For my research essay I will be examining alternate options for people who are caught abusing drugs. Hundreds of people every day are thrown into jail for abusing drugs and are not given the help they need to stop using the drugs.  Researchers have found that instead of throwing these people away in jail a better tactic is to tackle the root of the problem, drugs being misused. Studies have shown crime rates would decrease by providing these people with the medical help they need or putting the drug abusers through rehab instead of jail.  These alternate options also cost the taxpayers less money than it would for an inmate to stay in jail each year. The following resources will help me prove why alternate options for drug users would be a smart investment.

1. The Road to Recover

Background: The article makes the case that money and police resources are wasted tracking down drug dealers. Jails are full of dealers but the amount of drug abuse never improves and new dealers step in to sell to addicts when convicted dealers go to jail. Governor of New York George Pataki and Senate Majority Leader Joseph L. Bruno propose a concerted effort to eliminate drug use, therefore eliminating the market for drugs and putting the dealers out of business.

How I intend to use it: This article not only supports my thesis, in effect it is my thesis. The rest of the evidence I gather will support the logic of Pataki and Bruno’s program. My contribution to the argument will be to organize supporting data to convince skeptics that the plan has a chance of succeeding, more quickly, and for less money, than jailing dealers, which is both fruitless and expensive.

2. A Different Road to Recovery.

Background: Researchers say that prescribing heroin to drug addicts will lower the crime rate. Their objective is to prescribe individuals with the drug and work with them.

How I intend to use it: I intend on showing how crime rates would decreased due to drug control.

3. Prison Facts

Background: Facts about how much it cost taxpayers for an inmate to stay in jail each year.

How I intend to use it: This is to help prove that the cost of an inmate to stay in jail each year outweighs the cost of rehab.

4. New Jersey’s Statute 2C: 35B- 3 Definitions

Background: This is a Statute from New Jersey’s Code of Criminal Justice. The statute talks about drug dealer’s liability and the different types of offenses.

How I intend to use it: I intend on using this statute to show that there are different kind of drug offenders. I plan on showing that drug offenders are not only drug dealer but drug dealers as well.

5. Life After

Background: It’s a website where  people tell their stories about recovering from drug abuse.

How I intend to use it: I plan on showing how drug rehabs really do help people

6. National Drug and Alcohol Abuse Helpline

Background: This website is about drug rehabs. It helps people find out what specific rehab   they should be in.

How I plan to use it: I plan on using some of the facts on given on the page to support how drug rehab does work for people.

7. The National Center on Addiction and Substances Abuse at Columbia University

Background: This website is all about the DTAP and facts how the DTAP exactly works for drug offenders. It compares people who participate in programs like DTAP to people who are put in jail.

How I plan to use it: I plan on using the website to support my thesis because it explains all my reasons why programs like DTAP should be exist around the country.

8. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration

Background: This is a Treatment Episode Data Set (TEDS). It’s a report on how many people did not complete rehab and why they didn’t.

How I plan to use it: I plan on using this information to show why rehab does always work. (for my rebuttal paper)

9. Drug Treatment Alternatives to Prison Program (DTAP)

Background: This website explains what the DTAP is and who they help. It also gives facts about how the program is successful.

How I plan to use it:I plan on using this information to support what kind of “drug offenders” are aloud to take advantage of this program.

10. Recidivism Among High-Risk Drug Felons: A Longitudinal Analysis Following Residential Treatment

Background: This article gives more information about DTAP, like how people who fail to complete the program go to jail. It also explains how beneficial DTAP is.

How I plan to use it: I plan on using the information to explain DTAP and also to support how DTAP is successful.

11. CASA report: Alternative-to-prison program reduces crime

Background: This article explains how DTAP would save taxpayers money and reduce the crime rate.

How I plan to use it:I plan on using this to support one of my reason how programs like DTAP are beneficial to everyone.

12. Drug Treatment Alternative to Prison (DTAP)

Background: This website is all about DTAP like where it began and what their purpose is.

How I plan to use it: I plan on using it to explain DTAP so my read get a better understanding what the program does.

13. Drug Treatment an Alternative to Prison

Background: This article gives good statics about DTAP. It also explains how the program saves taxpayers money and helps drug offenders with their addictions.

How I plan to use it: I plan on using the statics about DTAP to put numbers to how really beneficial DTAP is.

14. Drug Treatment Alternative to Prison 

Background: The website is the DTAP in Brooklyn. It also explains how the program  saves money, improves public safety, and reduces drug abuse.

How I plan to use it: I plan on using this information to support my thesis of how programs like DTAP are more beneficial rather than jail-time.

15. Drug Treatment Alternative to Prison 

Background: This website explains the program’s procedures and who qualifies to get into the program.

How I plan to use it: I plan on using this information to explain what kind of drug offenders qualify for the program.

For my research topic I will be examining if it is possible to walk in a straight line while blindfolded. Experiments have shown that it is not possible to walk in a straight line without a visual landmark. However, I plan on using first hand study and research to see if different sounds will help to keep people on a straight path.

1. A Mystery: Why can’t we walk in a straight line?

This video and article provides a clear description of the problem that people can not walk in a straight line when they have no visual landmarks to work off of. It gives specific examples of people who have tried this experiment and what the results were.

I will be using this to to establish what others have done to test this problem. I will also be using it to help guide me through my own personal research.

2. Mythbusters: Walk in a Straight Line

In this video The Mythbusters, Jamie in particular, offer up a theory that we cant walk in a straight line because the body makes fluid movements and is not perfect. Eventually, all of the little errors that are made while walking, without correction, will pile up causing us to walk in circles.

I will use this as a possible answer to the mystery question of if there is any way for us to actually stay on a straight path without the help of visual landmarks. I also noticed in the video that while doing the experiment they were wearing noise cancelling headphones, so that still leaves my theory that noise can substitute as a landmark open.

3. We Can’t Help Walking in Circles

This article gives more information about Jan Souman’s experiment where she blindfolded participants and let them attempt to walk straight in the desert or through an open plain. There is also a video about her experiment.

I will use this to help me determine how large of an area I should use to conduct my own experiments. Unfortunately, I will not be able to use an area as large as in the original experiments.

4. Jan Souman’s Paper

Gives all of the information about the experiments where she had subjects walk through the woods on a cloudy day as opposed to blindfolding them. Also gives more information about all of the separate tests since this is her main research paper.

I will use this as my main source in my research paper, getting most of my information about her theories and experiments from it.

5. Personal experiment

I will do my own experiment to see if we can walk in a straight line while blindfolded. I will also attempt to find out if noise can be used as a stand in for a visual landmark.

6.Motor Patterns in Walking

This is an academic paper about the physiology of walking. It explains how we walk, and also goes into some detail on why walking is not perfect. I will use this to help me define walking, and how it is, in itself,  a very complicated and flaws process.

7.Animal Migration

This explains how animals navigate and find their way during migration. The article states that many animals use the same techniques for navigation as humans do. For example, a visual landmark. It also talks about an experiment where sea turtles were “blinded” from sensing a magnetic force that they used as a landmark and ended up getting lost. I will use this to make a comparative argument between our navigation and animals navigation.

8.Ancient Navigators

This article describes all of the different ways that ancient sailors used to navigate on the open seas. Just like how it is impossible to walk in a straight line while blindfolded, it is impossible to sail straight without the help of navigation. I will compare the methods used to navigate on the open sea to those used while on land.

9.The Free Dictionary – Straight Line

I will use this to help me define what exactly a straight line is, and what definition goes along with my topic.

10.Case Study of Auditory Navigation

Background: An experiment done in Helsinki Finland where people were sent to walk in a virtual environment and given auditory clues. The participants were told to find the source of the noise.

How I will use it: This is the closest study I could fine to the one I am doing. I am going to use it to support my own findings, since they found very similar results.

12.Science is Beautiful: Walking in a Straight Line

Background: Gives more insight into the theories of why we can’t walk in a straight line. Also has a picture of the paths taken by the original participants in Jan Souman’s study.

How I will use it: I will use the examples it gives of when something like this happens in movies, but we never really notice or think about it. Also, I would like to put the picture in my essay, to give the reader a clearer idea.

13.Homing Pigeons

Background: Article about how homing pigeons find their way home from distant unfamiliar locations.

How I will use it: I will compare the possible techniques used by the homing pigeons to those used by humans

14.Auditory Navigation Performance is Affected by Waypoint Capture Radius

Background: An experiment done to test an auditory navigation system for the blind. It was found that the farther away someone is to the cue the less accurate they are in finding it.

How I will use it: I believe this is why, in my experiment, Everyone walked in a curved line when walking toward the aural cue. I will try to draw  a direct correlation with the help of this paper.

15.Walking Straight Into Circles

Background: Gives more detailed information about Jan Souman’s experiment. Has graphs, and pictures that make it more easily understood.

How I will use it: I will use it to help me explain the topic more thoroughly.

1. The Science and Ethics of Induced Pluripotency: What Will Become of Embryonic Stem Cells

This article discusses why stem cells are better than traditional medicinal methods to cure/treat diseases and other illnesses.  It depicts the advances in stem cell research techniques and the changes to the field that have come within the last decade.  It also describes other means of modern regenerative medicine in an unbiased light.

How I intend to use it: I intend to use this article to describe why stem cells are a better, more productive way to treat and possibly cure or prevent certain illnesses.  In this way I will show that stem cell research deserves more funding than other areas of research.

2. Stem Cells: 10 Diseases They May—or May Not—Cure

This article describes the diseases that might someday be cured by stem cells.  It also explains why stem cells would be beneficial and how they would be utilized in each disease.  This article is also a great resource because it gives a slightly skeptical viewpoint that can be used for arguments against funding this type of research.

How I intend to use it: I will use this article to bring to light the terrible diseases that stand to be cured by stem cells in order to prove that more funding should be approved.  I will also use this article to identify counter arguments so I can debunk them using my other sources.

3. Assessing the Risk of Ovarian Hyperstimulation Syndrome in Egg Donation: Implications for Human Embryonic Stem Cell Research.

This article provides information on why it is most useful to use stem cells derived from an embryo and how the source of the stem cell changes the properties of the cell itself.  It also explains the downfalls of the other methods of obtaining usable stem cells.

How I intend to use it:  I intend to use this article to show the reader why it is so important that the stem cells come from an embryonic source.  By examining why embryonic stem cells are the most useable and how other methods are far less productive I can support funding for this specific type of stem cell research.  I will also use this source in correlation with one other source (not listed here) to identify the counterintuitivity of this topic, in that embryonic stem cells have the potential to be a so-called “miracle drug” but because of a moral issue it has been extremely difficult to conduct the needed research.

4. Federal Funding of Human Embryonic Stem Cell Research

This article contains the court case of Sherley v. Sebelius which was the main impetus behind the Dickey-Wicker Amendment that caused the ban on embryonic stem cell research (lifted by President Obama) and is still the cause of much argument surrounding this type of research.  It also contains a much more recent case that dealt with embryonic stem cell research.

How I intend to use it: I intend to use this article to give background information on the initial ban, and current damper on the funding given to embryonic stem cell research.  I will then counter the implications of this case with the scientific data gathered in my other sources.  This source will also be useful in identifying the moral dilemmas that have hurt the entire field.

5. The Man Who Grew Back His Finger Tip

This article describes the wonders of stem cells in the form of an amazing story of a man who grew back part of his finger that was removed in an accident.  This man grew back his entire finger in only four months using stem cells (in fact using an inferior method to embryonic stem cells).

How I intend to use it: I intend to use this as a concrete example of the power of stem cells in the field of regenerative medicine.  Due to the ban on embryonic stem cells during the time of his accident the stem cells of a pig were used which are inferior to human stem cells, this in mind I intend to show that the potential of the far superior embryonic stem cells is nearly limitless.  By showing how powerful and effective stem cells are I hope to prove the need for more funding.

6. Derivation, propagation and controlled differentiation of human embryonic stem cells in suspension.

This article provides information on how stem cells are obtained from the embryo and also the methods by which they are utilized.  It also gives a lot of useful information on the process that embryonic cells take to release their full potential.

How I intend to use it: I will use this article to depict the science behind stem cells in order to give the reader a better background of the techniques used in this field.

7. Photographic Framing in the Stem Cell Debate

This article views the stem cell debate in moral and political terms.  By using eye tracking software in addition to polls and surveys this article breaks down the political issues and how a politician is able to sway public opinion in his favor by altering the wording

How I intend to use it: I will use this article to show how unjust the political world can be, and how a lifesaving science fell victim to the political machine.  I can use this article to move away from the scientific side of things in order to address the reasons why it is illegal and why public opinion remains the way it does.

8. National risk signatures and human embryonic stem cell research in mainland China

Although this article is based around the practices in mainland China, there is a lot of useful information that can pertain to any country.  This article breaks down the risks associated with this type of stem cell research from moral to physical and everything in between.  It also touches on bioethics which asks the question “should this be done?” as opposed to just asking how it is done.

How I intend to use this:  This article will be crucial when describing the risks of using this technology versus not using it.  For example, there is a section in this article dedicated to the risks associated with falling behind in the medical community if a country does not utilize all available technologies and practices.

9. Beyond the ‘Embryo Question’

This focus of this article is on the bioethics of stem cell research and more importantly on the ethical issues concerning the donation of human tissues for use in research.  It also has a subsection about the “value and waste” in tissue donation.

How I intend to use it: this article will be very useful in determining and examining the ethics surrounding stem cell research without the aspect of politics.  Examining ethics and politics separately will ensure no bias is placed on the information.

10. Biology. Eighth ed. Boston: Benjamin Cummings, 2011.

I will use specific sections of this biology book to describe different aspects of cell development, gestation periods, and the embryo itself.  The information in the book will help me to address the scientific side of stem cell research but also the moral and political aspect as well.

11. Bioethics of Stem Cell Research and Therapy

This article is broken down into three sections, past, present, and future usage of stem cells in research and therapy.  It delves deeply into the controversies and concerns of using embryonic cells in research for regenerative medicine and how thoughts concerning the topic have changed throughout the course of many years.   Also, this article touches on the specific aspects of derivation that create bioethical concerns.

How I intend to use it: I will use this article to depict the ethical concerns facing this type of research and counter them.  Also, I will use it to discuss what the medical field stands to gain if embryonic stem cell research was granted federal funding.

12. Abortion Surveillance

This article provides numerous statistics on abortion in the United States, including gestational age as well as methods. This article will serve to provide powerful data on abortions in the United States.  I intend to use it to aid the section of my essay which compares the abortion laws to those of stem cell research in order to point out critical discrepancies and leaps in logic.

13. How is Abortion Different From Stem Cell Research

This article discusses the similarities and differences between abortion and stem cell research.  The author also offers a section about the objections facing the two practices.  This article outlines everything from destroying an embryo to the moral aspects and concerns that both practices come across.

How I intend to use it: This article will fit seamlessly into my essay because most of the arguments made in this essay are ones that I have made in my essay.  I will use it to substantiate my claims as well as providing new insight to topics I have already discussed in previous essays.

14. Is it Time for Bioethics to go Empirical

This is an in-depth article about the field of bioethics as a whole.  The author dissects bioethics in a nonbiased way, but brings up important points about the values and concerns of bioethicists.  It also touches on possible reform of the bioethics field in general.

How I intend to use it: this article will be helpful in discrediting some of the ideals propagated by bioethicists.  Furthermore, the profiling of bioethics as a whole is something I have not seen before so it will be helpful in expanding my essay.

15. Bioethical Politics

As the title suggests, this article is about the politics surrounding bioethics and the decisions made as a result.  This article covers abortion, stem cell research and other hotly debated bioethical topics.  This also discusses the role of religion in scientific decisions and bioethics.

How I intend to use it: this article is great for providing background information on the politics behind the important political and scientific decisions and laws such as the famous Roe v. Wade case.  This information will be critically important when examining the ethical and political motives behind the important scientific issues in modern America.

1. Gary Friedrich Ghost Rider Lawsuit: Joe Quesada and Dan Buckley Add Some Clarity

The catalyst event is not only chronicled here, but it is described in detail from the point of view of Marvel Comics’ Editor in Chief Joe Quesada and Publisher Dan Buckley.  The event described is the second court case revolving around the creator of Ghost Rider, Gary Friedrich, and Marvel’s suing him for distributing, for profit, unlicensed reprints/copies of old Ghost Rider Comics.  As they were “unlicensed” and, as proven years earlier, in the ownership of Marvel, the suit claims that Friedrich is illegally making a profit on stolen merchandise, regardless of his being the creator or not.

I intend to use this as the overall springboard for all points to be made, as this is the catalyst for Marvel, Disney, and their lawyers’ decisions.  The case and the interview will be referenced constantly, with the interview itself providing means for comprehending Marvel’s viewpoint.

2.  Marvel Wins Court Battle Over Ghost Rider:

The article provides background, and rather unfortunately recent, information on the first Ghost Rider copyright court case.  It analyzes the creator of Ghost Rider, Gary Friedrich, claiming that Marvel did not have the rights to Ghost Rider beyond producing comics for the character, as film and marketing were not discussed at the time of contract signing, and  he deserved royalties for the 2007 film.  This past year, a federal Judge ruled that Marvel’s new mass media division, which also did not exist at the the time of Friedrich’s contract signing, Marvel Entertainment, does in fact retain the rights to his character.  This would be a stepping-stone to the current debacle.

I intend to use this as background to Marvel’s integrity and character study, as means to understand Marvel’s stance on copyright and what “ownership” of a character is.  The article will also serve as background to the larger, overall court case and dispute between Friedrich and Marvel, that provides the main thesis.

3. Worth a Thousand Words: The Images of Copyright

A very lengthy, extensive, article dated the first of this year, analyzing the vague concept of copyright and copyrighting images.  Rebecca Tushnet is incredibly critical of the Law, and her focuses on multimedia and images, specifically them as “transparent or opaque” concepts, is quite welcome in terms of the comic art topic, as comic images may not be directly connected to ownership and copyright claims within the realm of artistic liberty.

4.  No More Unauthorized Artwork

This is not an academic database article or analysis, I will say that upfront.  This is a journal post on the popular, and possible number-one, art congregation location on the internet, DeviantArt, where artists professional and amateur around the globe share their creations publicly.  The journal piece itself is a well-crafted analysis, commentary, and repost of professional comic artist Steve Bissette’s statements that comic artists should openly refrain from drawing Marvel characters, whether for profit or not, as a means of protest and personal safety.

I intend to use this exactly as it is presented: this is not an academic article.  This is the voice of the people, and even more specifically the people this case is intentionally working against, and their reaction.  Public reaction is very key to disputes such as these, and from the perspective of actual artists this makes a very useful weapon.  (An interesting note not mentioned here is a statement made by artist Robert Liefeld: “Not a single creator that has sued Marvel for creative compensation has succeeded. The list is getting longer. Know what you signed.  I do not own Deadpool, Cable, X- Force—I get a generous payout on their exploitation, but I knew from day one, they are not mine. Period.  I signed those deals when I was 21 years old. I knew that pennies on the dollar were better than no pennies at all.  I was an eager young talent looking to change the game and the playing field, I did that through my creations. No regrets.”)

5.  Copyright Law

This is the United States Copyright Law, from the US Copyright Office, by which all creations are given official ownership to a party, legally.  There is irony in their mission statement, “To promote creativity by administering and sustaining an effective national copyright system.”  as they state that they at the Office are “proud to be part of a long tradition of promoting progress of the arts and protection for the works of authors.”  Perhaps not so much to sustain creative rights of artists and authors, but whoever that Office can decree owns them at the time?  Rather convenient, actually.  This source is, of course, to criticize while abiding by the legal proceedings and how Marvel is capable of making their claims.  While it is no personal contract, which would be the best possible source, it is the next best thing for an overall standpoint.

I intend to use the Copyright Office as a means of maintaining a sense of professionalism, as analyzing Marvel’s actions cannot be done without considering the laws that they themselves are claiming they can use.  Understanding knowledge of copyright laws will provide a better outcome, regardless of what the outcome actually is.  It is a necessity for this type of analysis.

6.  U.S. Copyright Office: Fair Use

The article from the Copyright Office of the United States discusses the Fair Use policy, which distinguishes an image or creative property from something similar without it breaking a law.  Under Fair Use, an image can be considered a “parody,” an imitation that is not plagiarism, which allows it to legally exist outside the sue-able realm.

This could be a game-changer for my research, as the extents of Fair Use and Parody laws are potentially the liability for artists who illustrate copyrighted characters.  However, to pose a contrast, even the Office themselves recognize and state that the line between Fair Use and Infringement is “unclear and not easily defined,” and proving it will be rather difficult.

7.   Copyright and Parody: Taking Backward the Gowers Review?

A very key notion revealed itself in the process of writing my Definitional essay in regards to copyright: what are the boundaries of artistic liberty?  Caricature artists do not get sued, sketch comedy programs on television do not get sued, and there should not be a difference here; the idea is that parody categorization prevents legal action.  The issue here is that the IPO (Intellectual Property Office) does not have a specific stated exception for parody as an intellectual property, which Ronan Deazley believes is necessary.

With the parody research, it can be proved that artists are not actually stealing from Marvel by usage of their characters, but are imitating them with no malicious intent.  Saturday Night Live, for instance, is among the skit shows that has been getting away with such concepts for years; they do not pay film companies whose movies they parody, nor can they be sued, and they show still makes a profit.  Proving artists do something similar would be the most important step to sidestep Marvel’s action.

8.  Court Ruling Says Marvel Holds Rights, Not Artist

This New York Times article from last year discusses the conclusion of the Jack Kirby case, in which the estate and children of Jack “The King” Kirby, famed comic artist, sued Marvel over the use and ownership of his characters.

Provides further background and back-up information to show Marvel’s no-nonsense approach to these lawsuits, in addition to the Friedrich case.  While Friedrich’s evolved into a case of Marvel suing him, this in turn deals with the opposite, with Kirby’s heirs reacting to the creation of such films like “Thor” based on his characters.  Interesting to note the “Disney” credits.

9.  Marvel Forces Ghost Rider Creator to Stop Saying he’s Ghost Rider’s Creator

The article address the same issues as many others take with Marvel’s case against Ghost Rider creator Gary Friedrich and copyright issues, but it is cited here for another reason: it provides a key piece of information not noted by the rest, in that Marvel expects Friedrich to not boast that Ghost Rider is his creation, though Marvel recognizes he is (not in print, however), and that he must pay $17,000 as a result of the suit.

The shocking, and sickly wonderful, point to note here is that Marvel us demanding $17,000 from the broke and unemployed Friedrich, who was only making a slight living on selling his Ghost Rider material at conventions in the first place.  This certainly paints Marvel in villainous light, and it is interesting noting that the other news sources chose to not address the sanction from the trial.

10.  Copyright and Fair Use

This Journal article provides definitions of Fair Use and extension history, research, and previous Fair Use case citations; though elaborate, each section is neatly compact and organized enough to be more handy than the actual policy.

Serves a handy, and lengthy, guide to the concepts of Fair Use; this serves a purpose solely of acting as background information, definitions, and research that may not be directly cited in papers, but implied.

11.  Marvel.com’s Terms and Conditions

Though not the contract that an artist would sign, several key elements of such a document carry over into Marvel’s Terms and Conditions page, and demonstrates how serious offenses can be in their perspective.  It also gives the full name and address of Marvel’s Legal Copyright Counselor, Seth Lehman.

Character reference is the usage here, mostly, so suggest just how drastic an offense can be to Marvel, even it does not appear to be as criminal to anyone else.

12.  Mirriam-Webster Online

The most official and global dictionary in use (arguable, I realize) for centuries, and thus the most respectable and logical source to utilize for referencing certain notations otherwise not commonly known.

Online is a much quicker and handier reference than book format, and much easier to “dumb-down” than legal dictionaries.

13.  Legal Dictionary at Law.com

Of course, it still makes sense to site an actual legal dictionary for professional legal terms and whatnot, so the most official as given by Law.com itself is quite a handy resource for clarifying terms like “Copyright” and “Parody.”

Usage intent is primarily for quick clarification of legal terms which will then be compared to Mirriam-Webster’s for similarity and more common understanding.

14.  Jack Kirby

A detailed, and also oral for this who would rather listen than read, history of the life of Jack “The King” Kirby, arguable the greatest comic book artist merely for being the man who “created” the superhero style that evolved into what we have today.

I figure if i am going to reference The King so much, it would be wise for people to know who he actually is.

15.  Marvel Sues Family of Comic Artist

Background on the Marvel v. Kirby Estate trial and acts as a character reference for Marvel and how ruthless they can behave in their legal proceedings; as mentioned in the Robert Liefeld citation from his Twitter paper, “No one who has sued Marvel has ever won.”  Grim, but true.

Just as the Kirby background reference provides his own history, this is another history reference to Marvel’s legal accounts fortunately also based on the grounds of a copyright claim.

“Browsing Store.” Netnutri.com. Netnutri, 2009. Web. 16 Apr. 2012.

Background: The site talks about the contents of the product metabolife 356, which is the specific Ephedra based product I use to talk about. It also gives a lot of information on use and description of it.

How intend to use: I have already used this website in my definition essay as my source for information on its ingredients. I also intend to use it for other small information about the use of the product.

Denham, Bryan E. “Dietary Supplements-Regulatory Issues and Implications for Public Health.” Jama.ama–assn.org. The Journal of the American Medical Association, 15 July 2011. Web. 16 Apr. 2012.

Background: This source gives the problems with regulations on the Dietary supplement industry. It shows how loop holes can be used by the manufacturers of the product.

How I intend to use research: I intend to use this research to see the flaws in the supplement regulations and determine the type of things the manufacturers can easily get away with their supplement that could be unhealthy and dangerous.

“Dietary Supplements.” Background Information: — Health Professional Fact Sheet. National Institutes of Health, 24 June 2011. Web. 16 Apr. 2012.

Background: This source gives the classification of dietary supplements. It also defines the regulations that the FDA sets up for them and rules they must follow.

How I intend to use research: This research will give me exactly what I’m looking for as in a classification of what a dietary supplement is. It also will help me see the rules and regulations they have and follow. It shows which classifications could be talked about to be made tighter and better regulated.

“Food.” Dietary Supplements. 2005. Web. 16 Apr. 2012.

Background: This website gives some more information on the regulations of dietary supplements and more information on the supplements.

Intend to use: This site can be used to give more sustenance to the rules and regulations I have found out about. It can also be used for more information on dietary supplements.

“Ingredients — Ephedrine.” Ingredients. Web. 16 Apr. 2012.

Background: This source goes into more details about the uses and ingredients of the Ephedrine supplement.

How I intend to use research: This research will give me more information on the make up of the Ephedra, so I can examine its ingredients to the needed ones of dietary supplements to be classified as so. It will also give me a good look at the dangerous substances inside of the supplement that makes it harmful.

“Is Ephedra Legal?” Ephedra Diet Pills, Ephedra Weight Loss Products, Buy Ephedrine! Web. 16 Apr. 2012.

Background: This site tells you that Ephedra is not completely banned by the FDA just a certain type of Ephedra called Ephedra- Sinica.

How intend to use: This site gives more information on the banning of the Ephedra and the specific type, so that I can give a more exact classification of the banned product. It can also be used to explain why this type is banned and not the other one.

Mayo Clinic. Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research, 01 Oct. 2011. Web. 16 Apr. 2012.

Background: This site gives information and background about the Ephedra sinica product. It goes on to talk about this exact type of the Ephedra. It talks about the dangers of this type of Ephedra and why it was banned.

Intend to use: I can use this information to further explain on this exact type of Ephedra that is banned. I can give background information on it, and give a better description of why this type has been banned. It will help me explain the banning of the Ephedra better, along with giving me more information on the product than I had.

McBride, Brian F., Danette Guertin, Michael C. White, and Jeffrey Kluger. “Inappropriate Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillator Discharge Following Consumption of a Dietary Weight Loss Supplement.” Pacing & Clinical Electrophysiology 27.9 (2004): 1317-320. Academic Search Premier. Web. 16 Apr. 2012.

Background: It gives information on how the metabolife 356 affected a woman’s heart and the Ephedra product caused such terrible damage to her and needed a constant defibrillator.

How intend to use: I’m going to use the information as a basis and example of the effects of the metabolife 356 ephedra base drug. I can also use it to show how fast it could cause your heart to race and the effects of the drug on someone’s body. It gives a horrific end to someone’s life, which could attach the viewer to my view on fixing the regulations and making the supplement safer for use.

Mehendale, Sangeeta R., Brent A. Bauer, and Yuan Chun-Su. “Ephedra-Containing Dietary Supplements in the US versus Ephedra as a Chinese Medicine.” American Journal of Chinese Medicine 32.1 (2004): 1-10. Academic Search Premier. Web. 16 Apr. 2012.

Background: It talks about the usage of Ephedra in the dietary supplement and as used in Chinese medicine.

How intend to use: The website shows a different way Ephedra has been used in the way of Chinese medicine. It also talks about the usage of it as a dietary supplement and its dangers, which gives me more information on that. It gives some good of the product when used by the Chinese.

“Metabolife 356.com | The Story of Metabolife Products.” Metabolife 356.com. 2003. Web.16 Apr. 2012.

Background: It gives more information on the supplement. It also talks about the different ingredients and backgrounds on them, along with usage of the dietary supplement.

How intend to use: I intend to take the information and talk more about the metabolife and its effects. I can also use the background information on certain ingredients in the product more too. The ingredients can be broken down and talked about throughout the research paper. I can focus on each main important ingredient that is used.

Spitz, Katherine. “Health Psychology Home Page.” PSY 268. Web. 16 Apr. 2012.

Background: This website gives information on the Metabolife 356 product. It also gives information on its safety and the claims and evidence that the Metabolife 356 company presents for its product.

Intend to use: I intend to use this information to use as basis for claims made by the company and to show the safety problems with this product. I can also use it to compare the claims made by the company to the regulations set for dietary supplements.

“Pharmaceutical Industry.” International Encyclopedia of the Social Sciences. 2008. Retrieved April 16, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com:

Background: It talks about the regulations of drugs and how they are handled in regulation. It also talks about what the manufacturers of the drugs do to meet regulations and make sure they have a high quality product.

Intend to use: I can use this information to compare it to the supplements and describe why the dietary supplements should be regulated more like the drugs. They have tight rules and it would create a better industry and a much safer one for the dietary supplements.

“What Is Ephedrine?” Ephedrine (Ephedra) Legal Advice: Speak to Lawyers Handling Injuries Associated Ephedra. Web. 16 Apr. 2012.

Background: This website talks about ephedra and the ingredients found in it. It goes into where it comes from and how it is used and created.It also gives the a list of examples of the complaints received by the FDA about terrible unwanted side effects of the supplement.

How I intend to use research: This gives me ingredients of the product I’m looking up. It states where it comes from and creation of it and uses giving me a very clear way at how it is mainly created. I can use this to examine how well it meets the dietary classifications and what different parts of it cause the harmful side effects.

Wong, Cathy. “Ephedra Side Effects.” About.com Alternative Medicine. About.com, 31 Jan. 2008. Web. 16 Apr. 2012.

Background: The site talks a little bit about the history of Ephedra, and its past uses and origin. It also goes on to talk about the side effects of the product.

How I intend to use: This site will give me more information on the side effects of Ephedra on people. It will also give me some more history on the product along with past uses in Chinese tradition. It can show a more useful way of the product that it has been used for and why its side effects are too dangerous to be in a dietary supplement.

Woolf, Alan D., William A. Watson, Susan Smolinske, and Toby Litovitz. “The Severity of Toxic Reactions to Ephedra: Comparisons to Other Botanical Products and National Trends from 1993–2002.” Clinical Toxicology 43.5 (2005): 347-55. Academic Search Premier. Web. 16 Apr. 2011.

Background: The website talks about the dangers from the botanical Ephedra. It talks about how it was examined and tested. It also gives information on the severity of its use and exposure in a dietary supplement.

How I intend to use: I intend to take the information and incorporate it into explaining Ephedra’s very severe dangers and showing how its exposure in a supplement form is very dangerous to someone’s health. I can go into how toxic the product can be to the human body.

For my research paper I will be analyzing the placement of marijuana in the Schedule 1 drug category under the Controlled Substances Act. According to the act, schedule 1 drugs are the deadliest drugs and will get you in the most trouble due to the serious illegality. I will be arguing marijuana should be under a less intense category. I believe other drugs in the category are much more dangerous than marijuana and it would fit another category better. I will not be arguing for the legalization of marijuana. Resources I feel I will be able to use for this paper are:

1. DEA Diversion Control 

Background: This website put up by the Drug Enforcement Agency’s Office of Diversion Control. It explains the Controlled Substances Act. It also goes into detail about each of the schedules and what guidelines a drug must meet to be placed under this category. It also lists some drugs in each category. This source does not have a point of view, it is the legislation.

How I Plan to Use It: This source will provide background information on the government’s official policy regarding drugs. This information can also be used to persuade the reader.

2. Cannabis, Consciousness and Healing

Background: This source is a persuasive piece about how marijuana has medical benefits and therefore should not be a Schedule 1 drug because Schedule 1 drugs by definition have no medical benefits. This piece argues for the use of marijuana medically.

How I Plan to Use It: I plan to use the author’s views and information to persuade my readers that marijuana has a true medical use that is better than similar drugs. This author only argues one facet of the definition of a Schedule 1 drug so I will be using other sources for the other parts of the definition.

3. Federal Foolishness and Marijuana

Background: This author’s editorial is persuading the reader marijuana should be a Schedule 2 drug rather than it’s current state as Schedule 1.

How I Plan to Use It: This author argues from all of the definitions of a Schedule 1 drug. I will use his work to build on my own views and portray that in my paper.

4. Cannabis and the U.S. Controlled Substances Act

Background: This article posted by drugawareness.us explains that marijuana does not have a high potential for abuse and therefore should not be a Schedule 1 drug.

How I Plan to Use It: I plan to use this information to prove marijuana shouldn’t be a schedule one drug based on the fact it does not have a high potential for abuse.

5. Federal Marijuana Law

Background: This article explains more about the Controlled Substances Act, how it came to be and what it’s about.

How I Plan to Use It: I plan to use this information to prove that marijuana does not fall under the categories of a schedule 1 drug.

6. Marijuana Vaporizer

Background: This website is advocating for the use of marijuana vaporizers. It gives a lot of information about vaporizers, marijuana and benefits of both.

How I Plan to Use It: I plan to use this source to prove that even though smoking marijuana may be unhealthy, vaporizers are not and the user still reaps medical benefits from the marijuana.

7. Drugs in Portugal: Did Decriminalization Work?

Background: This is an article by Time Science that is exploring decriminalization in Portugal and what happened.

How I Plan to Use It: I plan to look into the things that went wrong in Portugal and prove why or why not it would make a difference here. Also, I would look into how we can change what went wrong in Portugal.

8. Marihuana: A Signal of Misunderstanding.

Background: This site gives information about the Shafer Commission. This is a pro-legalization site. It had quotes from the letter the Shafer Commission published.

How I Plan to Use It: I plan to use this to explain the Shafer Commission, it’s importance and quote the letter. This will strengthen my argument that it should be legalized because it gives me credible sources.

9. “Oval Office Conversation – Meeting with Nixon, Haldeman and Ehrlichman,”

Background: This is a transcript of Nixon’s tapes in the Oval Office in May of 1972. Nixon is talking about marijuana and why it shouldn’t be legal.

How I Plan to Use It: I plan to use this to express why Nixon made marijuana illegal and prove he had no grounds for this decision.

10. Abuse

Background: This is a website advocating for marijuana use in Iowa. It outlines the Shafer Commission’s report, Marijuana: A Signal of Misunderstanding.

How I Plan to Use It: I will use this to quote the report and what they recommended to show the reader what could have happened. 

11. “Controlled Substances Act TITLE 21.”

Background: This is the actual Controlled Substances Act legislation.

How I Plan to Use It: I plan to use this to explain what the actual legislation says so the reader can understand where marijuana falls in the categories.

12. “InfoFacts: Heroin.” 

Background: This is info about Heroin from drugabuse.org.

How I Plan on Using It: I plan to use this to explain how marijuana shouldn’t be in a schedule with a drug like heroin. I plan to parallel the parameters in the CSA for heroin and marijuana.

13. “Historical Timeline- History of Marijuana as Medicine – 2900 BC to Present.” 

Background: This is from a neutral site called procon.org that gives information for students to write controversial papers.

How I Plan to Use It: I plan to use this so I can understand how marijuana got into schedule one. I plan to use that to prove it was not correctly placed.

14. “Marinol Versus Natural Cannabis Pros, Cons, and Options for Patients.”

Background: This is a source advocating for marijuana as opposed to Marinol (a schedule three drug with THC) for medicinal purposes.

How I Plan to Use It: I plan on showing the reader that Marinol is not the same as medical marijuana and that medical marijuana is more beneficial.

15. The President’s News Conference.

Background: This is transcript from President Nixon’s news conference.

How I Plan on Using It: I plan on using this to prove that no matter what the commission said, Nixon would still not make marijuana legal.