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Over 50 years ago, Stanley Milgram and colleagues published a short article detailing an unobtrusive experimental design they called the lost-letter technique. The technique involves placing stamped, unmailed letters in a community and using the relative rate of return to infer local attitudes toward political issues and social groups. Furthermore, the technique is simple and inexpensive enough to replicate in an introductory-level social science course as a means to familiarize students with social research methodology. This activity utilizes active learning with student-centered pedagogy, and this paper details the procedure, best practices, and student feedback. Students enjoy having a personal stake in the project and find they better understand social research through this active learning project. Instructors are encouraged to consider adopting the technique in their courses.

Cannabis has undoubtedly become more accessible and commonplace in American society, and scholars and laypeople commonly claim it has achieved a normalized status. On the other hand, structural and social stigmas still impact medical and non-medical cannabis users' everyday lives. This study attempts to restore nuance to the academic debate on cannabis normalization. The primary method used here is focus groups of cannabis patients in Michigan (n = 21), which are occasionally supplemented by key informant interviews. Findings suggest cannabis patients face persistent cannabis-related stigmas and discrimination, even in a post-prohibition state like Michigan. These stigmas create tension for patients in their personal relationships, work environments, and sense of self. Furthermore, experiences of being a cannabis patient vary along the lines of age, gender, race, and occupational status. As such, this study suggests claims of normalization may be premature or symptomatic of social privileges. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As Newhart and Dolphin conclude: "The expansion of medical cannabis may help to shift public policies into a more sensible balance that acknowledges the simple truth that cannabis is just a plant. The authors show how medical cannabis can be seen as a form of harm reduction, and they speculate on the future of cannabis regulation and its status within (or outside of) medical control. Unlike prescription medications, doctors may only recommend medical cannabis to their patients, and once certified, the patient is responsible for accessing their medicine and creating their medication regiments. [Extracted from the article]

Rationale for the Study: We hypothesized that veterinarians and veterinary students may lack key knowledge about pulse oximetry, which may result in this type of patient monitor not being used on appropriate patient populations or to its full capabilities., Methodology: A questionnaire was developed to assess an individual's knowledge and understanding of pulse oximetry. Residents and specialists in anesthesiology and critical care at several academic institutions were surveyed first to assess the questionnaire for clarity and to serve as a control group. General veterinary practitioners (GPs) attending continuing education courses at the University of Georgia were surveyed over a 24-month period. Students entering their senior-year anesthesiology rotation at the University of Georgia were also surveyed., Results: Residents and specialists (69% correct responses) scored significantly higher than senior students (46%), who scored significantly higher than GPs (34%). Only 15% of GPs and 21% of senior students reported that they had received training in pulse oximetry in school. Those who had received training scored significantly higher than those who had not. Many GPs did not report using a pulse oximeter on their critical patients under anesthesia, a group that would be expected to benefit from its use., Conclusions: Veterinarians have a poor understanding of how pulse oximetry works, the information it provides, and how best to apply it to their patients. Furthermore, the respondents did not use pulse oximeters in a manner that would yield the most information and result in the greatest benefit to the patient relative to the cost of the instrument. Didactic training in veterinary curricula and during continuing education opportunities continues to be necessary in order to produce veterinarians who have an understanding of the technologies available to improve patient care.