Marijuana use in Colorado and Washington may become the norm for adults, but when it reaches that point, regulators are going to have to step in and put some safety standards on the books. They are still months away from legal sales of the drug and officials are having a tough time figuring out how to govern the large menu of marijuana offerings. The hardest task is not the smoking of the drug; it is regulating other uses such as foods and drinks.

Pot is an agricultural commodity, which means that problems with consumption include pesticide residue, salmonella, mold, mites, E. coli and other contaminations that are very dangerous to the human body. Randy Simmons, who is responsible for implementing Initiative 502 in Washington, says that “it’s important for us to do it because it’s public safety and there’s no U.S. FDA oversight here.” He went on to say that “things that would be FDA rules don’t exist. The Food and Drug Administration cannot be involved because marijuana is still illegal under federal law.

Genifer Murray, a chief executive at Cannlabs Inc., says she “conducts tests now for potency and for the presence of solvents” and adds that “there’s so much more that could be detected.” When asked about the risk, Murray said that “there’s never been a death from cannabis use, but my worst fear is a death down the road from cannabis contamination.” Randy Oliver is a chief scientist at Analytical 360, which is a top laboratory in Seattle that tests marijuana, and he shares the same concern when he added that “my feeling is that whoever’s producing it, they’re responsible for making sure that it’s safe for their customers, but you know someone’s going to cut a corner.”

Marathon bombing victims were sent to a few different hospitals around the Boston area and many of them are extremely grateful for the expert medical service they received as they try to move on with their lives. It was a horrific event that killed 3 people and wounded over 170 more, including 11 amputations so far. According to Dr. George Velmahos, chief of trauma at Massachusetts General Hospital, “we just completed the ugly job the bomb did.” Facing imminent death, due to the massive loss of blood, he added that “this was not the time for talking. This was the time for doing.”

Four patients ending up losing their legs at Mass. General, while five more lost limbs at Boston Medical Center. With Monday’s devastating tragedy, the Boston Marathon was one of the worst sites for limb loss on American soil since the tragic events of 9/11, according to Ian Weston, the executive director of the American Trauma Society. Boston Medical Center chief trauma surgeon Dr. Peter Burke said that “to be honest, shy of 9/11, that’s where we’ve seen this level and similar types of injury, adding that “it was more like a battlefield than a civilian setting. Even emergency doctors accustomed to horrific casualties weren’t used to this.”

There are over 185,000 Americans that get amputation every year, and over 2 million that live with an existing loss. Dr. Velmahos said that “the new patients are very early in the process of grappling with amputation, but some are starting to heal.” He added that “they’re amazing people. Some of them woke up today with no leg; they told me they were happy to be alive.” George Gondo, director of research for the Amputee Coalition, said that “those folks are a little lucky in that they are in Boston, which has some of the best health care facilities in the country.” With some great care, most of them will live a very productive life.

The big upside to using robotic surgery is you take out the human error equation. Robot hands do not shake and they can rotate in many more directions than human hands. Although robotic surgeries take longer and cost more, patients spend a lot less time recovering. They are controlled on a video screen by surgeons and they are equipped with tiny surgical instruments that are connected to the robotic arms. It’s still up to the doctors if robotic surgery should be recommended.

With technology and innovation taking over the world, it makes sense to take advantage of robots in as many needed areas as possible. The health of the patient should always be the most important part of the equation. If that means more robotic surgery, then so be it. This could be the way to expand health care for all U.S. citizens in the future. First it has to be made more cost effective so Congress can get behind the idea. There’s no denying that robotic surgery is the wave of the future.

Susan Rogers, who is the executive director of the Oklahoma board of Dentistry, stated “I will tell you that when … we left, we were just physically kind of sick, I mean that’s how bad (it was), and I’ve seen a lot of bad stuff over the years.” Although patients said that the Dr. Harrington’s office always appeared to be clean, many laws were broken. Susan Rogers says that the Dr. allowed “unauthorized, unlicensed” employees to perform intravenous sedation of patients and “that is completely unacceptable and illegal in Oklahoma.”

Dr. Harrington, 64, had practiced Dentistry and oral surgery for over 35 years before surrendering his license to authorities. He also surrendered permits for medications and anesthesia. Official violations were described by the state board which included “multiple sterilization issues, multiple cross-contamination issues, (and) the drug cabinet was unlocked and unattended.” One of the drugs found in the cabinet had expired back in 1993. According to Susan Rogers, “Harrington’s office was a perfect storm for infections.” The investigation is ongoing.

A new national survey from the Pew Research Center has just shown that the nation’s views are much more favorable on same-sex marriage, because of a huge shift in the attitudes of adults and because more people know someone who is gay, whether it is a family member or a close friend. Another poll from the Pew Research Center says there is also a major shift in the attitudes of young adults who are much more open and accepting of gays and lesbians.

The American Academy of Pediatrics also stressed the importance of a two-parent environment, which brings the most stability for children. They also recommended marriages in saying that “it is in the best interests of their children that legal and social institutions allow and support them to do so.” The pediatricians also stand with the American Medical Association, in support of a Supreme Court case that contends the DOMA law is unconstitutional. Not only do they oppose the Defense of Marriage Act, but they strongly support same-sex parents the right to adopt children. America continues to evolve on this subject.

NECC was shipping many thousands of contaminated vials of the steroid from the so-called ‘Clean Room.’ Nearly 17,000 vials were shipped out to hospitals and clinics in 2012 to 23 states. These compounding centers fill the vials with serum for people who cannot swallow a pill. The FDA raided NECC in September and inspectors found numerous major violations, which included the black fungus that was visible in the drug vials. The NECC insider who blew the whistle says that “we got sloppy.” That kind of sloppiness has killed many people and 720 more patients are still suffering from fungal infections.

The story gets much worse because these compounding center have no oversight at all. Former FDA safety worker Sarah Sellers said that “this is an industry that absolutely escapes and avoids regulation at both the state and federal levels.” What’s more disturbing is that Massachusetts conducted surprise inspections on 40 different compounding pharmacies and only 4 passed, while 11 of them were shut down permanently. Many compounding pharmacies have had multiple infractions, fines and reprimands but their incompetence continues. When are the people going to demand regulation for these pharmacies? Many lives will depend on it.

Extra-virgin olive oil has been highly touted by nutritionists for its health benefits. It is high in a fat content known as monounsaturated fat, or MUFA. The fat has contributed to the lowering of cholesterol and they help people with diabetes because they can control insulin levels in the body. Olive oil also contains a substance called polyphenois, which is an antioxidant that protects your cells from being damaged.

The randomized trial was done in Spain, which involved high-risk people. They who tried the Mediterranean diet saw a reduction in major cardiovascular events by nearly 30%, especially when supplemented with mixed nuts and extra-virgin olive oil. The results support the diet as a primary prevention of strokes, heart attacks and other heart disease.

According to Dr. Ramon Estruch in Barcelona, the Mediterranean diet greatly outperformed a low-fat diet. Not only did the diet help reduce heart disease risks, it also helps revitalize circulation and organ functions. Of course everything works better when you work out regularly. Put it all together and you can enjoy a very healthy meal that also tastes good.

The “Africa Mercy” is a 500 foot ship that has a crew of 450. Its eight decks are designed to provide care for thousands of patients at each stop. This miracle ship houses 78 beds, 90 nurses, six operating rooms, with 15 doctors working their magic every day. These ‘miracle workers’ spend months at sea helping everyone who comes on board. Most of these workers are American and they spend little time at home, as they choose to help people that have no one else to rely on.

Mercy ships were founded in 1978 by Don and Deyon Stephens. There have been 4 ships in total that have provided free first-class Health Care for millions of patients over the years. The “Africa Mercy” was commissioned in 2006 and is currently the only mercy ship still operating on the high seas. While in Togo, the dedicated staff repaired 34 cleft palates, removed 281 tumors and restored sight to almost 800 cataract patients that could no longer see.

These talented Doctors, nurses and helpers have given everything they have to provide the best Health Care in the world, so the poorest of the poor could have a chance in this world. They allow for thousands of people, who live in the shadows, to come out and show their faces again. These selfless humanitarians lead millions to the “Ship of Dreams.”

There aren’t many politicians that are as gregarious and genuine as Gov. Christie. He has an abundance of charisma and inspires people with his straight talking manner and lack of patience with incompetence. He is the only Republican who can rival President Obama with his popularity and likability. Running for high office takes a total commitment from a candidate, both physically and mentally.

Gov. Christie’s approval rating is in the 70% range, despite the bleak economic outlook of New Jersey. He is extremely popular in the heavily Democratic state, which is rare for a Republican. The more popular he gets, the more his health becomes a question. Doctors have been warning the governor for some time now about losing weight.

He took offense from comments made by former White House Doctor Connie Mariano, who said about Gov. Christie “it’s almost like a time bomb waiting to happen unless he addresses those issues before running for office” and she also warned that “a future President Christie could suffer from potentially deadly complications from diabetes, sleep apnea, and heart disease.”

The health of a President is a very serious issue when it comes to being Commander-In-Chief for the most powerful nation in the world. Nobody knows the importance of being healthy more than Gov. Christie. He has fought his obesity for many years and continues to look for ways to beat it. The country might just depend on it.

President Obama claims that the insurance companies love the Romney/Ryan ticket because they will be able to make all the rules. He also stated that the voucher plan would increase Medicare costs over $124,600 by the time a 48 year-old would be able to retire and people age 55 would pay $59,500 more for the same health care coverage in 2023.

Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan have been claiming that no one over the age of 55 would be affected by the changes in their plan. This turns out to be a false statement and all seniors would be affected. By repealing ObamaCare, the Romney/Ryan plan is going to raise health care costs over $11,000 for every person 65 years or older today. Costs will also rise because of the GOP plan to cut the costs for Medicaid beneficiaries. It would hurt seniors by $2,500 every year if they are also on Medicaid. The voucher system won’t start until 2023 but the Medicaid cuts would begin immediately.

President Obama is in Florida and Joe Biden is in Ohio and they are both hammering Mitt Romney over his voucher plan that will affect seniors right away. They are going to continue their onslaught of attacks against the GOP nominee until the election. Medicare is a hot topic and helping the insurance companies like Mitt Romney wants to do is not popular with the masses.