Pubdate: Sun, 31 May 2015
Source: Sun, The (Yuma, AZ)
Copyright: 2015 The Sun
Contact: http://www.yumasun.com/sections/opinion/submit-letters/
Website: http://www.yumasun.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1258
Author: Roxanne Molenar, editor

DRUGS MAY HAVE MORE POSITIVE POINTS THAN WE REALIZED

Every day, there's a new report linked to science or medicine, most 
of which are really interesting. But there's one trend that I find to 
be fascinating ... illegal drugs finding a useful purpose.

This week, the drug in the spotlight is a club drug called Special K. 
The drug is an anesthetic and animal tranquilizer, which can produce 
effects from intoxication to delirium. It can also make people unable 
to move, unable to feel pain, and can cause blackouts, according to 
AbovetheInfluence.com.

It's not something you want to mess around with. However, researchers 
have been working with Special K, which is actually called ketamine, 
and they've found a few interesting side benefits.

It turns out ketamine may be a powerful antidepressant, which can 
work on patients in hours instead of weeks, NPR reports. For those 
suffering from depression, that could be a big leap forward, bringing 
relief in a better time frame.

And Special K is not the only illegal drug that may have a legal future.

According to a report on LiveScience, mushrooms containing 
psilocybin, known as magic mushrooms, may relieve symptoms from 
cluster headaches, obsessive-compulsive disorders and depression.

Ecstasy may be useful in treating post-traumatic stress disorder, 
LiveScience reports, while LSD (acid) shows promise in treating alcoholism.

LiveScience notes that cocaine may have several health benefits, 
including as a topical anesthetic and treating minor skin lacerations.

Then, of course, there's medical marijuana, which has been found to 
treat pain, nausea and stimulate appetite, among other benefits.

These drugs have taboos associated with them. For years, we've heard 
that drugs are bad - remember the commercials? "This is your brain. 
This is your brain on drugs," as an egg sizzles in a frying pan? But 
behind that taboo might be something that could greatly benefit those 
with medical conditions.

It's an interesting time in science and medicine. Many of these drugs 
have been available - and abused - for some time, and yet may contain 
keys to helping treat a variety of ailments.

There are still issues to be worked out. How will these medical 
purposes be structured to prevent abuses? Exactly how effective are 
they, and how can they best be leveraged to help those in need?

Clearly, more research is needed. But it's very interesting how 
science can take a drug once thought of as a negative and instead 
find a potential positive in it.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom