...Should people seeking government assistance be required to take drug tests? INTRODUCTION On August 22, 1996, President Bill Clinton signed the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Act, also known as the Welfare Reform Bill, into effect ending welfare as it had been known for many years. “This law transformed the traditional entitlement to cash welfare under Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC) into a transitional program, Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF), which requires most recipients to work after two years of receiving assistance, or, at state option, even earlier, with few exceptions. After 60 months of receipt during a lifetime, a recipient is ineligible for federally-funded cash benefits (NPC, 2004)”. (1) The Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Act shifted the responsibility of the poor to the states. The Act also made allowance for states to perform drug testing of those who were in need of federal assistance. According to an article in the New York Times “Policy makers in three dozen states this year proposed drug testing for people receiving benefits like welfare, unemployment assistance, job training, food stamps and public housing (Sulzberger, 2011) .” The controversy rising from the proposed drug testing has many debating the question: Should people seeking government assistance be required to take drug tests? PROs/CONs: There are several pros and cons to the new legislature to drug test those seeking government assistance...
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...Why a Harvard Professor Has Mixed Feelings When Students Take Jobs in Finance This is a bittersweet time on campus. Seniors are beginning to find jobs, and while their enthusiasm is infectious, some of their choices give me pause. Many of the best students are not going to research cancer, teach and inspire the next generation, or embark on careers in public service. Instead, large numbers are becoming traders, brokers and bankers. At Harvard in 2014, nearly one in five students who took a job went to finance. For economics majors, the number was closer to one in two. I can’t help wondering: Is this the best use of talent? Of course, these are intensely personal choices as young people chase their aspirations and dreams. But if a favorite student of mine comes up to me and says, “I just got an offer at this investment bank and I’m going to take it,” I want to know how should I feel about it. I will be happy for her individually, but still I wonder: Is this a good decision for society as a whole? As an economist, I look at it this way: Every profession produces both private returns — the fruits of labor that a person enjoys — and social returns — those that society enjoys. If I set up a shop on Etsy selling photographs, my private returns may be defined as the revenue I generate. The social returns are the pleasure that my photographs provide to my customers. A scene from “It’s a Wonderful Life” that presents two types of bankers. Mr. Potter, seated, played by Lionel...
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...Both novels portray a male protagonist growing up while struggling to find his identity, while loathing their lives. Thus both novels are of the coming of age genre. Both boys are socially awkward and are not able to integrate into society. In this case, Charlie is insulted by senior students of his high school, “God, that kid is such a fucking freak,” (Chbosky 145). Throughout the novel Holden and Charlie strive to become a part of society. While Charlie tries to integrate with society, it seems that Holden rejects it and wants to create a new society that suits him more. With the downs of life they find a way to cope with the failure of being accepted which leads to a self-destructive behavior. Such behavior tends to lead to the use of drugs, alcohol and violence. However similar they may seem, they also share many differences which are responsible for the differing results of their outstanding social statuses. While Holden avoids his problems, Charlie chooses to confront them and this is partially why Charlie becomes socially accepted. Despite their resembling problems, they also differ greatly in lifestyles. While Holden comes from a rich family and goes to a prestigious private school, Charlie is poor and goes to a local public school. Another contrast of these coming-of-age characters is that they have extremely different personalities. One could say that if both Holden and Charlie were part of one story they would be character foils of each other. Both characters face the...
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...ABSTRACT This paper is intended to provide critical responses to the weaknesses of globalization and corruption in the world that we are currently living based on the mixed economic worldview which is my personal economic worldview which threatens to undermine the stability of economic and political development on both a national and global scale, and which requires both immediate and wide-ranging policy interventions. The recent concern with corruption is attributable, not to any substantive increase in corrupt practices, but rather, to the re-framing of corruption in light of broader shifts and transformations within the global economy. The historical context of globalization covers centuries. This paper reviews the types, forms as well as the consequences of corruption. The paper also reviews the issues associated with globalization and the effect it has on the lives of various individuals. It questions the view that, under certain conditions, corruption may enhance efficiency and argues that though corruption may benefit powerful individuals it will indubitably lead to greater inefficiency and a waste of resources at a macro-economic level. Table of Contents ABSTRACT i INTRODUCTION iii BACKGROUND iv Forms of Corruption vi 1.1 Bribery vi 1.2 Theft and fraud vi 1.3 Embezzlement vi 1.4 Nepotism vi 1.5 Conflict of Interest vi 1.6 Favouritism vii Types of Corruption vii 2.1. Grand corruption vii 2.2 Political corruption vii 2.3 Corporate corruption...
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...Case Study: Siemens Bribery Scandal 1. Corruption was deeply embedded in Siemen’s business culture. They rationalized this corruption by stating that it was not illegal to initiate bribes to government officials. This was true, however not anymore, the law changed in 1999 prohibiting such acts of corruption. 2. If a manager at Siemens would have stood up and took a stand against corruption, I think that he/she would have most likely been fired for being insubordinate. The higher executives that were promoting such bribery would have wanted these managers to go along with what they were doing. The manager could have also been demoted possibly, or just plain and simple reamed out by the higher executives. 3. Siemens spent extra money to secure future business investments. This in, in turn, means that other companies, even ones that might have an advantage, lose business opportunities. The entire concept of such corruption completely disregards competition, because it simply removes it, unless other companies also engage in bribery. 4. Some economists argue that doing such practices such as bribery is the price that must be paid to perform a greater good. They support this claim by stating that it can promote efficiency and growth in countries that have pervasive and cumbersome regulations, and may also enhance welfare in countries that have preexisting political structures that distort the workings of the market mechanism. On the other hand other economists...
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...Corruption is a social disease that entails social justice that plagues many developing countries today. Corruption is just as multifaceted concept as there are societies and economic and political systems that embraces from the broad concept of corruption to the narrow legal concept of bribery. Corruption is the abuse of public office for private gain and the abuse of public power for private benefit. A well known definition of corruption is the one of the World Bank which considers it is the abuse of public office for personal gain. “Corruption has been broadly defined as the misuse of public office for private gain and the abuse of entrusted power” (Vargas-Hernández, 2011, p. 270). This paper will identify the root causes of how corruption starts? Corruption takes place when an individual tries to gain personal gain through an unfair advantage of someone else's condition, status or position. It occurs when a product, accommodation or activity's reality is altered in a manner in which another person is endangered or cheated. Corruption is a symptom of other fundamental causes (Xin & Thomas, 2004, p. 297).Widespread corruption is a symptom of inefficient administration. Corruption starts, firstly, when a country or state allocate scarce benefits to individuals and firms predicated on strict licit criteria, rather than on need. In such cases, bribes clear the licit hurdle. Secondly, Low pay and inadequate monitoring of their performance. In such cases, bribes...
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...Insite: The Battle over Supervised Injection Sites In the 1990’s there was an epidemic of HIV outbreaks in the Downtown Eastside of Vancouver. Injection drug users were found to be the leading cause of this, and a public health emergency was declared (Fafard, 2012). The “mortality and morbidity” resulting from this increasing injection drug use became a major political issue. This resulted in the adoption of harm reduction by the government as one of their four pillars of their drug strategy (Fafard, 2012). Harm reduction “is a set of practical strategies and ideas aimed at reducing negative consequences associated with drug use” (Boyd, 2013). In September 2003 Insite, North Americas first harm reduction supervised injection site, was opened (Boyd, 2013). It was a three-year pilot project sanctioned by the Federal government under Canada’s Controlled Drugs and Substance Act. The goal of Insite is to “improve the health and welfare of injection users, reduce the spread of disease through sharing on needles, reducing public injection use, and reducing overdose deaths due to injections” (Boyd, 2013). Since it’s opening it has been under constant political scrutiny. It had support under the Liberal government from 2003-2006, but lost that support once Stephen Harper and the Conservatives secured control (Boyd, 2013). Despite support for Insite from international organizations such the World Health Organization, the Canadian Medical Association, the Canadian Public Health Association...
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...Sports, Drugs, and the Monster Unleashed Human beings are extremely competitive creatures and many humans seek fame and glory in the challenges presented before them. Sporting events can be seen as a measure of the unique talent's humans possess, and those athletes who are the strongest, fastest, and most coordinated emerge victorious. Often times humans search for the ultimate advantage in sports to put themselves above and beyond the other athletes. Sometimes, athletes will turn to unnatural elements, otherwise known as performance enhancing drugs to vastly increase their odds at achieving glory. Unfortunately, they frequently ignore the dreadful side effects, both physical and emotional, that comes with using PEDs. It is imperative that athletes consider the long term side effects of PEDs over their initial motivations or goals. Additionally, athletes...
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...individual experimenting with drugs for the very first time. According to National data 2.5 million youths in America have misused or abused prescription drugs in their lifetime, reporting that one in five high school students have at least taken one prescription painkillers without a doctor’s prescription during adolescence, More disturbing yet, is the fact that they 47% of adolescents admit getting their drugs from their own medicine cabinets at home, and nearly two-thirds of youths aged 12–17 who abused pain medications admit to having received them from friends or family members. Experts say youths are in greater danger of ingesting unfamiliar or unidentified pills when sharing...
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...The film I chose to watch and discuss within my paper was, Prescription for Change: Ending America’s Opioid Crisis. This film was a documentary about the Opioid Crisis in America. That being said, the theme of the movie was that, America is facing an opioid epidemic; therefore, America needs to focus on the rehabilitation of substance abusers. The film goes on to make a point that there are not enough treatment options and that the individuals who are seeking treatment, are having difficulties in doing so. The film goes on to discuss further, how America is facing a drug crisis, but it is not the illegal drugs that are the biggest issues, it is the prescription drugs. The film even provides statistics on how big of an issue prescription medications are when it comes to substance abuse....
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...The applicant is a 42 year old male with four children aged 24, 13, 12, and 8. The applicant is divorced and co-parent with his ex-wife. He reports his ex-wife supports his recovery. The patient current living arrrangment is that the applicant lives at home with his parents. The applicant reports he first started using drugs at the age of 24. The applicant reports to using cocaine and heroin, by IV. His last use of cocaine was about a month or two ago, a $20 bag. As for the heroin, the applicant reports to using it daily, by IV, 2 bundles. The applicants then reports he had used alcohol at the age of 16 and drinks occassionally. The applicant is aware about the effects of mixing alcohol and methadone and stated, " I haven't used any alcohol while receiving methadone treatment in the past, I know the risk. I will stop. I, was only drinking 1-2 beers once a month during social events and I was not in any program, but again, I will stop." The applicant reports smoking one pack of cigarrettes per day and wants to quit smoking. The applicant denies using any benzos, usage of designer drugs, street methadone, and street suboxone....
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...The article painted me a clear picture of what is physically going on in the brain when someone is addicted and the picture example that was demonstrated in class last week. Leshner talks about the metaphorical switch that is thrown when someone becomes addicted and how the brain creates more receptors in the synapse to accommodate the drug in your system. When you quit the drug, your brain must go back and restructure itself and remove the additional receptors that is one of the reason why you will still crave the drug and have withdrawal symptoms. Then, he goes on to talk about the treatment aspect of addiction and how it should be treated, he made a point that really stuck out to me about the same way they approach diabetes and chronic hypertension is the same way they should treat addiction. Leshner puts it into terms that addictions are a long-term process to getting clean and need to be carefully watched and it never goes away like diabetes it needs to be regulated due to your lifestyle, environmental factors and implementing change. But society treat it like bacterial infection or a broken bone as in just slapping something over it or just prescribing antibiotics...
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...will examine the past and current trends of substance abuse, and how the use of illicit drugs may be considered culturally appropriate. In the mid 1800’s Opium began to arrive as Chinese workers immigrated to the United States to work on the railroads and gold mines. By the late 1800s, opium was quite a popular drug. Before long, opium dens had spread throughout the United States. In 1803, the German scientist Friedrich Sertürner successfully isolated morphine from opium for the purpose of using it as a surgical and post-surgical anesthetic soon making it available to physicians in the United States. It did alleviate pain, but in the process it also left the user in an anesthetized and euphoric state. The benefits of morphine were considered amazing to physicians of the era. But, the addictive properties were not discovered until after the Civil War. “In 1895, Heinrich Dreser, working for the Bayer Company in Germany, synthesized heroin. Bayer began to market the drug in 1898 (Brecher, 1972)”. In 1600 settlers introduced cannabis to Jamestown Virginia at the time it was used for its fiber. That was used to make rope, sails, and clothing. From 1611 until after the Civil War, cannabis was the main crop in North America playing a significant role in the colonial and national economic policy. “Between 1850 and 1937 marijuana was widely used throughout United States as a medicinal drug and could easily be purchased in pharmacies and general stores. Recreational use was limited...
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...Drugs are defined as, “a medicine or other substance which has a physiological effect when ingested or otherwise introduced into the body.” These substances are known for degrading and tearing communities apart, and in most cases ruining the lives of loved ones if used in a manner that eventually leads to addictive and criminal behaviors. Heroin, or as some would say smack, dope, and Chiva, is a highly addictive opioid drug. While medical-grade heroin, diamorphine, continues to be used in other parts of the world, all heroin in the U.S. is illegally synthesized from morphine for illicit, recreational use. The drug can come in many variations including white, brown, and of course black tar. The drug heroin initially got its name from the...
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...Crystal Farley Abstract 4 October 6, 2016 Adolescent Morphine Exposure Affects Long-Term Microglial Function and Later-Life Relapse Liability in a Model of Addiction Abstract Brain development of the decision making and critical thinking portions of the brain is not complete until adulthood. Since these portions of the brain are under developed in adolescence and early adulthood riskier behavior is seen during these periods of life than are after the brain completes development. An example of a risky behavior seen in adolescence and young adulthood is drug abuse. Drug abuse is thought to affect the development of the microglia cells in the brain, and increase the risk of drug seeking behaviors in adulthood. The use of morphine in adolescence...
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