Racism in Television essays

Racism in Television essays Beginning with the first television program ever broadcasted lasting up to the most recent program; racism has been a prevalent issue in American television. Stereotypical roles in society have been excessively exaggerated by television programs, keeping racism alive and breathing in America. The careful selections of ethnicities in role casting have had an exceptionally large impact on American society. Young television viewers are learning at an early age about race and discrimination and are witnessing the ugly impacts of these issues. The television industry is not only a competitive one, but money is priority number one. The best money making program with the best ratings will most always win out. What goes on behind the making of our favorite sitcoms is a mystery to most. A survey by the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) found that of 839 writers currently working on primetime shows, just 55 are black, 11 Latino, 3 Asian-American, and zero Native American, meaning minorities make up just 7 percent of primetime network writers . Not only are minorities being underrepresented in lead roles of television programs, they are also discriminated throughout the entire business. The small margin of primetime corporation writers must face racial discrimination in addition to segregation. It is especially rare to find a person of color writing for a primarily white program. Jay Dyer, a successful African-American writer was told This isnt a black show; we dont need a black writer . The stereotyping of characters comes from the writers, especially when corporations are not open to employing writers of different races for the characters. Yet another section of everyday television in America shows another side of discrimination of minorities. Commercials of all kinds promote products to the public; however some do it at other races expenses. Perhaps the m...

The Miss Firecracker Contest

The Miss Firecracker Contest The Miss Firecracker Contest, along with other Beth Henley plays, is characterized as a Southern Gothic. The play is set in the small southern town of Brookhaven, Mississippi, and tells an archetypical story of a young woman trying to reinvent herself. The two main qualities that land The Miss Firecracker Contest squarely into the Southern Gothic genre are: the story concerns flawed characters.it occurs in a once prosperous, but now run-down town. Plot Synopsis Carnelle Scott had a rocky start in life. Her mother died and her father dragged her around the state with him until he dumped her with Carnelle’s old aunt and her two cousins. Carnelle idolized her cousins, Elain and Delmount, and believed them to be the most beautiful and interesting people in the entire town. At age 17, Elain won the title of Miss Firecracker in the local beauty contest and Carnelle never forgot the sight of her beloved cousin riding atop the Fourth of July float crowned in glory. Carnelle never achieved the beauty and social status of Elain and made up for it by sleeping with most of the young men in town earning herself the dubious title of Miss Hot Tamale. Carnelle sees a chance to erase her past and start again by winning the beauty contest. Carnelle hires Popeye, an odd girl from poor beginnings, to sew her costume for the talent portion of the show. Popeye is a talented seamstress who taught herself to sew by making clothes for bullfrogs because she had no dolls to sew for. In the course of the play, Popeye falls in love with the eccentric and frazzled Delmount. Eventually, Delmount returns Popeye’s affections and finds her odd personality something worth loving. Delmount is determined to sell every item in his mother’s old house and then the house itself and move to New Orleans. He offers half the sale to Carnelle and begs her to quit the contest and make a new life outside of Brookhaven, Mississippi. Carnelle accepts half the money but wants to continue in The Miss Firecracker contest so she can now leave â€Å"in a blaze of glory.† Elain shows up and announces to Carnelle that she is leaving her husband and two children. She has had enough of their constant need for attention and wants to walk away from it all. Carnelle is thrilled until Elain’s presence overshadows her participation in the contest. Carnelle’s anger and frustration eventually cause her to explode and spew at all her relatives and friends, insisting that she wants what she wants despite all their petty protestations. Carnelle uses the moment to fling their personality flaws back in their faces and release herself from all their judgments. Within this encounter, Elain understands that she has lost Carnelle’s hero worship and decides to go back to the husband who adores her. Production Details Setting: Brookhaven, MississippiTime: End of June and beginning of JulyCast Size: This play can accommodate 6 actors.Male Characters: 2Female Characters: 4Characters that could be played by either males or females: 0 Roles Carnelle Scott is twenty-four and ready to make a few changes in her life. She wants to turn over a new leaf and be someone who is not â€Å"Miss Hot Tamale† and is instead respected and beautiful both inside and out. If she could, she would ride out of town in a blaze of glory with the Miss Firecracker crown on her head and enough money to start again in a new town as a beautiful and talented winner.Popeye Jackson grew up as an odd girl with no money who makes outfits for bullfrogs. Now she is an odd woman with no money who makes outfits for whoever will hire her. She falls head over heels in love with the eccentric Delmount but is sure he could never return her affections. Popeye puts little value on money, talent, and beauty. She makes the world beautiful by her simple actions of generosity.Elain Rutledge enjoyed a life of beauty, talent, and adoration. Her overbearing mother, now deceased, foresaw the end of that lifestyle for Elain and pushed her into marriage. Now Elain is bored with her married life in which she is only adored by only one man and has to answer to two sons she dislikes. Her will to be free and independent is continually at odds with her desire to be wanted and admired. Delmount Williams has never had any trouble finding women who will sleep with him despite his odd appearance and temper. His recent stint in a mental institution has only fortified his eccentricities and desire to rid himself of all memory and ties to Brookhaven, Mississippi.  He prides himself on finding the beauty in those who consider themselves plain, but the truth is that he has never tried to pursue anyone or anything that would be a challenge or a true beauty.Mac Sam is an ex-lover of Carnelle’s. He contracted syphilis through Carnelle but has never sought treatment for the disease. He has a magnetic personality despite his ill appearance. He and Carnelle still share a strong attraction, but she is disgusted that he won’t do anything to better his health or station in life.Tessy Mahoney is the beauty contest coordinator. She and Delmount shared a questionable night of lovemaking a long time ago and he has been hiding from her since. She is not a beauty and doub ts Carnelle’s chances in the contest, but she seems to be a sweet and pleasant coordinator despite her opinions. She is starstruck by Elain. Production Notes Beth Henley makes a particular note at the beginning of the play about Carnelle’s hair which the character has dyed bright red. Henley notes that â€Å"It is strongly suggested that the actress playing Carnelle dye her hair bright red instead of opting for a wig.† The set for The Miss Firecracker Contest is an old southern house filled with antiques in Act One and the backstage of the beauty pageant for Act Two. The play has been produced with success both with full scenic designs and minimal scenic designs. Content Issues: Language, syphilis, talk of sexual escapades.

Why Is There A Lack Of Men In The Early Years Workforce Essay

Why Is There A Lack Of Men In The Early Years Workforce - Essay Example Since early childhood centres are usually considered the second homes to these young children, then it should simulate the home setting whilst reflecting the situation in the real world. However, children usually just have women teachers and support workers in their early years settings. Only 2-3% of the early years workforce are men (Men in Primary – Early Years, 2007). Although the tradition of having women as early childhood educators has been long practiced, there are now recognized benefits of having more men join the early years workforce. Primarily, it is advantageous for young children to be in an environment that reflects the real gender mix of the world (Parents demand more male childcare workers, 2011). Society may not be ready for more men entering the early years workforce. The inherent expectations of a career in early childhood care and education is usually perceived as more suited to women due to their nurturing nature. Lynn Trodd, head of the Children’s Workforce Development Council contends that research shows that men perceive working in an early years environment is not as prestigious as corporate jobs, have fewer career opportunities, has a vague career structure, the pension system is not in place and there is less in-service training. To top it all, it does not pay well. Being so, it is seen as a far less professional area of work (Men in Primary- Early Years, 2007). Trodd elaborates that most men already in the early years setting have chosen to shift to it after they’ve pursued an earlier career. This phenomenon needs to be studied and the barriers to men entering the early years workforce earlier in their prime need to be investigated and broken down because men can be a great resource to the children’s workforce as they bring with them their own special skills and experiences which women may not be able to. Parents are also beginning to see the benefits of having male teachers and support workers in the ear ly childhood environments their children attend. The Children’s Workforce Development Council (CWDC) reports that 55 percent of parents express their preference of having male childcare workers to work with their nursery-aged children. Two-thirds of single mothers say they would like a man involved in the care and development of their young children because they need to have a male father-figure in their lives even if they do not have regular access to their own biological fathers (Parents demand more male childcare workers, 2009). Currently, 17 percent of children from lone parent families have fewer than two hours a week contact time with a man and more children have less than that. 36 percent of children of single mothers have only under six hours male contact each week. Having male early years workers can ensure that such children have enough quality contact time with men. This is especially significant for young boys who need adult men to look up to as role-models. 37 pe rcent of parents believe that male workers provide good examples for boys and that 25 percent of parents believe their sons will behave better with a male worker than with a female worker. Thus, 52 percent of parents believe that early childhood settings need to have male workers because these settings should reflect a real gender mix of the world. In addition, the benefits to their children will increase since men and women have different skills to offer them (Parents Demand More Male Childcare Workers, 2009). On the side of the children, Thom Crabbe, the National Development Manager for Early Years at the CWDC believes that young children in the crucial years of their development (first five years) need to have quality contact with both male and female

Competitiveness and Customers Satisfaction Research Proposal

Competitiveness and Customers Satisfaction - Research Proposal Example Although current recession continues to be evident, economists project that as soon as the economy recovers local and international travel businesses would again progress. The US government (U.S. Department of Commerce, 2008) calculates that their number of international visitors will rebound by year 2010 and beyond. Thus, this is certainly a good news in tourism business; particularly those with high number of travelers as customers like hotels, restaurants, car rental companies, tourist attractions and online merchants. This study investigates he business competitiveness and customer satisfaction in "Airline Ticketing business", which is group in two varied settings: The Online booking and purchasing versus Office ticket booking and purchasing (Traditional booking and purchasing). Travel agencies would most likely benefit the study, since results can be one of their ultimate basis of In the totality, this research aims to assess by comparing the competitiveness and customer satisfaction in both Airline ticket online booking and purchasing, as well as Airline ticket Office ticket booking and purchasing - popularly called as the traditional booking and purchasing. The study intends to assess by comparing the competitiveness and customer satisf... 1. Determine the marketing strategies adopted by Airline ticket online booking and purchasing and office airline ticket booking and purchasing businesses' 2. Assess the level of competitiveness in Airline ticket online booking and purchasing and office airline ticket booking and purchasing businesses in terms of: a. Number of successful airline ticket bookings b. Number of successful airline ticket purchases c. Companies' Net Income d. Current total number of customers 3. Find out the level of customer satisfaction in Airline ticket online booking and purchasing and office airline ticket booking and purchasing businesses to the companies' based on: a. Customer Services a.1. Customer-Customer Service Representative Interaction a.2. Customer assistance b. General facilities & accessibility c. Costs Office and Online 3 4. Test the significant difference in the competitiveness and customer satisfaction of Airline ticket online booking and purchasing and office airline ticket booking and purchasing businesses. 5. Establish the significant relationship between the level of competitiveness of Airline ticket booking and purchasing and the level of their customers' satisfaction. Problem Statement The study intends to assess by comparing the competitiveness and customer satisfaction in both Airline ticket online booking and purchasing, as well as Airline ticket Office ticket booking and purchasing - popularly called as the traditional booking and purchasing. The entire course is further directed to answer the specific questions below: 1. What marketing strategies are adopted by Airline ticket online booking and purchasing and office airline ticket booking and purchasing businesses' 2. How competitive are

Writing a Satiric Piece Essay Example for Free

Writing a Satiric Piece Essay Step 1: Identify the Topic With your group, choose a topic that is relevant, current, and debatable. Remember that the flaws and foibles of all aspects of society—from government to celebrity to religion, from teenagers to presidents to soccer moms—are grist for the satirist’s mill. Once you have all agreed on a topic about which you all want to write, have it approved by your teacher. For Example:Students being late to class (tardiness) Step 2: Choose an Appropriate Structure, Type of Satire, and Audience for your Piece Review the various samples of satire we read in class over the last week, and determine which one would be the most appropriate (in terms of its structure and techniques) for your group to use as a model for your satirical piece. After choosing the piece that your group will use as a â€Å"satirical model,† make a list of the conventions you need to use in your satire. Decide whether your piece will be more Horatian or Juvenalian. Finally, identify your audience. To whom will you address your satire and why? What tone will be most appropriate for this audience and for your purpose? For Example:The satirical piece â€Å"Gambling in Schools† is the most appropriate model for a satirical piece over tardiness, because it uses wit irony, sarcasm, and hyperbole to make its point. We plan to use all of these techniques in our Horatian satirical piece. The most appropriate audience for our satire over tardiness is the student body; many students feel that the tardiness problem is exaggerated in our school and will find the exaggerated claims we will make and our sarcastic tone amusing. Look more:  what is a process essay Step 3: State the problem in Hyperbolic Terms Make the problem sound much worse than it actually is to dramatize the need for a solution. For Example:â€Å"The staggering lack of students at the beginning of class  leaves teachers paralyzed.† This diction, specifically words the â€Å"paralyzed† and â€Å"staggering,† overstates the severity of the problem and helps develop the satirical tone for which we are aiming. Step 4: Propose an Ironic Solution Come up with a solution to the problem that seems counterintuitive and ridiculous because it actually adds to the problem you are addressing in your piece. For Example:â€Å"If students are late, they must stand outside the door for 20 minutes.† This solution doesn’t solve the problem at all. Ironically, it actually adds to the problem because it keeps students out of class even longer, thus keeping them from learning. Step 5: Use Wit (Wordplay, Clever Language, or Rhetorical Analogy) Include as many puns and clever wordplays as you can to help develop a satirical tone and illustrate your point. For Example:Punishment will be doled out in a timely manner. (Word play) This problem is a ticking time bomb! (Rhetorical analogy) These examples of wit add to the author’s creditability as a satirist. Step 6: Choose a Clever Title for your Satirical Piece Consider the broad satirical ideas in your text, and brainstorm appropriate titles for your piece. With your group, choose the title you feel best captures the essence (topic, tone, etc.) of your satire. The more clever and amusing your title, the better! For Example:â€Å"Tardiness: Are we too late or just in time to fix this  complex problem?† This title introduces the topic of the satiric piece while simultaneously suggesting that the piece will be a satire with its clever wordplay. Step 7: Draft, Edit, and Revise your Satirical Piece Work together to draft your piece, keeping in mind the conventions you identified in step two. After completing a rough draft, collectively revise it to clarify ideas, refine structure, and enhance coherence. With your group, complete a SOAPSTone analysis of your piece to gauge your effectiveness at constructing a satirical piece. Revise your piece based on the feedback generated by your SOAPSTone analysis. Use all available resources to correct errors in grammar, punctuation, and spelling and edit accordingly to prepare a technically sound document. Step 8: Finalize and Format the Final Draft of your Satirical Piece Type your final draft in MLA format. Make sure that your final draft is a minimum of one and one half pages, is free of grammatical errors, and properly adheres to MLA guidelines. Step 9: Present and Submit the Final Draft of your Satirical Piece Be prepared to share your satirical piece with the class on Friday, November 11th. After presenting your satire, you will submit one copy per group. In addition to your final draft, submit your group’s evidence of prewriting and SOAPSTone analysis. The final draft of your satirical piece will be worth one test grade and will go on the 3rd six-weeks. Your group’s prewriting and SOAPSTone analysis will each be worth one classwork grade on the 3rd six-weeks.

Red Badge of Courage :: essays research papers

REVIEW 1.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Discuss the novel as a psychological journey. Discuss how Henry Changes throughout the novel. What causes him to change? Henry Fleming is a young solider fighting for the union army during the civil war. Throughout the war Henry ventures on a long psychological journey to discover himself. Often referred to as â€Å"the youth† Henry comes into battle with the naà ¯ve fantasies of being a war hero with out ever having faced a single battle, making him extremely self centered and vein. His desires to be heroic are far from noble but are based solely on the desire to be accepted and admired by men. He is motivated only by the idea of being immortalized among men and really holds no sense of right and wrong. Many times he justifies his coward ness by saying that the other men are not â€Å"wise enough to save themselves from the flurry of death.† And somehow restores his own self pride. He convinces himself every time that his lies are truth. But mid way through the novel Henry finally faces battle and the turning point of the novel occurs, because Henry fights, he no longer cares about himself but is part of the bigger picture he is a vital part of the â€Å"fighting machine†. As Henry forgets about the immature fantasies of a reputation he begins to earn one and quite a good one. Many of the officers are even offering their compliments and praise. Henry’s character comes full circle when he let go of his earlier mistakes and abandons the hope of a great heroism and trades it all for the more gratifying understanding of what it is to be a man. 2.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Discuss the religious imagery in the novel. How does Crane’s background influence his opinon What point is he making? The is tons of religious imagery. The most obvious is Jim being portrayed as Jesus Christ his initials are even JC and in his death he even depicts him with the â€Å"piercing† on his side and his blood covered hands. Crane was probably most influenced by his father who was a Methodist minister. 3.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  How is the novel an example of Realism? Give specific ezamples that show the novel as a realistic novel. What descriptions of battle make the novel realistic? By definition realism is, â€Å"understanding of nature of real life: a practical understanding and acceptance of the actual nature of the world, rather than an idealized or romantic view of it†.

Prescription Drug Abuse

Introduction.When we think of drug nuts and maltreatment we usually think of people who take the common street drugs such as cocaine, cleft, heroine, or other illegal drugs. However most people do n't recognize or take earnestly the turning figure of maltreaters of prescription drugs presently in our state. There is a common misconception that merely because a physician prescribes a certain drug that that is someway safer and different than utilizing the alleged street drugs. After all, you are being given a prescription to take the drug by your doctor, and it is non illegal or a offense. However, we must recognize that dependence is n't limited to merely illicit drugs on the street, but frequently doctor prescribed medicines as good. Prescription drugs have improved and saved infinite Numberss of lives over the old ages as many new discoveries have been achieved in scientific discipline and medical specialty in handling a assortment of known diseases. â€Å"However, utilizing these drugs without the supervising of a doctor or for intents different from their intended usage can take to serious inauspicious effects, including decease from overdose and physical dependence. Because many prescription drugs are frequently opiate based, when abused, these drugs can be as habit-forming and unsafe as illegal drugs.† 1 ) ( Pat Moore Foundation | Prescription Drug Abuse, 2009 ) . Harmonizing to ( M.D, Volkow, 2005 ) , manager at the National Institute on Drug Abuse, 2 ) â€Å"an estimated 48 million people ( ages 12 and older ) , have used prescription drugs for non-medical grounds, which represents about 20 per centum of the U.S. population.† Additionally, 3 ) â€Å"in 2000, approximately 43 per centum of infirmary exigency admittances for drug overdoses ( about 500,000 people ) happened because of misused prescription drugs, and in â€Å"2006 entirely, 700,000 exigency room visits were attributed to prescription drug overdoses.† 4 ) ( Thibodeau, 2009 ) . This type of drug maltreatment is increasing at an dismaying rate because of their widespread handiness, including online pharmaceuticss which have made it much easier for anyone regardless of age to get drugs without a prescription. ( Prescription Drug Abuse Information | Drug Rehab Programs, 2009 ) . 3 ) â€Å"One of the most common and primary methods of obtaining prescription drugs by nuts is by physician shopping harmonizing to the Drug Enforcement Administration ( DEA ) .†5 ) This method refers to a individual who continually searches out different physicians to order the same medicines in order to feed their dependences. I think most of us either know or have known persons or even household members who have resorted to this type of behaviour in order to acquire prescription drugs for this intent. The most common types of drugs that are frequently abused are cardinal nervous system sedatives such as benzodiazepines or tranquillizers, often prescribed for anxiousness and kiping upsets, opioids and narcotics for hurting alleviation, and stimulations such as those given for attending shortage hyperactivity upset, ( ADHD ) , narcolepsy, and fleshiness. 6 ) ( Prescription Drug Abuse Chart – Drugs of Abuse and Related Topics – NIDA, 2009 ) â€Å"For illustration, U.S. prescriptions for stimulations ( including those taken for ADHD ) increased from around 5 million in 1991 to about 35 million in 2007. Prescriptions for opioid analgesics such as oxycodone ( OxyContin ) and hydrocodone ( Vicodin ) increased from 40 million in 1991 to 180 million in 2007.† 7 ) ( Mayo Clinic, 2008 ) . I feel the grounds for this important addition in prescription drug maltreatment is simple. We live in a society today that tells you a pill can bring around and work out all of your jobs no affair what they are. All we have to make is turn on the telecasting and see the changeless barrage of advertizements for the latest prescription drugs on the market. As a consequence, the pharmaceutical industry is doing one million millions of dollars off of people and is surely non traveling to kick, therefore encouraging and driving the epidemic even more. Furthermore, these drugs are comparatively easy to obtain and are socially acceptable by the huge bulk of the public compared to illegal drugs. In merely the past several old ages, we have seen the outgrowth and proliferation of many â€Å"pain clinics† throughout the United States. Although non all are bad, some of these installations as stated by 8 ) ( Silverman & A ; Brown, MD, 2009 ) , â€Å"are frequently non-physician owned and run merely inside the jurisprudence. The doctors who pattern in these installations are seldom accredited through board enfranchisement processes, and many take no insurance and publicize confidential, hard currency merely services. Some even advertise armed guards in the waiting suites. With no inadvertence, these installations serve as a beginning for a uninterrupted supply of controlled substances to frequently times addicted and sometimes naAA?ve people. It is non uncommon to happen patients of these installations having 10s of 1000s of mgs of opioid medicines each month.† With these types of plans and clinics runing and promoting such drug maltreatment, I feel that the people who truly necessitate these medicines are frequently the 1s who suffer, such as persons with painful terminal diseases and unwellnesss like malignant neoplastic disease. I experienced this first-hand with my mother several old ages ago when she was diagnosed with terminal lung malignant neoplastic disease that had metastasized to her castanetss, and impotently watched her suffer from hurting. While she was undergoing radiation interventions at a malignant neoplastic disease clinic, her physician at that place stated that she should utilize Advil to assist with her hurting and that the authorities was checking down on agenda drugs that were prescribed. My response to this is, if malignant neoplastic disease patients ca n't acquire the necessary hurting medicines they urgently need, yet nuts can acquire all they want, so there is something really incorrect with this state we live i n and our wellness attention system.Decision.What is of import to acknowledge and go cognizant of about prescription drug maltreatment is that it is much the same as other signifiers of illegal drug maltreatment such as cocaine or diacetylmorphine, and no 1 is immune. It can be merely as unsafe and lifelessly as other illicit drugs, and affects persons of all ages, races, gender, and socio-economic backgrounds. It can besides destruct households, occupations, and places every bit good as holding fatal wellness effects. In fact, usage of prescription drugs now causes more deceases than diacetylmorphine and cocaine combined, harmonizing to the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration.† 9 ) ( Treatment Solutions Network, 2009 ) . Furthermore, with the recent tragic and ill-timed deceases of famous persons such as Michael Jackson, Anna Nicole Smith, and Heath Ledger related to prescription drug maltreatment, I feel this job is eventually being brought to the head and exposed, conveying a much needed consciousness to the dangers and effects of mistreating prescription drugs.Mentions:1 ) Pat Moore Foundation | Prescription Drug Abuse. ( n.d. ) . . Retrieved December 6, 2009, from hypertext transfer protocol: //www.patmoorefoundation.com/prescription-drug-abuse 2 M.D, Volkow, N. ( 2005 ) . NIDA – Research Report Series – Prescription Drugs: Maltreatment and Addiction. Retrieved December 6, 2009, from hypertext transfer protocol: //www.drugabuse.gov/ResearchReports/Prescription/Prescription.html 3 ) Prescription Drug Abuse Information | Drug Rehab Programs. ( 2009 ) . . Retrieved December 6, 2009, from hypertext transfer protocol: //www.prescription-drug-abuse.org/ 4 ) Thibodeau, D. ( 2009, October 20 ) . Prescription drug maltreatment now tops illegal drug usage | GoDanRiver. Retrieved December 7, 2009, from hypertext transfer protocol: //www2.godanriver.com/gdr/news/local/danville_news/article/prescription_drug_abuse_now_tops_illegal_drug_use/14771/ 5 ) Drug Addiction – Doctor Shopping – Chronic Pain Medication Addiction. ( 2009 ) . . Retrieved December 6, 2009, from hypertext transfer protocol: //www.drug-addiction.com/doctor_shopping.htm 6 ) Prescription Drug Abuse Chart – Drugs of Abuse and Related Topics – NIDA. ( 2009 ) . . Retrieved December 6, 2009, from hypertext transfer protocol: //www.nida.nih.gov/DrugPages/PrescripDrugsChart.html 7 ) Mayo Clinic. ( 2008 ) . Prescription drug maltreatment – MSN Health & A ; Fitness – Addiction|Quit Smoking. Retrieved December 6, 2009, from hypertext transfer protocol: //health.msn.com/health-topics/addiction/articlepage.aspx? cp-documentid=100211994 8 ) Silverman, MD, S. M. , & A ; Brown, MD, L. ( 2009 ) . Prescription Drug Abuse: In the US and Florida. Retrieved December 7, 2009, from hypertext transfer protocol: //www.hgexperts.com/article.asp? id=6649 9 ) Treatment Solutions Network. ( 2009 ) . Prescription Drug Abuse and Addiction. Retrieved December 6, 2009, from hypertext transfer protocol: //www.treatmentsolutionsnetwork.com/prescription-drug-abuse.html Prescription Drug Abuse The audience I will be addressing is parents, caregivers and school educators about the dangers of prescription drugs and how we can better educate teenagers and young adults on the dangers of abusing them. There are many ways that we can teach and educate our teenagers and young adults, but it’s important that families, schools and communities are involved. The rate of prescription drug overdose among teenagers and young adults have sky rocketed over the past several years. This has become a growing epidemic and if we don’t step in and do something, this problem will only get worse. No parent or caregiver ever wants to lose a child and it can be especial harder knowing that you could have helped prevent it. Some people say it’s the schools job to education this subject and others say that education starts at home. Where can our parents/caregivers get the information they need to help better understand the problem itself and to help safe guard their children? Who would be the best influence to talk to our teens and young adults? In my essay I will explain why it’s so important that schools and parents/caregivers need to both educate and talk to our young adults and teens. 205) Kara Gordon Prescription Drug Abuse among Teens and Young Adults Prescription drug misuse and overdose among teens and young adults is one of the fastest growing health epidemics in the United States. While there has been a marked decrease in the use of some illegal drugs like cocaine, data from the National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) show that nearly one-third of p eople aged 12 and over whom used drugs for the first time began by using a prescription drug non-medically. The amount of controlled substances dispensed and used non medically is scary considering that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported that opioid drugs, including oxycodone and hydrocodone, caused more than 15,500 overdose deaths in 2010 and that number is increasing. Parents/caregivers and educators need to action and educate our children before it’s too late. Informing teens and young adults about the dangers of taking prescription drugs that don’t belong to them could save their lives. Teens and young adults have chosen prescription drugs as their drug of choice because it is less expensive as illegal drugs like cocaine or marijuana, and more easily accessible. All they need to do is walk into their own bathroom and look into the medicine cabinet. It’s sitting in plain sight for the taking. They don’t realize the danger of taking prescription drugs that were not prescribed to them. They think because it was prescribed by a doctor that it must be safe. Teens and young adults also feel that, †Parents don’t care as much if they get caught using prescription drugs, without a doctor’s prescription, than they do if they get caught using illegal drugs† (PR Newswire 4/23/13) like cocaine or marijuana. The most commonly known and used prescription pills that teens and young adults abuse are Vicodin, Oxycontin, Adderall, and Ritalin. There are also designer drugs such as â€Å"K2†, â€Å"Spice† and â€Å"bath salts. † These designer drugs can be extremely dangerous because they haven’t been tested or approved and you are basically experimenting on your own body. When teens and young adults use these types of prescription drugs, most people think that they are looking to get high. This is not always the case. â€Å"Teens abuse prescription drugs for a number of reasons, including to get high, to treat pain, or because they think it will help them with school work. Boys and girls tend to abuse some types of prescription drugs for many different reasons. † (Bethesda) Like, boys are more likely to abuse prescription stimulants to get high, while girls tend to abuse them to stay alert or to lose weight. Teens and young adults realize when they have taken to many pills until it’s too late. â€Å"Some of the signs or symptoms they may poses are an altered mental state, confusion, slurred speech excited delirium or agitation, sweating and out of control. †(Knudson) They may be unable to breathe on their own. If you notice any of these symptoms you should take them to the emergency room immediately. It is better to have them looked at by a physician than not at all. As parents and caregivers it’s your job to make sure that your prescription drugs are stored in their proper place at your home. Just like guns, they need to be locked up and out of reach of your loved ones. Therefore does not provide them the opportunity or means to get them. We also need to â€Å"take the opportunity to clean out our medicine cabinets and safely dispose of unwanted drugs. † (PR Newswire 2013) There are several ways that you can properly dispose of your prescriptions drugs and one way is to use medication disposal envelopes. This is a postage-paid envelope that allows people to mail their unwanted or unused prescriptions to a licensed, secure facility for safe destruction. Another way is through a National Drug Take Back Day. Communities will hold these take back days to provide a safe, convenient and secure means of drug disposal. This is usually run by law enforcement or municipal agencies. Education is also a key ingredient to help protecting our children from prescription drug abuse. Almost a decade ago schools were more focused on keeping students from misusing alcohol and illegal street drugs like ecstasy, heroin and cocaine that there was never a concern to even speak about prescription drugs. After a study held by the Centers of Disease Control in 2009, it showed that teens as early as eleven years old were taking prescription medicine at was not prescribed to them. â€Å"Prevention of adolescent drug use has never been more important and response to this alarming trend, â€Å"Wake UP† was formed as a community education campaign to raise awareness of the dangers of abusing prescription drugs and to prevent first time use by teens and young adults. (PR Newswire 2012) This program was created by The Pain Truth, a charitable organization that started two years ago as an effort to education our children to make better decisions when opportunities of prescription drug abuse are given. This campaign is provided to all schools and communities at no cost. â€Å"Misuse and abuse of prescription drugs knows no boundaries and requires a comprehensive response that engages all elements and influencers of a teenager’s life. † This was stated by Paul Barsky, the head of Upper School at Francis Parker School. What better way to sum up this essay. There are thousands of teens and young adults out there abusing prescription drugs right now. It is our job as parents, caregivers, and educators to do everything in our power to teach our teens and young adults everything we can about the dangers of prescription drug abuse. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, Office of Applied Studies in 2012 reported that among Indiana residents ages 12 to 17, 8. 2% used prescription pain medications for nonmedical purposes in the past year; Indiana’s percentage was statistically similar to the nation’s 6. %. The Indiana College Substance Use Survey that was conducted in 2011 showed 11. 3% of Indiana College students used prescription medications not prescribed to them in the past year, with 6. 2% currently using and 3. 8% of Indiana college students misused their prescription medication in the past year, with 1. 4% of students reporting current misuse. That is why it is so important that we reach out to our children and communicate and education them as best we can. You never know that the next child’s life that is saved could be our own. (1069) Prescription Drug Abuse Introduction.When we think of drug nuts and maltreatment we usually think of people who take the common street drugs such as cocaine, cleft, heroine, or other illegal drugs. However most people do n't recognize or take earnestly the turning figure of maltreaters of prescription drugs presently in our state. There is a common misconception that merely because a physician prescribes a certain drug that that is someway safer and different than utilizing the alleged street drugs. After all, you are being given a prescription to take the drug by your doctor, and it is non illegal or a offense. However, we must recognize that dependence is n't limited to merely illicit drugs on the street, but frequently doctor prescribed medicines as good. Prescription drugs have improved and saved infinite Numberss of lives over the old ages as many new discoveries have been achieved in scientific discipline and medical specialty in handling a assortment of known diseases. â€Å"However, utilizing these drugs without the supervising of a doctor or for intents different from their intended usage can take to serious inauspicious effects, including decease from overdose and physical dependence. Because many prescription drugs are frequently opiate based, when abused, these drugs can be as habit-forming and unsafe as illegal drugs.† 1 ) ( Pat Moore Foundation | Prescription Drug Abuse, 2009 ) . Harmonizing to ( M.D, Volkow, 2005 ) , manager at the National Institute on Drug Abuse, 2 ) â€Å"an estimated 48 million people ( ages 12 and older ) , have used prescription drugs for non-medical grounds, which represents about 20 per centum of the U.S. population.† Additionally, 3 ) â€Å"in 2000, approximately 43 per centum of infirmary exigency admittances for drug overdoses ( about 500,000 people ) happened because of misused prescription drugs, and in â€Å"2006 entirely, 700,000 exigency room visits were attributed to prescription drug overdoses.† 4 ) ( Thibodeau, 2009 ) . This type of drug maltreatment is increasing at an dismaying rate because of their widespread handiness, including online pharmaceuticss which have made it much easier for anyone regardless of age to get drugs without a prescription. ( Prescription Drug Abuse Information | Drug Rehab Programs, 2009 ) . 3 ) â€Å"One of the most common and primary methods of obtaining prescription drugs by nuts is by physician shopping harmonizing to the Drug Enforcement Administration ( DEA ) .†5 ) This method refers to a individual who continually searches out different physicians to order the same medicines in order to feed their dependences. I think most of us either know or have known persons or even household members who have resorted to this type of behaviour in order to acquire prescription drugs for this intent. The most common types of drugs that are frequently abused are cardinal nervous system sedatives such as benzodiazepines or tranquillizers, often prescribed for anxiousness and kiping upsets, opioids and narcotics for hurting alleviation, and stimulations such as those given for attending shortage hyperactivity upset, ( ADHD ) , narcolepsy, and fleshiness. 6 ) ( Prescription Drug Abuse Chart – Drugs of Abuse and Related Topics – NIDA, 2009 ) â€Å"For illustration, U.S. prescriptions for stimulations ( including those taken for ADHD ) increased from around 5 million in 1991 to about 35 million in 2007. Prescriptions for opioid analgesics such as oxycodone ( OxyContin ) and hydrocodone ( Vicodin ) increased from 40 million in 1991 to 180 million in 2007.† 7 ) ( Mayo Clinic, 2008 ) . I feel the grounds for this important addition in prescription drug maltreatment is simple. We live in a society today that tells you a pill can bring around and work out all of your jobs no affair what they are. All we have to make is turn on the telecasting and see the changeless barrage of advertizements for the latest prescription drugs on the market. As a consequence, the pharmaceutical industry is doing one million millions of dollars off of people and is surely non traveling to kick, therefore encouraging and driving the epidemic even more. Furthermore, these drugs are comparatively easy to obtain and are socially acceptable by the huge bulk of the public compared to illegal drugs. In merely the past several old ages, we have seen the outgrowth and proliferation of many â€Å"pain clinics† throughout the United States. Although non all are bad, some of these installations as stated by 8 ) ( Silverman & A ; Brown, MD, 2009 ) , â€Å"are frequently non-physician owned and run merely inside the jurisprudence. The doctors who pattern in these installations are seldom accredited through board enfranchisement processes, and many take no insurance and publicize confidential, hard currency merely services. Some even advertise armed guards in the waiting suites. With no inadvertence, these installations serve as a beginning for a uninterrupted supply of controlled substances to frequently times addicted and sometimes naAA?ve people. It is non uncommon to happen patients of these installations having 10s of 1000s of mgs of opioid medicines each month.† With these types of plans and clinics runing and promoting such drug maltreatment, I feel that the people who truly necessitate these medicines are frequently the 1s who suffer, such as persons with painful terminal diseases and unwellnesss like malignant neoplastic disease. I experienced this first-hand with my mother several old ages ago when she was diagnosed with terminal lung malignant neoplastic disease that had metastasized to her castanetss, and impotently watched her suffer from hurting. While she was undergoing radiation interventions at a malignant neoplastic disease clinic, her physician at that place stated that she should utilize Advil to assist with her hurting and that the authorities was checking down on agenda drugs that were prescribed. My response to this is, if malignant neoplastic disease patients ca n't acquire the necessary hurting medicines they urgently need, yet nuts can acquire all they want, so there is something really incorrect with this state we live i n and our wellness attention system.Decision.What is of import to acknowledge and go cognizant of about prescription drug maltreatment is that it is much the same as other signifiers of illegal drug maltreatment such as cocaine or diacetylmorphine, and no 1 is immune. It can be merely as unsafe and lifelessly as other illicit drugs, and affects persons of all ages, races, gender, and socio-economic backgrounds. It can besides destruct households, occupations, and places every bit good as holding fatal wellness effects. In fact, usage of prescription drugs now causes more deceases than diacetylmorphine and cocaine combined, harmonizing to the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration.† 9 ) ( Treatment Solutions Network, 2009 ) . Furthermore, with the recent tragic and ill-timed deceases of famous persons such as Michael Jackson, Anna Nicole Smith, and Heath Ledger related to prescription drug maltreatment, I feel this job is eventually being brought to the head and exposed, conveying a much needed consciousness to the dangers and effects of mistreating prescription drugs.Mentions:1 ) Pat Moore Foundation | Prescription Drug Abuse. ( n.d. ) . . Retrieved December 6, 2009, from hypertext transfer protocol: //www.patmoorefoundation.com/prescription-drug-abuse 2 M.D, Volkow, N. ( 2005 ) . NIDA – Research Report Series – Prescription Drugs: Maltreatment and Addiction. Retrieved December 6, 2009, from hypertext transfer protocol: //www.drugabuse.gov/ResearchReports/Prescription/Prescription.html 3 ) Prescription Drug Abuse Information | Drug Rehab Programs. ( 2009 ) . . Retrieved December 6, 2009, from hypertext transfer protocol: //www.prescription-drug-abuse.org/ 4 ) Thibodeau, D. ( 2009, October 20 ) . Prescription drug maltreatment now tops illegal drug usage | GoDanRiver. Retrieved December 7, 2009, from hypertext transfer protocol: //www2.godanriver.com/gdr/news/local/danville_news/article/prescription_drug_abuse_now_tops_illegal_drug_use/14771/ 5 ) Drug Addiction – Doctor Shopping – Chronic Pain Medication Addiction. ( 2009 ) . . Retrieved December 6, 2009, from hypertext transfer protocol: //www.drug-addiction.com/doctor_shopping.htm 6 ) Prescription Drug Abuse Chart – Drugs of Abuse and Related Topics – NIDA. ( 2009 ) . . Retrieved December 6, 2009, from hypertext transfer protocol: //www.nida.nih.gov/DrugPages/PrescripDrugsChart.html 7 ) Mayo Clinic. ( 2008 ) . Prescription drug maltreatment – MSN Health & A ; Fitness – Addiction|Quit Smoking. Retrieved December 6, 2009, from hypertext transfer protocol: //health.msn.com/health-topics/addiction/articlepage.aspx? cp-documentid=100211994 8 ) Silverman, MD, S. M. , & A ; Brown, MD, L. ( 2009 ) . Prescription Drug Abuse: In the US and Florida. Retrieved December 7, 2009, from hypertext transfer protocol: //www.hgexperts.com/article.asp? id=6649 9 ) Treatment Solutions Network. ( 2009 ) . Prescription Drug Abuse and Addiction. Retrieved December 6, 2009, from hypertext transfer protocol: //www.treatmentsolutionsnetwork.com/prescription-drug-abuse.html