Kava is an herb found in the western pacific islands. Kava is a sacred plant that had been used in multiple varieties of ways, particularly ceremonially and medicinally, in the western pacific for centuries. Kava is used to “relieve anxiety, restlessness, sleeplessness, and stress-related symptoms such as muscle tension or spasm. Kava may also relieve pain”. Kava comes in many forms, the traditional one being tea, but also “as a dietary supplement in powder and tincture (extract in alcohol) forms”.
Does it work? Well, according to WebMD (not the greatest source, but it is the source for many Americans on basic health information so I am using it in my paper as a baseline for American understanding of kava) kava is known to have, “a calming
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In the United States though, kava is fully legal in every capacity.
The most serious concern about kava is the effect kava has on those who take it and then try to operate a motor vehicle. One study published in the Journal, Public Library of Science investigated the, “the association between kava use and the risk of four-wheeled motor vehicle crashes in Fiji”. This study was a, “population-based case-control study. Data was collected by structured interviewer administered questionnaires of self-reported participant data on demographic characteristics and a range of risk factors including kava use and potential confounders”. This study found that, “overall, 23% and 4% of drivers of case and control vehicles, respectively, reported consuming kava in the 12 hours prior to the crash or road survey. After controlling for assessed confounders, driving following kava use was associated with a four-fold increase in the odds of crash involvement (Odds ratio: 4.70; 95% CI: 1.90-11.63). The related population attributable risk was 18.37% (95% CI: 13.77-22.72). Acknowledging limited statistical power, we did not find a significant interaction in this association with concurrent alcohol use”. This study concluded that, “in a setting where recreational kava consumption is common, driving following the use of kava was associated with a significant excess of serious-injury involved road crashes. The precautionary principle would suggest road safety strategies should explicitly
“Automobiles are not ferocious.... it is man who is to be feared,” as Robbins B. Stoeckel remarked, enumerates a simple, yet fundamental concept- a vehicle in itself is a relatively safe, that is, until you put a person behind the controls. Further adding to the danger is the ever prevalent risk of a fellow driver being impaired by the usage of alcohol; perhaps the only thing that may make such a situation even more difficult and dangerous is one who is under the legal alcohol drinking age. Fewer situations are more life threatening than when an underage driver has been illegally consuming alcohol, yet persists in the belief that he or she retains the ability to drive safely. Thoughts along this line are foolish at best and deadly at
Drinking and driving is said to be the primary contributor to automotive related deaths. “By law, a driver is considered to be impaired by alcohol if his or her blood alcohol content is 0.08 percent or higher” (Holzmueller). As a matter of fact, “in 2010, about 86 percent of all fatalities alcohol-involved crashes were in cases where a driver or pedestrian had a BAC of .08 or higher” (“The Economic and Societal Impact of Motor Vehicle Crashes, 2010” 147). Laws and penalties have been created and applied in recent years that make it more difficult to get away with drinking and driving. If drivers are charged with alcohol-impaired driving, “they face suspension or revocation of their license” (Holzmueller).
Advertisements posted on the website facesofdrunkdriving.com share multiple stories of people who were unexpectedly struck by drunk drivers. There was one story in particular that stood out to me more than the others and that was Jacqueline Saburido’s. This advertisement makes a powerful statement about how drunk driving can not only kill someone, but can also scar someone for life. The goal of the organization that posted this advertisement is to never drink and drive. It is not worth risking your life, someone else’s life, or putting anyone at risk of lifelong hardships and injuries. They present
People seem to get the wrong impression that alcohol is classified as a stimulant or “upper”, but in actuality alcohol is a depressant. The short term physical effects depend on the blood-alcohol level. It ranges from random changes in mood to complete lack of coordination, impaired vision, lack of balance and slurred speech. However, larger amounts of blood alcohol can strongly effect brain functioning and eventually cause a person to “black out”. In examining the thought process for drinking and driving behavior, Kulick and Rosenberg (1999) found that while the majority of their college student sample frequently drove after drinking, these students rationalized this behavior in a variety of ways. The most commonly found reasons for driving under the influence of alcohol were the strong desire to get to a specific destination (e.g., home), convincing oneself as being only slightly intoxicated, and/or believing
“In the hands of an impaired driver, a vehicle becomes a murderous weapon.” ( ) Everyone can think of someone who has driven impaired, or even maybe you have done it yourself. The fact that one can think of someone who has driven impaired is a problem. Too many people are getting behind the wheel after drinking, smoking; or are not paying attention while they drive. Impaired driving continues to a problem although strides have been made to make a difference. There are many different types of impaired driving, each that have their own consequences. These types, and consequences will be explored in this essay.
We’ve all heard the phrase don’t drink and drive but how many people listen to this common sense. According to a statistic taken by the Century Council, 31 percent of car fatalities involved alcohol in 2013. Around fifty thousand claims of alcohol overdose is reported annually, what is seen as a social drink or a good times drink is
Smoked, chewed or steeped in tea, Kratom has a long history as a folk remedy for diarrhea, muscle pain, fever, coughing, hypertension, fatigue, depression, and other ailments. In modern times it has been used to treat opiate withdrawal, anxiety, chronic pain, and to boost the endurance of manual laborers. Despite its proscribed status in several countries, Kratom is still consumed socially during community gatherings in the Asian tropics.
A variety of risks are involved with driving a vehicle; one of the most important risks associated with driving is impairment. Impaired driving is one the problems that has been a criminal act in Canada since 1921(statcan). Individuals who drive vehicles while under the influence of drugs and alcohol present themselves immediate danger through lack of attention and a rise in unsafe driving practices. Furthermore, impairment also presents drivers increased chances of receiving tickets which pose additional financial issues. Impaired driving can include the use of marijuana, prescription drugs, non-prescribed drugs and alcohol. "Impaired driving is the leading cause of death on highways. Police patrols can reduce road accidents, provided they are effective"(Dionne, 2006). Studies focusing on higher police patrol presence and road blocks have data concluding the positive effects on the communities that are a part of the plan to reduce drinking and driving. Although drinking and driving had steadily been on the decline for the past 25 years there was a small rise from 2006 to 2011.(statcan). The fight against drinking and driving has led to
Every year, an estimate of 10,000 people in the United States die from motor vehicle crashes that involve a drunk driver. Not only is the number of accidents leading to thousands of deaths and injuries are excessive, but also the cost of repair for the vehicles is sky high. Even with these consequences, drinking and driving continue to be an issue. There is an estimate that of the 210 million licensed drivers that live in the United States, that 17% have a DUI conviction. To solve this predicament, it is important to think about what kinds of punishments for these drivers are necessary, taking an account for alcoholism, criminal record, number of offenses and blood alcohol content. It is also necessary to find ways to prevent future disasters and decreasing the rates of drunk driving per year. To come to a conclusion of the kinds of penalties for DUI’S is based on the understanding of the biological aspects of how alcohol affects brain functions and the psychological question of why people still do it.
A lot of people do not take drinking and driving serious because they take they can make it home safe, but really they either get in wrecks or pulled over before ever making it home. “In 1996 there were 17,126 alcohol-related traffic fatalities, representing 41% of all traffic fatalities that year. In addition, more than 321,000 persons were injured in crashes where police reported the presence of alcohol involvement.¨ ()
“Have one drink for the road” was, until recently, a commonly used phrase in American culture. It has only been within the past 20 years that as a nation, we have begun to recognize the dangers associated with drunk driving (Sutton 463). According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, this year 519,000 people, or one person per minute, will be injured in alcohol-related accidents. 10,839 people will die in drunk-driving crashes this year – that is one death every 50 minutes. The heartbreaking part is, every injury and lost life due to driving after drinking can be prevented. Drinking while driving “accidents” are not merely “accidents.” Getting in a vehicle after consuming alcohol, which severely affects the function of
If you drink and drive, you are not only a danger to yourself but also to your passenger, other road users and pedestrians. In fact, every 30 minutes, someone in this country dies in alcohol-related crash. Every 30 minutes! And last year alone more than one million people are injured in
By examining some of the most popular, enduring alternative medical systems, one can begin to see some general trends of the systems, understand some recurring flaws, and understand the attraction and usefulness of alternative medicine in today's health care system. However, alternative medicine remains controversial. Whether it can be supported scientifically or not, alternative medicine may be useful to encourage both physical and mental well-being via a placebo effect. For this reason, alternative medicine must be considered by physicians as a complement to modern medicine.
These therapies have proved to be of much benefit in supporting the normal healing course of the body. Even though there are many modern alternative remedies, with different beliefs, all of them operate under some common principles. One of these principles is that the body has the capacity to heal naturally and maintain stability (Paquette, 2000). The other one is that adverse health conditions can occur as a result of factors emanating from mind, emotions and the body. Alternative medicine, according to Goldberg, Trivieri and Anderson, (2002), focuses on determining the chief cause of a particular condition, and dealing with the whole person rather that concentrating on symptoms. If a person pays close attention to his/her health he/she can contribute to his/her wellbeing. Alternative medicine holds firmly to the principle that one treatment cannot be used for all people even though they may be suffering from the same condition. Each and every person as per alternative medicine has distinct bodily, mind and spiritual make up (Goldberg, Trivieri and Anderson, 2002).
In conclusion, many people do not realize that being intoxicated while driving, using cellular phones and teenage drivers may bring serious injuries to everybody. Some people may enjoy drinking without care until they get into car accident, which can even result in