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accessHealthNews.net PAGE 18 December 2018 Right now, everything is speculative. But Missouri, which recently joined the 30 states that have legalized marijuana for medical use, is bracing for the unknown. Proponents of the legislation hope the drug will decrease opioid dependence as a pain reliever, as well as provide promising outcomes for nearly a half dozen other medical conditions. However, the new law may come with several logistical issues. State-issued card-carrying users may face obstacles to possessing or owning firearms. Also, Missouri workers whose jobs are federally mandated by the Department of Transportation could encounter roadblocks with drug screens that test positive for THC, the psychoactive drug found in marijuana. The same holds true for ride-hailing workers, like Lyft and Uber drivers. Truck drivers, school bus drivers, and even airline personnel, among others, may run into difficulties navigating conditions posed by Missouri's medical marijuana legislation. Likewise, construction laborers and heavy machinery operators working in non-federally regulated fields could find themselves in unchartered waters. A few factors that could make this law cumbersome for a portion of Missouri's workforce include: ● A company's legal liability for a worker who tests positive for medical marijuana, ● A lack of established or definitive levels of THC proven to mitigate impairment, ● A myriad of zero-tolerance workforce policies, none of which scratch the logistical surface that must be considered before final legislation rolls out next year. If that's not enough, insurance policy holders outside of the Health Insurance Marketplace (commonly referred to as Obamacare) could take a hit with higher premiums, even though medical marijuana may actually bring down health care costs. Quite frankly, it's all up in the air. Missouri's health care consumers will do well to stay vigilant as this new medical marijuana legislation unfurls to see how the potential impacts, both positive and negative, shake out. The holiday season is a time for celebration, and alcohol plays a big role in those festivities for most people. More people are likely to drink beyond their limits during the holiday season than any other time of the year. According to a survey conducted by Alcohol.org, one of the holidays with the most average number of drinks consumed is New Year's Eve. What counts as a drink? Many individuals might be surprised by the answer. In the United States, a "standard" drink is any drink that contains about 0.6 fluid ounces or 14 grams of pure alcohol. It is a useful way to track alcohol consumption. A 12-ounce beer, 5 ounces of wine or 1.5 ounces of distilled spirits all equal a standard drink. Calculating alcohol in a mixed drink or cocktail can be tricky. Depending on the drink recipe, an individual can consume one, two, or more standard drinks in one cocktail or mixed drink. The National Institute of Health has a useful cocktail content calculator. For example, a gin and tonic is 1.6 U.S. standard drinks, so three of these drinks would be almost 5 (4.8) standard drinks. They suggest having no more than one standard drink per hour, with nonalcoholic drink spacers between alcohol beverages. It takes approximately two hours for the adult body to completely break down a single drink. To calculate how much alcohol is in your drink, visit https://www.rethinkingdrinking.niaaa.nih.gov/Tools/Calculato rs/Cocktail-Calculator.aspx. Buzzed driving is drunk driving. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), alcohol consumption impairs thinking, reasoning, and muscle coordination. These are all vital abilities to operating a vehicle safely. At a 0.08 Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC), crash risk increases significantly. This is why it is illegal in all 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico to drive with a BAC higher than 0.08. NHTSA warns individuals that even a small amount of alcohol can affect driving ability. With a BAC of .02, they report that there is a decline in visual functions and decline in the ability to perform two tasks at the same time. The effects of a BAC of .08 are problems with concentration, short-term memory loss, speed control, reduced information processing capability and impaired perception. NHTSA recommends these tips to individuals to help ensure you have a safe and fun during the holidays: ● Before drinking, choose a non-drinking friend as a designated driver, or DD. A DD should be someone who hasn't drank at all, not the friend that drank the least. ● Use NHTSA's SafeRide app to call a taxi or friend. The app is available on Google Play for Android devices, and at the iTunes store for Apple devices. ● If you are hosting the party, make sure all guests leave with a sober driver. ● Always wear a seat belt, the best defense against drunk drivers. For more information, visit https://www.nhtsa.gov/campaign/buzzed-driving Resources: https://pubs.niaaa.nih.gov/publications/RethinkHoliday/NIAA A_Holiday_Fact_Sheet.pdf https://www.alcohol.org/statistics-information/holiday-binge- drinking/ By Rian Souders, Staff Writer Medical Marijuana Sure to Shake Things Up