Portrayal Of Drugs In Television And Movies

Portrayal Of Drugs In Television And Movies Television seems to glorify drinking alcohol and the use of nicotine whether actors are bellying up to Joes Emerald City Bar in Greys Anatomy or swigging a martini at MacLarens on How I Met Your Mother, (McKean, 2006) television seems to say drinking alcohol is sexy, popular and okay. Alcohol gets free exposure on prime-time television. In shows such as CBS Two and a Half Men, Foxs Happy Hour and ABCs Brothers and Sisters, cocktails and cigarettes have replaced the usual cup of coffee after work. These shows portray negative messages that drinking after work or at social gatherings is socially accepted. Reality shows such as Intervention and Celebrity Rehab depict the full range of alcohol and illicit drug use with real life footage of heroin, crack cocaine, meth and other addictions. These shows illustrate the physical and mental destruction of what can happen to a person when they use drugs. Shows such as Intervention and Celebrity Rehab show the downfall and the reality of drug use. While other shows seem to venerate the use of alcohol with humor and sex, these shows depict how strong addiction can be and how families are affected by drug use. Shows such as these send a strong message to viewers about the realities of drug use and the reality of treatment. There is no pretty picture painted about an easy recovery neither does it glamorize a cool picture of heroin, meth, crack, inhalants and alcohol. The reality is clear, it sends the message dont do drugs because this is what will happen to you, your family and your life. A positive aspect of the prime time television and alcohol use is that when an underage person is depicted as using alcohol they portray the consequences and turn into a positive learning experience. The negative aspect of alcohol and drug use in television is that it sends a negative message to teenagers, its says its cool to drink and smoke. According to Kids Health.com kids and teens ages eight to eighteen spend nearly four hours a day watching television ( The Nemours Foundation, 2010). This is about three times the time amount they spend listening to the radio. Children are greatly influenced by what they watch and many of them idolize stars from these shows and want the mimic what they watch, especially if the use of alcohol, nicotine and illicit drugs are glamorized. These shows depict unsafe behavior and often there are no consideration about the consequence of on the use of alcohol, smoking and use of drugs. Alcohol and nicotine seem to be a favorite among prime time shows; illicit drug use is mostly portrayed in movies. Illicit drugs use and alcohol are hyped up in movies more so than in prime time, but some movies also send a message how drugs can lead to destruction and the struggle to overcome addiction. In 1995, The Basketball Diaries staring Leonard DiCaprio portrayed the true story of Jim Carroll a teenagers struggle with heroin addiction whose only desires are the game of basketball and heroin. In The Basketball Diaries Jims the only escape from a best friend that is dying and a coach who is a child predator is heroin. In a downward spiral Jims addiction for heroin leads him into the streets where he steals, robs and prostitutes himself. It is only through a friend and his relentless pursuit of his desire for Jim to be clean that he overcomes his addiction and fulfills his dreams. The message in The Basketball Diaries relays how drug addiction can destroy your dreams lead you int o a path of crime and self destruction. The message in this movie was a detail of how a lifestyle can easily be misled through the use of drugs and the struggle a person will have to take to overcome that addiction. This move portrayed a very effective message; drugs can destroy all your dreams, lead you into a life where basically you would sell your soul to get your next hit. It also showed the struggles to overcome addiction and how positive your life can become once you decide to make positive choices in your life. As much as alcohol and drug use may be glorified in prime time television, there are also antidrug advertisements that try to educate parents and children on peer pressure and the effects of drug use. In 1998 Congress created The National Youth Anti-Drug Media Campaign in collaboration with Partnership for a Drug-Free America the goal of this campaign is preventing and reducing youth drug abuse across the nation. The main goal of this campaign is to create advertisements that deliver antidrug use and the dangers of that behavior to youths. According to The Partnership Attitude Tracking Study (PATS) 2009 there is a correlation between increased teen exposure to anti-drug messages on television and a decreased likelihood of trying drugs over the past ten years. Four out of ten teens agreed that anti-drug messages made them more aware of the risks of using drugs and less likely to try the drugs (Drug Enforcement Administration, 2010). In one of the many advertisement the campaign has pr oduce, The Human Puppet the advertisement depicts a girl is passed out on a chair with her friends gathered around her, they are painting her face and have strapped her arms with scarves and are moving her hands as she is a puppet. The girl is in an unconscious state and never reacts to what her friends are doing to her they make reference to the fact that she is passed out and thrashed and that she will have a major headache in the morning. Eventually they walk away from her, leaving her slumped in the chair (The National Youth Anti-Drug Media Campaign, 2009).This was an excellent advertisement, and depicted the reality of what can happen when you consume alcohol as a teenager and the embarrassing situations that you place yourself in. The advertisement also pointed out the reality of what your friends can and will do to you when you passed out from alcohol use. The one weakness that was noted in this advertisement was that some kids may think that it was more humorous than educati onal. There should have been more depiction of what can happen when a kid drinks too much alcohol such as loss of body function or alcohol related illnesses. Overall these campaigns have been shown to work The National Youth Anti-Drug Media Campaign began in July 1998 and its primary focus was on reducing marijuana use among adolescents. The data collected from the beginning of PATS in 1998 compared to the data collected in 2008 shows that the use of the media campaign has significantly increased the teen awareness and decreased the use of marijuana in teens (Drug Enforcement Administration, 2010). The policies that are in place to deal with the portrayal of drug addiction are planned through The Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP), the primary function of this office is to establish policies, priorities, and objectives for the Nations drug control program. The goals of the program are to reduce illicit drug use, manufacturing, and trafficking, drug-related crime and violence, and drug-related health consequences (Office of National Drug Control Policy, 2010). The policies that have been established for drug addiction are the following that were obtained from the Criminal Justice Policy Foundation: Americans For Safe Access (ASA) an aggressive grassroots campaign working to push the Bush administration off its anti-medical marijuana crusade and allow states the right to choose and govern medical marijuana laws. Common Sense for Drug Policy (CSDP) a non-profit organization dedicated to expanding discussion on drug policy and raising questions about existing law and educating the public about alternatives to current policies. Criminal Justice Policy Foundation (CJPF) a non-profit foundation working on innovative solutions to problems facing the criminal justice system. Drug Policy Alliance (DPA) the nations leading organization working to end the war on drugs. Drug Reform Coordination Network (DRCNet) opposes the prison-building frenzy and supports rational policies consistent with the principles of peace, justice, freedom, compassion and truth. Human Rights and the Drug War a multi-media project that combines the stories and photos of Drug War POWs with facts and figures about the US Drug War, to confront the conscience of the American people and encourage individuals to take action for social justice. Institute for Policy Studies (IPS) a progressive think-tank with a project on U.S. drug policy and U.S. involvement in Colombia. Interfaith Drug Policy Initiative (IDPI) organizes people of faith to promote drug policy reform; i.e., moving from prohibition laws toward reasonable and compassionate drug regulation, education and treatment. Judges Against the Drug War provides an extensive online database of judicial opinions critical of the governments War on Drugs. The database represents judicial dissent against drug prohibition in state and federal jurisdictions from 1970 to the present date. Law Enforcement Against Prohibition (LEAP) current and former members of law enforcement who support drug regulation rather than prohibition. Marijuana Policy Project (MPP) works to minimize the harm associated with marijuana both the consumption of marijuana, and the laws that are intended to prohibit such use. Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies (MAPS) non-profit research and educational organization that assists scientific study of the risks and benefits of MDMA, psychedelic drugs and marijuana. National Drug Strategies Network (NDSN) coalition of organizations that offer information about drug control strategies. National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML) a nonprofit public-interest advocacy group that represents the interests of the tens of millions of Americans who smoke marijuana responsibly. Parents Ending Prohibition Parents Ending Prohibition is a non-profit organization, designed to bring together parents and other concerned citizens to protect our children from the devastating harms created by our nations war on marijuana. Students for Sensible Drug Policy (SSDP) working to involve youth in the political process, and promoting an open, honest, and rational discussion of alternative solutions to our nations drug problems. Unitarian Universalists for Drug Policy Reform (UUDPR) a continental coalition of Unitarian Universalists leading the denominations efforts to develop and promote more just and compassionate drug policies (Criminal Justice Policy Foundation, 2010) In addition to these policies The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is an independent United States government agency. The FCC was established by the Communications Act of 1934 and is charged with regulating interstate and international communications by radio, television, wire, satellite and cable (The Federal Communications Commission, 2009). The division of the FCC that administers policies and license is the Media Bureau. This office controls what is viewed on television and although there are some limitations due to the First Amendment Act. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is another office that regulates how drugs are portrayed on television. The FDA monitors how pharmaceutical companies advertised their drugs on television. Pharmaceutical companies are allowed to claim the benefits of their product but they must also provide a website or referenced publications where consumers can find out more details regarding the products (Mosher Akins, 2007, p. 345). In 1994 T he Dietary Supplemental Health and Education Act was passed, this act established policies on the sale and advertisement of dietary aides on television. The influence that television has on our youth today is overwhelming and it is important that use of drugs, whether legal or illegal are monitored and regulated. The government as well as parents and guardians have a responsibility towards our future generation and it is important that we influence our children in the right direction.

Business Law and Ethics Essay

Dealing with government regulation in business is an integral part of a manager’s responsibilities. Recognizing what actions might violate particular consumer protection regulations is crucial to protecting the company and to insuring its profitable operation. Government regulation is found every day in the operation of businesses large and small, and once understood, it allows managers to make good decisions regarding business practices. When you have completed this topic, you will be able to: †¢list the common types of regulations designed to protect consumers, †¢identify types of illegal consumer credit practices, †¢describe the warranty protection provided to consumers, and †¢describe the purpose and role of the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) in consumer protection. Read Chapter 40, â€Å"Consumer Law† Read the following chapter in Business Law and the Legal Environment: †¢chapter 40 (â€Å"Consumer Law†) Then respond to the following points in your notebook: †¢What is the role of the FTC? †¢Describe prohibited sales activities under the FTC Act. †¢How is consumer credit regulated? †¢What is the Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act? †¢What government regulations apply to consumer product safety? Consumer Law-statutes that protect consumers from the unscrupulous. Federal Trade Commission (FTC)=Created by congress in 1915 to regulate business. Most important agency enforcing consumer law. Prohibits unfair deceptive practices. FTC options for enforcing the law: 1. Voluntary Compliance When the FTC determines that a business has violated the law, it first asks the offender to sign a voluntary compliance affidavit promising to stop 2. Administrative hearing and appeals If the company refuses to stop voluntarily, the FTC takes the case to an administrative law judge (ALJ) within the agency. The violator may settle the case at this point by signing a consent order. 3.Penalties FTC can impose a fine for each violation of a voluntary compliance affidavit, a consent order, a cease and desist order, and an FTC rule. Section 5 of FTC Act- Prohibits unfair or deceptive sales practices. deceptive sales practices=An advertisement is deceptive if it contains an important misrepresentation or omission that is likely to mislead a reasonable consumer. Unfair acts or practices must meet 3 tests to considered unfair acts or practices: 1. It causes a substantial consumer injury 2. Harm of injury outweighs any benefit 3. The consumer could not reasonably avoid the injury FTC can find unfair if violates public policy w/o meeting tests Bait and switch advertisement= Merchant may not advertise a product and say bad things about it in order to sell a different item. Telemarketing= prohibits telemarketers from calling anyone on the do-not-call registry. And they cannot block their names and telephone number. Do not call registry= prohibits telemarketers from calling telephone numbers listed on the Do not call registry Mail or Telephone Order Merchandise has the following guidelines: Must ship an item within the time stated or within 30 days after the receipt of order; if it can’t ship by that time, they must send the customer a new ship date or the right to cancel order. *unordered merchandise received in the mail Consumers may keep as a gift Door to Door Rules- Salesperson is required to notify the buyer that the she has the right to cancel the transaction prior to midnight of the third business day thereafter Consumer Credit Regulations TILA Truth in Lending Act- requires lenders to disclose the terms of a loan in an understandable and complete manner. disclosures must be clear and meaningful.. Must disclose the finance charge and APR. TILA applies when: 1. It’s a consumer loan 2. The loan has a finance charge and will be repaid in more than four installments 3. The loan is less than $25,000 or secured by a mortgage 4. The loan is made by someone in the business of offering credit. High rate Home equity loans- lender must notify consumer at least 3 business days before closing that 1. He does not have to go through with the loan 2. He could lose his house if he fails to make payments Home Equity Loans-Rescission- Can rescind for up to 3 days after signing and after 3 years if the mortgage lender didn’t comply with TILA. Right to Rescind= Consumers have the right to rescind a 2nd mortgage for three business days after the signing. If the lender did not comply w/ TILA may rescind for up to 3 yrs. Credit card unauthorized charges- under TILA if consumer reports card stolen w/in 2 days only responsible for $50, after 2 days bank will only reimburse for losses over $500. Wait more than 60 days to report bank is not liable at all open end credit(credit card)= credit transaction in which lender makes a series of loans that can be re-payed at once or in installments. open ended credit required disclosures 1. the amount owed at the beginning of the billing cycle   2. amounts and dates of all purchases, credits and payments; finance charges and late fees 3. the date by which a bill must be paid to avoid these charges 4. either the consequences of making the monthly minimum payment or a toll free number at which to obtain such information. Close end credit(car loan)= One loan, borrower knows the amount and the payment schedule in advance subprime loans For subprime loans, a lender: (1) Must verify the borrower’s ability to repay the loan from income and assets other than the home’s value (2) May not charge a prepayment penalty if monthly payments can change in the first four years of the loan (3) Must collect property taxes and homeowner’s insurance for all first mortgages Home equity Loans Home Equity Loans-Enforcement= FTC generally has the right to enforce Truth in Lending Act and Consumers have a right to file suit. TILA provides additional consumer safe guards if: 1. APR is more than 10% higher than Treasury securities 2. Consumer pays fees and points at closing more than 8% 3. Loans that are less than 5 yrs cannot have balloon payments Advertising= Statute requires lenders to advertise their rates accurately. Can’t bait and switch. Bait and Switch= a merchant may not advertise a product and then disparage it to consumer in an effort to sell a different item and they must have enough items in stock to meet reasonable demand. Truth in Lending Act (TILA)= passed to ensure that consumers were adequately informed about the credit terms before entering into a loan and can compare the cost of the credit. TILA enforcement *FTC generally has the right to enforce TILA. TILA requires disclosures: Must be clear and in meaningful sequence, The lender must disclose the finance charge, and the creditor must also disclose the annual percentage rate. TILA advertisements- Under TILA lenders cannot advertise a loan as â€Å"fixed† if in fact its rate or payments will change In the event of a dispute between the customer and and a merchant the credit card company cannot bill the customer if: 1. customer makes a good faith effort to resolve dispute 2. the dispute is for more than $50 3. the merchant is in the same state or is within 100 miles of their home Fair Credit Bill Act (FCBA)- Under FCBA a credit card company must promptly investigate and respond to any consumer complaints about a credit card bill *provides additional protection for credit card holders. It allows a customer to dispute an item on their billing statement and demands that the company respond to your dispute. Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA)- helps to ensure that consumer credit reports are accurate and regulates the reporting agencies. Under FCRA: 1. A consumer report can be used only for a legitimate business need 2. A consumer reporting agency cannot report obsolete information 3. An employer cannot request a consumer report on any current or potential employee w/o the employees permission 4. Anyone who makes an adverse decision against a consumer because of a credit report must reveal the name and address of the reporting agency that supplied the negative info Fair and accurate credit reporting Act (FACTA)- created to reduce identity theft by providing consumers with one free credit report per year and making companies update their information. *Permits consumers to obtain 1 free credit report every year from each of the 3 major reporting agencies Fair Debt Collections Practices Act (FDCPA)= a collector must send the debtor a written notice containing the amount of debt, the name of the creditor to whom the debt is owed, and a statement that if the debtor disputes the debt (in writing), the collector will cease all collection efforts until it has sent evidence of the debt. *Debt collectors may not harass or abuse debtors Equal Credit Opportunity Act (ECOA)= Prohibits any creditor from discriminating against against a borrower on the basis of race, color, age, religion, national origin, sex or marital status or because the borrower is receiving welfare. Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act= Requires any supplier that offers a written warranty on a consumer product costing more than $15 to disclose the terms of the warranty in simple and readily understandable language before sale. *Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act does not require manufacturers or sellers to provide a warranty on their products. Consumer product safety Commission= Evaluates consumer products and develops safety standards. Consumer Product Safety Act (CPSA)= the goal is to prevent injuries from products. Consumer Leasing Act (CLA)= protects a person when leasing a car. Makes sure that the company discloses all important information in writing, so that the borrower knows what the payments, interest, penalties, rights, and warranties are. Debit Card= This item works like a check because money is taken directly from your account so their is no bill. Rules of a Debit Card: If you report it stolen before any purchases are made, you are not responsible for any amount. If you report it stolen with in two days, you are responsible for $50. If you report it stolen after two days, you are responsible for $500. Chapter Conclusion Virtually no one will go through life without reading an advertisement, ordering from a catalog, borrowing money, needing a credit report, or using a consumer product. It is important to know your rights. Chapter Review 1. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) prohibits â€Å"unfair and deceptive acts or practices.† A practice is unfair if it meets the following three tests: †¢ It causes a substantial consumer injury. †¢ The harm of the injury outweighs any countervailing benefit. †¢ The consumer could not reasonably avoid the injury. 2. The FTC considers an advertisement to be deceptive if it contains an important misrepresentation or omission that is likely to mislead a reasonable consumer. 3. FTC rules prohibit bait and switch advertisements. A merchant may not advertise a product and then disparage it to consumers in an effort to sell a different item. 4. The FTC prohibits telemarketers from calling telephone numbers listed on its do-not-call registry. 5. Consumers may keep as a gift any unordered merchandise that they receive in the mail. 6. Under the FTC door-to-door rules, a salesperson is required to notify the buyer that she has the right to cancel the transaction prior to midnight of the third business day thereafter. 7. In all loans regulated by the Truth in Lending Act (TILA), the disclosure must be clear and in meaningful sequence. The lender must disclose the finance charge and the annual percentage rate. 8. In the case of a high-rate home equity loan, the lender must notify the consumer at least three business days before the closing that (1) he does not have to go through with the loan (even if he has signed the loan agreement) and (2) he could lose his house if he fails to make payments. If the duration of a high-rate home equity loan is less than five years, it may not contain balloon payments. 9. Under TILA, consumers have the right to rescind a mortgage (other than a first mortgage) for three business days after the signing. If the lender does not comply with the disclosure provisions of TILA, the consumer may rescind for up to three years from the date of the mortgage. 10. Under TILA, a credit card holder is liable only for the first $50 in unauthorized charges made before the credit card company is notified that the card was stolen. If, however, you wait more than two days to report the loss of a debit card, your bank will only reimburse you for losses in excess of $500. If you fail to report the lost debit card within 60 days of receipt of your bank statement, the bank is not liable at all. 11. In the event of a dispute between a customer and a merchant, the credit card company cannot bill the customer if: †¢ She makes a good faith effort to resolve the dispute †¢ The dispute is for more than $50, and †¢ The merchant is in the same state where she lives or is within 100 miles of her house. 12. Under the Fair Credit Billing Act, a credit card company must promptly investigate and respond to any consumer complaints about a credit card bill. 13. Under the Fair Credit Reporting Act: †¢ A consumer report can be used only for a legitimate business need †¢ A consumer reporting agency cannot report obsolete information †¢ An employer cannot request a consumer report on any current or potential employee without the employee’s permission, and †¢ Anyone who makes an adverse decision against a consumer because of a credit report must reveal the name and address of the reporting agency that supplied the negative information. The Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act requires manufacturers or sellers to provide at least a limited warranty on all products. (False) Answer:The Act does not require a warranty, but it does require that any supplier that offers a written warranty on a consumer product that costs more than $15 to disclose the terms of the warranty in simple, understandable language. The federal consumer protection laws are meant to protect consumers from the consequences of bad business decisions. (False) Answer: These statutes were passed by Congress and state legislatures to protect consumers from unscrupulous merchants. Under the Truth-in-Lending Act, the consumer is liable for the use of a credit card by unauthorized persons up to $500. (False) Answer: The Act makes a consumer liable for only $50. When a borrower uses his home as security for a second mortgage, the borrower has the right to rescind for: 3 business days. Answer: The TILA gives the consumer this right for up to 3 days after the signing. A commercial for basketball shoes included a testimonial from a famous basketball player. If the player does not use the basketball shoes in the ad:the ad is deceptive. Answer: Under the FTC Act, an advertisement is deceptive if it contains an important misrepresentation that is likely to mislead a reasonable consumer. The Consumer Leasing Act requires a lessor to disclose which of the following? The consumer’s right to terminate a lease early. Answer: Any right to early termination must be disclosed before a lease is signed.

Admiral George Rodney in the American Revolution

The Expansion Of Space Architecture - 1610 Words

Introduction The collective space vision of all the world’s countries at the moment seems to be Mars, Moon, space colonization, permanent settlement etc. Even Steven Hawking does not think that humans will survive another 1000 years ‘without escaping beyond our fragile planet’. Architects are designing colonial habitats on Mars and Moon creating large flimsy structures for permanent settlements. But is that space architecture is all about? Just to create a new living environment for rats abandoning a sinking ship? Obviously space architecture can be something more than just a permanent habitat in uninhabitable environment. This manifesto argues that architecture in space could help humanity to maintain Earth as well as to explore other†¦show more content†¦Certainly it is a great shock to all ecosystems, but it is a long way from uninhabitable. If we do the meanest things such as nuclear war, pollution of all air and water, greenhouse warming, complete deforestation , Earth would still be considered as the most habitable planet of the galaxy that we know. Even post-apocalyptic Earth would still be an absolute paradise in comparison to Mars, the Moon, or hellish Venus. None of these places will ever be more welcoming than Earth, no matter how bad Earth gets. Even if we have to live and farm under pressurized domes, we will do it million times easier than the people who do the same on Mars. And if sooner or later humanity gets the power of terraforming Mars or Moon, we will certainly have the power of cleaning up whatever mess we made on Earth and turn it into a Garden of Eden. The latter seems as much easier project. Steven Hawking advocates that ‘having all eggs in one basket’ is not wise. Considering the fact that there have been five large extinctions events throughout Earth’s history, spreading out could be logical. But again, this option should be for the most extreme situation, since the protection of Earth and its children is always comes first. The Purpose of Space Architecture. The purpose of architecture itself is to improve human life. Due to its extreme environments, living in space or on