Medical Marijuana in America and Illinois: Examining the Viability, Adoption Rates, Quality Control, Products, Patient Numbers, and Allowable Conditions

Medical marijuana has become increasingly popular in the United States. However, it has been around for as long as the art of writing has. Written records of marijuana being used medically have dated back to 2900 B.C. Many states have taken to legalizing the usage of medical marijuana recently, starting in 1996. There are now 28 states that have passed medical marijuana laws, as well as the District of Columbia. Citizens and lawmakers of many more states are fighting for legalization. Medical marijuana is capable of relieving symptoms of many different diseases and conditions for all ages. This paper explores nearly all aspect of the medical marijuana industry. Dispensary application, licensing, renewal, and tax fees are all discussed. This paper also covers the year that each state chose to legalize marijuana and in what way the law was passed. Dispensary, cultivator, and testing lab guidelines and numbers are listed. The testing guidelines per state are also discussed, as well as the conditions that each state allows the use of medical marijuana for. There are several different types of medical marijuana products, and each state has its own guidelines as to which products are allowed. Next, the number of registered medical marijuana patients is compared to the overall population of each state. To conclude, this paper will compare Illinois with the other 28 legal states/ regions

Social Work Ethics: Decision Making and Accountability

Book accompanies course that examines the interplay of social work, values, ethics, and decision-making processes. Through the use of practice scenarios, social workers will learn how to approach risk management and thorny ethical dilemmas that are common to many practice areas. The course discusses the role of laws and regulations in regard to ethics, highlights the importance of the distinction between legal and moral problems, and describes the National Association of Social Workers (NASW) Code of Ethics

How do antidepressants affect sexual function?

Evidence-based answer: patients treated with elective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) and the serotonin/norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor (SNRI) venlafaxine have significantly higher rates of overall sexual dysfunction--including desire, arousal, and orgasm--than patients treated with placebo (strength of recommendation [SOR]: B, randomized controlled trials [RCTs] with heterogeneous results). Patients treated with bupropion, a norepinephrine-dopamine reuptake inhibitor (NDRI), have rates of overall sexual dysfunction comparable to placebo (SOR: B, RCTs with heterogeneous results)

Antidepressants for the Treatment of Insomnia in Patients with Depression

There is no single antidepressant or class of antidepressants that is most effective for the treatment of insomnia in patients with depression. The use of antidepressant medications can have a positive impact on sleep physiology, but does not seem to improve subjective ratings of sleep quality. (Strength of Recommendation: B, based on one qualitative study and one meta-analysis.

Rights-based approaches and beyond : challenges of linking rights and participation

As more and more development and human rights organisations critically assess their impact and strategies, there is growing convergence in the questions they raise about how to be most effective in addressing structural, systemic causes of poverty and exclusion and thus, make a positive difference in the lives of poor and marginalised people. This paper explores the growing trend of “rights-based approaches” (RBA) to development, drawing from interviews with a range of primarily US-based international human rights and development organisations as well as from insights through the authors’ years of experience working with development and rights groups in the global south. While the theory of RBA has been broadly embraced as key to getting at the root causes of poverty, many organisations are struggling to make sense of the significance of RBA in practice. We begin to unravel some key concerns with a brief discussion on critical considerations for groups as they advance rights-based work. Next, we focus on clarifying meanings, offering our own definitions of what seem to be critical components of RBA, namely participation, rights, and power. Next we summarise some of the current thinking and practice among international human rights and development organisations that are deepening their work in RBA. This includes some of the key tensions, challenges and opportunities they are encountering. Finally, in building on forgotten experiences and innovations we look at a handful of practical experiences from the past that offer valuable insights and lessons as groups seek to maximise the full practical potential of RBA. Keywords: rights, democracy, governance, participation