Has Fox News Lost Its Mind

Has Fox News Lost Its Mind
In one of its featured articles today Fox News talks about the difficulties researchers have in researching drugs like marijuana. The article talks about how medical use of marijuana has shown anecdotal benefits in treating diseases such as glaucoma and neuropathic pain. It is also shown to be useful in stimulating the appetite of patients on chemotherapy in AIDS patients suffering from dementia (AIDS wasting syndrome).

Researchers are struggling to find out if the benefits of medical marijuana outweighs the risks associated with its use. This is a question that the government through the FDA often asks, presently it's evaluating drugs such as Vioxx, Bextra, and Celebrex. Over the next few years will find out if these drugs are the best choice as a painkiller. The problem that researchers are having with the study of the use of medical marijuana is that the government is in the business eliminating the use of marijuana studying in for medicinal purposes is considered to be counterproductive to this goal.

Now you're probably thinking that it is the FDA that is standing in the way of these studies (so was I when I started reading this article) but the FDA has approved studies. The problem and researchers have is that they're unable to get marijuana to study.

As a personal note I think that's absolutely hilarious. The one drug in the world that is only slightly harder to find than aspirin is marijuana. Have to wonder how many of these researchers have a plant growing in their backyard or have smoked marijuana in the past year. Even though they probably have greater access to personal use of marijuana, due to the research methods they are unable to use marijuana that is not produced in a controlled environment and distributed through the federal government.

Presently ecstasy is being studied at both Harvard and with psychiatrist in South Carolina. The Harvard studies is aimed at researching the use of ecstasy with terminally ill cancer patients, to determine if it can help them discuss with their families their illness and the end of life issues that they're facing. The study being done in South Carolina is addressing whether ecstasy can help women who've suffered sexual assaults such as rape. This research especially the research with women who suffered sexual assaults may be a great benefit to our society, the possible use of ecstasy in treating post-traumatic stress associated with rape and sexual assaults may also offer help in treating other post-traumatic issues, such as the those faced by some of our soldiers returning home from Iraq are facing. The early reports show possible benefit to addressing many psychological problems through the therapeutic use of ecstasy.

The problem that researchers have in acquiring marijuana for research is that they have to receive a license from the National Institute of Drug Abuse. The national Institute of drug abuse job is to reduce the use of illegal drugs and thus may have a strong conflict of interest. For researchers to be a supply our society with true and accurate information this research needs to be done and the National Institute of Drug Abuse should step aside and allows research to be done.

The question that I have asked is has Fox News lost their minds. No, they haven't. What this does show is the new progressive ideology that is found a home with conservatives. This progressive ideology speaks to the fact that liberals are no longer progressive but conservative defenders of a static ideology. Fox News is quietly raising the idea that the new progressive is an individual neither tied to the right or left. The new progressive ideology is one that is willing to challenge all ranges of thought that have not had a significant benefit to our society.

Maybe the new progressive ideology that is being discussed is the rise of the "radical moderate".