... but maybe I will change my mind after some research.

What is Marijuana used for, medically?

First things first, I need some background on marijuana. Marijuana is also known as cannibis. The major active compound in the plant is THC. The chemical has a psychoactive and medicinal effetcs when consumed. The plant is usually somked like a cigarette.

Believe it our not, but marijuana is an antioxidant. Marijuana has a chemical that protects cells, better than Vitamins C or E. The drug may even prevent stroke and heart attacks.

THC the main component in marijuana can help with nausea and vomiting symptoms of some medical illnesses. When THC is smoked or ingested, it connects to two receptors on cells. Once the THC is attached to the cells it will take effect.

Marijuana and Medical Illnesses
Marijuana was used at first for menstrual cramps and to relieve headaches. Marijuana is used by some cancer patients. When cancer patients have chemotherapy they get nausea. Marijuana can help reduce mild to moderate nausea. Patients with AIDS may even use the plant to reduce weight loss and nausea. Glaucoma patients even smoke the plant to help reduce the pressure in their eyeballs. People with pain smoke marijuana for pain relief.

Marijuana is a very complex drug. The drug is made of 421 chemicals. 61 of the chemicals in the marijuana plant is found nowhere else in nature, so it is hard to say which chemical in the plant helps medically. There are some problems when it comes to medical marijuana, it can damage some immune system.

After some research, I have come to the conclusion, that if it works for some people I support the drug. If I had cancer and was suffering I would want something that could take the pain aways, even if it's temporarily. I do not support the casual use of marijuana, it's can be dangerous.

What caused the Nene bird to be endangered?

For some strange reason, I am becoming fascinated with endangered species. For this post, I am focusing on the nene bird.
The nene bird as we all know is the state bird of Hawaii. I know that the nene bird is endangered, but what caused the nene bird to become endangered?

The nene bird is a land bird. The nene is supposedly an evolved Canadian goose. It has adapted to living on the lava land. The nene used to have webbed feet but has transformed their feet into claw like shape to adapt to living on the harsh lava rocks. I have seen the nene up close and personal at the volcano golf course, they are very slow moving and really beautiful to look at.

From what I have read so far, many species become endangered because their habitat is destroyed. Apparently this happened to the nene bird too. When Captain Cook came to the islands, there were about 25,000 nene birds. With Captain Cook and other people to the islands, things around the islands changed, as well as the habitat of the nene birds. As people were building on the islands, the nene lost their habitat and deforestation happened.

With new people to islands came new animals. These new animals were predators of the nene bird. Predators like the mongoose, rats, wild dogs and cats preyed on the helpless nene. By 1950, there were only 50 nene birds on the islands. Being that the nene is slow when moving, it was an easy target for hunters too!

On May 7, 1957 population has increased. About 890 the nene bird became our state bird. Since becoming the state bird, the nenenenes are found around the islands. Worldwide though there are about 2000 nene birds in zoo's, captivity and in nature. I have hope that the nene population will increase with time.... *crossing my fingers*.....

How Can I Help Save The Giant Panda Bears?

I know that the Giant Panda Bears are an endangered species. Currently only 700 to 1000 panda bears exist in the wild. Thier existence will deplete if their habitat does not expand. The panda survives by eating lots of bamboo, but the bamboo plant goes through die-offs as a renewal cycle. During the renewal cycle, the panda bears will have to relocate, but they are running out of places to go. Panda bears are being starved to death. I was wondering "what can I do to help save the giant panda bears?". I want to know what can I do to help these animals. I know that these animals are far away, but there has to be something that I can do to help them. I want to be able to contribute to help bring back these panda bears.

I found a website that helps the Giant Panda Bears : WWF Pandas
WWF stands for World Wildlife Fund. This foundation helps protect endangered species and their habitats. WWF has been operating a little over four decades. The foundation has alomost five million supporters throughout the five continents.
The WWF foundation has ways that people all over the world can help the giant panda bear. I found that I can adopt a panda bear, by making a donation. I can also make a donation and even recieve a gift for the donation. The donation made will be used to help conserve the habitats and anything else related to the endangered species.

Another website that I found with good information about the Giant Panda bear is the Smithsonian National Zoological Park
This zoo is not like any other. The Smithsonian zoo has animals from all over the world, including the panda bear. This zoo works with many other zoo's around the world, including China, where panda bears are found. The zoo has a history and commitment of conservation of animals and their habitat.

The zoo is home to three giant panda bears. Smithsonian has a pair of adult pandas who had an offspring on July 9, 2005. I found that I can help these three panda's by adopting their species.
If I donate $65 I can get all types of things from the zoo, including a plush panda doll, fact sheet about panda's and so on. The $65 help create a winter wonderland for the panda bears. Zoo keepers at the zoo have noticed that the pandas are at their happiest when they are playing in the snow. The $65 would help create the winterwonderland in the zoo for the panda bears. I thought this donation is a very exciting one, and I was gald to read about how the money would be used.

As I googled "how can I help giant panda bears?" , I was getting a lot of websites. It is quite obvious that I cannot just go to our local zoo to help these animals, the most I can do is spread my knowledge about the endangered species and donate as much as I can.

General Information on The Giant Panda Bear

Weight:
Between 154 pounds to 275 pounds.

Source of Food:
The Giant Panda bear eats dense stands of bamboo. The bamboo comprises 99% of the Giant Pandas diet.

Location:

Southwestern China. They live in only six regions in China.

Habitat:

Damp, misty forests of bamboo and in altitueds above 1200 meters.

Types:

The Giant Black & White Panda and the Red Panda

*For more information on the Giant Panda Bear you can visit: Everything You Need to Know About The Giant Panda Bear