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Genetic link to nicotine addiction uncovered

Here's the latest in a long line of studies linking addiction and dependence to genetics. Those crazy scientists have now found that smoking addiction and lung cancer are directly linked to a specific group of gene variants.

"This is kind of a double whammy gene," said Christopher Amos, a professor of epidemiology at the M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston and author of one of the studies. "It also makes you more likely to be dependent on smoking and less likely to quit smoking."

A smoker who inherits this genetic variation from both parents has an 80 percent greater chance of lung cancer than a smoker without the variants, the researchers reported. And that same smoker on average lights up two extra cigarettes a day and has a much harder time quitting than smokers who don't have these genetic differences.

The three studies, funded by governments in the U.S. and Europe, is being published Thursday in the journals Nature and Nature Genetics.

I scoured a couple of articles for the name of the gene variant but couldn't find it. However, the studies have nailed this genetic factor down in some heavy detail. Check the story for more info on how heredity links to nicotine addiction.

Posted By jamesk at 2008-04-02 14:26:56 permalink | comments (1)

A new cannabinoid receptor

More possibilities!

The CB1 cannabinoid receptor mediates many of the psychoactive effects of {Delta}9THC, the principal active component of cannabis. However, ample evidence suggests that additional non-CB1/CB2 receptors may contribute to the behavioral, vascular, and immunological actions of {Delta}9THC and endogenous cannabinoids.
....
GPR55 is highly expressed in large dorsal root ganglion neurons and, upon activation by various cannabinoids ({Delta}9THC, the anandamide analog methanandamide, and JWH015) increases intracellular calcium in these neurons.
...
These results establish GPR55 as a cannabinoid receptor with signaling distinct from CB1 and CB2.

some potential pharmacology:

The development of potent, selective ligands will be important to define the role of GPR55. The aminoalkylindoles offer an intriguing lead because JWH015 is an agonist for GPR55, but the closely related compound WIN55,212–2 neither activates nor binds the receptor (Table 1) (6). The complex interaction of GPR55 with arylpyrazole CB1 antagonists such as SR1, AM251, and AM281 is noteworthy. We found SR1 to be a GPR55 antagonist, whereas Ryberg et al. (6) found the closely related compounds AM251 and AM281 to be an agonist and inactive, respectively. With the possible presence of GPR55 on adipocytes (5) and the clinical use of arylpyrazoles and related compounds, the interactions of these compounds with GPR55 and related receptors needs to be evaluated.
Posted By Brandon at 2008-04-02 11:48:25 permalink | comments (6)

Green Dragon whaaaa?

In an upcoming episode of the new NOFX reality show, members of the band go to Singapore and buy some nefarious lime green powder called "Green Dragon." They then proceed to snort gigantic lines of it and go on to talk about how they feel like they're being hit by marshmallows, are on another dimension, and can see photosynthesis. Between that and all the hugging that goes on, my guess is that it's a combo of ketamine and MDMA with some sort of food coloring mixed in. Anybody have any other ideas or firsthand experience?
Posted By HellKatonWheelz at 2008-04-02 09:32:36 permalink | comments (45)
Tags: green dragon punk rock singapore

Bill Brewster's Drugcast

UK DJ Bill Brewster on the subject of amphetamines and ecstasy and how it changed British youth culture throughout the heavily house influenced '90s and the insurgence of acid house.

Link is to MP3 download of podcast from Ministry of Sound.

Posted By jamesk at 2008-04-01 18:24:50 permalink | comments (4)

SC moves to ban Salvia

South Carolina is the latest state to jump on the bandwagon to ban Salvia divinorum. Can't people just go for a "no sales to minors" rule anymore. Geez, what is this, a police state?

A hallucinogenic herb long used in tribal rituals would become illegal in South Carolina under a bill heading to the House floor--and that's no April Fool's joke.

The measure would make Salvia divinorum an illegal drug, in the same category as marijuana and peyote.

A House committee approved the bill Tuesday without debate.

South Carolina is among more than a dozen states where lawmakers are considering such measures.

The National Conference of State Legislatures says the plant has already been banned or restricted in at least eight states since 2005.

According to the Drug Enforcement Administration, the plant is usually either chewed or smoked, and its hallucinogenic effects can last about 30 minutes.

Posted By jamesk at 2008-04-01 17:38:13 permalink | comments (9)

John McCain: Manchurian Candidate

A prisoner of war brainwashed by his vicious captors is one day released and runs for the highest office in the land. Is this fact or fiction? You've all heard about the Manchurian Candidate from the movies, but could this scenario be for real? I would tell you McCain's trigger word, but you don't want to see him when he goes postal.

Senator John McCain was tortured and brainwashed by the communists for over 5 years. Regardless of what you may have been told, or what you may believe, no one, not anyone on this earth can withstand torture and brainwashing without breaking down, giving up information, and permanent damage to the mind... usually to traditional belief systems and thought processes in the areas of religion, philosophy, and politics.
Posted By jamesk at 2008-04-01 13:57:51 permalink | comments (2)

Rezko trial uncovers drug-fueled party days

For those of you following the US political race you might know about Tony Rezko, a Chicago political fundraiser linked to the Obama campaign, and his ongoing fraud trial. What you may not know is that his partner in crime, Stuart P. Levine, was a first-class head who liked to party down at drug orgies, as recent court testimony confirms:

Levine focused a harsh spotlight on decades of taking marijuana, cocaine, quaaludes, LSD, Ecstasy, crystal methamphetamine and ketamine, which goes under the street name Special K.

He said he took the drugs once or twice a month, mainly at parties with unspecified male friends. They brought the drugs and he would buy, often paying about $1,000, he said.

When in town, the parties would often take place in a suburban rendezvous "that came to be known as the purple hotel," Levine testified.

...

Levine testified that his parties started in the morning and lasted until evening when he would go home as if he'd spent a hard day at the office.

"To deceive my family," he testified.

Gosh, that doesn't sound familiar at all. At least he picked the good drugs.

Posted By jamesk at 2008-04-01 12:17:18 permalink | comments

NM baggie bust tossed

Here's a quick look at how absurd drug laws are getting. Someone almost got busted for possessing the baggie that his dope was stashed in, but sharper constitutional minds prevailed:

The state Court of Appeals says convictions for possessing drugs and drug paraphernalia violate protections against double jeopardy when the paraphernalia is a plastic bag for a personal drug supply.

The court concludes that separate convictions for the crimes represent multiple punishments for the same offense.

That violated constitutional prohibitions.

The court's unanimous decision (Friday) court tossed out the misdemeanor conviction of a man in Farmington for possessing drug paraphernalia.

That paraphernalia was a baggie containing methamphetamine.

Wish I could say this was an isolated incident...

Posted By jamesk at 2008-04-01 11:55:49 permalink | comments

UK's pot scheduling yo-yo

Is the new boss the same as the old boss? Not in the UK. While Hipster-swinger Bush-lackey Tony Blair reclassified pot as a Class C drug for UK citizens, the new Prime Gordon Brown is more of a tight-ass:

Gordon Brown today indicated his strong support for re-classifying cannabis again as a Class B drug.

At his monthly Downing Street news conference, the Prime Minister said that he was determined to send a signal to young people that the use of cannabis was "unacceptable".

...

In January 2004 former Prime Minister Tony Blair downgraded cannabis from a Class B drug to Class C - and the police stopped routinely arresting users of the drug.

At present heroin, cocaine and LSD belong to the strictest classification - Class A, while amphetamines are in Class B.

I could make some comments about how unpopular and unimaginative politicians always like to use pot as a political football, but that would mean "political soccer ball" in the UK, and I'm not sure that's the same thing. But on a side note, you ever see the way they roll spliffs in the UK? Total bombers man.

Posted By jamesk at 2008-04-01 11:40:12 permalink | comments (3)

The River megamix (part 1 of 2) just in time for Spring!!

...from downtempo remixes of 70s classic tunes to ethnic trip hop to mainstream indie to reggae to psy trance to ambient spoken word and beyond...

Every year in late April a collection of kindred Spirits convene upon a sandbar in southern Mississippi to rediscover their Soul through communion. This creation is dedicated to all involved. It is an immensely diverse collection of music inspired by that weekend.
Gaia bless you all. :-)

Mixed by Waldemar, June, 2007
Mycelia Studios, Mississippi Delta

collageking@gmail.com
http://www.myspace.com/waldemarlandry

This is not only my longest mix (3 hours and 10 for each half; The total for both parts clocks in at 6 hours 20 minutes!), it's also probably my most complex. I mixed large pieces of it live and then digitally edited them together, added a track here and there and of course edited sound effects throughout.

At one point in the mix, I even tried to replicate that awesome echo from the speakers against the bluff on the other side of the river! Hope I did a good job of it.

Encoded in glorious 320kbps, each file is about 480mb, so it may take a moment to download. Enjoy, good peeps...This is my li'l present to you.

PART 1 (OF 2) DOWNLOAD LINK:

Download Now

1.) Who keeps leaving the gate open...Jen? William?
2.) The Doobie Brothers - 'Listen To The Music' (Malibu remix)
3.) Makoto feat. Lori Fine - 'You're Divine'
4.) The Natives of the New Dawn - 'Sunshine'
5.) Slim - 'Triple Threads'
6.) Thievery Corporation - 'Omid (Hope)'
7.) Thievery Corporation - 'Holographic Universe'
8.) MC Sultan - 'Der Bauch' (Mental Challenge remix)
9.) Mike 'Agent X' Clark - 'The Creeper'
10.) Boombox - 'Stereo'
11.) Alton Miller - 'Tulum' (Kuumba Project remix)
12.) The Flaming Lips - 'What Is The Light?'
13.) Smokey Robinson - 'Quiet Storm' (Groove Boutique remix)
14.) LTJ Bukem feat. Elliot - 'Sunrain'
15.) Seals & Crofts - 'Summer Breeze' (Tsuper Tsunami mix)
16.) My Morning Jacket - 'Knot Comes Loose'
17.) Oasis - 'Wonderwall'
18.) John Mayer - 'Waiting On The World To Change'
19.) Marvin Gaye - 'Inner City Blues (Make Me Wanna Holla)'
20.) Frou Frou - 'Let Go'
21.) The Natives of the New Dawn - 'No Mistakes'
22.) The Mighty Diamonds - 'Pass The Kutchie'
23.) Green Lemon - 'Salvation'
24.) Thievery Corporation feat. Gunjan - 'Doors Of Perception'
25.) Afro Celt Sound System - 'Further In Time' (Mass remix)
26.) Afro Celt Sound System - 'Whirly 3' (Simon Emmerson, James McNally & Mass remix)
27.) New Order - 'Krafty' (Andy Green mix)
28.) Peter Bjorn & John feat. Victoria Bergsman - 'Young Folks'
29.) Apache Indian feat. Sameera Singh - 'Lovin (Pyaar Pyaar)' (Bhangra Flavor)
30.) Imogen Heap - 'Hide & Seek'
31.) DJ Dragon - 'Lazarus'
32.) Figure 8 - 'Liquified Interuption'
33.) Talamasca - 'Get It All'
34.) Astrix & Michele Adamson - 'Closer To Heaven'
35.) Talamasca - 'My Destiny'
36.) Infected Mushroom - 'Sailing in the Sea of Mushroom'
37.) Shpongle - 'Nothing Lasts...'
38.) Shpongle - '...But Nothing Is Lost.'
39.) Spacetime Continuum with Terence McKenna (as Alien Dreamtime) - 'Alien Love'
40.) Spacetime Continuum with Terence McKenna (as Alien Dreamtime) - 'Speaking In Tongues'
41.) Terre Thaemlitz - 'Hovering Glows'
42.) The Hugo Montenegro Orchestra - 'Once Upon A Time In The West'

Posted By Waldemar at 2008-04-01 11:30:38 permalink | comments (2)
Tags: the river trip hop triphop downtempo down tempo lounge psy trance pop ethnic reggae rasta house psychedelic thievery corporation afro celt sound syste

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