Salvia Officinalis a Literature Review Introduction and History of Use Salvia officinalis, or sage, is also called garden sage or common sage. It is a perennial, evergreen shrub (Clebsch & Barner, 2003). The leaves are grayish in color, and the flowers are purple or blue (Watters, 1901). Stems are woody, and the plant is native to the Mediterranean (Clebsch & Barner, 2003). However, it has now been naturalized in a number of

Cannabis in ancient history: From no courage necessary to the courage to explore the mind. Cannabis cultivated in ancient China as hemp for fiber and cannabis for medicine. Cannabis spread to India, where it is used as a religious sacrament as well as a medicinal herb. Cannabis spread to Europe with the Scythians, who used it also as a mind-altering substance. By the end of the Hellenistic and Roman eras, cannabis use becomes widespread,

However, someone sitting inside their own home smoking marijuana for pleasure is an important use in itself and one which should not be ignored. "Like sex, alcohol, or cigarettes, marijuana is one of life's little pleasures for some people," and although it can be a vice, the recreational uses are a definite reason for legalization (Messerli 2006). People should not be told what they should and should not enjoy;

Heroin Abuse and Addiction A drug can be any substance, which can modify the functions of every living organism that consumes it. In medical terms, drugs provide instant but temporary relief from several unhealthy symptoms. Drugs such as Heroin produce many unwanted side effects. They are extremely toxic and can lead to a very unhealthy dependency that has behavioral and physiological roots, both. Heroin has lasting health consequences; it can

Although it is expected to die in Congress -- and President Bush has promised a veto if it does not -- a bill is currently circulating that would allow the FDA to control cigarette contents ("Reynolds American" 2008). If this bill were to pass, and the likelihood of it doing so is much greater with a Democratic congress and president, it could mean the perpetual death of the tobacco

Chocolate: Behind Its Bad Rap In today's society, chocolate is everywhere. It seems that people have developed a love-hate relationship with chocolate. According to the U.S. Department of Commerce, in 1997, the average American ate 11.7 pounds of chocolate. American adults ranked chocolate as the most-craved food and as their favorite flavor by a three-to-one margin. (Mustad, 2001) Throughout the world, exists a society of chocolate lovers. While Americans consume, on average,