Addicts and homeless perceived as objects
Not surprisingly, there isn't much help for them
Peter McKnight
Vancouver Sun
Saturday, November 22, 2008
Last summer, Stephen Hwang of the University of Toronto and St. Michael's Hospital wrote a commentary, endorsed by more than 130 other scientists and health professionals, which began by asking the reader to consider the following hypothetical scenario:
"An innovative new intervention for people with diabetes is developed. Health Canada provides funding to a highly accomplished group of academic health scientists, who have no financial conflicts of interest with respect to the new intervention, to conduct research on its effectiveness.
"Their work shows that the new intervention significantly reduces the incidence of a variety of diabetic complications. Despite a careful search for possible adverse effects of the intervention, none are detected. Over a three-year period, the group's research findings are published in leading medical journals, including the New England Journal of Medicine, The Lancet and BMJ [British Medical Journal].
"In response, the federal government calls the research inconclusive and states its position that the only acceptable therapies for diabetes are those that either prevent or completely cure this condition. Two national organizations state their opposition to the intervention because they fear that the availability of an intervention that reduces the risk of diabetic complications will cause people with diabetes to eat more food and become more obese.
"The government indicates that, unless additional research can address its concerns within a year, it will likely move to ban the new intervention. Meanwhile, institutions other than the one at which the research was initially conducted are forbidden to provide the intervention."
With developments over the last year, we can now update this scenario by adding the following: The government did move to ban the intervention, and decided to spend millions of dollars appealing a court decision that prevented it from doing so. And it continued its attacks on the intervention, and on physicians who provide it, despite recent evidence that it is not only effective, but cost-effective.
Hwang's thought experiment was, of course, intended to highlight the disconnect between the way the government addresses drug addiction and the way it treats other medical problems. For as Hwang says, the scenario "becomes true to life if one substitutes 'drug addiction' for 'diabetes,' 'drug-related harms' for 'diabetic complications,' and 'supervised injection facility for injection drug users' for 'new intervention.' "
This disconnect has led many people in the health care professions, including Hwang, to charge that the government's position is driven by ideology rather than evidence. But thanks to a commentary in the current issue of the Canadian Medical Association Journal, a much more disturbing hypothesis now presents itself. And as disturbing as it is, it is a hypothesis for which there is substantial evidence.
In commenting on a study in the CMAJ which suggested that Insite might lead to a cost savings of $14-20 million over a decade, New York researchers Don Des Jarlais, Kamyar Arasteh and Holly Hagan state that "humanity and the right to optimal health for all [should] be the framework for assessing the effectiveness of public health interventions."
Sunday, May 10, 2009
Saturday, May 9, 2009
FACTORY FARMING FLU – OR H1N1 AS THE PORK INDUSTRY PREFERS TO CALL IT
Boston’s once notorious Charles Street Jail was transformed by a five-year, $150 million renovation into one of the city’s most expensive hotels. Where prisoners once rioted and planned their escape, rooms go from $319 to $5,500 per night.
Where Inmates Once Tried to Escape, Travelers Are Paying Top Dollar To Get In
By JEREMY HUBBARD and JAKE WHITMAN
Boston, May 6, 2009
CLICK HERE to watch Jeremy's report on the Liberty Hotel
When you first walk in Boston’s Liberty Hotel it looks like any fancy four-star hotel. But not far past the welcoming doorman are the old iron bars and narrow catwalks-- not so subtle reminders that this place has a criminal past.
Welcome to what was once Boston’s dreaded Charles Street Jail. A nasty, run-down slammer where some of the city’s hardened, most violent criminals served time.
For over 130 years, some were willing to risk death just to get out of this place. Now after a $150 million restoration, celebrities, tourists and business travelers are willing to spend hundreds, even thousands to get in.
Famous guests lists, then and now
Over the years it housed some of Boston’s most notorious criminals: Mayor James Michael Curley, convicted in 1904 for taking a civil service test for a friend; suffragettes arrested for protesting President Woodrow Wilson in 1919; Frank Abangale, the counterfeiter whose story inspired the movie “Catch Me If You Can”, starring Leonardo DiCaprio. Even confessed Boston Strangler Albert DeSalvo is said to have passed through.
Now as the Liberty Hotel, the guest list has included the likes of Mick Jagger, Meg Ryan, Eva Mendes and Annette Bening.
It may be part of a trend: hotel guests willing to spend big bucks to live like an inmate, or at least where an inmate once did. The Four Seasons in Istanbul used to be a lock-up. There’s even been some talk of turning part of Alcatraz into a hotel, to cash in on the curiosity of what it would be like to stay at “the rock.”
From international model to inhumane conditions
When the Charles Street Jail opened in 1851, it was touted as an international model for how prisons should be built. The massive granite building had a 90-foot central rotunda, large windows for plenty of light and four wings of cells forming a cross. It was the first prison in America to give inmates their own cell, and at 8 by 11 feet in size, the lodgings were considered “roomy” back then.
Over the years, that reputation changed when the jail became overcrowded, prone to riots and filthy beyond description. In the early 1970’s the inmates filed a lawsuit claiming cruel and unusual punishment. When a federal judge secretly stayed the night to see for himself in 1973, he ordered the place shut down. It would be another 17 years though, in 1990, when the last inmates were transferred out.
Unlocking the prison’s past
For ten years the prison sat empty, home only to pigeons that left two tons of droppings in the rafters.
"The walls were thick with lead paint, there were birds everywhere. It was a pretty scary place," says developer Dick Freeman.
Architects spent five years turning the Charles Street jail into the Liberty Hotel. They were careful to preserve many of the prison’s features, including the heavy iron cell doors and original brick walls.
"This has gotta be this great moment in Boston history, when this old building which was full of so much sorrow, can turn into something with so much joy,” said architect Gary Johnson.
The Liberty Hotel has also embraced its shady past with a sense of humor. One of its restaurants is called “Scampo,” Italian for escape. The hotel’s cocktail bar is called “Clink.” And a nightclub is located in the basement, in what was once the prison’s “drunk tank,” the place where the intoxicated were once kept overnight. Now it’s one of the city’s hottest night clubs, it is appropriately named “Alibi.”
Some of the inmates who did hard time, and the prison employees who kept watch over them, have actually come back to visit.
"We had a gentleman who applied for the director of security job, he said ‘I know the building cold, I was a security guard there.’"
Wednesday, May 6, 2009
Santa Monica Daily Press Publishes Op-Ed Supporting LEAN Act
The original article can be found at:
http://www.smdp.com/Articles-c-2009-03-19-51298.113116_We_can_all_help_make_the_country_healthier.html
We Can All Help Make the Country Healthier
By Marsha Cohen
March 20, 2009
Obesity, heart disease, and diabetes are all health problems on the rise. They are also conditions that can be minimized and controlled through proper nutrition. With today's fast-paced lives, taking the time to determine the nutritional breakdown for everything we eat is easier said than done.
And nowhere is this more difficult that when we are eating out, as Americans do more and more each year.
Here in California we saw a step forward with the passage last year of state Sen. Alex Padilla's SB 1420 — requiring nutritional labeling of menu items in chain restaurants. Now, with the introduction of the federal LEAN (Labeling Education and Nutrition) Act, we have a chance to achieve a uniform national standard, so consumers in all states and communities can benefit.
The LEAN Act would provide consumers dining out at chain restaurants with 20 or more outlets with the kind of nutritional labeling information they need inorder to understand the choices they are making and then use that information in ways that are best for their unique health needs. H.R. 1398 is based on the highly successful federal Nutrition Labeling and Education Act (NLEA), sponsored by our own Congressman Henry Waxman nearly two decades ago, which provided consumers who purchase packaged foods and beverages with comprehensive nutrition information about the food they were buying.
Although this information is now taken for granted, at the time it was a monumental step forward in helping all consumers make healthy choices. The LEAN Act will expand NLEA to include food sold by chain restaurants, giving consumers that same information when they dine out.
But exactly what information consumers are getting is critical.
While current California law requires calorie disclosure on menu boards, having access to only this information out of context can be counterproductive. Just because a jelly donut has fewer calories than a whole wheat bagel does not make it a healthier breakfast option.
Making truly healthy choices requires access to many factors besides calories, including the level of carbohydrates, protein, fiber, sugars, sodium, fat, and cholesterol. The LEAN Act requires that this full spectrum of nutritional information be made available to anyone who requests it prior to the point of purchase.
Neither national law, nor state and local regulations — even here in California — would give consumers access to more nutritional information when dining out.
There are many reasons to act now on moving forward with a national nutritional labeling standard for restaurants. In addition to California's alarmingly high obesity rate of 22.6 percent, a recent public opinion poll conducted by Peter D. Hart Research Associates confirms that, while consumers accept responsibility for making their own food choices when eating out, they want more nutrition information to help them to do so.
Moreover, establishing a national nutrition standard has never been more pertinent. With all the discussion of healthcare reform, this bill allows all Americans to proactively reduce the risks of many of our nation's most costly health conditions.
The NLEA has had a profound effect on the choices we make at the grocery store, by providing us with comprehensive nutrition information, and the LEAN Act can do the same in restaurants. It provides consumers with a complete array of nutritional information, while also taking into account the needs of widely varying restaurants to assess their own situation and the desires of their customers in deciding how best to provide the information.
The LEAN Act provides us with the opportunity to effect a change in the lives of millions of American consumers. It is more than just a change we can believe in — it is change we can all help implement, for ourselves and for our families.
Marsha K. Cohen is a cognitive nutritionist in Beverly Hills. She can be reached at
marsha@marshacohennutrition.com.
http://www.smdp.com/Articl
We Can All Help Make the Country Healthier
By Marsha Cohen
March 20, 2009
Obesity, heart disease, and diabetes are all health problems on the rise. They are also conditions that can be minimized and controlled through proper nutrition. With today's fast-paced lives, taking the time to determine the nutritional breakdown for everything we eat is easier said than done.
And nowhere is this more difficult that when we are eating out, as Americans do more and more each year.
Here in California we saw a step forward with the passage last year of state Sen. Alex Padilla's SB 1420 — requiring nutritional labeling of menu items in chain restaurants. Now, with the introduction of the federal LEAN (Labeling Education and Nutrition) Act, we have a chance to achieve a uniform national standard, so consumers in all states and communities can benefit.
The LEAN Act would provide consumers dining out at chain restaurants with 20 or more outlets with the kind of nutritional labeling information they need inorder to understand the choices they are making and then use that information in ways that are best for their unique health needs. H.R. 1398 is based on the highly successful federal Nutrition Labeling and Education Act (NLEA), sponsored by our own Congressman Henry Waxman nearly two decades ago, which provided consumers who purchase packaged foods and beverages with comprehensive nutrition information about the food they were buying.
Although this information is now taken for granted, at the time it was a monumental step forward in helping all consumers make healthy choices. The LEAN Act will expand NLEA to include food sold by chain restaurants, giving consumers that same information when they dine out.
But exactly what information consumers are getting is critical.
While current California law requires calorie disclosure on menu boards, having access to only this information out of context can be counterproductive. Just because a jelly donut has fewer calories than a whole wheat bagel does not make it a healthier breakfast option.
Making truly healthy choices requires access to many factors besides calories, including the level of carbohydrates, protein, fiber, sugars, sodium, fat, and cholesterol. The LEAN Act requires that this full spectrum of nutritional information be made available to anyone who requests it prior to the point of purchase.
Neither national law, nor state and local regulations — even here in California — would give consumers access to more nutritional information when dining out.
There are many reasons to act now on moving forward with a national nutritional labeling standard for restaurants. In addition to California's alarmingly high obesity rate of 22.6 percent, a recent public opinion poll conducted by Peter D. Hart Research Associates confirms that, while consumers accept responsibility for making their own food choices when eating out, they want more nutrition information to help them to do so.
Moreover, establishing a national nutrition standard has never been more pertinent. With all the discussion of healthcare reform, this bill allows all Americans to proactively reduce the risks of many of our nation's most costly health conditions.
The NLEA has had a profound effect on the choices we make at the grocery store, by providing us with comprehensive nutrition information, and the LEAN Act can do the same in restaurants. It provides consumers with a complete array of nutritional information, while also taking into account the needs of widely varying restaurants to assess their own situation and the desires of their customers in deciding how best to provide the information.
The LEAN Act provides us with the opportunity to effect a change in the lives of millions of American consumers. It is more than just a change we can believe in — it is change we can all help implement, for ourselves and for our families.
Marsha K. Cohen is a cognitive nutritionist in Beverly Hills. She can be reached at
marsha@marshacohennutritio
Tuesday, May 5, 2009
Fans and Yao Ming May 2009
I love Yao Ming, gotta say it...gonna scream it from a mountaintop
"What is your favorite American song?" "Star-Spangled Banner. I listen to it at least 82 times a year." - Yao Ming
I love Yao Ming, gotta say it...gonna scream it from a mountaintop.
I hope you got fun cardboard cutouts. Like Michael Jordan or Yao Ming.
Did you know.. Rockets outmuscle Lakers, take opener: Yao Ming, who briefly left with a knee injur.
Lakers drop opener to Rockets, 100-92: Yao Ming, who briefly left with a knee injury in the closing minutes, had
"What is your favorite American song?" "Star-Spangled Banner. I listen to it at least 82 times a year." - Yao Ming
I love Yao Ming, gotta say it...gonna scream it from a mountaintop.
I hope you got fun cardboard cutouts. Like Michael Jordan or Yao Ming.
Did you know.. Rockets outmuscle Lakers, take opener: Yao Ming, who briefly left with a knee injur.
Lakers drop opener to Rockets, 100-92: Yao Ming, who briefly left with a knee injury in the closing minutes, had
Sunday, May 3, 2009
Did the Pan-American Health Organization Drop the Ball?
There has been widespread agreement that once the World Health Organization deemed the Swine Flu Influenza A(H1N1) an international public health emergency the WHO reacted in swift and responsible way. Procedures for handling international public health emergencies that were formed following the SARS outbreak in 2003 (the so-called International Health Regulations of 2005) seem to have worked as planned; there has been robust international cooperation for dealing with this threat and the WHO has risen to the challenge.
Still, one question unresolved is why there was an eight day gap between the time that Mexico first identified troubling patterns of flu and when these WHO emergency procedures kicked in. Public health experts with whom I have spoken initially suspected that the delay was caused by Mexican authorities who were slow to report their findings to the Pan-American Health Organization (PAHO), the WHO's regional headquarters in Washington, D.C. According to a report in the Associated Press, however, this is not so. Mexico's chief epidemiologist Dr. Miguel Angel Lezana tells the AP that he reported to PAHO about "alarming occurrences of flu and atypical pneumonia in Mexico" back on April 16. He claims that his messages to PAHO went unreturned.
When the dust settles questions about this eight day gap should be answered. Like I said, the WHO deserves praise for how it has handled Swine Flu Influenza A(H1N1) once an emergency was declared. Why it took so long to do so is something that the WHO and its member states will have to investigate.
Photo: PAHO's iconic headquarters in the Foggy Bottom neighborhood of Washington, D.C.
Still, one question unresolved is why there was an eight day gap between the time that Mexico first identified troubling patterns of flu and when these WHO emergency procedures kicked in. Public health experts with whom I have spoken initially suspected that the delay was caused by Mexican authorities who were slow to report their findings to the Pan-American Health Organization (PAHO), the WHO's regional headquarters in Washington, D.C. According to a report in the Associated Press, however, this is not so. Mexico's chief epidemiologist Dr. Miguel Angel Lezana tells the AP that he reported to PAHO about "alarming occurrences of flu and atypical pneumonia in Mexico" back on April 16. He claims that his messages to PAHO went unreturned.
When the dust settles questions about this eight day gap should be answered. Like I said, the WHO deserves praise for how it has handled Swine Flu Influenza A(H1N1) once an emergency was declared. Why it took so long to do so is something that the WHO and its member states will have to investigate.
Photo: PAHO's iconic headquarters in the Foggy Bottom neighborhood of Washington, D.C.
Thursday, April 30, 2009
Cant sleep and dwelling on stuff
Been awhile since i lasted wrote in my blog..i been out tonight with my baby sister we went to a club on mcr called brannigans had a great night out enjoyed spending time with my baby sister getting pissed and having fun!! 
Then the guilt set in babysitter rang to say little lewis was scratching his legs and had made himself bleed badly so i jumped in taxi to get home asap his legs are ok but i feel guilty for leaving him ..
My poor baby has so many health problems it hurts to think about how many he has if it aint his asthma playing up it his excema playing up like tonight then last week i found out part of his breathing problems r due to his left vocal chord being damaged docs think damage was already there when he was born and cos it been so long there is big ump on his vocal chord so next step is another sedation and MRI scan.
His nursery place has been put on hold the local school feel he b better of at special needs school and i do agree but it gonna hurt to seperate my boys in september and i dont know how they cope being seperated.. just wish i could get diagnosis now of what forn of autism he has so i can help him more.
On good point Adam's violence has calmed down loads he is hardly violent towards me or the other kids now which is good.
Ex hasnt been in contact since i told him to accept the contact i was offering him he didnt even bother ringing to see how Lewis went on at hospital...it looks like he gonna let kids down easter and not get them egg each i just dunno what to do regards him any more my kids are suffering cos of him they miss their daddy and it me who they ask questions of how can i tell them daddy is so madly in love with his own world and life he dont wanna know them so i end up having to lie to them it jst not fair ..... All i want is for my kids to b happy yet the ex is making them sad and i hate him for that!!
Me im happy with life at the moment barring my kids problems and kids sadness... the kids are my life and they will always be first no matter what but it is nice to have space to do my own thing and enjoy myself!
Then the guilt set in babysitter rang to say little lewis was scratching his legs and had made himself bleed badly so i jumped in taxi to get home asap his legs are ok but i feel guilty for leaving him ..
My poor baby has so many health problems it hurts to think about how many he has if it aint his asthma playing up it his excema playing up like tonight then last week i found out part of his breathing problems r due to his left vocal chord being damaged docs think damage was already there when he was born and cos it been so long there is big ump on his vocal chord so next step is another sedation and MRI scan.
His nursery place has been put on hold the local school feel he b better of at special needs school and i do agree but it gonna hurt to seperate my boys in september and i dont know how they cope being seperated.. just wish i could get diagnosis now of what forn of autism he has so i can help him more.
On good point Adam's violence has calmed down loads he is hardly violent towards me or the other kids now which is good.
Ex hasnt been in contact since i told him to accept the contact i was offering him he didnt even bother ringing to see how Lewis went on at hospital...it looks like he gonna let kids down easter and not get them egg each i just dunno what to do regards him any more my kids are suffering cos of him they miss their daddy and it me who they ask questions of how can i tell them daddy is so madly in love with his own world and life he dont wanna know them so i end up having to lie to them it jst not fair ..... All i want is for my kids to b happy yet the ex is making them sad and i hate him for that!!
Me im happy with life at the moment barring my kids problems and kids sadness... the kids are my life and they will always be first no matter what but it is nice to have space to do my own thing and enjoy myself!
The psychology instructor
The psychology instructor had just finished a lecture on mental health and was giving an oral test.
Speaking specifically about manic depression, she asked, "How would you diagnose a patient who walks back and forth screaming at the top of his lungs one minute, then sits in a chair weeping uncontrollably the next?"
A young man in the rear raised his hand and answered, "A basketball coach?"
Speaking specifically about manic depression, she asked, "How would you diagnose a patient who walks back and forth screaming at the top of his lungs one minute, then sits in a chair weeping uncontrollably the next?"
A young man in the rear raised his hand and answered, "A basketball coach?"
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