Marijuana has joined the ranks of the human genome* and the creatures of Jurassic Park in having its DNA sequenced. This means that the biological code of marijuana has been completely revealed, which may offer valuable insights for scientists interested in isolating its positive features. The DNA sequencing was performed by Medicinal Genomics (source: Bloomberg News). The company was founded by Kevin McKernan, a former member of the Human Genome Project, specifically to decode marijuana's DNA....

Not sure how many of our readers are fans of the A&E show "The Glades," but on Sunday, in a ripped-from-the-headlines move the Florida-based cop drama highlighted the Pill Mill problem that has been causing so many headaches throughout the Southeast. The episode touched on a number of aspects of pill distribution and addiction. Pill mills accepting cash, untracked scripts for generally absurd doses of OxyContin (160 mg!), and the elderly selling their drugs were all key parts of the drama....

This week, prompted by the recently passed Fair Sentencing Act, the United States Sentencing Commission voted unanimously to retroactively apply the new rules regarding crack cocaine sentencing to over 12,000 prisoners in the federal system (LA Times). Sentencing those convicted of crack cocaine possession has been a thorny issue for years and years. Prior to the Fair Sentencing Act, cocaine and crack cocaine possession were treated dramatically differently (they are still treated differently...

HIV, Human Immunodeficiency Virus, is spread when infected bodily fluids from one person enter another person’s body. Pre-cum, semen, vaginal fluids, blood, and breast milk are the fluids that can transmit the virus. Unprotected sex is the most common way people get infected with HIV in the U.S., followed by sharing needles. HIV attacks the very cells which normally defend the body against illness. Eventually, HIV weakens the immune system to such an extent that the body can no longer fight...

Doctors recently made a disturbing discovery about the cocaine supply in the United States - up to 80% of it may be cut with the veterinary drug levamisole, which can cause human skin to rot. This is the latest "flesh eating" issue to hit the news. Hannele Cox, a Californian teen, apparently contracted a flesh-eating infection from a fish tank when she was 8, and made news earlier this year due to the severity of the infection, which may require that her hand eventually be amputated (see ABC's...

When we hear about corporate or employee wellness programs, we typically think about on site gyms, health fairs, healthy food choices in the cafeteria and health insurance discounts for participation. But many of these choices are not possible for small businesses. Establishing an on site gym for five employees is cost prohibitive for most businesses. According to the Kaiser Family Foundation about 59% of small businesses with three to nine employees offer health insurance. Most likely,...