Saturday, January 5, 2013
Company Hopes to Sell Marijuana in Vending Machines in Colorado, Washington
A California-based company hopes to sell marijuana in
vending machines in Colorado and Washington, which have legalized
recreational use of the drug, NBC News reports.
Marijuana is already sold through vending machines in some states
where medical marijuana is legal. The company, Medbox, says it wants to
adapt the machines to comply with the new recreational marijuana laws in
Colorado and Washington.
People using the machines to obtain medical marijuana use a
fingerprint scan to verify their identity, which is linked to a
prescription on file.
“One day we envision these machines to be accessed, when it’s
allowed, 24 hours a day,” Vincent Mehdizadeh, who founded a subsidiary
of Medbox that makes vending machines, told NBC News. “One day in the
future that may happen, but for now these machines sit behind the
counter as an inventory control and compliance tool.”
Growing, possessing and selling marijuana remains illegal under federal law.
Friday, January 4, 2013
Take Time to Listen
Today's Scripture
"Joshua said to the Israelites, "Come here and listen to the words of the LORD your God." Joshua 3:9 NLT
Thoughts for Today
Communication is a vital key to every relationship. And so it is with
our relationship with Christ. Intimacy with God is not possible without
communication.
When we pray, we talk to God. When we listen, God can talk to us. Unfortunately, most of us spend all our prayer time talking to him, never taking time to listen.
God speaks to us in various ways: Through the teaching of the Bible.
Through Scripture "explosions." (This is when a verse literally jumps
off the page and speaks to us.) He speaks through a "still, small voice"
in our hearts and minds. And sometimes he speaks though other people or
through circumstances—in these cases, the message will usually be a
confirmation of something he has already told us.
Consider this …
How do we know when we are hearing from God, not the enemy or even our
own imagination? First, God comes openly with peace, never causing fear,
anxiety or guilt. Second, his message will always line up with
Scripture and will build faith. And third, his message will result in
more love and more power in our lives—not in confusion.
God loves you and wants to communicate with you. Learn to listen!
Prayer
Lord, teach me to hear your voice. Help me to talk less and listen more
when I pray. Help me to hear clearly from you as I read the Bible. And
throughout each day, help me to be more open to hearing you speak to me
no matter what else I'm doing or where I am. Teach me to listen. In Jesus' name …
A Passionate Pursuit of God: Drawing Nearer to Him by
Dr. Mike Chapman. This study teaches participant how to move into God's
inner circle, how to listen for the voice of God, how to enjoy the
freedom of worship, and how to embrace the mission of worship. This
45-minute format will accommodate groups with limited meeting times.
Note: This curriculum was written especially for small groups and we
encourage people to use it that way. However, it can also be used
effectively as a personal study for individuals or couples.
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© Living Free 2007. Living Free is a registered trademark. Living Free Every Day devotionals may be reproduced for personal use. When reproduced to share with others, please acknowledge the source as Living Free, Chattanooga, TN. Must have written permission to use in any format to be sold. Permission may be requested by sending e-mail to info@LivingFree.org.
Heroin Use in Florida Grows as Opioids Become More Difficult to Abuse
As opioids become more difficult and expensive to abuse,
heroin use is on the rise in Florida, according to law enforcement
officials. A similar trend has been reported around the country.
The Miami Herald
reports an analysis of drug-related deaths in 2011 shows heroin is one
of the state’s most harmful drugs. Heroin-related deaths increased by
18.8 percent, to 62 deaths, compared with the previous year. The number
of deaths from heroin use is down from a high of 270 in 2001, the
newspaper notes.
The recent increase is worrying to local drug rehabilitation experts.
They report seeing more patients who have switched from oxycodone or
other prescription drugs to heroin in the last year.
“When I ask my patients, they say, ‘Yeah, I couldn’t get oxycodone,
and now I’m using heroin, four or five bags,’” Dr. Patricia Junquera of
Jackson Memorial Hospital’s detox unit told the newspaper. “I think more
people are switching to heroin.’’
A study published in July 2012
found OxyContin abuse has decreased now that the painkiller has been
reformulated to make it more difficult to misuse. Many people who abused
the drug have switched to heroin, the researchers reported in the New
England Journal of Medicine. In 2010, the company that makes OxyContin
introduced a new version of the drug that is more difficult to inhale or
inject.
Florida has taken a number of measures
in the past several years designed to reduce prescription drug abuse.
In June 2011, Florida Governor Rick Scott signed into law a bill
designed to cut down on prescription drug abuse by controlling “pill
mills” in the state. The law authorized the creation of a
prescription-drug monitoring database to reduce doctor-shopping by
people looking to collect multiple painkiller prescriptions. The
legislation also imposed new penalties for physicians who overprescribe
medication and imposes stricter rules for operating pharmacies.
CADCA National Leadership Forum to be Held February 4-7
Registration is open for Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of
America (CADCA)’s 23rd annual National Leadership Forum, to be held
February 4-7 in National Harbor, Maryland. The CADCA Forum is the
nation’s largest training conference for community prevention and
treatment professionals and researchers.
The meeting’s theme is “Science, Strategies & Solutions.” More
than 2,700 participants are expected to attend, including leaders of
community anti-drug coalitions, government leaders, youth, addiction
treatment professionals, researchers, law enforcement professionals,
educators and faith-based leaders.
Workshops will help participants develop comprehensive evidence-based
strategies to create community-level change. Presenters will include
Gil Kerlikowske, Director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy;
Pamela Hyde, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
Administrator; Michele Leonhart, Drug Enforcement Administration
Administrator; and California Congresswoman Mary Bono Mack. For more
information, visit CADCA’s Forum website.
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